Summer on the South Side at Ardy & Ed’s

I’ve lived in Oshkosh for almost a year now. I moved in the middle of a summer filled with quarantines, masks, and take-out. While the summer of 2020 was technically my first summer in Oshkosh, I don’t feel like I got the true experience. I used to live in an apartment on the south side of town and would drive past Ardy and Ed’s on a weekly basis. Everytime I drove past, it reminded me of a similar drive-in from my hometown. I knew that when summer rolled around again, Ardy and Ed’s would be one of the first places I go.

My husband and I rolled in and were met by one of the happiest waitresses I have ever had. She greeted us with a smile, quickly took our order, and zipped off to the kitchen. Our waitress was joined by two other talented young women on roller skates. They happily hustled from car to car. As we waited for our food, my husband and I rolled down the windows to listen to the 50s tunes blasting from the restaurant’s speakers. We laughed as we sang along to songs we didn’t even realize we knew! I blame my mother for my knowledge of oldies lyrics. We could barely see inside the kitchen, but even though they weren’t very visible, even the cooks had on 1950’s style soda jerk hats. The cars around us were filled with cute panting puppies and little kids patiently waiting for their ice cream. It felt like we were on the set of Happy Days.

Shortly, our food was skated over to our car. We both ordered a cheeseburger with everything. In the age of craft burger bars, it was refreshing to enjoy a simple cheeseburger with lettuce, tomatoes, and pickles on a soft white bun. This is my ultimate comfort food. I recommend getting the double when you come. We ordered a basket so our sandwiches came with our choice of a side and coleslaw. I am a big fan of coleslaw. This one was crunchy and tangy. As for the side, my husband ordered fries and I got cheese nuggets. Fried potatoes and fried cheese, you can’t really go wrong in my opinion! While we went with a classic, Ardy and Ed’s offers a variety of unique meals you wouldn’t find at just any old drive-in. You can order perch, BBQ, or even a pizza burger!

For me, no stop at a drive-in is complete without a root beer float. I was in luck because Ardy and Ed’s was voted #1 in Oshkosh! It did not disappoint. Their draft root beer is exceptional and you can even order some to-go. You can take home a quart, half gallon, or even a gallon of their delicious root beer. We plan to come back soon for a jug of our own. We have some vanilla ice cream sitting in our freezer that is looking quite lonely.

Summer Hours: