Sara's Restaurant - Phone Number, Reservations, Reviews

Really disappointed with my recent visit to Sara's. I've been coming here for probably close to 15 years and now that I live outside of the state and come back once every few years, I am utterly shocked to see the state that my favorite summer restaurant has come to. First, the burgers. Wow, the quality of the meat has gone way done hill. They remind me of frozen hockey puck patties and are nothing like what they used to be. The killer for me are the onion rings, the shining gem of what Sara's used to have. These things were hand breaded and fried, they were a salty delectable treat. Now they are the pre-breaded lame ones I can get any where in the country. At least the foot longs are still smiths, but honestly I'd rather just go to NY Lunch for that. Really disappointed with what this place has become and how it has gone done hill. I'll sadly not be coming back. Service and atmosphere at least haven't changed but I come for food and don't typically care about these things.

Ramere let us go behind the counter💯💯💯

Absolutely the most uncaring, unenthusiastic workers in Erie

Ice cream is great, especially milkshakes. Inside is very loud, between machinery and loud music, but outside is nice, lots of picnic tables (some under roof), clean, well maintained. Note fried zucchini has been discontinued, which is unfortunate but it is what it is.

I was in tonight around 7pm and was so uncomfortable with the lack of professionalism and respect the one manager (?) had for her team. It was a blonde woman, middle aged and she was yelling at a girl running the ice cream station. The manager found a box of spoons that wasn't being used under the counter and was basically insinuating that this poor girl was dumb for not putting them out. She raised her voice and made a big show out of this box of unused spoons, holding it up and shaking it around for everyone to see. Some employees looked amused while the ice cream girl looked like she wanted to cry. It was so incredibly ridiculous. The girl was making 1 of my 3 cones and stopped to listen to this woman lose her mind about spoons, because "it's the end of the season and they need to be used". I felt so bad for the girl. Nobody should ever be embarrassed like that ever, let alone in front of your peers and customers. Completely unprofessional. I hope this manager gets trained on how to be a good leader because she needs it.

If you want some ice cream by the beautiful Erie beaches while surrounded by old diner decor and photo opportunity props then this is the place for you. If you want decent food for a decent price and decent service try something over on 12th street. This is a total tourist trap and needs a facelift to the parking situation and how the place is laid out. The food is forgettable and overpriced.

If you go to Waldamere park or heading to the beach, this is a must stop. Get the peanut butter shake with some good food and you will be glad you did.

Fun atmosphere at the base of Presque Isle. Definitely worth the stop. Prices were decent (given a tourist driven area). Food wasn't spectacular or unique (I wish there was something more exciting on the menu) but it was decent.

Smiths hotdog, footlong fantastic

Food is alright but not what it used to be. Every year their menu seems to get smaller and their prices have gone up a lot. I’ve had better meals at Arby’s.

Quality has gone down. Onion rings not the same. Not worth it

Plain Jane hot dog with no toppings available anymore. Generic hot dogs and frozen fries. Not what it used to be. Never again. Bye.

Most mid food you've ever eaten. Overpriced tourist trap!!!

Same excellent experience. Stop in before they close for the season

Food wasn't all that great..the help there were unfriendly...won't be going there again..also tables were dirty

Ordered food and came out quickly however 6 other milkshakes came out before ours. It was also raining and there was no place to sit. I will only return going through the drive thru

This place is amazing!! Every year tradition to go here and eat!! Love it!!! *Edited.. I just went here AGAIN on Aug 14, 2024.. They DEFINITELY changed their food.. Their chicken tenders was not the same. Actually looked like a grocery store bagged tenders like Tyson or Perdue... No taste and DEFINITELY not worth the money now to eat there!

A very "Americana" experience. Great value for money. Love the decor and old-school vibe of it. It's bound to be busy as it is located at the entrance of Presque Isle but they deliver. Their raspberry milkshake was divine

Very busy, but lovely diner at the entrance to Presque Isle. We're always sure to grab an orange swirl cone on our way in or out.

This place has always been a little overrated and over-priced, but it was never terrible until now. My milkshake tasted like chalk, the fries were undercooked and seemed like the cheapest frozen option from their supplier, and they took out the condiment station. The layout is also very confusing with people wandering around trying to figure out where to order and pick up their food. They had a sign out saying "Due to a temporary issue, ice cream cones are currently being served in cups." Dude, that's not an ice cream cone. Just say you're out of ice cream cones. If you want a local hamburger or hot dog, do yourself a favor and go get a way better meal for less money at New York Lunch just up the street.

Fast service, food is pricey and NOT worth what you pay, the atmosphere is busy but kinda fun and the parking lot is very tight and confusing at first.

Don’t give enough sprinkles and sundaes to small grrrr. Portions control needs work dare I say!!

Good food and atmosphere. Cheap prices for burgers , dogs , fries and shakes

I have com Sara’s since I was little I have had amazing memories with my family there. I try to go at least once a year. I regret this year! The chicken strips looked like they were under fried and strait out of a school cafeteria, the burger was a low quality processed, premade patty, and the fries were not curly they were the bottom of the bag pieces and they were cold! The milkshake wasn’t mixed all the way and I had huge clumps. The service was not good they messed up my order, and the employees were running around the parking lot messing around the whole time! To say I was disappointed was an understatement. They are choosing speed over quality and it shows!!!! Half the items they used to sell are no longer on the menu and of all the milkshake flavors they offer they only had 3 in stock !!!!

Always good food, great shakes! Friendly staff! Love this place!

We’ve been camping behind the diner for over 30 years and if I ever had a complaint I surely don’t remember . BUT we just spent a week there and had dinner & lunch 2x and ice cream probably about 4-5x . Mind you this is for 8 people so dinner was easily $100. Food quality has definitely lowered , our last night there we went for ice cream - everyone ordered no nuts - well that didn’t happen . Some lady with blond hair and tats came out from back and gave us sooo much attitude like it was our fault that they don’t know how to take and fill orders! - if my grandchildren weren’t there I would have handed back the ice cream and demanded a refund! She was extremely rude and if this was a manager then shame on Sara’s, you used to carry a much higher standard . We will 100% take our business elsewhere next time .

Nice atmosphere and location. The hot dog tasted a bit overcooked, but the milkshake was tasty.

Over priced for sure, but what other choice do you have when your on the peninsula

This is a very friendly place it's only open during the summer time but people really enjoy it it's near our beach and the food is very good and they have wonderful milkshakes that you can design your own

A must stop if you are at lake erie!! Open for years, cute, fun summer food and ice cream!

Congrats to Sara's! Voted WORST TOURIST TRAP in Erie. This place is a shadow of what it used to be. $6 for the SADDEST KIELBASA you have ever seen. The ingredients taste and look like FROZEN WALMART CRAP.

There is no indoor seating, but the food and staff are great. It's not really a winter place though. I love going there for a quick bite

I haven't been to Sara's in many years as I had moved out of town...but recently I moved back to the Erie area. The onion rings were different, not greasey like I remembered, but...what i received now were hard and seemed over done. The so called curly fries...were just the pieces, I had only two actual curly fries...the "fries" were hard... I've had better curly fries at Arby's!!! I was very disappointed as it was a first time visit to Sara's for my husband. The only item that I enjoyed was the milkshake.

Perfect for what it is . . . Fast food and ice cream near the beach. They serve Smith's hot dogs (the best!) and the onion rings are fantastic. Don't miss this fun stop, especially with the kids.

No doubt, this is touristy pricing. And the parking is a little confusing. I accidently parked in the business directly before Sara's and it was tricky to get out. Directions into the drive through are very clear but regular parking was not. We went around 11:30am on a Thursday and had no problem finding a seat outside. The clientele was a mixture of folks stopping in from work, and families there on vacation. The ordering system was pretty organized and they had several condiment stations to keep it from getting crowded. It wasn't terribly busy, and its probably a different story when it is. The food wasn't spectacular, but we got the basic hot dog, fries, and onion rings. So glad we checked this place out while here.

Love the convienece and the food! Always stop on the way to presquisle!

Hometown favorite. Best burgers in the universe!

Great little burger and fries. Onion rings are panko crispy. Shakes are good not great and the tenders I’d forgo next time. Overall a fun little summer lunch spot.

Our family has this as a must do each year while visiting family, simple and delicious menu - be sure to get the ice cream twist

Sarah's- what a disappoint! My family has been making memories at your establishment for over 20 years! And to see what it has become on our last visit last Wednesday, is absolutely disheartening! From the floors to the tables, a sticky, awful mess! The ice cream was OK, but did not even want to order on your former beloved hamburgers when I looked at other trays! The girl at the check-out was eating while she took my order, did not even stop as she was (barely) talking! Lots of goofing around with the very young staff. I was in disbelief. Erie, PA deserves better! This was not just a bad night...

Great place to stop and get a bite!

What a dump. Lazy service. Cold chicken and burger with zero condiments added or given on the side. Grilled chicken so dry is resembled sand. Really. No exaggeration. Onions rings = old batter with onion skin found inside. This is the only place in the vicinity and I am sure they continue to exist due to lack of ANY competition. Do yourself a favor if in the area: cook your own food wherever you're staying. What a waste of money.

They were very busy as usual on a weekend and the condiment station was about out of everything I was only able to get a little drizzle of ketchup for my hotdog.

Horrible service. Over priced, food not that great. Definitely over rated.

What a unique experience! Food was great. Service was friendly and fast. The atmosphere is an experience in itself!

The food was a 8/10 the chocolate milkshake was a 10/10 would diff be back to visit thank you

The best hotdog 🌭 by far my experience 😋

Great ice cream at a great price.

Great quick food!! The burgers were delicious, the milkshakes were great, and the service was so fast !!

The vanilla milkshake was the best I've ever had...tick and creamy.

In general, the restaurant isn't a bad place to eat. The real problem is that they don’t know how to handle so many people. The day I was there, they ran out of cones for ice cream. That’s totally unheard of in the middle of summer. Parking is a terrible mess, and trying to get in and out was really rough due to the amount of traffic coming into the park. Unless you’re really desperate for food, I suggest eating somewhere else if it’s a super busy day. If you visit on a day that’s not busy, no doubt you’ll enjoy your ice cream and food. I thought the prices were extremely high for the quality of food that you’re getting, but as I said before, she got a day. It’s not busy, but it might seem worth it.

It's a bit too pricey for me but the food was pretty good!

Quick and friendly service. Food was pretty good. Left feeling a bit greasy from the onion rings, but would definitely eat there again!

The food is good. The milkshakes and orange / Vanilla Cone delicious but the employees are very rude. Working in the customer service industry they have poor attitudes. , there is no hi , bye , or nothing. They just look at you. They have no personality and seem very miserable.

Very cute little place inside and very interesting. However, the shaded areas outside really aren’t shaded well which makes it uncomfortable to sit outside. Cashier was very unfriendly. Food was the most fine food I’ve ever had. Only went here because of the reviews and recommendations I’ve seen and the place did not live up to any of that. The ice cream was pretty good but the chicken tenders were fine. Fries had no seasoning and tasted old.

Chicken tenders are just larger chicken nuggets i got a refund. The portion of curly 🍟 you get is tiny. Ended up going to the 🌮 truck 😋

Great food and simple atmosphere. Always a spot to visit when in Erie. Even when it’s busy, they’re quick to get food out!

Hot dogs and fries are amazing!

If you are in the area, or within driving distance - stop by Sara's! We met a friend there, ordered and then enjoyed the benefits of local knowledge. Everything we had was delicious. The chicken sandwiches on fresh buns, um so yummy! Others in our group had the chicken fingers- equal raves! And then there were the milkshakes... all different and delicious! Download the coupon from the website!

I love the peanut butter yogurt.we alway take ride to beach and we stop but today I get handed my cone and it was small .I said this is a large he said it says you ordered a small.i clearly said large and the guy just looked at me like oh well. Probably the last time I ever go back and I make trips down just to get my yougurt.

Second time for me, my brother, & my dad to come dine out Sara's Restaurant & this time we came here for lunch during daylight hours on a nice day.

Burgers were yummy 😋 Service was great Ice.cream was delicious 😋

Not as fun as it used to be. Almost none of the neon works inside. The old order counter is shoved into the middle of the room. No more coke freestyle. The ice cream is great. The seating is plentiful.

I love this place. So close to presque isle, it’s great to stop and end the day. The food and ice cream is delicious, and the entire staff is so friendly.

Has gone massively downhill in the last 10 years. Lack of hotdogs toppings like in the past, hiring staff that doesn't know how to spell Ryan. Food is overpriced

Great burgers. Fast, friendly service

Sara’s is an iconic place to stop before or after the beach, and it’s still good but no longer great. The burgers are just frozen patties, and I was so disappointed they took the zucchini fries off the menu. The peanut butter milkshake is delicious though, and we got our food very fast despite it being busy.

We love your hot dogs, but we were extremely disappointed that you no longer carry the zucchini sticks and banana milkshakes. Please bring them both back! Thanks! Jim& Terri

Our experience was terrible. I’m not the type to write reviews at all especially because I work in the restaurant industry and i understand everyone has bad days but this worker was absolutely rude. The line was long which is understandable for how busy Sara gets but she approached us with such an attitude, no hi no how are you just a “what’s a name for the order”. Just plain rude! And it was me and my partner in the car, I ordered first and after finishing my order she goes “that’s it?” When we weren’t done ordering yet !! Definitely not good customer service.

This is a cute little outside restaurant that is dog friendly. The milkshakes are good and so was the food! The staff were very friendly.

As always, wonderful food and ice cream. Onion rings were amazing! Service was great too

Makes me proud to be an American

This is the place that everyone stops to eat during a summer trip to Erie Pa. The old time atmosphere and decor with outdoor seating is what draws us in. They have burgers, hot dogs, chicken sandwiches, chicken tenders, and more. Being right on the way to Presque Isle state park we stop here every summer on our way to the beach.

Always busy, but quick to get order.

Four orders of curlicue fries and they were just lukewarm. Not fresh hot out of the grease. French fries are only good piping hot

burger was good & milkshake was too.

Sara's is an Erie institution. It's not summer without it.

It was alright. We stopped after a day at Waldameer. Better than park food and more reasonably priced.

Food was incredibly good. I had a bacon cheeseburger and it was phenomenal

I love stopping here for a bite to eat when in the area. My girls had a blast!

Quick service and great burgers

Have been going to Sara's for years. My order was rung incorrectly and then they wanted us to pay for their incompetence. The GM was rude and did not offer so much as a coupon. I said that was not good customer service and that customers are lost one at time until there's no one left to be serviced.

Such a fun diner! You have to get the peanut butter yogurt or a milkshake, they are delicious!!

Dreamsicle out of this world. What more needs said!!

Love this place. Always a great meal.

Good food, great ice cream and milkshakes.

Busy place, food was good and affordable.

Strong hold for so many generations of Erie-ites. The nostalgia is strong and amazingly infectious.

My family and I ate here for lunch. The food was excellent and the speed at which they got the food out was amazing. We didn't have to wait very long for our meal even though they were rather busy. We'd definitely eat here again.

Very authentic simple good food. We loved it

Very good price, food is great. Could not recommend a better place.

Food has really gone downhill over the past few years. Buns for dogs and burgers not the same. Onion rings are very bad now and not the same. Cutting corners on costs is what I assume. It’s too bad.

Burgers are frozen from the worst possible place. This isn't the saras I remember.

Best retro dining experience in Erie and the best Peanut butter milkshake in the world!

Burgers cannot be real meat tasted weird, fries subpar frozen fries little pieces. Way overpriced! Not good at all for that price we could have went somewhere nice. Crowed with hot miserable employees.

Loved the milkshake! First time having it.

Who doesn't love old, throw back locations!?!?! Great atmosphere. Great location. Just wish they would open Sally's.

Fun place right at the base of Presque Isle. Really hectic atmosphere though. But good, cheap food.

Cute place. Great ice cream. A must try!

Got our order wrong, but we had a large group. Do miss the add yourself condiment bar.