Rachel’s Classic Burgers

Better than In-​And-​Out!

Closest thing to in-​n-​out i heard,
So checked it out got the chiefs fries a.k.a known to me as animal style fries,
They were sweet, big pieces of onions,
The burgers for my fiancé were as usual too small to be double doubles.
Im not cheap but
The combos were pretty expensive
More expensive in –n– out for 2 number 1s almost 20 bucks, they were okayy for being a mere cheap tasting replica of. Them

Oh whew, I was going to write a RIP here after trying to pick up a cheeseburger at Rachel’s today and finding it all shut down with signs from the landlord on the door that say, «do not enter these premises».
I’m glad they say they’re coming back, hope that works out for them.
I had to go to Burgerville, sniff, and it wasn’t the same, you know?

This is not a review (ignore the stars). Just wanted to warn everybody that this place is temporarily CLOSED. Went all the way out there and found that the landlord had shut the place down and locked it up. I posted a photo of the sign on the door.

OK, so I have to provide a review of this place– but how can it be original? You guys see the accurate reviews below.
It is like In-​N-​Out, on purpose. It is a knock off– but better than the original. The fries are better, more crispy and properly cooked.
So, how bout this– ask for a side of fry sauce/​special sauce and dip your fries in it. Think «animal sauce» but better.
Show a business card showing you work in Hillsboro and get a 10% discount.
Play with the Juke Box, put on some Creedence, and enjoy a perfectly cooked hand made fresh burger and fresh cut fries.
This place gets a solid «Matty Likey».

Best burgers in Hillsboro.
This new, 50s style burger joint is great value for money. I hate to compare it to In-​N-​Out, but… well…its a lot like In-​N-​Out. Simple burgers and fries menu with value meals about $ 5 to $ 7. The grilled cheese sandwich with Tillamook cheese is a great veggie option at about $ 2.
Rachels is out of the way, but its a great find if you’re in the area.

All the previous reviews are spot on — this place is terrific! And having lived in California my whole life (til last year when we moved here), I’ve had plenty of visits to the iconic red, white & yellow drive thru for a double-​no-​onions, so I know of what I speak.
Rachel’s serves up some really tasty, and very inexpensive, burgers, and damned if they don’t taste similar to that Cali chain place! The burger is thin but not dried out, and has a great beef flavor. They use fresh tomato and iceberg lettuce, a bun that was buttery and crisp (though Don B. is right, it didn’t hold til the very last bite), and a variation on Thousand Island dressing. Put it all together and you’ve got a very tasty mouthful of burger!
Fries were good, nothing amazing. I didn’t try the milkshake but sounds like I need to do that next time. Value here is great — we had 2 burgers, a grilled cheese (son said it was fantastic and ate the whole thing), an order of fries and one soda. Under $ 11 for 3 people.
Clean facilities, friendly staff, and we didn’t wait forever for our meal. The 40 min drive over there is definitely do-​able more often than a flight to CA. Rachel’s rocks!

I had viewed several reviews on Unilocal about this place. Many compared it to «In and Out» so I knew I would have to try this place.
As I was discussing this with the YS, the next day I received information on a Living Social coupon for that very place so of course, I had to purchase it.
The burgers were tasty and completely packed with all the ingredients you would want which I really love on a burger. The fries were good and there were plenty of them and soda which they allow free refills.
Tasty food, close to In and Out. I hear they, too, have a secret menu which I must try on my next visit.
The place is a fifties style diner with a good sized dining room. The floors are black and white checked and give the feeling of going back in time.
I noticed they also serve beverages in bottles if you so desire. I would imagine at a different price point.
They sell t-​shirts for under $ 20 and when you wear the shirt to the restaurant in the future you receive 10 percent off of your purchase. Kind of a fun way to advertise and get you to return.
This is a true family own business, we were waited on by Rhoda, which is Rachel’s mom. There is a picture of the family near the soda fountain.
The hallway near the restrooms is a large photograph of Rachel. Rachel for those who don’t know, was a 10 year who died in a motor vehicle accident. She loved In and Out burgers and the family put their dream together and opened the restaurant in 2011.
What a nice tribute.
I’ll be back to support this local business.

I heard about all these comparisons to IN-​N-​OUT and had to check it out. And to be honest, it doesn’t compare. Pretty much nothing’s as good as the original. Rumor has it that the concept behind Rachel’s Burgers is a tribute towards her favorite burger joint, which is why there are so many comparisons to the place. I’m not sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing conception-​wise.
Underground Menu only has three items (which they tell you if you request to hear it). I forgot what the other two were, but they dealt with the burger. So I opted to try their «Chief Fries» which pretty much sounds like IN-N-OUT’s Animal Fries. Rachel’s did have the same type of ingredients, but what lacked was flavor from their «sauce». The fries did come out fresh. But when I was eating the thing, I felt that there was something missing and I couldn’t quite pick out what it was.
I ordered their cheeseburger which was mediocre-​okay to me. I wish the patty had a little bit more substance because it laid flat and I felt I paid a good $ 5 – 6 for bread, lettuce, cheese, onions instead of the meat. Although the burger wasn’t too greasy (perk), I do applaud the place for using fresh and local ingredients. And yet, there was still something missing and I couldn’t pick out what it was.
I had a strawberry milkshake, which was so-​so in my book. The consistency of the shake was a bit too thick for me. It was a bit difficult to drink. No bueno in my book.
Service was wonderful. The girl at the cashier was helpful and cheerful. The ambiance of the place was trying to go for a 50’s diner kinda feel. Black, white and a hint of red here and there. It was nice and clean. Parking lot is shared in a little strip mall. Other than that, it’s nothing to go raving about.
Would I come back? Probably to give them another try. I think it takes a lot of guts to attempt to mirror something that is so mainstream and popular for what it is. In the end, nothing is as good as the original. Unfortunately I didn’t see that when I came here. From the burger joints I’ve seen in Portland, this place is probably the closest in the conception of the food, but the taste is not there. Sorry I said it, but it’s the truth.

After finding Rachel’s on Unilocal,I decided that it would be worth my time to see for myself if it lived up to the hype. It was especially interesting given that they have gluten free (GF) buns because one of my daughters is gluten intolerant.
We got there at about 7:30 pm. Even though the dinner rush should have been long done, about half of the 16 tables were filled with people socializing after having finished their meals. Two highchairs and two booster seats were positioned near the front door making this a family-​friendly dining room.
The staff was pleasant and helpful with both explaining the limited but value-​priced menu and how they guard against gluten cross-​contamination (they wash their hands prior to touching the GF buns and have a separate grill for toasting them). We ordered our food to go, got our strawberry shakes, and proceeded to a table to wait for our meal.
I took this opportunity to check the cleanliness of the restaurant, and I have to say that I was highly impressed. Even though the dinner rush had just swept through, the place was immaculate. I checked the kitchen where the floors, grills, and work areas were neat and clean (see posted picture); the dining area was free of spilled food and trash; and most importantly, the two unisex bathrooms were clean.
Bathrooms are my number one pet peeve in small establishments because the staff uses them and if they are dirty then the bacteria, viruses, and filth can easily be brought into the kitchen. The paper towel dispensers were the «pull from below» type (similar to antibacterial wipe dispensers), which means you don’t have to touch a lever to feed the towels. Additionally, there is a garbage can right next to the door so you can use the towel to unlock and open the door and then throw it away on your way out.
After a little while, our food was brought to us. A couple of small attention to details issues cropped up.
The first is picky. When the food was being put in the bag, some moisture or grease got on the bag and it started to quickly deteriorate. By the time we got home, the bag had a hole in it. It could have easily ripped leading to the food being dumped on the ground as we walked from the car. The food should have been put in a fresh bag.
The second issue is a little more serious. Understand that the hamburgers are not fully wrapped, so the bun, meat, and everything else is exposed. While the GF burger was put in its own bag, the fries that went with the GF burger were put into the bag with the regular hamburgers. Gluten contamination doesn’t stop with preparation – the fries for the GF burger should have been in the bag with the GF burger.
Even after the ride home, the food was hot (giving a nod to Rachel’s make-​it-​to-​order process). Everyone enjoyed the food and we will definitely be back. Even though there were a couple of issues with our experience, I think it has unseated Five Guys as my favorite local hamburger joint.

They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. From my loose understanding of Rachel’s story, it’s my impression that the goal was to create a tribute to the owners’ daughter’s favorite burger joint. Of course this is just hearsay. But it sounds like a nice story.
Regardless, Rachel’s has been on my radar for a while because, well, any time someone invokes the phrase «In-​n-​Out» my ears perk up. Consider me a cult devotee to California’s iconic drive-​in. And on top of community murmurs I picked up through the rails, I had been getting periodic compliments and Private Messages on Unilocal by random people I had never met before telling me I should go check this place out if I like In-​n-​Out. Spam? Simply honest, excited, unsolicited community recommendations? It can be such a gray area at times. But it made me want to visit anyway. So on an afternoon when I had to be way out west I decided to make a special stop.
The menu here has a familiarity to its simplicity. Hamburger, cheeseburger, double-​hamburger, double-​cheeseburger, and some hot dogs. There’s a ‘secret menu’ which, as far as I can tell, only has two options on it currently: ‘Chief Style’ and ‘Fire Chief Style’. The first will get you pickles, extra sauce and grilled onions. The second will get you Chief Style but with the addition of jalapeños. Since I only order two things at In-​n-​Out (grilled cheese animal style and double-​double animal style) I went for the closest match here: double cheeseburger — chief style. At $ 4.44 it’s definitely inexpensive. And for fresh, never-​frozen ingredients, that’s a great price.
Now I should stop here and say that I have come to a point (regardless of my past exploits) where I find it unfair to compare random burger places to In-​n-​Out. Most of them are not trying to be In-​n-​Out and in my opinion there is not one singular burger (some are gourmet, some are fast food, some are in between). But in this case it does seem suitable since they are obviously making a direct attempt at it.
How was the burger? Tasty. A greasy, tasty gut bomb of a burger. It has all of the components of an In-​n-​Out burger and does a fairly striking job of imitating the double-​double. The flavors are not quite the same (yes, I had In-​n-​Out twice last week, so I do have a pretty fresh memory) but they’re close. It’s the kind of thing that will take you 90% of the way back to In-​n-​Out, and that to me is pretty damn impressive. The bun needs to either be grilled more or something to protect against sogginess as about half way through my bun was not holding up. The onions could probably be grilled a little more. But really, I’m picking hairs here.
In the end it bombed my gut just the same as the double-​double does. The staff here is just as friendly (if not moreso) as the clean cut kids in the Cali counterpart, the restaurant is clean and has that 50’s drive in style to it (even if it is in a strip mall), and the ownership proudly uses fresh, and sometimes local, ingredients in everything. Props to that!
If you have a deep craving for In-​n-​Out and no impending trips to Cali planned, make the drive to Hillsboro and get yourself satisfied. Add in a grilled cheese option on the secret menu and maybe I’ll bring my vegetarian wife in here with me some day. But don’t count on it too often — this way too far from my hood, and my heart can only handle so many double burgers slathered in American cheese.

How can you not like Rachel’s? Let me tell you why I do:
1. The comparisons to In-​N-​Out are accurate. I’ve had more In-​N-​Out than I’d care to admit, and Rachel’s emulates their food flawlessly. And for what it’s worth, Rachel’s kicks Five Guys’ ass.
2. They use local ingredients from Tillamook cheese to Alpenrose dairy to local beef.
3. The place is spotless clean and cute.
4. Service is fast and the type of friendly you don’t find anymore.
5. Finally — a burger sauce that adds to the burger instead of takes away from it (are you listening McMenamins?!).
6. The story of how they came to be. You gotta love these folks, and can’t help but want them to succeed!
Their menu is simple. Their burgers are classic — the craziest topping you’ll find here is grilled onions (by request). Their fries are perfection, non-​greasy little nuggets of goodness. They may not do very many things, but what they do, they do it right. No, you won’t find a $ 0.99 value menu here, but you’re definitely getting what you pay for — local, fresh ingredients. Yes, the bun does get a bit soggy if you don’t dig in right away. But you’re supporting a local family business whose mission is to carry on the spirit of their daughter, Rachel, who loved a good burger. They also have gluten free choices. Great people, great food. What more could you want?!
Stop reading all the reviews — go try it for yourself! Check out their website to get a sneak-​peek at the menu and to read their story. You won’t be sorry.

My friends and I had this ongoing discussion (argument) about which US president would kick every other president’s ass:
«Duh, Andrew Jackson. The dude was almost killed by a guy, then he turned around and whooped his ass.»
«Yeah, but Teddy Roosevelt wasn’t just a hunter. He was a kick-​ass boxer. I bet he died with boxing gloves on.»
«Well, Lincoln was like 10 feet tall, so he could just stomp on everyone.»
As always, everyone’s logic was flawless.
When speaking about burgers, I’d have to say that Rachel’s would win any battle it could possibly find itself in. I just don’t know why anyone would want to battle Rachel’s. Their burgers win. Hands down. They’re amazing.
Everyone is looking for the Oregon In N Out.
As an In N Out addict, whose college had an In N Out on campus, I will say that this is the real deal. It’ll tide you over until you can get that Double-​Double action.
I have to do one better and tell you that I fully support the owners. This business is a memorial to their daughter, and an amazing memorial at that. She would LOVE this place.
Rachel’s mother was actually the one that took our order the second time we were here.
I’m incredibly thankful to her for opening this establishment, because every time I bite into one of their burgers, I feel like I’m at a better version of that place with the crossed palm trees and long line.
They have a drive-​thru if you’re escaping from your home only to eat Rachel’s and get back in your cave in a flash (been there, done that). I also ate here TWO DAYS IN A ROW. No joke. It was an episode of extreme craving that I MIGHT want to relive. Someday.
You’d better get in here before everyone discovers this place and they run out of food in a burgerocalypse, or at least before they get arrested for whooping every other burger place into oblivion.
Did I mention that it costs less than a fast food chain restaurant?
Oh, now I’ve really gone and done it.

Can you say «expansion?» Because that is what this place is going to have to do. Every time we are in it is standing room only nearly… I can’t believe how many huge parties go there!
I miss In n Out since I moved here, and not only are the burgers BETTER (and they’ll do it protein style if you ask) the shakes are amazing and the service CANNOT be beat. It’s wonderful to have them come by and just chat and be nice at your table!
My son says try the Tillamook cheese, but I haven’t yet, so I can’t tell you for sure. My husband and I seldom seem to agree on restaurants but we love this one!

I liked the burgers here. It is a very good try at being the closest thing to you-​know-​what.
I was going to rate the burger at 4 stars, but it gets too soggy too quickly. The special sauce and tomato just seeps through that bottom bun. They need to use the lettuce or toast the buns more to act as a barrier from that moisture. The sogginess of the burger drops it to 3 stars.
However, locally owned, friendly staff and owners, reasonably priced and fresh ingredients props it back up to a 4^th star. The fries are good and crispy. The fries are better than you-know-who’s. You just have to eat your burger inside of 5 minutes to get that 4 star burger experience.

I needed an idea for dinner and found this place due to Unilocal and figured I’d give it a try. This place is pretty new. I decided on a single combo meal for $ 5. I have to say it was worth it. The burger was tasty and a bit reminiscent of a old style diner burger. However, the burger was smaller than a diner. The patty was pretty thin, so I think you’d be safe ordering a double. The fries were great. They are shoestring style and were crispy and wonderful. You get plenty of fries with your meal.
My only complaint was the length of time to get my meal. The place wasn’t too busy and it took about 15 minutes. They only do burgers and hot dogs. They may have had a problem with their order system and they did apologize for taking so long, so that’s good. They also bring the order to the table by calling out your number. A little different, but it works.
If you’re in the area and you want better than the big chains, I think you will be pleased to go here. Not the best burger ever, but satisfying.

Yes. GO here.
The comparisons to In N’ Out will be, and should be, made. Clearly, in the menu and execution, that’s what Rachel’s is trying for, and they really do succeed. But that’s not why you should go there. You should go there because it is a great, simply made, classic burger with tasty, perfectly made fries. You should go there because the price is right — $ 6.49, I believe, for a double cheeseburger, fries and a drink. You should go there because it is a locally owned, clean, and comfortable place with 1950’s drive in flavor, because the staff is friendly and helpful, and because the owners come around and chat with you and sincerely want you to have a favorable experience.
Rachel’s does it right — give ‘em your business.

I’ve been hearing about this new place for since they opened a few months ago, and readers have encouraged me to check it out. Yesterday, I had my opporunity, as owners Dale and Rhoda invited Mrs. Burgerdogboy and I out for a lunch.
The Powlison’s have been selling their burgers at the Beaverton Farmer’s market for some time, to rave reviews. They thought it was time to move into the business full time, and they took the plunge, in a neat and tidy new location in a small strip mall at 2991 SE 73^rd Avenue, off TV Highway.
Some of the readers that have pushed me to get to Rachel’s have crowed about how much it is like a certain California-​based chain that has an almost ‘cult-​like’ following. That chain is known for their simple menu, made-​to-​order food, and a unique ‘off-​the-​menu’ ‘insiders’ way of ordering, as well.
I’ve been to that chain a number of times, and few people would argue it is the favorite of millions. Their expansion has been calculated and slow, and they don’t stray far from California.
It was Dale and Rhoda’s late daughter’s favorite fast food, and they named their restaurant as a tribute to here.
The first thing you will notice entering Rachel’s is that it is spotlessly clean. Approach the counter, and peruse the menu board, which is very straightforward and simple: single burgers, double burgers, fries, soft drinks, and shakes.
The emphasis is on hot, quality, fresh, cooked-​to-​order, and the prices are very reasonable. What does quality mean to mean? Fresh ground chuck patties from Fulton Provisions; shakes with Alpenrose ice cream; the availability of Tillamook cheddar; Kennebec potatoes for cut-​on-​the-​spot fries, the very same potato the California chain uses.
Burgers come with lettuce, tomato, onions, and signature sauce, with grilled onions and pickles available upon request.
The «off the menu» ordering includes the «Chief» burger, and the «Fire Chief»; I ordered the former, which is a cheeseburger, lightly seasoned, grilled with a mustard schmear, and I absolutely loved it.
Mrs. Burgerdogboy went with the standard single, and we had fries, which are crispy outside, and soft inside, and the milkshake Mrs. BDB had was divine. She barely left me have a taste!
In our work and lives, Mrs. BDB and I are all about supporting mom and pop enterprises, and Dale & Rhoda deserve your business, not only because they serve great product, but from the ingredient list above, you can tell they are all about supporting local businesses as well.
We loved our lunch at Rachel’s, and wish them all the success and prosperity their hard work and dedication deserves!
They are open Mon-​Sat from 11A-​9P.

10÷23÷11 Edit: Awarded the 5^th star. This place is my favorite «go-​to» for an outstanding cheeseburger.
I remember reading a few years ago that Rachel’s was only available at the Beaverton Farmer’s Market, and I thought that was a shame. The reviews for their burgers were impressive, and I’d hoped they would open a brick and mortar store. That time is here!
They’re in the same tiny strip mall that Lil’ Cooperstown is in right off of TV Highway, just west of Cornelius Pass road. They’re the first tenant to occupy this space, which has been vacant for years. I didn’t realize initially that there are 2 entrances to Rachel’s, one that takes you right to the cash wrap (under the big banner on the right in my «Front of building & drive-​thru» photo) and a 2^nd entrance off to the left, which takes you right into the dining room. The restaurant, being brand new, is absolutely spotless, and perhaps sparsely decorated. There’s a few diner-​esque elements, including the black/​white checkered floor and a few retro pictures on the wall. There’s a good amount of seating, and while I noticed there aren’t any booths, it didn’t matter.
The menu at Rachel’s is really simple. Burgers, hot dogs, fries, soda and shakes. There are 3 meal options, the most expensive of which is the «#1», which is a double cheeseburger, fries and a drink for 6 bucks and some change. Unlike Dave O., I found this entirely reasonable. One suggestion I have for Rachel’s: the meal deals are options listed as pictures below the LCD menu screens. The pictures are a bit hard to differentiate, and only after some scrutiny did I realize the difference between meal #1 and meal #2 was a single vs. double burger. I could literally not tell the difference between meal #2 and meal #3 except for price. If I’m missing something obvious, then my bad.
The food: the burger inspired waves of nostalgia for me. Ultimately, it was a distinct cross between the A&W burgers of old and Mike’s Drive-​In. Hot, well seasoned beef patties. Admittedly on the small side, which I’m perfectly fine with, as I don’t like to feel stuffed to the gills when I leave a restaurant. Crisp, fresh veggies and a tangy special sauce. Toward the end of the burger it started to fall apart a bit, but that’s not a strike against it in my opinion. Fries: ooohhhhh, the fries. LOVED them. Absolutely in love with the fries. They’re SIMPLE, okay? They’re reminiscent of McDonald’s fries, except better. No truffle oil, no goofy aioli, nothing fancy. Just skinny, hot, moderately crisp shoestring fries. My favorite. Soda: yep, there’s soda. Didn’t try a shake and probably never will. I’m not a huge fan of milkshakes. Blasphemy? *shrug*
I’m happy that they opened, and I wish them success. On future trips I’m going to try adding grilled onions and see if they’ll give me a side of their secret sauce for fry dipping. Outstanding!

UPDATED Review:
Rachel’s is a In n Out clone (secret menu and all)! For $ 6 you get a double double with fries and a drink! The only thing negative I «had» was this place was only open during the Beaverton Saturday Market. That has since changed (8−15−11)! They’ve now opened a brick n’ mortar location in Hillsboro right off TV HWY! For those of you looking for the classic double double taste, look no further! Great Food, Great service. Spread the word! Oregon finally has it’s own In n Out and it’s Rachel’s Classic Burgers!