Fred & Red's, since 1923, is always a walk down memory lane when I walk through the door. This was my mom's favorite spot in Joplin, Mo! We know we're there when we see their iconic neon sign crowning the entrance! Still a favorite with many, there was a steady stream of customers coming in and sitting around the counter-dining-only restaurant. Service, as in the past, was speedy and served with a smile. They are closed on Sunday and Monday. Our go to is always the tamales - mom's favorite. On this day I enjoyed a bundle, 3 @ $3.55, and a light splattering chili. Their tamales are more comparable to a Mississippi Delta tamale than the tamale you would eat at a Mexican restaurant. They always ask if you want dill pickles and sliced onions on the side - for an additional charge. Their griddle cooked burgers are good, too. Spaghetti Red is a signature dish that many swear by, has been on the menu forever, and is a Fred & Red's Classic. This dish is a layered plate of spaghetti noodles, topped with tamales and covered with chili. I've never been brave enough to try this favorite but make sure you're hungry! It's a plate full! They serve fries and tater tots, as well as, desserts. Also, the have frozen tamale bundles (of three), chili and other options to go! Check out their Carry Out menu! read more

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Not a fan. Number one rule of cooking pasta, salt the water. The tamales are a joke. The way they are tied together reminds me of bulls balls. Took one bite and tossed them. Best of luck selling your new franchise model selling bull balls tamales read more

Love their spaghetti red! Add a few slices of garlic bread...yummy! Always friendly. I do wish they would fix their drive thru tho!! read more

I'm a huge fan of this restaurant. I have lunch here anytime. I can get the freedom to come here. But I ate late at eight thirty tonight, and the food was really cold. The portions were really small. Compared to what they are during the day. Really very disappointed in that part of it. But I will always still eat here. I'll just only eat during the day. Mike read more

You want a full flavored old school meal - this is your place! Since the 1920's, this place serves up some real good classics! The chili here....a cardiologist dream...it has so much grease! But...sure packs the flavor! read more

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Yelp brought me here. We would be passing through Joplin on our way back to MN. The staff was really nice. The owner is a micromanager, constantly asking the staff if they checked on things. I ordered 1/2 portion of spaghetti red, their specialty. This is chili with no beans on top of spaghetti. The chili was very basic and actually bland. I added parmesan cheese and hot sauce even. The place is 102 years old, real retro like and is on the second set of owners. People seem to like it as there were takeout orders. I can totally recreate this at home and add my own spices for more depth and flavor. Review 19 in 2025. read more

Fred & Red's - Menu - Diners Near Me - Joplin, Missouri

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Been a customer of Fred & Red's since 1984, when I moved to Joplin. I missed them when they were closed for a long time. Normally I do the drive thru but today I made a mistake by going in, Saturday August 28 about 3:30p.m. Most confusing terrible service I have ever experienced. To top it off when I got the order home two items were missing. Next time I will use the place on E. 7th like I did when F&R's was closed. read more

Exactly what you want for this type of meal. Spaghetti red, tamales and chili are outstanding. The room is a horseshoe shaped diner counter. The service is great and friendly. Price is more than fair. read more

Decided last week to get Fred's a try went in to order of spaghetti with red to go. I was told that I had to buy a family meal for $32 that they couldn't do a single servant to go. All it was was a container of hot dog sauce did I could have bought at Walmart for a little over $1 a can and a bowl of spaghetti that I could have bought for a dollar at Walmart and made my own The only extras they gave me was a little cup of dill pickles and a cup of raw onion chopped. I can't believe that in order to try their food I had to cough out just $32 plus tax for a family meal That's ridiculous talk about highway robbery and shaming the customer. I would never go back there and I never recommend them but I did make use of their sauce I bought a pack of $1.19 hot dogs and put it on the hot dogs. read more

Great mid-west style chili. Like stepping back in time, friendly service and al old time diner feel with friendly service.

Cute little hole in the wall place and amazing customer service! Food is good. I was not big on the spaghetti read more

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Came in for some food to go while driving thru- delicious!! Server was kind and talked me thru the menu and all the options. Glad we stopped! read more

I went through the drive through to get some spaghetti red. I was waited on quickly and just had a short wait for them to package my food. We have been eating the spaghetti red for years and definitely get hungry for it sometimes. My husband also really likes the tamales. The food is delicious. read more

We stopped on a whim. Old school diner set up, with food prepared right in front of us. Excellent service. We just had a burger (loved they toasted the bun on the grill) and fries, but if we happen by this way again we'll stop for spaghetti or chili. Both looked fabulous. Nothing fancy but good food and service. read more

Fred & Red's - Front of building with old neon sign. - Diners Near Me - Joplin, Missouri

Walking in this true diner is like a step back in time (sorta like watching Stranger Things). Famous for their Spaghetti Red...like very famous. Ambience is next level retro. Even the radio was playing "Maneater". You sit around a counter, the menu is simple and the service is friendly. It's definitely an experience...and also the best spaghetti red. read more

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Take a trip back in time. Tastes like the 1950's. Can't miss no matter what you order. Served hot and fresh made. Waitstaff is phenomenal! read more

Fred & Red's - Take a trip back in time. Great foo. Great atmosphere. - Diners Near Me - Joplin, Missouri

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I grew up in Joplin and make it back a few times per year. When possible I eat at Fred and Reds. A limited menu I'd guess 90% of the people who come here have the Spaghetti Red. It's incredible. It's a super fun place. Service is great. read more

What a great place! Perfect for a blustery day. I had a large bowl of chili and it's so good! The folks who work there are on the ball, very friendly and engaging, hustling to take care of the customers. Just a great place to stop in for a meal. read more

Everything was delicious. From the tamale spread, the spaghetti and burgers, they are the best you'll find anywhere. The service was excellent as well. read more

This is the place to go over a 100 years old the chili is amazing tamales to die for and the hamburgers on the old flat top are yummy. Oh yeah and the important part the service is remarkable. read more

Great spaghetti red, served promptly by friendly servers. Food is always fresh and hot, and the atmosphere makes it a fun place to eat.

I had chili fries. I just really wanted to try the chili. Well I'm sold !!! The service was great. The ambience even down to the drive-through ...is kind of old-school. This is unique. Of all the chili. I've had it's probably my favorite so far . I'll be back read more

Fred & Red's - Chili fries mmmm - Diners Near Me - Joplin, Missouri

Simply delicious the service was fast personal and friendly. Great prices great food. I went thru the drive thru can't wait until I have time to go inside. It's is a cash only place but so worth it. read more

You have got to try this chili!! Delicious! Great staff who calls their customers by name! If the locals eat here you know it has to be good!! read more

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The customer service was excellent and the drive thru ambiance was nice clean and easy to hear through the speaker no issues with the order the food was delicious, fresh homemade style not a frozen patty. Double cheese burger and tamales. Thank You Fred & Red staff I will be back soon! read more

Down home diner for sure!! The chili and tamales were good. The tamales were the star, Chili was bland but at they had plenty of fixin's to dress it up like you want to. Definitely worth the inexpensive prices and the friendly staff was a big plus. read more

I had a double Patty cheese burger and French fries. It was delicious! The cheeseburger was smaller than at some restaurants but because I got a double Patty it was plenty of food for my dinner! The French fries were crisp and fresh. I am not a big chili fan. That's why I had a cheeseburger. It was great! Also liked sitting up at their counter. Excellent service! Thank you! read more

We t yesterday on our yearly trip to buy chili bricks and have lunch. Two of us had the spaghetti, red, and one of us had Frito chili pie. All of us had garlic toast. As always the food and service did not disappoint. Huge servings plenty of leftovers. The servers are very attentive and make sure you have everything you need from onions to pickles, hot sauce, etc. The service here really know their stuff and are super friendly. One of the reasons we always come back. read more

Atmosphere is classy and I'm sure takes the old-timers back. The food was quite nice and nostalgic. And the service was highly hospitable.

Food service is great! Ambiance Old country diner. Feels like Moms kitchen and everyone's coming over to have a bite to eat

I was anxious to taste the old-school favorite in the Joplin area. Unfortunately, I have drawn the conclusion that it must be one of those situations where you develop an acquired taste for their food. The meat was pretty greasy, which isn't completely unacceptable for chili and spaghetti red, but the flavor was not what I was hoping for either. I did get three small tamales and they were good. read more

I was born here, grew up just over the state line, moved away for many years and recently came back home; it looks and smells exactly as it did fifty years ago. Obviously come for the Spaghetti Red and Tamales, but everything else is equally as good. The burgers are juicy and flavorful, the fries a crispy golden brown. read more

Service is perfect..best spaghetti ever,drive thru is quick and very organized....my family favorite dish

We recently had to return to Joplin for a family funeral. One of my favorite places to eat growing up there was at Fred & Red's. I hadn't eaten there in literally 20 some years but it tasted exactly the same! Which is a good thing. Fred & Red's specializes in chili. Their signature dish is the Spaghetti Red but they also have tamales, cheeseburgers, fries, etc. The restaurant is very small with counter seating only. When it's busy, expect to wait. Anthony Bourdain visited Fred & Red's while visiting Joplin a few years back while filming "No Reservations." It's a very beloved place in Joplin that has been open since I believe the 1920's or 30's. Thankfully it was spared by the Joplin tornado in 2011. This is not the place to eat if you're counting calories and watching your weight! Food was great, the sassy waitresses and great service made for a wonderful trip down memory lane. read more

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100 years! I can see why. This place has the best chili in the state - with or without beans! I know this is a huge issue for folks. I get the tamale spread and cover it with Frito chips. My wife has been going here for 30 years and gets the classic Spaghetti Red. Wait staff is super helpful to newbies and great service. A must stop in Joplin! read more

Nice place. Decent prices. Ok food. Large portions. All in all a place I would go to but with just a few adjustments could be a super place. read more

Fast, simple comfort diner food done right! It has limited seating at the counter. This is a place my husband's family has loved for generations. It reopened in 2016, so we come every chance we can. Our favorites are the SPAGHETTI RED (beanless chili) which is always huge enough for us to share, side of pickle n onion to top it with, and the Tamale spread (homemade beef mini tamales topped with the same chili (you can add beans if you like.) Such a greasy spoon! So yummy!!! We have never saved room for pie, but the fries are good if you prefer a cheeseburger meal. read more

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Food over all is good sometimes it can be a bit to busy & a bit cramped. Mostly we love the homemade tamales. Yum yum

This place is a total one-off. Not a chain, not the sort of place where out of towner (which I am) typically find in a world of known name brands where it's the same menu city after city after city. It is a home grown local legend. Nowhere, not even at home, do I like noodles, beanless chili, tamales, onions and pickles into one gloopy, greasy mess on a single plate, mix it all up and devour like my last meal. But I do here. And then I get that hankering sometime later only to return. It is sixty miles from my home so I usually work in another excuse to eat at Fred & Reds to justify the two hour round trip. Yeah, I'll do it again...and again. read more

It's all about the Tamale Spread for me! My kids knocked out some really great smash burgers from the grill. I've been eating here for over 30 years and make it my first stop when visiting JOMO. read more