Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2010
Milwaukee’s Drive-In Tradition Continues at Fred’s
Short Orders
The small
neighborhood drive-in is nearly extinct, as most have fallen victim to
fast-food chains. A rare exception is Fred’s Drive-In (4726 W. Vliet St.), located in Milwaukee’s Washington
Heights neighborhood. The
place is small, so it’ll be standing-room-only if you want to eat in. But there
are reasons why Fred’s has been in business since 1967: Regular customers are
greeted by name, the ingredients are good and everything is inexpensive. Their
roast beef sandwich, 6 ounces of thin slices of meat served in a Kaiser roll,
is a specialty, and the burgers are made with fresh beef. A line of Vienna sausages from Chicago
marks a newer addition. Dinners are deep-fried fare—think chicken, shrimp, fish
and clams. Save room for dessert—one of Fred’s frozen custard sundaes. The
small neighborhood drive-in remains alive.



A drive-in that seems as though it has not changed for 50 years (that's good) is Kiltie's in Oconomowoc. I recommend it, but it's hard to find tucked behind a boat store south of town near Highway 16.