I love this place! A true icon of Erie, PA. I had heard people talk about Sara's but I had never been until this summer. My girlfriend and I decided to visit Erie one afternoon because we felt like traveling. Only 2 1/2 hours outside of Pittsburgh, you cant beat it! This place became one of our favorite parts about that trip! We stopped after we watched the sunset over the water on the beach in Presque Isle. The crowd was rolling in but the staff was so prepared it only took five minutes to wait in line and get our food. If the line seems long it's so worth the wait. All those people wouldn't be waiting there for nothing! We both got cheese burgers with fries and a chocolate shake to share. The burgers were cooked well and had nice flavor. The toppings bar was a really great addition. The fries were crispy and fresh. The chocolate shake was delicious. My girlfriend dislikes them usually but she loved Sara's! We both still talk about it to this day about how great it was. We opted to sit outside which I do NOT recommend unless you have bug spray on. The mosquitos are horrific. I was bit more that night than I had been my entire summer. We moved inside the screened in area but they were still pretty bad in there too. That's my only complaint about this whole place. Otherwise it is great. read more

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This place is *crowded.* Always crowded. But there's nothing more delicious than a visit to Waldameer or a beach hang or walk on Presque Isle followed by a meal at Sara's. It has a throwback '50s vibe with the counter atop a pink Cadillac. They have classic combo meals - burgers or hotdogs, curly fries or onion rings. Get one of each and share! They have serve yourself sauces and dips - lots of extra options beyond ketchup and mustard. Think mayo, ranch, fry seasonings (all Heinz products... naturally). Their homemade pickles are great too! Get those and put them on your burger! It isn't the best burger I've ever had, it's rather about the experience. It's a memory maker for sure. There's a bunch of seating - lots of picnic tables in the screened in rooms on either side of the ordering area, plus a bunch of outdoor seating. Prepare to dine community table-style because you may not be able to get a table to yourself when it's busy. The place started as an ice cream shop so you can't miss that. The counter to order ice cream is to the right of the main food counter in the room on the right. I sadly can't eat the ice cream, but my boyfriend indulged in a chocolate soft serve cone. He said it was pure nostalgia. He didn't need it after a big meal, but loved enjoying the cone on the way home. read more

Sara's - Cheeseburger and curly fries - Burgers Near Me - Erie, Pennsylvania

Wow, what a busy place. You know when it's this busy there must be something good here. We went on a Saturday at lunch and the place was really hopping. There are two counters to order at. We ordered the footlong smiths dog, peanut butter milkshake, onion rings, bottled water, and pop. The bottled water is sitting in a tub or cold fridge. The pop is from one of those cool coke machines where you can do any type of soft drink with different favors. The food came up pretty quick. We sat at one of the many outside tables instead of eating inside. The footlong dog was delicious, and the onion rings were crunchy. I liked the peanut butter shake as it wasn't too strong on the peanut butter. There are bathrooms in the back as you follow the yellow brick road. Souvenir merchandise is in the old Sally's diner nearby. I noticed some funny $15 t-shirts there. read more

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Tried the hot fudge sundae here. It was delicious! Our group also ordered strawberry milkshake which had real strawberries, chicken tenders were very tasty. Curly fries were quite average though, nothing special except the curls. Staff is efficient and courteous, they have seating indoors as well as outdoors. We sat outside and enjoyed our family meal! read more

When I walk into Sara's.. I thought of "American" ..fun" and condiment lover's dream! It's quite a unique restaurant. Staff was very friendly and our food came fast even though the place was packed. Theres plenty of seating inside and out. I ordered the "Chicago Style Italian Beef Deluxe" and was pretty good but I could barely finish it. ($8.00 plus fries and drink) I tried the onion rings- they were ok - more "meh " But the curly fries were good. The condiment station is absolutely amazing. HEINZ products!!! YES ! I just love that. Mayo, Ketchup, Mustard, Ranch, Hot Sauce .. . and a variety of seasonings yet! I think I must of spent 10 minutes there - deciding my toppings. There was a large variety of pop (coke products) but there wasn't any fresh brewed ice tea.. The only beverage offered that wasn't carbonated was lemonade which is filled with sugar. My best friend and I took our lunch over to the beach and it was fun.. To-go orders are packed in a square cardboard box which is great!! A visit to Sara's is quite "fun". read more

Sara's - Lunch on the beach.. oh what fun ! - Burgers Near Me - Erie, Pennsylvania

It's okay. Nothing special. More irritating than anything. The best thing this place has going for it is it's right next to the peninsula. I do enjoy getting ice cream there before hitting the park. However, the service here is meh, and I'll probably only go back if it's super not busy. The other day, we went in one of those confusing drive-thru lines. We've been through them before with no issues, but this time our lane had a shack where you order which was new. Before, they were just under shaded canopies or nothing. We saw the guy out talking to customers ahead of us at their car, taking their order, then he left. By the time we got around that area, we couldn't find the guy, so we never got our order taken. If he was there somewhere hiding, he never came over to us. When we get to the pickup spot, they said too bad, go back through the drive-thru and try again. So, there was 30 minutes wasted. They didn't even mention at that point that we could order inside. We thought it was still drive-thru only. We called them about it and a manager said to come get a free gift card. Not sure how much, but we didn't go back because we were already pretty upset about getting screwed over. Not worth trying to navigate that parking lot maze. Things we're as bad pre-COVID, so don't think I'll come back until then, when there's less chance of getting ignored. read more

Onion rings are back, thank you for restoring the glorious rings!!! Best summer time fast food restaurant in Erie! read more

Perfect on your way in or out of Presque Isle Park. Fast and good for kids and adults! read more

Sara's - Grilled cheese, onion rings, foot long hot dog, curly fries, chicken tenders - Burgers Near Me - Erie, Pennsylvania

We stop here whenever we come to Erie. It's like the cutest little all-American restaurant right outside of Presque Isle. I probably should try other menu items but every time I go, I order a hot dog (they are Smith's hot dogs with natural casing- if that makes anyone excited like it makes me lol) with a side of curly fries (with cheese) and a drink. The food is prepared and ready quickly. The best part, IMO, is the condiment section. They have all the sauces and toppings for your burgers, hot dogs, whatever. You also have to leave room for dessert because they have orange soft serve, as well as other classic soft serve flavors. My fiancé always get the orange-vanilla twist cone. Don't judge me, but i personally do not like the orange soft serve, so I don't get it.. but people go crazy for it! Everything I've ever had from Sara's has always been so good and it tastes like summer! If you're ever in Presque Isle, do yourself a favor and stop in! read more

Sara's - Hot dogs, fries, and cheese. What more can you ask for?? - Burgers Near Me - Erie, Pennsylvania

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Went and ordered a chicken finger meal and only got 4 chicken fingers for $10 and a milkshake that's too thick to even drink

Got burgers and chicken tenders. Eh, not impressed. I'd rather go to Bro Man's. I was excited to try Sara's too.

Always a Erie summertime favorite! Great food from a diner atmosphere on the jewel of Erie, Pa, Presque Isle State Park. We love to get our food and / or desert and head out to one of the parking spots along the way to eat and watch the people, the birds, the bay. Love the peanut butter hot fudge sundae or milkshake. Whether you live here or are visiting, be sure to make it a stop. read more

Sara's has some of the friendliest staff and best ice cream around. The atmosphere is wonderful, the food is good American food, and the service is quick. I will be going back! I highly recommend the Orange Vanilla Twist Cone. read more

It was a good milkshake but nothing I'd go outta my way for. However my family got peanut butter ice cream and said it was very good. Definitely will be back but not for a milkshake! read more

Cant go to presque isle without a trip to Sara's. Have been here several times and there is always fast service and so many things to look at! I got the fish sandwich with zucchini fries, followed by the baby vanilla cone. The baby is really an adult size small. Will be returning next summer. Make sure you take your picture with the Simpsons out front! read more

Sara's - Out front at Sara's - Burgers Near Me - Erie, Pennsylvania

We came for a weekend getaway with our 3 kids and Sara's did not disappoint! The service was friendly, thorough, patient, and met all guidelines for safety. The food was delicious, large portions, and incredibly fast. We went thru the drive-thru lanes and also ordered shakes. All of our food was ready in literally 5 minutes -- we couldn't believe it. The zucchini sticks were perfectly seasoned and my cheeseburger was well-done and still juicy. Our shakes were very sweet, but still worth coming back again and making Sara's a new family tradition. Don't forget the photo ops, too! read more

Summer fun! When we come to Presque Isle to ride bikes or go fishing, we always stop in for an ice cream treat. Soft serve always seems to be available in orange flavor as well as the reliable chocolate and vanilla. We can't vouch for the hot foods but they seem to sell plenty. They have such a fun environment- a throwback to the old times. read more

Don't let the full parking lot deter you! Sara's is fairly quick and quite good. The menu includes some healthier/lighter items as well as the typical burger joint food. The zucchini fries and grilled chicken sandwich were great. We also stopped back by for ice cream later in the day - not much beats a soft-serve cone. read more

Amazingly delicious quality cheeseburger, grilled chicken, curly fries, & ice cream!!! read more

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My food is never hot. Sara's has really gone downhill. The last two times my son and ate there we got sick. Diarrhea and felt like we wanted to throw up! read more

Great stop at this iconic eatery. Burgers dogs and great ice cream the location is perfect. After some good fast food you can walk across the street to the beach and check out the lake. Staff was friendly and the eclectic atmosphere takes you back to a 1950s carny time. Lots of parking and their drive thru was genius during covid. read more

You can't miss Sara's on a trip to (or through) Erie, PA. No muss no fuss burgers, hot dogs, fries and the like and ethereally thick milkshakes of many varieties. Peanut butter milkshakes make the world go 'round. This place IS summer. I love the old-timey feel inside, and even though I've old been to Erie once (and Sara's twice), the whole experience was nostalgic. Staff was friendly and move through the lines quickly; seating is somewhat limited as compared to the crowds, but that's okay. All is well after a day spent exploring Presque Isle, especially when it ends with a trip to Sara's. read more

Good, quick-service, inexpensive food and ice cream at the beach! What more can you ask for? Curly fries Twist cones Burgers, chicken, Onion rings, zucchini sticks, ... read more

I love coming here every summer for their soft serve ice cream with twinkle dust coat. The device is always fast and friendly as well. It feels like they add something new every year as well and the place is always busy. Highly recommend. read more

Sara's - Ice cream, duh - Burgers Near Me - Erie, Pennsylvania

Love this place they never disappoint. Even in rough times and being short handed they are quick and courteous. When ever we come to Erie we come here. read more

Sara's - The chipmunks - Burgers Near Me - Erie, Pennsylvania

Atmosphere was great. Quick service. Loved the zucchini fries and the milkshakes. Food was basic burgers/tenders and tasted average. Would go back though. read more

We stopped by Sara's for dinner on our first day of vacation. After our horrible hotel check-in, we decided to watch the sunset at the beach, but first, dinner at Sara's. I had planned on coming here for our trip. It looked like a cool place to dine- and it was! I ordered the cheeseburger meal with fries. Bobby ordered the Chicago style italian beef with onion rings. We enjoyed our dinner outside and he just kept saying how awesome his sandwich was. He ended up finishing half at home and talked about it even more that night. Afterwards, we grabbed ice cream from Sara's and headed to the beach for the sunset. Bobby wanted to head to Sara's the 2 other times we headed to the beach but i said we should try other places... should've listened to him though because the sandbar sucked, lol. If you're in Erie, try it out here. Its a pretty unique spot to eat. The menu isnt huge but it has your basics. It's located RIGHT outside of Presque Isle park and very easy to find. read more

Sara's - bobby enjoying ice cream with the Simpsons. - Burgers Near Me - Erie, Pennsylvania

After hearing all the hype from the locals about this place, I had to give it a try one sunny weekend. It's a lot smaller than I thought and a lot more crowded than I expected. There are a few tables inside, a few tables outside and a drive through for those about to hit the road. The food came out quickly and prices very reasonable for locating right at the beach entrance. I tried their footlong hotdog, onion rings and blueberry milkshake. A meal for 2 was under $20. The footlong hotdog was not as filling as expected, I easily finished it in one sitting. The flavors were on point though, fresh and juicy! The onion rings tasted good, but fell apart, making it a total hassle to eat. I'd probably go with the curly fries next time. Blueberry milkshakes really hit the spot with real chunks of blueberry with every sip. Overall, I really enjoyed my time at Sara's. I will definitely be back every time I stop by Presque isle. The sunset on Lake Erie after dinner at Sara's was the cherry on top to a perfect evening. read more

Sara's - Basket of onion rings, footlong franks, blueberry milkshake and all you can grab pickles - Burgers Near Me - Erie, Pennsylvania

This review is only for the ice cream: If you are hanging out on the peninsula and looking for some ice cream, Sara's has the perfect location and their soft serve delivers just what you're looking for. Something that I enjoyed that seems to be unique to Sara's is the vanilla and orange twist cone. I was skeptical, so I ordered the old stand-by chocolate and vanilla twist (which was classic and yummy), but I swiped some of my boyfriend's vanilla/orange cone and was pleasantly surprised! It tasted just like those orange creamsicle novelties. I think I'll be ordering it next time! read more

Was not very happy with food.ordered 2 perch baskets.was like cardboard.i received a refund and ordered a cheeseburger that was too dry and 2 hotdogs with burnt chili sauce on them. I've lived in Erie all my life and have frequented Sara's different times in my life and have been disappointed every time. read more

This little restaurant is just around of the doors of Presque Isle state park and Waldameer amusement park, good place for some quick food after your park visiting. I had their Smith's hot dog, to be honest, I didn't feel any thing special about it, Nathan's hot dog tastes better than this. But I like the way to put toppings on myself, their hot relish, and pickles are good. Their onion rings: we got a large, it's about almost 4 bucks. It was really large! That thing was huge. I was glad that we didn't get two as we said at beginning. They are very good, especially with their different kinds of sauce you can choose from. This is something I will order again. My husband ordered a cheeseburger too, he said it was good, but too small I think, after he ate that, he ate a Arby's sub to fill himself up. I got their orange sherbet and vanilla soft serve cone, it was good, but nothing I can write home about. And it's pretty small for $2 I paid, it's the same size as the soft serve I get for $1 like in McD's. Anyway, this is good place to eat when you done with the park, and hungry for some junk food. read more

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Sara's environment provided an enjoyable experience for my family and I. You got a fulfilling meal for a good price. My favorite was the onion rings, definitely recommend. Will be taking my friends here. read more

Put this place on the top of your list when visiting Presque Isle! Don't let the packed parking lot scare you! I promise it's worth it!! So much fun!! If you are into taking a step back in time this is the place for you! I don't know about you but I love everything about the 50s! The cars, the music, the decor...the milkshakes! Not like I've had a milkshake in the 50s but you get my point. This place has it all! From 10+ photo ops, to the diner with the jukebox, to the beach right across the street...this place has it all! I have been coming to presque Isle for years and I never had enough time to stop at Saras and let me tell you I was missing out! The workers are extremely friendly and one even gave my daughter a special coin to go in the diner and get 3 free doughnuts! We will be returning to Sara's every year! read more

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Utterly disgusting. I asked the employee what an "Italian beef" sandwich was... he replied that it was "like a philly cheese steak, with onions, peppers, and provolone". Wrong. So so wrong. Basically, it's a roast beef sandwich with "Italian seasoning" on the meat (oregano, Basil, rosemary), grilled onions, grilled bell peppers, banana peppers, and cheese wiz. Gross, sloppy, runny cheese wiz. No thanks. The onion rings were okay. Other than that, if I hadn't just done a 22 mile bike ride, I would have walked away from this food and never looked back. read more

This is a must-go to stop while you are in Lake Erie! The vibe is so sweet and filled with old knick knacks that bring you back to the simpler times. I always get an vanilla icecream cone with rainbow sprinkles. Good price for good quality and an original experience. read more

Sara's - Burgers Near Me - Erie, Pennsylvania

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If you haven't been to Sara's in the summer, I'd say you haven't experienced Erie. It sits at the gates to Presque Isle State Park (another must visit). Sara's is an old time ice cream stand offering burgers fries and ice cream. It's simple, but the owners have done it up with fun props and gimmicks to entertain and amuse. Each year they improve their service and offerings to keep up with the times and the wishes of the customers. The food is great, and served up quickly. This is a family friendly adventure. Parents have been bringing their kids here for generations. And now you'll find grand parents returning to recapture the sheer delight of childhood. PS: despite the crowds and beach sand, the staff keeps the place really clean and neat. Don't pass this up. read more

We love the burgers here ,we drive an hour and a half just to come up and have the burgers fries and onion rings ,you must try the orange vanilla twist ice cream cone too yum!!! It's like a 50s diner and the condiments are self serve everything and anything,the garlic sauce is out of this world ,the kids love all the scenery there too. read more

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I had never been to Sara's prior, but had seen it's a MUST DO while on Presque Isle. First things first it's a hot dog place, there isn't anything fancy in the menu, and from what I had seen everyone gets a hot dog. The sides have zucchini fries, curly fries, and onion rings. My wife, daughter and I all got hot dogs, and split fries and onion rings, and a milk shake. Everything was exactly what I expected from the place, nothing was artisan or gourmet, it's hot dogs .... There was however a good number of topping options that you can put on yourself. The ambiance of a roadside diner, complete with gimmicky (probably trademark infringed) characters to pose with, metal signage, picnic benches, maps, and an ordering window give it a throwback feel that you don't get much in today's world, this automatically gives you a sense of nostalgia....even if you are like me and it's your first time....and if you've been there before, why are you checking reviews? read more

My friend and I went to Sara's today and here's what our experience was like: the line wasn't too long which was pleasant, but the woman asking our order failed to let me know a drink came with my meal/didn't ask what I wanted to drink. The gentlemen who took my payment was very polite and asked how my day was. I responded, "I went beach glassing". I told him about all the colors that would have been in a plastic bag but I forgot that so I used a plastic glove. We also thought we saw a man making love to a metal detector. Anyways, I'm getting off track. Lemme get to the embarrassment I felt when I was offered my food. The gent held out the tray like I was supposed to take the whole thing, but swiftly proceeded to tell me not to grab it, but to take the items off the tray. The sentence above does not capture the smugness of this interaction. After I pulled away, I tried to take a sip of my milkshake. Alas, after sucking pretty hard it deemed near impossible to get a good swig. Unsuckoffable. Sara's chicken tenders? More like Tyson's chicken tenders. They were okay tho, still ate them. Nostalgic in a bad way. The fries are orgasm tho. In summation, worth it for the fries, and get ready to suck hard bc the milkshake was yummy (black raspberry) Rich in beachglass, D read more

So crowded! Parking lot and seating crazy. Perch was amazingly flavored--but I only got two small pieces. Wanted more. Onion rings were so greasy and I got way too many. Sprite from the machine was more like seltzer water. Wife enjoyed chicken tenders and fries. Just too many people here to enjoy it much. Seems to be the local spot at Presque Isle, but if we go back to the area, we'll probably eat elsewhere. read more

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