Pretty good. It's not the best food ever, the hamburgers and onion rings are ok but their fries and cheese sauce are really good. They also have good ice cream and shakes and it's especially good if you want to grab something to eat while down on the peninsula. read more

Shared the Italian beef, being from Chicago it could not compare although made claims to do so. Fun atmosphere. Servers pleasant and service fast. Appears to be something wrong with water, couldn't drink it and couldn't purchase fountain drinks :( My recommendation: get a cone and walk across the street for a walk on the beach. read more

Heaven on earth! Great food, great service, great atmosphere. Sitting a few feet from the beach and eating a delicious burger and some curly fries....it doesn't get any better than that! read more

Nostalgia. This is the primary reason to visit. The food, service and price is no better or worse than you will find at most competent, non-chain restaurants. But if you're looking for a fun atmosphere, especially with the kids after a day at Waldameer or on the beach at Presque Isle, it's worth the stop. Just keep in mind what at least one other reviewer forgot: this is not a place for health food nuts. Be prepared to digest accordingly. read more

This review was based upon the highly salted and rather insipid hot dogs that are a part of this location's fame -- Smith's hot dogs, I believe. I was brought here a few months ago by an Erie native welcoming me here (moved here for a good job). They raved about the hot dogs here, and insisted upon buying me one. Let me introduce a few caveats in my analysis here. First, I grew up in Chicago, home of Vienna hot dogs. I mean, it is a hot dog town, so my standards are pretty high. Granted, ever since I read the ingredients on hot dog labels sometime in high school, my hot dog consumption has been really limited. Second, I've been (primarily) vegetarian since 2012, so hot dogs aren't all that high on my daily dietary needs. I will occasionally eat meat though because I struggle with refusing food that somebody offers to me, out of a sense of politeness. I got a chili hot dog. Now given that the last time I'd eaten a hot dog was in 2006 (so 9 year hot dog hiatus), I thought this was going to be special. First, let's talk about the hot dog. Salty, and not much else going on. Plus there's a texture issue I had. See, I hate it when I bite into a hot dog and then the meat in the center comes out but some of the casing is left and I have to bite more on that. Tough casings gross me out. Starts to make me think of the origin of the casing. Second, let's talk about the chili topping. Salty, and not much else going on, same as the hot dog. On that topic, why is it on God's green earth that so many restaurants mess up chili?! Chili requires minimal finesse. No technique really, no making sure you get the Maillard reaction when you sear meat or whatever. Just throw a bunch of stuff in a pot, some of it from cans if you're in a rush, and that's it. Anyway... Third, I don't remember anything specific about the hot dog bun. A proper hot dog bun is important too. This hot dog bun, as far as I'm concerned, was just an edible delivery medium for the hot dog and chili. On the bright side, the setting is nice on a summer day. Since it is right next to the park area, it has that whole "yay we're near the beach" retro feeling, a happy feeling. Given the happy feeling, I could see hanging out with friends and watching them eat, maybe just sipping on a soda from one of those fancy electronic zillion-choice soda machines where you can get lime raspberry diet coke or whatever. read more

You must go here if you're going to the lake! This is a classic drive through diner spot with nice picnic tables outside. Think neon lights, funny signs, big shakes, and all the condiments you need. I went for the fish sandwich and ordered my husband a hot dog. The sandwich was crispy and the bun chewy. The hot dog was just a hot dog. But don't leave without ice cream! We got the black raspberry shake and it hit the spot. A small was enough to share and gave us time to take a few "face in a whole" photos outside. This is the perfect spot after a day at the beach. Quick, cheap, and tasty. read more

Awesome place. Decided to grab a quick lunch and was beyond pleased with everything we had. Perch sandwich was great and the chocolate milkshake was amazing. We were going to go back for dinner, ....long story....but I wish we would have. Prices and very reasonable and the service was very fast. Can't wait to go back!!! read more

This is one of the best places for ice cream. I like the footling hot dogs also. I enjoy the turkey burgers. It is a lot of fun to eat here.

Old school diner. Very hospitable. Food is american staples with Italian influence. A little greasy but good. Worth stopping by for breakfast ....just wish they had a bloody mary. read more

This is probably my favorite grill/ice cream place in the city of Erie.evrey thing is old fashion the Burger was perfectly cooked

This a a real cute old-fashioned dinner right before the entrance to Presque Isle state park. Extra points for having "The Simpsons" characters out front! You order at the counter, they hand you a number, and then they call you when it's ready. There is a ton of outdoor seating to augment the limited inside tables. The menu is very no-frills: burgers, hot dogs, fries, ice cream. My bf ordered a footlong hot dog, I ordered the 1/3 lb turkey burger, and we split a large order of curly fries. They have different seasonings you can put on your fries (we chose buffalo) and YUM-these fries were well worth it! Our total tab came to about $11.50 and was ready within 5 minutes. The turkey burger was pretty good-I added some chipotle sauce they had out and it nicely spiced it up. My bf liked his dog too. Of course we had to get ice cream too! While they are known for a creamsicle like twist cone, we went with a good ol' fashioned hot fudge sundae with whipped cream, sadly no cherry though. The ice cream is all soft serve and the hot fudge was evenly distributed throughout the sundae. This was a great size to share after having lunch! I'd recommend stopping by for a quick, casual, cheap yet tasty meal when heading out to Presque Isle! read more

Nothing says HOME & ERIE PA, to me than going to Sara's! They have the best onion rings !! I always order them, plus they have amazing milk shakes and ice! But I still love the fact that they serve smith hot dogs too! Get a hotdog and some onion rings and you'll be set! read more

Love this place because it's right on presque isle. It's a fun place to hang out. It's mostly just a place for a quick snack or lunch. It's basically fried food galore and I love coming here when I'm in the mood for junk food. read more

Great little place! Good ice cream, burger good not great. Very crowded but cute atmosphere, cheery, food came up in 1 minute. Onion rings very flaky breaks but I kinda like me that way. Seems more natural or sumthin read more

If you're looking to find an overpriced meal with a tasteless burger, please come here. The burger has no condiments or seasonings and taste like I ate a pile of drywall. Stay away if you have any taste buds. read more

Went to the lake with a friend and wanted a some ice cream as we were driving back. Saw the rave reviews for this old school diner and stopped by. I got an orange twist, and it was okay. Very, very creamy. And there was so much! It got too heavy for me mid way through and I couldn't finish it. The food looked okay but again, seemed really heavy. Not sure if I would come back. read more

We picked here based on reviews. The food was ballpark quality at best... a ballpark that has good curly fries. I gave 2 stars because of the kind staff and if you have kids and are camping or coming off the water it maybe what you are looking for. read more

The best greasy-fast food place in Erie! Yes, the Orange-Vanllia twist with sprinkles is the BEST!!! Every time we are in the area we make sure to visit Sara's. Lots of sand, swim suits, and flies...they just add to the experience. :) read more

Fellow Yelpers, I'm not a fan of Erie pa but this place you can easily miss when your not there. It's like a staple to the city. It brings you back in time long long ago. It feels old school when your here for sure. All American. They have coke!! Fountain service free refills. :) Food is decent. Burgers, fries, hot dogs, onion rings etc. Ice cream soft serve, is excellent. And so are the milk shakes. They are famous for a vanilla mixed with orange sherbet swirl cone. Great spot for pics and is located just at the beginning of the presque isle beach area. This is a place the whole family will enjoy! Sara's is seasonal and not open all year read more

This is definitely my favorite restaurant in Erie. They've definitely done a good job keeping up with the times while still keeping their classic 50s style decor. The food is a bit more expensive than you'd expect for fast food, but the location really does make up for the price. read more

A great Old Fashioned restaurant that actually pulled it off. Reasonable price, good atmosphere, and pretty great food

Best orange cone I ever tasted! Not much I can eat sadly but drinks are plenty and lots of desserts! Love getting an all orange cone. Would looooove to see a chocolate orange swirl option at some point. read more

Smith's Hot Dogs, orange twist ice cream, and so much charm you feel like you stepped into an episode of diners, drive ins, and dives. Outdoor seating is great, and it's truly a gem! read more

We visited here just a few days ago. I can see why people like it. It's bright, has lots of seating, and is conveniently located just outside of Presque Isle and Waldameer. I had the bacon burger and fries. Hubby had a footlong hot dog and onion rings. The burger was just OK. The fries were really good. The onion rings were disappointing. Way too greasy and all the breaking came right off. Overall, it was just OK. read more

Parking can be a challenge and that's the reason for 4 stars. The lines were very long but it went very quick. The cashier was extremely pleasant and helpful a first timer. It's definitely better than I expected read more

Thankfully, there is no boardwalk at Presque Isle, but that doesn't mean you can't have an old-fashioned bad-for-you dinner after a day at the beach. Sara's is a retro diner, like grandma used to visit, with basic yums done right--dawgs and burgers, fries and onion rings, but also a surprisingly awesome grilled chicken and some tasty salads. The portions are huge and the prices are reasonable by tourist-trap standards. Leave room for the ice cream, it's delicious. read more

My turkey burger was cold. :( But I enjoyed their variety of sauces and their coke machine with every possible flavor was pretty legit. I am a sucker for onion rings but these were crumbling apart, lacked salt and was just as cold as my turkey burger. It makes me wonder if I was given someone's forgotten order... They're ice cream looked bomb though. Wish I got that. read more

Nice location. Crossed the road and took in a sunset across the lake. Nice diner type atmosphere. Very limited vegetarian options other than salad and fries. Both the chicken burger and turkey burger were quite good. Onion rings were not very overly tasty and the breading easily fell off. Lots of good condiment options and the peanut butter sundae was a good item to share at the end of the meal. read more

Get the bacon cheese burger and top it with anything you can dream of in the toppings bar. And wash it down with a vanilla and orange sherbet twist! Perfect summertime treat read more

Food is delicious and always fresh. Their milkshakes are hard to beat! Keeps me coming back year after year!

The second we moved to Erie everyone was like "you have to try Sara's!!!" Well, I had high expectations... And was let down. its got a neat outdoor diner-ish feel to it but honestly for the price of food vs. quality, I'd rather have mcdonalds. My fiance's chicken was the super processed frozen kind of chicken fingers rather than actual meaty chicken tenders and my cheeseburger did not taste good. Their fries were okay, but a little excessively greasy. If we do go back I'll stick to ice cream, because I've heard that is good... read more

Very cool atmosphere with fun, kitschy things to look at, and a great place for tourists to catch a bite after a day at the beach. Sara's has a hell of a lot more personality than most eateries in the area and the ice cream/ sundae selection is excellent. However, I think it's over-rated (probably due to nostalgia) and the rest of the menu is only so-so . read more

Cheap & fast, but better than fast food. Sara's is a destination that's all about the location and the atmosphere. This place is an Erie landmark, so I'd recommend it for tourists. It's a fun place to take kids to eat in the summer. The food is better than McDonalds; More like Perkins or Eat n Park diner quality. I recommend a Smith's foot long hot dog & curly fries, but a burger & onion rings always hit the spot too. You can stuff a small army of 12 year old boys on the cheap, complete with giant ice cream cones for desert [Trust me, this is a challenge I'm very familiar with ;) ] I think that's why so many people have nostalgic memories of the place!! I'm creating these memories for my children every summer, too :) It has a lot of 50s diner decor & I've been told that its original stuff that's traversed the decades right here at Sara's. If you come wearing anything that clashes with flip-flops, you're over dressed. read more

Good burgers..lots of toppings and sauces...way more fries then one person can eat...I ordered the onion rings they where just OK..kind of bland and the breading falls off..prices where reasonable family of four ate for 30$ with drinks and shakes!! read more

Sara's is a must on every trip back to my hometown of Erie in the summer! From burgers and chicken sandwiches, to ice cream sundaes, Sara's has all of your summer favorites! The relaxed atmosphere is great for big groups or a quick bite to eat with a friend. Located between Waldameer and Preque Isle, its a perfect end to a day enjoying all Erie has to offer! My favorite Sara's treat: Peanut Butter Soft Serve....yum! read more

I am in love with their fish sandwich! Today was no exception, yet when I bit into it, it was still cold and a good portion of the filet was not cooked through. I'm not the one to make a big deal about things but I really wanted to enjoy this sandwich. So I went up to their counter and kindly pointed out the mishaps and they were extremely apolegetic. They cooked one up right away and brought it out to me. They apologized again and the gal who brought it out told us that my husband and I could come back in after and dessert would be on them! My sandwich was delicious AND I got a free sweet treat, it wasn't necessary but it was certainly appreciated. Good food and good customer service is a win-win for me, Sara's is definitely my favorite food joint in Erie! read more

Sara's is the perfect summer place to go. The food is amazing. You have to try the curly fries and a peanut butter milkshake! After Eating at Sara's you can walk across the street to the beach. read more

Best cheese burger around! not cheap, but super fast and super great quality. Went there over and over this summer.

Customer service was very good and food was out very quick. The down side was food was super beyond greasy where the fries had no substance but a grease crunch and you can tell the hamburger meat is not fresh and from a frozen patty. I had food poisoning the very next day and spent most of the day in the bathroom or rolling in my bed. read more

We visited Sara's Friday, June 5 at 6 pm and decided to eat at a picnic table after paying for our food. We did not see a cleaning station for tables nor anyone actively working to keep tables sanitized. We observed customers leaving a table and expected it would be cleaned. It was not. Some time later an employee wiped a table with a nasty looking rag and then wiped another table without cleaning the rag. There were no cleaning supplies with the employee. It was so difficult to watch that we could not finish our meal. We observed the employee lingering inside the building seemingly not attentive. It was shocking to see how little attention was being paid to sanitizing the tables. We ended up throwing out the rest of our food. I did not want to interrupt the owner as it was so busy. I hesitate to write about this disappointing experience as the restaurant industry has suffered so much during the pandemic. However, sanitation is of upmost importance while we are dealing with the Covid virus. read more