We loved coming here for dinner! Right in between our hotel and downtown. Pretty busy on a Friday night in the off season but we found parking and no wait. Retro casual vibes. Our server was extremely friendly and helpful! We both got items on special, my burger had mozzarella sticks on it which was insane but indulgent and tasty! Our server said i had to try the fried pickles as a side and they were totally worth it. Wish I had room for a shake for dessert! Maybe nothing fancy, but tasty diner food hits different after a few hours in the car. We will definitely be making this a regular stop on our trips to TC. read more

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For prices and the old style feel - 100%. Coney dog, add cheese for $1, solid choice. Very friendly service. The chocolate shake is pretty ok, add malt $1. The decor is outstanding though for the vibes! read more

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We ALWAYS stop at Don's when we stay in T.C. The chocolate milkshakes are the BEST. Great burgers, great onion rings, great coleslaw, and great service. See you next year! read more

Don's Drive In - Across the street sunset. - American Near Me - Traverse City, Michigan

After a long hot day at the beach we opted for Don's Drive-in. We stop every year when camping in TC, over 35 yrs. Don's is a no-brainer for us! Their handmade malts are amazing...I love all things ice cream. Pay the extra and get the Malt!! We ordered a Big D burger and had them cut it in 1/2 so we could share. Made it a platter with fries and slaw. Their fries are delicious, like a steak fry. They were fried perfectly. The burger was a little dry but very good. Car hop came out to the car before I could push the call button! She was sweet and quick. Cooks did a great job on what I am sure was a very busy day! Don's has dining in and car hop service. Restaurant is always clean and decorated like a 50's diner. Always was fun to bring the kids here! Now our kids are bringing their kids, love it! read more

Don's Drive In - Car hop menu. - American Near Me - Traverse City, Michigan

Great ambiance and food here at Don's. It really is a throwback right to the 50s, with authentic decor (that is also well kept). My daughter had a 1/4 lb with cheese and I had the "Texas Rodeo Burger" with toast, onion rings and bbq sauce. But honestly? The raspberry shake was the best thing on the menu, hands down! Oh, and the service was super quick! Yet another great advantage of a limited menu. Since it's locally owned and operated of course the servers were attentive and friendly. While you are on vacation here in Traverse City, I recommend a stop here for a good burger. read more

Don's Drive In - Main dining area - American Near Me - Traverse City, Michigan

I love Big Don's. I grew up in TC and if locals and tourists like something then you know it is really great. I live stopping here when I come home for a visit! Greasy. Messy. Fried. Fabulous. The food here hasn't changed. The service is friendly. The prices are right. The shakes are delicious and the kids meals still come in a cardboard car. Thank you Don's for keeping those fried clams on your menu! They are hard to find read more

This is an absolutely must when traveling to Traverse City. From the pound of French fries to the creamy milk shakes, Dons is the place to go. The staff was so friendly and took great care of our large party. Pricing is reasonable and the food is great! My favorite part were the letters on the wall from local kids asking Dons to buy their cow! lol read more

Don's Drive In - Outside seating - American Near Me - Traverse City, Michigan

Great late lunch at Don's Drive-in today! My first time! We ate inside and Becky came over quickly for our drink order but we were ready for it all. She brought the drinks out quickly and the food even came out quickly and perfectly! My aunt had a 1/4 lb burger and I had the Reuben sandwich! We shared a chili cheese fries and everything was great. My aunts first ever chili cheese fries and she loved them! I had asked Becky if the Reuben was good and she recommended it and it was awesome! Even the 1000 island dressing was delicious! Service was great and it was reasonably price! I forgot to get photos but this was a def great stop for lunch! Try it!! read more

We stopped in for a late night dinner, most everywhere else was closed. Thankfully Don's was still open for a light bite. The hot dogs were very good, and the fried pickles were extremely tasty. My daughter had a slider, and enjoyed it a lot. The interior is very retro and the service was on top of it, even though there was just one server. We got shakes to finish, and although the raspberry special was good, it was pretty pricey for a very small size. I knew the price, but didn't expect a small to be so... small. read more

The food was okay, you're really going for the 50s diner vibes and decor the place has. Friendly and fast staff but nothing to write home about in terms of food. read more

This is a step-back to the 1950's, complete with a vintage jukebox playing 33-1/3 singles. (You may have to ask for help getting it to play - sometimes it just eats your quarters.) Staff are friendly, helpful and fast without ever feeling rushed. Car service available just like the old days. Food is delicious and not one bit diet-conscious or healthy. Milkshakes big and frosty. I take my 11-year old there to experience a taste of vanishing Americana. read more

This will be one of our new favorites! We are new to the area and decided to give Don's a try. I ordered the BLT, my husband and brother ordered the roast beef hoagie, and we ordered a carload of fries with a few sides of their homemade ranch. My BLT was DELICIOUS. There was plenty of thick-cut bacon and the flavors were great. Their homemade ranch was amazing as well, and I it sounds like the hoagies were a hit! Our server was incredibly friendly and the restaurant was very family friendly. I'd highly recommend visiting here! read more

Don's Drive In - Carload of fries - American Near Me - Traverse City, Michigan

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I had a fantastic experience at Don's this last weekend! It's a super small restaurant on the inside, but it's decorated like a real drive-in diner! The staff was friendly, attentive, and our food came out quickly! We ordered a carload of fries, which was plenty for the three of us--with three sides of house made ranch which was incredible! I ordered the roast beef hoagie special which was also delicious. The hoagie was toasted to perfection and the roast beef was smothered in cheese, mushrooms, and a special sauce which tied all of those flavors together. My only negative is that the fries could have been crispier--but I'll ask for extra crispy fries next time! This is a family friendly, cost-conscious, American diner that I'm so glad I finally visited! With new restaurants popping up all over town, I'm glad to see this place is still slinging burger and I hope they continue to do so for a long long time! Can't wait to share this experience with everyone who comes to visit! read more

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Great sliders, could use A little more meat on em. Maybe grilled onions. Great service I had with my family. read more

Great burgers (X4), excellent coleslaw, and good thick cut French fries. A little loud, but that's because it's busy. read more

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Classic diner experience! I love to grab food here with the family for a quick casual meal. Lots of stuff on the menu and very kind staff. Great local spot that's been around for a long time read more

Cute Diner! We enjoyed our sweet potato fries, Turkey burger and tuna melt. You can customize the burgers however you want. Cohort got a strawberry shake and it was delicious Our server so friendly and attentive read more

Read some reviews online regarding if you haven't been here before you're missing out so I thought I'd give it a try. Ordered a big D meal with bacon and cheese, fries and some slaw. First things first got the bill for one person I might add and it was $22.31 which I think is absolutely absurd. Not to mention when my food came my burger was quite literally the greasiest I've ever seen. Bun was completely soggy and disgusting. If you want to come here for ridiculous pricing and a grease bomb go ahead! BTW this is the first review I've ever put down if that says anything, and I thought I'd save some people the trip... read more

Classic diner food that has become a tradition when in TC. The whole fruit cherry shake is always a good idea.

The service was good and the ambiance is excellent. Their onion rings are amazing. I wish we were local so this could be an every week choice. read more

A few people recommended Dons to us when we had a night in Traverse City. For a diner, you're getting exactly what you'd expect. Quick service, average food, and great malts! The server recommended a burger with everything on it, so that's what I went with. The combo included fries and coleslaw as well. The slaw was fine but nothing special and the fries were your typical diner fries. The burger was pretty good for a fast food diner joint. I then ordered a strawberry malt with real fruit and it was delicious. Kids meals come in a fold up car instead of on a plate, which is fun. For a diner, it's a little on the pricey side but they are aimed at tourists that are visiting the area. Don't expect fancy and you'll be satisfied when you leave. Don't skip the malt! read more

Don's Drive In - Burger combo with everything on it - American Near Me - Traverse City, Michigan

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Good burgers loved the cherry milkshake had a great waitress would recommend. Also had a great feeling of an old time drive in . read more

Don's Drive In - 1/4 Lb. Burger*with Bacon - American Near Me - Traverse City, Michigan

We went here for our last lunch before heading home. We got real fruit shakes and malts that tasted fabulous. The Reuben was perfect amount of meat and flavor. The fried mushrooms, onion rings, and french fries were all good and the kids all enjoyed their burgers and hotdogs. My daughter really enjoyed having her meal in a purple car. For a diner, the food was really good. I will definitely check it out again. read more

TEN OUTTA FUCKING TEN!!!!!! YOU NEED TO EAT HERE PLEASE! The burger was phenomenal and the shake was absolutely delicious!! The service was great and met the owner! Ambiance is exactly what it should be! (Sorry 0 pictures haha ate too fast!) read more

Good food, good service, good shakes. Cant go wrong here. One of our friends favorite local places to eat came on a Friday night they were pretty busy but got a seat within 5 minutes. The shakes are hand made and you can tell with fresh fruits so good. You gotta check this place out. read more

Delicious food and good service! My kids loved their cherry milkshakes. The diner atmosphere is fun.

Omigosh! The food here is so cheap and so good! Our waitress was a lovely young woman who treated us nicely. Us being my mom and I by the way. The ambiance was spectacular! Reminds me of my childhood in the 80s when meemaw would take me for milkshakes after school.. I miss my grandmammy.. She died of a heart attack at her home in Florida. Anyhoodle, I'd very much recommend eating here, we had a great time, Thank you, Don! read more

Don's Drive In - the interior of a diner - American Near Me - Traverse City, Michigan

Fun. Fast. Friendly. Tried this local favorite today for lunch. It has a great vintage 50's diner vibe. Our waitress was friendly, polite, and prompt. I ordered the 1/4 pound burger with everything plus cheese and bacon. A basket with fries and cole slaw. It arrived quickly and was very hot. The burger was glistening with the tastiest coating of delicious grease. Yum. The fries were big flat steak fries that were crispy on the outside and light and pillowy on the inside. Definitely a great place and I will be back again!! read more

Don's Drive In - The menu - American Near Me - Traverse City, Michigan

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We needed something quick on our way from the airport to camp, so we stopped here. We were not disappointed! The burger was the best I've had in a really long time, and the fried fish basket was really excellent. We also got the real fruit cherry milkshake which was incredibly tasty. It was definitely a do-again that's kid-friendly and budget friendly. read more

Don's Drive In - Fried fish basket - American Near Me - Traverse City, Michigan

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Always a stop for us when in TC. Not sure what happens since last year. Burgers lacked flavor and over dry. Condiments were wrong with every burger. For as much as we paid we could have gone to Culver's and got correct food. Of course we will try again next time we're in town. read more

Lots of advertising for Don's drive in; seems like a place travelers need to check out. It was the busiest place we have been to yet on our vacation, yet the service was quick and friendly. Food was tasty and my burger was very tasty and well cooked, also got a strawberry shake to pair with it that was yummy. 5 stars for all of that! The only disappointment was that I had mentioned that I forgot a coupon that our hotel had provided in a travel perks book. I remembered it was $5 off $25 purchase and we were spending over $40 with our family of four. I was told they need it by manager because they keep a tally or something. I'm a manager myself and take pride in taking care of customers. I wasn't trying to pull one past them, I ended up driving back to the hotel while my family stayed to get the coupon. It wasn't far thankfully but the road is so dang busy it still probably took 15 minutes to get it and back: Time I've could have enjoyed with my family instead (wife, 2 yr old and 8 week old). That just didn't leave the best impression with me. read more

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I remember visiting this place as a kid and loving it. Trying it again for the first time in 20 years I'm not impressed. The coney was fine but nothing special. The fries and cole slaw lacked flavor. The waitress was rude right from the start. I wanted to love this place purely off nostalgia and couldn't. read more

First time at Don's. It definitely won't be the last. I had the Perch Hoagie & oh my gosh, it was great! Husband had burger & fries. Not bad but waitress charged him for 1/2 lb when he ordered quarter pounder. We said nothing because place was extremely busy for 2:30p. He also liked my hoagie better. Chocolate milkshake was very good too. Service was fast & waitress attentive. read more

Chicken strip approved by yours truly. Lotsa fry choices, I just stuck with original. Dad had a cheeseburger. Dad had a chocolate malt too. Don's does a good shake. Other patrons included- youths, families, and a group celebrating a fiftieth b-day. Dinner or lunch comes with a partial view of the bay, thanks Tamarack. Lol. read more

First timer & luv'd it all! We had a chocolate shake, Curly fries, Cheeses sticks & a Patty Melt! Such a kool place we pulled into the drive-in ~ pick-up aNd a waitress comes out to take your order. I swear it was the quickest service ever & the food was so good! Best comfort food & shake!! read more

Don's Drive In - Yummi Cheese Sticks & delish Small Chocolate Shake! Too cute!! - American Near Me - Traverse City, Michigan

Classic Americana. The BLT + curly fries + coleslaw slaps. Can't mess that up. Seriously, get the curly fries. I shouldn't have to mention the themed ambiance because it's so painfully obvious, but god, it's so cute. The menu is a little overloaded, but I'm here for it. read more

Good diner food based on a veggie burger, quarter pound burger, onion rings, fried clam strips with fries, and shakes. Exceptional service. I'd return with the family. read more

First off, the server was phenomenal and very informative in detailing menu items and recommending favorites, and she was spot on. The 3/4 Pound MONSTER Burger was so fresh and ENORMOUS with an abundance of toppings. Easily big enough to split with someone. The Reuben sandwich was really good too, again very fresh tasting. We got the thick steak-cut carload of fries, Just right for us 3 adults, and better deal than ordering 3 separate sides. Super yummy with their homemade ranch dressing for dipping. We'll definitely go there again when visiting Traverse City! read more

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I like the vibe going on inside. Very 50's ... I think? So sad about the food though. From all of the talk about this place I was expecting warm, soft buns...melted cheese...and tasty patties. The buns are toasted here, but I thought the were stale tasting. Burgers were cold and flavorless. Service was super slow. 30 minutes to get a plate of sliders to the table. Maybe I should have gotten a milkshake & some French fries. read more

Don's Drive In - American Near Me - Traverse City, Michigan

Fun destination. Food amazing. Service great. Diner vibes! Whether you're a native Michiganian or international traveler this is a good place to visit. Small town vibes. read more