Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives
Route 66 is a journey through the heart of America. As you drive, you’ll discover a treasure trove of history, culture, and some of the most iconic stops that have made this route legendary. One of the best ways to experience the spirit of Route 66 is through its food. With that in mind, here are 20 of the best restaurants to stop at.
1. Nana
Owned by four siblings and their mother, Nana in Chicago is a family-style restaurant serving up organic, farm-to-table comfort food. Here the siblings give a creative twist to the po' boy, stuffing it with fried oysters and grilled shrimp. A housemade sauce gribiche and spicy jalapeño giardiniera add a punchy finish.
2. Charlie Parker’s
Charlie Parker's is housed in a converted military Quonset hut. The portion sizes at Charlie Parker's are large and the food is filling. Their specialty "Horseshoe" allows one to heap nearly anything on two slices of bread, which is then smothered with meat, cheese sauce, or gravy and topped with French fries.
3. DMK Burger Bar
Chef Michael Kornick, a veteran of Chicago's fine dining scene, is at the helm of DMK Burger Bar. Kornick's creative gourmet burgers are full of unexpected flavor combinations. The bison burger is topped with blueberry barbecue sauce, California goat cheese, and vinegar-marinated onions.
4. Guerrilla Street Food
Chef Brian Hardesty and co-owner Joel Crespo of Guerrilla Street Food offer a taste of Filipino street food made from scratch. Their veggie pancit is made with fresh pasta rolled by hand and cooked in chicken stock, then tossed with mushrooms, chiles, snap peas, yellow squash, and baby bok choy. Add a little fish sauce and a squeeze of Sriracha for a flavor explosion.
5. 90 Miles Cuban
90 Miles Cuban Cafe in Chicago is where you can get some true Cuban cuisine. The founder of this restaurant, Alberto Gonzalez, brought recipes all the way from his grandmother in Cuba. The Cuban restaurant in Chicago offers traditional meals such as the fricasé de pollo.
6. Dressel’s Public House
Dressel's Public House is a modern, farm-to-table restaurant with a scratch-made menu in a historic building that used to host rock 'n' roll music. Dressel's is a classic pub with some imaginative, creative twists. A great combination of comfort food and inventive flavors makes it a must-stop on Route 66.
7. Big and Little
You can get high-end food on the run thanks to Big & Little's. The pan-seared foie gras served on top of hand-cut, double-fried French fries and bathed in duck fat is a real treat. At $12, it's a cheap splurge that you can eat with a plastic knife and fork.
8. Cattlemen’s Steakhouse
Cattlemen's Steakhouse in Oklahoma City is heaven for meat enthusiasts. The steaks are tender, juicy, and cooked just right. You’ll likely fall in love with their peppercorn sauce!
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9. Sweetie Pie’s
Sweetie Pie's is the brainchild of Miss Robbie Montgomery, who swapped her day job as a backup singer for Ike and Tina Turner to prepare her mother's recipes for soul food. One of the fan favorites is their indulgent macaroni and cheese, which you’ll have to add to your list.
10. Bocadillos
Bocadillos in New Mexico offers a unique take on biscuits and gravy. The biscuits are smothered in spicy green chile gravy and served with hash browns and a fried egg. Just be ready for bold flavors that pack quite the punch.
11. Nexus Brewery and Restaurant
Nexus Brewery and Restaurant offers a sampling of New Mexican soul food. There’s plenty to try, especially their fried chicken and collard greens. It features local fare with Southern comfort classics.
12. The Cube
The Cube, with its cheeky Guadalajara dog, pushes flavor boundaries and challenges our taste buds in a fun way. Wrapped in applewood-smoked bacon, then topped with chipotle sour cream and fresh pico de gallo, the balance of crisp and spice is irresistible in every bite. It’ll be hard to stop with one.
13. Fat Sal’s
Fat Sal's is heaven for carb-lovers and junk-food junkies. This is where you'll find massive, gargantuan, foot-long sandwiches piled so high with questionable ingredients that there's no way you can consider any of them healthy. Consider trying their Fat Jerry, an over-stuffed behemoth heaped with cheesesteak, chicken fingers, mozzarella sticks, bacon, fried eggs, and French fries on ultra-wide bread.
14. The Park’s Finest
The Park’s Finest started as a catering business but soon became a go-to for real-deal Filipino comfort food in Los Angeles. You should definitely try their signature Filipino tri-tip. This dish is smoked for four to six hours and served with horseradish crema and vinegar garlic sauce.
15. Beer Belly
Beer Belly in Los Angeles elevates duck to an art form with its inventive dishes. This dish is served as duck-fat-tossed fries with duck confit and crispy fried duck skin, with raspberry mustard on the side. It’s definitely worth a try.
16. Henry’s Drive-In
Henry's Drive-In, located in Cicero, Illinois, is a tiny spot with only 10 tables. The walls are decorated with old photos and news clippings. Chicago-style hot dogs with fries piled on top, called "depression dogs," are intended as a full meal, so for the uninitiated, it can be quite a shock.
17. Cozy Dog
It is said that the corn dog was invented at Cozy Dog on Route 66 in Illinois. According to legend, in 1946 the idea of coating a hot dog in batter and deep-frying it was created by Ed Wildmire. The business is also a tribute to Bob Wildmire, son of the Wildmires, whose Route 66 artwork and maps line the walls.
18. Ted Drewes Frozen Custard
Ted Drewes Frozen Custard is a Route 66 landmark that has been serving rich, creamy frozen custard since 1941. Ted Drewes is known for their “concrete,” which is a very thick mixture of custard and mix-ins that is served upside down. The main location only has a walk-up counter and a few picnic tables, so this is one of those places you either take with you on your road trip or eat on your road trip.
19. Dairy King
Dairy King in Commerce, Oklahoma, has the history of having been a Marathon service station in the 1930s. Today, the still-charming Route 66 stop is run by mother-and-son owners Treva and Charles Duboise, who serve a small diner menu and make their signature, authentic Route 66 cookies. If you don't stop here hungry, you'll leave with a sweet snack, a friendly conversation, and a dose of the town's colorful history.
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20. Ku-Ku Burger
Opened in 1965, Ku-Ku Burger is the last standing location of a chain that reached a peak of over 200 restaurants across the country in the 1960s. Eugene Waylan has operated the fast-food joint since 1973, missing only four holidays every year. The diner features burgers, sides, and milkshakes for a filling stop after a day on Route 66.
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