Historic Route 66 restaurant has new tenant
The Chicken Shack is moving to a new location on Route 66, into a building that formerly housed Hillbillee’s Chicken.
Paige Dillard, Oklahoman
A popular activity among car enthusiasts is to follow the old Route 66 from Chicago to Santa Monica, which was 2,448 miles long at the time. Its length is currently given as 2,278 miles.
Eventually, drivers get hungry. Here are just a few of the Illinois restaurants that have been around for generations.
White Fence Farm
White Fence Farm, 1376 Old Joliet Road in Romeoville, touts “the best chicken in the world” and has been serving chicken dishes since the early 1920s, before Route 66 was built. For more information: whitefencefarm-il.com
Polk-a-Dot Drive-In
The Polk-a-Dot Drive In, 222 N. Front St., in Braidwood, has been in business since 1956. It features a 1950s theme and gives customers a glimpse of what life was like on the Mother Road back then and offers photo opportunities with many statues of famous people and figures.
Old Route 66 family restaurant
This is actually a new establishment, having opened in 2001, long after Route 66 was closed. Nevertheless, the Old Route 66 Family Restaurant, 105 S. Old Route 66 in Dwight, offers visitors a taste of the Route 66 atmosphere with its decor and menu of home-style cooking.
Old log cabin
There aren’t many restaurants that sound as much like Route 66 as this place on the northern edge of Pontiac at 18700 Historic Route 66. It was opened in 1926 by Joe and Victor Seloti as the Log Cabin Inn, initially as a restaurant and gas station. Joe ran the restaurant, where he cooked alongside his talking crow. Victor, also known as “Babe,” ran the gas station. Joe Seloti was famous for his BBQ. It got its name because the building was built from telephone poles and walls made of knotty pine.
Cozy dog drive-in
Although it has been in various locations over the years, the Cozy Dog Drive In has its roots in Oklahoma and Texas before becoming a Springfield staple thanks to Ed Waldmire. A hot dog on a stick deep-fried in cornbread batter has become world famous as the corn dog. In Springfield, it was the driving force behind the development of a hot dog stand opened by Ed Waldmire. Waldmire’s wife suggested calling the corn dog the “Cozy Dog,” and thus the Cozy Dog Drive In was born. The current location, 2935 S. 6th St., in Springfield, is just north of the original location. It is still a popular stop for travelers along Route 66. More information: cozydogdrivein.com
Ariston Café
Originally located in Carlinville, the Ariston Café was opened by Pete Adam on Illinois Route 4 in 1924. Adam moved the Ariston Café to Litchfield five years later. In 1935, it was moved to its current location, 413 Old Route 66 North, Litchfield. It is one of the oldest restaurants on Route 66. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2006 and is still owned by the Adam family.
The Riviera
Although the Riviera Supper Club no longer exists, it would be remiss not to mention it.
Located on Route 66 north of Gardner, this famous restaurant is rich in legendary stories about some notorious characters. It was a popular place for drinking and gambling during Prohibition.
It is said that Al Capone liked to dine there. The Riviera closed in 2008, reopened in 2009, but closed again in 2010. Later in 2010, a fire destroyed the building, but there is still a sign marking the Riviera’s location.
