Arby's Roast Beef (Gone)
Pomona, CA
Photo courtesy Adriene Biondo

Here's an original Arby's Roast Beef in Pomona, down to the 10 gallon neon hat sign and amazing Conestoga chuck wagon! They used to have a bell inside (maybe this one still has it) that said "If you enjoyed the service, please ring this bell."  Many thanks to Adriene Biondo for info. 03-08

The wagon design belonged to the chain’s early years, beginning in 1964. Building and sign worked together, helping motorists recognize the restaurant before they could read the lettering.

An unverified tale describes a bell ringing after midnight, followed by the aroma of warm roast beef. Really? Perhaps somebody still wanted to compliment the service.

UPDATE: The original neon hat is gone. Pomona’s former North Garey Avenue Arby’s closed in 2012, later housed Sprint and T-Mobile, and was demolished by 2025. That timeline applies to the North Garey location. 10-26

Arby's Roast Beef (Demolished)
Whittier, CA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

All lit up along the boulevard, Arby's Roast Beef, in Whittier welcomed motorists beneath its enormous cowboy hat. Neon outlined the sign, while the covered wagon appearance added Western character below. Apparently a sandwich deserved a ten-gallon introduction. 04-08

An unverified tale describes the old hat’s silhouette appearing against a nearby wall during heavy fog, long after its removal. Think this is true? Perhaps the cowboy wasn’t ready to hang up his hat.

UPDATE: The Arby's closed down in late 2012 and the sign was unceremoniously removed. 01-13

UPDATE: This Arby’s closed in late 2012, and its vintage hat sign had been removed by January 2013. Another familiar neon greeting disappeared from the boulevard. 10-26

Lighthouse Cafe
Hermosa Beach
Photo courtesy Kirk Maillet

A little music history comes with a stop at The Lighthouse Cafe in Hermosa Beach. Near the pier, this familiar venue helped put the beach town on the jazz map, with Howard Rumsey and the Lighthouse All-Stars making the place much more than an ordinary neighborhood watering hole. 05-09

The building began as Verpilate’s restaurant in 1934 and became the Lighthouse bar in 1940. Its famous jazz chapter started on May 29, 1949, when Rumsey persuaded owner John Levine to try a Sunday jam session. Apparently the experiment went rather well.

The All-Stars became the house band, and musicians including Chet Baker, Gerry Mulligan, and Miles Davis joined the musical history. Numerous live recordings carried the Lighthouse name far beyond Pier Avenue. Quite an accomplishment for a place a short walk from the sand.

There’s a movie connection, too. Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone filmed here for La La Land, giving another generation a reason to recognize the club. The production spent four days at the Lighthouse in summer 2015.

UPDATE: The Lighthouse remains open on Pier Avenue. Its October 2026 schedule includes Sunday jazz brunches, Monday jazz jams, reggae, tribute bands, and other live performances. The music continues. 10-26

Pinkie's BBQ (Gone)
Hermosa Beach, CA
Photo courtesy Kirk Maillet

Sunglasses give the neon pig at Pinkie’s BBQ in Hermosa Beach a relaxed beach-town appearance. Outlined in glowing tubing, the fellow tells hungry customers they’ve found the barbecue stop. Apparently even a pig needed shades around here. 05-09

Opened in 2008 on Pacific Coast Highway, the restaurant brought owner Steve Francis’s Missouri and Arkansas cooking influences to the South Bay.

UPDATE: Pinkie’s BBQ has closed. Its former Pacific Coast Highway location recalls the Southern-style barbecue restaurant announced by a particularly cool neon pig. 10-26

Paisano’s Pizza
Hermosa Beach, CA
Photo courtesy Kirk Maillet

Bright lettering gives Paisano’s Pizza in Hermosa Beach an evening introduction worth noticing. With the pier nearby, the neon helps put pizza into the conversation. Apparently a day on the sand can work up an appetite. 05-09

The Hermosa Avenue restaurant serves New York-style pizza, bringing an East Coast favorite to a neighborhood better known for Pacific sunsets. Pasta and calzones give customers additional choices once the sign has done its job.

The nearby Lighthouse offers another stop for anyone following Hermosa’s music and restaurant history. Dinner and a little neon inspection could easily become an evening walk.

UPDATE: Paisano’s Pizza & Pasta remains open on Hermosa Avenue near the pier, serving pizza and Italian dishes to the beach crowd. 10-26

The Spot (Gone)
Hermosa Beach, CA
Photo courtesy Kirk Maillet

Bright neon made The Spot in Hermosa Beach easy to notice, even for travelers whose usual dinner involved a hamburger. A block from the beach, this vegetarian favorite offered a different roadside menu. Apparently healthy eating could have neon character, too. 05-09

Opened in 1977, the restaurant became known as Los Angeles’s oldest natural-food restaurant. Tonya and Maurice Beaudet purchased it in 1980, continuing its vegetarian tradition for more than four decades.

UPDATE: The Spot closed in February 2023 after operating since 1977. Financial difficulties following the pandemic ended its long run serving vegetarian meals near the beach. 10-26

Pizza
Hermosa Beach, CA
Photo courtesy Kirk Maillet

A glowing Pizza sign gives this Hermosa Beach eatery a straightforward introduction. No elaborate explanation needed. The neon gets to the point, leaving hungry passersby to decide how many slices might be required. 05-09

Around a beach town, that invitation has plenty of potential customers. An evening stroll can turn into dinner fairly quickly when the right word appears above the sidewalk. Apparently pizza has a way of shortening a walk.

UPDATE: This display was captured among Hermosa Beach’s restaurant signs and not sure if it's still around. 10-26

Vince's Spaghetti
Ontario, CA
Photo courtesy John King

Over 15,000 miles of spaghetti served each year? That was the claim from Vince's Spaghetti in Ontario, where dinner apparently came with its own mileage calculation. This Holt Boulevard landmark has fed customers since the mid-1940s. Hopefully nobody had to untangle all that pasta. 09-10

Opened in September 1945, Vince’s began as a six-stool, open-air stand without a kitchen. French dip sandwiches preceded the spaghetti, which became the attraction after a kitchen was added.

An unverified tale describes footsteps after closing, accompanied by a wooden spoon stirring a metal pot. True story? Perhaps somebody was checking the next batch.

UPDATE: The original Vince’s remains open on West Holt Boulevard as a family-owned restaurant. Founded in 1945, it reaches 81 years in 2026, with spaghetti still doing most of the traveling. 10-26