Restaurants

The Galley Boy on the go: Swenson’s is now open in Boardman, the first in the Valley

By Mahoning Matters staff
Boardman’s new Swenson’s restaurant is at 1247 Boardman Poland Road, next to Texas Roadhouse, where Nicolinni’s used to be.
Boardman’s new Swenson’s restaurant is at 1247 Boardman Poland Road, next to Texas Roadhouse, where Nicolinni’s used to be. (Swenson's Drive-In Restaurant)

Boardman’s new Swenson’s Drive-In Restaurant is now open at 1247 Boardman Poland Road, the company announced in a news release Monday.

The Mahoning Valley’s first Swenson’s location, just off Interstate 680 by Texas Roadhouse — formerly Nicolinni’s Ristorante, which closed last year — opened “to a full parking lot” on Monday, according to the release. It’s the Akron-based burger chain’s 19th location.

Valley residents got the first bite during three days of pre-opening events last week, which included fundraisers that brought in $4,000 for Boardman and Poland student athletics.

“From the moment we broke ground, the energy in Boardman has been incredible; it feels like home,” Swenson’s CEO Jeff Flowers is quoted in the release.

The store’s hours are from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and from 11 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Shown here is Swenson’s signature double cheeseburger the Galley Boy. The Akron-based chain was named “Ohio’s Best Burger” by Reader’s Digest.
Shown here is Swenson’s signature double cheeseburger the Galley Boy. The Akron-based chain was named “Ohio’s Best Burger” by Reader’s Digest. (Swenson's Drive-In Restaurant)

“Swenson’s sold its first burger in 1934 when Wesley T. ‘Pop’ Swenson began serving customers out of the back of his family station wagon,” reads the release. “The operation soon moved to a single hamburger stand where Swenson’s embraced the drive-in model. Nearly 90 years later, the Swenson’s experience remains essentially unchanged.”

Swenson’s was named “Ohio’s Best Burger” by Reader’s Digest in June 2022. Its signature double cheeseburger is called the Galley Boy. It also offers fried bologna sandwiches and a meatless burger, the Salad Boy.

Swenson’s locations don’t offer dine-in space, rather its fast-moving employees — often local college students — speed meals to customers’ cars. Here’s curb server Chase Harbaugh, a Youngstown State University track athlete:

@swensonsdrivein If you look close enough, you can see the Flash in the second shot. ️ #swensons #trackstar #ohio ♬ ice on my baby - ✿