One of my current goals is to try to experience all of the drive-in theaters in the vicinity of Manhattan. I know…I have really lofty aspirations these days 😂.. It wasn’t easy to find a last minute, kid friendly movie that wasn’t yet sold out, so we decided to revisit the site of our first al fresco theater experience: Four Brothers Restaurant and Drive-In. In the end, we had a great time! (Also, it was good to return, so i could refresh my memory for a blog post.)
Any good eats?
At this drive-in, there are a few choices for food: you can order car-hop service or pick up online, or you can go to the sit-down restaurant. We were starving when we arrived and we knew from experience that the food was pretty good, so we grabbed a table as soon as we got there. I am happy to report that the food was tasty once again. They have a nice outdoor patio with plenty of social distancing, and the wait staff wore face coverings.
There happened to be live music this time. The artist played mostly classic rock tunes, but he also added some BeeGees and Shaggy into the mix. Unfortunately, IMHO, most of the play list was not exactly dining music. Also it was super loud (perhaps to compete with the ambient music piped out by speakers from the main dining room?). Overall, I found the music to be at odds with the mellow atmosphere…it would’ve been better suited for a crowded bar setting.
And dessert?
So the restaurant is famous for their ice cream shakes. Since I didn’t have one last time, I was eager to try it this time. I just gotta say that my soft-serve chocolate with added Nutella treat was absolutely spectacular! Sorry…I forgot to take a photo ☹️.
What’s the setting?
This drive-in is vastly different from the Skyline in Brooklyn that I wrote about recently. It is located in a very rural area…REAL country. I’m talking, the crickets drowned out the sound of the movie at times (when we weren’t listening to the car radio). That’s ok though, because the diversion of watching gigantic fireflies light up the night sky pleased this city girl.
Oh…I forgot to mention the decor…! You can find touches of fun nostalgia in every corner !
AND: There’s tons of extras to be found! For example, there’s mini golf, lawn games, a small playground for young kids, a pavillion with a fire pit and porch swings! SO MUCH FUN!
Where is this place?!
The Four Brothers Restaurant and Drive-In is in Amenia, NY. You must make a commitment to go there, because if you leave during rush hour, it takes nearly two hours from the UWS in Manhattan. If it’s too far, you could always book a night or two in Hotel Carvana, an adorable mobile home on the property (see lower right photo in the collage above). If you do decide to venture there, try to take the highway home, or you might run into a roadblock like this:
What’s the Bottom Line?
GO! We had great experiences both times we visited The Four Brothers Restaurant and Drive-In!
If you enjoyed reading about our adventures at the Four Brothers Restaurant and Drive-In, here are some other COVID Era posts you might like:
- Social distancing with kids at The Storm King Arts Center
- Six Flags Animal Safari Drive-Through
- The Emotional Onslaught of COVID
- The Early Days of COVID With Kids
- A Visit to Little Italy