Winter is officially on notice in Cloquet. Gordy's Hi‑Hat will flip its first burgers of the season on Wednesday, March 25, pulling regulars back to Sunnyside Drive for hand‑pattied burgers, thick malts and the potato salad many locals treat like a rite of spring. The family‑run drive‑in's opening day has grown into a small ritual, complete with long lines, crowded picnic tables and plenty of "Up North" road‑trip energy.
The restaurant locked in the date on its Facebook page, a post that quickly rippled through regional coverage. As highlighted by Bring Me The News, the post read, "Tired of Winter?? Us too! See you in a couple weeks!"
Opening Day Is a Ritual
For many Minnesotans, Gordy's opening day is less about the calendar and more about mood. When the neon lights up and the fryers kick on, it is treated as an unofficial notice that spring has finally shown up. Drivers routinely point their cars north to mark the change in season.
WJON has traced that tradition back to 1960, when the Hi‑Hat first opened its windows. The owners still describe the spot as family‑run, and the official site carries seasonal hours, contact details and more. Menus and hours are posted at Gordy's Hi‑Hat.
Menu Highlights
Opening day will lean hard on the classics that keep people circling the lot. The core menu features hand‑pattied burgers, homemade onion rings, hand‑battered fish and blended malts, a lineup detailed by Explore Minnesota.
The drive‑in's retro feel and throwback menu have also landed it on TV‑focused roundups such as TVFoodMaps, which track restaurants featured on food shows.
Plan Your Visit
Gordy's sits along Sunnyside Drive off Highway 33 and is a staple stop for travelers heading "Up North," so expect serious traffic on March 25. If you would rather skip the longest lines, consider swinging by later in the week or at non-peak meal times, a strategy echoed in local coverage from WJON.
For any last‑minute updates related to weather or staffing, check the restaurant's Facebook page or the official website, which also connects to online ordering and the Warming House menu. The latest details are posted at Gordy's Hi‑Hat.
