Aunt Alice Tells Us Zeke's Drive-In Voted Best Northwest Roadside Burger

Zeke's Drive-In was voted the Best Roadside Burger in Best Northwest Escapes 2017 viewers' poll.

Aunt Alice, who used to live somewhat near Zeke's Gold Bar location, when she lived in Sultan, prior to moving to the town of Tonasket in Eastern Washington, pointed us to Zeke's today via a report about Zeke's Drive-In on Seattle's KING 5 News.

Zeke's Drive-In was opened by Zeke way back in 1968, almost a half century ago.

Zeke is no longer with us, but Zeke's Drive-In remains a family operation.

We remember Zeke's as having in season fresh fruit milkshakes. Blackberry being a favorite.

Fresh fruit shakes and cheeseburgers with real cheese, with the cheese grated for maximum flavor and meltability.

At Zeke's, at least back when Zeke was still making the burgers, one had multiple cheese choices, such as opting for extra sharp cheddar. The last time we stopped at Zeke's, late in the previous century, on the way over Stevens Pass en route to Leavenworth, the Zeke's burger's cheese option was no longer grated, with a selection of cheese choices.

Even without Zeke's signature grated cheese the Zeke's cheeseburger and blackberry shake was still memorable.

We suspect the Fidalgo Drive-In in Anacortes was a close runner up in the Best Northwest Roadside Burger poll. We recently posted a review of the Fidalgo Drive-In's burgers.

Zeke's Drive-In does not have a website, but Zeke's Drive-In is on Facebook...

Fidalgo Drive-In Cheeseburger Summer Review

It is the middle of winter, currently.

Even though it is the middle of winter I thought a Summer Cheeseburger Review might come in handy if you are traveling to Anacortes, Washington, possibly on the way to get on a ferry to the San Juan Islands.

This Cheeseburger Review is brought to you via YouTube by the food critic you see here, taking a big bite of a Fidalgo Drive-In Cheeseburger, with some  reviewing help from her dad and grandma.

One bite sends the Cheeseburger Reviewer into Cheeseburger ecstasy.

That item you see with two straws sticking out of it is a Root Beer Float.

The Cheeseburger Reviewer was equally pleased with the Root Beer Float, even after it gave her a brain freeze moment.

The Fidalgo Drive-In is easy to find. It is located at 2908 Commercial Avenue, which is the main drag through Anacortes, which most people drive on their way to the ferry dock, or Washington Park

You can get more info about the Fidalgo Drive-In, and check what else is on the menu besides Cheeseburgers and Root Beer Floats, by visiting the Fidalgo Drive-In website.

You can watch the Fidalgo Drive-In Cheeseburger Summer Review  below....

Spencer Jack's Fidalgo Drive-In Hamburger Voted Best in Anacortes

This morning I learned via Facebook that my great nephew Spencer Jack's, (and his dad's), Anacortes restaurant, the Fidalgo Drive-In, has been determined by Burger Voters to have the BEST HAMBURGER in Anacortes.

That is Spencer Jack you see here, having whipped up a Root Beer Float to go along with the BEST HAMBURGER in Anacortes.

Why do I feel like I am writing an advertisement here?

I think I will have a Deluxe Bacon Double Cheeseburger with one of Spencer Jack's Root Beer Floats for lunch, maybe with onion rings, if onion rings are on the menu today....

The Fidalgo Drive-In Has The Best Hamburger In Anacortes

Last night I heard from Spencer Jack, via email, that his dad's Fidalgo Drive-In in Anacortes has been determined by the voting local population to have the BEST HAMBURGER in town.

I do not remember the last time one of my relatives made any town's BEST BURGER.

I feel like I should drop in on the Fidalgo Drive-In for lunch today and have myself a burger.

Looking at the Burger Menu I think I will opt for the Tillamook Bacon Cheddar Burger, with two all-beef patties, mayo, lettuce, tomato, pickle, melted Tillamook Cheddar Cheese and bacon.

But, I am also a great fan of Bleu Cheese, with makes the Bleu Cheese Red Onion Deluxe, with two all beef patties, blue cheese dressing, lettuce, tomato, red onion and melted blue cheese crumbles, very tempting.

In my current residential location, deep in the heart of Texas, in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, I have not found any restaurant of the Fidalgo Drive-In sort, with Pacific Northwest type seafood on the menu.

I'm thinking, in addition to having the BEST BURGER in Anacortes, I should also have something from the Seafood part of the Fidalgo Drive-In menu.

SEAFOOD BASKETS come with Steak Fries, Garlic Bread, Fresh Coleslaw and a choice of  Dungeness Crab Bisque or Clam Chowder.

I think I will try and convince Spencer Jack's dad to let me have both the Dungeness Crab Bisque and Clam Chowder, along with the Seafood Combo of Cod, Prawns, Oysters & Clam Strips. I can not remember the last time I've had Cod, Prawns, Oysters or Clam Strips.

I also don't remember the last time I had a Root Beer Float.

Or a Blackberry Milkshake.

Blackberry is my favorite milkshake flavor.

I wonder if Spencer Jack will be at the Fidalgo Drive-In today, helping make the Root Beer Floats?

I've not seen Spencer Jack since last March.

It'd be a really fine thing to have lunch today in Anacortes, with Spencer Jack and his dad at the Fidalgo Drive-In....

Spencer Jack & Your Hometown Fidalgo Drive-In Family Restaurant in Anacortes Washington

That is my great nephew (or is it grand nephew?) Spencer Jack in the picture getting ready to have a root beer float in his dad's restaurant, the Fidalgo Drive-In.

I last saw Spencer Jack's dad, my nephew Jason, in April of 2006 when I was in the Skagit Valley of Washington for Jason's wedding. The wedding reception was held at Jason's previous restaurant, Eaglemont Pavilion, in Mount Vernon.

At some point in time, after 2006, Jason opened the Fidalgo Drive-In in Anacortes. I thought I'd been told Jason's restaurant was called Jason's Grub.

This morning my sister emailed me some pictures. One picture was of Jason's brother, Joey, clam digging on Samish Island and one was of Jason at Bay View State Park, wearing a shirt that said Fidalgo Drive-In on it.

I Googled Fidalgo Drive-In to find Jason has a website for his restaurant. Unfortunately the website does not come up in the #1 position due to it being a flash based website. Those do not index well with the search engines.

Checking out the Fidalgo Drive-In website I see Jason has a lot of tempting seafood. I miss Pacific Northwest seafood. I remember the first time I dropped in on Jason's Eaglemont Pavilion he made me cod and fries. Very good cod.

Several other websites have reviews of Jason's restaurant. Below is what some of the Fidalgo Drive-In diners had to say........

Terry V. said....

Great milkshakes!

Sean B. said....

Holy mother of crab, this place was delicious!

After a long, relaxing weekend in the San Juans, my boyfriend and I were dreading the drive from Anacortes to Tacoma. Thankfully, my filling experience at Fidalgo made the journey a tolerable experience.

I had the crab sandwich, which amounted to a giant lump of buttery crab, wedged between a bun. There may have been some vegetables wedged in there, but who cares? It was loaded with crab! The onion rings were also served in generous portions, and soft-serve ice cream was a-plenty in the root beer floats.

I will definitely make a point of stopping here on my next trip to the San Juans!

Chris C. said....

Cool!  A first review!  A former A&W.  Went on a Saturday at lunch with a party of seven into an almost full restaurant.  Put in a big order and it came rather fast.

The food was good and a more than you would expect from a drive-in/fast food place.  Had a selection of burgers, corn dogs, regular fries, curly fries, tater tots, soup, and root beer floats.   All was good. The root beer floats were huge!  The tater tots were crispy and probably the best I have ever had.  The soup was Ivar's, can't go wrong there.

The menu had quite a selection and enough choices to satisfy any group.  Service was friendly.  Place was clean.

Jordan B. said....

Really good burgers and amazing waffle fries. The French Dip was pretty good, but the burgers are better. Pretty big menu for such a small place. Cheese curds are awesome.