“The sign said Triple X but they were talking ‘bout rootbeer,” Isaac Brock imparts in the Modest Mouse song “All Night Diner.” It’s one of my favorites from the Issaquah-originated group, who’ve long since outgrown their roots. But, you can still get a taste of where they came up—literally—at the XXX Rootbeer Drive-In that Brock speaks of in the song. Founded in 1930, the triple X isn’t technically All Night (it closes around 8:30 p.m.) and doesn’t stand for a dirty rating: it’s an untouched piece of history, amidst a sea of Krispy Kremes, Home Depots and Costcos. Come hungry: their burgers (the Incredible XXX Burger is so big, it’s hard to hold with two hands), sandwiches (the Cameo 55, a chicken and cheese Philly, comes with pineapple chunks!), milkshakes (add peanut butter to the banana chocolate flavor) and pretty much everything else on the menu is big enough to split. Head out on Saturday nights for their Cruz-Ins that give folks who spend long hours polishing their classic cars a chance to show off their grills—the G-rated kind.

Sept. 5-11