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    Ludlow Cafe

    3.7 (320 reviews)
    Open • 6:00 am - 5:00 pm

    Ludlow Cafe Photos

    Business Info

    LUDLOW CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Quiet
    Good for groups
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Ludlow Cafe

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    The Ludlow Cafe
    Charles W.

    We stopped at the Ludlow Cafe on a road trip (Dallas to Reno) and it was a wise choice. It's located on the historic Route 66 and it is an authentic example of old school American diner. I ordered the chicken fried steak (CFS) and it came with mashed potatoes and gravy, mixed veggies, a roll and choice of soup or salad. I choose the homemade vegetable beef soup and it was so tasty. My CFS was fork tender with a crispy crust and mighty fine gravy. Being an old Texan I have high standards for CFS and this one met them. I enjoyed the sides but the star was the CFS. My wife had the popcorn shrimp basket (with fries) and said it was very tasty and a huge portion. We finished our meal with peanut butter cream pie and it was very good. Holly was our server and she did an outstanding job. Y'all go check The Ludlow Cafe out!

    Odd pile of tires next to Ludlow Cafe.
    Rick K.

    While traveling to Laughlin, we stopped here for lunch. This is a little diner in the middle of nowhere. The decor looks a bit worn, outdated and quirky. We were greeted and told to sit at a table that had menus. There were a few tables that were empty of people but were occupied by dirty dishes. We found a spot. Our friendly waitress was kind and courteous. I ordered a burger with fries. My wife got a burger with chips. The food came out fast. Everything was hot when delivered. My burger was nice and juicy. The patty was cooked medium to medium well. It was a good burger but a bit small. The fries were good and the portion was generous. My wife reported that her burger was delicious. All in all, a good experience. The service was excellent. The place is a bit crusty but generally clean. The prices are ok for being so out of the way. It was worth the stop.

    Desert vibes
    Charles M.

    A little slice of Americana in the Mojave desert. I'm extremely glad that I got a chance to sit down for a hearty breakfast after having passed this place in the middle of the night countless times when it was closed or I was on a tight schedule. Whether you're a trucker or a traveler passing through Ludlow you should do yourself a favor and step into this timeless classic diner. Michelle was very friendly and the service was prompt. I loved the old timey mining theme. My breakfast of eggs and country fried steak was top notch and really hit the spot.

    My wife and I.
    Billy L.

    Wonderful atmosphere and customer-service. We highly recommend eating here. Not just because it is dog friendly, but the food was great. The hot dog was the best ever. It is like going back in time, and in the middle of now where, but life is short so we recommend more folks stop by here.

    Outside decorations
    Danny V.

    Great place to grab a bite on the way to the river or home from river. Quick service from friendly staff. Parking is great especially if you're towing. Decent prices considering most restaurants are skyrocketing. My personal favorite was the Belgium waffle with a sausage patty and eggs.

    Nahshon P.

    Quick stop in passing through. Cute little stop Bathroom is showing its age. Makes me wonder what the back looks like, I ordered hashbrowns, 1 pancake and bacon. Plus a souvenir Magnet for $5 my total was $30 a little too high a price for a 1 person breakfast. I understand that they may need to keep prices high for obvious reasons. Oh I got a coffee too, it's standard. My food was a bit greasy, but rhe pancake was fantastic, amazing flavor. The woman who helped me was very friendly too, she took good care of me for sure.

    Biscuit and gravy
    Kenny O.

    We hadn't been here in a few years. At 630am we got breakfast in 12 minutes. Crispy hash, great eggs, biscuit and gravy is a must.

    Reuben
    Trina M.

    Cute place, service was prompt and very delightful. The cheese in our Reuben was a little weird. There wasn't enough meat in the sandwich, my half of the sandwich only gad meat on half the sandwich. The fries are delicious! My husband didn't like the sandwich at all.

    So cold outside so warm inside!
    Rick W.

    Great breakfast with friendly ways! Shout out to Michelle! Michelle is the greeter, server, and all thing except the cook Juan who did a perfect job?

    Bacon cheeseburger (protein style)
    Jeff L.

    Located just 20 miles from the Amboy volcanic crater (which I'm told was last active in the 1930's!) Ludlow was one of the few little towns between Barstow & Laughlin - so glad there is a place to stop for food. The restaurant is very rustic and cute as there is a historical marker out front saying this area was originally a train station back in the day. For the food - it was pretty good. Girlfriend got the club sandwich ($13.99) with fries which was the first thing our waiter recommended and it was really good. I'm on a low-carb diet so I got the bacon cheeseburger combo ($17.99), protein style (no bun, wrapped in lettuce) with a salad & blue cheese dressing. The salad was really fresh & juicy. The burger was seasoned just right & the bacon was tasty. I also got the vegetable turkey soup which was not very tasty. I also need to mention that all their desserts here are homemade! We got the peanut butter cream pie ($5.59) - and added a scoop of maple bourbon pecan ice cream ($1.00 extra) and it was really good Overall this was nice stop for lunch on out road-trip. Glad we stopped in!

    French toast is a classic banger

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    6 months ago

    Everything about this place is disgusting. It's filthy and the food is gross. Just keep driving.

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    1 year ago

    Oh the food was so yummy and the staff was awesome! Very old school and my momma was so full and happy.

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    Page 1 of 8

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    Peggy Sue's 50's Diner - Chili Omelette w hash browns

    Peggy Sue's 50's Diner

    3.6(2.5k reviews)
    42.6 mi
    •$$

    Fun diner. Great prices…read more The location is a short drive off the freeway. This diner is definitely a staple in the desert. It is original and has been here since the 50s. The food tastes good. There's lots of seating. I ordered one of the burgers, and the meat patty was cooked just right had had flavor. I ordered a side broccoli cheddar soup, and the waitress said it was made in house. It did taste home made. Lots of marines were there when I visited, the AC didn't work too well, and the wait staff were pretty busy. I definitely want to return and try other plates. I hear the breakfast is awesome.

    Just like most people, we always drive on by as we make our way to Vegas. This time, we decided to…read moremake it a point to stop by on our way back from Vegas to California. We came in on a Friday afternoon, around lunchtime, and were surprised to see that the place was busy! There are a lot of tourists that stop by - and rightfully so, as they have decorated the place very uniquely. We were told the wait for a table would be around 20 minutes, were handed a beeper, and were encouraged to wait by the gift shop. The gift shop offers Thrifty Ice Creams, other sweet treats, and so many different merchandise items! It was definitely a nice stop to stretch your legs and to browse around. After our beeper went off, we were escorted to our booths and met our waitress. It took her a while to come by and help us with our orders. I mean, it's lunch rush; the place inside is loud, a bit chaotic, and honestly, it just has a charm on its own. Their walls are tacked with pictures and posters, and I love the little fact booklet showing how much everything cost back in 1996. Finally, after placing our orders, the food came! We ordered grilled cheese with French fries for the kids, tuna melts, NY steak strips, and root beer float. The kids' meals were solid; they loved them, and the root beer was great and refreshing! I loved that it came first so that we could enjoy it on a really hot day! So the float was much needed. The tuna melts and the steak itself were really good, great even. The sides were okay - the corn that came with the steak seems like it came out of a can; the mashed potatoes were dense and heavy, and while it may be a great solid side, it was a bit too heavy and a bit saltier than our preference. The tuna melts came with French fries, which we upgraded to onion rings. The onion rings were delicious; we'll need a bigger portion next time! The soup of the day was clam chowder, and we appreciated that it was delicious. We were initially missing a few things for the table, but our waitress checked in on us multiple times and eventually got us everything we needed. She also explained that their dishwasher was down or having an issue, but even then, they got through the lunch rush that Friday afternoon. We finished our meal and walked through the gift shop toward the back of the diner. There, we found a duck pond with 3 ducks and a lot of turtles in the water who seemed hungry, as they approached us immediately when we looked at them, plus some neat statues and a stage! Overall, it is a neat place to stop by at least once! If you don't have time to sit down and have lunch or dinner, you can always stretch your legs in the gift shop and perhaps enjoy a thrifty ice cream or a root beer float.

    Photos
    Peggy Sue's 50's Diner - Gift shop

    Gift shop

    Peggy Sue's 50's Diner - Classic Diner Burger with extra pickles

    Classic Diner Burger with extra pickles

    Peggy Sue's 50's Diner - Mr. Pibb

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    Mr. Pibb

    La Copine - Gnocchi $27

    La Copine

    4.4(716 reviews)
    37.0 mi
    •$$

    FANTASTIC! AMAZING! DELICIOUS! I cannot say enough good things about this restaurant! The food…read morewas phenomenal, the staff was kind, gracious, happy!! my husband, and I enjoyed every single minute of our time there. Our only regret is that we didn't buy the cookbook and have the beautiful owners to sign it. But we will when we go back.

    We were having quite the day prior to getting to La Copine. We had a 545 reservation but got a flat…read moredriving into town and spent hours at Walmart tire being told "30 more minutes" for an hour and a half. We missed our reservation time but decided to try a walk in because it was the whole reason we came into town in the first place. We were greeted by two really nice hosts who assured us there was room for us sooner than later and we were seated with our dog on the patio pretty quickly. They were so nice to us and doubly nice to our dog! We ordered fried eggplant, gazpacho, ceviche, a lamb burger, and got a lamb burger patty for the dog (we're not order food for the dog people but she was going through it too with the Walmart stuff so why not). We added a couple glasses of wine and their beer shandy and finished with a strawberry shortcake. Every bite was perfect but we rated them- Gazpacho, Lamb Burger, Eggplant, Ceviche. The gazpacho was a hit with the perfect amount of fresh/sweet cantaloupe and spicy-ness. This place was well worth the trip from Big Bear. My wife noted that everyone there that helped us legit looked happy to be there. There was also a medical emergency and the staff was so kind and helpful throughout and checked in on all the tables in the area afterwards. It kind of showed that they are invested in the people that visit.

    Photos
    La Copine
    La Copine - Chx piccata $27

    Chx piccata $27

    La Copine - Mussels $27

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    Mussels $27

    Pit Stop Bar & Grill - Summer Menu: BLT Chicken Wrap

    Pit Stop Bar & Grill

    4.5(273 reviews)
    48.2 mi
    •$$

    Staff were nice, dogs allowed inside, enclosed patio in the back…read more I didn't eat but would come back for drinks

    (4.25 STARS)…read more Memorial Day road trips always seem to create the best random discoveries, and Pit Stop Bar & Grill absolutely delivered. Tucked away off Victor Street in Barstow, this was a fun find while driving back to Los Angeles from Vegas over Memorial Day weekend. Big props to Haley M., who was basically running a one-woman show and somehow kept the entire place moving with a great attitude and solid service. That alone made the stop memorable. The location has a cool, laid-back vibe with plenty to keep people entertained while grabbing food and drinks. They've got two billiards tables, a dart board, and all kinds of classic bar games, board games, and card games, including UNO, which is a family favorite. They also have several televisions. The food was all good too. I really enjoyed the Green Chili Burger, and everyone else in my party seemed genuinely happy with their meals as well. I felt they were trying to nickel and dime when I got the bill, i was charged for a side of ranch, a side of BBQ, and had no idea I was being up charged for the onion rings. I didn't say a word, but it hit wrong with me. .75 points deducted. What especially stood out to me, though, was the Memorial Day place setting displayed near the front entrance honoring our veterans and fallen heroes. It was simple, respectful, and genuinely touching. See my picture. That detail said a lot about the heart behind this place. If you're making the Vegas-to-LA drive and want something more memorable than the usual freeway fast-food stop, this place is definitely worth checking out. Great atmosphere, friendly energy, and one of those spots you end up talking about later.

    Photos
    Pit Stop Bar & Grill - 10 beers on tap

    10 beers on tap

    Pit Stop Bar & Grill - Summer Menu: Kickin' Chicken Salad

    Summer Menu: Kickin' Chicken Salad

    Pit Stop Bar & Grill - BARSTOW LOCAL brewed IPA

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    BARSTOW LOCAL brewed IPA

    JT Country Kitchen - Country Fried Steak and Eggs

    JT Country Kitchen

    4.3(1.1k reviews)
    41.6 mi
    •$$

    I stopped by here for a brunch spot and it definitely hit the spot…read more I came with a few friends and we came towards the end of brunch so we had to wait a little over 30 mins. It was a Thursday morning but they were extremely packed. It probably was the rush after the meteor shower evening. I ordered the country fried steak, my friends ordered the lemonade (homemade but SUPER TART!!), the last biscuits and gravy (this was gonna be my order too!), and the veggie omelet, and we ordered a regular French toast to share. Their homemade biscuit was hefty, but the gravy matched the biscuit. The workers were friendly and helpful when asking questions and for assistance. I loved all the homey decor, and the pictures. I was so happy to see a picture of Anthony Bourdain stopped here! Would definitely recommend coming here if you're on a stop into Joshua Tree.

    The food was pretty disappointing. Maybe because we ordered vegetarian/vegan options? We got the…read morebiscuits 'n' gravy with the vegetarian country cream and 2 eggs scrambled. The biscuits were super dry and the vegetarian cream flavorless. The vegan breakfast burrito had more flavor to it so it was decent. It took maybe 40-45min for the food to come out. Other tables also waited quite a while for their food. There was a bit of a wait to get seated. Fortunately they have outside seating while you wait and a restroom. We walked over to get coffee at Joshua Tree Coffee Company. The staff are super nice.

    Photos
    JT Country Kitchen - Indoor seating

    Indoor seating

    JT Country Kitchen - Country fried steak and eggs

    Country fried steak and eggs

    JT Country Kitchen - Spinach and Feta Omelette

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    Spinach and Feta Omelette

    Pappy & Harriet’s - Full Rack of Ribs

    Pappy & Harriet’s

    4.1(2.6k reviews)
    43.4 mi
    •$$

    We came on Thursday around 3pm. It wasn't too busy and we got seated immediately. The host and…read moreserver were friendly. We got the cowboy with the tri tip and pork ribs with Mac & cheese and garlic mash. It was more than enough for two people. We also got an extra side of Mac & cheese and garlic mash which was over kill but it was so yummy! So flavorful and you can tell everything was cooked with love. I wish I got pictures but we finished the platter by the time I remembered to take a picture lol. I love the ambiance, all on top with the western theme and even there was live music getting set up. 10/10 would try if you are in Joshua Tree!

    What. A.Gem. My…read moredaughter and son-in-law have raved about this place for years. They go every time they are in the Palm Springs area. And, they have been itching to get the wife and I there too. Well... mission accomplished! Initial impression, (do let the exterior fool you), was not overwhelming but I trust their judgement. Glad we did. Rustic, old west vibe grabs you by the poo poo upon entry. Lots of memorabilia, pics of Pappy himself, license plates from all over, as far away from as Canada!!! Excellent menu (wife got a salad, me the chicken sandwich), and both were delicious! Serving sizes are very large to boot. Other items ordered from our group were the Mac and Cheese, (I tried it and it's fabulous), Baby Back Ribs, Smashburger and Cowboy Combo. Those in our party raved about each of them. Service was spot on, especially since we had a group of 9. Indoor stage for nighttime entertainment purposes and an additional huge outdoor seating / dining area with associated stage for those nice desert days. (Not this time... it was well over 100 degrees when we were there). Highly recommended. Definitely a must next visit!

    Photos
    Pappy & Harriet’s - The stage!

    The stage!

    Pappy & Harriet’s - Wood Fire Grilled Atlantic Salmon w/ Coleslaw + House Salad

    Wood Fire Grilled Atlantic Salmon w/ Coleslaw + House Salad

    Pappy & Harriet’s - Mezcal cocktail

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    Mezcal cocktail

    Ludlow Cafe - tradamerican - Updated October 2026

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