Hinsdale Oasis

This is a quick place to stop when you’re on the road. They have a few places in there to grab a drink or a quick lunch. Unfortunately their prices are a little higher than other chain restaurants. A diet coke at a regular McDonald’s costs 99 cents and here it was over $ 2!

The Oasis’s that are commonly found above Illinois interstates and tollways have always struck me as very odd and usual places… The Hinsdale Oasis is no exception. The exterior design and structure of the building make sense, entrances to both sides of the tollway making it accessible to all drivers, separate gas stations, even a place to walk the dog. All while offering an interesting perspective of the passing traffic below. The use of space inside and overall style of the interior remind me more of a poorly throughout, old, in desperate need of a renovation, airport terminal.
Pull off the tollway, northbound, park the car and walk into this large space and immediately felt like I was on some extension of O’Hare’s United Terminal. Large windows line the length of the walls over the tollway, stretching from the ground to the ceiling. All the restaurants and shops are scattered about throughout the space in such a way that makes me believe there wasn’t much planning (if any) on the placement of restaurants/​kiosks, as there was on the exterior.
The selection of kiosks/​fast food chains are minimal, they have some arcade games, but most looked the typical claw arm and other prize rigged games that never seam to payout. Over all, the best thing about this place and other Oasis’s like it, is the convention factor. So for that, I give 4 stars. While not the most attractive, these places can present themselves useful, especially for that sudden, intense urge to use the washroom or when you’re craving a your favorite Starbucks drink while barreling down the road at 75 mph.

I only stop here for fuel and that is only because I waited too long to stop at a more preferable location. The pumps work and they have never been out of stock on fuel, so my needs have always been met. The pumps are not the greatest, sometimes slow which of course feel worse when you waited too long to buy gas and the wind is whipping and it is cold and the pump is asking too many questions like «do you want a car wash» before you can get started. Fuel prices are higher but that is the price of safety and convenience.

Yes, it does deserve 5 stars! The oasis is a great place to stop by for a quick bite to eat as well as let the toddlers play in the play area. They have a lot of good places to eat at: KFC, McDonald’s Taco Bell, Panda Express as well as a DQ and Starbucks. The only thing that is not great is if you need to go back the way you came from you he parking because the spots closest to the oasis are pretty much taken. Here is the link to the site:

On our way out of Illinois, this oasis (or the South Holland one) is usually our last stop. As much as we’d like Portillo’s to be our last stop, someone usually has to go to the bathroom before departing the prairie state. We end up here.
Fortunately, the bathrooms here are clean and modern, as is the rest of the oasis. Like another reviewer said: it’s a little food court in the sky. McDonald’s, KFC, Starbucks, Panda Express, and Subway are some of your food options. Not the best places to eat, but hey — options! And some interesting kiosks! And again, clean bathrooms! And a place to put gas in your car. The oasis, like the others along the Illinois highways, is nice and convenient. It makes passing through all the tolls slightly more bearable. Just a degree…
And a fun perk: sit near the window and watch the traffic pass underneath you. It’s relaxing, in a way.

We usually stop here while driving through. LOVE the cookie stand! The place is clean and big enough to handle all the people that stop in. We love getting the Pretzle Hotdogs here. There could be a couple more restaurants but overall it’s a good place to stop.

Great place to get tossed around and for a man to push his hate. 4 stars because the bathrooms were mismanaged and I saw a dwarf that made me uncomfortable.

In a world where toll roads exist (blerg…), you also have an Oasis. I’m not from this world, so the first time I just breezed on by and then got off the highway at the airport, and had to search for a gas station. I’ve since learned that you do pay through the nose for gasoline here, but it’s worth the convenience of an easy-​on, easy-​off experience.
It’s more than just gasoline, and for more than just travelers. There’s a handful of fast food joints and you can sit there watching cars whiz by on the Tollway. I won’t be Taco-​Belling or Panda Expressing anytime soon, but the options exist, and the food is really secondary – what a Tollway oasis is selling is really convenience.

Easy on, Easy off. Good location as some of the surrounding area’s can get a bit questionable it’s nice and convieniant to have this place to stop for fuel, food, bathrooms, or just a quick strech break. But be warned, you pay for the coinveniance as it seems like everything is more money than at the Mcdonalds, starbucks, etc just down the road.

Like a mirage in a far-​off desert of twisted interstate pavement, the Hinsdale Oasis provides respite and refreshment for road-​weary travelers who have to navigate the Tri-​State on their way to the south suburbs (ehh.), or even worse… Indiana! (dun dun DUNNNHHHH).
For realz though, the Tollway Oases have become kind of a cool stopping point, and something more than just the spot where you can grab food and sit at a counter directly above all the traffic passing directly underneath you (Keep your junk, in the trunk… aight?) I can’t speak for all of them, but Hinsdale seems relatively refreshed, with lots of skylights and large windows for natural, ambient lighting, large fans for air circulation and cutting down on heating/​cooling costs, and all kinds of posted tips on how to conserve energy both in the home and on the road. Granted, Illinois as a state is broke as a joke, so it’s easy to see where the ideas come from. Now, if only they practiced what they preached.
Most of your suburban fav fast food spots can be found under one roof, including Sbarro, T-​Bell, McD’s, Starbux… all with a nominal premium fee of course, for convenience’s sake.
Road weary and misguided travelers unite. Grab a mochafruitychocowhiplatte lite and get going!

The Oasis is the greatest…
A veritable SHOWCASE for the fast-​food restaurant chain industry. Get your KFC Go-Cup’s here, Starbucks Coffee (order an expresso for your driving depresso), Panda Express, Taco Bell, DQ (ice cream before I scream), sbarro, and McDonald’s to name a few… Seriously people, the number of fast-​food chains at the Oasis can’t get much higher (nor can your cholesterol level if you eat too much of it, think moderation…)
Moreover, no review can go without mentioning their clean bathrooms, which ranks 8 on the Bathroo Crapplication scale (that means clean & well stocked)… And lastly, there’s ample parking with a two-​hour limit so there’s plenty of time for eating, stretching, or napping before getting back on the tollway (as if… haven’t actually gotten off the tollway)…
I’m glad the Oasis is here, all the Oasis’s!!!

All around good stop spot.
It’s clean, there’s plenty of places to eat and get snacks at. There’s even a Best Buy vending machine for all your miscellaneous electronic items including 12V accessories. Bathrooms always seem clean when I use them, always stocked with soap, paper towels and TP.
Food spots here:
McDonald’s, Taco Bell, Subway, Auntie Annie’s, Sbarro, Panda Express and a couple others I can’t remember. There’s plenty of seats along the windows to watch the traffic flying by below you and more toward the central ‘aisle’ as well.
This place never seems TOO busy or crowded either.

If you need to use the john in the expressway. It beats stopping at some dirty gas station. Clean bathrooms, free wifi, great place to work, you can also have sales meetings. Get a cup of coffee. Nice safe location

I wish they had more things like this across more interstates! Sometimes you can’t even find a rest stop, so this is a traveller’s dream! Easy parking, a fair selection of chain fast food… Panda Express, Taco Bell, McD’s, Starbucks, DQ, Orange Julius, tables to eat at, and clean bathrooms. What more do you need? It came in very handy as I was speeding around 294 and realized I had too much water at dinner. Also, you don’t have to pay a toll exiting, so that is always a plus!

I’m so sick of cheap fast food corporate and fees taken over our roadside away service stops and oasis. sure you can stop here and grab a bite to eat if you want to just shout $ 7 for Starbucks sandwich relative the usual $ 3.50 at any other Starbucks. the clientele here are commute drivers and truck drivers how can I afford such a sandwich?
this stop is not worth it, use your smartphone and you’ll see there’s a local Whole Foods near Ogden Avenue. there’s so many better places to eat, drive on does no need to stop here aside from the bathroom break

It’s that great food court in the sky. McDonald’s on one side, KFC/​Taco Bell on the other. A few other magical places in the middle, like DQ (which now serves Orange Julius). The prices are just a touch higher than your average suburban locations, but I’m pretty sure that has a convenience factor built in. I’ve stopped for breakfast more than a few times, mostly not getting out of the car. The service is exceptionally fast, so it really doesn’t add any time onto my commute. The 2 – 3 times I’ve been inside I was pretty sure magical gnomes keep the place clean because it’s spotless.

This Oasis like many others in the Chicago area, is convenient, has adequate parking and usually some acceptable food (altho not always healthy choices).
There is almost always a StarBucks (as this one has) and expensive gas (being on a Tollroad I guess?).
Nothing special, just a rest stop that hangs over the road for added visibility.

Why are there not convenient places stretched across the highways, streets, boulevards and lanes everywhere in America? Why I ask you, why?
Recently we ran out of the house to get somewhere and I realized that in spite of 17,986 reminders throughout my life, I had not taken care of everything before I left the house. What do you do? Normally you have to weigh the inconvenience of getting off and finding a place with free, clean and accessible facilities.
Unless you are on 294 then they have these fabulous snack, gas and bathroom building which span the Highway.
Genius I tell you, genius. Oh, and relief!

Nice place that offers alot… you can get support for you Ipass here and a couple of fast food places… Starbucks and a couple of massafe chairs (Dollar for 3 Minutes.)
Expect things to be more expensive here (as you are in the Tollway) than regularily… for example. Sweet Tea at the Mcdonalds here? 1.80…vs 1.08. And when I asked why…‘we dont have a dollar menu.’ Which I thought was only for food anywya… but whatever.
Next to the Oasis is a gas station if you need juice for the car… and alot of trucks… so its a kinda truck stop but not called a truck stop.
Any port in a storm no?

Gasoline is kind of pricey here. I usually buy gas and cigarettes in other states where taxes are lower ;)
But in a pinch this place is great. Very convenient to get off the tollway and stretch your legs.
The other thing I do is save up my plastic and aluminum cans and stuff because they have good recycling options here.