Anna Maria Italian Restaurant (Gone)
Washington, DC Photo courtesy Chris Richey
This sign for the Anna Maria Italian Restaurant features
prominently the image of ... yes... Anna Maria. Nothing like putting a face with the name.
Anna Maria's opened in 1958 and became a longtime Dupont Circle stop for homemade Italian food. Pasta, veal, bread, sauces, and other Southern Italian favorites kept the tables busy, and the restaurant was also known for serving food late into the night.
Inside, the walls told another part of the story. Autographed photographs from years of visitors reportedly included everyone from Frank Sinatra to politicians and other familiar faces. But out on the street, Anna Maria herself remained the star, staring down from that unmistakable old sign.
UPDATE: After more than 50 years, Anna Maria's closed in the early 2010s. The building was repurposed and the familiar portrait sign was removed. 08-26
Clam Broth House (Closed)
Hoboken, NJ Photo courtesy Bob Jagendorf
Looking for something hot on a cold winter day? Just follow the finger. The giant pointing hand above Clam Broth House directed hungry folks toward Newark Street in Hoboken, and it was certainly a lot more interesting than your average restaurant sign.
The Clam Broth House had been around since 1899, serving generations of dockworkers, commuters, and anyone else wandering over from the nearby waterfront. True to its name, customers could get a mug of hot clam broth, traditionally served free with a drink or sandwich. Inside, the old place was known for sawdust floors, clam shells, and plenty of atmosphere.
The restaurant also picked up a little Hollywood history along the way. Marlon Brando and other cast members reportedly stopped in while filming On the Waterfront around Hoboken in 1954, and local boy Frank Sinatra was another familiar name associated with the place.
UPDATE: The original Clam Broth House was condemned after structural problems in 2003 and was later demolished. The restaurant is gone, but the famous rooftop pointing finger sign survives above the corner of Newark and Hudson streets. 08-26
Good Steer Marquee
Lake Grove, NY Photo courtesy Louis Di Fazio
Cruising along Middle Country Road, there's no mistaking what's for dinner when a giant steer is staring down at you from the parking lot. The big roadside marquee for The Good Steer was a familiar sight in Lake Grove, complete with that friendly steer up top keeping watch over the traffic. With a sign like this, you almost had to pull in and see what was cooking.
The Good Steer opened in 1957 and became one of those Long Island restaurants that seemed to have been there forever. Back in the early days, carhop waitresses on roller skates brought orders right out to customers waiting in their cars. Burgers, cars, roller skates, and a big roadside sign. Sounds like Route 25 was a pretty happening place.
Good Steer Marquee
Lake Grove, NY Photo courtesy Louis Di Fazio
Eventually everyone headed inside, where the restaurant had a rustic, western sort of atmosphere with plenty of dark wood and booths. The specialty was naturally beef, especially the charbroiled burgers. Regulars also remember those thin, crispy onion rings piled alongside the meal.
Then there was the Cheese Dream Burger. Covered with the Good Steer's own Cheese Dream Sauce, it became one of those local favorites that people kept coming back for. The Bacon Cheese Supreme wasn't exactly a bad choice either. Better arrive hungry.
Good Steer Restaurant (Gone)
Lake Grove, NY Photo courtesy Phil Milton
But before the burgers, onion rings, and Cheese Dreams, there was that sign. For decades the big steer remained out along Middle Country Road while everything around it changed. It's exactly the kind of old restaurant marquee that could turn an ordinary drive down Route 25 into another roadside photo stop.
UPDATE: Here's an old photo of the Good Steer restaurant at dusk. Many thanks to Phil Milton for info. 03-07
UPDATE: After 65 years, the Good Steer served its final meals on July 9, 2022. The building remains but has been repurposed, and the familiar roadside steer sign has been removed. 08-26
Castle Green Motor Inn
Greencastle, PA Photo courtesy Moon Mullins OX-76
Looking for a place to spend the night and maybe grab a bite while passing through Pennsylvania? Pull off Route 16 near Interstate 81 and check out Castle Green Motor Inn in Greencastle. OX-76
Before checking in, take a look at that marquee. The big cross-arrow sign points the way toward the motel, restaurant, and Woody's Lounge. Rooms, food, and drinks, all conveniently covered by one old roadside sign.
With Interstate 81 just down the road, Castle Green has long been the kind of place where travelers and truckers could pull off the highway, park for the night, and get something to eat without going much farther. And if you're not quite ready for bed, Woody's Lounge was waiting nearby.
It's the cross-arrow marquee that really makes this stop worth another look. Signs like this were made for the highway, catching your eye and pointing you toward whatever you might need after a long day on the road.
UPDATE: Castle Green Motor Inn remains open, and its distinctive cross-arrow roadside marquee still stands out front. The sign is painted mostly white now with red lettering. 08-26
Bandana's Mexican Grille
Wildwood Crest, NJ Photo courtesy Paul Bauke
Feeling a little sleepy after a day at the shore? Check out the neon outside Bandana's
Mexicana Grille in Wildwood Crest. The sleeping sombrero character looks like he's already settled in for a siesta, and when the neon comes on after dark, he's pretty hard to miss.
Bandana's has been serving the Wildwoods for more than 40 years, offering Mexican favorites along with ice cream and desserts. And if dinner isn't enough, there's always the Fried Banana Split waiting afterward.
Of course, this is Wildwood, where a little neon goes a long way. Surrounded by the area's colorful motels and old Doo Wop roadside signs, that glowing sombrero looks right at home along Atlantic Avenue.
UPDATE: Bandana's Mexican Grille remains open seasonally in Wildwood Crest, and the sleeping sombrero neon still lights up the restaurant after dark. 08-26
Anna Maria Italian Restaurant (Gone)
Clam Broth House (Closed)
Good Steer Marquee
Good Steer Marquee
Good Steer Restaurant (Gone)
Castle Green Motor Inn
