Carlson’s Drive In

Fun atmosphere but that’s about it. Being from Chicago I know how a dig should taste, these are nothing special. 20 minutes wait for 3 dogs and grilled cheese, small root beer. And$ 20. I won’t return.

Love the chili cheese dog, root beer and fries… but way too much $$$ for the food.
$ 3.30 for a dog $ 2.80 for fries $ 1.90

I love this place! Great food, great service! No other place like it! Get the chili cheese dog and a root beer and you won’t be disappointed

Had to stop for a root beer, decided to try the root beer float and I would say skip it. The root beer is the star and the ice cream just took up space. We ordered two gallons of root beer to take home. Well worth the visit.

Food is way over priced for the quality, a nice place for tourists, or someone who wants a drive in experience

Food isn’t bad. Too bad they refuse to join the 21^st Century and accept credit cards. Therefore they have lost out on my business.

If you’re seeking a drive in experience, then this is it. Not my favorite food spot in the area. Enjoy a great root beer float.

This is one of those places that I grew up with as a kid and I still love it as an adult. My husband was curious as to why I loved fried sides that were obviously previously frozen, and canned chili with liquid cheese on my hot dog… it must be nostalgia because he doesn’t care for it. He does, however, LOVE the root beer. I am happy that things haven’t changed here regarding the food. I will keep coming back every summer as long as they’ll have me! A Michigan City institution for sure.

CLAPS FOR THE ROOT BEER:
Seriously, get it.
This classic drive-​in food does not disappoint. It has a hefty menu with options to please just about anyone. (Unless of your you are on a healthy diet, then maybe don’t go here.) You can drive up and park to eat or sit outside at a table, either way they have table/​car side service.

Stopped in to pick up a half gallon jug of diet root beer and was denied. They said that they cannot put the diet root beer in a half gallon jug because it foams up too much. They said they could do two quarts in separate to go cups. but the price is higher than just buying the jug. Sorry… my intention wasn’t to sip root beer out of a straw as I toodle around town… and why should I be penalized by having to pay extra? I wanted the half gallon so I can store it in my fridge until I want to drink it. You can do half gallon and gallon jugs of regular root beer… apparently regular must not foam up? I proposed a solution. Give me an empty half gallon jug… i will pour the two quart to go cups of root beer into said jug, on my own, and I’ll be on my merri way… but only charge me for the half gallon price… afterall I’m the one being inconvenienced to transfer the contents into to the jug. They refused to cooperate with the price differential. The two quart size to go cups dont give you a full quart… how do i know this? I was forced into this situation last month where I had to buy FOUR quart to go cups of diet root beer… in which I proceeded to pour the contents into a gallon jug (which didnt foam at all that time… hmmm) and when all four quarts were in the gallon jug… there was 2″ of empty space from the top of the jug. so not only was I forced to pay more, i was also inconvenienced by having to pour it myself, and ended up with less than a gallon of product. As much as I love their root beer… I won’t be back since Carlson’s apparently do not place customer satisfaction high on their agenda.

I honestly think that everything is overpriced here. The food isn’t as great as everyone has been telling me. Not a fan of their root beer (even thought it’s what they are known for). The best thing there is their servers. Nice people!

The quality of the food has gone down. I’d rather get a burger from any where else, for the price it is just not worth it. But the homemade root beer is still really sweet. My boys love it.

This place is way to cute for it’s own kind! Great service
Great food
My 3 year old nephew ate his entire cheeseburger. That doesn’t happen often. I highly recommend this place!
It’s nice to still see old school diners like this with great service !

A very disappointing faux drive-​in diner that overcharges and advertises a false historical importance at its location (right off busy and dirty Franklin aka 421)
The «famous» root-​beer is flat. None of the menu items are any cause to write home.
You’re much better off at Schoops, located exactly 3 – 4 blocks south.

Ate here last summer. A Mazda Miata convertible club proceeded to show up. I think there were 10 Miata convertibles there by the time we left. Stick to the burgers. The hot dogs were very substandard. Nice ambiance. Food meh.

This place was alright. I had a burger and fries and they were just average. I also had a root beer float and that was worth the money. But the bad thing was it is cash only and I don’t normally carry cash so I pass this place up all the time.

Cool place, stopped by after a trip to the outlet mall.
Had a Chili Cheese Dog and a Cheeseburger both of which were pretty darn good. They weren’t life changing or anything but good. Staff is really friendly and quick to take your order, prices are pretty fair for what you get too.
I gotta say their Root Beer was absolutely amazing. I can drink that stuff all day long!
If you’re in the area, I’d swing by just to try the root beer.

This nostalgic car hop is a must if your going to any of the Dunes, Mt. Baldy or spending time in Long Beach. I go strictly for the Root Beer, if I’m feeling risky root beer floats. It’s home made root beer and let me tell you, exercise caution if your on a diet. Speaking of which, they do make a diet root beer.
Now the hot dogs need help. There is no snap to the bite and if your from Chicago, you must tell them NO Ketchup.
Everything else is good.

We stopped in this weekend for a quick bite. The owner just happened to be sitting next to us doing the payroll. He was polite and started talking about the business. I could tell right away that he was a very proud man and that this was his life. He told us about the burgers that he has made for him everyday and he goes and picks them up every morning in this wiener mobile. An 80’s Suzuki Samurai painted bright orange. Then he proceeded to tell us about the guy who has been here since the Chicago fire and he chops the onions all day long. Anyway, the story was free with the meal and it did make me feel a little better about eating a double burger with cheese dripping out of the sides. Oh, and that huge sack of fries with an ice cold homemade root beer to wash it all down with. Yum!

Found on Jane and Michael Stern’s road food website. Worth a visit for sure! It was Memorial Day and girlfriend and I split two chili cheese dogs, fried fish sandwich, french fries, cheese cubes, side of ranch dressing and two diet root beers for under twenty bucks. Nothing compliments fine road food like this like a diet root beer in a frosty mug. There are lots of waitresses.