I waited nearly an hour in line to try the famed Brian Burger at Emma Jean’s Holland Burger Cafe in Victorville, California, along Route 66. It wasn’t that the line stretched down the block, only a few couples and families were ahead of me, but the cafe itself was deceptively small. Just a handful of tables tucked around the perimeter and a counter that wrapped snugly around the kitchen meant seating was at a premium.
Of course, I had also shown up at peak Saturday brunch time, when the kitchen was sending out a steady stream of sweet pancakes and French toast alongside savory plates of eggs, sandwiches, fries, and onion rings. It was the perfect storm, and I found myself waiting for that elusive single counter seat to open up.
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Emma Jean’s Holland Burger Cafe is a true Route 66 institution. Open since 1947, the pistachio-green building holds the oldest diner in town and has long been a favorite of truckers, locals, and hungry road trippers looking for a hearty meal. It even made a cameo in Kill Bill: Vol. 2.
The history of the café goes back to Bob and Kate Holland, who opened it in 1947 to feed drivers on the Mother Road. The “Emma Jean” part of the name came later, when longtime waitress Emma married truck driver Richard Gentry. Richard bought the café for her, and later their son Brian and his wife Shawna carried on the family tradition, serving comfort food just the way Emma did. Sadly, Brian Gentry passed away in 2024, but the café continues on under Shawna’s care, still offering warm hospitality and hearty meals.
Emma Jean’s has earned plenty of national attention, too. Guy Fieri stopped by on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives to try the house-made biscuits and, of course, the famous Brian Burger, the same one I was so eager to sink my teeth into. And with each passing minute in line, I wanted it more and more.
When a group finally cleared out, I grabbed a spot at the counter. I still flipped through the menu, even though I’d stalked it online for months and knew exactly what I was there for. The choices were tempting though: the Trucker’s Sandwich (tri-tip roast beef, cheese, Ortega chili, and bacon on grilled sourdough), the fluffy buttermilk Brian Cakes, the hearty Trucker’s Special (two pancakes or French toast with sausage or bacon, two eggs, and coffee), plus diner staples like biscuits and gravy, patty melts, and chicken fried steak.
But I stuck to my guns and ordered the Brian Burger. This signature sandwich stacks a thick beef patty, melted cheese, and a mild Ortega chili between Parmesan-crusted sourdough bread. And it did not disappoint. Crunchy, cheesy, and satisfying in every bite—it was worth every minute of that wait.
Photos of Emma Jean’s Holland Burger Cafe in Victorville, California
