jaklumen

This is THE place for high school sports teams to grab a bite when traveling Away for games in the Yakima Valley. It’s on the main drag heading away from Union Gap, and is next to the Valley Mall.

Once a small building with only an order window (seating was all outdoors), this restaurant has been expanded a few times to include indoor seating. As a result, you almost NEVER see anyone eating outside anymore. chuckle

As is fairly typical with local Eastern Washington burger joints, the milkshakes are made with real milk and real fruit. The fare certainly isn’t haute cuisine, but the place is still family owned (yes, they are named Miner) and if you want a T-shirt reminding you of your visits, and let others know you like the burgers, they can be purchased here.

Forget the retro-designed McDonald’s across the street— come to Miner’s.

A friend of mine who moved to Ballard from Yakima wondered aloud to me once why the locals raved about Dick’s so much, and yes, when I drove past, the building looked like a giant plexiglass jack-in-the-box.

You see, my friend and I, as residents of Eastern Washington, had seen our fair share of burger joints. For us, Miner’s in Yakima was one destination we knew well. She had taken me to a “hole in the wall” restaurant that served great Korean food, so I guess she wondered why everyone would be so excited about a common burger joint when exotic food abounded, compared to where we lived.

Well, I read a few media articles about Dick’s, and found out more about the company’s hiring practices, wages, and scholarship programs— and why they were impressive… for a burger joint.

Neverthless, I still have to laugh listening to Sir Mix-A-Lot rap about Dick’s in “My Posse’s On Broadway”, remembering what the place looked like to me. Now… now I have to see sometime how good the food is.

Managed to hit this place many years ago during a high school band trip when it was quiet and nearly empty.

It was the first time I remember actually enjoying a meal.