"Welcome! We're glad you're here." --Uncle Lou

This is a benchmark breakfast restaurant; the kind of place you pray you’ll find as you drive through small-town America.

—American Way Magazine  

Lou Mitchell's on Jackson Boulevard

Did someone say “breakfast”? That’s why we are looking for Lou Mitchell’s Restaurant & Bakery, the best breakfast eatery on the Loop since 1923. Located at 565 Jackson Boulevard, Lou Mitchell’s is the first major stop on Route 66, though it’s only a few hundred yards from the Mother Road’s original start on Jackson and old US 41 (Michigan Avenue). 

You can’t miss the place. The huge marquee with Lou Mitchell's signature inscribed in red cursive neon on the storefront touts the restaurant's claim to fame: "Serving the world's finest coffee." Another illuminated sign on the façade boasts, "We do our own Quality baking." A third signboard shouts "SELECTED NO 1 BREAKFAST & LUNCH RESTAURANT IN AMERICA" from the rooftop. Every guidebook mentions the establishment as a must-stop attraction—and for good reason: Breakfast at Lou Mitchell’s is better than any description.

Since 1923, Lou Mitchell’s has been serving “American Traditional Coffee Shop Diner” cuisine. The establishment was already one of the most popular eateries on the Loop by the time Route 66 was commissioned in 1926, when Jackson Boulevard was the original starting point for westbound traffic. Back then, Lou Mitchell's was located two blocks east on Jackson; founder William Mitchell moved the business to this location in 1949 and named it after his son, Lou. Like most of the classic diners on Route 66, Lou Mitchell's is family-owned and run. Lou eventually took over operations and ran the restaurant well into his seventies. In 1992, he sold the restaurant to his niece, Katherine Thanas, and Lou Mitchell's remains in the Thanas family to this day. 

Entering Lou Mitchell's is like stepping back in time to the Golden Age of Classic American Diners. The restaurant's interior has not been significantly altered since 1949. The dining room retains its original terrazzo flooring and wood wall paneling. The booths have their original wood tables, coat racks, and seats. The Formica counters and individual swivel stools are original, too. Except for new upholstery, bathroom fixtures, and probably an appliance or two, Lou Mitchell's looks the same as it did eight decades ago. Added to the National Register of Historical Places in 2006, Lou Mitchell's is the epitome of the classic American diner as well as a Chicago institution for locals and travelers alike.

If you’re lucky enough to arrive when the line isn’t too long, you’re quickly welcomed by a friendly hostess offering doughnut holes for the gents and junior Milk Duds for the ladies. Within minutes we are seated at a booth near the front where we can survey the décor: a mural of Route 66 landmarks, some highway signage, a couple of hubcaps and other classic car memorabilia, and photos of famous visitors: presidents, mayors, governors, senators, representatives, judges, lawyers, athletes, coaches, clergy, authors, and stars of the stage and screen. No wonder this place is such a "time-honored whistle stop” on the campaign trails of many elected officials. Noisy? Yes, but so are most crossroads of the world.

We are promptly greeted by our waitress, Marina, clad in classic diner waitress attire. Although the restaurant is crammed with people, she is happy to answer my questions about the restaurant and what it's like to work here as if she has all the time in the world.  

"You meet all kinds of people, that's for sure," Marina says about her work. "Where are you from?"

"We're from the Quad Cities, three hours west of here. We're driving Route 66, and this is our first stop," I tell her with gushing enthusiasm. "I've been dreaming about doing this for years, and my dream is finally coming true!" 

Marina studies my face for a moment. I wonder if she's doing one of those spontaneous eye readings that some mystics, disguised as diner waitresses, are known for.

“Do you do meditation, yoga, and all of that stuff?" Marina asks.

.

"Yes," I reply, affirming that I will finally have a steady yoga practice by the end of this year.

"I can tell," she responds. “I’ll be back with coffee.”

Meanwhile, the large menu makes ordering a mouthwatering ordeal. When Marina returns, she waits patiently with her pen poised to write my order on her pad as I deliberate aloud. Belgian waffles? Pancakes? Egg dishes? Omelettes? Breakfast skillets? Too many choices! Finally, I order the Vegetarian Breakfast Skillet (fresh tomato, spinach, mushrooms, onion) with link sausage, breakfast potatoes, and multi-grain toast.

While we wait for our food, we enjoy too many cups of their fine coffee with white swirls of real cream. I brought the road atlas and Snyder’s Route 66 Traveler's Guide and Roadside Companion to review today’s route, but I am too entranced by the horde of people dining around us. I wonder if we’ll see the two motorcyclists in the adjacent booth on The Route today. Sounds like they are speaking German. How many others will be starting their westward journey with us after breakfast this morning?

Veggie Breakfast Skillet with "world's finest coffee"

Within minutes our meals arrive piping hot. Breakfast is a dream. The eggs are light as clouds, the sausage savory, the potatoes just right, and the multi-grain toast is even more scrumptious slathered with marvelous orange marmalade.

The Mother Road truly begins here, where dreams are served in skillets, perfectly prepared to nourish the nomadic spirit.