If you're looking for a classic summer experience, Rudy's Drive-In in Oswego is worth the stop. This old-school, à la carte drive-in sits right on the shores of Lake Ontario, and the setting alone makes it special. The lake views are beautiful, peaceful, and the perfect backdrop for a casual meal. One unique touch I loved was that they provide paper bags to cover your food when you're eating outside, a clever way to keep the seagulls from swooping down and stealing your meal! Inside, it's exactly what you'd expect from a traditional drive-in. The staff was friendly, efficient, and kept the line moving quickly. Plenty of parking with some space across the street too. Cleanish restrooms. One thing to know if you have food allergies, specifically a shellfish allergy, and they use shared fryers, so I couldn't safely order anything fried. I really appreciated their honesty and transparency. Between the friendly service, gorgeous waterfront location, and nostalgic atmosphere, Rudy's is a classic place that's easy to recommend. read more

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"Great" is always relative to the palate using the word. After 80 years on the shore of Lake Ontario, Rudy's carries a lot of lore opened by Rudy Gadziala and his wife Marie in 1946, now run by third-generation owner Jason Livesey, famous for its Texas hot sauce and the founder's old line about owning a "million dollar hot dog stand." Online reviews are all over the map, so we wanted to see for ourselves. We visited recently with our 7- and 8-year-old nephews, hoping to soak up the tradition. The reality was more transactional. The hostess took our order while sipping her own beverage likely why we were shorted an order of fries. Nice enough, but not especially professional or welcoming. The whole operation moves fast; the staff is determined and task-focused rather than friendly. You get a buzzer and wait. The interior was renovated in 2025, and it shows but not in a good way. The bright white walls and green banquettes feel sterile, more fast-casual chain than 80-year-old lakeside institution. In modernizing, they stripped out whatever nostalgia the old space had and put nothing back. Some local artwork, vintage photos, or lake history on those fresh white walls would go a long way. The food: the boys enjoyed their cheeseburgers, and the fries are genuinely good. The fish sandwich was generously sized but bland the batter had little flavor, and the tartar sauce didn't rescue it. For a place with an 80-year reputation built on fish, I expected more. The lobster mac and cheese left a lot to be desired. The tab: four drinks, two cheeseburgers with fries, lobster mac, and a fish sandwich with fries came to nearly $70 steep for a lakeside stand where fries alone run $5.25. The setting is lovely and the legacy is real. But sometimes generational ownership slips down a slick slope and making money starts to matter more than making memories. read more

Rudy's Lakeside Drive-In - Sterile Rudy's - Seafood Near Me - Oswego, New York

Thank you for serving a fresh hotdog bun Personally I'd steam it just a bit more - if you did steam it at all. Steaming the bun really helps the dog experience. Texas hot - Hoffman dog with finely chopped chili always a great combo - onions, a little mustard & ketchup Great fried clams - order lemon & tartar read more

Great food with a beautiful view of Lake Ontario. Recommend the haddock & fries & cauliflower. Only downside is the prices are astronomical.

Right on Lake Ontario it couldn't be more at home if it were at the bottom of the lake. Always happening and I usually run into someone I know. read more

Gorgeous views of Lake Ontario and very friendly staff. The food was good, not great. It was slightly better than fast food quality without fast food prices. The calamari was pretty good, as was the fried shrimp. The fish sandwich was soggy and mostly tasteless. The stuffed tator tots had a weird taste I did not enjoy. While it was a fun experience overall, I would not go back for the food. read more

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Let's start with the good: Rudy's has a stunning view of Lake Ontario. Seriously, if you're into lakes and sunsets, this place nails it. Unfortunately, that's where the magic ends. The food? Imagine someone whispered the word "flavor" to a fried fish sandwich -- and then charged you $20 for it. Bland, uninspired, and overpriced. It's like they're daring you to complain. As for the staff, they had all the warmth and enthusiasm of a DMV on a Monday morning. I wasn't expecting a red carpet, but a smile wouldn't have hurt. In short: Rudy's is perfect if you want to take nice photos and leave hungry and mildly annoyed. Next time, I'll pack a sandwich and enjoy the view from the parking lot. read more

Was in the area so I stopped in. Ordered a haddock sandwich and fries. While waiting they brought out some fried clams to try...awesome. Got the sandwich home and it was great. Cooked to perfection. Will definitely come again when in the area. Also, staff on hand were excellent. read more

Food was not what I expected, fish sandwich was soggy bun was stall. Fries were broken peices and very greasy. I have been going to Rudy's for the last 40 years and never had a meal that was this disappointing. Service was good, waited on in a short amount of time and food out within 10 minutes. Beautiful place to sit and enjoy food right on lake Ontario with the waves coming in. Next time I will have a Texas hot. read more

I ordered a center fish sandwich and fries with mushrooms tartar and cocktail. My order was correct but the mushrooms weren't even done as the breading slid off them due to the fact that they were not crisp and it was like I was eating batter which affected the WHOLE meal. Very disappointing when you pay for a GOOD HOT meal and you end up with less than perfect ESPECIALLY from Rudy's. read more

This place is a well oiled machine! Food comes out hot. A few tables inside but mostly loads of outdoor seating. The staff is great at keeping tables clean, umbrellas up, or giving recommendations for orders. The plates of food are decent, and decent sized portions. The best thing to me I've had yet is the lobster Mac and cheese! read more

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Been an avid Rudy's diner fan for the past 25+ years I am sad to post this, but my recent trip up the weekend of May 3 was very disappointing While Rudy's has certainly lost its charm with the renovations, I can imagine it has improved flow of traffic as well as your inner workings so that's fine What was sad were the burgers with stale buns, the scallops wet and soggy and the clam chowder was literally mild to cool and the service was decent though not very friendly. It was a rainy day and quite honestly when not that busy I would expect better food and better service. Don't think I will be back this season. read more

This little gem never disappoints. I've never had bad food here. Quick service as well. Decent amount of seating area outside, not so much inside. read more

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Generations of our family have been coming to "The Stands" since the early 50's. I live out of state but try to make it back at least once a year for a fish sangwitch and a hot dog. Hoping to see the mounted fish display back next summer; I remember staring at it with fascination in the 70's as a child. PS whoever does your social media is really good at it read more

With the new renovation the place looks Fantastic The staff are all absolutely amazing there service is wonderful The food is amazing something for everyone from fish and chips to a house salad . The rice pudding is a treat Amazing local craft beer read more

The only item worth the money here is the fish sandwich. Otherwise the other options are tiny af. It's typical frozen food stuff (appetizer wise). We had a large party & the people are nice & it doesn't take too long to get your food but it isn't stand out food. I think the biggest slap in the face was the lobster roll. Over $26 & was basically the size of a Twinkie. A freaking Twinkie! Never again. Not even dedicated lobster places rip you off that badly. read more

Rudy's Lakeside Drive in Oswego, NY. Rudy's Lakeside Drive In is the quintessential summer dining experience. Perfect way to kick off Memorial Day Weekend! Fresh fried fish and stunning views of Lake Ontario. Take out and the there's plenty of outdoor seating! Doesn't get better than this! Insta: @thehungrysw read more

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Not happy with this place anymore I ordered a chicken sandwich, I expected at least lettuce and mayonnaise the sandwich was just that nothing but a frozen breaded chicken on a burger bun My husband had the blue plate, it looks like half of what he used to get 2 years ago Not going back read more

Back again this year for a family gathering, around 10 of us at one of the gazebos on a gorgeous summer day. Everyone very happy with the food and atmosphere. I'll reiterate, as I pointed out in my previous review from last year, that all of the annoyances around the ordering process and waiting around inside, trying to figure out if your order is ready... it all goes away if you order online from their website. This time, we all gathered at the gazebo, pulled up the online ordering website, and went around the table punching in orders. Then spent some quality time in the sunshine catching up. After about a half hour, we got the call that the food was ready, and picked it all up immediately. There's just no reason to stand around inside trying to scream out your order and waiting around for it. I personally had a fish sandwich and salt potatoes. Fish tasty, salt potatoes boiling hot and delicious. Also had a side of cole slaw that was above average. One thing I don't like here are the buns for the fish sandwiches. They're regular tiny white hamburger buns. So I get the fish without the bun. Better that way. Looking forward to returning next season! read more

Don't let the line scare you. 1) think of it as a compliment that you know the food is good. 2) Realize it goes fast and is so efficient. With 4 of us ordering, nothing was missed. Staff are very attentive and work well together in ensuring everyone has what they need. Food was delicious and perfect to enjoy Lakeside on a beautiful summer day. This is an Oswego staple and so happy to have found it! read more

Nothing says nostalgia like Rudy's. This was our first trip and we visited on a hot summer day which was the perfect time to enjoy on of their platters and then straight to a outdoor lakeside table. We enjoyed the seafood and the family enjoyed the experience. It's nice to see the buzz of youth working to get your order together. It's really rare these days post COVID. We definitely talked about coming back soon to order other parts of the menu. read more

Rudy's Lakeside Drive-In - Lakeside seating! - Seafood Near Me - Oswego, New York

Stopped by to have a quick lunch and ordered the fried scallops and salt potatoes. Both were perfect in taste and portion. Very friendly and helpful staff. Sat outside to enjoy the soothing sounds of the waves lapping on the shore. read more

First time here, I had to stop and check out the view and the seafood. Now this is a seafood place but I believe their seafood comes in frozen. Of course it does, we are not by the sea! Anyway, the haddock is good. I think it could be spiced more. The scallops were not as crispy on the outside (they're fried). They were good, just seemed like they were almost cooked all the way and maybe pulled out too soon. The coleslaw was ok. The lobster bisque... I would pass on that. I wish I had tried their clam chowder instead. The crackers they serve with the soup are too hard. For some reason they gave me a burger bun. It didn't have anything. I think that may have been an error. The fries were ok, but so much more can be done with those especially if you're serving seafood! The servers are kind and they're doing a good job. I would visit them again but probably be more picky about what I order. They definitely have a large menu so maybe on the next trip I can give them 3 or 4 stars. read more

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Rudy's was always a staple when I went to Oswego for college. It's been over 10 years since I've eaten here and not a thing has changed, other than covid protocols. When my boyfriend and I were driving upstate for the weekend I told him we have to stop in Oswego. We stopped for lunch! We got salt potatoes, fried calamari and fried shrimp. Just as delicious as I remember it! I absolutely love salt potatoes. He enjoyed it as well! I will never go 10 years without visiting here ever again. read more

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Really good food, clean restaurant and although you order and pick up at the counter, it's really quick service.

We went to Oswego for something to do on the 4th of July with no plans and family out of state, camping, or working. My friend had been to Rudy's before but I had not. It was open and very busy . We were hungry having not eaten before taking our drive and several stops later it was around 1:30pm. I ordered fish and chips with a cup of lobster bisque since the fish is the hype although there are a lot of non fishy items on the menu in addition to the sea of water ones. Chips were hot and crispy and fish not fishy at all batter light yet crispy on a hamburger bun that could have been left off since it barely covered the middle of the fish piece. Lobster bisque was pureed lobster good lobster taste. A bit pricey compared to other places but the ambiance of being in the waterfront while eating is the draw for this place with many picnic tables, some with umbrellas a covered area and an amazing view of Lake Ontario. Once for the experience maybe another time for the view. read more

A classic place to eat. Even if you don't like fish. The have changed the ordering process- for the better. They also take credit now ! ! Best fish in upstate NY read more

We shared a haddock plate and enjoyed it. Should have skipped the bun as we didn't want it. We were there on a Friday afternoon between lunch and dinner but still had a 15- minute wait for our food. It was worth it! Really lovely outdoor seating, too. Glad our friend upstate recommended it! read more

First visit this season and found the fish tasteless and fries were oddly the same. The whole order seemed not fresh! Usually this is a favorite for everyone in the region. Hope this is an early season hiccup! read more

Food wasn't very flavorful. And while seated got swarmed by bees even after moving to multiple tables. Finally just ate in my car.

Casual, reasonably priced place, delicious food! I used to love coming here. I would come back

Great quality, pricing, staff and views. I can't recommend enough to visit. The shrimp and crab roll was ultra fresh. read more

We arrived a few minutes after they opened and there was already a line. But after enjoying this meal, it was easy to see why. We ordered the haddock sandwich, a haddock plate with fries and coleslaw, and rice pudding. The haddock was crispy and juicy. The rice pudding was wonderful and a really nice balance to the savory flavors of the fish. It was a perfect day to eat this meal while enjoying a wonderful view of Lake Ontario. We I'll definitely be going back. read more

Rudy's Lakeside Drive-In - Haddock plate, haddock sandwich, rice pudding, cole slaw - Seafood Near Me - Oswego, New York

If you're looking for a no frills seafood joint with quick service and good bang for your buck, look no further! The building isn't much from the outside (or inside for that matter haha), but you're only in the building for a few minutes to order and pick-up your food. After that, you have plenty of lakefront seating to choose from - both shaded under a pavilion and umbrellas or in the sun. There isn't a bad seat outside, as they all overlook the beauty of Lake Ontario. I ordered the Guppy meal which is the kid's size portion of haddock with fries, a roll, and a side for under $10! My order was ready within a couple of minutes, and everything was served fresh and piping hot. For my side, I chose the macaroni salad which I would definitely recommend. The portion size was very large, too, and I left completely full and satisfied. This isn't a fancy establishment, but it's perfect for a quick bite with a view that cannot be beat! read more

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We arrived to find a storm closure. Oh no!! I didn't just get off a plane to drive her and give up. I was back at 10am the next day. I ordered 20 beautifully golden scallops and a bowl of chowder. Yummmm Sitting at an empty table, blue sky, clear water and Rudy's seafood. A Culinary orgasm. read more

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I have to say, post covid I really love this place again. The food seems just a bit better, and the fact I can order it ahead of time and not sweat my butt off next to the hot fryers for 30 minutes waiting for food is wonderful, they just give you a ring when the food is ready and its hot and fresh. The fish is better than it was since I last reviewed it, and after being encouraged I tried a fish hot.... which I'm not a huge fan of, but as a result, I discovered I love a slice of cheese on my fish, who knew! read more

We came here for lunch. I had the fish sandwich and new england clam chowder. The food was delicious. This restaurant is along lake Ontario. There is seating indoors and outdoors. We sat indoors because of the rain. The service was very helpful and the interior is clean. Although it was off-season for the restaurants in the area, Rudy's Lakeside had a lot of customers. This indicates that this is an excellent restaurant. read more

To expensive. Rudy's is a tradition for most folks near and far; I think that's what keeps it going. It is ridiculously expensive with just okay food. Great people working there, friendly, fast, and efficient. Food is just average. read more

My friends and I stopped over to get a bite to eat after we hiked a couple of places in Oswego based on our coworker's recommendation. Given the current situation, it was easy to maintain social distancing and order our food. In addition there were plenty of picnic tables nearby to sit that were spaces out along with a great view of Lake Ontario. I went with the pink plate that came with fries and a macaroni salad along with some onion petals. The shrimp an onion petals were crispy and super tasty. The fries were also good and the macaroni salad was amazing. No wonder there is a reason people keep coming back and there was a line even at 5PM. I can't wait to come back and try more of their dinner plates! read more

Rudy's Lakeside Drive-In - Pink Plate Fried Shrimp Onion petals - Seafood Near Me - Oswego, New York

Lovely food in a lovely setting - thumbs up for center cut fish sandwich, clam strips & New England clam chowder...also love that they sell Coke products read more