Twin TeePees Restaurant (Gone)
Seattle, WA Photo courtesy Don Whitten
Few restaurants along Aurora Avenue were as unforgettable as Twin TeePees Restaurant. Shaped like a pair of giant teepees, it was the kind of roadside attraction that practically demanded a second look from anyone traveling old Highway 99.
A devastating fire forced the restaurant to close, and the famous Twin TeePees were demolished in 2001. Today, only photographs remain of one of Seattle's most memorable roadside attractions. 07-26
Chieftain Restaurant (Closed)
Tacoma, WA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The giant totem pole at Chieftain Restaurant was impossible to miss along old Highway 99. If that didn't catch your eye, the colorful character perched above the marquee certainly did. It was one of Tacoma's more unusual roadside signs. 09-05
For more than 30 years, the Chieftain served hearty breakfasts, burgers, and homemade cinnamon rolls to locals and travelers passing through South Tacoma Way. The restaurant eventually closed, but its towering sign remained behind, becoming a familiar reminder of the highway's colorful past.
South Tacoma Way was once lined with motels, diners, and neon, and the Chieftain fit right in. Today, the restaurant is gone, but the old totem pole still stands, making it one of the last surviving reminders of Tacoma's Route 99 roadside days.
UPDATE: The Chieftain Restaurant is closed, but its iconic roadside sign still stands along South Tacoma Way. 07-26
The Homestead
Tacoma, WA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The big red barn at The Homestead makes this South Tacoma Way restaurant easy to spot. It looks more suited to a country road than a busy city street, which is exactly what makes it worth a second look. Apparently, you don’t need an elaborate neon sign when the whole building does the advertising. 09-05
Opened in 1982, the family operated restaurant carries its country theme indoors with antiques, Western decor, and fresh baked goods. Breakfasts, cinnamon rolls, pies, and comfort food fit the surroundings nicely. This is the sort of roadside stop where the building gives you a pretty good idea of what to expect inside.
UPDATE: The Homestead remains open at 7837 South Tacoma Way. More than forty years after opening, its distinctive barn continues welcoming customers along the old highway corridor. 07-26
Bomber Restaurant (Gone)
Milwaukie, OR Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
A full sized Flying Fortress made Bomber Restaurant considerably easier to find than the average roadside diner. Perched above the property along McLoughlin Boulevard, the B-17 gave motorists a reason to stop even when they weren’t hungry. A restaurant sign hardly needed to compete with that. 09-05
Art Lacey brought the surplus aircraft to Oregon in 1947 and displayed it over his gas station. The pumps closed in 1991, but the restaurant continued serving meals alongside aviation memorabilia. Veterans and their families helped make the place a gathering spot as well as a roadside attraction.
UPDATE: The airplane was removed in 2014, and the restaurant closed in 2020. The B-17, now called the Lacey Lady, survives at the B-17 Alliance restoration facility in Salem, where volunteers are working toward returning it to flying condition. That would be quite a departure from its years above the gas pumps. 07-26
Golden Pheasant Restaurant (Gone)
Sunnyside, WA
Photo courtesy Van
The colorful bird above Golden Pheasant Restaurant made a memorable addition to downtown Sunnyside. Its elaborate neon display gave passing motorists plenty to admire, with a name and mascot that left little doubt about which restaurant stood below.
The restaurant opened in 1952, but the sign shown here came later. A fire destroyed the original restaurant in 1973, and a replacement building and replica sign followed in 1974. The bird’s brilliant colors helped restore a familiar piece of the downtown landscape.
UPDATE: Golden Pheasant closed in 2010. The City of Sunnyside removed the sign in 2020 for preservation and restoration, saving it from being discarded. Its return to public display remains unconfirmed, but thankfully this distinctive bird escaped the scrapyard. 07-26
Safari Restaurant (Gone) Sunnyside, WA Photo courtesy Van
The Safari Restaurant sign offered an exotic escape without requiring anyone to leave Sunnyside. Shields, figures, and colorful neon gave the display a personality all its own. One of its best details was an animated drummer whose right arm appeared to move as the neon flashed.
Inside, African masks, weapons, animal skins, and some Polynesian decorations continued the theme. Former customers remembered objects collected during the owners’ travels, making the surroundings part of the dining experience. There was considerably more to inspect here than the menu.
UPDATE: A fire destroyed the original restaurant in 2011, but the memorable signage survived. The Safari sign was later donated to the city and placed in storage. It no longer greets diners from the street, but it remains a preserved piece of Sunnyside’s unusual neon history. 07-26
Chieftain Restaurant (Closed)
The Homestead
Bomber Restaurant (Gone)
