This is an old-time restaurant, with signs all over the wall, tons of memorabilia and pictures present, a AMI OMT Bubbler Juke Box (not working) and old-style booths. I think you can even order from the kiosks in the parking lot. We walked in, and you have to get close to the south edge of the place to see the menu board, we ordered our food which was made fresh, and sat down in a booth. There was a large original porcelain Coke sign on the wall behind us. The food takes some time as it is made to order - no drawer heated burgers here. I had a cheeseburger and fries, my wife had their Philly Cheesesteak sandwich. Let's tackle the Philly first. She ate it, but it was over-cheesed, and the green peppers looked like carrots. My cheeseburger was fresh off the grill. If you look at the picture it was wrapped with the outside of the wrapper instead of the inside - not a big deal, but odd. The fries were fresh, and if you are sodium restricted, didn't seem to have any salt on them. Salt, napkins, ketchup and what not are directly in front of the order counter. So the food was okay, not great. Service was solid. The decorations were impressive. Oh, and the Root Beer - this is an old Dog n'Suds, and the Root Beer was epically good. read more

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Stopped in for the Halloween party. It was festively decorated. Good burger and fries. read more

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The food was less than par. Grilled chicken tasted like the flat top grill was nasty and not cleaned well at all. Guess they're known for ice cream. Service was great tho. read more

We were just looking for some regular fast food but got MUCH more. Loved the people, kindness, laughter they had with us & really patient with our young kids. read more

Where you gonna go for socially distanced deliciously fried things in Oregon Illinois? Jay's Drive-In, of course! Maybe it's because we hadn't had fast food in a while, or maybe we were starving from pitching camp and hiking, but we tore into a pork tenderloin sandwich the size of Iowa, and a crispy and juicy Philly cheesesteak. We licked the wrappers. We mowed down a sack of well-seasoned fries. We even chowed down on a bag of fried mushrooms before they cooled, and you know how hot those little lava bombs get, even if you hold them up to the a/c vent or roll them around in your mouth while hissing steam so they don't cause permanent damage. I'm telling you, so good. So deliciously good that we went back the day we left and picked up some ice cream. No added sugar apple pie ice cream, salted caramel sea turtle cone, and because we refused to choose, some rainbow sherbet too. Service is fine, the 50s vibe is cool, they have all the fried things, and everyone wore their masks. Give them a try, it's awesome. read more

Jay's Drive In - Diners Near Me - Oregon, Illinois

Jay's Drive-In is still going in the midst of the 2020 pandemic! Menu pics attached. Closing at 9 pm. Still ~ if you get that summer night hankering for ice cream, head on over! The Mackinac Island Fudge is de lec ta ble!!! Staff is prompt, kind, and oh so clean. Outdoor tables are provided for even more social distancing. Drive-In spots are roped off to maximize distance between customers. We only had ice cream, but the rest of the food looks good as well. Thanks, Jay's, for giving us such a sweet out of the house treat in these rough times! read more

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Went there for ice cream. Love the interior, great atmosphere. The workers were really nice. Ice cream was delicious and great unique options for flavor. read more

For those of you who are traveling in the Oregon Illinois area and want to get yourself a good Chicago, hot dog, please do not use jays because they are not in the least familiar with how to make it. I have ordered from them and you do not get a Vienna hotdog more like a Polish sausage so don't consider that I grew up on the northwest side of Chicago and I know my Chicago hot dogs and they are not providing that. Look elsewhere for a good one. read more

Got a vanilla shake! It was absolutely beautiful the taste and texture put me over moon and back home. Beautiful experience, will definitely come back again to taste the beauty. read more

Jay's Drive In - Vanilla Shake - Diners Near Me - Oregon, Illinois

We went to Jay's Drive-in tonight and were very disappointed in the food and service. When we got there it didn't appear to be that busy, but we had to wait about 5 minutes from when we pushed the button to order and when they actually took our order. From when we ordered and when we received our food it was 1 hour. After waiting about 45 minutes I repushed the button to ask what was going on with our order however they never responded to that so I called on the phone and after waiting 15 minutes on hold I asked what was going on with our order to which she said it just came up and she was on the way out with it. She finally came out with our order which totaled just a few cents shy of $25 I asked if it was normal to take an hour to get you order and she said it was because they had 2 new cooks they were training. When we opened our food every single bit of it was ice cold so it had been obviously sitting on a counter for who knows how long. Most of the food went straight in the trash. I would have given this place 1 star but we ate there a couple years ago and it was much better then so I know they are capable of better. The parking was plentiful and convenient to get into but it is my suggestion if they take a long time to take your order go elsewhere. read more

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A regular burger and shake kind of a place, 50s diner. My kids loved it. They always ask when they will go to Jays next. There isn't many vegetarian options other than fries or apps. They do have a few fish choices. My family ate inside and I left my wallet on the seat and left. When I called the workers were more than helpful and optimistic. They grabbed my wallet and assured me that it is safe. The staff was wonderful . read more

New ownership. Root Beer is just as good, but dispenser did not chill the beverage. Food was just ok. Use to be much better. Server forgot the utensils and condiments. read more

Cold food! How they get away with serving cold hot dogs and sandwiches is beyond me. Place used to pretty good but last 3 stops have been terrible. Cold sandwiches?!?!?! Come on. read more

My family were passing thru and needed to eat lunch and found this location. And not that I was complaining but didn't have a lot of options. The lady who greeted me was very courteous and patient as I was looking at the menu. She was quite helpful to make suggestions and made sure what my options were. The food took a little bit longer then expected but otherwise the food was alright. No complaints!! read more

First time visit - driving 5 hours and needed a break and a bite. I don't do fast food normally. Parked on the street cause I wanted to sit outside. Walked in and was shocked that this tiny place had tables too inside, as well as bathrooms. I mean, the place looks so small from the outside, and I thought it was a drive up only... I asked the helpers for a recommendation and they advised the burgers are good (I don't do burgers) and the chicken wrap was good... I opted for the house special to be safe and so I went for a cheese burger and fries. Result: OMG - best fries ever - thin cut and fried to perfection in a light oil. Very nice. The burger was a patty, thin, but nicely cooked with good flavor and the toppings and bun were fresh and stacked to my liking. OK this is not gourmet food, but it was good, fast, inexpensive, and served with a smile. WELL DONE! read more

This local icon is a 50s style drive in with an eclectic menu and friendly staff. The interior is full of period décor if you prefer a soda shop experience. The prices were reasonable and service prompt. It's worth the trip just for the homemade root beer! Our kids both loved their chicken strips and hamburger kids meals. We went traditional with the cheeseburgers, but there are other interesting items like gyros, tacos, philly cheesesteak and Chicago Hot dogs. Save room for the large selection of ice cream! read more

Fast friendly Delilah ice cream. Cute fun experience for the littles ! Had to show them videos of the olden days when they delivered on roller skates read more

Jay's Drive In - a hand holding a bowl of ice cream - Diners Near Me - Oregon, Illinois

Who doesn't love an ol' timey drive through hot dog and ice cream shop? Not this girl! This place hasn't changed one bit since I started visiting White Pines cabins when I was 4 - and I love them for it! Final Verdict: Their root beer is baller shot caller. Give it a try! read more

Jay's Drive In - Their soft serve with twinkle toppings and root beer floats are amazing! - Diners Near Me - Oregon, Illinois

This is a local favorite that my friends and I stopped at before leaving town, after camping nearby for a couple days. A local who ran the canoe rental company we used over the weekend recommended Jay's for the low-prices, good food, and fun atmosphere. I got two scoops of ice cream, and friends got a variety of lunch foods. The prices were very reasonable. The decor was cute and vintage, and I posted a few pictures of the details such as the hand drawn napkin holder "ads." I enjoyed that aspect. We ordered inside and ate outside, but you can get the food brought to your car (not on roller skates, but like Sonic). Personally, I struggle a little with the nostalgia concept, since the period was a time that didn't allow the same rights and freedoms to a lot of people in the country, but that's more of a personal issue, not Jay's fault. The reason I'm not giving Jay's a 5 star rating is that the quality of food wasn't as great as I expected. The ice cream was top-notch, and friends enjoyed the homemade rootbeer (some as floats), but the actual food wasn't as homemade as I expected. For example, the fries and chicken breast on the bacon and burger sandwich seemed liked they came from frozen rather than fresh ingredients. It was all still very tasty, but it could be improved. read more

Jay's Drive In - Hand drawn napkin holder 'ads' - Diners Near Me - Oregon, Illinois

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My fiancé and I were in town to see the Blackhawk statue and decided on Jay's after seeing good reviews. It was very busy and the staff were exceptionally friendly young adults. The decorations are fun and nostalgic. We hope to visit again! read more

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Pork tenderloins bigger than your head! Wonderful kind professional staff serving yummy fast food!

This place is the BEST! Come for the food, stay for the ice cream, and or root beer floats! They have their own root beer that they make and it is mouth watering good! I don't even drink soda so that says a lot. I've had basically everything on the menu, chicken stripes, burgers, pork chop sandwich and everything is delicious! We come at least once a week and are always sad when they close for the season. Great place ! read more

Jay's Drive In - Diners Near Me - Oregon, Illinois

If you live in Oregon,il or your just passing through you must stop at this mom and pop restaurant, it's a drive in with car hop service The food and ice cream are good, but when you leave you will have a memory that will stay with you forever. For just a moment you will be taken back to the 1950s. They also have car shows from time to time. We will go back again and again.. read more

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Excellent drive-in food. They also serve Ashby's ice cream which is some of the most fabulous ice cream around. We have been here many times and it is always a hit for the kids. The food is fresh and hot. The root beer is amazing. We typically get burgers, fries, onion rings but the menu is large with good choices. I recently had the fried green beans and they were great too. They have ample seating indoors but you can also choose to dine from your car. read more

Our family ate many times at Jays when the previous owners had it. We always had great food there but unfortunately I cannot say this about it now. I have eaten there quite a few times to see if it would be improved and about 90% of the time it is not very good... Greasy fries... The hamburgers were thin today and over cooked on the outside where it was crunchy.. dried out. Not the nice fat juicy burgers we used to get. I am running out of hope that it is going to be good again. read more

If it were just my meal I was reviewing on, this would be 2 stars. I ordered grilled cheese and fried pickles. The cheese in the grilled cheese was all swirled with brown. Upon closer inspection, it was beef juice and pieces. This may not bother some people but I don't eat red meat and I found it disgusting. It also eliminates the one thing on the menu for vegetarians. The fried pickles were ok, not great, but I might order them again if if weren't for that they are 4 bucks for 10 small quarter sized chips...so not worth the money. I gave it the extra star because the kids meals come in a paper vintage tray that me and my kids think is cool and they liked the fries. read more

Jay's Drive In - Pickle chips - Diners Near Me - Oregon, Illinois

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Usually good and very reasonable prices. The service is mostly outstanding. Sometimes they get your order wrong but not often. The problem with this place is when it gets late in the season. Around September the quality of the food just plummets. The ice cream changes from good to awful. I imagine they don't want to get stuck with more expensive better quality food. April until August great food. After that forget it. read more

Best root beer ever. My wife and I were looking for lunch between a morning hike at White Pines and an afternoon one at Castle Rock, and Jay's seemed to look cute and have a pretty good crowd. When I was ordering, I saw "home made root beer" on the soda fountain. I was skeptical. Who makes their own soft drinks? But wow. That was the best root beer I've ever had. Other than that, the restaurant is quite cute inside, with classic red-and-white drive-in/diner style. Burger, chicken sandwich, and fries were all fine. Friendly service. read more

It was just an average restaurant to me. The ham and cheese sandwich was just a typical ham and cheese sandwich. I got a butter pecan sundae that was pretty good, but I can't say it was any better than Dairy Queens. I didn't try the root beer I will next time. :) read more

Jay's Drive In - Butter pecan sundae - Diners Near Me - Oregon, Illinois

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Bad waiting time. So a guy came in with the wrong order and and it was our order. That guy was gone for 20 minutes with our food. The lady took it from him and brought it to us. We said we just saw that guy give it to u she like well I just got it from the back the lady had a mean attitude she took it back it took like 20 min to get the right one. Never eat there again read more

Jay's is amazing. I couldn't have brownie sundae because of my dietary restrictions, but they helped accommodate my needs and were so darn friendly. If you ever go through Oregon, you HAVE TO STOP at Jay's. The food and service are outstanding! read more

Best bacon cheese burger I've ever had! Excellent fries and snickers shake! Affordable, friendly, and plenty of room! read more

Jay's Drive In - Diners Near Me - Oregon, Illinois

Listen i have to be completely open and upfront i do not do alot of reviews but me and my wife decided to try this place, after seeing the good reviews it reminded me of portillos in a very bad way, why you ask, because nowadays we see all the food additives added to the foods, and we generally try to eat healthy but Jays is Far from that..let me explain, this is a 35 year mom and pop place as i understand, they might have cooked different than the rest of the establishments back then but I can assure people now thats another story , to cut to the chase i had a reaction of heart palipatations ((pounding heart)) i know my body well and i felt VERY tired as my wife we decided to lay down for those of you who experienced this , this is additives like MSG, high fructose corn syrup , it will make you very tired , well when we both awoke 1 hour later i could barely get up same as wife, mouth was sooooo dry, and again the pounding heart. I am not sick i am healthy actually and i can tell you what ever this place is using is NOT safe.. we have the hamburgers and some cheese sticks and mushrooms. ((perservative city)) they literally take something out of a bag spice it up and whala.... We decided we will not trust any more places this is a same reaction whenever i experienced MSG which is a poisen to our bodies..Im not saying they are doing it purposefuly however does it taste good sure it does ((another attribute of msg)) but health wise pass this up, if you do experience this make sure you drink plenty of water scrub your tongue to get all the poisen out, when we did that we both were fine..i think there should be a higher regulation of restraunts in what they use, lots of sugar, and plenty of perservatives... something to stay clear of to live a long happy life... sorry jay's well pass you by next time.... read more

Went here with a friend. They must have just opened from their winter break, because it was crowded! Every table was occupied, and there was a line at the counter. The theme is basically a 1950s burger joint, decorated appropriately. The food was good and the staff were (mostly)friendly. read more

Have a root beer float. The root beer is home made. Delicious! Take a gallon of root beer home. Cute 50's drive in atmosphere.

I'll take speed, or great food. If I get neither, then meh. We waited 50 minutes to get grilled to black, skimpy burgers and average fries. Their shakes are very good, I'll give them that. But we were having a great afternoon until it took us FIFTY MINUTES to get a couple of cheese burgers. When one of the girls popped out to bring somebody else their food, I asked her, "Did they forget about us?" She asked what we ordered, and said she'd check. Ten minutes later she popped out again and I asked, "Any news?" And she just said, "I dunno." Never again. Never again. read more

I like this little retro diner. They are like the dairy queen of the town, but better. great fountain creations and food. what I like best is their burgers- great! they actually do something with the bun, like butter and grill it, so its not like eating a dry pot holder with meat.(you want to know about pot holders? go read my other reviews!) I was told by a fellow diner that the chicken is great too, but I can't vouch for it, since I am a creature of habit, I stick with the burgers! the food is made to order and is served hot(fries too!). Harder to accomplish than one thinks around the chicago area! We drive out of our way for this little diner. read more

This is a nice drive-in with typical food. Very classic and cool. Their food is a bit pricey, but not overly so. Also, it can take awhile before it's on your table (or in your car), but it's understandable as their kitchen is very tiny. The only thing I don't like is that funny smell by their entryway, it's like treated lumber or something, it's sort of odd. It's not inside the restaurant though. If you're in Oregon you should check this place out. Keep in mind it's closed during winter months. read more

As we were pulling out of the driveway, I was telling the kids... This is what a drive in diner used to be. Not only was the burgers fantastic.. but they have amazing root beer and ice cream. The people were nice and friendly and we would definitely come back again. If you are in the neighborhood and yelping for ideas.. give this place a try. read more

Atmosphere is cool, bathrooms are super clean. Double cheeseburger is fantastic was not expecting it to be that good. Cheese sticks were done just rite. All in all happy and full good job Jays keep it up. read more