Why The Miner’s Burger Is A Must-try In Yakima

So, this is part 2 of my trip to Yakima for car service and it has to do with where to have lunch because we all know, that's a major decision in my life every day. 

I was talking to my buddy, Lon Martin in the tri-cities and I was mentioning that I was trying to figure out where to go for lunch and he says, “well would you like to go have the best hamburger in Yakima?” And I said, “well, that sounds like an interesting offer, what are you talking about?” 

Hey, what's for lunch?

And then he said. “Have you ever had a Miner’s Burger?” And my answer was no; I've never had a miner's Burger; I have no clue what he's talking about and then he explained it to me. For decades, Miner's Drive In was the place that everybody went to when they came to Yakima for sports. Teams from the tri-cities, teams from Wenatchee, teams from everywhere would come into Yakima, they would play, and then, when they were done, win or lose, it was time for a miner's burger. 

Well, after he told me that I had to go and the best part was Miner's Drive In was only about a mile and a half away from where I was at Steve Hahn Auto Group. 

The one and only Miner's drive in is located at. 2415 S 1st St Yakima, 

According to Yelp, 
‘Miner's Drive-In is a beloved local gem in Yakima, WA, cherished for its nostalgic feel and classic take-out experience. Known for serving generous portions and mouth-watering burgers, this drive-in restaurant has been a favorite among locals and visitors alike.’ 

So, I jumped in the car and headed on down. Thanks to my nav it wasn't hard to find and the first thing I noticed is this place is huge, and it looks even bigger from the inside. Wide open, lots of space, huge menu. I was there to get the burger, so I didn't even look at the rest of the menu. Absolutely spotless inside. 

How big is it?

I go up to the counter, and I order a Big Miner burger. They give me the rundown of what I can have on it, and I had pretty much everything except for the onions. At that point, I realized that they were going to make it fresh right there. Nothing sitting under a heat lamp for this one. I take my number, and I go sit down. 

By the way, did I mention that this place is huge? I find a place to sit and then I decide I need a beverage. I looked at the selection, and I saw Strawberry Fanta. Well, I'm game, let's try it. Turns out it's a little bit like a lollipop that you drink through a straw. 

A few minutes later the nice lady brings me my food, a big miner burger and some onion rings. So now it's time for condiments. They have a giant selection of condiments. 12 different condiments that you can choose from including sweet chili sauce, ketchup, mustard, barbecue ranch, Tapatio sauce, Heinz malt vinegar, fry sauce, tartar sauce, ranch and cocktail sauce. 

Condiments? We got condiments.

The Big Miner burger was in a foil bag to keep it warm. When you opened the bag, you realized that the burger was so big they cut it in half. Yes, it's a big burger. In fact, I was pretty much full after I finished it off. (I should never have ordered the onion rings.) The flavor was excellent. I think if I had a complaint, I would just say that it seemed like the bun was a little wimpy. 

It is kind of a messy burger to eat. You definitely need more than a couple of napkins. When I was done, I cleaned up my mess, and it was time to head home. But I did manage to do something that day that I had not done before in my life. 

I tasted a big miner burger and lived to tell the tale. 

I talked to my daughter, Beth on Sunday morning and mentioned that I went to Miner's Drive in and had a burger and she says, “ohh, yeah, we used to go there when we went to Yakima for track meets.” Both of my older sons played football in high school, and I bet they would tell me the same thing. 

Miner's drive in in Yakima, the one and only for over 75 years, and they're still doing a good job.