Vintage Seattle dug up this shot of Broadway’s fast food past — an Ivar’s Drive-in that used to call the corner of Broadway and Thomas home.
Here’s that corner today-ish:
It’s a timely piece of history as fast food chains make a retreat from Capitol Hill. Burger King and Jack in the Box are gone. Taco Bell, gone. Madison’s Taco time closed its doors recently to make way for a possible mixed-use development. Local chain Taco Del Mar is still here — but just announced it is entering Chapter 11 bankruptcy. TDM says they’re keeping their stores open, for now.
One comment on VintageSeattle from an old-timer is of particular interest — check out this random walk down Broadway restaurant history. A Skipper’s? We’d rather have Thai or pho, thanks.
Although I don’t remember Ivar’s being there, with the other photo mentioned by Brendan copyrighted Ivar’s restaurants looks right on the map. It is the Casa Del Rey apartments for sure. Louis wrote about a Seafood restuarant, there was The Sizzler (Brick building demolished last year, now a fenced in asphalt lot) next door to King’s Teriyaki and Peet’s Coffee that had all you can eat shrimp, went there many times, later became Chang’s Mongolian Grill. There also was a Skipper’s (Seafood chain restaurant, now defunct, I believe) That was where Roma Thai food is now. Anybody tired of Thai restaurants and Pho yet?
hey old timers, get some coffee and tell us about the past – interesting stuff
Remember Burger King in two locations – on Bwy. near the post and above the QFC on the corner – bothe gone.
Loved the dollar super burger specials they had on a reg. basis – wonder value for a decent burger, mixed crowd late at night…. yes pick up material…
Counter people changed all the time. Ice cream stuff was good, and cheap, fries primo good, free water, and the john was a mess but they let you use it ….
There used to be a good burger and shake joint where Everyday Music was next door to Jack in the Box, I don’t remember the name, but good burgers.
I know that we’re spoiled with a lot of meal choices that are affordable on the hill, but every once in a while, I really crave some fast food. Dairy Queen anybody?
I have been known to do a ice cold quart, chug chug.
And root beer floats with good vanilla ice cream.
I’d be down with an A and W
Before the Sizzler arrived, the building used to be a Herfy’s – home of the wacky burger box.
Speaking of Everyday Music, their ads (at least in the Stranger) say that their new location is 1510 10th Avenue *East*. They don’t even know where their new store is going to be!
Burger King above QFC at Harvard Market was only there from 1995. That’s hardly all that old.
I personally am sick of the Thai and Pho’ and would like to see some more variety up here. I”m glad that Dick’s is still around though.
Does anyone remember H Salt Fish and Chips (circa 1972?) on the spot most recently occupied by Taco Bell? They were true cod filets and wrapped in faux newspapers (English fish and chips)? We thought they were great, but it didn’t last long.
There was a Herfy’s downtown on 4th and a Herfy’s on 50th in the U. District (back when I was in grade school at U. Heights). The Wacky Burger Box was my fave, way better than McDonald’s.
Loved the Wacky Burger Box!
No, I wonder how many who read this blog were ALIVE in 1972. I was 5, but then again I’m considered ANCIENT by Capitol Hill standards.
Taco Bell instead of one of the pho places would make my heart happy. Very happy!
I agree – we need more variety up here. I love Thai and Pho, but its way over done, since half of the places should just shut down.
There used to be a 24-hour Taco Bell on the north end of Broadway. It had the typical assortment of crunchable sauces and drinkable meat, but most of the activity there- especially at night- had nothing to do with food.
The parking lot was a zoo. The dumpsters overflowed with vermin fighting for trash- rats and possums for food scraps, tweakers for shiny bits of foil.
If you loitered in the bushes, it only took a minute to score some dope to go with your chimichanga. A minute more might net you a hooker. Such convenience!
I remember staggering there after the bars one night, drunk and ravenous, only to discover they’d run out of chicken, beef, and taco shells. I ended up scarfing down three orders of Mexi-Nuggets- tasty, but not altogether digestible. They came up on the way home.
Good times, those. I hope they build another one.
The hill needs a fast food place that is open late like Jack In The Box and Taco Bell used to be. We shouldn’t have to drive to SODO after the bars to grab some hangover prevention grubb.