The Tendermaid

Stop last week for the first time. Wow, great sandwich and the root beer malt was fantastic! Will be back with my family!

In town for business and the locals recommended this place. I saw on the menu that they were known for their loose meat sandwiches, I thought I was ordering a regular bacon cheeseburger and it came as a loose meat sandwich. Turned out to be pretty tasty. The wait staff were very knowledgable about the business has been there for 70 odd years. Would recommend to a friend!

Awesome every time! cheeseburger with bacon, and a strawberry milkshake many times over many years!

This is an old school GEM of a restaurant serving lean sloppy Joe style burger without sloppy Joe sauce but you add all the toppings of your choice. …
Also offer some great natural casing hot dogs, soup and chili.
You must have one of the hand made and high quality shakes or malts, generous sizes!
Seating at counter stools where you communicate with the locals while you dine.

A wonderful trip back in time to when a real gourmet loose meat burger means topping it with thousand island dressing instead of ketchup and pickles. Huge shakes and malts. Real vinyl and chrome spinning counter stools. Loose meat burgers were new to me when I moved here from Wisconsin. They are weird. Sloppy joes with no sauce. But hey, I’ve gone native. They are pretty good.

A must stop for lovers of ground beef. Their loose meat style is unique to this region (Iowa, Minnesota, etc), so you have to give it a try. I ordered a classic burger with american cheese, mustard, ketchup, pickles and onions and liked it so much I ordered a second. The vanilla shake I shared with my husband was also perfect.
The woman working the counter was also super nice and we talked throughout our meal about the area and other stuff.
If you love well made, independent, classic American «drive-​in» fare, you’ll love Tendermaid!

Fantastic unique burgers. The establishment has rich history! A nice little local joint that makes a great place to eat lunch.

Stopped here for the first time today and my expectations were really high because of the Unilocal reviews. I was not let down! The chili cheese tender maid was life changing! Of course I had to wash it down with their legendary chocolate malt, which was delicious!

Awesome local institution. Distinctive loose meat hamburgers. Great shakes too. Not a lot of seating but you can always get it to go.

No matter your age, The Tender Maid is one of those places that makes you want to re-​live your childhood. This nostalgic little diner takes you back in time to a simpler era; the sights and sounds of the past come rushing back, inspired by something as simple burger and shake. And when I say «burger,» I mean steamy loose ground beef scooped generously onto a soft white bun with pickles, onions, and cheese, and enclosed in a paper wrapper that screams, «Open me! Right. Now.»
There’s no possible way to put into words how charming and simple — and TASTY — that sandwich is. You just have to experience it.
So get on in to the Tendermaid. Spin around on that stool a few times and share a malt with someone special. You’ll think you were 8 years old again. And when you walk out the door, no matter what the weather, it seems like the sun is shining a little bit brighter.
Heck, my mouth is watering just thinking about it. I’m pretty sure I know where I’m having lunch tomorrow…

Great little Mom and Pop shop. Still using same great recipe and original cooker for the 70 some years it’s been in existence.
The burger is loose and flavorful with great options to add on and amazing malts. Great experience, definitely worth going!

We didn’t know what to expect when we walked in the little building that simply says «hamburgers» on the sign. We weren’t expecting such a unique dining experience. The dining counter wraps around where all the action is. The loose meat hamburgers are assembled there while you watch. They are perfectly seasoned and served in the wrapper (no plate). There are many toppings available. I had 1000 Island, American cheese, and pickles – oh so good. My son had the chili dog. He said the chili was excellent. The chocolate malt was just about the best I’ve had. We are so full but are trying to find a reason to make another trip through Austin, MN!

Get off route 90 right now…
This place is what you want and need
«Loose meat» burgers with every topping imaginable.
Man…
Unilocal sent us here and now WE are sending you.

Christopher discovered this place as we were heading for the Spam Museum. What a discovery!!! Loose Meat Sandwiches … what a perfect concept. It must be, as the place opened in 1938. They must be doing something right!!!
We all loved this place. Mom especially liked that the loose meat burger she had was easy to eat. They give you a teaspoon to finish up anything that falls off the bun (no plate, it comes wrapped in paper, not on a plate.)
I just loved everything about this place, cute, cozy, and the sandwiches are so yummy. I ordered a root beer float with mine. Before I left, they topped off the root beer without me even asking.
Oh yes … we love this place and will find a way to get back! This one goes on my life list.

This is an example of a different take on a burger. Some people complain it is catered towards the older population of the town. In reality it is a ground beef blend of deliciousness. The beef is seasoned perfectly and they have plenty of condiments to fill your crave. I love some spice on my food so the fresh jalapeños, pepper jack cheese, and spicy melted cheese goes well together. I recommend stopping in on a Wednesday and trying their delicious chicken tortilla soup… it is to die for. Also if you are a fan of old fashioned malts you won’t go wrong ordering one. This is a hidden gem and for people looking for something different I highly recommend it.

I have been coming to the Tendermaid for as long as I can remember. The beauty of this place is that it remains the same and sticks to what it does best. The setup is bar only seating with the everything being made right in front of you. I always stick to a simple burger and ketchup with a vanilla malt. My mouth waters thinking about it.
I highly recommended checking the Tendermaid out. It’s a quick lunch and has available takeout.

Delicious place. The loose meat sandwiches are awesome and so are the milkshakes. They have an eating challenge that #manvsfood needs to take on.

Great and unique tasty sandwiches. The best malts/​shakes around (lots of different flavored).
This is a must if you’re padding through Austin or if you’re new to the area.
Location is right near downtown with lots of things in walking distance.
There is limited seating, so be aware of that.
This is my 3 y/​o favorite place to stop with dad.

it’s all wrong but it’s all right… oh the tender «loose meat» sandwich — you make me happy — this is a little tiny shop and I have gone in there to get down with the loose meat which is a sloppy joe without the slop and the flavor is oh-​so good. I like mine with pickle and mustard… some call it a maid-​rite in the midwest and they have a very unique flavor — like dry mustard perhaps… not sure but they are good and I highly recommend it…

You walk in and you see a classic Americana-​style eatery. The only seating in this joint is a large U-​shaped counter with swivel stools, which surrounds the service area and the food prep area. The sandwiches and shakes are made right in front of you.
The menu here is quite simple. Choose a loose meat burger sandwich and choose the toppings. You can have the choice of adding in a bag of chips (no fries or onion rings here), but you’ll really want to opt for a milkshake or a malt. The chocolate milkshake is full of that chocolaty syrup, which makes it a nice accompaniment. Sure they have a few other items on the menu, but let’s be serious, you’re not really here for that.
The burgers here are crumbled ground beef, hence the loose meat burger term, served from a steaming vat in the middle of the restaurant. It can be a bit messy to eat, but you get a spoon to eat all of the stuff that falls out of the sandwich. It’s served on soft white Wonder Bread hamburger rolls.
This pricing of the items is relatively high, but it might be worth the trip if you happen to be in the area (ie: if you’re visiting the Spam museum). It’s certainly something a bit different if you’ve never had this kind of sandwich before.