New Mill Restaurant (Gone)
Rockford, IL
Photo courtesy Kelly Sullivan

New Mill Restaurant was one of those places where the sign caught your eye before the building did. The classic marquee, complete with its tilting martini glass, was a familiar sight along 11th Street in Rockford for many years. 08-10

The restaurant was part of the longtime New Mill family of businesses along the airport corridor, which also included the New Mill Motel and New Mill Tap. While the restaurant has since closed, it was a well-known stop for locals and travelers alike.

UPDATE: The New Mill Restaurant is gone today. The nearby New Mill Motel and New Mill Tap remain, but the fate of the restaurant's distinctive martini glass sign is unknown. 07-26

Chipican Restaurant (Demolished)
Sarnia, ON Canada
Photo courtesy Alan Culley

Chipican Restaurant in Sarnia, Ontario, was a longtime local favorite, best known for its distinctive teepee-shaped roadside sign. The unusual sign made the restaurant hard to miss and became a familiar landmark for travelers heading toward nearby Canatara Park. If steaks were on the menu, this was one place worth pulling into. 06-14

The Chipican opened in 1948 and spent nearly seven decades serving the Sarnia community. It earned a loyal following for charcoal-grilled steaks cooked over an open pit, along with hearty breakfasts and homemade pizza. In its early years, the restaurant also featured a jukebox and dancing, making it more than just a place to grab a meal.

The restaurant closed in 2016 after almost 70 years in business. A new owner later reopened the building as Lake Point Grillhouse and Lounge, but the restaurant closed again in 2021. After sitting vacant for several years, the building was demolished in 2025. The neighboring Chipican Motel has since been renovated into luxury apartments, but the restaurant is now gone.

UPDATE: The Chipican Restaurant building was demolished in May 2025 after several years of vacancy. The iconic teepee roadside sign had also been removed sometime prior to 2021. 07-26

Chuc A Luc's Fishmarket & Grill
Rockford, IL
Photo courtesy Kelly Sullivan

Chuc-A-Luc's Fish Market Grill & Soul Food is one of those colorful places that's hard to drive past without taking a second look. The bright building stands out along Elm Street, and if you're in the mood for Southern cooking, you've come to the right place. 08-10

The menu is packed with Southern favorites, including fried catfish, fried chicken, rib tips, oxtails, collard greens, candied yams, mac and cheese, and, of course, fried green tomatoes. One thing that makes Chuc-A-Luc's a little different is the live fish tanks inside, where customers can even choose fresh catfish to be prepared to order.

UPDATE: Chuc-A-Luc's is still serving up Southern comfort food in Rockford, and its colorful building continues to brighten up Elm Street. 07-26

Boudreaux's Louisiana Seafood (Gone)
Saint Joseph, MO
Photo courtesy Rod Holcomb

Boudreaux's Louisiana Seafood & Steaks in Saint Joseph, Missouri, has one of those roadside signs that's hard to miss. With its bright colors and playful design, it perfectly matches the fun, laid-back atmosphere of the restaurant. Long known for generous portions and hearty Cajun cooking, Boudreaux's has become a favorite stop for locals and visitors looking for a taste of Louisiana in northwest Missouri. 10-10

Boudreaux's opened in 2001 and spent more than two decades at its original downtown location before relocating to a beautifully restored warehouse building a few blocks away in early 2025. While the address changed, the menu continues to feature Cajun and Creole favorites such as jambalaya, crawfish étouffée, shrimp po'boys, fried alligator, and other Southern specialties.

The sign shown here stood outside the restaurant's original location and had plenty of personality. It's easy to see why it caught attention back in 2010. Distinctive roadside signs like this often become just as memorable as the businesses they represent, helping give a place its own unique identity.

UPDATE: Boudreaux's Louisiana Seafood & Steaks remains open under new ownership after relocating to a restored warehouse building in downtown Saint Joseph in early 2025. The restaurant continues serving its popular Cajun menu, though the original roadside sign is now gone. 07-26

Parkway Family Restaurant
Mendota, IL
Photo courtesy Kelly Sullivan

Parkway Family Restaurant in Mendota, Illinois, is easy to spot thanks to its peach-colored roadside sign. It may not be the flashiest sign around, but it's the kind that lets you know a good home-style meal is just ahead. Parkway has long been a favorite with locals, serving hearty breakfasts and comfort food at prices that are hard to beat. 07-11

For years, Parkway Family Restaurant & Pancake House has been welcoming hungry customers with a menu full of breakfast favorites, including pancakes, crepes, French toast, skillet meals, and crispy hash browns. Lunch brings sandwiches, burgers, patty melts, and other diner classics. Family owned and operated, it's one of those places where friendly service is just as much a part of the experience as the food.

UPDATE: Parkway Family Restaurant & Pancake House remains open and continues serving breakfast and lunch seven days a week. The familiar peach-colored roadside sign is still out front, welcoming both locals and travelers alike. 07-26

Queen E Room Restaurant (Gone)
Iron Bridge, ON Canada
Photo courtesy Alan Culley

The flowing neon script at Queen E Room Restaurant welcomed travelers passing through Iron Bridge, Ontario. Located along Highway 17, part of the Trans-Canada Highway, it advertised a place to enjoy a meal and a break from the road. The graceful lettering gave the property plenty of character. 06-14

Part of the Red Top Motor Inn, the restaurant served burgers, sandwiches, home-style meals, and Lake Huron fish. The inn’s distinctive circular office building added to its appeal, making the property an interesting stop for anyone watching for older roadside architecture.

UPDATE: The Red Top Motor Inn remains open, but the Queen E Room name is no longer used. The original neon sign’s status remains unconfirmed. This photograph preserves its distinctive lettering and a reminder of the motor inn’s dining history. 07-26

Muio's Restaurant (Gone)
Sault Ste Marie ON, Canada
Photo courtesy Alan Culley

The elegant script lettering and decorative stars at Muio’s Restaurant gave this Sault Ste. Marie landmark a distinctive appearance. For decades, the sign welcomed customers to a family restaurant known for hearty meals and community connections. It was the kind of storefront that became familiar through generations of visits. 06-14

Opened in 1961, Muio’s served Italian favorites and its famous broasted chicken for 60 years. The Muio and DiRenzo families kept the business going, catering local events and providing meals for the Soo Greyhounds hockey team. Its building had an earlier life as a bank, dating to 1890, adding another layer of history behind the restaurant’s recognizable façade.

UPDATE: Muio’s closed permanently in 2021, and the building has since housed other restaurants, including The Mystery: Secret in Every Bite. Fortunately, the script sign was carefully removed in 2024 and donated to the Sault Ste. Marie Museum, preserving a familiar piece of the city’s restaurant history. 07-26