The Central United States is filled with a mixture of amazing destinations, although there can often be miles between stops. For decades, travelers have cruised the back roads and highways that crisscross the country. One of the most iconic American highways was Route 66, which carried travelers from Chicago to Santa Monica. We love exploring the remnants of this historic road, as it provides ample opportunities to find a blast from the past. A prime example is Lucille’s Roadhouse, which is calling all Route 66 lovers to visit Weatherford, Oklahoma.
We want to thank Weatherford Tourism for hosting our lunch. Rest assured all opinions are our own.
A Road Well-Traveled
After wrapping up a visit to Amarillo, Texas, we found ourselves back on the Mother Road heading east. This section of Route 66 has some interesting sights, and many can be seen from the road. Of course, pulling off for a closer look makes the trip more interesting. About 20 miles outside of Amarillo, we happened upon the VW Slug Bug Ranch. This place stands as a parody of the Cadillac Ranch, which sits on the west side of Amarillo. Here we found another opportunity to leave our mark but chose to just memorialize our visit digitally. After a few minutes, we found the road calling all Route 66 lovers to keep exploring.
Hungry in the Heartland
We continued our journey east, as we crossed into Oklahoma territory. Our goal for this portion of the trip was Weatherford, which rests about an hour west of the state capital city. By the time we pulled into town, we were famished and ready for lunch. Fortunately, we had scheduled our first stop to be lunch at Lucille’s. As we pulled into the parking lot, the building reminded us of an iconic stop that would have been a common sight during trips in our childhoods. Making our way inside, we found the dining room to be filled with the familiar color scheme of the late 1950s. This was certainly putting us in a nostalgic mood.
The original Lucille’s sat along Route 66 near Hydro, Oklahoma. While the new version leaves behind the gas station portion, it fulfills the spirit of the Mother Road. All around its spaces, we found reminders of the “olden days” of travel. When the interstates began popping up across the nation, popular roads soon withered away. Along with these were the livelihoods of many business owners who survived off of the travel traffic. Fortunately, recent years have seen a renewed interest in the “golden days” of cross-country trips.
Burgers – America’s Meal
Dining along the route is a good way to experience plenty of Americana. Once you get past the old-time gas pumps and polished chrome, at Lucille’s, you find a menu filled with a wide range of options. During our visit, we got to have lunch with Haley from the local tourism bureau. This gave us a chance to showcase three choices off of the menu, instead of the two we would usually order. After a morning of exploring, (and afternoon plans of even more) I was looking forward to a beefy burger. Lucille’s Roadhouse has a variety of topping combinations to choose from.
I decided to go with the Blue Cheese Bacon Aioli Burger. They begin with a 1/3 lb. patty cooked to your requested level of doneness. This is topped with bacon, blue cheese crumbles, and their aioli sauce. The whole thing is served on a toasted bun with the normal condiments that are included on the side. The combination of flavors made for a wonderful taste that kept me coming back for more bites. They include one side with this meal and I couldn’t see a better option than a heaping plate of crispy French Fries.
Yard Bird
Haley decided to head in a different direction and ordered the Grilled Chicken Breast. This can be doubled up for those with a bigger appetite, but her plate seemed to have plenty to offer. The grilled filet is served on a bed of rice pilaf and also comes with an extra side. She touted the baked potatoes and ordered one to show us just how hefty the spuds are at Lucille’s Roadhouse. She reported that the dish was cooked perfectly and she tried her best to finish it all up. This dish is calling all Route 66 lovers to come by and have a serving.
Getting Your Greens
Crystal was in a greener mood but knew she needed a burst of protein for our afternoon visits. When she spotted the Paradise Salad, her choice was sealed. A large serving of greens is the base of this freshly prepared dish, but it doesn’t stop there. Let’s count the toppings that they toss on. I saw apple chunks, dried cranberries, chopped pecan pieces, Mandarin orange slices, and pineapple bits. Oh wait, I left out the Blackened chicken breast, so that makes half a dozen toppings. They keep the fruity flavors going with the Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing. Crystal liked this combination of tastes.
Calling All Route 66 Lovers
While Lucille’s Roadhouse is a newer stop along the Route 66 trail, it still embodies the spirit of the open road. We know that many people from around the world will gather annually to explore this slice of Americana. Perhaps this will be on your list of roadside attractions that you visit. Before we left, we discovered that Lucille’s is actually two restaurants in one. The side where we dined is the casual eatery designed like a 1950s carhop stop. They also have a nice steakhouse available for those desiring an upscale meal. It was clear that Lucille’s Roadhouse was calling all Route 66 lovers to stop in and test out their hospitality. We did and couldn’t wait to tell all of you about it!
