Uncle King's (Demolished)
Kingman, AZ
Photo courtesy Tony Craig

Cruising through Kingman near the old highway corridor, it was hard to miss that towering multi-colored marquee rising high above the pavement. Uncle King's was a longtime roadside Chinese restaurant that fed weary desert travelers and locals alike just off the Mother Road. Operating under the Wang family during the 1990s, the place was best known for the real showstopper sitting out front: a massive roadside sign featuring bold individual channel letters glowing in a mix of vibrant colors. Each letter was studded with small incandescent bulbs that lit up the desert night, making it an easy beacon to spot from a good distance down the road.

The colorful marquee proved so memorable to travelers that it became a favorite subject for roadside artists documenting the disappearing neon treasures of the desert Southwest.

UPDATE: Uncle King's Restaurant is gone and replaced with a Panda Express Restaurant. 02-09

UPDATE: The original restaurant building was demolished and the vintage marquee removed by the late 2000s to make way for a modern Panda Express. 08-26

Entre Chinese Restaurant (Removed)
Winslow, AZ
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

Looking for some hot food and a cold drink while rolling down the west end of Winslow along old Route 66?

For decades, the towering geometric roadside marquee for the Entre Restaurant made it almost impossible to cruise down 2nd Street without tapping the brakes for a second look. Long before the Interstate swept through northern Arizona, Highway 66 funneled thousands of cross-country drivers right past this spot, and having an eye-catching sign out front was the ultimate way to pull cars into the lot.

Entre Chinese Restaurant (Removed)
Winslow, AZ
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

The eatery first opened its doors along the highway strip back in 1958 under proprietors Helen and Steve Spnduris. Running it as a traditional American coffee shop, dining room, and banquet hall, early postcards and newspaper ads proudly promised passing tourists a roadside meal that was "just a little different."

The sign that replaced the huge one
Winslow, AZ
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

In 1972, new owner Kenny Jue took over the business and shifted the kitchen toward Chinese-American dining, creating a lasting highway favorite for both local townspeople and road-weary travelers passing through the desert. The stop proved so successful with Mother Road drivers that by 1976, Jue expanded the property by building the Entre Motel right next door, giving families a convenient place to grab a hot dinner and turn in for the night without ever leaving the parcel.

The entrance to the restaurant
Winslow, AZ
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

The real showstopper from the asphalt was always that fantastic mid-century roadside marquee. Rising high into the wide Arizona sky with its bold angles, dynamic shapes, and distinctive vintage lettering, the sign became a fixture in Route 66 guidebooks and a must-shoot photo stop for travelers documenting classic Americana along the Mother Road.

UPDATE: The Entre Chinese Restaurant has survived all the way though 2021 and even survived the pandemic thus far. It's too bad the sign was replaced not too long after this photo was taken in 1998. The sign was huge and unique. The busines opened in 19589 and originally was known for its char-broiled steaks and sandwiches. The Entre even sold locally made jewelry. 09-21

Check out the expanded space
Winslow, AZ
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

UPDATE: While the restaurant continues serving food along the old highway, the classic mid-century marquee was completely dismantled and replaced by a plain modern business sign. 08-26

Golden Moon Palace Restaurant (Gone)
Phoenix, AZ
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

The Golden Moon Chinese Restaurant is a place to stop to check out neon and grab a bite. Can't quite vouch for the food, but the sights are nice.

Cruising down Van Buren Street past 15th Avenue, that glowing golden crescent moon lighting up the evening sky was an absolute showstopper for anyone hunting vintage neon.

The Golden Moon Palace Restaurant served as a familiar landmark along Phoenix's historic highway strip from the 1960s onward. Known to generations of locals and cross-town travelers as the Golden Moon Chinese Restaurant, the kitchen fed hungry diners for decades, though the dazzling roadside sights out front were always the real draw.

The building was a classic mid-century neon showcase, featuring bold channel lettering paired with a large stylized crescent moon that cast a warm glow over the asphalt. The eye-catching display was hard to miss against the desert night, making it an essential photo stop along this storied stretch of Van Buren.

Golden Moon Palace Restaurant (Gone)
Phoenix, AZ
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

UPDATE: The Golden Moon Palace closed down in 2015. The neon signs are another lost treasure from Van Buren. 04-17

UPDATE: The restaurant closed its doors in 2015 after a 36-year run under long-term management, and the iconic neon signs were removed from the building. 08-26