Food review: Payson’s longstanding Polar Queen a delegate to area visitors
The four-piece Halibut Fish and Chips, Western Onion Straw Burger and the Malibu Chicken Sandwich are featured in Payson at the Polar Queen Drive-In.
The Malibu Chicken Sandwich at the Polar Queen Drive-In.
The four-piece Halibut Fish and Chips at Polar Queen Drive-In.
Customers order their lunch at the Polar Queen Drive-In in Payson on Wednesday.
The Western Onion Straw Burger is quite the handful at the Polar Queen Drive-In. To read a review of the Payson restaurant, visit provodh.com/0uwr0.
There’s something extremely comforting about visiting an old-time burger joint. Even if I’ve never stepped through the door before, there’s a sense of familiarity — and home. Polar Queen Drive-In is no exception.
If you’re from Payson, you’re acquainted with this classic greasy spoon. The Polar Queen has ruled the eatery scene in southern Utah County for decades. In recent years other restaurants have popped up and opened shop, some establishing roots and others quickly vacating.
Despite my love of cities, I was raised around the country — the same areas in Texas where Miranda Lambert and Kacey Musgraves hail from. As I sat in a booth in the packed dining area savoring a hot, freshly fried onion ring, Miranda’s “Automatic” and Kacey’s “Biscuits” played overhead on the restaurant’s radio.
“Whatever happened to waiting your turn … Doing it all by hand … It all just seemed so good the way we had it … Back before everything became automatic,” Miranda crooned. Ain’t that the truth. (And yes, my grandmother has pointed out multiple times that “ain’t” isn’t a “real” word.”)
I took this all as a sign. While the Polar Queen has a drive-thru, the entirety of the dining room’s booth was filled with workers on lunch breaks, older couples sharing meals and entire families visiting the LDS Church’s new Payson temple. Though some might want to group it with other fast food restaurants, Polar Queen doesn’t quite fit into that category — the waits aren’t exceptionally fast and the establishment has soul.
During our visit, my friend and former Payson resident, stuck to her favorite Ham & Swiss Sandwich, while I chose the Jalapeño Burger, lined with Swiss cheese and slices of jalapeño peppers, lettuce and other condiments. We also sampled the onion rings, Chicken Crunch Strips served with toast, English Chips and a Strawberry-Oreo Shake.
Though typically a fry die-hard, if you don’t get the English Chips or onion rings, you’re honestly missing out. Those unfamiliar with English Chips might find them vaguely similar to hash browns — yet significantly tastier. The smooth, battered onion rings stand out among other fast food joints you might consider. For ice-cream lovers, the small shake is an ample size that one might even struggle to finish despite however tasty the giant chunks of Oreo cookie may be.
The Chicken Crunch Strips were accompanied with a house white sauce — tasting like a tangy ranch — and the English Chips came with a house fry sauce. (Because Utahns know that eating fries without fry sauce, is like telling someone their outfit doesn’t require shoes or a car is ready to run, but is lacking wheels. No can do.)
And if for some reason a greasy spoon isn’t your cup of tea for a meal in this small town, then feel free to “mind your own biscuits and life will be gravy.”
POLAR QUEEN DRIVE-IN
Location: 745 UT-198, Payson
Hours: Tuesday-Saturday 10 a.m.-10 p.m.
Info: (801) 465-2438
Dining
