Choo Choo
Des Plaines, IL Photo courtesy Tony Craig
The Choo Choo has been delighting diners in Des Plaines, IL since the early 1950s. It's become one of those places that's hard to forget, thanks to its railroad crossing-style sign out front and the model trains that deliver your food right to the counter. The sign even lights up at night. 06-07
The restaurant traces its roots back to 1951, when the train-delivery concept expanded from an earlier Skokie location. Grab a seat at the counter and your burger, fries, or hot dog arrives aboard an O-scale model train traveling along tracks built above the countertop. It's a simple idea, but one that's entertained generations of kids and adults alike.
The Choo Choo almost reached the end of the line in 2008 when plans called for the building to be demolished to make way for a new police station. Local residents rallied behind the restaurant, and the plans were changed, allowing this longtime favorite to remain. After another setback following the owner's passing in 2018, the restaurant underwent a full renovation and welcomed customers back in 2022.
Between the glowing railroad crossing sign and the trains still making their rounds inside, the Choo Choo remains one of the more unique dining experiences in the Chicago suburbs.
Choo Choo sign close-up
Des Plaines, IL
Photo courtesy Tammy Terwelp
UPDATE: The Choo Choo is open and serving customers once again after reopening in 2022. Its iconic railroad crossing-style sign still stands and lights up at night. 07-26
For more photos and information on the Choo Choo Restaurant, see Roadside Peek'sSpotlight on the Choo Choo
Paul Bunyan's Cook Shanty
Minocqua, WI Photo courtesy Dave Pophal
Hungry after a road trip? Appetite big enough for Paul Bunyan? If you're fortunate enough to be in Minocqua, Wisconsin, you're in luck. Paul Bunyan's Cook Shanty has been filling hungry travelers with its famous all-you-can-eat lumberjack meals for years, and it's hard to miss thanks to the giant Paul Bunyan sign standing out along Highway 51.
The restaurant is themed like an 1890s logging camp, and the portions are every bit as oversized as you'd expect. Breakfast is especially popular, with fresh homemade donuts arriving at the table alongside family-style platters of eggs, pancakes, sausage, and more. Dinner brings fried chicken, roast beef, mashed potatoes, and plenty of other comfort food to keep even the biggest appetite happy.
The towering roadside sign fits the place perfectly. Featuring the legendary lumberjack himself, it's the kind of oversized attraction that has been drawing in travelers for generations. There's also a gift shop and bakery, making it easy to spend a little extra time looking around before getting back on the road.
If you're exploring Wisconsin's Northwoods, this is one of those classic roadside stops that's worth working into the trip.
UPDATE: Paul Bunyan's Cook Shanty remains open as a seasonal restaurant in Minocqua. The giant Paul Bunyan roadside sign continues to welcome hungry visitors each year. 07-26
Milano
Inn (Gone)
Indianapolis, IN Photo courtesy Emily Steele
The Milano Inn was known for serving some pretty good Italian food in Indianapolis. It also featured a couple of great roadside signs that helped make this longtime favorite stand out from the surrounding neighborhood.
Opened in 1934 by Italian immigrants Joe and Mary Modaffari, the Milano Inn became a fixture on Indianapolis' near south side for more than 80 years. One of its most memorable features wasn't on the menu, but on the walls. The main dining room displayed a large mural painted in 1947 by World War II veteran Donald Peters, depicting the liberation of Italy.
The restaurant nearly disappeared once before. After the founders passed away, the property was purchased with plans to demolish it for a parking lot. Thankfully, loyal customers convinced the new owner to keep the building, allowing the Milano Inn to continue serving generations of diners for decades afterward.
The restaurant closed for good at the end of 2016, but the building was spared once again. It was renovated into offices and retail space, although the vintage roadside signs that once welcomed customers are no longer there.
UPDATE: The Milano Inn closed in 2016. The historic building survives today as LaGrotte Square following a major renovation, but the restaurant's roadside signs have been removed. 07-26
Milano Inn (Gone)
Indianapolis, IN Photo courtesy Emily Steele
Mr. K's Restaurant (Gone)
Chicago, IL Photo courtesy Tony Craig
Mr. K's Restaurant featured one of the more unusual restaurant signs in the Chicago area. Sitting out in the parking lot, the oversized marquee was hard to miss and became just as recognizable as the restaurant itself.
The building had an interesting history of its own. Before becoming Mr. K's, it originally housed a Red Barn restaurant, and the distinctive architecture remained long after the chain disappeared. Inside, Mr. K's earned a loyal following with generous portions of comfort food, from corned beef sandwiches and steak and eggs to homemade soup and a complimentary bag of breadsticks with dinner.
For years it was a favorite stop on Chicago's northwest side, serving breakfast, lunch, dinner, and plenty of late-night customers. Like so many neighborhood restaurants, it became as much a gathering place as somewhere to grab a meal.
Unfortunately, the restaurant closed around 2009. The former Red Barn building was demolished, the large roadside marquee disappeared, and the property was redeveloped into an AutoZone.
UPDATE: Mr. K's Restaurant is gone. The building and its distinctive roadside sign have both been removed, and the site is now occupied by an AutoZone. 07-26
Mack's Fine Food (Demolished)
Elmhurst, IL Photo courtesy Tony Craig
Here's a great old roadside sign for Mack's Golden Pheasant in Elmhurst, IL. Complete with its colorful pheasant, "Fine Food," and "Cocktails," it's the kind of sign that's almost impossible to drive past without taking a second look. 11-09
The restaurant got its start in the late 1930s or early 1940s as a small tavern before growing into one of DuPage County's best-known family restaurants. In 1948, the Mack family expanded it into the alpine-style building that became a local landmark. Even after a devastating fire in 1962 destroyed much of the restaurant, it was rebuilt and continued serving customers for decades.
Inside, Mack's became known for hearty Czech and American favorites, including schnitzel, roast duck, dumplings, and classic cocktails. The pheasant theme wasn't just for the sign, either. Founder Frank Mack raised exotic birds, and diners could once view them through large windows in the restaurant.
UPDATE: The marquee for Mack's Golden Pheasant was recently restored. The sign itself is dated inside 1936. 11-09
Sadly, the restaurant closed for good in late 2024, and the building was demolished soon afterward. The good news is that the beautiful vintage neon sign was saved and relocated to a neon museum collection in southern Indiana, where it will continue to be appreciated for years to come.
UPDATE: Mack's Golden Pheasant closed in December 2024 and the building has since been demolished. Fortunately, its iconic neon sign was preserved and relocated to a museum collection in southern Indiana. 07-26
Paul Bunyan's Cook Shanty
Milano
Inn (Gone)
Mr. K's Restaurant (Gone)
