If I lived near Omaha, I'd go to Johnny's Cafe for all of my beef requirements.

We used to have a small chain of seafood restaurants called Delaney's in So Cal that had great food and we used to frequent them quite a bit. They may have fallen victim to the economic downturn a few years back as I am not sure there are any left.

Native Nebraskan here but they were before my time. Dad remembers them though...

The one I remember from my childhood out there (early 80's) was Dash-Inn. They had the rumba and hot-n-tot pops, which I believe were just flavoring added to Coke.

One month until I get my Runza fix! Getting married out there on Aug 9.

The last surviving Howard Johnson's, located in New York:
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/visiting-the-last-surviving-howard-johnsons/

the 1st sambo's and the only one left open.

http://www.sambosrestaurant.com/

Remember when the oasis above I-90 heading into chicago was howard johnsons? Now it's not even a food court, they knocked it down to widen the highway past 6 lanes.

Wow! I had forgotten! We didn't stop there except once or twice, but it was so distinctive looking!

That doesn't look nearly as racist as I remember. They obviously made it more PC over the years. We used to have one right by my house growing up. Didn't Sambos ultimately become Denny's at some point?

No. But many Sambo's locations were sold to Denny's and converted.

I was there many times as a kid. I remember it very well!

I know of a couple that were converted into an iHop and a Godfathers Pizza (another long gone chain).

But do they have fried clams?

Oops... I didn't see there was a second page to that story.

The last HoJo's I used to visit was in San Clemente back in the late 80s. My roommate and I used to joke about how we were going to put them out of business on clam fry night.

It was kind of something like this...

http://money.cnn.com/2015/07/29/news/naugles-mexican-restaurant-reopens/

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http://www.ipdb.org/showpic.pl?id=1178&picno=48385

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Yup, ate there Wednesday night.
Bill Cole, the guy that did the Godfathers commercials years ago, used to do the sermon readings at church when we were kids. You always expected him to end it with his "do it!" slogan.

That is so cool. I ate there many times as a kid. I'd love to find that pin!

Wow and I don't live in the area anymore, depressed yet not, but good to see Naugles is coming back. I agree that with fast food in mind, they are to mexican food as in n out is to burgers. Hopefully they spread out a heap so when I head back there on occasion in the coming years I can find one again.

That's cool! I thought the only one left was the original in Santa Barbara. About 14 years ago we were driving the coast from LA to San Francisco and when we went through Santa Barbara I made my wife pull over so we could eat there. We had a Sambo's in the suburb I grew up in on the east side of Cleveland.

Edit: I just checked the website for the Oregon location and it does say that they were never part of the national chain, just inspired by the same story.

In "n" out may have it's followers but for a lot of us here it is not the go to burger place. Fresh food yes, but there are way better burgers and fries at other places.

As far as Naugles is concerned we may be headed down there this evening but I will wait and see if they expand the menu to include items like the ortega burger, fries, or macho nachos before I get overly excited.

menu.jpg

They are still in the very early stages, and doing what they call a "soft opening." They have been turning people away when they run out of food. So they don't have things running perfectly smoothly yet, but based on a lot of reviews that I've read on FB from people who have eaten there, they say that they have really nailed the flavors, textures and smells...including the red sauce!

Can't wait to get out there and try it. Hope they open one out here too.

There is one in Ohio by Jeffersonville. Between Cbus and Cinci on 71. My buddy insisted we stopped on the way back from a Reds game. It was one of those multi restaurant buildings. I think it had 4 yum brands in one, or maybe 2 and 2 next to each other. A+W / KFC / LJS/ TB

I'm from the area, only moved away in more recent years so I know the good and I guess the bad with In N Out, but I still feel it's the best fresh fast food burger you can get and pisses me off they refuse to build farther east. >:\ Mind you I do believe the animal style version of their hamburger is quite the improvement over the stock menu item. The added pickle, roasted onions and mustard on the meat give it a better flavor. Even that animal laid down on the fries is a hell of a treat on its own too.

I'd hold out on Naugles too if you really want that stuff, but at the same time wouldn't it be wise to support them now so they have more cash to grow with too?

I'm sure it is which is why it's nice to have a choice. But when I want something animal style I prefer the mess that is a Tommy's chili cheese burger and fries.

Tommys.jpg

It looks like we won't make it to Naugles tonight as they close at 7:00 and by the time we get there it would be closed. So Naugles is for another day. But as long as they keep selling out of food their future looks pretty bright for now.

Oh the steak, baked potatoes and salads I put down here when attending training in the Boston area during the 80's.

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I had to find that documentary and watch it! Showbiz was started in my home town of Topeka KS by Robert L. Brock, built the 1st one in Kansas City! Loved that place growing up! Hate what it became!
Chuck E Cheese is nothing like what Showbiz was!

I always grab a few In-N-Out t-shirts when I visit Vegas. Guaranteed anytime I go out in one of those t-shirts, I'll get asked if they have In-N-Out in Florida. Right now I'm just wishing Whataburger would move into Central Florida. The Monterey Melt is so good!

The good old KaTacoHutBeer.

Tommy's isn't that the restaurant along I5 around San Clemente? I used to eat there maybe 15-20 years ago, was pretty good diner food. Last time I was in they still had this horrible 80s Miami Vice type motif going on there.

I've got a couple of black In N Out shirts, it gets comments and looks. Usually how much it's good, and how much they suck for not coming east. I mean I get why they don't, fresh food, driving distance or forget it, but there's nothing stopping them from opening up another main food facility in a place like Missouri or whatever that could help service much of the rest of the US. It's like they don't want more money or happy customers.

I know that Tommy's! No, that is like you said a diner that has nothing to do with the fast food chain but is still a decent sit down place although I haven't eaten there in a while. They had a pretty good breakfast if I remember correctly.

Original Tommy's is a small chain that started out of LA and is famous for their chili burgers and we have one not too far from here, but far enough to keep us from going there all the time.

http://www.originaltommys.com/

Not sure if these are still around.image.jpg

remember eating at rocky cola cafe down around santa monica, back 20 years ago, when we were there. i think thats closed up now.. or moved to whittier ? real nice banana/honey pancakes... the oatmeal /egg whites also nice.
the waitresses werent half bad either. : P

It does look like Tommy's in San Clemente has upgraded their interior since then.

SCTommys.JPG

Tommy'sSC.jpg

This thread has brought back so many great memories for me going back 40+ years. "Thanks" to everyone. I've lived in the SE and NW of the USA (and traveled everywhere in-between) , and I have been reminded of many places that I loved and others I had forgotten about until now. It's interesting to see what restaurants people in other parts of the country/world miss. In many cases, I had no idea some restaurants I liked years ago were available FAR beyond my local area(s). It's also just as interesting to read about the many beloved regional/independent/one-off restaurants that I've never heard of that were only available locally to Pinsiders in their own particular areas.

On that last note...did anyone here on Pinside live in or attend college in Gainesville, FL back in 80s? If so, you must remember Skeeter's Big Biscuits?!? My favorite memories of Skeeter's are going there late-at-night/early-AM on weekends with a carload of friends. Having to wait to get in at those "off" hours was surprisingly common. Once inside, everyone looked forward to the guy singing and playing his guitar while we ate. His "American Pie" was a crowd-pleaser and always had the whole place joining in together to sing along with him. For what it's worth, my favorite late-night dish back then was the home-fried potatoes lathered in sausage gravy.

Here's a vintage Skeeter's commercial:

Anytime I think of this subject my mind immediately goes to Pleasers in Bedford, IN.

bedfordinpleasers.jpg

My brother and I would get two double cheeseburger, fries, and a Big Red. One week they would have double cheeseburgers on sale for 99 cents and the next week they would have their Big Pleaser on sale. The Big Pleaser was like a Big Mac. A couple of years ago my cousin and I decided to look to see if any were still open and found one in NC. We were excited and ready to go on a road trip when we found out they closed just a few months before. Check out this site for more on the Bedford Pleasers.

http://www.freewebs.com/burgerchef/9bedfordinpics.htm

All they need is a couple old school pinball machines. Or maybe they are there..

OOoooh Tommy's got out of the 80s, about damn time. It was like walking into Vice City I'm not kidding, and that was in the later 90s the last time I was in there so it was fairly pathetic. I wish I had gone in there again the 3 years I went back to CA (about 3 years ago now) as that would have been fun to see that. I guess it makes sense there's more than one Tommy's, and yeah that one I was thinking off did have awesome breakfast, it was often what we'd stop in there for. My breakfast go to now is Bob Evan's in this area. I'm sure there's probably some mom and pop place I'm unaware of that kicks ass, but I like that place.

I know it's (I think) not a local thing, but I used to really crave Rubio's in the area there too for their fish tacos.

This is all that's left of the Steer 'n' Stein.

SteernStein.jpg

Fortunately they only changed the name but kept the food. Nimblepin suggested this instead of closed Naugles. Did I ever tell you that kid's a genius?

Bear.JPG

Stockyard.jpg

Although next time I might go with this. Get your steak rare as the plate is sizzling.

shroomsteak.jpg

Naugles reopens but is overwhelmed by crowds: 'We completely ran out of food'

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/ziebarth-674484-naugles-hours.html

Lines again wrapped around the building. Some customers reported waiting more than 45 minutes to order food. One woman fainted.

Must be some good stuff. Man I love Mexican food.

Paging Quiddity...

Here in Wyoming, Racks is the booby shaker. A.K.A the gentlemans club.

Dairy King. Burger Queen. I have seen these places in some dumpy little towns. I have even seen a Starbarks.

Who has nothing. We don't eat restaurant breakfast in Louisville, that's what Grandmama's biscuits are for. The one place we did eat was one of those touristy traps with my cousin - http://www.lynnsparadisecafe.com/ Which I suppose is great for this thread, as judging by the website it's currently out of business.