On the road north through Cloquet, Minnesota, there is a beloved old-school drive-in where the burgers are still hand-pattied, the onion rings are still homemade, and summer does not feel complete without a shake. 🍔
Gordy’s Hi-Hat Drive-Inn has been feeding travelers and locals since 1960, keeping alive the kind of classic Minnesota burger tradition most places gave up decades ago.
This is no polished franchise stop; it is a family-run time capsule built for hungry road-trippers.
How Gordy’s Hi-Hat won Cloquet’s hearts
Gordy’s Hi-Hat opened in 1960, built by husband-and-wife founders Gordy and Marilyn Lundquist after the pair had already launched the first A&W Root Beer stand in Eveleth and the London Inn Drive Inn in Duluth. 🚗
Their son, Dan Lundquist, eventually took over day-to-day oversight, keeping the business firmly in family hands.
More than six decades later, this family-owned drive-in still does things much the same way: fresh burgers are pattied by hand, fish is hand-dipped, onion rings are made in-house, and shakes are blended fresh.
The formula is simple but hard to copy: make a great hand-pattied burger, serve it quickly, and let the nostalgia do the rest. 🍟
Gordy’s double cheeseburger with ketchup, mustard, pickle, and fried onions has become the classic order for generations of regulars, while the long seasonal lines have become part of the ritual for families on their way Up North.
Its appearance on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives brought national attention, but the heart of the place remains its loyal Cloquet crowd and the old-fashioned drive-in experience they grew up with. 🌲
Food Highlights
- Bacon Deluxe: A burger with bacon, cheese, ketchup, mayo, pickles, onion, lettuce, and tomato. 🍅
- Bacon Cheeseburger: A hand-pattied beef burger with bacon, cheese, ketchup, mustard, pickles, and onion. 🥓
- Pizza Burger: A beef burger seasoned with Italian seasoning, pizza sauce, and melted mozzarella. 🍕
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Mushroom & Swiss Burger: A hand-pattied beef burger topped with sautéed mushrooms and melted Swiss cheese. 🍄
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Big “G” Burger: A double burger dressed with ketchup, mustard, pickles, onion, lettuce, tomato, and mayo. 🍔
- Cheeseburger: A hand-pattied beef burger with cheese, ketchup, mustard, pickles, and onion. 🧀
- California Burger: A hand-pattied beef burger topped with lettuce, tomato, and mayo. 🥬
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Wild Rice Burger: A vegetarian wild rice patty topped with lettuce, tomato, and garlic aioli. 🌾
Atmosphere
Gordy’s brings back the feel of a true mid-century drive-in, where eating in the car or at a picnic table is part of the experience. 🚙
Black-and-white photos from the restaurant’s early years line the walls, while the seasonal crowds bring an unmistakable summer-road-trip energy.
The mood is casual, lively, and deeply nostalgic, right down to the frosted root beer floats and made-to-order shakes. This is a place built for jeans, sunny afternoons, and a stack of napkins. ☀️
Bottom Line
Go for the double Cheeseburger or Mushroom & Swiss Burger, stay for a drive-in tradition that has not changed its standards since 1960. Hand-pattied burgers, homemade onion rings, fresh shakes, and genuine Lundquist family ownership make Gordy’s a must-stop in Cloquet. 🍔🥤
Address:
415 Sunnyside Dr, Cloquet, MN 55720
📞 (218) 879-6125
🕔 Open seasonally from spring through early fall