Restaurants

(Updated on Sept. 15, 2024)

If you see any updates that are needed on the Route 66 restaurants listing, email me at route66newssite(at)gmail(dot)com.

Illinois

Missouri

Kansas

Oklahoma

Texas

New Mexico

Arizona

California

48 thoughts on “Restaurants”

  1. In Cuba, Missouri there is a Rt. 66 Cafe on the middle of tthe historic district on Rt. 66. It is in a small diner in a ceramic block building.

  3. We are planning to drive Rt 66 from Barstow this week to Rt 95 in California, then up to Las Vegas

    Anyplace on the web that gives us a set of directions from Barstow onward?/
    thanks

  5. Metro Diner in Tulsa, OK, closed a couple of months ago. The University of Tulsa is expanding its campus, and Metro was in its path. The building is being razed at this time.

  6. there is a new Restaraunt in Catoosa,Oklahoma .One block N of blue Whale.The name is
    Gin”s Apple Dumplin’
    Excellent home style fixin’s from scratch.
    918-266-4414
    virginia mccrary
    1/24/2007

  10. Number 2 is wrong. To drive on route 66 is the most exciting experience you can have. You are always occupied there, you can never have nothing to do. It is like impossible!! Jamahama needs a life!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  11. Randy’s of Wildorado in Texas has closed and they are going to open a restaurant in downtown Amarillo.

  13. As a So Cal resident, I was a little suprised to see Red Hill Coffee Shop listed in Fontana. I was not aware of another one available in that area, but am aware of the RHCS on Route 66 in Rancho Cucamonga which I believe was the original and has been around forever. But I didn’t see that one listed. Just thought you’d want to know.

  15. We’re from Whittier, California and stayed in Williams AZ earlier this month, for their famous Grand Canyon Railway, which we loved. Thanks to the familiarity from the Cars movie, our three children really loved walking Historic Route 66 with us. We checked out their restaurants (Twisters was really yummy!) and shops.

    Really we just planned to visit Williams because of the Railway and found a Marriott there, so it was a pleasant surprise to enjoy learning about the history of Route 66 and that town. We had a delightful experience and picked up quite a few Route 66 gifts.

  16. I’m sad to announce that Scampi in Pasadena has closed its doors. It was pretty pricey for its location, and I’m sure that did it in. Which is too bad, because if ever there was a place for a $125 dinner for two, this was it.

  17. Rod’s Grill in Arcadia and Irv’s Burgers in West Hollywood, too, should get mention. Both are landmarks recently spared the wrecking ball, partially in response to Route 66 activism.

  19. I am planning a big Route 66 trip in 2008.
    I can take up to 2 months to go from Chicago to LA.
    Just wondering which two months I should do this in?
    Any suggestions based on three things:
    Best overall weather.
    Best times for festivals, and events along the way.
    Best times for blooming southwestern plants.

  20. While traveling on RT66 through Kingman to California I came accross this restaurant in by the Kingman Air Park call Cowboy’s Cafe, I have to say it had the best food I have ever had, really did not expect much, but I RECOMEND it to anyone. A++ in my book

  21. John, I’d say do it soon–maybe May at the latest — unless you like (a) hot weather and (b) tourists. True, the current price of gas may slow down this year’s tourist business, but the big sites such as the Grand Canyon and Petrified Forest get mobbed by June and its hot out there.

    ALSO…while it is a bit off the 66 path, anyone who takes this trip w/o spending a day to go up to Monument Valley and through the Navajo Nation is really missing something very, very special. John Ford and John Wayne knew what they were doing, but as great as those old movies were, the scenery has to be SEEN to be appreciated.

    As for the festivals, you can of course check with Chambers of Commerce of the 66 towns, but for blooming desert plants, you have to get lucky. They can range from NOW (I’m writing this on March 31, 2008) through May depending on the local water conditions, but they are very fleeting…the desert wildflowers are spectacular but can bloom and vanish within a week or two at most.

    GENERAL stuff for foodies—when in Williams, do not miss the Pine Tree Cafe, a simple, basic All-American menu with some Mexican accents right in the heart of Williams across the tracks from the Grand Canyon RR terminal. And save room for their amazingly huge and delicious home-made pies! WOW are they good.

    Williams, of course, has a unique distinction for 66’ers–it is literally where the Mother Road DIED–because the town fought via lawsuit to make sure they wouldn’t die with it and to lobby to get THREE offramps, one at either end and one in the middle of town, to/from I-40. That fighting delayed the bypass of 66 by the Interstate at Williams by many months and made it the last stretch to be left behind by “progress.”

  22. Two more notes about places on the list: The Beaver St. Brewery in Flagstaff is not only the home of some of the very best micro-brewed beer on the route but some REALLY good food, too. Try their all-American take on a classic cheese fondue with veggies as well as bread to dip as a starter. Yummy!

    And for AMAZING food, The Turquoise Room at the La Posada in Winslow is superb. The link above is wrong, btw. Its http://www.TheTurquoiseRoom.net for the restaurant’s site–go read the menus and see if you can resist it. All meals are great but do not miss BREAKFAST where the classic “baked eggs” dishes, especially one called “The Corn Maiden’s Delight”, are the best way to start the day anywhere in the southwest. The La Posada Hotel is fun, too–we’ve stayed there often in the “Howard Hughes Room” which has a fireplace and is where Hughes stayed when stopping over back when he owned TWA and it used Winslow as a cross-continent refueling point. Other rooms feature famous former guests too, including lots of movie stars and, believe it or not, Albert Einstein!

  23. Now here’s a funny thing. Just goes to show you how DUMB computers can be. I happened to be scanning through some of the places above, and specifically in Needles, California which I drive through from time to time. So I go to a link above which is a Google map page pointer at the restaurant…but the “sponsored links” on the page which are supposed to intuit what I’m looking for and put the sponsor’s message in front of me based on the query made a TEENSY mistake….and a funny one.

    The town of “Needles” was named because the early settlers said the sun was as painful as needles…but GOOGLE is taking them a bit more literally than intended. ALL of the “sponsored links” were for various outfits offering discount purchases of NEEDLES AND SYRINGES for injecting medicine/insulin! Yeah, how about a burger…and a nice shot of dope? No, thanks! But funny, huh?

  24. A note about the Buffalo Grill in Williams, AZ. They have the coolest swinging tables on their patio. They seat up to 4 and have cup holders for your drinks. There is a children’s menu and they grill your steak or burger right out on the patio for you. My son, who does not easily sit still, was fascinated. The staff was fun-loving and the food was good grill fare.

  25. Hi, We are some Norwegians planning a trip along Route 66 next year by Motorcucle (HArley ofc.) And i wonder what a person should have as a budget for food pr. day?

    I have no clue about the prices over there, but i recon we eat at diners along the way and no camp cooking. Anyone have an idea?

  26. Al’s Route 66 Cafe closed in August 2008, but has reopened as Granny’s on Route 66. The chicken fried steak with fresh mashed potatoes, cream gravy, okra and a homemade roll will leave you wondering where they got your family recipe from.

  27. Jamahama is seriously retarded! how could he/she say that, Route 66 is legendary!!!!! gosh, GO to the place first before saying anything negative like that

  28. Hello, Next year theme at our school is destination…education route 66. I would like to decorate the school kitchen and cafeteria with diners or food along route 66. does any one have some good cheap ideas.

  29. Pauline’s Buffett in Catoosa, OK has been razed: more room for the Cherokee Casino complex.

  30. We just opened a great little coffee shop right behind the Route 66 Museum in Pontiac, Il named “The Comity Buzz”. It’s the only real coffee house for 40 miles in any direction and has already gotten compliments on “the best espresso in the US so far” from our international visitors. Can you please add it to your listing?

  31. Is the Silver Spoon cafe still there in Kingman, had some great breakfasts there during my 66 road trip in 2004.

  32. Hi guys
    Just wanted to let you all know 4 Women will be open Apirl 1st can,t wait to see all our friends on the Rt…and Iam so excited to have the Rt 66 Fest in our own backyard …right down the street at Downstream Resort in Ok…with Joplin and Miami being so close there is going to be so much to see in just 4 days…see you all soon

  33. it is surely a good effort to promote rv camping and the route 66. as i always took the route 99 for my camping destinations, but as an informative post, it indulge me to took route 66 as my next camping route.

  36. There is a new restaurant in Clinton Oklahoma across the street west of where Pop Hicks Reaturant was, which burned down. It is called Gayla’s, owned and run by Gayla Janning. Excellent food and service at very reasonable prices. It is located in the old Jack Dorsey Fruit Market and they kept as much of the old as possible, including the Dorsey sign out front.

  37. Ron:

    I just took another look at this list, which I have from time-to-time in the past, and I was wondering if there is a reason you did not have The Berghoff in Chicago? Carlyn Berghoff has been running it since about 2 months after her parents retired.
    Also, you have the Maid-Rite in Rolla and you say it is the only one on Route 66. Actually, there is one in Normal Illinois as well. It’s official address is 304 N. Main Street, but it actually faces Willow Street.

    1. I think I took the Berghoff off when its future was uncertain after its closure. I’ll rectify that.

      And thanks for the tip about Maid-Rite …. Another publication had referred the Rolla restaurant as the only one on Route 66, but I don’t remember which one.

  38. Thank you Ron Warnick for the piece on the Lake City Diner in Santa Rosa, NM. As the new owners Rhonda and I feel fortunate to have a Route-side business in a historic building among many of you who share the route with us. Good Luck to all of you!
    We would also like to know what the criteria is for listing us in your Restaurant list for New Mexico.

  39. Great blog right here! Additionally your web site rather a lot up fast! What web host are you the usage of? Can I get your associate link in your host? I wish my website loaded up as fast as yours lol

Comments are closed.