Stopped off at a smalltown restaurant................

[Nueces]

Years ago, my trip to take daughter #1 to college in Memphis got sidetracked for a funeral in Houston, so the Memphis trip proceeded up 59 to Texarkana. We were west of Lufkin when we wanted lunch, so I told her "Here's what we do: head for town, locate the town square and circle it looking for checked curtains in the windows." Worked perfectly, we had wonderful chicken fried steak and peach cobbler.

More recently, a buddy and I attended a gun show in Taylor, Texas, northeast of Austin. Made friends with the two constables working the door and asked them for their lunch recommendations. They said "Go to Vencil's place." We didn't understand what they meant (or even what they had said), but they told us how to find it and we did. I judged the place to date from the 40s. We sat down and the nice waitress came over. I asked about the history of the place and she told us it had been started in 1947 by a guy back from the European theater of WWII. As we spoke with her, an old gentleman was rolled in in a wheelchair and placed under the window AC unit on the other side of the room. Waitress told us he was Vencil Mares, 95 years old, a WWII decorated hero and founder of the restaurant.

Later, as we ate the fine Texas BBQ, she brought us old copies of the town newspaper with a cover story on Mare's exploits. She had had Vencil autograph them for us. So, before leaving, we stopped by to meet and appreciate the guy. Neither of us could understand him, since he was sitting under a roaring AC unit, but we shook his hand and I think he understood that we honored him. As we left, we saw his shadow box holding his Silver Star and other decorations hanging by the door.

Stories like these help me appreciate little country places.

[JoeJames]

Best places that are still in existence: Homer's on the east side of Little Rock on Roosevelt Road (usually plumb surrounded by utility vehicles - phone co. and power co. vehicles), the City Cafe in Holly Springs, Mississippi (red eye gravy made with coffee). Absolute best for breakfast but no longer in existence: Smitty's just off the courthouse square in Oxford, Mississippi, and Eunice's in Huntsville, Alabama.

[gwpercle]

If you come to Bergeron's Restaurant , in Port Allen, Louisiana and wear your gun into the restaurant you will receive a 10% discount. Open carry has always been legal here , so don't leave your gun in the car, strap it on and enjoy some good food and company.
The restaurant has never been robbed .
Great Boudin , Smoked Sausage , Andouille and Cajun meats ! And they have recently opened a second location in Gonzales, LA. about 15 miles down the road ....now I wont have to drive across the Mississippi River to get my Boudin fix .

Check them out Bergeron's Restaurant , they like gun owners !

Gary

[Walks]

My WIFE & I eat a local SPIRE'S Chain Restaurant a couple of times a month, about 1-2 miles from our house. We get good food & fast friendly service. But each one is a Franchise. There's another about 7 miles away. I wouldn't eat there if the food was free and you paid me to eat there. The're another local chain close by. They make great homemade creamed corn, like Grandma used to make. But I wouldn't there either, the rest of the food is minor quality & their coffee taste's like warm water with a brown crayon dipped in it.
But their is a place in LONE PINE up Hwy 395 that still serves the best Chix fried steak I've every had. Hangs over the platter with a huge pool of fantastic home-made country gravy in the middle. Mashed pots & creamed corn on the side. Wish I could remember It's name.

[Nazgul]

My mother in law owned a restaurant for 40 years. Wife worked there in High School/College. Short counter/several tables. Signature dish was a multiple small burgers, we call them sliders now. Had daily hand made specials of real food. The old farmers would come in and harass her constantly, she still has the sharp wit and come backs at 85.


Sold it many years before I met and married her daughter. Wife always remembers the good times there despite the long hours and hard work.

Don

[frankenfab]

Best places that are still in existence: Homer's on the east side of Little Rock on Roosevelt Road (usually plumb surrounded by utility vehicles - phone co. and power co. vehicles), the City Cafe in Holly Springs, Mississippi (red eye gravy made with coffee). Absolute best for breakfast but no longer in existence: Smitty's just off the courthouse square in Oxford, Mississippi, and Eunice's in Huntsville, Alabama.

Homer's is AWESOME.

[lightman]

Best places that are still in existence: Homer's on the east side of Little Rock on Roosevelt Road (usually plumb surrounded by utility vehicles - phone co. and power co. vehicles), the City Cafe in Holly Springs, Mississippi (red eye gravy made with coffee). Absolute best for breakfast but no longer in existence: Smitty's just off the courthouse square in Oxford, Mississippi, and Eunice's in Huntsville, Alabama.

Homers is real good. Its obvious they don't hire the waitresses over the phone! Try BJ's Market Place sometime. Its in North Little Rock, off the east end of McCain Blvd near Phroto. Nearly under the new overpass. Lots of utility vehicles and work trucks on the parking lot. Lots of LE eat there too.

[Sweetpea]

TONYS in Birch Run, Michigan has been a favorite my whole life, just don't go there by yourself!

If you find yourself in Enterprise, Utah, check out Verla's, and you won't be disappointed.

[10x]

Funny how that goes.
In 1958 the town I went to school in had five restaurants. 4 auto dealerships and 4 machinery dealerships. 4 Grocery stores, a butcher stop, a house of ill repute (or two), a lumber yard, 4 service stations, 2 hardware stores, two barbers, two hotels, a couple of rooming houses, a movie theatre, and a pool hall.
Not bad for 465 people. They all made a good living
Now that town stjll has 465 people , 1 hardware store , a liquor store, (maybe the bar is still open), no restaurants, and a single grocery store / butcher shop, one convenience store/service station and empty lots on main street.
Spent a day there working on the family farm last week and recollected on how empty the down town has become over the past 40 years.

[Rattlesnake Charlie]

Several decades ago, myself and a buddy were hunting out in eastern Oklahoma. We usually cooked at camp, but that evening we decided to go in to the (very) small town nearby. We found a small cafe, in which we two were the only customers. We were both in our late twenties, and single.

The waitress was a comely young lass, and her equally cute friend was visiting. The four of is got to visiting, the two young ladies invited us over for a drink.

.....we had dessert too....

No hunting was done the next day. Quite a bit of grinning, but no hunting.

There was no reason to go hunting after you had already bagged you limit!

[ThomR]

There are small mom and pop shops all over around southern Illinois, at least in the smaller towns. I can think off the top of my head of at least six in a thirty minute drive in one direction.

[JoeJames]

Homer's is AWESOME.

I had to be at a seminar in Little Rock about 15 years ago, and my cousin who lived there offered to take me out to lunch. I figured we'd go to one of the fancy-smancy Restaurants down near the Bill Clinton house trailer - the kind where the prices are higher than a cat's back and the food is awful. I wass dreading it; so I was shocked when we headed out towards the airport. Homer's had the absolute best meat loaf I have ever eaten, and I usually don't put meat loaf at the top of my list. My cousin said I had a Gomer Pyle moment as in "Golly!" I think it is a well kept secret by the Little Rock locals.

[Goatwhiskers]

Dang! Not that far from Port Allen and didn't know anything about Bergeron's. I WILL go. Not much on chain joints, and what they sell at BK, McD's, Sonic and such simply does stimulate my taste buds. I'd rather stay hungry and make it back home where I know there's some good grub. GW

[Walkingwolf]

My wife, and I love friendly restaurants, and that means usually locally owned. Absolutely hate fast food, and want no part in the large franchise joints. Not only is the food better than fast food, it usually is not much more than them. Last week our bill for a local seafood restaurant was 19 bucks, with a tip it came to a grand total of $25.

[yeahbub]

There have been several places of note I've been to over the years. One that comes to mind is Doris an Sonny's Homelike Resaurant in Miamitown, (SW) Ohio about a half-mile north of I-74 on SR 128. Good home-cooked food, pies baked daily and a great place for pork chops or pot roast, mashed potatoes and peas/carrots with plenty of butter. Or fried chicken. Good coffee, too. I found that place in the early '70's when E. Christopher, Firearms was a few doors down the street, a great place to while away the time looking through racks of rifles and muzzleloaders I couldn't afford then and talk to Bill Bramm, the owner. I still hunted on land a few miles from there until about ten years ago and used to go eat there. I had to limit my desserts or I'd ruin the afternoon hunt, snoozing off in the woods afterwards. Embarrassing when, slumped over, I open my eyes to see a deer's hoof a foot away, knowing I'm busted. Easy grabbing distance, but I've learned to resist such temptations.

[gwpercle]

Dang! Not that far from Port Allen and didn't know anything about Bergeron's. I WILL go. Not much on chain joints, and what they sell at BK, McD's, Sonic and such simply does stimulate my taste buds. I'd rather stay hungry and make it back home where I know there's some good grub. GW

I just found out that along with the Port Allen and Gonzales locations there are Bergeron's in Shreveport and Bossier City....if you get up in that direction.
If you conceal carry just tell the waitress or cashier and you will get the 10% discount.
I only knew of the Port Allen location...looks like they are getting popular.
They are open 7 days a week and have a BBQ Buffet along with a regular menu...cool place .
Gary

[MT Gianni]

You really have just described America. If a restaurant you enter doesn't have the newspaper, isn't friendly and clean there is no reason to stay. In MT even chain restaurants that serve breakfast have the paper.

[DCM]

IME the mom and pop restaurants have better food with better portions than the chain restaurants.
I seldom leave hungry and usually leave happy, not always but usually.

[Mr_Sheesh]

I tend to look for places with near full parking lots that're not chain restaurants, that's a GOOD sign. Some very good places out there, definitely

[fast ronnie]

A little off from the "Mom and Pop" places, but a couple of years ago I needed to go back to the midwest for some family business and stopped to meet one of my customers to drop off some stuff. He took us to a place called Lambert's Diner. We had to wait for a while to get a seat, but Jeff said the wait would be worth it. That place was packed. It wasn't a small place, either. Food was extremely good and service was excellent. They are known for throwing rolls. If you have eaten there, you will know what I'm talking about. They will NOT hand you a roll, you have to catch it. This place is HUGE, and after eating there, I can see why they have gotten so big. It is not a fast food place even though it is quite large. Food is great, and all you can eat. I ended up taking almost half of what was on my plate with me. Some of the best catfish I have ever had. Bad part is, I can't remember the name of the town, but is in northeast Missouri.