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California Eateries (page 7)

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Roberto's Taco Shop
San Diego, CA		 Peking Restaurant
San Diego, CA
The Roberto's Taco Shop chain was established in 1964. There are about 16 locations in the San Diego area and about 50 locations in the Las Vegas area. I have seen at least two other buildings like this one so I assume they were built for Roberto's. This building features walk-up and drive-thru service. [map]

The Peking Restaurant opened in 1931 as the Cho Book You Restaurant. In 1935, the restaurant was remodeled and renamed the Pekin Cafe. The neon sign is from then. The restaurant closed in 2019. In 2021, plans were announced to reopen it as the Chop Suey Social Club. However, that never happened and the space remains vacant. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map]

Sun Cafe
San Diego, CA
2008: 2014:
The Sun Cafe opened in 1926. It was believed to be the oldest operating restaurant in San Diego until it closed in 2009. The building now houses Funky Garcia's. The interior has been gutted but the sign above the entrance remains. For more, see this website. [map]

El Carrito Restaurant
San Diego, CA
The El Carrito Restaurant opened in 1948. It is housed in a converted streetcar from the 1930s. [map]

St. Francis Fountain
San Francisco, CA
The St. Francis Fountain opened in 1918. The dining room was updated in 1948. The neon was installed in 1954. In 2002, new owners preserved the dining room when they made renovations and restored the neon. For more, see this website. [map]

It's Tops Coffee Shop [gone]
San Francisco, CA
The It's Tops Coffee Shop opened in 1935 as The Minute Man Sandwich Shop. In the early 1940s, the restaurant expanded and added a fountain. The name was changed at that point. This sign was installed in 1945. In 2020, the restaurant closed and the sign was removed. For more, see this website.

Goody's Restaurant (now Jeff's Sporting Goods)
San Gabriel, CA
2008: 2013:
Goody's Restaurant opened in 1957, the same year as Frankie Lymon hit song "Goody Goody". Goody's may have borrowed and tweaked the name of "Googie's" coffee shop which was designed by John Lautner and built in 1949. Goody's moved to a new location in 2010. In 2013, Jeff's Sporting Goods moved into the building and adapted the sign. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, and 3. [map]

Dick's Restaurant
San Leandro, CA
Dick's Restaurant was built in 1969. It closed around 2014 and remains vacant behind chain link fencing. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, and 3. [map]

Jerry's Beefburgers
San Leandro, CA
Jerry's Beefburgers opened in 1953. The backside of the non-functioning clock has a cartoon depiction of Jerry. The clock must have revolved originally. [map]

Sam's Super Burgers
San Leandro, CA
Sam's Super Burgers
San Lorenzo, CA
There were supposedly nine Sam's Super Burgers locations in the Bay Area. If so, there are only two left and both of them are closed now and fenced off. The San Lorenzo location did not have a pole sign but it probably did originally. The San Leandro sign was built by Blaze Signs and installed in 1974. [San Leandro map]; [San Lorenzo map]

CA Misc.
page 1		 CA Misc.
page 2		 CA Misc.
page 3		 CA Misc.
page 4
CA Misc.
page 5		 CA Misc.
page 6		 CA Misc.
page 8		 CA Misc.
page 9
Los Angeles
page 1		 Los Angeles
page 2		 Los Angeles
page 3
SoCal Chains
page 1		 SoCal Chains
page 2		 SoCal Chains
page 3		 SoCal Chains
page 4
Central &
NorCal Chains page 1		 Central &
NorCal Chains page 2		 CA Drive-ins CA Ice Cream

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