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Swensons Drive-In

3.6 (80 reviews)
Closed 11:00 am - 1:00 AM (Next day)

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SWENSONS DRIVE-IN ATMOSPHERE

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Great classic menu
Erin E.

The service here is above and beyond. I don't think I've ever seen people so happy to take and deliver an order in the freezing cold! The hot chocolate milkshake is worth the drive. They have a good basic menu with an excellent grilled chicken sandwich. The loaded tots are good too!

Glenn C.

I have avoided Swensons because I heard their food was greasy. Gave in with a group order to try. wow! I was surprised how good the burgers and onion rings were. Someone else got the potato's and enjoyed them. I missed taking pictures for my review. We also got the fried shrimp. They met our expectations. Nothing special but still good.

The Galley Boy
Nate C.

Food was super lackluster, and lacked items. BLT sandwich came with no lettuce, no tomatoes, and no sauce. Galley boy came in super flat, lacked the olive and toothpick.

Busy staff, running around crazy like.
Joey S.

This is my first time at Swensons, I have been to a similar place in Akron, but not Swensons. If you have never been here or it is busy, it can be confusing. First the come to you like an old school car hop. The will put a card on your window and when you are ready to order turn on your headlights. (So face the building by backing into your parking spot if not at the building.) The food is pretty good, they do tend to overcook the burgers in my opinion, but at least they are not raw. The galley boy is tasty and what I ordered, two Pattie's, cheese, two types of sauce on a bun and an olive on a toothpick. I also got the potato teezers which are very tasty and not overly spicy even with jalapeños in them. And I got a caramel coffee milkshake. How can you go wrong there. Personally I pulled in and ordered via their app on my phone. And I am glad I did. After parking and waiting 5 minutes with the 3 servers running around mad like. I downloaded the app and ordered. It still took 5-8 mor minutes before they came out even though I had my lights on the whole time. I told them I already ordered and they got my name. A few minutes later my food came out. Now as far as the app goes, I think the idea is good, but the application is bad. Let me explain and this is the reason for 4 stars, even with the wait for "fast" food. You order via the app and it tells you what parking spot to wait in. How in the world can you wait in a spot that is already occupied? The app should allow for either vehicle make and color and/or the spot you actually got to park in or both. Or even have designated parking for online orders. I watched the staff run out with food and try to find people for several minutes because someone was to be in a spot that they couldn't park in. This to me slowed everything else down. I am sure if on a not busy day would not matter, but a Saturday when most spots are full this is crazy. Do I recommend this place yes, but with a caveat of order via the app, turn on your lights and tell them you pre ordered so you can give them your name.

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5 years ago

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3 years ago

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3 years ago

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4 years ago

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2 years ago

Great burgers great service great locations friendly waitress will be back hope they put one at Northgate or forest park Ohio

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3 years ago

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4 years ago

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2 years ago

Noah's service was excellent! The food was delicious, and I'll definitely return for more.

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2 years ago

Really good burgers and the onion rings are fab!! The service was great also. Good prices and good food. Will definitely go back!!

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2 years ago

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4 years ago

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4 years ago

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4 years ago

The vegetarian options are great! Everything was top notch. The mushrooms were super delicious!

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3 years ago

Unimpressed. Food was flavorless & not at all worth the hype. Are sticking with other made to order chains.

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4 years ago

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4 years ago

Food was just OK. The burgers are very small for the money. The milkshakes were decent. Wife and I tried it and probably won't be back.

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5 years ago

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4 years ago

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4 years ago

Their double cheeseburger was super yummy! We also tried the waffle fries and wow, they're just as good as chik fil a!

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3 years ago

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5 years ago

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3 years ago

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3 years ago

Love the food. So excited when Swenson opened in Cincinnati. Great service. Try the Galley Boy and potato teezers

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4 years ago

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3 years ago

Great, friendly and fast service from Nathan always! Stop by and see him! Try a falls shake, you won't regret it!

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3 years ago

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4 years ago

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3 years ago

Awesome food! We love this place. Can't wait for the new one to be built. Its closer to home.

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4 years ago

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5 years ago

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3 years ago

The food was excellent! Service was fast and friendly. The coupon got us here but the food will bring us back!

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4 years ago

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5 years ago

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4 years ago

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5 years ago

Great burger. So glad that Swenson came to Cincinnati. Gotta try the Galley Burger and a California. Thanks, Dillon for great service.

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4 years ago

Best burgers ever! Can't wait for the new one coming to Oakley. Just like the old days.

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5 years ago

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5 years ago

Great service, delicious food, and a fun classic atmosphere. Will definitely be back.

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4 years ago

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4 years ago

GET THE GALLEYBOY! that's what they are known best for! the burger is super unique and absolutely delicious!

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Page 2 of 2

Ask the Community - Swensons Drive-In

Milkman

Milkman

4.4
(238 reviews)
11.5 mi
$$

Milkman, you were so, so, so good to me! I've never been into the restaurant, though I have gotten…read moreDoorDash once before. It was as delicious as I wanted it to be! When my friend and I walked in, we were greeted by such a sweet staff who immediately welcomed us in, shared their thoughts on the menu (since we were first-timers), and suggested we leave a review (they were so lovely, so how could we not!) The entire restaurant feels like the diner Sam worked at in Cinderella Story from the early 2000s - very vintage, very retro, very 50s! It's what I imagine restaurants looking like when my grandparents went on dates when they were my age. I had gotten the tofu nugs via DoorDash, which were better IRL and the milkshake was scrumptious too! My friend got the Milkman Burger, fries, and a fruity pebbles shake. It was all great but let me tell ya...we had this meal almost two weeks ago and I'm STILL dreaming of those French fries. I have had so many iterations of fried potato before...shoestring, steak, wedges, sweet potato, those made from yuca, curly, dipped in ice cream, etc. and these are the best fries I've had in my life. If I could live off the fries, I would. They were that good. I already have plans to share this place with other friends of mine as it has officially worked its way into the rotation for me!

I got the make your own burger with meat patty, grilled onions, pickles, and special sauce. It was…read morepretty good in all honesty. I did have it to go so all I can tell you is the food was pretty good. I don't know how much I can actually recommend it. The best thing it is down town Cinci so it's decent enough to go to for lunch.

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Milkman
Milkman, & Espresso Martini Shake
Milkman, & Espresso Martini Shake
Milkman

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BRU Burger Bar - Cincinnati

BRU Burger Bar - Cincinnati

3.9
(609 reviews)
11.2 mi
$$

First, the location was very convenient for dropping kids for a concert nearby and having dinner on…read moremy own. The place was busy but not packed. They were serving parties of different sizes indoors and out on a patio area. I had an impossible burger and fries which were both really good. They had good iced tea, too. The highlight of the whole experience for me, though, was my server Lanay. She was delightful. She was engaging, welcoming, and personable throughout. She was patient and easygoing, but she also had a lot of feedback and advice on the menu options. She checked on me regularly throughout my leisurely meal without ever making me feel rushed. I thoroughly enjoyed our interactions throughout the evening. She was a really excellent server and I hope the restaurant knows it. When I'm in that area again, this will make my list of options.

I couldn't wait to write this review fast enough. I absolutely love this place -- it's officially…read moremy new Cincinnati go-to spot. I don't get to Cincy very often, but I was in town for work and this happened to be the closest bar/restaurant near us downtown that looked decent. Safe to say I got very lucky. The first time I went, I ordered the chili as a starter and a chicken tender platter. And when I tell you I was so happy with both -- I mean it. I love a good chili. I grew up eating it with my grandma, and this one tasted like something she would have made. The cheese and sour cream were perfect. I'm not a huge onion guy, but even those worked well with it. Now here's the catch... it was so good that I literally went back and ordered the exact same thing again. And somehow it was even better the second time. They really outdid themselves on both dishes. One thing I noticed the second time around: I asked for three sauces right away, and they brought them out on a plate with a built-in sauce area. It was actually really convenient -- perfect if you're sharing with people. Now let's talk about the tenders. I'll start by saying I know fried chicken pretty well. Pound for pound, these might honestly be the best chicken tenders in America. The easiest comparison I can give is this: imagine if Cane's and Zaxby's had a kid and named him perfection. That's what these are. Sometimes Cane's can be a little light on seasoning, and sometimes Zaxby's goes a little heavy. These are perfectly in the middle with a great crunch and just the right amount of seasoning. Another thing I really liked about this place is the versatility of it. It feels like the kind of spot where you could do anything -- happy hour with friends, a birthday dinner, a corporate dinner, or even a family night out. I love that kind of diversity in a restaurant. Just 10/10 ambiance. And the staff were incredibly nice and welcoming, which always makes a difference. Honestly, writing this review is making me want to book a flight back to Cincinnati just to eat there again. Wow.

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Interior
Interior
Fudge Brownie
Fudge Brownie
Bru Burger with fries, pickles and cheddar cheese

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Bru Burger with fries, pickles and cheddar cheese
Voodoo Brewing

Voodoo Brewing

4.4
(97 reviews)
11.2 mi
$$

Stopped in recently for dinner after a Bengals game and had a great time. If you're leaving the…read morestadium area it's a 20 minute walk with some uphill, but well worth the trek to get ahead of the crowds. The bars near the stadium were mobbed. The seating is family style with long tables. You can order via QR codes (meh) or walk up to the side of the bar for food and drink. The manager came around and introduced himself to everyone and was all over the place. Helping in the kitchen, bar, cleaning up etc.. He's definitely an asset because he didn't disappear as the rush started coming in. The inside is nicely decorated and I was digging their Voodoo/skull theme. We settled in and watched the 4pm NFL game on one of the large TV's while chatting with some disappointed Bengals fans and locals. Beer wise they had a nice selection of classic Voodoo brews (we used to get them a lot in the Philly area several years ago), a balance of styles and some newer brews I'd never heard of. If you enjoy the dark side of beer the Where Our Secrets Go Imperial Stout was delicious and thankfully more along the lines of the traditional style Impy Stout. I had an IPA that I can't remember the name of, but it had a nice Belgian yeast/hop twist to it. My son enjoyed their root beer. Food wise the Jumbo Chicken Wings, roasted in house hit the spot, I highly recommend them. I added their Good Vibes BBQ "Sawce", but you can get them dry rubbed or chose from several other "Sawces". The wings were big with fresh meat and the sauce was great. The Pub pretzel we ordered was huge and the good vibes beer cheese complimented it well. The Mr. Pickles Fried Pickles were also a great choice for an app. They were a big portion. My friend had the Chili Mac and my son ordered the Lil Mashburgers - 2 little smashburgers oozing with cheddar & chippies off the kids menu. We ate, had a couple of beers and enjoyed our dinner at Voodoo before we explored more of downtown Cincy. I'll be honest I wanted to avoid BrewDog and Voodoo and experience home grown Cincinnati breweries, but we were really happy we stopped at Voodoo. Thanks guys you earned a fourth star for great friendly service from the manager and bartenders!!

It wasn't great, it wasn't bad. We got the beer cheese queso, some wings, and fries. The beer…read morecheese wasn't great, the chips were a little stale. We ordered extra hot wings, and the sauce was great but to make it "extra hot" they just added a metric ton of hot pepper or some hot seasoning, and it was nearly inedible. They were extremely over sauced. The fries were okay. My dry rub wings were good. It's basically self serve, you order on the website via QR code. They brought our food all at once due to that, to include the appetizer. Service was quick but we only saw our "waiter" once to deliver our food. If we had needed refills, we wouldn't have gotten them. We didn't even get silverware and only got one appetizer plate. The ambiance was nice, it's a great looking facility. I probably won't be back though, unfortunately. Just not great enough to bother going again. We did have one beer off the draft list that was good. The dragons milk.

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Food menu
Food menu
Voodoo Brewing
Voodoo Brewing

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Nine Giant Brewing

Nine Giant Brewing

4.4
(411 reviews)
10.0 mi
$$
Locally sourced ingredients
Hipster vibe

Man, so sad about this place! Decided to stop in here for my birthday and was extremely…read moredisappointed. To start this place is a "sit down" but you have to order at the bar and they bring it to you. We were a tad thrown off with that since they literally had waiters and people roaming around, didn't make sense to me. But that was just the start! We decided to order nachos and a pretzel to start the meal. The pretzel was disgusting, hard and lacking flavor and the $14 nachos was a side plate with a small portion of nachos on it. I asked the server what was with the size of the nachos and he said he though they were normal. They aren't, you go to a normal bar and for $14 comes out a platter with nachos that are loaded. Then our mains came out, my wife's salad was gross, lacking flavor and with dry chicken and my burger was decent. For $90 this meal should have been WAYYY better. We left feeling very disappointed and will definitely not be coming back.

The food here is so refreshing. Every time I come I feel like I'm getting prime ingredients and a…read moremeal prepared with purpose. The staff are very accommodating (even with the littles) and an always offer great service with a smile. The black bean burger is my absolute favorite and that added taste of arugula gets me every time.

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Save Ferris Cranberry Orange Berliner is Back!
Save Ferris Cranberry Orange Berliner is Back!
Carnitas nachos with habanero salsa and crema
Carnitas nachos with habanero salsa and crema
Killer beers across a wide range of styles

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Killer beers across a wide range of styles

Swensons Drive-In - burgers - Updated July 2026

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