Val’s Rootbeer

Ordered a grilled cheese expecting it to be a nice buttery toasted grilled cheese and when I looked inside my bag it was a hamburger bun with cheese thrown on it and melted. No butter or anything. If I wanted that I would’ve stayed home and saved my money. BLT my boyfriend had was okay, but wasn’t as big as he thought it would be. Milk shake wasn’t very good either. Wasn’t worth the $ 14.50 we wasted, won’t be back again.

The best Hamburger place in town. But you must try the lobster roll. It’s clear meat large chunks of lobster with light mayo on a hamburger roll.

If you don’t bring cash they will (not tell you) charge you a 5% convenience fee. That was a surprise when they awesome waitress brought our bill. I do like the batting cages and the food is decently priced.

After not having a great experience at our last visit, we decided to give Val’s another try. I’m happy to report that we had a different waitress and our service was excellent! We will definitely be coming back to Val’s!

Awesome food, a bit skimpy at times on the fries and rings and size of the rootbeers went down over the years.
Great burgers and such a classic drive in. Awesome customer service and will always go back.
Wish I could give this place 4 ½ stars

The customer service here was outstanding. Both of the girls who helped us were extremely friendly and talkative.
The hot dog wasn’t the best I had ever eaten, but it certainly did the trick. Along with my root beer float and fries, it satisfied all of my cravings.

Have hit this place every year for 30 years and love the food but the best is there root beer in a frosted mug. They had plastic mugs for a little while but changed back to glass good call. My kids and grand kids love the idea of getting served from the windows of the car and starting there own tradition of going to Val’s every summer.

Val’s Rootbeer is a staple in Lewiston. Because it — like most ice cream stands in the state — is only open for part of the year due to it’s unique outside-​only dining experience, for many locals it’s as big a signifier that spring has sprung as the start of baseball season is. And when it closes at the end of summer (a little prematurely some years, I agree), it’s time for folks to apple pick (Oct.), eat turkey (Nov.), celebrate the holidays (Dec.), then look forward to April when Val’s (and Dairy Joy) reopens and the Red Sox hold court at Fenway once again.
My family and friends used to go to Val’s ALL. THE. TIME. when we were younger, because it was a cheap and fun way to take a bunch of kids out (literally). My sister and I loved the chicken nuggets (which were small [think: littler than tater tots] and plentiful — perfect for kid fingers), the thin hamburgers positively loaded with relish, the greasy onion rings, and the root beer.
Oh, oh. The root beer.
It’s some of the best in the state. I don’t know if that’s because it’s so delicious; or, because it’s served in enormous, frosty pint glasses which makes little kids feel super grown-​up and responsible like; or, because it’s served outside and nothing is better than al fresco dining… whatever the case may be, it’s awesome.
As is the experience if you let it be. NEWS FLASH: It’s a drive-​in. Don’t expect anything fancy or perfect. It’s high school girls in poodle skirts (on occasion; this isn’t something they actually do all of the time) serving mediocre but extraordinarily cheap 1950’s style diner food (fried clam strips, french fries, grilled cheese, BLTs, mozzarella sticks, etc.). And for decades (not just recently with the addition of picnic tables) they’ve encouraged kids to run around their green grass next to and behind the building if they don’t want to be cooped up in their car eating.
If you’re eating here, it’s most likely summer. And when we live in a state that’s so cold so often, we really can’t afford to be unhappy when the sun is shining. So relax, have fun, and drink a root beer or three.

Give this place props for creating a throwback experience to somewhere in the not-​so-​distance past — i.e. the 50’s and 60’s. The waitresses are indeed decked out in poodle skirts and pony tails tied back with chiffon ribbons. It’s a car hop after all and while there is a sign indicating that blinking lights prompts service, the only way to get food is to be approached by one of these young lasses. Although there are picnic tables, everyone was munching on the Americana fare in their cars despite the glorious early-​June weather. The food is basic car-​hop — burgers, onion rings and fried seafood. My burger was a double and very juicy with a nice red tomato, cheese and smothered onions as well as frosted mug of rootbeer-​a bit impractical for the car but a nice touch. Dining Companion enjoyed his fried seafood basket. I didn’t care for the onion rings and snagged some of his crinkle-​cut fries. One tip — be sure you have plenty of napkins to keep the car tidy! There is a 5% charge to use a debit/​credit card so you might want to sidle up to an ATM prior to arrival.

Great place! I have been driving there for years and decided to drop in. Great burger. Excellent root beer. Prompt, attentive and friendly service.

Classic car side service. Decent food, decent $.

Do not waste you money. This place needs to close over the winter and never re open. What a ripoff. We all ordered food, there was 3 adult and 3 kids, the bill was almost 55 for LUNCH!
And when we left, still hungry!
Your better off at Burger king.

Just found out recently that they have added picnic tables which is great especially if you have kids. Kids have difficultly sitting still for two minutes let alone 15 – 20 minutes for lunch or dinner. Say hi to Jen if she is working.