Helvetia Tavern

08/13/09

Some people are crazy...

by CSMobileUser2

The people who havn't liked this place are crazy. One of the best "local" places you could find. It doesn't always have to look like 5 stars to be 5 stars..

07/15/09

YUMMY!

by pdx926

My fiancé and I stopped in here for the first time a few weeks ago while driving home from the beach and let me just say, we WILL DEFINITELY BE BACK! I honestly don’t understand how some people have such negative things to say about this place. My recommendation: try it and judge for yourself. I doubt that you will be disappointed.

• Pros: very good hamburgers, onion rings and beer
• Cons: none

06/13/09

Don't believe the good reviews

by oregon915

We drove from Wilsonville looking for a great old fashoned burger. Got there and it was busy, which is a good sign. Walked in the door and saw a hamburger and got concerned, so we decided that the reviews must be talking about the 9.00 ala carte Jumbo cheese burger, so we decided to split that and a 1/2 order of fries.

The burger consisted of about 4 patties, slightly thicker than a Big Mac pattie. If the burgers in the reviews are juicy, it's because they put a lot of sauce on both sides of the bun. The fries were fresh cut, but not crisp whatsoever. FYI HT, you should know that you have to cook fries twice to make them crisp.

We spent 17.00 with tip for a burger, fries and two soft drinks. The Carl's JR 6.00 burger is FAR superior. I wish I would have known that before I wasted the money.

• Pros: The drive
• Cons: The food

04/06/09

totally overrated

by stina4545

my boyfriend and i had heard that this place has the best hamburgers. we went this weekend because it was a nice day and we thought it would be a pretty drive, which turned out to be the best part of the experience. we arrived and grabbed a seat outside. unfortunately, they had tarps up that blocked any kind of view and made it seem very closed in. he ordered the jumbo cheeseburger and i got the chicken breast sandwich. we also ordered some fries. my chicken sandwich was fine although i scraped off all of the weird yellow sauce that was on it. the sandwich was nothing special but i didn't expect it to be, the purpose of our trip was the hamburger. my boyfriend said the hamburger was a simple frozen patty that you could get from costco, absolutely nothing special. the fries were greasy and some of them were sliced so thick that they weren't completely cooked so they were kind of hard. i'm not sure why everyone likes this place so much. i can see if you were on a bike ride out there it might be a good spot to stop and refuel but this place is REALLY NOT THAT GREAT. the food was fine, but nothing to write home about. also, it was overpriced for what you get. we don't mind paying $10 for a quality sandwich but this was not even close. i guess the place has switched owners several times and i think it might have been a good spot several years ago but this was not worth the trip.

• Pros: pretty drive to get there
• Cons: hamburgers aren't that great and fries are limp and greasy

01/18/09

Baseball caps and the BEST BURGERS!

by lesfran

Order the burgers and Onion rings! This place is usually packed during lunch. Its a nice short drive into the country with a roadhouse feel. Rub elbows with bikers and Intel workers. Did I mention the amazing burgers? The prices and service are great! They serve RC if you happen to be the designated driver. Its a nice touch! A great place to stop on the way back from pumpkin patch or getting your Christmas tree.

• Pros: Burgers, onion rings, price, and service
• Cons: Sometimes a long wait

08/09/08

Fantastic Burgers!!! NIce Atmosphere

by Nursehb

I was told to go try a burger at Helvetia Tavern by several people over many years. Finally, my husband and I went, and went back a second time!! There burgers are FANTASTIC!!!! They are juicy, and the sauce (goop) is soooooooooo yummy! Fries were good both times, but the first time was better. Onion rings okay. The iced tea is good, tastes homemade, not packaged. This country tavern is cool! Nice atmosphere and great service both times. The first time we went we came in behind a large golfing group so my husband went to the counter and ordered. Our food came quickly. The second time we went (today) the young man taking our order came over to our table, sat down at our booth and took our order. He offered several times to refill my iced tea and checked on us to make sure we were okay. We LOVE this place and will return again for sure! TRY IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

• Pros: Nice crowd of people dining both times, nice place!

08/05/08

Best Burgers & Beer for Miles Around!

by CalifBeachBum

Sure it's funky, that's part of what makes it GREAT! But just funky isn't reason enough to stop in for lunch. It's the jynormus burgers and the cold beer that sets this place above the rest. Get the double with cheese and don?t forget the "goop". The fries are hand-cut and way better than average. Outdoor seating is the best on a nice day. If you want prissy-clean, go to Applebee?s or iHop; you wouldn't have fun here anyway.

07/06/08

Food was great, Service was poor

by TMS08

My girlfriend said this place was a great place for burgers, so we decied to try it. I ordered the Jumbo Burger and my girl had the same. We were served quickly, the staff was friendly. It wasn't too busy, so that may be why we were served fast. The food was excellent. The burgers are huge (the Jumbo anyway). The only negative was that there is no place to go up and pay, so you have to wait for the waitress/cashier to take your money, which isn't good if you're in a hurry. Also, there are no refills on drinks (at least we weren't offered any). Overall, the food was better than the service. It took us longer to pay for our food than it did to order and eat it.

• Pros: Food
• Cons: Service

02/24/08

Hamburgers, Fries and Beer

by stanmorgan411

My first hamburger at The Helvetia Tavern was in the Spring of 1986. When we travel from our home in northern California and my son's home in Tacoma, WA, we arrange our schedule so we can visit the

Helvetia Tardvern either on the way north or on the way south. I tell everybody I know that The Helvetia Tavern builds the best hamburger and the hottest fries in America. Just this weeked (February 23, 2008) a good friend visited the Portland area and went to The Helvetia Tavern on my recommendation and LOVED IT! We will be there for lunch on Monday, March 3rd.

Stan Morgan, Anderson, CA

12/05/07

Us country folk love this place.

by sh86894

Well... I was cracking up reading some of the reviews. This place is NOT for everyone. In fact, I'd like to selfishly request that the cityfolk not come out this way!

Now that we have that settled, Helvetia tavern is the quintessential "hole in the wall." I don't know if they consider themselves to be such a place, but it's (1) out of the way, (2) a wee bit modest/drab, and (3) serves great food with a smile. Most of the folks you see there are frequent customers who would just as well not let the secret out.

So here are a few tips:

[] Fries are great, especially with the goup.

[] Hamburgers are great, I always order mine with bacon.

[] The root beer is great.

[] Onion rings are not so great.

[] Salads are not so great.

[] The place is not shiny or clean, so if that's what you are into, this is not your place.

[] The menu is sparse, and nobody really orders anything besides the burgers and fries.

[] The bar is a better place to sit if you don't bring your kiddies.

[] They don't take credit cards, so come prepared with cash. There is an ATM though.

• Pros: Great food, cool atmosphre.
• Cons: Cash only, not "McDonalds" cheap, but not expensive either.