Gordy's Hi-Hat — Restaurant in Cloquet

Review: Gordy's Hi-Hat Drive-In - Cloquet, Minnesota

I recall passing through Cloquet with the dogs on the way to a Canadian island. We never stopped to eat there because we had already stopped at Tobie's in Hinckley, Minnesota, to stock up on treats for island time.

We decided to do some pet-friendly day-tripping, and Gordy's was our first drive for the 2021 season.

About Gordy's checkered floor and red stools have beckoned travelers with battered fish and hand-pattied burgers laden with onions since 1960. Diners can order sides such as cheese curds and homemade onion rings, big malts, and lighter fare like the strawberry salad with house poppy seed dressing.

Gordy's remains a family affair. Founded by Gordy and Marilyn Lundquist, the business is currently owned by their son, Dan Lundquist. As you roll in, notice the Warming House year-round coffee and ice cream shop sharing the parking lot with the Drive-In. This building is where Gordy and Marilyn used to live.

As Seen on TV You'll also see menu items featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, milkshakes, Double Cheeseburgers, Coney Dogs and Chili. The restaurant has a tagline, too: "You just gotta get to Gordy's!" (Open daily between 10:00 AM and 8:00 PM. This is Minnesota, so pay attention to the seasonal aspects, opening in springtime and closing before winter begins.)

Dog Play Area There is a fenced area for dogs to romp at the edge of the parking lot, near the entrance. You'll see it when you're in the double lanes to speed up ordering. We did not use the fenced area for the dogs but walked our dogs along the grassy edge of the entryway. (We did use the trash cans in the dog play area for our poop bags.)

Ordering Once we rolled into line (it was a Wednesday morning, so not jam-packed), we were promptly directed to a spot near the iconic road sign. A carhop appeared quickly with a pad of paper and jotted down our order. We gabbed with some of the other patrons, and our food arrived quickly. Rather than sit in the hot parking lot, we took our meals to a local park along the St Louis River under the watchful eye of a fiberglass Voyaguer statue.

What We Ordered Onion Rings $4.99 Cheese Curds $4.99 Cole Slaw $1.29 Milk Shake $4.49 Double cheeseburger (for the dogs) $5.99 Cheeseburger $4.69 Roasted Chicken Burger $5.99

The Meals The food was adequate, not spectacular, and not disappointing.

The onion rings had a delicate coating and were not overly greasy - no hints of any other flavors from the deep fryer, which was a pleasant surprise.

Cheese curds are definitely a "get 'em while they're hot" menu item. The first few reminded us of the piping hot versions at local fairs, then they cooled, and even the dogs were questioning our choices. (The dogs did eat them, but more reluctantly than if they had been warmer.)

Coleslaw was a wee serving and had a bit more dressing than we prefer, but the taste was okay.

The milkshake was standard fare, and I would anticipate something similar at almost any drive-in or drive-through line. We did not try the blackberry shake, and perhaps that would have been more delightful.

A double cheeseburger was ordered for the dogs, so no onions. It looked good, and the dogs enjoyed sharing it. They liked this much better than the cheese curds.

The regular cheeseburger came with all the fixings and a wedge of dill pickle too. The buttery fried onions are an excellent addition to the burger.

The roasted chicken burger was confusing. Somehow when reading "burger," I thought it would be that size or perhaps ground chicken. It came on a bun and was a big hunk of chicken breast. Yes, that is healthy as proclaimed on the menu, and I was utterly unable to eat it in the bun. I deconstructed it into the takeaway box and ate it with my fingers. It was good enough, but I wouldn't order it again.

This day trip was a fun diversion, and I feel like we have completed a meal at a...

I visited your establishment around lunchtime, just before 1 o'clock, and placed a sizable order, totaling 289. The purpose of my visit was to order meals for my extended family who were patiently awaiting our food in an RV parked nearby. I noticed that despite my patience, others with higher order numbers were served before me. Although this did not significantly impact my experience, I appreciated the unique and enjoyable approach taken by the staff in calling out order numbers.

Upon leaving the premises, I encountered some challenges, namely the absence of various items from my order and the substandard quality of some food items. Specifically, I was disappointed to discover that the fries were cold, a burger was missing, both coleslaws were absent, one corn dog was missing, and the chicken strips were undercooked and unsafe for consumption, especially for my children. Regrettably down the road at rv, I did not have the time to re-enter the establishment, wait in line, and rectify the missing items and food quality issues. We were also without straws for our beverages.

As a diligent and hardworking individual, I value the importance of receiving commensurate value for the money spent. Regrettably, my recent experience felt reminiscent of a situation in which I incurred expenses without enjoying the corresponding benefits. It is my sincere hope that the food preparation processes can be refined to ensure that meals are thoroughly cooked. As loyal and longstanding patrons of your establishment, it is reasonable to expect that our dining experiences align with our heartfelt memories and meet our expectations, hence the continued patronage evident by the queues extending beyond your doors into the parking lot.

I trust that you will take my feedback seriously and utilize it to enhance the consistency and quality of service offered to customers. "That's why we are all lined up...

Take this and every google review with A GRAIN OF SALT If you are looking for a 'fast-food' experience - leave now. If you want friendly service and great food, fast - stay. Do you know where you are standing - how many people and meals have gone through this establishment - the history? Do you know the owners and employees - some of whom have been here for DECADES? Do you know what the starting wage, for a new employee here, is? Do you know? DO YOU!? There are thousands of reviews for this place and you are staring at 4.7 stars - that's 800+ - FIVE STAR RATINGS! Are you calling 800 of us liars? ARE YOU?! Who are you to tarnish this? Who are you - you and your ONE poor experience on a bad day when nothing is going your way and you want to JACK THIS PLACE UP?! Well here's my review... I've eaten here more times than I can remember (50+, family of 4) and I've had 1 (ONE) less than perfect experience. I FORGOT TO CHECK MY OWN ORDER FOR MY ONION RINGS. When I arrived home, they weren't in the bag. So, two weeks later I go again and approach the counter, order my food and explain to them that I FORGOT TO CHECK MY OWN ORDER FOR MY ONION RINGS the last time I was here. The reply, "No problem, we'll give you a box right away with the rest of your order." No receipt, no excuses, no hassle - just piping hot onion rings and an appreciative look and smile. Shame on you one star lobbers - ..."Shame! [RING,RING] Shame!...