McMinnville had a zoo! No, not that one that used to be down at Lower City Park over 100 years ago. I’m talking about the sort of zoo that you can order at hamburger at and is called Alf’s.

Located in south McMinnville on the doorstep to Linfield University at 1250 SW Baker St, Alf’s opened as a drive-In hamburger joint in the 1950’s. But it wasn’t until 1989 that Terrie, then a new owner, decided to add a primate to the team.

Fast forward three monkeys (Herbie, Maynard, and of course, Elvis ), 30 years, and a pandemic, and you’ll get to a year that changed it all for Alf’s: 2020. That was the year that Elvis, a capuchin monkey and the third primate-in-residence of Alf’s of McMinnville, retired for good due to USDA regulations, according to staff. (So, that means the retirement isn’t brand new. Rather, this is more an explanation of why he’s not been seen in years.)

But, don’t despair; according to staff, Elvis is living the good life that all retired monkey’s dream about. And this Valentine’s Day, Feb 14th, 2025, will mark Elvis’s 25th birthday! So, if you grew up checking out the monkey in a cage while eating a hamburger in Mac, maybe on this upcoming day of romance you could share a banana with your special someone in honor of Elvis’s expulsion through a non-human sphincter.

Even without the monkey, Alf’s is a time capsule that can bring you back to a loving and tender moment of your childhood that’s been long forgotten. Decorated as a drive-in of yesteryear (that, btw, also make their own delicious ice cream), the courteous staff, the monkey motif, and the food, are all uniquely McMinnville.

-Andrew Brunello