Helvetia Tavern

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!\r \r 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.\r \r So here are a few tips:\r [] Fries are great, especially with the goup.\r [] Hamburgers are great, I always order mine with bacon.\r [] The root beer is great.\r [] Onion rings are not so great.\r [] Salads are not so great.\r [] The place is not shiny or clean, so if that's what you are into, this is not your place.\r [] The menu is sparse, and nobody really orders anything besides the burgers and fries.\r [] The bar is a better place to sit if you don't bring your kiddies.\r [] They don't take credit cards, so come prepared with cash. There is an ATM though.\r \r Pros: Great food, cool atmosphre. Cons: Cash only, not ""McDonalds"" cheap, but not expensive either. more

I went to the Tavern with a groupI ordered the jumbo burger with fries and the couple next to me ordered the Garden burger with potato chips. The jumbo burger and the garden burger s were great. The chips were out of the bag, good. The fries were not to my liking (soft, soggy and greasy). Although I must say in their defence that one person in our group ate his and some from other people in our group. Some people like them that way. I prefer them crispy. The tavern has character and friendly waitresses. more

Burgers are incredible here. Go on a sunny day and sit outside. A jumbo cheeseburger will tame even the largest appetite. Fries are hit-and-miss.....sometimes they are great, sometimes not so good. Onion rings are the processed kind and alright, but nothing too noteworthy. Burgers are great, though. Pros: Good burgers, country setting is great on sunny days Cons: Fries do not seem to be consistent visit to visit more

Their jumbo burger is to die for. The fries were very crisp in my case, and the service was good..... buty you have to be a bit proactive. The review complaining about a bad ""garden burger"".... LOL. Not the best choice fro vegans in PDX. The jumbo burger is probably too much for a small family to consume in one sitting, but the ""goop"" sauce is what makes their burgers so great. By far, the best diner burger in PDX. Pros: The burgers and sauce Cons: Location is a bit out of the way for most more

My wife and I had a great experience while watching the NFL playoffs last weekend at Helvetia Tavern. Never heard of the place before and just happened to drive by and needed a beer or six. We were there for several hours and the burger was really really good for the measly $4.25. I agree the fries were limp and soggy and flavorless but who cares - it's a greasy spoon and just thank god that the planning commission didn't rezone for growth next door or you would be looking into someones rowhouse. The burger was not quite as good as IN-N-Out for $2.50 but darn close - I assume most Oregonians don't know what a good cheap burger is since most of them don't even mow their own lawns around here -or even have one for that matter since there is nothing but row houses and townhouses up here- what's the deal with that, living like hampsters - thank god for automatic garage openers so they don't even have to get out of the car before going inside to boot up the computer. These burger taverns are a dime-a-dozen in other parts of the country - Oregonians need to get out more- and I'm not talking Cannon Beach and Seaside, c'mon, that Lexus will go anywhere you point it. As new transplants from Humboldt County California (not our choice to move here-why would we leave there on purpose), we learned alot about the Techie Lake Oswego types (someone else said that -I don't even know where it is yet) by watching all of the suit-and-ties come in and gripe and complain. They were totally out of their element out in the country with weird looking goats across the street -bet they didn't like those either. Even the best burger with mayo-ketcup mix for 5 bucks would never satisfy people like them. Maybe if Helvetia Tavern added dry cleaning service while Mr. 'Upper Management' waited for his 'Costco burger' would help. The service was good considering there was only one guy that we saw. My wife and I will go back many more times just for people watching, that was entertaining by itself. Pros: country setting, good burger for less than 5 bucks Cons: smoke, soggy undercooked fries more

The tavern continues to be family favorite although it can get busy and service can slow down due to the lack of waiters and waitresses. I have never been dissapointed with a burger there yet. The fries are not what this place is known for so don't expect great fries. Lunch can get very crowded due to the lack of seating. The farm atmosphere and the burgers make this a great family restaraunt. Pros: great burgers/good place to watch a game Cons: service can be slow more

Our family loves going out to Helevatia, not necessarily just for the food but more for the whole experience. It is a lovely drive from Portland and the setting is pastoral. The restaurant itself is rather ""old school"" wooden floors and baseball caps on the ceiling. The food is just fine. Are there better burgers around? Sure, but the Helvetia burger is what it is. A solid, well dressed somewhat greasy burger. It is most definitely better than any fast food burger and costs just a bit more. Go enjoy a nice drive in the country and a good burger! It is a nice, inexpenisve evening out. Pros: good burgers, great country atmosphere Cons: fries can be pretty greasy more

After hearing so many rave reviews in the years past, I decided to take the family to where the great burger lies. We were extremely disapointed. The management is horrible, the food greasy, and seems to be the same cheap Cosco brand that could easily be cooked at the local fund raising picnic. Did they cut back to save money? My tastes are not picky nor health conscience... this food was just plain nasty. I am wondering who the owners are and whether they are happy with the present fare. I am only imagining that they are corporate who haws, who really only want to make a buck, and care nothing about the quality of the food. \r \r Go to Costco, buy the sirloin burgers, pick up some micro brew, and stay at home for a much better experience. more

After reading all the reviews and listening to other misc hype I have heard, I looked forward to a drive out to Helvetia last night for one of their award winning burgers. OMG.....this has got to be one of the lamest burgers in Portland. Lame bun, nothing original about the condo's, wilted lettuce, nasty tomato, and TERRIBLE french fries. The burger was completely forgetable and the FF were undercooked, fat, greasy and limp. YUK. I had one and shoved the basket away. I don't know how this place stays in business...maybe it's the charm of the building if you find old baseball caps and beer signs charming......stay away....a disappointing experience. Pros: Wait staff seemed pretty on top of it. Cons: The drive and the TERRIBLE food. more

this place has the best hamburgers/frys in town bar none more

Every now and then you need a good old sloppy but great tasting burger. Being relocated for 12 years out of state, I looked forward to seeing if Helvetia was as good as they were before and I can say YES. Many of our great local restaurants have gone down hill in that 12-year period but Helvetia is still the best burger around for the price. The fries are good and yes sometimes undercooked but the burger is fresh and tastes great. I head out to the tavern once a week now and its worth the 14-mile drive Pros: Great Burger, Tavern side, Out in the country more

While the burger may not be the best burger ever, from previous reviewer, it is better than average and cheaper than most. It has a good homemade taste and is very juicy. Don't count your calories when going there. That's what makes it taste good, higher fat meat & real mayo. Opt out of the gratis lays potato chips and get the fries. They are good. Pros: cheap eats, tasty burger, juicy, pretty countryside Cons: very small place more

The people complaining, have to be from Lake Oswego, or thereabouts. They have one of the best burgers around. The 'goop' is to die for. more

When people found out about this place, did the quality of the food get worse as they got more popular? Do we so want to find something original that we trick our taste buds into finding more flavor than there is? Let's disect, shall we? The BUN: large - you'll find at Costco. OK, The BURGER(s): pre-formed, the cheap burgers, again from Costco. They can spring for the sirloin burgers?, so, why the cheapo crud? The FIXIN'S: basic shredded lettuce, faded tomato, canned pickles, the magical mix of mayo and thousand island dressing is not what I would call ""special"", and yeah, it is more like ""goop"". We got an order of rings which was greasy and uninspiring to say the least. All the hype has made this place a legend in its own mind. Don't beleive everything you hear, this place is average, at BEST. Pros: out of the norm, easy to find, local flavor Cons: out of their minds, easy to forget, no flavor more

My family went to this restaraunt because of its reputation. While we were waiting for a table, we ordered drinks. After this, we were totally ignored despite our asking multiple times for a table. Other people came and went. After waiting close to an hour for seating, we left the tavern. Maybe the food was good. Who knows, and why would anyone suffer such poor service? more

I have eaten here several times. The burgers are a good and thier french fries and onion rings are great. I love the home made fries. Sometimes they are a bit under cooked but overall they are great. The burgers are overall good, I have had one bad experience because the burger was undercooked making it taste a bit funny to me. But that only happened once out of the many times I have been there. However, not my favorite burger in town, but will do in a pinch. Pros: good food Cons: A bit far for most, limited menu, kind of expensive more

Helvetia is one of the best, most inexpensive places to eat anywhere in the Pacific Northwest. The service is great, the burgers are fresh and tasty and the charm of the building is hard to find anywhere else. If you are looking for a better deal than $4 for a 1/4 lb fresh cheeseburger good luck. Oh and the person complaing that it costs too much, nust be joking. Pros: food, atmosphere, service Cons: smoke more

We have been consuming the greatest burgers on the planet at Helvetia Tavern for over 30 years. The Brugers are the best, fries outstanding, many differnet biers, great service and the outside deck is super for lunch time activities. more

Whether you want a family dining experience or just a night out with your spouse or significant other, Helvetia Tavern is definitely one of the best. The staff is very nice. The food is great and during the summer, you can even sit out back. It's very nice. They also offer a smoking/bar side and a non-smoking/family side. I have been going to Helvetia tavern for years and been eating their burgers pretty much my whole life. more

I went there this past weekends, and have never had a more horrible experience eating out. A pathetic limp garden burger with about 5 stale onion rings ended up costing me about $15!!!!!!! Besides being grossly over priced the food wasn't even good! Their $4 onion rings came in the smallest seving I have ever seen at a burger joint (I literally got only 5 of them) and tasted stale. The garden burger was nearly $6 and and was mostly shredded lettuce on a soggy bun. The real kicker though was the staffs horrible attitude and the $2 ATM fee since they only accept cash. DO NOT GOTO THIS PLACE IT IS A WASTE OF YOUR TIME AND MONEY!!!! Cons: bad service, bad food, overpriced more