Castle Restaurant | Hilltop Steak House

Howard Johnson's (Gone)
Wilmington, DE
Photo courtesy Kevin Powers

This is an authentic Howard Johnson's restaurant in Wilmington, Delaware. Howard Johnson restaurants went out of business in the late 1970's, but a few profitable ones remained in business under private ownership. This one is maintained just the way it was when it was built, probably in the 1960's. Many thanks to Kevin Powers for info.

That familiar orange roof was once enough to make hungry travelers pull off the road. This Howard Johnson's on Concord Pike opened in 1955, complete with the classic cupola, weathervane, and plenty of that unmistakable HoJo's roadside style.

Inside were the old favorites that made Howard Johnson's famous, including fried clams, hot dogs in buttered rolls, and of course those 28 flavors of ice cream. While Howard Johnson's restaurants disappeared across the country, this one kept right on serving Wilmington into the early 2000s.

UPDATE: The Howard Johnson's here in DE has been converted to a new restaurant. Many thanks to Rick Pultorak for info. 01-04

UPDATE: Howard Johnson's closed here in 2003 and the building was extensively remodeled into the Hollywood Grill, losing its orange roof and familiar roadside sign in the process. Hollywood Grill closed in 2022. 08-26

John Schuster's Steak House (Gone)
Sharon, PA
Photo courtesy Mark Hackett

Now that's a steak house sign. The towering neon marquee outside John Schuster's Steak House was almost impossible to miss while passing through the Sharon area. Yes, the sign was immense. Hopefully the steaks were just as big. 11-00

The restaurant actually sat just across the Pennsylvania line in Masury, Ohio, and had been serving the area since 1946. Schuster's was an old-fashioned dinner destination, known for steaks, stuffed pork chops, clam chowder, homemade pies, and a menu that seemed to have something for just about everyone.

For decades this was also the kind of place families headed for weddings, anniversaries, and special dinners. But from the roadside, that huge Schuster's sign was reason enough to slow down for another look.

UPDATE: John Schuster's eventually closed and the sign was removed. After sitting vacant for years, the old restaurant building was demolished in September 2022. 08-26

Knotty Pine (Demolished)
Hazleton, PA
Photo courtesy Mark Hackett

Here's a nice marquee that was hard to miss along Route 309. The big neon sign out front of Byorek's Knotty Pinecertainly captured attention in Hazleton, complete with a pine tree right in the middle. 08-01

Known simply as the Knotty Pine or "The Pines," the restaurant opened in 1937 and became one of Hazleton's favorite roadside hangouts. It offered curb service in its early days, and by the 1950s and '60s, teenagers were gathering here after games and feeding the Wurlitzer jukebox.

Hungry? The Knotty Pine was especially known for its pork barbecue sandwiches, along with homemade soups and pies. Sounds like a pretty good reason to pull in after spotting that sign.

UPDATE: After 73 years, the Knotty Pine closed in November 2010. The restaurant was demolished and its familiar roadside sign was removed. 08-26

Mom's Peppermill Restaurant (Demolished)
Hightstown, NJ
Photo courtesy Moon Mullins OX-76

Now here's a sign that did more than just light up the roadside. The giant peppermill outside Mom's Peppermill Restaurant near Exit 8 of the New Jersey Turnpike actually went to work after dark. OX-76

An electric motor turned the crank on top while rows of lights blinked in sequence beneath the peppermill, making it look like pepper was being ground right onto Route 33. Even the Exit 8 panel revolved. Any doubts? You really had to see this one in action.

Mom's started out as a small roadside hot dog stand before growing into a full-size family restaurant. For years its slogan said it all: "Two Places To Eat - Home & Mom's." Later known as Mom's Diner, the restaurant closed in 2007 and sat abandoned for years.

UPDATE: The old restaurant was demolished in 2023, and the familiar roadside sign has been removed. 08-26

Kirby & Holloway (Demolished)
Dover, DE
Photo courtesy Richard Weiss

Cruising along Route 13 in Dover, it was pretty hard to miss this one. The giant neon arrow outside Kirby & Holloway Family Restaurant pointed the way to dinner, and with a roadside sign this big, there wasn't much chance of making a wrong turn.

Kirby & Holloway opened here in 1948, serving the kind of down-home meals that could bring a hungry traveler off the highway. The restaurant was tied to the Kirby & Holloway meat business in Harrington, so naturally scrapple, sausage, and other old-fashioned favorites were part of the attraction.

But out along the highway, the sign was the real attention getter. That big arrow became a familiar sight on the DuPont Highway, pointing toward the restaurant through decades of changing traffic and roadside development. This is the kind of sign that made old Route 13 worth watching instead of just driving through.

Sadly, the arrow eventually pointed toward an empty restaurant. A fire heavily damaged Kirby & Holloway in February 2014, ending more than 60 years of meals at this familiar Dover stop.

UPDATE: The remains of the restaurant were demolished in 2015. The property was later redeveloped as a car wash, but the old roadside arrow structure survives with new signage. 08-26

Yoken's Restaurant (Closed)
Portsmouth, NH
Photo courtesy Bob Jagendorf

Thar she blows! Cruising along Route 1 in Portsmouth, it was pretty hard not to notice the giant whale high above the roadside. The marquee for Yoken's Restaurant featured a happy whale blowing out the promise of "Good Things To Eat." Now that's one way to advertise seafood.

Yoken's opened in 1947 and became a familiar stop for travelers heading along the New England coast. Fried clams, fish, scallops, and chowder were among the specialties, and the sprawling restaurant became almost as much a Route 1 landmark as its towering sign.

Kids had another reason to remember the place. Young diners could get a key and try their luck opening Yoken's Treasure Chest for a prize. Between that, a plate of fried clams, and the big neon whale outside, Yoken's had the roadside experience pretty well covered.

The restaurant closed in September 2004 after nearly 60 years, and the building was eventually demolished.

UPDATE: The famous "Thar She Blows!" whale sign was saved and restored, returning to its familiar spot along Route 1 in 2015. The restaurant may be gone, but travelers can still look up and see that whale blowing "Good Things To Eat" over Portsmouth. 08-26