Hamburger Choo Choo?

[Nasus]

While surfing the web I read someones blog describing a place once called Hamburger Choo Choo? Anyone every hear of it? Ill post some of the blog.

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There was a great little Hamburger Choo-Choo located
in Hewlett, Long Island, they also made a great coffe
freeze, are you familiar with that location?

Hamburger Choo Choo was my favorite place when I was little too, But you had to sit at the counter. Otherwise, it was just like any other hamburger joint. My mom, used to take me after my ballet lessons.

This is YEARS late in coming, but the place referred to in the earliest post was called the "Hamburger Local" run by an African-American gentleman, Mr. Wilson, in Hewlett, N.Y.
Your burgers and fries arrived in front of you on a toy railroad track that wound around the dining room. They were awesome, with a very steaky taste that was curiously light rather than dense, and the only similar tasting burgers I've ever had since then (the 1960s) are made by the Wisconsin-based Culver's chain called "butterburgers" (the roll is buttered, there's no butter in the burger itself).
But what I most remember about the Hamburger Local were those delicious "orangeades" the Wilson family used to serve. The owners had a huge, glass-front bin of oranges in front, and they would cut and pulp them fresh for each "ade," always putting a marischino cherry in.
To this day, whenever I order a screwdriver, I ask the bartender to put a cherry in it, my silly but sincere homage to a truly cherished childhood restaurant memory.
God bless you and keep you, Mr. Wilson.

In Huntington — aka "the Paris of all suburbs" — Hamburger Choo Choo was one of the top three tourist attractions, along with the Columbus statue and the two-headed cat at Snyder's. The cat, too, is greatly missed.

[Merlin]

Hmmmn Since I live right around there I should ask around.

[DOC]

THE ONLY HAMBURGER CHOO-CHOO I REMEMBER WAS THE ONE ON 25A (MAIN STREET) IN HUNTINGTON. IF YOU SAT AT THE COUNTER, YOUR ORDER WOULD ARRIVE BY TRAIN FROM THE GRILL EXPRESS!

[Curly]

I wonder if that two headed cat is still around? ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[Nasus]

We were deprived Richit and Curly..........we never got burgers served to us on a train. :'(

[Nasus]

**Found on a message board:

hamburger choo choo was my dad's restaurant in the mid 1960s, i worked there behind the counter with freddy, billy, kurt, walter and the rest. it was a great place to watch the parade from the roof, also i remember in the great blackout of 1964 we were able to cook burgers on the gas grill, using citronella candles for lighting. the kids from centerport picked up the bus outside, so i got to know loads of them that way.


it was the most expensive burger in town at 55 cents but worth every penny. i still know the recipe.


For a while, there was an ice cream kind of place (Swenson's) that did keep the choo choo, but then it closed and now I am not sure what is there. It changes very often.


Swainson's kept the track - but the next restaurant (La Kuchina - sp?) got rid of it. I doubt the owner of Tomo Hibachi even knew about its history when he bought it (though i'm sure someone has mentioned it by now).

[lubby]

[jiml]

In Glen Oaks on Union Turnpike there was a restaurant called the Hamburger Coach. Same idea the burgers would come out on a train. I made my dad take me there as many times as possible.