The Ground Beef Taco At This Ohio Drive-In Is So Delicious, You’ll Be Telling Everyone You Know
I stumbled onto THE Root Beer Stand last summer while chasing lake views and good eats around Russells Point, and honestly, I wasn’t expecting much from a roadside spot with hand-painted signs and gravel parking.
Then I tasted their walking taco. That single bite of seasoned ground beef, melted cheese, and crunchy chips changed my entire afternoon, and I spent the rest of the evening texting photos to friends who love comfort food as much as I do.
This little stand near Indian Lake in Ohio serves up nostalgia, flavor, and fun in equal measure, proving that the best meals often come from the most unassuming places.
Where Indian Lake Smells Like Chili, Root Beer, And Fresh-Cut Fries
Late-afternoon sun hits the red-and-white stand on State Route 366, and suddenly the parking lot feels like a summer postcard: squeaking gravel under tires, order slips fluttering in the window, and the scent of chili, grilled beef, and sizzling potatoes drifting toward the water.
A bright ROOTBEER sign crowns the low-slung building, promising floats in frosty mugs and the kind of carhop-style comfort people remember long after vacation ends.
Regulars swear the little stand serves some of the best food anywhere around Indian Lake, so arrival feels less like picking a random roadside stop and more like finally reaching the place everyone kept telling you not to miss.
Rolling Up To Ohio’s Old-Fashioned Drive-In Stand On Route 366
Cars nose up toward the counter at 8080 OH-366 in Russells Point, windows cracked just enough for music, lake breeze, and the fryer’s steady hiss.
Staff inside juggle paper boats and drink cups while hand-lettered signs advertise dogs, burgers, apps, floats, and more.
Nostalgia runs deeper than the root beer, with a look and layout that echo classic midcentury drive-in stands rather than modern fast-food chains.
Visitors pull in wearing lake sandals and hoodies, ready for dinner that tastes like it belongs to long weekends and unhurried nights.
I remember my first visit feeling like stepping back into a simpler time when ordering food meant rolling down your window and chatting with someone who actually cared about your meal.
Meet The Ground-Beef Walking Taco Locals Can’t Stop Hyping
Every fan story eventually circles back to one thing: that walking taco.
Listed among the appetizers as a WALKING TACO w/ Chili & Cheese, it arrives as a fork-ready mash-up of crunchy chips, hearty chili built on seasoned ground meat, and a generous blanket of melted cheese.
Each bite delivers warmth, spice, and crunch in a format made for car seats and picnic tables instead of fragile shells.
Word of mouth rings loud around Indian Lake, so first-timers often roll up asking for that taco everyone keeps talking about before they even scan the rest of the menu.
I overheard at least three separate groups ordering it by reputation alone during my last visit.
How The Walking Taco Works: Chips, Chili, Cheese, And Pure Convenience
Imagine a classic Midwestern ground-beef taco re-engineered for lake life: sturdy corn chips for scooping, chili rich with beef and seasoning, and enough cheese to cling to every bite.
The walking-taco format lets you keep one hand on your drink or mini-golf putter while the other digs into layers of salty, saucy goodness.
Chili from the soup-and-mac section shows up here again, lifting the snack into full-meal territory rather than a token side.
Guests finish one and start mentally drafting texts to friends who love tacos, planning to brag that they just found a new favorite at a lakeside root beer stand. I caught myself doing exactly that before I even left the parking lot.
Dogs, Prime-Rib Burgers, And Fresh-Cut Fries Around Your Taco
A menu built for hungry lake days backs up that walking taco with serious supporting players. Classic dogs blend beef and pork, while all-Angus premium dogs and half-pound Famous Footlongs lean into full-on hot dog hero status.
Burgers use a fresh prime-rib beef blend, pressed in-house instead of coming from frozen patties, and specialty creations stack onion rings, barbecue pork, bacon, or grilled peppers over melty cheese.
Hand-cut or crinkle-cut fries, onion rings, tots, and fried mushrooms turn trays into golden mountains that look like they belong in a diner scene from an old-school movie.
Everything arrives hot, crispy, and ready to make you forget about calorie counts for at least one glorious afternoon.
Root Beer Floats, Shakes, And Lake-Day Sweet Treats
Root beer sits at center stage, with draft and bottled options from brands like Frostop, A&W, and Stewart’s ready to pour over soft-serve or hand-dipped ice cream.
Floats arrive cold enough to fog the outside of frosty mugs, while shakes spin in a classic mixer in flavors that range from chocolate and strawberry to root beer, Oreo, and peanut butter.
Sundaes, banana splits, and specialty desserts like warm brownies or apple turnovers with ice cream make the stand feel like a dedicated dessert shop in addition to a savory stop.
Many visitors polish off a walking taco, then accidentally find room for a float or cone, because lake rules operate under special dessert physics.
Planning Your First Taco-And-Root-Beer Pilgrimage To Russells Point
Road-trippers plug 8080 OH-366, Russells Point, Ohio, into their maps and watch the route wind toward Indian Lake and its cluster of marinas, cottages, and campgrounds.
Seasonal hours and rotating specials mean smart visitors peek at current info before heading out, especially if they have their hearts set on certain burgers, ice cream features, or that walking taco.
Online ordering occasionally goes live through a digital menu, letting guests place orders before pulling into the lot, although walk-up ordering remains part of the charm.
Families often plan a full loop: tacos and dogs first, putt-putt next, root beer floats as the final bow before driving back into the dusk with salt on their fingers and chili in the air vents.