The Old Fashioned Drive-In Restaurant In Illinois That Hasn’t Changed In Decades
By Elizabeth Crozier|Published April 06, 2019
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Elizabeth Crozier
Author
An Illinois transplant who grew up and went to school in Indiana for 22 years, Elizabeth holds a BFA in creative writing and has enjoyed traveling across the country and parts of Europe. She has visited half of the states, as well as parts of Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean, and regularly travels home to the Hoosier State to see friends and family. With more than five years of writing experience, Elizabeth’s articles have been featured on several websites, and her poetry and short stories have been published in multiple literary journals.
Take a step back in time and visit an old-fashioned drive-in restaurant in Byron, Illinois that is basically a time capsule. If you’re a glutton for nostalgia, this place will become your new favorite eatery.
Classic American eats, 50 flavors of ice cream, and a vintage vibe await. Scroll on to check it out.
Sam's Drive-In is a family-owned business in northern Illinois that began as a Dogs n' Suds in 1966. It switched to its current name in 1975 and very little has changed since.
Known for its classic American comfort food and soft-serve ice cream, this old-fashioned drive-in restaurant is recognizable for its vintage exterior and decor. An old car serves as part of the iconic signage for the eatery.
This local restaurant offers traditional drive-in dining as well indoor and outdoor seating. When the weather is nice, you can basically have a retro picnic right outside its doors.
Some of the most popular menu items include Coney dogs, BBQ sloppy Joes, tacos, Italian beef sandwiches, and burgers. People also go wild for the pork tenderloins, hand-battered cod, fried chicken, and Grandma's cole slaw.
When it comes to dessert, there are 50 flavors of soft-serve ice cream, ice cream sandwiches, root beer floats (made from homemade root beer!), hand-dipped waffle cones, and more to enjoy.
There are specials each week you won't want to miss as well. Stop by for Taco Tuesday and Fish Friday. You can also catch special deals on Wednesday when kids eat for free, as well as on Sunday when senior citizens, active military personnel, and veterans receive a discount.
Sam's Drive-In hosts Cruise Nights throughout the year, which feature vintage cars. You can learn more about them on the restaurant's website (link below).
This old-fashioned drive-in restaurant is open Tuesday through Thursday between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday between 11 a.m. and 9 p.m., and again on Sunday between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m.
Sam’s Drive-In is located at 705 W Blackhawk Dr., Byron, IL 61010, and you can learn more about it on its website or Facebook page.
If you’ve ever been to this old-fashioned drive-in restaurant, we’d love to hear from you. Please share your experiences and photos with us below in the comments.
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