America's food culture has changed at blinding speed in the past few decades, with trendy taprooms and farm-to-table restaurants seemingly taking over the culinary scene. Yet some stalwarts remain, serving pure comfort food from menus that have stayed the same for generations. From retro drug stores with soda fountains to one-of-a-kind fast food spots with burgers cooked to original recipes, we’ve found the best old-school restaurant in every US state for a pure side of nostalgia.
These joints have stood the test of time for a very good reason – click or scroll on to discover the best old-school restaurant in your state and beyond. How many have you visited?
Our selections are based on genuine user reviews, awards and accolades, and the first-hand experience of our team. They're also regularly checked and updated.
This timeless roadhouse has been slinging Southern specialties like gumbo and fried oysters since it opened in 1924. The oldest restaurant in Mobile, the Dew Drop Inn is best known for its bright-red hot dogs smothered in hearty beef chili and sauerkraut, the recipe for which has barely changed in almost 100 years. The story goes that, when former owner Jimmy Edgar sold the business to its current owner, George Hamlin, in 1968, he had just one piece of advice: "Don't change nothing." It seems he took that to heart!
Chances are you wouldn’t immediately associate Alaska with fried chicken, but Lucky Wishbone really is one of the most amazing chicken joints around. This beloved family-owned spot has been a landmark in Downtown Anchorage since opening in 1955, and is famous for its crisp, tender pan-fried chicken, as well as its freshly made burgers and thick shakes. The restaurant's menu and charmingly retro decor have barely changed over the years, and you’re guaranteed a warm welcome from the friendly staff.
The oldest restaurant in Fort Smith, Ed Walker’s Drive-In first opened in 1943, and still keeps it old-school with a menu of French dip sandwiches, simple burgers, and fast food classics. Locals and tourists alike flock to soak up the retro 1950s diner vibe while attempting to finish the house special: a behemoth five-pound hamburger that’s served cut into wedges like a pizza.
Steakhouses don’t get more old-school than Phoenix institution Durant's, a mid-century time capsule that’s as famous for its retro interior as it is for its amazing steaks. The upscale restaurant has been going since 1950 and, back in the day, it was a regular haunt of stars like Joe DiMaggio, Clark Gable, and John Wayne. Enter through the kitchen (only tourists use the front entrance, apparently), slide into a red leather booth, and peruse the timeless menu of steakhouse classics, like shrimp with cocktail sauce and a hefty 48oz porterhouse.
Landmark San Francisco trattoria Fior d'Italia has an incredibly colorful history: it started out as a brothel in 1886, and has served food to the likes of Richard Nixon and Luciano Pavarotti. Over the years, the restaurant has undergone multiple changes of ownership and location, due to fires, financial turmoil, and the 1906 earthquake, which devastated the city. However, it has always remained in San Francisco’s Little Italy (or North Beach), and lays claim to the title of America's oldest Italian restaurant. Classic dishes like veal scaloppine, ossobuco, and zabaglione have been on the menu pretty much from the beginning.
Denver is jam-packed with historic watering holes, but the oldest of them all is My Brother's Bar, a joint that's been serving fine brews since 1873. This cozy and welcoming saloon is also known for its hearty burgers and classic sandwiches. The Johnny burger, loaded with grilled onions and Swiss, American, and jalapeño cream cheese, is almost as famous as the bar itself.
One of America’s most iconic fast food spots, New Haven institution Louis' Lunch opened back in 1895 and, according to the Library of Congress, was the first restaurant to serve the hamburger sandwich and the steak sandwich. The family-run joint’s famous hamburger sandwich recipe has barely changed in over a century: the burger patties are cooked using original equipment from 1898, and are always served on white toasted bread, with a choice of onion, tomato, and/or cheese inside – and strictly no sauce.
No trip to Rehoboth Beach’s boardwalk is complete without stopping for a bite to eat at Gus & Gus Place’s walk-up window. Open since 1958, the no-frills spot oozes seaside nostalgia, and has a dedicated following among Delaware’s beachgoers thanks to its sensational fried chicken and perfectly melty cheesesteaks. It might not look like much from the outside, but 60-plus years of consistently great food and service have made it an enduring favorite.
Floridians are spoilt for choice when it comes to historic restaurants (the state’s many amazing Cuban spots are extremely well-documented), but Miami Beach institution Joe's Stone Crab is possibly the most old-school of the lot. The award-winning joint has been slinging heaving plates of Florida’s famous stone crab claws since 1921, and they’re still served the same way as they were all those years ago: chilled and cracked, with a signature mustard sauce. Tables are hard to come by, and the prices are pretty high, but if you like stone crab you won’t find fresher – Joe’s even has its own fleet hauling in the crabs.
Mary Mac's is the last of 16 iconic tea rooms that opened in Intown Atlanta in the 1940s. Tourists and locals come to this beloved restaurant to soak up some traditional Southern hospitality while feasting on fried green tomatoes, peach cobbler, and Mary Mac's famous fried chicken (a hot contender for the best in all of Georgia). Many of the restaurant's original recipes were first created by former owner Margaret Lupo in the 1960s, and very little has changed since then; you can still expect to find sweet tea and freshly baked cracklin’ cornbread here every morning.
For old-school surf ‘n’ turf with a Hawaiian twist, those in the know head to Buzz's Original Steak House, a venerable tiki hut–style restaurant that's been going strong since 1962. Nestled in a prime spot on Lanikai Beach, the steakhouse has been the top choice for diners celebrating special occasions for over 60 years. As you’d expect, it’s best known for its beautifully charred beef steaks, but customers also rave about the crab cocktail.
At Merritt's Family Restaurant, it’s all about the scones – big, fluffy, cooked-to-order ones, sprinkled with cinnamon sugar and topped with a big scoop of butter. This old-fashioned café has been a low-key Boise institution since 1975, and practically everything on the menu is freshly made in-house. Merritt's serves up famously hearty portions of classic American comfort food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, including giant hash browns and chicken-fried steaks, served on those staple scones.
You’re never far from a great hot dog in Chicago, and Superdawg Drive-In has been making some of the city’s finest since it first opened, as a humble hot dog stand, in 1948. Drivers are beckoned to stop by a pair of giant, dancing hot dogs, which have stood on the restaurant's roof for more than 70 years. When you step inside, it's like entering a time capsule (it still has the same flashing neon lights and ordering system as it did in the 1940s). From the beginning, the spot has been serving its secret-recipe Superdawg hot dogs, crinkle-cut fries, and shakes so thick, you’re advised to use a spoon.
Four generations of the same family have kept this sweet little spot in the heart of Goshen running for more than 100 years. These days, The Olympia Candy Kitchen is a beloved restaurant that attracts visitors from all over the Midwest. They come to soak up its old-world charm (it still has its original soda fountain) and feast on comfort food, ice cream sundaes, and the joint’s famous candy. A huge amount of food is made in-house using old family recipes, from creamy mayo to chocolate syrup – and menu favorites like olive burgers and gummy worms have enduring appeal.
The Maid-Rite sandwich has reigned supreme in Iowa since 1926, when butcher Fred Angell first concocted the special recipe for spiced, pan-fried ground beef, served in a sliced bun with mustard and pickles. He introduced the dish to diners at his restaurant, Taylor's Maid-Rite, in Marshalltown, and it remains a state institution with a thoroughly old-school vibe. Today, Taylor's has grown into a multi-restaurant chain that operates in six states, but the original spot remains a must-visit.
Family-style fried chicken dinners with homemade relish, coleslaw, and buttery biscuits have been served at this venerable location in Abilene for over a century. Now renamed Legacy Kansas, the restaurant was actually known as the Brookville Hotel up until 2021, when it sadly shuttered due to COVID-19 after 125 years of family ownership. It was a much-loved spot with a history going back to 1870, and was quickly taken over by new owners who, thankfully, have kept everything pretty much as it was. Fried chicken is served by the skillet, and the ice cream is just heavenly.
This landmark Louisville fast food joint – housed in an old trolley car – has been dishing out its signature Ollieburgers and seasoned fries since 1973. At one point there were almost 100 Ollie's Trolley locations around the country, but the concept didn’t take off; this is the last remaining location in Kentucky (the other two are in Washington DC and Cincinnati, Ohio). The Ollieburger has a cult following to this day, and it's a veritable flavor bomb; made with a punchy secret spice mix, it comes topped with mozzarella cheese, and slotted inside a bun slathered with Thousand Island–style sauce.
Every New Orleanian has their favorite po' boy spots, and this no-frills joint ranks at the top of many lists. Family-run Domilise's is considered the standard for po' boys in New Orleans, and has been serving its overstuffed roast beef and shrimp sandwiches to generations of local families since 1918. It’s legendary for its rustic vibe – the restaurant is basically a small yellow house with a hand-painted sign – while the inside is a retro feast of Formica and wood paneling.
Sandwiches don’t get more iconic than Maine’s succulent lobster rolls, and Red's Eats makes some of the best you’ll ever taste. This old-school seafood shack has been a Wiscasset mainstay since 1938, and boasts lengthy lines all the way through the summer season (it's open from mid-April to mid-October). However, the squishy rolls, piled with fresh lobster and a side of melted butter, are well worth the wait.
A cornerstone of Baltimore's historic Lexington Market, Faidley's Seafood is the place to try Maryland’s famous crab cakes. Absolutely packed with jumbo lump blue crab meat, these chunky cakes are supremely meaty, with very little filler – usually just a sprinkle of herbs, lemon, and Old Bay seasoning. The old-school restaurant was founded in 1886, and is still run by the descendants of its founder, John W. Faidley, Sr.
World-famous for its clam chowder and New England clam bakes, Woodman's has been a family business since it was founded in 1914. This bustling spot also lays claim to the invention of the fried clam, in 1916, and is still the go-to spot to try this Massachusetts delicacy. The restaurant itself is pure New England nostalgia, with stunning views of the Essex River and surrounding marshes.
The place to go for a one-of-a-kind dining experience on the Detroit River, family-run Sindbad's has been serving steak and seafood to Detroit’s boating crowd since 1949. You can land at this glitzy dockside eatery by land or sea (the restaurant has its own marina), and feast on a menu packed with old-school delights like jumbo shrimp cocktail, rock lobster tails, and surf 'n' turf.
Sometimes the best restaurants are the simplest. Eating at Our Kitchen – a bustling neighborhood spot serving homely breakfast and lunch classics – is like stepping into grandma’s dining room, in the best possible way. This tiny diner has been serving crispy hash browns and fluffy pancakes, flipped on a one-man griddle, for more than 70 years, and it’s always full of life and chatter. Seating is limited, so it’s usually very busy (especially on weekends), but grab a seat at the counter if you can; from here, you can watch your food being cooked.
For a real slice of fast food history, grab a table at Borroum’s. Founded in 1865, the restaurant is the oldest drug store in Mississippi, and still has its old-timey soda fountain. Here, the order of choice is the slugburger, an unusual Depression-era specialty consisting of a patty made with ground pork, soy flour, and spices, deep-fried in vegetable oil and served in a hamburger bun with mustard, onions, and pickles. The store’s gorgeous interior has become a museum of sorts, with rows of original dispensing bottles and antique paraphernalia on display. Meanwhile, the menu of sandwiches, sundaes, and sodas is as old-school as it gets.
The scrumptious tomato-free chili served at this storied spot has been made the same way for more than a century: by spooning carefully seasoned, slow-cooked beef over beans. Dixon's Chili Parlor has a long history; its first incarnation was as a downtown street cart, until a restaurant opened in 1919, and not much has changed since then. Dixon's famous chili comes three different ways – dry, soupy (with bean broth), or juicy (with meat juices) – and can be topped with a limited selection of fixins’, from jalapeño relish to ketchup.
The friendly staff and hearty portions of secret-recipe fried chicken at this old-timey spot will certainly put a smile on your face. The Double Front Cafe has been at the same location in Missoula since 1909, and gets its name from the fact that it literally has two front doors. The restaurant actually straddles two of the city’s most important streets (West Alder Street and West Railroad Street), and at various stages throughout its history it's been a bar, pool hall, and cigar shop. The Herndon family has run the cozy joint since 1961, and its much-loved fried chicken recipe has remained unchanged.
This beloved family-owned burger joint has been serving delicious fast food since 1943, so it's had plenty of time to build up a very loyal following. At this charming throwback restaurant, you can order via the drive-in, or grab a retro booth and place your order using the old-fashioned phone at your table (when your food is ready, you'll get a call telling you to go pick it up at the counter). The food itself is all homemade and cooked to order, from the burgers, which are cut and ground in-house, to the much-loved onion rings, which fans say are the best in Nebraska.
For a taste of pure Las Vegas nostalgia, head to Battista's Hole in the Wall, an Italian joint that's been serving perfectly made red-sauce classics since 1970. Practically every scrap of wall and ceiling is adorned with old-time Vegas memorabilia (it claims to have the largest collection of miniature liquor bottles in the world), and a wandering accordion player serenades diners while they feast on classics like chicken Alfredo and steak pizzaiola. Portions are enormous, and each dinner comes with minestrone soup, house wine, garlic bread, and a cappuccino included in the price.
The Littleton Diner has been feeding folks in this picturesque New England town since the 1930s, and its homely vibe has barely changed in all that time. The timeless restaurant is an integral part of the local community, and is the go-to spot for breakfast classics like Belgian waffles, French toast, and impossibly fluffy pancakes, or hefty lunch plates of meatloaf and North Country liver and onions. However, it's the incredible corned beef hash that has diners coming back for more.
As far as Clifton residents are concerned, this no-frills institution serves the only hot dogs worth eating. Rutt's Hut has been slinging its deep-fried hot dogs (known as 'rippers,' because the hot oil sometimes causes the sausage casings to burst) since 1928. As well as the rippers, which come smothered in a secret-recipe spiced relish, the joint also serves its dogs 'In-And-Out' style – which means they're only in the hot oil briefly – or fried until basically charred black. Inside the restaurant, the furnishings and decor have barely changed, so paying it a visit really is like stepping back in time.
Residents of Albuquerque are utterly spoiled for choice when it comes to Mexican food, but El Modelo Mexican Foods is the place to go for a really old-school meal. The rustic hole-in-the-wall spot was founded 1929 as El Modelo Tortilla Factory, with owner Carmen Garcia rising at 2am every day to make tortillas ready for the breakfast rush. These days, the menu includes sopapillas (small fried pastries), breakfast burritos, and delicious tacos loaded with New Mexico’s famous green and red chiles, but the restaurant is still best known for selling the most delicious tortillas and tamales around.
The self-proclaimed 'premier hangout spot for all the grampas of Chinatown NYC since 1967,' Mee Sum Cafe is located on one of Chinatown's oldest streets, and is famous for its nostalgic food, speedy service, and low prices. On the menu (scrawled on wooden boards at the front of the tiny restaurant) you’ll find Hong Kong café–style dishes like duck over rice, steaming bowls of congee, salted chicken, and wonton soup, all perfect with a cup of traditional milk tea.
North Dakota is known for its German heritage, and this small chain of 1950s-style diners, with locations in Fargo, Bismarck, Mandan, and Minot, is legendary for serving up sensational German and American comfort food. Kroll's was founded in 1968, and has a following for its super-comforting knoephla (a thick German chicken and potato soup), and fleischkuechle: ground beef wrapped inside pastry and deep-fried.
The oldest restaurant in Raleigh, The Mecca dates back to 1930 – and the old-timey, family-owned mainstay is a must-visit spot for Southern comfort food made with love. The diner is such an integral part of the local community that when longtime owner and matriarch Floye Dombalis passed away, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper sent out a condolence tweet. The retro booths and vinyl counter stools are always packed with locals devouring hearty breakfast biscuits piled with eggs, cheese, and country ham, as well as freshly baked pecan pie and fried chicken platters.
The home of one of the biggest and best corned beef sandwiches in Ohio, if not the entire country, this no-frills landmark has been satisfying hungry Clevelanders with its hefty deli staples since 1964. Housed in an unassuming brick building, Slyman's has a charmingly retro interior, and its famous sammie consists of a mile-high stack of thin, tender slices of corned beef, melted Swiss cheese, mayo, and mustard, all piled into the freshest rye or wheat bread. This is the dish that draws the crowds, but don’t underestimate the restaurant's other delights; its pastrami melts and warming roast beef and turkey dinners are also excellent.
This tiny café in the little town of Perry has a huge personality, from its striking neon sign to its gorgeous Art Deco interior. A real historical gem, Kumback Lunch was founded in 1926 and, according to the menu, holds the honor of being the oldest café in Oklahoma. Inside, it's a feast of nostalgia, with vintage memorabilia and walls lined with pictures of visiting celebrities and Perry legends. On the menu you’ll find down-home delights like fresh-from-the-oven pot pies, chicken-fried steak, and meatloaf.
Not only does this legendary drive-in sell one of Portland’s finest burgers, it also boasts one of the city’s most stunning views. Sitting high on Skyline Boulevard and surrounded by the magical Forest Park, Skyline is the oldest diner in town, and a visit here is like stepping back in time (in the best possible way). First founded in 1935, it became wildly popular in the 1950s, and its old-school diner vibes have barely changed since then – from the warren of cozy booths, wood paneling, and old-fashioned soda fountain to the menu of classic hamburgers, chili cheese tots, and milkshakes blitzed with pie.
It doesn’t get more classically Philly than this venerable red sauce and checked tablecloth Italian spot – it even featured in the 2015 Rocky Balboa franchise film Creed, as ‘Adrian's’ restaurant. First opened in 1918, Victor Café is almost like a piece of living history, and it's famous for its live performances; here, you can enjoy a side of Italian opera with your veal saltimbocca and clams casino.
This is one of the last remaining Rhode Island spots where you can try an old-fashioned New England shore dinner: a rustic but bountiful feast of local fish and seafood. At Aunt Carrie's, a charming clam shack dating back to 1920, the shore dinner starts with clam chowder and homemade clam cakes, followed by steamed clams with melted butter, and fried local flounder with fries and slaw. Family legend claims the clam cake was invented here, when founder Carrie Cooper added fresh clams to her corn fritters. Today, the spot is still run by her family, and remains a favorite summertime destination.
The Scott family has been serving down-home pit-cooked pork and chicken made the traditional South Carolina way since 1972. Housed in an unassuming old country store, this longtime barbecue institution is a little off the beaten track, sitting just outside the tiny town of Hemingway. But it’s so worth the trip to taste the meltingly tender chopped whole hog, smoked to perfection and basted with a tangy, vinegar-based barbecue sauce. Scott’s Bar-B-Que is run by the family of legendary pitmaster Rodney Scott, who learned his trade at the original spot aged just 11, and it’s a true piece of barbecue history.
This quaint throwback has been an essential fast food spot for South Dakotans and visitors passing through the small city of Brookings since 1929, when founders Harold and Gladys Nikalson first fired up the grill and started slinging burgers for just five cents apiece. The prices and owners may have changed in the last 90 years, but pretty much everything else has stayed the same, from the iconic red counter stools to the wax paper used to wrap the burgers, which diners are encouraged to buy 'by the bag.' The restaurant is known for its minute attention to detail, from its homemade buns to its secret-recipe Nickburger relish.
Serving up classic meat-and-three plates and soda shop specials in the heart of Music City, Elliston Place Soda Shop has been a neighborhood institution for more than 80 years. First opened by Lynn Chandler in 1939, it may have changed hands a few times, but the shop remains true to its roots with an old-fashioned soda fountain, retro jukeboxes, and a neon sign that's hung in the same place from the beginning. Grab a seat on one of the chrome bar stools or slide into a pleather booth and feast on Southern comfort classics like lemon icebox pie, Nashville hot chicken sandwiches, and fried okra.
Texas barbecue needs little introduction, and the Lone Star State has countless barbecue joints ranging from slick, modern operations to old-fashioned staples. Vera's Backyard Bar-B-Que is firmly in the latter category. This unfussy spot specializes in Mexican and Texan-style meats such as carnitas and brisket, but is most famous for its barbacoa de cabeza (traditional pit-smoked cow's head), which has been on the menu since 1955, when Vera's first opened. In 2020, the restaurant was named an America's Classic by the James Beard Foundation, so it’s well worth a visit.
One of the oldest continuously operating restaurants in Utah, Idle Isle Café is probably best-known for making the state’s signature dessert – idleberry pie. An idleberry isn’t actually a berry you can pick (it's actually a mash-up of favorites, including blueberries and marionberries), but the signature pie has attracted diners from all over the country for generations. The welcoming eatery celebrated its 100th birthday in 2021, and its ethos and atmosphere have changed very little over the years; just see its classic home-baked dinner rolls and historic interior, complete with hand-crafted wooden booths, marble and onyx counters, and Art Deco lighting, for proof.
Not a huge amount has changed since this homely mom-and-pop joint first started slinging sizzling skillet breakfasts, homemade fruit pies, and comforting blue plate specials, back in 1979. Nestled in the quaint village of Lyndonville, the popular diner offers the quintessential Vermont experience; nab a table and feast on loaded sandwiches or perfectly fluffy pancakes drizzled with maple syrup. The portions at Miss Lyndonville Diner are notoriously massive, so it’s the perfect place to fuel up before exploring the nearby Burke Mountains.
As you might guess from the name, Doumar’s does two things really well – yummy homemade ice cream served in hand-rolled waffle cones, and melt-in-the-mouth barbecue pork. The story goes that founder Abe Doumar invented the waffle cone at the 1904 World’s Fair, when he bought a waffle from one vendor and topped it with ice cream from another. After opening a string of popular ice cream stands, Abe launched this restaurant, which has been in the same spot since 1934. The menu has expanded a bit since 1907, but the waffle cones are still made to the same recipe, using the waffle cone machine originally built by Abe himself.
Beth's Cafe has been a haunt of Seattle’s nighthawks since 1954; it started out as a nickel slot gambling parlor, but later turned into a 24-hour restaurant to keep customers around for longer. It has changed ownership over the years, but has always remained in the same spot, and is famous for its wide array of breakfast food – including the colossal Southwestern Exposure, a 12-egg omelet served on a pizza tray with all-you-can-eat hash browns and toast.
West Virginia’s signature hot dogs are heavenly creations topped with chili sauce, mustard, chopped onions, and coleslaw. Stewart's Original Hot Dogs is the flagship purveyor of this local delicacy, and has been selling its much-loved wieners from the same tiny orange building in Huntington since 1932. At first, the stand only sold root beer and popcorn, but things really took off when founders John Louis and Gertrude Mandt added hot dogs topped with homemade chili sauce to the menu. These days the sauce is still prepared to a secret recipe, closely guarded by the current owner, Gertrude’s great-grandson, John.
One of Wisconsin’s most famous restaurants, Mader's is also Milwaukee’s oldest, dating back to 1901, when a roast duckling dinner cost 20 cents. Today, it’s still entirely family owned and operated, and its menu is packed with old-timey German comfort food, from pork patties and wiener schnitzel to giant pretzels and all kinds of German sausages. Presidents John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, and Gerald Ford have all dined at the historic joint, and Mader's has gained popularity with countless celebrities and musicians during its long history.
Wyoming’s one-of-a-kind eatery was a railcar touring the streets of Cheyenne from 1894 to 1912, eventually transformed into a dining cart in 1926. Luxury Diner only has a couple of tables and often attracts long lines, but it’s worth the wait to soak up the amazing retro decor and gorge on its famous skillet breakfasts, juicy burgers, and enormous, gooey cinnamon rolls.
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