One of the questions we get asked the most after spending more than three months traveling Route 66 is, “What was your favorite part?” Josh never hesitates with his answer: the diners.
Sure, the roadside attractions, quirky museums, and historic landmarks are what draw most people to the Mother Road, but some of our favorite memories happened around restaurant tables. We met friendly owners who were eager to share stories, chatted with locals who pointed us toward hidden gems, and ate everything from legendary burgers and homemade pie to regional specialties we had never tried before. Some of our favorite Route 66 restaurants are famous roadside institutions that have barely changed in decades, while others are fun, colorful, and delightfully kitschy.
Narrowing this list down wasn’t easy. We visited more than 30 places to eat on Route 66, and there are still plenty of restaurants we never had the chance to try. But these are the spots that stood out the most during our trip and the ones we’d happily return to.
Whether you’re planning the entire Mother Road or just looking for great places to eat on Route 66 during a section of your trip, this guide shares 30 of our favorite Route 66 restaurants from Chicago to Santa Monica.
1. Rich & Creamy, Joliet, IL
920 N Broadway St, Joliet, IL 60435
https://www.facebook.com/richandcreamyonroute66/
This little ice-cream stand on Route 66 has been around since the 1970’s, although the building itself is actually from the ’50s. Rich & Creamy is open seasonally, and was a perfect stop on our very hot day in Joliet. Our favorite thing we got was my freeze, which is a mix of slushy and soft serve blended together.
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What we ate: watermelon freeze (Jen), chocolate shake (Josh)
2. Bob & Ringo’s Grill & Smokehouse, Pontiac, IL
223 W Madison St, Pontiac, IL 61764
https://bobandringossmokehouse.com/
Bob & Ringo’s is a newer restaurant that just opened back in 2021, but is definitely a great addition to Pontiac. We visited while doing the Illinois section of Route 66 with our friend Erica and got a few things to share and try. Everything we had was delicious!
What we ate: pulled pork sandwich, blackened chicken quesadilla (Josh and our friend Erica split), chicken Caesar salad (Jen), firecrackers (shared appetizer)
3. Cozy Dog Drive In, Springfield, IL
2935 S 6th St, Springfield, IL 62703
https://www.cozydogdrivein.com/
Cozy Dog is definitely one of the more famous restaurants on Route 66, since they invented the corn dog on a stick! Corn dogs already existed, but Cozy Dog co-founder Ed Waldmire, Jr. was the one to innovate frying them on a stick.
What we ate: cozy dog & fries (everyone)
4. Maid-Rite, Springfield, IL
118 N Pasfield St, Springfield, IL 62702
https://www.maid-rite.com/
Another historic restaurant in Springfield, IL is Maid-Rite Sandwich Shop. This franchise started back in 1926 and claims to be the first drive thru restaurant in the US. They’re famous for their loose meat burgers, which is what we had this time, but next time we would definitely get one of the locally famous horseshoes instead.
What we ate: Maid-Rite with cheese (both)
5. Docs Just Off 66, Girard, IL
133 S 2nd St, Girard, IL 62640
https://docsjustoff66.com/
Docs Just Off 66 is housed in the former Decks drugstore, which opened in 1884. There’s still a lot of the original finishes left in the building, including the originally soda fountain. You can either sit at the fountain counter for ice-cream, the full service bar, or grab a table for a sit down meal.
What we ate: chicken salad sandwich (Jen), swiss burger (Josh)
6. Steak and Shake, Springfield, MO
1158 E. St. Louis Street
https://www.steaknshake.com/locations/mo-springfield-st-louis-street/
We very specifially ate at the E. St. Louis Street location because it’s a 1962 vintage Steak and Shake that is well preserved. The classic diner and vintage sign are exactly what we were looking for on Route 66.
What we ate: garlic double steakburger & fries (both)
7. Springfield BrewCo, Springfield, MO
305 S Market Ave, Springfield, MO 65806
https://springfieldbrewingco.com/
I’ll be honest and say that we found Springfield BrewCo overpriced for what it was, but we stilled enjoyed our food and beers. We had to get the Springfield-style cashew chicken here to try it. This dish was created in 1963 by David Leong, a Chinese immigrant who ran a restaurant in Springfield, and is still a local favorite.
What we ate: cashew chicken, figgy piggy pizza (split both)
8. Bricks & Brews, Baxter Springs, KS
1531 Military Ave, Baxter Springs, KS 66713
https://www.facebook.com/bricksandbrewswoodfire/
We visited Bricks & Brews on a Tuesday, which is when they do a $10 all you can eat wood-fired pizza buffet. It’s an amazing deal, and all their pizzas were so good. It was hard to leave because we wanted to keep hanging out to see what toppings would be up next.
What we ate: wood-fired pizza buffet
9. Kicks Bar and Grill, Galena, KS
202 W 7th St, Galena, KS 66739
https://www.facebook.com/p/Kicks-Bar-and-Grill-on-Route-66-61568492858278/
Josh wanted to try to find cheese curds in every state to compare, and the only Kansas ones we found on Route 66 were at Kicks. Everything was pretty basic bar food, but the service was great and the locals were so friendly, which earns it a spot on our list!
What we ate: cheese curds & pepperoni pizza (shared)
10. Dairy King, Commerce, OK
100 N Main St, Commerce, OK 74339
https://www.facebook.com/p/Dairy-king-100063452688281/
Our visit to Dairy King really exemplified why we love Route 66. As soon as we walked in, we were greeted by the owners- a mother & son duo who have been running it for over 40 years. As the mom made our shakes in the back, the son pulled out a photo album to tell us about the history of the restaurant and it was such a cool experience- plus the shakes were great, too!
What we ate: chocolate shake (Josh), vanilla shake (Jen)
11. Hi-Way Cafe, Vinita, OK
437918 US-60, Vinita, OK 74301
https://hi-waycafe.com/
Besides being a great classic diner, Hi-Way Cafe is also a Guinness World Record holder! In 2022 they gained the record for “most stickers on a car” and you can see the car & watch a video of the record being made in the back room of the cafe.
What we ate: french toast (Jen), eggs, hashbrowns, & biscuits and gravy (Josh)
12. Tally’s Good Food Cafe, Tulsa, OK
1102 S Yale Ave, Tulsa, OK 74112
https://tallyscafe.com/
Owner Tally Alame immigrated to Tulsa from Lebanon in the late 1970s and spent years working in local restaurants. In 1987 he bought the Route 66 restaurant Mark and Mary’s, which was for sale, and turned it into a vintage themed diner. The decor here is so fun, and they’re famous for their chicken fried steak.
What we ate: chicken fried steak sandwich, burger with onions & bbq sauce (split both)
13. Guthrie Brewing Company, Guthrie, OK
110 W Harrison Ave, Guthrie, OK 73044
https://guthriebrewco.com/
We had been to Guthrie Brewing Company once before and fell in love with the chicken & waffles pizza, so we knew we had to go back for it. Guthrie isn’t actually on Route 66, but is definitely worth the short detour. It’s a neat town in general with a lot of cool historic architecture.
What we ate: chicken & waffles pizza
14. Chicken Shack, Arcadia, OK
212 OK-66, Arcadia, OK 73007
https://eatatchickenshack.com/arcadia
Chicken shack’s original location is right down the street from Arcadia’s iconic round barn. They’re famous for their broasted chicken, so of course we had to try that!
What we ate: broiled pork bites, broiled chicken (shared)
15. Big Texan Steak Ranch, Amarillo, OK
7701 I-40, Amarillo, TX 79118
https://bigtexan.com/
We’ve actually eaten at Big Texan three times now. They’re famous for their 72 ounce steak challenge: if you can eat all 72 ounces and sides in one hour, it’s free! We have not tried the challenge, but it is fun watching others try it.
What we ate: smoked brisket sandwich (Jen), various steaks (Josh different trips)
16. GoldenLight Cafe, Amarillo, OK
2906 SW 6th Ave, Amarillo, TX 79106
https://goldenlightcafe.com/
GoldenLight is one of my very top favorite spots we ate at on Route 66. It’s a total hole in the wall dive, with amazing food and super friendly staff. It was started in 1946, making it the oldest restaurant in Amarillo and possibly the oldest restaurant continuously operating in the same location on Route 66. The food is super affordable and I can’t say enough good things about it. They had the most perfect hand cut fries I’ve ever eaten.
What we ate: Corbin’s Harley burger (Jen), chili (Josh), Angela’s Bacon Cheeseburger (Josh)
17. Midpoint Cafe, Adrian, OK
305 Historic Rte 66, Adrian, TX 79001
https://www.facebook.com/MidpointCafe/
As the name implies, the MidPoint Cafe is located at the official midpoint of Route 66. I had the best breakfast sandwich I’ve ever eaten here.
What we ate: hearty breakfast sandwich (Jen), midpoint breakfast (Josh), Tennessee whiskey pecan pie (to go)
18. Harry’s Roadhouse, Santa Fe, NM
96 B Old Las Vegas Hwy, Santa Fe, NM 87505
https://www.harrysroadhouse.com/
When making dinner plans with our friends that live in Santa Fe, we told them to pick a local favorite place for us to try. They go to Harry’s Roadhouse a lot, so chose it, and it was amazing. They’re known for the changing specials that feature all different kinds of cuisine, and our friends said everything they’ve ever gotten there has been good. We ended up with dishes off the regular menu, and both were amazing.
What we ate: smothered burrito (Josh), wild mushroom pizza with proscuitto (Jen)
19. Root Beer Stand, Winslow, AZ
1001 N Williamson Ave, Winslow, AZ 86047
https://www.facebook.com/p/The-Root-Beer-Stand-100063562867514/
I first saw Root Beer Stand on Google Maps and the name made me giggle, but then we saw it featured on an episode of HGTV’s Hometown Kickstart where they gave it a makeover. We just got ice-cream, but they do also sell food.
What we ate: chocolate shake (Josh), root beer float (Jen)
20. Mother Road Brewing, Flagstaff, AZ
7 S Mikes Pike, Flagstaff, AZ 86001
https://www.motherroadbeer.com/
Mother Road Brewing is located directly on Route 66 in Flagstaff and usually has a few themed beers, too. They opened in 2011 and visiting was a good time!
What we ate: chicken tenders (Jen), burger (Josh)
21. Mr D’z Route 66 Diner, Kingman, AZ
105 E Andy Devine Ave, Kingman, AZ 86401
https://www.facebook.com/people/Mr-Dz-Route-66-Diner/100057490178356/
Mr D’z is an incredibly fun and kitschy diner, decked out in my two favorite colors. I first saw them on a tiktok video and it was so cute, but it turned out the food is actually good too (which doesn’t always happen like that)!
What we ate: Andy Devine burger (Jen), Tex Mex burger (Josh)
22. Rutherford’s 66 Family Diner, Kingman, AZ
2011 E Andy Devine Ave, Kingman, AZ 86401
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063527861933
Eveything we ate & drank in Kingman ended up being good, and there were more places we want to try if we ever go back. Unlike Mr D’z, which leans into the kitsch, Rutherford’s is classic just because it’s old and hasn’t been updated, which we loved too.
What we ate: cheeseburger (Josh), chicken tenders (Jen)
23. Oatman Hotel, Oatman, AZ
181 Main St, Oatman, AZ 86433
https://oatman-hotel-restaurant-bar.placejoys.com/
The Oatman Hotel Restaurant is pretty much the only place to get a real meal in the burro filled Old West town of Oatman. The food was really good, though, and I especially loved their “burro ears” housemade chips.
What we ate: bbq pulled pork sandwich (Jen), some kind of burger (Josh)
24. Mel’s Drive In, Santa Monica, CA
1670 Lincoln Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90404
https://melsdrive-in.com/restaurant/mels-santa-monica/
Mel’s Santa Monica location is on Route 66 at the original end of Route 66 location, before the sign was moved to the pier. It’s a fun classic diner, and we enjoyed our food here too.
What we ate: R-66 Burger (Josh), Oreo shake (Jen)
25. Emma Jean’s Holland Burger Cafe, Victorville, CA
17143 N D St, Victorville, CA 92394
https://emma-jeans-holland-burger-cafe.gofoodtruck.net/
Emma Jean’s opened in 1947 and is another classic spot on Route 66. The food is simple, but well made, and really hit the spot for us on a travel day. They were even in an episodes of Diners, Drive Ins, and Dives!
What we ate: grilled ham & cheese (Jen), some kind of burger (Josh)
26. Peggy Sue’s 50’s Diner, Yermo, CA
35654 Yermo Rd, Yermo, CA 92398
https://peggysuesdiner.com/
I have to be honest with this one, we thought the food was just ok, but the vibes at Peggy Sue’s are definitely worth visiting for. The diner opened in 1954, and expanded over time, and is full of fun vintage memorabilia. We would come back, but probably just for shakes or other snacks next time.
What we ate: cheeseburger & chocolate shake (Josh), tuna melt (Jen)
27. Roadkill Cafe, Seligman, AZ
22830 U.S. Route 66, Seligman, AZ 86337
https://www.facebook.com/WEGRILLYOUGRILLIT/
Keeping up our honesty, we thought the food at Roadkill Cafe was overpriced for what it was, but it’s such a Route 66 classic that it’s still fun to visit. They also have a good gift shop in the back, if you’re not looking to eat.
What we ate: fungi burger (Josh), fendertenders (Jen)
28. Delgadillo’s Snow Cap, Seligman, AZ
301 AZ-66, Seligman, AZ 86337
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063560350919
Delgadillo’s Snow Cap is an absolute must visit in Seligman. It was started in 1953 by Juan Delgadillo, who’s brother Angel was one of the main people credited with saving Seligman by promoting Route 66 (and was a big source of inspiration for the movie Cars). As soon as we walked into the Snow Cap, we were met with jokes like a mustard bottle squiring yarn at us, and our ice-cream treats were good too.
What we ate: chocolate shake (Josh), root beer float (Jen)
29. La Villa Burgers and Boba, Santa Rosa, NM
123 S 4th St, Santa Rosa, NM 88435
https://lavillanm.com/
Burgers + Boba was the most unexpected favorite restaurant of the trip. The name is so basic, that we weren’t expecting it to be absolutely amazing food. When we walked in, too, it seemed kind of dead. We ordered through screens and then a little while later someone popped out of the kitchen with our food- kind of a weird experience. But oh my goodness were these some of the best smash burgers and hand cut fries we’ve ever had. We still think about it often.
What we ate: Route 66 burger & boba brown sugar milk drink (Jen), some kind of burger (Josh)
30. Del’s Restaurant, Tucumcari, NM
1202 U.S. Route 66, Tucumcari, NM 88401
https://www.facebook.com/delsrestaurant/
Del’s opened in the mid ’50s and has been a Tucumcari staple ever since. They serve a mix of both American and Mexican food, so it was great to be able to get different things to try.
What we ate: cheeseburger (Jen), smothered burrito (Josh)
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