Simonton Lake Drive-In

We loved the whole vibe of this place ☺This summer we have traveled all over northeast Indiana, one in Ohio and a couple in Michigan, going to old time drive-in restaurants, in my husband's restored 66 Mustang that he bought in 1966. It's been great fun. It will soon be mothballed. It spent most of its life in Southern California and does not do winters. ☺

This charming restaurant offers a delightful step back in time, providing an authentic classic drive-in experience that's rare to find these days. It stands out not just for its nostalgic ambiance, but also for its unique culinary touches, like their homemade root beer and specially crafted root beer BBQ sauce. Both are must-tries that elevate the dining experience. If you haven't had the pleasure of visiting yet, it's definitely worth adding to your list of places to check out. Friendly and inviting, this spot promises an enjoyable trip down memory lane with a tasty twist.

We had lunch here on their last day open for the season (closed for winter months). The experience is unique, as you can drive up to an order box and eat in your car, or you can choose to sit at a picnic table and order. They have a huge menu with so many choices.
I ordered the chicken fritters and they were so crispy with a nicely seasoned batter. Their Root Beer is also amazing, although we were too full from our lunch to enjoy one of their famous Root Beer floats. We will definitely visit again if we're ever in the area.

First visit of the season & it did not disappoint. Corndog & onion rings were both perfect.

I got the root beer bbq burger and my partner got the chicken tenders with onion rings. Both were AMAZING! Came out fast and the sauce portions are large. We both got a root beer and the total came out to only about $35. Will be coming back anytime I’m in the area.

Our family Absolutely loves this place! Great food, great service. I highly recommend!!. Grab a gallon or two of root beer for home, won't last long. The root beer bbq sauce is out of this world. Stop in and golive it a try, you won't be disappointed.

Rootbeer in a cold glass was amazing 👏🏻 The food and service were decent 👍🏻Really busy when we visited.

Absolutely one of the best places in town to go for a fun fast meal. Sit in one of their picnic tables outback or just pull up and put the windows down and let the nostalgia fill the air. The food is always fantastic and I’m not sure how they do it but cheeseburgers are always advertisement picture quality. Finish it off with a root beer float or a cone of blue moon ice cream, two of my personal favorites, and you’ll finally realize what all the hype is about. The Drive-in is a gem, 12/10.

This is an old fashioned drive in, something you don't see too much of anymore unless you live in Oklahoma or by a Sonic . Simonton Lake Drive In does have some covered picnic tables for the people that don't want to eat in their car . The car hops are friendly and very interested in making sure that you have a pleasant experience. I recommend their Root Beer Float for everyone !
I ordered their
Big Burger
The Root Beer Burger ⭐
French Fries
Onion Rings⭐
Super Frosted Mug of Root Beer ⭐
Large Root Beer Float ⭐

This place is awesome! Hands down the best root beer I have ever had in my life also the Cajun Chicken sandwich is a perfect pairing with some ice cold root beer. Definitely swing by if you are looking for some good food and a fun environment for your family!

A little pricey but the food was good. We got the olive burger ,cheese burgers and something unique for a restaurant menu, pizza burger. The deserts were great too.

This is the best place to go eat at a drive in.!!! Getting a Frosty mug of Root Beer is a must. The server was friendly and attentive.

We both got cheeseburgers and they were awesome.
We had stopped going to the drive-in due to the food quality declining but we tried one more time and this year it's delicious

We were looking for a new place to get a hamburger while on vacation and found this place. Our server Lexus was a ray of sunshine in the cloudy day. She was super friendly and Johnny on the spot with our food. The food was good, not the best I’ve ever had but better than your fast food joints. The root beer is amazing though. Would gladly come back here again.

Thanks again!

Amazing BBQ sauce! I believe it's homemade using the rootbeer they make aswell. Love bringing the kids here during the summer months

Great place to go for a family dinner. friendly staff! Great food, even better root beer! Love the old drive in style of the place.

Fantastic root beer. Old school drive-in. Good service and great burgers.

I was born and raised in the area, I moved away 10 years ago and was back in town for a death in the family. Made sure I drove up to Simonton Lake Drive-In from South Bend so I could get their delicious olive burger and a gallon of their to die for rootbeer!!!

Elkhart Indiana is a happening place. The traveler has three choices for dinner: the new, few and boldly priced restaurants in historic downtown; every chain restaurant on the planet except Bonefish Grill; and an eclectic mix of grills, bars, traditional, ancient places, and so on.

Read the reviews, virtually every restaurant in Elkhart gets 5 stars and a glowing review. From Texas Roadhouse to Chubby Trout (avoid).
For the last hour and a half, as we approached Elkhart by car, we searched for the best place for dinner. We were confounded. So we got to our down-at-the-heels hotel, opened a bottle of wine in the room, fed the dog, and relaxed until sheer hunger forced us out.

On our way to some other place, we passed the Simonton Lake Drive In and immediately did a U turn and pulled into space # 8 under the open lanai roof.

There’s a menu on a lighted board next to your car door. Decide what you want, press a button on the menu, send your order in via voice to the cheerful girl on the loudspeaker and voila, a few minutes later out come your two half pound Big Burgers with melted American cheese, lettuce and mayonnaise, plus crispy fries and your personal bottle of Heinz ketchup. We finished the bottle of wine off as we ate.

The young women serving - runners, really - were superb. They knew exactly when to stop placing food trays on the car window due to the gathering storm and approaching high winds. Not all the cars at the drive in are sheltered by the lanai roof. The young ladies served the cars open to the rain without hesitation, America is alive and well with young people like this coming up through the ranks.

If you are ever in Elkhart, and you only have one night, hit the Simonton Lake drive in - and hope for a side of classic mid-west American thundershowers to go with your burger, fries and Cabernet.

One of my favorites to take the kids to. The rootbeer i look forward to while off season. The prices are super reasonable and they have a pretty quick turn around time on getting your food. They have the best corn dogs.