The Red Horse Drive In is a half mile and 60 years off I-90 in Ellensburg, Washington. The best part of the place is the 1930’s era gas station, which is as spit-shined clean as an army officer’s dress boots.

It’s equal part business and labor of love for owner Bruce Crossett. From I-90, a motorist can easily find the place by exiting the west Ellensburg entrance of Interstate 90 at exit 106. Two minutes later they’re there. Trouble is, not a whole lot of people know about the place except locals, and even they don’t know a lot about it. “The Ellensburg newspaper has never even done a story,” said Crossett, who earns his main paycheck from the used car lot next door and plows back profits into his gas station/cafe.


The cafe offers yummy burgers and other roadside fare. I opted for a Rumble Seat -- the basic burger, at only $4.95. I’d give it B-plus grade for rural cafe burgers -- excellent but not the ultimate. If I were hungrier I may have gone for the “Dead Man’s Curve” for two dollars more. Milk shakes are $3, a bargain these days.

If you want to learn more about the Red Horse Drive-In, call Bruce at 509-925-1764. Or stop by: Ellensburg is on the eastern edge of the Cascade mountains about 100 miles east of Seattle.