Our burger club always ventures a little further out during Thanksgiving and the summer when our…read moreschedules are a little lighter, so in 2025, we ventured out to Kenosha for The Garage. It was a weeknight, but the street we were driving up to get here was a little dark and run down. But don't let that deter you. They have a nice sized parking lot for their location. Then we walked inside and found a narrow room with a bar running the length of one long wall and counter height tables and chairs perpendicular to the opposite wall. They really jammed in as much as they could in the space that they have. The ambience was dark and moody. They were playing hard rock and the bar had a couple of regulars sitting inside. At the end of the bar at the far end, was a cubicle of a kitchen. That's where the magic happens. Their menu is simple: appetizers, burgers, and build your own burgers. That's it. We all built our own burgers and they have a LOT of options. However, the build your own may start at $9, but each topping adds to the cost. But who cares? The burgers were phenomenal! Their website clearly states, "Best burgers, ever." And they're not wrong. The burgers were juicy, flavorful, and delicious. Probably one of the best burgers I have ever had. And everything is made in this tiny area at the end of the bar. We were the only people in the place after about 20 minutes, but again, who cares. The staff were extremely friendly. Their playful banter and bickering when they cleaned up was hilarious to listen to, and they were lovely to talk to as well. One of our group wanted to pick up some Spotted Cow beer (you can't get it in Illinois) and asked about a place to get it nearby. They suggested Shenanigan's with a drive-through just a couple blocks away. We have to make another trek back. They are awesome and their burgers are great, too!

Such a great find. The burgers were great, reasonably priced. Melissa the server was phenomenal. We…read morewould definitely eat here again.

Great food Atmosphere is good…read moreService is excellent Solid location just off the lake

Look, Waterman's Warehouse had a lot working against it the night we visited. Triple-digit heat. An…read moreAC unit doing its best. The Cubs dropping 23 runs on the Padres. The Brewers tied in Cincinnati. The US men's national team handling Bosnia. Basically every screen in the place was must-watch TV and the bartender -- understandably distracted, perhaps -- decided that was the ideal moment to restock straws and cut fruit. We waited. In the heat. Our server was genuinely good when he materialized, which wasn't as often as we'd have liked. Food: the cheese curds earned their reputation. The Mekts burger was fine -- solid, no complaints. The Reuben rolls, however, arrived looking exactly like what they were: a Sysco product plated with minimal ceremony. Hard pass next time. As for the name -- if you're picturing a dock, pilings, maybe a gull or two -- walk outside and squint hard past the road and the rooftops. Big lake's out there somewhere. Technically. Maybe a 3.2 night in a 4.3 restaurant. I'd go back on a slow Tuesday in October.

We encountered Smackin' Burgers at a fair in Winthrop Harbor. We had not heard of them prior, but…read morehappy they attended, set up shop, and delivered their delicious burgers. The burger presentation was nice, each layered perfectly as ordered and individually wrapped and bagged. They can certainly cut cost by adding a sharpie marker to mark which burgers are which and put them all in one bag. Not sure if they did this was just for the fair or not. Their set-up location was clean, under a tent, and provided all condiments and napkins. I had the opportunity to speak with the owners who were very friendly and informative. I learned they had been asked with short notice to attend and set up. Very pleased they agreed to the offer to set-up. We have since learned they have set up shop in Kenosha at Lucci's. If you haven't had the opportunity to check out this new small business and try a burger, you certainly don't want to pass it up. No website just yet, but they can be found on Facebook.

The customer service was great and the burgers were even better! Can't wait to see what's next for…read morethis business

Stopped by one of our favorite places and saw one of our friends. It was a nice surprise to see…read moreErika and Layla and Annabelle working. It was a beautiful day. Our ice cold root beer in the frosty mug hit the spot. We ordered chicken nuggets and a burger and fries. All of which was serviced hot and was delicious. Stop by grab a bite and an ice cold root beer (or orange soda) and say hi to the long time car hopper and show some love.

I love a good root beer, and a root beer float, and they can often be found at roadside drive-ins…read morelike these--and Kenosha seemed like the kind of place that may have one of those. We stopped at The Spot briefly just to get my root beer float and another drink. They had a menu that was quite a bit more extensive than I would have expected, to be honest, and though some of it looked like something I wanted to try (particularly the pickles) we didn't have time to wait for them to cook. The root beer float isn't the best I've had, but it was fine. It's a car hop model, which I didn't realize at first since I'm used to places with carside service having a different kind of physical structure and this was basically just a parking lot. I don't know for certain if they are cash only but that would be my guess.

Classic bar, Friday fish is great and our service was excellent! Will definitely be back!read more

It's has great food great customer service there's a beautiful girl there that makes me want to…read morevisit and go everyday

I frequently visit Kenosha, and Big Star--when they're open--is a necessary stop. 3 cheeseburgers,…read morefries, and a root beer, and I'm a happy boy. Yes, it's a treat. Don't judge me! It's a classic drive-in experience, for better or worse. I'm not going to say it's exactly pleasant to sit in a hot car surrounded by other hot cars spewing exhaust, but it is what it is... I personally wouldn't mind a few additional tables scattered around instead of just the two. Service is prompt and they have a menu that, especially in today's economic climate, feels exceptionally priced, so much so that it encourages you to order a bevy of items just to try them out. If you're a fellow Kenosha-frequenter, or just stopping in for the first time, definitely check out Big Star! Grab a sampler and head over to the lake to enjoy.

We were visiting from out of town and friends took us to this iconic drive in restaurant. We were…read moreserved quickly. Most of us ordered the double cheeseburgers and FF. Food came quickly and was hot. The burgers tasted good and the price was very inexpensive for what we ordered. The outside of the restaurant is well worn but this place has been here for a long time. It's a fun place to go if you need a quick and cheap meal.

If you live up North, in the Northern suburbs, you realize that you have a great advantage in that,…read moreyou can shop and eat around Old Orchard or you can drive into the city and enjoy downtown or a neighborhood spot. However, you can also drive North, into Wisconsin, which is just 40 minutes North. We like to shop at Pleasant Prairie Outlet and after shopping for about five (5) hours, you will get really hungry. Hence, we almost always visit Tenuta's because there isn't quite anything like it by me. But that's a different review... I say all that to say, after getting Italian meatballs, cookies, and Cannolis from Tenuta's, you will immediately notice Ron's Place, right across the street!! They have a local and dedicated following. Yes, you will see Green Bay Packers decorations and people in Packers clothing, gasp!! But!! Their burgers are incredible and so are the cheese curds. They are also known for their Long Island teas but it's kinda early for me when I come here. Check out my pics - I always get the cheese curds, chicken strips, I've switched it up from time to time with my burger selection. Today, we got the extreme burger and it's definitely shareable, it's a gigantic double patty cheeseburger (I selected American cheese). Great service, cool & local Vibes, diners are usually talking shop, the people sitting next to you will be catching up and talkin about Jack and Diane. You can look directly into the open kitchen and see them preparing the great plates of food. Look at the pics on the wall and you will see a pic of McMahon in Packer uniform - the Packers won the Super Bowl that year...sigh...

Neat little spot that has been in Kenosha for a while. I ordered the walleye platter that came…read morewith fries and coleslaw. The fish was ok- the pieces I had were full of bones, and wasn't that great. The fries were good, the coleslaw was good as well. The cheese curds were decent, but they don't give you a lot. I'd try it again when in the area but overall- I'm 50/50.

Food is always great - service is impeccable. Sunday morning Joy and Tim went above and beyond to…read moremake our experience amazing. The breakfast burrito is a great addition to the menu and the Frozen Irish coffees keep us coming back every week. Johnny On The Spot keeps the whole show together.

Rebecca L. Is such a sweetheart and an awesome bartender! Highly recommend this place. She's the…read morebomb!

I had dinner tonight with my daughter and Addison P was our waitress. Her personality and kindness…read morewere fantastic. We really appreciated her humor and patience with us (especially with the situation with the bench seat). All in all Addison was a great person to have wait on us. If I could I would request her by name next time I'm in. As a matter of fact, I most likely will. The food is fantastic and everyone working there has a great attitude. -Derek

The facility is pretty big. Layout is nice and booths are big. Our server Glo was nice. She was…read moreknowledgeable and fast. We ordered the Happy Hour cheese curds and pretzel bites. Then a Build Your Own Burger with fries, a Patty Melt with honey Chipotle Rub, the Milwaukee Style Smash Burger with beer batter fries with dill pickle rub on the side. We were celebrating my mom's birthday and Glo remembered.and brought her an ice cream treat Very thoughtful! This was our second try as the first one we ordered the famous cheese curds and they were still frozen in the middle. Much better experience this time. 10/2025