Brad's
Pismo Beach, CA
Photo courtesy Georg Balandran

Check out the full-blown neon fish outside Brad's Restaurant in Pismo Beach. This fellow catches the eye of locals and beach-bound travelers along Pomeroy Avenue. With the pier nearby, there's plenty to see while wandering around, but this sign deserves a little camera time of its own.

Brad's dates to 1956, following a fire that destroyed its predecessor, a hamburger shack called The Hut. The neon fish adds some roadside flavor to this longtime coastal stop. Catch it glowing after dark before heading back toward the beach.

UPDATE: Brad's remains open and is celebrating 70 years in Pismo Beach, serving seafood and oak-pit barbecue just steps from the pier. Fish and chips or clam chowder give hungry travelers another reason to stop. 09-26

White Elephant (Gone)
Taft, CA
Photo courtesy Tony Craig

Check out the sign outside the White Elephant Steak House in Taft, CA. That elephant gives this roadside marquee a look all its own. A big animal above the street certainly helps catch the eye while making the photo rounds through town.

The White Elephant was a longtime local dining and gathering spot, hosting everything from steak dinners to club banquets. Its elephant also appeared on matchbooks and ashtrays, giving customers a smaller version to take home. Much easier to carry than the sign out front.

UPDATE: The sign had been replaced with a plastic backlit sign for a Mariscos Mexican restaurant. The only trace of the elephant was on the metal gate in the front, and they had covered it up with their open sign. I don't know if the sign was trashed or saved. Many thanks to Tony Craig for update. 06-05

UPDATE: The steakhouse closed, and the building later housed a Mexican seafood restaurant. By June 2005, the original elephant marquee had been removed and replaced with a backlit box sign. An elephant silhouette remained in the front metal gate during the restaurant's later use. 09-26

Pub's Prime Rib
Salinas, CA
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

Look up along Monterey Street in Salinas and check out the rooftop neon for Pub's Prime Rib. The big lettering stands clear against the sky, especially as the sun starts to set. With a downward arrow pointing toward “PRIME RIB,” the sign gives hungry travelers a pretty good idea of what's waiting below.

The restaurant dates to 1951, making it a longtime dinner stop in Old Town Salinas. Its later name, The Growers Pub, reflects the agricultural community surrounding the city. Inside, wood paneling, booths, and historical photographs carry on the old steakhouse atmosphere. A fitting place to settle in after a day making the roadside rounds.

UPDATE: The restaurant continues as The Growers Pub, with prime rib still on the menu. The rooftop sign survives with its familiar “PUB'S” and “PRIME RIB” lettering, though it was repainted in black and white around 2020. Still something to look up for while passing through Old Town. 09-26

Wagon Wheel Steakhouse
Visalia, CA
Photo courtesy Tony Craig

How about another Western-themed restaurant? Check out the sign for the Wagon Wheel Steakhouse in Visalia, CA. The wagon wheel imagery gives this one a little frontier flavor, making it worth a pause while cruising around town with the camera. A fitting roadside advertisement for a steak dinner.

The restaurant occupied a brick-and-timber building on North Willis Street near downtown. Its rustic setting carried the Western theme inside, where steaks, prime rib, and baked potatoes were the order of the day. Sounds like a stop best made with an appetite.

UPDATE: The Wagon Wheel Steakhouse has closed, and its roadside sign has been removed. The building later housed The SmokeHouse Visalia before becoming Davorn's Place Lao-Thai Restaurant. The old steakhouse location is on North Willis Street rather than Mooney Boulevard. 09-26

Bar-B-Q Pit
Merced, CA
Photo courtesy Jimmy Bowman

This little piggy went to the ... Bar-B-Q Pit in Merced, CA. Actually, the character outside this eatery is a rather large piggy. Sporting a chef's outfit and holding a serving spoon, this fellow gives passing travelers something to catch with the camera before heading inside for a meal.

The pig is carved from wood, adding a little roadside character to this longtime restaurant on G Street. The Bar-B-Q Pit dates to the early 1970s and is known for meats smoked over almond wood, including tri-tip and ribs. With a mascot like this out front, barbecue seems like a pretty good guess.

UPDATE: The Bar-B-Q Pit remains open, and the wooden pig still stands outside. He received a fresh coat of paint before 2021, though weather and time have taken a toll on parts of his spoon and kerchief. Still a rather large piggy to spot while making the Merced photo rounds. 09-26

Wool Growers Restaurant
Bakersfield, CA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

Though not quite a big piggy, the ram atop the Wool Growers Restaurant marquee in Bakersfield looks to be quite a fella. “Ooh, what big horns you have...” Check out this neon character while making the rounds through Old Town Kern.

Founded in 1954 by Mayie and J.B. Maitia, Wool Growers became a longtime stop for family-style Basque meals. Bring an appetite, since soup, beans, bread, and other dishes arrive along with the main course.

UPDATE: Wool Growers remains open on East 19th Street, and its familiar neon ram sign survives. Still a good reason to pause with the camera before heading inside for supper. 09-26