If you’re moseying down Route 66 with a rumble in your belly, the Wagon Wheel Restaurant in Needles is ready to wrangle up a good meal. This classic diner has been a local favorite since 1978, and you can’t miss it. Just keep your eyes peeled for the bright yellow building topped with a giant gorilla who’s been keeping watch like the unofficial sheriff of town.
Slide into a booth inside and lasso a plate from their hearty menu, where breakfast is served all day and comfort food never goes out of style. They’ve got a menu full of diner favorites: chicken fried steak, steak and eggs, pork chops, cinnamon French toast, and big breakfast burritos. The menu cover itself is even a collectible, designed by Route 66 legend Bob Waldmire.
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I couldn’t resist the Signature Pot Roast Skillet: slow-roasted pot roast served on two scoops of fresh mashed potatoes over Texas toast, topped with sautéed mushrooms, onions, and homemade brown gravy. It was a hearty, satisfying meal…maybe a little too hearty for a 115-degree Needles night…but it certainly hit the spot after a long day on the road.
The Wagon Wheel first hit the trail back in 1955 as Lynn’s Broiler. In 1978, Jimmy Jackson grabbed the reins and gave it the Wagon Wheel name. Then in 2005, Mike Dick and Susan Alexis kept the tradition going, making sure travelers could still hitch up for a meal and some Mother Road hospitality.
Before you ride off into the desert sunset, don’t forget to snap a few selfies with the gorilla and the colorful signs and murals outside, then pop into the gift shop for Route 66 souvenirs, mugs, books, and t-shirts.
Photos of Wagon Wheel Restaurant in Needles, California
