The nostalgia is the best!! Lots of seating, the friendliest most efficient staff. You place your order at one window and pick up at the next two- fast service. Nice thick milkshakes. My hotdog was deep fried and completely dried out, i got the fried zucchini and either grease was old or just over fried because it's very dark and breading was falling off BUT with all that being said i would definitely recommend still if you're in the area!! Next time I'll just ask for lightly fried... lots and lots of props and photo opss read more

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This place was such a disappointment. It looks like it's gonna be a good spot where they make fresh hamburgers, but they're not taste like a burger that's been sitting under the heat lamp ready to do to push out the volume. Terrible terrible just a cheeseburger which rings were good most was good burger terrible Convenient, but if you can't read more

Sara's - Entrance - Burgers Near Me - Erie, Pennsylvania

Cute place to stop for fast food when leaving Presque Isle. It was slightly overpriced but I get the convenience. Kids loved the curly fries and ice cream. read more

We stopped here for a quick lunch after visiting Presque Isle Beaches. A fun and interactive place! My husband and I both order burgers. Both were fulfilling and delicious. My husband recommends the milkshakes! There is also a drive thru The service was quick and efficient. read more

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So after a day of enjoying all that is Waldameer and then needing something that isn't at the park we stumbled across Sara's on our way down to the state park and what more can I say than this was awesome! Sara's is definitely one of those tourist trap kinda places as well as one of the only places around the state park area to grab something decent to eat for once we were inside it was just as crazy on the inside as it was on the outside decor other patrons and that yummy menu with a bunch of different goodies that will just make you wanna order one of each! So of the many options here I went with the cheese steak sandwich it was yummy for what it was the cheese and the bun being the best part as it just had a ton of flavor all around along with the yummy steak and banana peppers that could be found on the inside of the sandwich to just hit the spot! My fried zucchini was also pretty good as it had a crunch to it and just about as much flavor as you can get from some of these the unique part to me was that it came with marinara sauce to dip them in as that's something I haven't seen before. The real kicker for me here was the soft serve as it was vanilla with a layer of orange going through it to and just more flavor to an already yummy ice cream concoction to make it just soo good! Overall decent food at a decent price with some yummy orange soft serve you know that I'll try to come back here again at some point just for the ice cream alone! read more

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Visited here for the first time! Wowwww is all I can say!! From the bright colors of the building to the decorations we were so excited to see what Sara's had to offer and boy, we were not disappointed at all. The menu gives the perfect variety with solid prices to help you really get the best meal for a great price. I'm not even a fan of burgers and I got one here and ate the entire thing. I would definitely recommend especially to families! Food also comes out quickly, and the cashier was super friendly and helpful. read more

Sara's - Pick up area - Burgers Near Me - Erie, Pennsylvania

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This is the iconic Hotdog and ice cream restaurant right outside of the peninsula. I would say I always enjoy coming here for Labor Day, but somehow everyone else does too. ChiliDog The Chili Dog is decent, but since the pandemic require you request for pickles and unions. it's really hard to mess up a chili dog and I enjoyed it. Lacked cheese, and not the Red Caboose but I enjoyed it! 6.5/10 Cheeseburger The Cheeseburgers over the years have dropped in quality and they say the burgers are fresh, but I believe they are using frozen hamburger. Still need pickles and onions. 6/10 Fries I love curly fries and they won't disappoint. 6/10 read more

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Sara's has always been a summer must go for our family and all our visitors! They managed to accommodate their customers thru Covid with all their fantastic food and ice cream! However, upon our first visit of the year this week, we couldn't be more disappointed! It seems all the nostalgia and food quality has been sacrificed for coolers and food storage. The quaint little beach place can no longer be called that, not even close. The onions rings have been going slowly downhill but they have hit rock bottom. Maybe more onion and less breading would help! And the size of my favorite peanut butter yogurt cone was heartbreaking! I hope the owners will see the error of their ways and bring back that retro feeling and get their menu back to the old time goodness! We will miss our summertime eatery read more

My experience here was a bit strange. Sara's a nice lady and all, but her cheeseburgers were average at best and reminded me of the frozen kind that can be purchased at Sam's Club. Given the lack of flavor from zucchinis, the homemade zucchini fries were pretty solid, reminding me that even the plain janes can make a presence in a catwalk. However, something must have upset Sara, because one of her shades in the outside dining area came unhooked and nearly smacked my good friend in the face. The employee there didn't even bother to check on her or even apologize, which made me bitter like their Powerade. While my small party of friends enjoyed each other's company, we are not sure why Sara decided to turn on us. read more

Sara's - I found a dime on the floor. - Burgers Near Me - Erie, Pennsylvania

Ugh. Their orange and vanilla twist is just the best ever! It is a classic and the thing I crave as soon as I get off the exit in Erie. Weirdly enough, growing up in Erie, I rarely stopped at Sara's for this delicious treat. I was more of a brownie sundae gal from our local ice cream shop by my old house. But now I just can't get enough and really get sad about all the lost years I could have been enjoying it. I am so dramatic about it, I realize, but guys... You just have to go. This was actually the first time I've ever sat down and eaten here (that I remember). We had just come from a long beach day and thought this was the best option with outdoor seating during COVID. I was honestlys surprised to see everyone wearing masks except for when they were sitting down eating. You order from a side window and the servers bring your out your food. Since I'm gluten free it's super hard to eat at these types of places. I was happy to see kielbasa on the menu, so I ordered that with sauerkraut on top. I also ordered the curly fries, which admittedly I did not check to see if they shared the same fryer as the fried chicken. The kielbasa was fine, totally run of the mill and the curly fries were really good! But the ice cream.... So good! They're not serving it in cones right now (which I don't get anyway), but flip them upside down in a cup if you want one. Definitely a must for your presque isle visit! read more

it was a slow rainy day. almost no one there. just wanted to get a small twist cone for my daughter. girl at the drive through wouldn't stand up to take my order so I had to avoid hitting her and made me have to clip into one of the signs in the lane. she then took the order wrong and proceeded to jump in front of of my car after giving me my change almost getting hit again. got to the pick up window and waited several minutes for small twist cone. she brought wrong kind and took my receipt. eventually brought back the correct thing but wouldn't give me a corrected receipt. possibly the worst service I've ever received at an ice cream shop. and this was a slow day. read more

Everyone recommends Sara's if you go to Lake Erie. It is located right before or right after the entrance/exit. They have a number of outdoor seating tables and a very well staffed drive thru line. We did the drive they and they brought the order out to our car in carry containers. The staff was very friendly. We got hot dogs that came with a side of curly fries and a large drink of choice. We also got chicken tenders with zucchini fries. And we topped it off with a vanilla milkshake, which was the perfect amount of thick and whipped topping to cool off after a hot beach day. read more

Sara's - Chicken tenders, zucchini fries, and curly fries - Burgers Near Me - Erie, Pennsylvania

We waited on a short line to give our orders. No alcoholic beverages. The staff were so nice and fast and attentive. Our orders were ready and delivered in a fast and accurate manner. We ordered fish basket with fries, onion rings, and zucchini. They were tasty and the portion size was big. We enjoyed our meals. read more

Sara's - Fish basket - Burgers Near Me - Erie, Pennsylvania

I've been a regular for years. The atmosphere is everything. Wait times are always minimal. Order accuracy is on point. The BEST ice cream in town, no contest. If you prefer ice cream I recommend orange vanilla twist. If you like sundaes, go turtle. Generous toppings that get you through to the last bite. The whole crew is polite. It's clean and relaxing. They've expanded the menu so there's something for everyone. If you're visiting Erie, this is a MUST. Do yourself a favor and eat at Sara's!!! read more

Sara's - Turtle sundae - Burgers Near Me - Erie, Pennsylvania

To say that Sara's is an institution and staple of a visit to Presque Isle is putting it mildly. I mean, it's impossible to even get into the Presque Isle State Park without passing right by Sara's, and that is probably why every one told me, and every review, article or comment on the internet said in preparation of my family trip to Lake Erie said that we had to go to Sara's! I can just imagine back in the day when this modest shack sold hotdogs and hamburgers to vacationers both on their way into or out of Presque Isle, both before or after enjoying the beaches, fishing, hiking, or other things that the State Park has to offer. Today it is bigger, brighter and slightly chaotic, especially to someone who has never been there before. But within the hour of my family and I arriving in the Erie area, after we checked into our hotel, we were on our way to Sara's for dinner. Like I said, the place is kind of a madhouse and it was intimidating, but once you figure out what and where to order, relax, sit down at one of the many picnic tables they have in the surrounding area, and enjoy a simple yet extremely tasty hotdog. That is what I did, and also a hamburger with fries. Like I said, simple food but it is really good. My wife and daughter thought the same. Our only mistake was not getting a milkshake, which I hear are also incredible. Next time! read more

I have to agree with all the reviews about the hamburgers. They're pretty awful. Odd texture, seems to have lots of filler, and I really didn't taste much beef. The curly fries were unseasoned and broken, so rather than curls, it was tiny, broken half moons. The onion rings were over cooked and greasy. I've been going here with my family for 15+ years, and it really seems to have gone downhill. On top of that, the counter staff was really disorganized and rude. They got our order wrong twice (things missing, or wrong things on the tray). Which happens. However, each time, instead of apologizing and making it right, the staff at Sara's argued with us. On top of that, the counter staff then complained about us within earshot. The staff need some training in customer service, I think. Really disappointing. read more

This is about our 4th or 5th visit to Sara's. I was hesitant bc I have recently noticed some bad reviews. Well I'm glad we stopped. Our food was good fresh and service was fast. Sara's will still be on our list of just dos when in Erie. read more

It's the onion rings the ONION RINGS!!! Twice Sara's manager has replied to me that they have not changed. I looked at the pictures that Sara's posted and there is visual proof that they have changed. The coating was lighter and sometimes flaked off the onions leaving crisp bits and onions partially browned. The lighter coating made the difference. That's the way they were made at the Home Drive-in too before Sara's read more

Right at the entrance of Presque Isle, we stopped to get dinner after a day at the beach. Sara's has normal concession stand food (upgraded though). Nothing too fancy, bathrooms are just okay. However, they do have curly fries!! read more

Sara's - Fries, chicken tenders, and hot dog - Burgers Near Me - Erie, Pennsylvania

Not just a nod to the classic American diner, but The Iconic Diner! I didn't try the bathroom but the dining area was clean. The fries and onion rings were HOT and FRESH! Had two dogs and a beef sandwich to take home. Even if the prices weren't amazingly righteous, and they are, the quality and portion size of everything was equally amazing. Service was fast and Sara's is the standard for the diner genre. Glad we went and would not hesitate to come again Thank you! read more

Sara's - Dogs and Italian beef deluxe with sides - Burgers Near Me - Erie, Pennsylvania

Greasy food. I suspect the high ratings are from nostalgic feelings from childhood visits rather than the actual food. Boardwalk or festival type food. Not something that I generally seek out. Seems like everything is fried and milkshakes are made with artificial flavors. read more

They are so stingy with the portions now. I ordered a large and a small. They were both the same size so I asked for a real large. She remade it and used her HANDS to put on sprinkles and pick it up out of the sprinkles container. There was a literal thumb print in my icecream. This place is run by children and there is clearly no supervision. read more

Owned by Sara Bareilles, Sara Brightman, Sara Nade, and Sara N. Dipity. There's something eerie about this place, and I can't figure out what it is. I'll keep you postal. What to get: Milkshakes! What not to get: Parking tickets! What do parking tickets have to do with Milkshakes?: Milk shakes... milk maids... meter maids... Oh. You're weird: OK. Pardon me for being fun and quirky. Bye Felicia. Sara's has excellent chocolate shakes, although the hot dogs are pretty average in my seemingly-but-not-actually humble opinion. Erie does not have a spectacular array of food, although there are a few hidden gems. Sara's is one of the better options, if you want standard burger-and-dog fare, but it's nothing special, until you taste their excellent milkshakes. Suddenly you'll feel quite special. And a little fatter. But then this is Yelp. And that happens. read more

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I can see why this place is a must-visit in the area, but we thought the food was just okay. The atmosphere is fun, thanks to the cool decor and old diner in the back. The staff definitely hustles to quickly get orders out too. read more

Very quick service. Good burger and fries. Plenty of seating despite a busy business

Omg 5 stars alone for the orange twist cone. Honestly I will drive the couple hours for that alone. I also ordered their zucchini fries on this trip and they were great also. This is always a stop of mine either before or after the beach (or both!) read more

Hamburgers, hotdogs, French Fries, onion rings, milk shakes... typical stuff. Touristy...

Talk about a homie one stop shop. Erie's favorite seasonal late night diner. The perfect night is a Lake Erie sunset with a Sara's cone in hand... peanut butter of course. A small selection of burgers, chicken, hot dogs, and THE BEST curly fries are available. Their menu isn't the most accommodating, but it's a classic for sure. Wish this place was open year round, but that makes it all the more appreciated. I recommend this place to all of my out of town friends. Nights here never get old. read more

Sara's - Burgers Near Me - Erie, Pennsylvania

Location is so cute but parking is a headache. Food was only okay. Pretty bland but well priced. Turkey burger left something to be desired. read more

Food was ok for a burger joint, price was a little steep. Like 13 dollars for a bacon cheeseburger.

Very busy but very fast service, that got them the extra star. I don't get the appeal. The food and desserts were mediocre at best. It's at the entry of Presque Isle and at the entrance of a camp grounds area...I guess that's what keeps them in business, they are the closest place around. I would not go back if in Erie again, waste of our time and money. read more

Is this even allowed to be considered food? It was pure grease. Cafeteria style "restaurant" that gets way too much business. I came here with my husband and his family and luckily they didn't have any sandwiches that were vegetarian that I could eat. My hubs got a chicken sandwich, and fries and zucchini fries because he felt so bad that I couldn't eat anything here and thought I could munch on them. The chicken sandwich had absolutely nothing on it. Didn't look like chicken or anything remotely edible. The bread was a bun but it was pure white like it was dyed. I tasted the fries (they only have curly fries) and it was just grease and breading with some vague hint of starch in the middle. I didn't even bother with the zucchini fries. Do yourself a favor and pack your own lunch if you go on a day trip here. Avoid this place! read more

Sara's - Burgers Near Me - Erie, Pennsylvania

We stopped here on our way to Presque Isle for a walk. I had a great cheeseburger with a hot fudge milkshake. My friends had a bacon cheeseburger, peanut butter milkshake, berry milkshake and turkey burger. We all really liked our food! I was actually surprised at how good the cheeseburger was, I particularly liked the cheese they used on the burger. We also had a side of zucchini fries and fries. Those were both super good. They seem to be following the covid-19 rules well. Great service, great fun atmosphere with lots of nostalgia, plenty of outdoor tables. I really enjoyed this place, more than I expected! read more

Food is okay, atmosphere is fun, staff is hit or miss. As well as proper signage for how to order. Overall I still like coming here and I'm not gonna go below 4 stars for my recent experience. The labor shortage has given power to a lot of people who should never be allowed in the work force to begin with. Last night I was met with a couple friendly faces, today a couple jag offs. So like I said, 4 stars is fair as it's a staple of Erie and Presqe Isle read more

Perfect location at the entrance of Presque Isle State Park made it an easy stop for a late lunch after an afternoon on the beach. Fast casual setup (vs sit-down restaurant) with plenty of picnic tables. Also had a nice drive through (perhaps new since Covid). Def greasy-spoon type food, which I mean in the best way. We ordered via the drive through, and the young man taking our order was polite and helpful. I had a cheeseburger with all the fixings and my hubby had an Italian sausage sandwich. We, of course, had to try their homemade zucchini fries and onion rings, but got curly fries, and peanut butter and strawberry milkshakes just bc. And we were not disappointed! Those zucchini fries were my fav, while my hubs raved about the onion rings. Milkshakes were smooth and flavorful. Burger and sausage were moist and perfectly cooked. 5/5, delish! read more

Sara's - Burgers Near Me - Erie, Pennsylvania

Great fast food. I've always liked stopping here on my way to Presque Isle. They currently have a very complex but fast drive thru system. I always love the onion rings and the shakes - suggest a chocolate PB one. read more

My hamburger had no taste and was a strange spongy texture. The parking lot design was really confusing.

A must stop if your in the area. Food looked delicious it we went for the ice cream. The orange vanilla swirl was worth the stop ! So delicious just like a creamsicle! The prices are very reasonable too! Take time to walk around too there are a lot of cute picture opportunities to take !!! read more

Sara's - Orange Vanilla twist! - Burgers Near Me - Erie, Pennsylvania

Sara's has the best turtle sundae in the city. They don't skimp on the pecans or toppings and the ice cream itself is creamy and delicious. The orange/vanilla twist is also a favorite! The interior and whole vibe of the place is really cool and vintage. They have fun statues to take pictures with! I always look forward to Sara's opening. It's a real gem in this city. read more

Sara's - Interior - Burgers Near Me - Erie, Pennsylvania

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Was so excited to go here after driving past it several times while going to the beach. Wow what a disappointment. The burgers taste like the a beef product with filler in it. The bun was tasteless. The fries were cold. And the onion rings and zucchini fries tasted like they had been fried in old burnt flavored oil. The only only thing that was tasty was the hot dog and strawberry shake. read more