Idaho’s Bucket-List Fast Food Spot is Among the Best in America

One of the best things about traveling is getting to discover special little restaurants that specialize in delivering incredibly tasty foods and doing it quickly. If they do it right, you’ll be dreaming about those foods for years to come! 

Case in point? Last year, we took a quick trip to Philadelphia to meet cast members from our favorite TV show at a comic con. You can’t go to Philly without trying an authentic Philly Cheesesteak…or two. At Passyunk Ave and S 9th Street, there are TWO cheesesteak restaurants claiming to serve the BEST sandwich in town and they make it easy for you to be the judge.

READ MORE: 10 of the Most Outrageous Burgers You'll Find Around Boise

Both Geno’s Steaks and Pat’s King of Steaks are no-frills, walk up restaurants with picnic tables outside. Both put a sandwich in our hands in a matter of minutes and we were off to the Garage bar to judge for ourselves. Geno reigned supreme. I went back for seconds. That sandwich was so perfect that it’s crossed my mind so many times over the past year. 

Idaho’s Best Bucket-List Fast Food Spot is Among the Best in America

If that sort of fast food experience could leave such an impression on me, it begs the question “what fast food restaurant leaves that sort of impression on people when they visit Idaho?” 

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Lovefood may have found that answer! The popular foodie block put together a list titled  “The Bucket List Fast Food Spot in Every State for a Tasty Treat.” What’s unique about this list is that they didn’t consider your typical fast food chains like McDonald’s, Burger King and Wendy’s. They honed in on locally owned, hidden-fast food gems. 

So what is Idaho’s equivalent of Geno’s? According to Lovefood, Idaho’s “bucket-list fast food restaurant” is in Lewiston. They handed the award to Effies Tavern at 1120 Main Street. According to a post in a popular Facebook group called “American Saloons, Bars & Taverns” the restaurant has been open since 1967 and one of the servers named Lillian has worked there for 34 years!

The post, which was made in November 2024, unexpectedly went viral. It ended up with more than 3,400 likes or loves and 330 comments. Facebook user, Randee McCollum, popped into the conversation to thank the group for the shoutout. She says they now make their buns fresh in house daily and have been known to shape and press up to 100 of the one-pound patties a day! 

Those burgers are what got Lovefood’s attention. In putting Effies on the list, they said: 

At this little hole-in-the-wall restaurant, you'll find some of the biggest burgers you've ever seen – including a gargantuan eight-inch, one-pound patty that even those with the biggest of appetites will struggle to finish. If that sounds like too much, the wickedly tasty burgers are also available in more manageable half portions. Be sure to order some crispy finger steaks on the side.