 Henry's Drive-in
Cicero, IL
Photo courtesy chibbqking
 If you've ever driven old Route 66 through Cicero, chances are you've noticed Henry's Drive-In. The giant neon sign, complete with its oversized hot dog and the slogan "It's a meal in itself," has been drawing hungry customers off Ogden Avenue for generations. 02-09
Henry's got its start in 1950 after beginning as a simple hot dog wagon before moving into its permanent location along Route 66. Today it's still one of the area's favorite stops for Chicago-style hot dogs, Polish sausages, Italian beef, and plenty of fresh-cut fries.
The restaurant's slogan isn't just clever advertising. Order a hot dog and you'll quickly understand why it's "a meal in itself" as it's buried under a generous pile of fries and served with a pickle spear. It's a tradition that's become part of the Henry's experience.
Of course, the real showstopper is the sign. The colorful neon hot dog piled high with fries is one of the best surviving roadside signs along Illinois Route 66 and is every bit as memorable as the food.
UPDATE: Henry's Drive-In remains open along historic Route 66 in Cicero and continues serving Chicago favorites from its longtime location. The iconic neon hot dog sign still survives and remains one of the best-known signs on Ogden Avenue. 06-26 |
 B&K Root Beer
Van Wert, OH
Photo and info courtesy Alan Culley
Check out B&K Root Beer in Van Wert, Ohio, showing off its colorful neon sign. This seasonal drive-in closes during the winter, but once warmer weather rolls around it's back serving up root beer, coney dogs, burgers, and other drive-in favorites. The root beer mug marquee looks very similar to the one at the B&K in Kokomo, IN.
B&K has been a Van Wert tradition since around 1955 and still does things the old-fashioned way. Pull into a parking spot, place your order, and your food is brought right to your car on a window tray. It's a style of dining that's becoming harder to find and always makes for a fun stop.
Of course, the homemade root beer is the star of the menu, but the coney dogs and Spanish dogs have earned plenty of loyal fans over the years as well. Places like this remind you that sometimes the simplest roadside stops are the ones you'll remember the most.
The neon mug sign is what first catches your eye, though. It's a great piece of roadside advertising and one that's well worth seeing after the sun goes down.
UPDATE: B&K Root Beer remains open as a seasonal drive-in in Van Wert. The classic root beer mug neon sign still survives and continues welcoming customers each spring. 06-26
 Jerry's Old South Tavern (Closed)
Van Wert, OH
Photo and info courtesy Alan Culley
Check out the bright red sign at Jerry's Old South Tavern in downtown Van Wert, Ohio. The bold paint scheme and glowing neon lettering make this one hard to miss, especially after dark. Back when this photo was taken, Jerry's was still open seven days a week. 02-09
For years, Jerry's Old South Tavern was a familiar stop for locals looking to relax with friends and enjoy a drink in one of Van Wert's longtime neighborhood taverns. The projecting neon sign advertising "Liquor, Beer, Wine" gave the building plenty of character and fit right in with the other classic downtown storefronts.
Over time, the business dropped "Jerry's" from its name and simply became Old South Tavern, but the vintage sign remained one of the most recognizable features of the building. It's another example of how an old neon sign can become just as memorable as the business itself.
UPDATE: Old South Tavern permanently closed in May 2024. The building still stands, and the cool neon sign is now gone. Another roadside gem has now been relegated to a memory. 06-26 |
 Vito & Nick's Restaurant
Chicago, IL
Photo courtesy chibbqking
Check out the glowing window display at Vito & Nick's Restaurant on Chicago's South Side. The old-school neon is a perfect fit for one of the city's most famous neighborhood pizza joints, and it's hard not to stop for a closer look. More information, including the menu at Vito & Nick's can be found here. 02-09
The family's story goes back to the 1930s, when Vito Barraco opened Vito's Tavern. After World War II, his son Nick joined the business, and before long the tavern became known for the cracker-thin pizza that's now considered a Chicago classic. When the restaurant moved to its current Pulaski Road location in 1965, it became Vito & Nick's.
Their tavern-style pizza has earned a loyal following for generations, with its thin, crispy crust cut into squares and topped with the restaurant's famous homemade sausage. The place has changed very little over the years, and that's part of the appeal. It's still cash only, there's no delivery, and the focus remains on making great pizza.
The neon in the front windows is the perfect finishing touch. It gives the restaurant the same welcoming look that has drawn pizza lovers through the doors for decades.
UPDATE: Vito & Nick's Restaurant remains open and continues serving its famous Chicago tavern-style pizza from its longtime South Side location. The classic neon window display still welcomes customers today. 06-26 |
 Orange Garden
Chicago, IL
Photo courtesy Chibbqking
If you enjoy old-school Chinese restaurants, Orange Garden is worth seeking out. Open since 1932, it's recognized as Chicago's oldest continuously operating Chinese restaurant and still has much of the atmosphere that made it a neighborhood favorite decades ago. 07-09
The restaurant is known for its classic Cantonese menu, but what really caught my attention was the vintage sign out front with the words "Chop Suey" proudly displayed. It was the kind of sign that immediately let you know what was waiting inside. The dining room also feels like a step back in time, with its black leather booths, dim lighting, and retro décor that have changed very little over the years.
One of the menu favorites is the restaurant's peanut butter egg rolls, a longtime house specialty that has developed quite a following. It's places like this that remind you how many neighborhood restaurants have managed to survive by simply doing what they do well.
The famous "Chop Suey" sign no longer hangs outside the building. After years as one of Chicago's best-known restaurant signs, it was removed and sold at auction in 2022. Fortunately, the restaurant itself continues serving customers.
UPDATE: Orange Garden remains open and continues serving customers from its longtime Chicago location. The historic restaurant survives, but its famous "Chop Suey" neon sign has been removed and sold. 06-26
 Mr. J's Dawg 'N Burger
Chicago, IL
Photo courtesy Chibbqking
Looking for a late-night meal in Chicago? Mr. J's Dawg 'N Burger has been feeding hungry night owls since 1978 with Chicago dogs, burgers, gyros, Italian beef, and just about anything else you'd want after a long night out. 07-09
Located just off the Magnificent Mile, Mr. J's has become one of those dependable neighborhood spots where the lights stay on long after many other restaurants have closed. It's not fancy, and that's part of the appeal. You walk in, order at the counter, and a few minutes later you've got a fresh burger or Chicago dog in your hands.
The menu is packed with Chicago favorites, but one of the best-known items is the Dagwood Special, a double cheeseburger served with fries. Whether you're stopping in after a concert, a ballgame, or just a night on the town, it's easy to see why this place has built such a loyal following over the years.
The bright storefront signs advertising hot dogs, burgers, and gyros still light up State Street, making Mr. J's just as easy to spot today as it was decades ago.
UPDATE: Mr. J's Dawg 'N Burger remains open in Chicago and continues serving late-night favorites. The classic storefront signs still survive. 06-26
 Mack's Golden Pheasant (Demolished)
Elmhurst, IL
Photo and info courtesy Luke Mack
The marquee for Mack's Golden Pheasant was recently restored. The sign itself is dated inside 1936.
According to the Mack's Golden Pheasant website, the business is the oldest continuously family owned restaurant in DuPage County and started up sometime in the late 1930's or early 1940's. After being devastated by fire in 1962, the Golden Pheasant was rebuilt and has been a survivor to this day. 11-09
The Golden Pheasant opened in 1948 and went on to become the oldest continuously family-owned restaurant in DuPage County. Built in the style of an Alpine chalet, it was known for its Old World atmosphere and remained in the Mack family for three generations. Even after a devastating fire in 1962 and major flooding years later, the restaurant was rebuilt and continued serving customers for decades.
Unfortunately, that long run came to an end in late 2024 when the restaurant closed after 76 years in business. The building was demolished soon afterward, but there was some good news. The famous neon sign was carefully removed before demolition and relocated to Indiana, where it is being preserved for a future public display.
The restaurant may be gone, but one of Chicagoland's best-known roadside signs has been given a second chance.
UPDATE: Mack's Golden Pheasant closed in 2024, and the restaurant has been demolished. The historic neon marquee was saved and relocated to Indiana for preservation. 06-26 |
 Sparkle Shops Donuts (Gone)
Rockford, IL
Photo courtesy Kelly Sullivan
The neon sign at Sparkle Shops Donuts made it pretty clear what was waiting inside. Bright, colorful, and impossible to miss, it was the kind of roadside sign that tempted passing motorists to stop for coffee and a fresh doughnut. 08-10
Sparkle Shops Donuts was one of several locations that served the Rockford area over the years. Like many neighborhood doughnut shops of the era, it became a familiar stop for early morning coffee, breakfast, or a late-night sweet treat. The sign was every bit as memorable as the shop itself and was a great example of the colorful roadside advertising that once lined the city's commercial streets.
Unfortunately, the doughnut shop eventually closed, and the building was demolished as the property was redeveloped. The distinctive neon sign disappeared along with it, leaving only old photographs to remind us of another piece of roadside Americana that has faded away.
UPDATE: Sparkle Shops Donuts is gone, and the building and neon sign have both been removed. The site has since been redeveloped with a Walgreens. 06-26
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