22 Old School Diners That Will Take You Back in Time

If a friend of yours was visiting from abroad and you wanted to treat them to the most all-American dining experience possible, what sort of place would you take them to?

Neighborhood bar & grill? A great chicken wing joint? Classy steakhouse?

As great as all of the above options are, they just can't compete with the humble diner. These icons of casual eating started out life as late-night snack wagons on wheels, but eventually, the wheels were taken off, the "dining cars" were parked and their place in American popular culture was cemented.

The following are 22 of the finest diners in the land, where you can enjoy mouthwatering food and a meander down memory lane.

Cozy Dog sits directly on Route 66 in Springfield, Illinois and has become one of the most beloved lunch stops on the entire Mother Road. Their entire menu is solid but it's the "cozy dogs" that bring in the crowds. This take on the classic breaded hot dog on a stick is arguably the country's original version and they are guaranteed to fill your tank for the drive ahead.

The Blue Benn Diner was delivered to Vermont in the 1940s from New Jersey and has been a local institution ever since. It has a timeless design that features streaks of stainless steel and a rounded ceiling that helps make the diner resembles a railroad dining car. Breakfast is served all day and every dish comes with a generous helping of New England nostalgia.

The Salem Diner is striking in every way. From the fabulous "fin" atop the building which is affixed with a buzzing neon sign to the slick retro-blue booths, it is a gorgeous throwback. It is one of only two Sterling Streamliners still standing in Massachusetts and serves up filling diner fare at friendly prices.

Frank's Diner arrived in Kenosha by horse in 1926 and has been offering up diner heaven ever since. The interior features vintage fans, a wooden ceiling and a row of royal blue round stools which pairs up perfectly with a menu loaded with classics and creative contemporary marvels. You can't leave without grabbing a Garbage Plate-eggs mixed up with hash browns, peppers, onions, cheese and your choice of meats accompanied with toast.

Craving a little nostalgia and some down-home nosh? Then this soda fountain and diner (and former pharmacy) is the cure for what ails you. A Jackson institution since 1946, no trip to the city is complete without a stop at Brent's.

The Palace Diner was built in 1927 and has sat on the same spot in Biddeford, Maine since soon after its construction. Palace sports a smart red paint job and ever since 2014 has had new life breathed into it by its new owners. They don't compromise on quality here and their buttermilk flapjacks have already garnered a gargantuan following.

This diner in enchanting Sante Fe has been the hangout for locals and travelers for 70 years. While you could go for an all-American dish like pancakes or french toast, it's the New Mexican flavors that make the Panty so special. A couple examples are an overstuffed breakfast burrito drenched in chile sauce and huevos rancheros and the Huevos Consuelo-a tortilla topped with eggs, spicy sauce and cheese.

St. Louis is always among one of the country's most underrated foodie destinations and you won't want to leave the 'Lou without trying Eat-Rite's take on local favorite The Slinger-a hamburger patty topped with eggs, cheese and chili.

Come ice, sleet or snow, Mickey's makes Minnesotans feel all warm and toasty inside. This dining car has been at its present location in downtown St. Paul ever since 1939 and serves up breakfast comfort food and hot coffee 24/7/365.

St. Francis is the City by the Bay's oldest diner/ice cream parlor and it has only gotten better with age. Stop in for simple-yet-super takes on everything from breakfast to banana splits.

From the old-school neon sign to the gorgeous glass-brick wall, O'Rourkes offers a glimpse of the past paired up with inventive modern breakfast fare. The diner was established in 1941 but took on its present form in the 1980's when owners decided to bring global influences to their range of tasty omelets.

If you walk into Pann's and feel like you have been there before, it's definitely not your imagination. This LA icon has made multiple appearances in the movies and has received recognition for its outstanding dedication to mid-century architecture. Admire the interior while sinking your teeth into an order of fried chicken paired up with biscuits and hash browns.

This casual cafe has been serving up good times in the Ozarks since 1909. The menu features a mix of breakfast staples with utterly unique flavors like chocolate gravy, a deep-fried hamburger and a the Excaliburger-a burger stuffed inside gooey grilled cheese.

The shiny, silver roadside eatery is a fine example of the "Silk City" style of diners and has evolved to become much more than just a diner. No, the Village is part of the community of Red Hook and to trip to this gorgeous section of New York is complete without a breakfast and a cup of coffee here.

As their slogan says, Al Mac's has been "justly famous since 1910". This diner started out serving the hungry workers at local textile mills and now pays homage to that history with a menu full of icons and imaginative plates like cookie dough pancakes and corned beef hash.

Their slogan is "everybody knows, everybody goes" and one you go, you'll know why. Expect great diner food and one heck of a good time at both of their locations in the city.

Nope, it's not a typo, that's how they spell "diner" in these parts. Located just outside of underrated Erie, Pennsylvania, Lawrence Park is as pretty as they come as brown leather booths and stools combine with turquoise-and-white tiles. Gaze at the retro decor on display as you gobble down an omelet smothered in their signature Greek sauce.

Davies' Chuck Wagon is one of the West's only remaining examples of an original New Jersey-built diner. It arrived in Colorado in 1957 and soon after, the cowboy on the sign and the horse atop the diner became local landmarks. Stop by to fuel up before setting off to explore Colorado's great outdoors.

The legacy of the feisty founder of Ruth's Diner is alive and well in Emigration Canyon. Come for the fantastic fare and stories from yesteryear and finish things off with one of their entertaining live concerts.

Winstead's has been serving up "steakburgers" to KC residents since 1940. These thin and ever-so-slightly-crispy burgers are like nothing else and pair up perfectly with one of their milkshakes.

Stop by this self-proclaimed "finer diner" to see a modern take on the venerable diner. They are making "midwestern soulfood" here and making as much as they can from scratch, a fact that has earned the Bluebird a very loyal following.

The Red Arrow has four locations throughout New Hampshire, but the Manchester location is the mothership. It's open 24/7 and dishes up classic fare alongside their own unique treats like Dinah's Fingers, a "Twinkie" turned-up a notch.