Kelly's Bar & Lounge
Pittsburgh, PA
Photo courtesy T.H. Lyda

Here's a shot of the neon sign for Kelly's Bar & Lounge after renovation. This is one of the best signs in Pittsburgh and the food here is as good as advertised. The interior of Kelly's is classic art deco as well, with the original 40's deco bar and bar back. They have a cool little tiki patio in the rear. Very original looking. Great Juke box too! Many thanks to T.H. Lyda for info.

Here's one old Pittsburgh bar that still knows how to light up the neighborhood. The Kelly's Bar & Lounge neon spells out BAR, LOUNGE and GOOD FOOD, complete with a glowing martini glass hanging over the entrance. Hungry? The baked macaroni and cheese has become something of a local favorite. Add a drink and grab one of those booths. No need to hurry.

UPDATE: Kelly's remains open on Centre Avenue, and its restored neon sign is still glowing above the entrance. 08-26

El Mocambo Tavern
Toronto, Canada
Photo courtesy Jay Lin

"Under the neon palms" was an expression heard for many years until this fall. Famous for the appearance of the Rolling Stones in 1977, this Toronto landmark closed it's doors for the last time. Hopefully the El Mocambo Tavern sign will be rescued by an appreciative benefactor.

The El Mocambo opened in 1948, the same year its 22-foot neon palm first appeared over the sidewalk. Over the years just about everyone seemed to pass through, including U2, Blondie, Elvis Costello, the Ramones and Stevie Ray Vaughan.

But the big night came in March 1977 when the Rolling Stones slipped onto the small stage for two shows, billed as “The Cockroaches.” Some of the recordings later appeared on the Stones' Love You Live album. Margaret Trudeau also showed up, adding a little extra excitement to an already interesting couple of nights.

The old El Mocambo closed in November 2014, and for a while it looked like those famous neon palms might have finally gone dark.

UPDATE: The story wasn't over. The building was purchased and extensively rebuilt as a modern live music venue, while the old palm tree sign was taken down and restored. The neon palm returned to Spadina Avenue in 2018, and the El Mocambo is once again open for live music. 08-26

Ranch House Restaurant (Gone)
Wilmington, DE
Photo courtesy Kevin Powers

You certainly didn't have to look very hard to find this place after dark. Check out the towering neon sign for the Ranch House Restaurant  along Concord Pike in Wilmington. With all that glowing red neon stacked high above Route 202, the sign could reportedly be spotted for blocks.

The Ranch House opened here in 1967, back when Concord Pike was filling up with the kind of restaurants and roadside signs that made nighttime driving a little more interesting. Just down the road was the Charcoal Pit, giving hungry travelers another reason to cruise this stretch of highway.

The Ranch House lasted only a little more than a decade, closing in 1978. Still, with a sign like this, ten years was plenty of time to leave an impression.

UPDATE: The old Ranch House sign disappeared years ago. The property was eventually remodeled and today operates as Lucky's Coffee Shop, keeping the restaurant tradition alive along Concord Pike, minus all that neon. 08-26

Gary's Ice Cream (Gone)
Chelmsford, MA
Photo courtesy Gary Frascarelli

Need something cold while cruising Route 3A? Pull into Gary's Ice Cream, a longtime Chelmsford landmark serving up homemade ice cream from this little roadside stand.

Gary's opened here in 1973 and became a favorite stop for cones, sundaes, frappes and ice cream sodas. There's even some real history behind the counter, with recipes at the stand said to date back to 1934. If ice cream isn't enough, hot dogs, grilled cheese and chili are also on the menu.

Grab a cone, find a picnic table and enjoy it before it melts. That's about as complicated as a summer roadside stop needs to be.

UPDATE: Gary's Ice Cream has since become the Chelmsford Creamery. The old Gary's signs are gone, but the stand remains open and continues serving homemade ice cream at the same Route 3A location. 08-26

A&LP Foods
North Wildwood, NJ
Photo courtesy Paul Bauke

Hungry while cruising through North Wildwood? Just look for the big A&LP Foods sign hanging over the corner of 15th and New Jersey. Pizza, steaks, hoagies, groceries, sandwiches, the sign pretty much lets you know there's something inside for everybody.

A&LP has been feeding the neighborhood since 1954, starting out as a small grocery and Italian deli before adding pizza in 1978. The unusual name was reportedly a play on A&P, the grocery chain that seemed to be just about everywhere back then.

But it's that great old sign that makes this a RoadsidePeek stop. With its stacked lettering, neon and long list of things to eat, it's exactly the sort of sign you hope to spot while wandering around the Wildwoods.

UPDATE: A&LP Foods remains open seasonally in North Wildwood, and its familiar neon sign still lights up the corner. 08-26

Bandana's Mexican Grille
Wildwood Crest, NJ
Photo courtesy Paul Bauke

Looks like somebody has been taking a siesta in Wildwood Crest for quite a while. Check out the great neon sign outside Bandana's Mexicana Grille, complete with a sleeping fellow, giant cactus and glowing sombrero. Now that's a welcome roadside sight.

Bandanas has been serving the Shore crowd since 1985, with Mexican favorites, fresh seafood and plenty of Jersey produce on the menu. There's even a walk-up ice cream window for anyone who still has room after dinner.

But that sleeping sombrero is the real reason to slow down. With all the neon and Doo Wop scenery around the Wildwoods, he looks right at home snoozing along Atlantic Avenue.

UPDATE: Bandanas remains open seasonally in Wildwood Crest, and its colorful siesta sign still lights up after dark. 08-26

Galaxie Diner (Gone)
Montreal, Quebec
Photo courtesy Jay Lin

Here's something you don't expect to find while wandering around Montreal, a shiny American-style stainless steel diner glowing beneath the neon. Le Galaxie Diner looked like it had been dropped straight out of the 1950s onto Rue Saint-Denis.

The story was actually a little more unusual. The old diner car was found in a scrapyard near Boston and hauled north to Montreal in 1993. After a complete restoration, the Galaxie opened in 1994 with polished stainless steel, glowing glass blocks and some terrific neon. It certainly looked the part.

In 2000, the diner became La Pizzaiolle, putting an interesting twist on the old lunch car by serving wood-fired pizza instead of the usual burgers and fries. Fortunately, much of that great streamlined diner look remained.

UPDATE: La Pizzaiolle closed here in 2020. The old Galaxie diner was subsequently removed for redevelopment of the property, and its once-familiar neon is gone. 08-26

Vegas Diner
North Wildwood, NJ
Photo courtesy Paul Bauke

Looking for a little Vegas glitz along the Jersey Shore? The big neon arrow outside the Vegas Diner in North Wildwood points you in the right direction.

Sitting at 14th and New Jersey Avenues, the Vegas has been feeding Shore crowds for more than 35 years. This isn't an old stainless steel diner car, but with its neon, retro lettering and colorful roadside look, it fits right into the Wildwoods' collection of Doo Wop-era sights.

Inside you'll find the usual diner favorites along with steaks and plenty of fresh local seafood. But from the road, it's that great VEGAS marquee that gets our attention. No slot machines required.

UPDATE: The Vegas Diner remains open seasonally in North Wildwood, and its familiar neon arrow still points hungry travelers toward the door. 08-26