Lou Mitchell's
- Retro roadside
- In Chicago, Illinois
- 0.1 mi from Route 66
- National Register of Historic Places
Lou Mitchell's is a breakfast diner on Jackson Boulevard in Chicago, IL, near Union Station and right on the first blocks of Route 66. Open since 1923, three years before the highway was numbered, it became known as the first stop on the Mother Road, where drivers eat before heading west. Its 1949 building, with the original neon sign and counters, is on the National Register of Historic Places.
What is Lou Mitchell's?
This is a working, family-run diner, not a museum. The 1949 storefront of aluminum and glass still carries its neon sign promising the world's best coffee, and inside are the original terrazzo floor, wooden booths and long counters. The menu sticks to breakfast and lunch classics, served to commuters from Union Station as much as to travelers. Many Route 66 drivers make it their first meal of the trip.
History of Lou Mitchell's
William Mitchell opened the restaurant in 1923 and named it for his son Lou, who later ran it well into his seventies. When Route 66 was created in 1926, Jackson Boulevard became part of its start, and the diner was already there to feed the first travelers. In 1949 the family moved across the street into the present building.
Staff became known for handing waiting guests fresh doughnut holes, with small boxes of Milk Duds for women and children, a habit the diner keeps up. Lou sold the business to his niece in 1992, and it has stayed in her family. The building joined the National Register in 2006, and the diner marked its 100th year in 2023.
Visiting Lou Mitchell's: tips
Expect a wait at busy times; the doughnut holes make it easier. Restrooms are on site and the diner is listed as wheelchair accessible. Jackson Boulevard runs one way east today, so westbound drivers leave downtown on Adams Street, one block north, where the Begin Route 66 sign stands near Michigan Avenue. The National Hellenic Museum is about 0.3 mile away and Hull House about 0.5 mile.
Practical info
- Address
- 565 West Jackson Boulevard, Chicago, IL 60661
- Phone
- +1 312-939-3111
- Website
- loumitchellsrestaurant.com
- Hours
- Wed–Fri 6–2 · Sat, Sun 7–2
- On site & nearby
Sources: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) · Wikidata · official site — may be outdated. Suggest a fix
Where to eat near Lou Mitchell's
All diners on Route 66 →
On the map
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Questions about Lou Mitchell's
Is Lou Mitchell's on Route 66?
Yes. It stands on Jackson Boulevard, which carried Route 66 from its first year, 1926, and still carries the eastbound route today. Being so close to the start of the highway earned it the nickname first stop on the Mother Road.
Why does Lou Mitchell's give out Milk Duds?
It is a long-running house tradition that the diner still keeps up. Staff hand fresh doughnut holes to guests waiting for a table, and women and children also get a small box of Milk Duds.
How old is Lou Mitchell's?
The restaurant opened in 1923, three years before Route 66 was created, and celebrated its 100th year in 2023. The family moved it across Jackson Boulevard into its current building in 1949, and that building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2006.
Own or run Lou Mitchell's? Send us a photo or a correction.