The old Terrace drive in originally opened Monday, December 17, 1951 and
would become a part of Texas City history.
Opened by Joe and Rosalle Gulotta, the Terrace Drive-In featured foot-long
coneys for 50 cents, foot long hot dogs for 45 cents, as well as delicious
sandwiches of all kinds, fried chicken-in-a-basket, fried shrimp-in-a-basket,
and even cold beer - plus your favorite brand of free Ice Cream "for the
Kiddies".
In February 1981, an article was written by Fred Dare of the Daily Sun Reporter about the still-operational Terrace Drive-In:
Texas City - The old "gang" got one more chance to cruise the drive-in -- only this time it was for the television camera filming the "Eyes of Texas" show.
Bill Springer, cameraman and producer of the segment, says the Terrace Drive-in is one of the oldest in the State of Texas still in use.
Old cars out of the fifties, cruised into and around the Terrace, and drivers, slightly more mature than they were then, gave orders to car hops just like the old days. "It's just like it used to be back in the 50's," Joe Gulotta, one off[sic] the owners, said. "On football nights we needed a traffic cop it got so crowded."
Rows of cars onto the street appeared again as vintage cars lined up for the first "dragging the Terrace" that wasn't frowned on by the police. One-by-one they filed off into the street past Stringer's camera. According to Springer, it isn't known yet on what show the segment will appear, but, he says it will air around the first of March. The show runs on Saturday evening on channel two.
Most of the people who showed up at the Terrace wednesday were old customers, Gulotta said. "They grew up here and they hung out here. Now they're businessmen and successful in there[sic] own way," he said.
Terraza Mexican Bar and Grill may not be a drive-in, but it is a local favorite in Texas City that aims to follow in the same spirit as the old Drive-In. We at Terraza aim to provide fast, efficient, courteous and clean service in an environment where you can bring the kids along.
So come on by and visit the location of the old Terrace Drive-In, take a look at the old newspaper articles that hark from the time the old Drive-In was bustling with locals, and stay to enjoy some of our delicious Mexican dishes!
