Frisko Freeze

Frisko Freeze is a Tacoma institution. Hearkening to the days of bobby sox and Happy Days, Frisko Freeze has been serving a nearly identical menu s... more

All I could taste from the double cheeseburger was the relish which they used too much of, and the fries were stale. my parents use to take us the... more

I grew up near Frisko Freeze, and whenever I come home for a visit, I make sure it is one of my stops. And no matter when I come home, and I have lived in New Jersey for the past 26 years, the food is the same. It is the one thing, along with Ivars Fish & Chips, that I can count on. Over the years, I have learned that patience is a virtue; if you want good food, then sometimes you have to wait for it. The employees of Frisko Freeze, like any employee in the service industry, get frazzled and frustrated with customers who are less than desirable in their comments, attitudes, and belligerent behavior. I have stood in the rain, and cold, and heat for 30 minutes; its not that it just happened, its been that way for decades. If your order is incorrect, just return it, in a polite manner, and say so-simple as that. The last thing I want to see is a closed Frisko Freeze when I come home to visit, which is not often enough. more

im joe and im 10 years old this is the best food (burgers) in the countery Pros: THE BEST FOOD Cons: it mite go out of bissnes more

My name is Joe and I am the weekend nightshift manager at Frisko Freeze. A lot of the reviews I have read about them are true but some are not. Frisko Freeze was founded in 1950 by Mr. Perry Smith. He origianlly designed the place to be an ice cream parlor and over the years made it into what it is today. Perry did occasionally work at the establishment and everyone of the crew back then had been there for years. Now a days the crew is part of a younger generation but not all of them. Their is only one female who is also the youngest at 17. The rest of the crew ranges from 18 to 27. So yes a lot of the crew is young but most of us have been there at least a year or two. Yes the burgers are good but yes they are also expensive. I don't know how many times I have had to hear from customers how much the food is and how little you get. It isn't fun when we get a rush of people who want our food that we the crew have to rush around and try to get everything done and a lot of the time I have to apologize to the customers about burning their food. But the customers have to understand, we have to run around the building to get everything made to order so a lot of the time we get messed up and get the wrong food out. As part of the crew I also have to complain not just about the food but how the crew is treated. As a manage I only make $9 an hour when some of the crew make $8.50 or even $9.50. The two general managers make almost $14 an hour. I have all this responsibility for my position but yet I get paid very little and after eating Frisko Freeze for more than 2 years every shift, i'm tired of it. Every differnt burger my co-workers make for me taste differnt and about 50% of the time its burnt of there is a lot of something on it. I recommend Frisko Freeze every now and then when you are looking for a good burger. But if you eat it enough, you get tired of it. Pros: Good food, cool neon, good experience. Cons: Price of food, pay for crew, long waits more

I went to Frisko Freeze on Sunday because I happened to be in Tacoma, and was craving a Pineapple Malt. What I got was a cup that was probably filled abou 1/4 full with malt and the rest filled w/ vanilla ice cream, no pineapple! It was undrinkable b/c with all the malt it was just a gummy mess! The median age of the staff seemed to be about 15, so that could have been part of the problem. They weren't even busy at the time, which would have been another possible explanation. Whatever the explanation, I definitely wasn't impressed! Pros: Nostalgic Cons: Sub-par food more

I began visiting the Frisko Freeze in the mid-60s, but the place has been there since 1951. Externally it hasn't changed much over the years. It has always been a no frills joint with pretty decent, albeit small, burgers. In all the years I've gone there I've never had a good order of fries. The portion was generous, but that didn't make up for the luke warm potatoes. About the only thing the fries were good for was to scoop the tartar sauce out of the little cup. That said, I still enjoy the burgers. The entire sandwich is extremely juicy, and thus very messy. Because they're made to order, they're hot and fresh. They have a somewhat unique concoction of pickles, some relish, chopped onions, and shredded lettuce. When these ingredients mingle with the grease from the meat patty, it tastes surprisingly good. Service has been okay on the times I've been there. They've never messed up my order. But given the chaos that is extant during meal rushes I suspect a few orders have been screwed up. My son refers to their burgers as gut bombs. You can stuff them in pretty quickly, but all of a sudden you're bloated. Prices have risen over the years, but with the exception of electronic gadgets, what product hasn't? I still stop by now and then, but to be honest, I'd rather go to the Pick Quick in Fife. Their fries are much better, and their burgers are definitely competetive. I can only award 3 stars to Frisko Freeze. Pros: Traditional walk-up take out. Simple menu--see below. Cons: Few places to sit. Chaotic ordering system. Simple menu--see above.. more

I have been a customer of this hamburger joint for 34 years. I remember the original owner working in it on some nights. If you have not read about him and how he helped out the high school boys he employed there, search the archives of Tacoma News Tribune back in the 70's or 80's for the story. I won't use space to tell it to you here, but it is a fantastic story about a very generous and caring man who wanted to make sure the kids he employed were empowered to face the working world and that they had some help getting their financial world going (he had an interesting loan procedure). Pros: great drive in old world hamburger drive in atmosphere Cons: no inside dining, poor exterior appearance, no bathrooms. more

After reading lander's review posted just today, i felt the need to say to the world that I couldn't agree more. I've been going to frisko freeze since i was a kid. I ate there at least once a week until recently. Being made to order food; the quality goes up and down as the faces there change, but i could always count on the friendly faces of the neighborhood guys who worked there for years, some of them even knew my name and already knew exactly what i want with out me having to order. I stopped going there about three weeks ago because the last few times i have gone there the food/service has been awful.... and what happened to the staff? i don't think there is a single person working there that has been there more than a couple months. I heard that the owner sold the business at the end of this past summer. I just want to let who ever the new owner(s) are that you have ruined my favorite place to eat. Frisko Freeze has looked run down for years, but it was the service and the food that made it so special. Rome has fallen. Pros: Historic Cons: DIrty more

I'm so sorry this place has gone so far downhill. Long waits and somewhat high prices. Pros: used to be a fun place-good burgers Cons: not any more more

Best burger around. My father may work there, but I'm keeping this completely unbiased. the lines are almost always busy, and most people hate long lines. Me, on the other hand love lines, it is a sign that people like the place. The wait for food may be long, but thats because they cook what the orders say, when they get the order, unlike places like McDonalds, that have all their chemically altered food sitting on a warming tray.Perhaps In 'N Out is better, I haven't eaten there yet, but the creators of In 'N Out got the idea from the first owner of Frisko Freeze, Perry. Besides burgers they have great fries, chicken, and prawns, but, for the kids they have a great selection of shakes ice cream. So if your out and don't want to go to a 5 star place, but want good food and a place where your kids won't embarrass you, check out this little burger joint. Pros: Great food, good service! Cons: A bit more costly than your average burger joint. more

I moved to Tacoma about 3 years ago. Someone suggested this place and it was good (though pricey). I've gone another 6-10 times and every other time has been terrible. Pros: Food is ok Cons: wait time, service, consistency, prices, issues with debit/credit cards more

I have been frequenting this establishment for about 30 years. Hands down the best burgers in the state. All those of you that whine about them need to go to McDonalds or Burger King if you are looking for the most amount of food for the cheapest price. Definitely worth the trip. I have on many occasions driven from Seattle to Tacoma for the sole purpose of picking up some food from this place. Dont be fooled by the raves about Dicks or Burgermaster, or any of the other restaurants for the Freeze is the only place to go. Two thumbs up for Frisko Freeze. Pros: fantastic burgers, park nearby, quick service Cons: parking can be rather difficult sometimes more

After reading the reviews, my girlfriend and I excitedly dropped by this Frisco Freeze. We were expecting the old style burger, the ""best in the Northwest."" Onion ring jerky were over done, burgers were over greased, the shakes were of generic Hershey syrup type. Other than the service, the whole experience made me want to go home and "" ))<>(( back and forth."" Pros: Cupped H20, Wax Burger Wrap, Neon Sign Cons: Onion Rings, Choc. Shakes, Gristle Burger more

You might consider going somewhere else. While the food was okay in taste, the burgers were teeny-weeny and the price quite large. This drive through was recommended to us by our daughter who is a local. She had told us that the food was great there. However, for the amount we spent to feed 3 people, we could have went to dinner at a restaurant and maybe walked away with a full stomach. Pros: shakes good Cons: slow service, burgers spendy, greasy more

Last guy to reply. I had the 36 Ford Convertible Sedan metalflake burgundy 283 Chev. Cruised the Ave in the 60's to A&W. Best burgers and malts ever. Mike the guy at 6th and Division Chevron painted it. He had a VW with a 427 in it! I also had a 31 Ford Tudor black and yellow. Miss the drive in and those days.ow the suprise. I am writing from New Zealand. Sort of a Gilliaian's trip but never returned. Great cars here. Cheers to all. Bob DeLong Pros: Neon, Crowds, Great cars!! Cons: one more

I live in Ohio but travel to Tacoma to see family about once a year. The one thing I look forward to the most is a Frisco Freeze Cheesburger. I forget the fries or shakes and just order extra burgers. Forget the diet when you visit here because the burgers drip with grease and loaded toppings. Just thinking about them makes my mouth water. This place is old fashioned and sits by the water. So not only do you get a REAL 50's style drive through you can take your food down by the water and look at beautiful Mt. Ranier too. They are THE BEST!!!! more

I would never be comfortable rating historic Frisco Freeze anything less than perfect. From its milkshakes to cheeseburgers, Frisco has established a taste that compares to nobody and is set as the most historic restaurant ever built in the city of Tacoma more

When ever I travel out of the country, I always make the 68 mile drive to from myresidence in Everett to reaquaint myself with the best old fashioned burgers in the area. Go there onvce and your hooked for life. Recoment my favorite meal, cheese burger, onion rings, choc malt. Pros: Food, Consistancy Cons: , in Tacoma more

Frisco Freeze has been around for years and there's a reason for that - their food is awesome. I highly recommend their burgers, onion rings and milkshakes. Of course if you're on a diet it's not the place to go, but the taste is wonderful. I've been going there for years and everyone I know loves it. Pros: all food is very good, been around for years, best milkshakes Cons: , no place to sit & eat more