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Joseph's Bar & Grill

Name: Joseph's Bar & Grill
Address: 1775 Historic Route 66, Santa Rosa, NM, 88435, US

Restaurant
In Santa Rosa, New Mexico
On Route 66

Joseph's Bar & Grill is a family-run restaurant in Santa Rosa, NM, with Mexican and American food and a full bar on Historic Route 66, the town's main street. The Campos family opened it in 1956 as a drive-in called La Fiesta. It also carries on the smiling Fat Man, the logo of Santa Rosa's famous Club Cafe, and sells Fat Man souvenirs in its Route 66 gift shop.

What is Joseph's Bar & Grill?

Joseph's is easy to spot by its roadside sign stack: a neon arrow reading "Joseph's" above panels for the bar and grill and its Mexican and American food. A Route 66 gift shop on site sells Fat Man souvenirs.

History of Joseph's Bar & Grill

Jose Campos Sr. founded it in 1956 as La Fiesta, a drive-in that later grew into a full-service restaurant. In 1985 the next generation took over and renamed it Joseph's, and the neon arrow sign dates from that change. The owners say trade suffered when I-40 bypassed the town and returned as interest in Route 66 grew.

The Fat Man first advertised the Club Cafe, which opened in Santa Rosa in 1935. Joseph Campos bought the closed cafe along with the rights to the Fat Man. The building was too far gone to reopen and came down in 2015.

Visiting Joseph's Bar & Grill: tips

Joseph's is right on Historic Route 66, so there is no detour, and the neon sign makes an easy photo from the street. The Club Cafe's original Fat Man sign is on show in Santa Rosa's Route 66 Auto Museum.

Updated October 14, 2026 · Written by Route 66 Trip Guide

Practical info

Address: 1775 Historic Route 66, Santa Rosa, NM 88435
Website: josephsbarandgrill.com
Hours: We have no opening hours for this stop yet — check the official site.
On site & nearby