Diners Drive Ins and Delis Los Angeles Unveil Route 66 Icons

A pastrami sandwich sits stacked high on toasted marble rye, a single dill pickle spear resting beside a golden pile of fries, condensation beading down a glass of iced tea just out of frame. This plate could belong to any number of counters across the city, and that is precisely the point. Diners Drive Ins and Delis Los Angeles traces a route through decades old institutions still serving the same recipes, the same booths and, in some cases, the same neon signs that first drew hungry Angelenos generations ago.

From Du par's to Mish, Canter's and Tail o' the Pup, Los Angeles is rich with culinary adventures along Route 66, or at least close by. Indulge in a Tommy burger, relish a Pink's hot dog, or splurge on a CUT steak. This is a city where a sandwich can carry nearly a century of history behind it.

Canter's Deli, an Institution Built on Old Recipes

What started as a humble Jewish delicatessen in Jersey City in 1924 has evolved into an L.A. icon that draws tourists and locals alike for its generous sandwiches, quirky atmosphere and overall sense of comfort. Generations of Angelenos have grown up in the orange leather booths of Canter's Deli on a perfectly balanced diet of pastrami and pickles, its towering neon marquee shining bright at 419 N. Fairfax Ave. since 1948.

Third generation owner Marc Canter described the deli's humble beginnings plainly. He said his grandparents started basically just trying to make a living for their family, and over the years it just became an institution, adding that Canter's is a place where grandkids grow up and become grandparents, with a lot of history worth celebrating and being proud of. Now celebrating 95 years in Los Angeles, Canter said simply that the food is good, built on old recipes from over 100 years ago that worked then and still work now.

Tail o' the Pup, an Advertisement Shaped Like a Hot Dog

Thankfully, no such misleading impressions await visitors at Tail o' the Pup on Route 66 in West Hollywood, probably because it's shaped like a giant hot dog. Originally opened on the corner of Beverly and La Cienega in 1946, the 17 foot stucco wiener sandwiched between two bulbous buns might be Southern California's best surviving example of programmatic architecture, a structure modeled after the very product it sold.

Though the Pup was beloved for its peculiar architecture and fast food, a development project forced its closure in 2005, sending the colossal frankfurter into storage. In 2022, the 1933 Group, a hospitality company responsible for restoring several other historic restaurants and bars, dusted off the old dog and gave it a fitting home at 8512 Santa Monica Blvd., where it now serves specialty hot dogs from Chicago style to the Manhattan, topped with sauerkraut, raw onions and house made mustard.

Nate 'n Al's, Beverly Hills's Favorite Deli Since 1945

Just a block south of Route 66 in Beverly Hills sits the city's favorite deli since 1945. Ask Beverly Hills locals to recommend a classic Jewish deli and they'll probably all give you the same answer, Nate 'n Al's, founded by Al Mendelson and Nate Rimer, who worked at a deli together in Detroit before heading west with dreams of opening their own place.

The delicatessen welcomed Hollywood producers, writers, directors and actors for business meetings and power lunches, reportedly a favorite of Doris Day, Nancy Sinatra and Larry King, who visited every morning by 8 a.m. sharp. The Mendelson family operated Nate 'n Al's for decades until selling it to music mogul Irving Azoff and his wife, entertainment executive Shelli Azoff, in 2019, a couple who also purchased the iconic Apple Pan on Pico Boulevard to help keep classic L.A. establishments alive.

Irv's Burgers, Eighty Years on Santa Monica Boulevard

Irv's Burgers, a classic Route 66 roadside stand in West Hollywood, is celebrating its 80 years on Santa Monica Boulevard. First opened in 1946 as Queen's Burgers, the stand quickly became known for a sign that read, No Lobster, Just Burgers, before new owner Irv Gendis changed the name to Irv's in 1970.

Subsequent owner Sonia Hong carried on the legacy, known for serving burgers on paper plates she inscribed with inspirational messages and doodles in the customer's likeness. Operated by entrepreneur and restaurateur Lawrence Longo since 2022, Irv's remains true to its roadside roots offering classic burgers, hot dogs, patty melts and pastrami sandwiches, its signature Original Roadside burger featuring a quarter pound patty, American cheese, Irv's Sauce, lettuce, tomato, onion and pickles. Full details on the deli scene are available on the official Beverly Press website.

Langer's, Home of the Famous No. 19

For 79 years, Langer's Delicatessen Restaurant has served hand carved pastrami sandwiches and delicious deli style dishes at the corner of Seventh and Alvarado, across from MacArthur Park. Opened in 1947 by Al Langer, the son of Jewish immigrants from Russia who settled in New Jersey before moving to Los Angeles, the restaurant's success grew through hard work, determination and dedication to quality.

Langer created the famous No. 19 then, and it remains the deli's most popular sandwich today, pastrami piled high on rye and topped with Swiss cheese, coleslaw and Russian style dressing. Al Langer's son Norm followed in his footsteps, overseeing operations since the 1970s, and Langer's has since received two James Beard Awards along with recognition from the prestigious Michelin Guide, prompting the city to dedicate Seventh and Alvarado as Langer's Square in 2008.

NORMS, a Googie Style Icon Serving Around the Clock

NORMS Restaurant, a classic diner serving homestyle made to order meals, has been a home away from home for hungry diners since Norm Roybark opened his first restaurant in 1949 near Sunset and Vine. One of Los Angeles's first 24 hour diners, NORMS quickly expanded to new locations, with its restaurant at 470 N. La Cienega Blvd. opening in 1957 and now standing as the longest continually operating restaurant in the chain.

Motorists can't miss the La Cienega Boulevard location and its distinct Googie style architecture, characterized by angled rooflines and a futuristic, space age design. The Los Angeles Conservancy lists the building as among the most exuberant and exaggerated Googie designs in the nation, a rare remaining example of the California coffee shop type.

Original Tommy's, The Shack That Started It All

The Original Tommy's has been serving chili topped burgers, hot dogs and French fries from the iconic red and white walk up stand at Beverly and Rampart boulevards since 1946. Founded by Tom Koulax, the entrepreneurial son of Greek immigrants, the quintessential corner eatery is open 24 hours and has been a destination for generations of Angelenos, celebrating its 80th anniversary this year.

Customers walk up to the counter to order and have a clear view of employees preparing the food, with no tables or chairs at the original stand, only counters affixed to buildings surrounding the parking lot. That kind of unpretentious, hands on dining experience continues drawing loyal crowds decades after opening, a pattern echoed across the city's broader dining scene, including in how internationally recognized restaurants far from Los Angeles similarly earn lasting reputations through consistency rather than novelty, a dynamic explored in recent coverage of Avartana at ITC Grand Chola's TripAdvisor recognition in Chennai.

A City Built on Booths, Counters and Loyal Regulars

From Canter's orange leather booths to Tommy's parking lot counters, each of these establishments carries a version of the same story, a founder's simple ambition sustained across generations until a lunch counter became a genuine piece of the city's identity. There are so many great diners, drive ins and delis in L.A., and each one carries its own particular history along Route 66 or just off it, waiting for the next generation of regulars to claim their own booth.