Wagner’s Drive-In - Brooklyn Park, MN

Surprisingly far above ok.  The kid and I are fans now.  Oh yeah, driving up, especially on a cold windy dreary 1st of February, it looks Grimsville.  It DOES look a tidge less grim on a sunny cold windy early April afternoon.  Shoehorned between raceway Bottineau Blvd and it’s frontage road, phone/electric pole installed next to it’s back door, mangled sun faded feather banner clinging to life next to the dumpster corral.  But you’re not here for cosmetics.  You’re here for a slice of nostalgia, a relatively inexpensive bite, where you don’t have to get out of your car, and it isn’t a chain drive-thru.  I’m guessing come summer it’s maybe even a bit of a local hangout  

  

As rundown as the exterior is, be sure to check out their super slick website,

especially if you like classic cars . . . 

As for the food?  Probably serving the same Sysco from-frozen product it’s been serving for decades, but that’s what you’re expecting.  The kiddo devoured her perfectly fried Hot Rodder (Chicken Strip, fries, chocolate milk the first stop, Cheeseburger the next).  Trip one they forgot to put in the bbq sauce we asked for, but that didn’t put her out.  She was pleasantly surprised with the added sucker as a treat

 

My Pork Cutlet Sandwich was textbook+, with toasted sandwich bread and happily a generous pile of pickle slices and slightly griddled onion  

  

I crushed their Patty Melt (1/4 lb. patty topped with Swiss & American cheese, smothered with sautéed onions, 1,000 island dressing & served on grilled rye per the menu).  The griddle on the buttered toast was absolute perfection

They know their way around a deep fryer as well.  The Sysco onion rings, fries, and chicken strips were all top notch

There's some picnic tables along the motorway.  Lunch and a view

While you're there, you may as well pop across the street and hit the Goodwill Outlet.  It's a trip.  A bit like sanctioned dumpster diving.

Books, DVD's, Calendars, and anything else of the sort in the piles of a couple giant grey rolling bins are only 69¢ an inch with them stacked like so.  You really can't beat it.  Especially for those thin kids books.  Plus, at times they clear out a whole row of bins, and bring out freshies.  People line each side of the aisle, and patiently wait for ALL the bins to be in place, then THEY ATTACK!  Like dropping corn kernels to sunfish off a dock.  It's a sight to see

Anyways, Wagner's . . . all four of our thumbs up.  We'll be back

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wagnersdrivein.com   

 

Wagner’s Drive-In - 7000 West Broadway Avenue, Brooklyn Park, MN 55428

763-533-8262