Dave Smith submits a few memories of living in Santa Ana during the 1950's and 60's.
He mentions Kenny's Hamburger Stand in Tustin. I wasn't around back then, and have never heard of this place, but wanted to know if anyone else did...
I Lived on West 17th Street in the Alladin Apartments during the late 50's and early 60's. Went to Wilson Elementary and Smedley Jr. High School before leaving California.
Santa Ana was a great place to live! Orange groves and Walnut Groves all over. My dad was a plasterer that helped build Disneyland....
Remember going To Tustin on the weekends, which was then, considered to be way out in the country! Kenny's Hamburger stand was there and what a treat it was to have one of those great burgers on the weekends...
There was a corn field on 17th and Flower where my Mom used to buy vegetables. Hard to believe it was there when looking at that area today....
Some great memories of a fun childhood in Santa Ana!
I did a search on the Internet to see if I could find more information about Kenny's, and ended up finding a reference to it here on OCThen! A year ago, I posted an article about people's favorite OC restaurants, and someone mentioned Kenny's in a comment, dated June 25, 2006. It was located on 17th St and Tustin, and it seemed like they always gave you a pound of potato chips.
For that matter, who remembers any of the old burger joints of Orange County that don't exist anymore? I know there was a small chain called "Hamburger Handout" that has since bit the dust. In Garden Grove, the Pink Spot, located on Chapman Ave and Brookhurst. In front of the Garden Grove Theater, there was Zesto's. And then of course, Wimpy's in Huntington Beach.
Post a comment, and let's hear your memories of Orange County hamburger stands that have since went out of business.
Orange County Memories is about the history of Orange County, CA as told from the people who lived and worked here.
Let us not forget the ol' A&W Hambuger Stand on Westminster Blvd,
ReplyDeletein Westminster.
Two hamburger stands are at the top of my list. First, the In and Out on south Main St. in Santa Ana. Even the teachers from SAHS ate there. Al made the best french fries...Also there was an A&W drive through somewhere on south Bristol in the early 60's. We would stop there to get a frosty mug on the way back from the beach. Anyone remember where that was?
ReplyDeleteBob
A&W was on Bristol just south of Edinger, next to Mater Dei High School.
DeleteBig-Tee Burgers near the corner of Beach and La Mirada Boulevard...
ReplyDeleteA&W on Bristol was right next to Mater Dei High School. Does anyone remember Yummy's Hamburgers on 17th in Santa Ana just off of Bristol. Use to go there as a kid and the burgers seemed like they were at least a pound each. Like I said I was young and maybe just a big imagination.
ReplyDelete:) my brother almost bought it but was afraid to take a chance $50,000 lol. always thought it should have a walk by cut in the school fence :)I remember the free or 5 cent a&w mugs when the girls came along :)
Delete"World's Best hambergers" or was it called 'World's Greatest Hamburgers". I remeber it being kind of a run-down place, you could eat outside under a big tree, dirt parking lot. It was in Yorba Linda, Anaheim Hills area. It wasn't Anahiem hills then though. Anybody remember?
ReplyDeleteMy father worked in the area and took me there in the 60's and 70's. They used to cook outside on a BBQ pit. Now it been "yuppified"... It's not what it once was.
DeleteFifty years ago the husband and wife team of Roy and Fay Knowlton, together with Gene Wood, started a restaurant called Knowl-Wood at the old Orangewood Ranch in what is now the city of Anaheim Hills in Orange County, California. The homemade quality of the food and downright friendly service quickly became a trademark. Before the 91-Riverside Freeway was built, Knowlwood was a favorite stopping point along the old Imperial Highway, a popular orange-grove dotted route to get through the county. The "Home of the World's Best HamburgerTM" was frequently referred to by locals as simply the "World's Best."
Yes I remember World's Best, my Dad worked at Autonetics in the mid sixties and Knollwoods was in the middle of orange groves. It had a dirt parking lot and a 6ft high wood fence that encircled the uncovered wooden patio tables and chairs or you could sit "inside" which was a corrugated aluminum roof with window screen stapled to the frame to "enclose the patio" there were 3 large fire pits and a small building that you ordered from and picked your food up. Your food always came with a scoop of potato salad in a little 3 oz size paper dixie cup and a flat wooden spoon. Later as that area sold for million$ they moved to La Palma and Lakeview or Imperial if I remember right...they also open other places in the late 80's one of places the was right by the Fullerton Train station.
DeleteUse to ride my horse to Knowlwood for lunch. Sure miss places like that, would love to see an old photo of it
DeleteI remember when I was a kid in the 80s, there was a Chili Burger place called Tommy's at Warner Ave and Magnolia Ave in Huntington Beach. There was also a Family Fun Center there as well.
ReplyDeleteI lived in southeast Santa Ana
ReplyDeleteby Madison elementary from 1958 to 1966 the year I got married. I attended Lathrop and graduated from SAHS in i964. The best hamburger stand in OC was Al's In and Out. A number of my friends worked there and I remember the bags and bags of spuds that made the best skin on fries in the world. The A&W by Mater Dei had a dairy across the street or nearby,
so you had a real fresh aroma when eating there.
To Anonymous on July 30th... you remember the original Knowlwood's Burgers... and yes, it's motto was "World's Greatest Hamburgers" and they were damn good. Sloppy, big, juicy, a place truckers liked. Always follow the lead of the truckers, that's my motto concerning great coffee shops or burger stands or whatever. Anywhere. The hash browns are going to be just right.
ReplyDeleteIt was out in the open then, your memory serves you right. I used to drive out there in the mid-70's in my old broken down orange volkswagen... figuring I I had the right to drive out there from Long Beach because my Volksy was orange! Plus I bought a hell of alot of burgers out there. Double on the cheese and double on the onion.
The first sign that it would disappear was when the city opened a theater and shops area across the street. I had a date that day, when those shops opened. I had not been out there for a few years.
We were to see the opening of "Dick Tracy" sometime around 1990, the Warren Beatty version... and all I kept ranting about was the damn proliferation of suburbia and "entertainment centers" before the houses were even built.
That theater and it's cosmetic commercial food places were alone out on that corner, in the midst of almost nowhere. Except Knolwood's. And then, I made my statement that ended my relationship.
"The fraud kills the original".
She dumped me. The movie was good, by the way. Had Mandy Patinkin in a very small but great role. I had some recompense. His few minutes made the film for me. But that is another story.
It was then I knew that beautiful open area, with the great hamburger shack that survived forever... was going to die. And it did.
Quickly.
It does survive, by name only, in Irvine and in Fullerton, I think on Harbor by the freeway, and even near the original location.
But that original location... I hear your pain.
Doug Mason
Anaheim
How about Bob and Jean's (?sp) near Chapman and Newport. My first video games experience, there...Pong!!
ReplyDeleteUp in Fullerton, our place was Hillside Burgers, located on Brea Boulevard just past where Spadra (now Harbor) and Brea forked. There was a small indoor eating area but we mostly ate in our cars. Their patty melt was one of the most popular items. Hillside basically served kids from Sunny Hills High School, Fullerton Union High School and Fullerton JC. It probably began around 1950 and lasted almost until 1970, I think. It was on the west side of Brea Boulevard and now there's a nursing home on the spot. Right across from Hillcrest Park, too.
ReplyDeleteI grew up in Garden Grove in the 50's and 60's and the greatest hamburger "joint" in town was Zesto's in the same parking lot as the Grove Theatre.
ReplyDeleteYears later I figured out why I like "in and out" so much when I return to SC. It is that it reminds me of the burgers at Zesto's.
Bob's comments regarding Al's In and Out on main and the old A&W are remarkable. I grew up in Santa Ana and Al's was the place. As a little kid of 8 or 9 I would walk to Main Street from Linda Way (Monte Vista School) to visit the Library, Santa Ana Hobby Shop, SAR, Jerry's Flying Hobbies and so much more in that little corner around Main and McFadden. Try explaining that there was a great In and Out before the current In and Out and you can find out who is one of the SA/OC oldtimers! But there was a couple of others, remember Fabulous Eddys? and what was that other big drive in on main, down near Edinger?? Russ's Burgers?? And the Zoo for a summer treat out near Corona Del Mar and who can forget the original Orange Inn and the Smoothies out on the coast highway across and down from the hourse ranch.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the mems!
Dan Bleskey
SAV 72
SAC 75
CSUF 81
I grew up in Santa from about 1955-1976. Most of those years living on McFadden and Bristol. There was a Hamberger stand on Bristol behind our house sort of caticorner. They had a jukebox and me, my sister and our boyfriends, all of us rangeing from ages 11-13, would sit and listed to that jukebox play Purple People Eater and some of the other oldies!
ReplyDeleteAlso, across Bristol was an A&W Rootbeer stand!
In my later years after I married, we would go to The Barn in Coste Mesa, where they would cut your tie if you wore one! Ha! They had the "Best steaks ever!"
Those were the "Good Old Days!" Rose Tapp
The A&W Root stand was on Bristol & McFadden. Rose Tapp
ReplyDeleteTo Dan B: I grew up in Santa Ana (1947 - 1985) and we lived on So. Olive right off of Edinger. Jerry was a good friend and I worked with him later in life. I also was good friends with the Palmers (Frank's Hobbies on Main, across from Pep Boys). Al's Quick Snack (In-and-Out) was at the top of the list, but Mel's on the coast hiway was where you showed you car. I live in the South Carolina now, and we have a Zesto's a block away.
ReplyDeleteDear Anonymous,
DeleteI have always wondered what happened to Jerry. I came across what I believe is your e-BLogger profile. Are you COXPILOT?
DanB
I lived in Santa Ana 1963 thu 1966 our family used to buy burgers at a hambuger stand on the northeast corner of Main and Edinger. It was a great place real salty fries. I cant remember the name can anyone help?
ReplyDeleteAt Brookhurst and Chapman in Garden Grove was the Pink Spot. True to it's name it was pink. Great hamburgers! In high school we loved A & W drive-in on Chapman. It was the place to meet.
ReplyDeleteBob Irember cruzin spots,shell station on main and st.andrews,in and out,faducias 76 on main and walnut,oscers on 1st,orange circle orange,bean hut on harbor,hillside fullerton,harveys boiler firestone blvd. mels mcCarther and coast hyw. befor it was zoo,and the biggest cruz of all NEWPORT pinn.during spring break,the line was backed up into costa mesa.
ReplyDeleteArmstrong's, 1960's in Anaheim, on Lincoln Ave (near Anaheim High School) they had the BEST Burgers, Fries, and Cole Slaw. People would be standing in line around the block to get in. Anyone remember this one??? Sue
ReplyDeleteGarden Grove fast food digs: Patio Pantry @ West Street and Chapman. Was next to Winchell's Donuts, with the Pronto Mart in back. Mardi Gras Liquors across the street. Hamburger Handout, next to Leonard's. Somwone mentioned the Pink Spot - we'd get fish & chips there on Fridays maybe once a month (Catholics = no meat!) Taco Lita on GG Blvd. Don't forget the old Helm's Bakery Trucks that cruised around the neighborhoods. panel trucks with those sliding racks of donuts. Thriftymart at Orangewood and Harbor Blvd. GEM "Membership" Store; White Front; Zody's; JJ Newberry's; Belisle's Restaurant; Van's Shoes and Harveys Barber Shop @ Habor & Chapman. Anyone remember Andres Field - where we played Little League baseball - that was at Harbor and Chapman, too (other corner.)How bout the old Orange County Plaza @ Chapman & Brookhurst? Penney's; Copper Penney Restaurant; Elams for Men; House of Lords (where I bought my first bottle of Jade East cologne...) Denno's Records; Western Auto...I could name most of the stores there in 1960. Chicken Delight!
ReplyDeleteAnyone remember A & W burger on ball & brookhurst in Anaheim? YUM! I loved going there. All the burgers were wrapped in foil, ice cold frosty rootbeer in GLASS mugs and walk up service as you sat in your car. Those were the days!
ReplyDeletekaI was born in SA, 1936, guess that makes me old. During the summers of '51-53 I worked at a hamburger stand on the beach at Corona del Mar. It was called 'Carl's, the Surf" The owner was Carl Arthoffer who I believe later was the 'A' part of the A&W Rootbeer chain. We had root beer in a barrel, burgers and sodas in bottles. One of the other girls who worked there was Lildred Queen from Newport HS. We had great burgers, lots of fun and many memories. Oh yeah, that was before the electronic age and we had to add up the checks in our head or if the order was really large, we wrote it down. Ahh the good old days!
ReplyDeleteCharlene
This site has reminded me of memories, that I forgot I remember. I grew up on Brookhurst and Bolsa from '66 until I left in '81. I went to Irvine Jr., and to La Quinta HS. I am now in the food service industry and I remember those great places previously mentioned. I don't know if the food was that great or it was just the thrill of going somewhere outside the home to eat. Does anybody remember a place, I think on Chapman called "Zono's"? They had great burgers and it was run by a nice Asian family that, obviously, English was their second language. We used to love to order the "onyun dings". I think at 10 yrs old that was amusing!
ReplyDeleteI also have fond memories of Zesto's and Tony's Fish Market. I still can taste the fried scallops and clams. It was much better than H Salt Fish and Chips. There was a broasted chicken place on Westminster too, that was great
Yes, I do remember the A&W on Ball west of Brookhurst! Went there in the 60's and 70's. Does anyone know when it went under? It is now a Mexican joint. Also hung out a lot at the Orange County Plaza at Chapman and Brookhurst. Helen Grace had amazing sundaes. Thom McAnn shoes, Thrifty Drug on the West end.
ReplyDeleteHow about Mary's Malt Shop, Main St. in Santa Ana 1949 50 51 52 -don't now about later - went to Korea
ReplyDeleteMy Mom & Aunt worked there when I was maybe 5 years old. We lived with my dad's parents at 530 So. Broadway.
DeleteDoes anyone remember the hamburger stand on Westminster Ave, just west of Beach? We ate hamburgers there every Wed evening after our music lessons with Mrs. Tucker who lived a few streets south. It was in the early 60's sometime.
ReplyDeleteMY NAME IS RUDY KURTZ I LIVED IN SANTA ANA IN THE MID SIXTYS. I USED TO HANG OUT AT OSCARS ON FIRST STREET IM LOOKING FOR ANYBODY THAT WAS THERE, WE DID ALOT OF STREET RACING OUT OF THAT PLACE. I HAD A 56 FORD THAT I ROLLED BEHIND OSCARS ONE NIGHT WE FLIPED IT OVER AND I DROVE IT HOME. YES I WAS DRINKING HAD A FRIEND STEVE MINCHELLO AND ALSO KID NAMED SOMETHING CHAMBERS WHO I WAS TOLD LATER BECAME A COP. IF ANY ONE KNOWS ANYONE FROM THAT TIME SEND ME AND E- MAIL
ReplyDeleteWhat great places. Everyone who's posted sure have some wonderful memories of excellent burgers and often fun places where they were served.
ReplyDeleteAs others have said: Al's In And Out (before he had to change the name after a legal battle with guess who?) had fantastic fries.
Kenny's on East 17th made with fresh beef, cooked to order and the patty was seasoned as requested.
Armstong's in Anaheim - "Sue" remembers when she said there really was often a waiting line. Classic SoCA burgers. The Apple Pan's burgers in LA remind me a bit of Armstrong's.
Re: "living on McFadden and Bristol. There was a Hamburger stand on Bristol behind our house sort of caticorner. They had a jukebox and me, my sister and our boyfriends, all of us rangeing from ages 11-13, would sit and listed to that jukebox play Purple People Eater and some of the other oldies!" ME TOO! Sounds like George's that was just above the Richfield staton. If you lived near there do you remember Leonardo's Pizza that was on Mcfadden just east of Bristol? How about McCowen's market which was acrosss the street from the A&P?
Now I'll toss out some other places in Santa Ana:
Richie's near the NE corner of Bristol & Edinger.
The Malt shop on Main.
Beany's on Main just above Edinger. Homage of Beany of Beany & Cecil fame.
The Clock - a local small chain.
Not really burger's but what about the Orange Julius near Flower and Edinger? Good hot dogs and the owners = the Bybee family. Anyone remember Fred Bybee?
Wow!...I was born in 1958 at St. Joseph's hospital. We lived near Madison Elementry School. To Foster Ouellet...we lived 2 houses down from you on Griffith, on the other side of the Sakman's. I knew Tommy, Greg and Diane Sakman, the Williams, Roland Flores, the Niekowal girls, and all the other characters that made growing up there pretty classic. I remember our dad's talking on the sidewalk into the night. That smell you mentioned at A&W by Mater Dei was Luken's Dairy a little west on Edinger. To Dan B....My dad was a pilot and a model airplane nut. We spent a lot of Saturday afternoons at Santa Ana Hobby's or Jerry's Flying Hobbies(Jerry Litwak). When the slot car craze hit we'd be at SAR, or the place on First St. just west of Standard. There was also a track on First St. across from Consumer City. It was right next to Mayfair Grocery store. When we were done with the slot cars a stop at the A&W a block east of the track was mandatory....or the Burger Chef that was in the Consumer City parking lot.
ReplyDeleteMy dad worked for the City of Laguna Beach and during summer my brother, sister, and I would ride in with him and spend all day goofin' around Laguna. There was an A&W stand off the boardwalk(the old straight one) to the right of where the basketball courts are now. A small cheeseburger and root beer sure hit the spot between body surfing sessions at Main Beach. Across PCH from Main Beach was a place called the Burger Nook. Monster charbroiled perfection and a "lunch bag size" bag of greasy hand cut fries were the ticket for the ride home!
My dad took us down to Doheny to surf and afterward we'd hit A's Burger, that was right next to the old Richfield Beacon tower. Huge burgers, burritos, Quesadillas and fries were wedged down without a problem!! I still stop there after a surf at the Trestle. I usually take the feast down to the short jetty and capitalize while watching the antics in the water. The food isn't big like it was, but it;s still good! I remember Russ's Hamburgers on Main & Edinger all lit up in neon.
We'd go to the Zoo in Corona del Mar with the guy in the gorilla suit waving you in on the corner of MacArtur & PCH.....Gene Serrano
I know Fred Bybee, I'm married to him. We now live in Temecula and have the old Orange Julius sign in our garage. His mom is still alive and lives in Huntington Beach. She's 90 and will probably live to be 100! His dad passed away five years ago. If you want to contact him, his e-mail address is ultsupcom@aol.com.
ReplyDeleteI remember a lot of the places everybody's mentioned and they bring back fond memories. Taco Lita, Hamburger Handout, Belisle's, Patio Pantry, the Pink Spot...
ReplyDeleteSo this memory suddenly popped into my head and I don't see any mention of it. There was a place on Harbor in Garden Grove or possibly Anaheim, south of Disneyland, north of Chapman, I think. It was called Circus Wagon. Along with hamburgers and hot dogs, they had cotton candy and other circus-theme foods. I don't think it was a chain, at least I never saw any others, and it didn't last long. This was maybe mid- to late-sixties.
There use to be a small burger stand on PCH just north of Laguna Beach that had the best chili burgers around. They were always served with chili unless you specified without. It always tasted like they soaked their lettuce in some kind of brine as well. Anyone remember what the name of that place was or what happened to it? This would of been back in the 70's when I frequently stopped there.
ReplyDeleteBob n Jeans was at newport ave n chapman many a chile size n pitcher of beer while watching the world series thinking end of the 80s
ReplyDeleteIn Corona del Mar on PCH across frpm the port theater in the sixties, was John Zubiettas'
ReplyDeleteZubies. There, were the best burgers in CdM, you needed both hands to hold one. Someone mentioned it to John MacIntosh of The Snack Shops and John said "So go there".
I grew up in Costa Mesa in the 50s. Russ's burgers were great and as was mentioned, the malts were to die for. My mom worked there and told me they were so good because they were made with handpacked Carnation ice cream. The owner was Carl Russell. He had two burger drive-ins - one on Newport Blvd and one on Harbor blvd near the K-Mart. He later bought Beany's on Main in Santa Ana and turned it into a third Russ's Drive-in. They all failed after the success of McDonald's. Carl then bought The Blue Dolphin restaurant next to the Lido theater in Newport. I used to take my girlfriends there. I'd love to have a Russ's chili burger, fries and chocolate malt now.
ReplyDeleteHere's some others:
ReplyDeleteOn the corner of Newport blvd and Palisades (now Bristol)there was Danny's restaurant - great burgers. It later turned into Henry's Mexican restaurant. Henry's was also on PCH in Newport. Huge servings of great food.
Bud's Beefburgers on Mesa Drive and Newport Blvd, later became The Coffee Tree and now is oh, shoot - can't remember what it is now!!
Taco Tio near the Boy's club on 19th street. Huge burritos and great hot sauce.
A&W Rootbeer on Placentia just south of 19th st. with their Papa, Mama and Teen burgers.
Odie's stuffed hamburgers on 17th and Orange in Costa Mesa. About 1967.
The Stuffed Shirt on PCH - High class, baby. Couldn't afford that one.
On 17th street by the old IHOP there was Casquieros Italian market. They made the best meatball sandwich I've ever had.
Wow-what a flash! The last two posts include 2 places I worked between 1966 and 1969 when I was a teen attending Newport Harbor High. The Blue Dolphin (owned by Carl Russell) on Via Lido was my first job - dishwasher, bus boy & moved up to cook. Then I worked at Odie's on 17th in Costa Mesa (cook) and went on to be Asst. Mgr. at Odie's on PCH across from Balboa Bay Club. Our "famous people list" included Bill Medley & Bobby Hatfield (Righteous!)and none other than Duke (Wayne) By -Dave Swart outtasiteman@ymail.com
ReplyDeleteDoug Mason brought back lots of Knowlwood memories. The original Knowlwood, "Home of the World's Best Hamburger," was located on Imperial Highway just a little north of where La Palma now intersects Imperial. Locals laughingly called it "World's Worst" for short. Sort of a rustic, ramshackle main building, and you had your choice of sitting in the fenced-in gravel-covered outdoor patio area, or inside, in a large screened porch with illuminated and animated beer signs lining the walls. Both indoor and outdoor venues featured wooden picnic tables and benches. The outdoor gravel patio had a brick chimney fireplace that all us kids liked to climb on...and usually fell off of. The clientele was a mixture of truckers from the Riverside [91] Freeway (which back then was a "highway" -- 2 lanes in each direction thru that region -- and called "Santa Ana Canyon Road"); bikers headed to or from the Colorado River; and families from the newly-developing Yorba Linda neighborhoods to the north. Everyone got along fine -- where else could your Dad, a WASPy O.C. Republican, strike up a friendly conversation with leather-clad "Spike" the Biker while waiting for their pickup orders to be yelled out over the loudpeakers? Santa Fe freight trains ROARED by the place, just a little north, along the tracks that paralleled Orangethorpe-Esperanza Avenue about every 40 minutes. A very sad, modernized, cookie-cutter, nothing-like-the-original "Knowlwood" stands there today. Us who remember the original go there, skip the mediocre food, and instead gaze longingly at the vintage photos of the ORIGINAL place that are on the walls.
ReplyDeleteRuss was my favorite. I think the hamburgers were 15 cents. Great chili dogs too. We stopped there all the time when we were going home from water skiing in the back bay where Newport Dunes is now.
ReplyDeleteBy chance, if you lived near 4th and Grand Ave.,Santa Ana,you probably had burgers at the Key's. Cool cats drove their car up to the parking space,lowered the driver window so a prompt waitress mounted a tray on the outside of the door,then take your order. Thick malts had to be scooped out or melted down,so you ate the burger first. In 1961, Taco Tio on Grand Ave.merged into town serving crispy tacos! The fast food era increased in strides, as Arnold's burgers became the hangout for Marine's at El Toro and ETA-Tustin.
ReplyDeleteZubie's in Newport Beach (or was it Costa Mesa?) had the best burgers! But don't forget the soft taco Saturday's (you had to get there early and get a ticket in order to get one) and prime rib Thursdays. Glad I moved cause I'd have to cry that John Zubietta isn't dishing out the food anymore. Great guy!
ReplyDeleteAll this talk about hamburger stands is making me hungry. Does anyone remember Oscar's Drive-in which was located on Garden Grove Blvd. in Garden Grove? I think it would have been somewhere between Gilbert and Beach Blvd. I wasn't old enough to drive, but my sisters used to take me there and they had the best hamburgers. Checking the internet I see a string of Oscar's drive-ins in the San Diego area, but no mention of one in Garden Grove.
ReplyDeleteIt was just west of Dale on Garden Grove Blvd. Use to cruise that spot a lot looking for races. Then late sixty's headed off to Taco Viva I think it was called .Just up the street from Carl's on Harbor in Anaheim .That's where a lot of racer hang out.
DeleteThere was an Oscar's in Garden Grove near Dale & GG Blvd., Santa Ana on 1st Street, Buena Park on Beach near the police station and Anaheim on Harbor just south of the 91 now a Carl's..
ReplyDeleteThe guys we ran around all in the mid-60s had max wedge 426 Plymouths that were the fastest cars around. The competition would cruise Oscar's (GG) then we would usually go down to Acacia Street to race or down off Brookhurst on a side street in the strawberry fields near the beach. What is now Fountain Valley.
do you remember a brown 1956 ford from santa anas Oscars racing jimmys wedge mopar an beating it around 1966 I think that was his name.
DeleteWow,
ReplyDeleteLook at all the memories. Did you ever think for a moment that maybe it wasn't the way you remember it? Well this site just help give a little boost to a memory that probably needs one, but Orange County really was that way!
Of all the comments, I remember how great going to Jerry's Flying Hobbies was, it is a very special memory. All of you guys that remember that little slot in the wall hobby shop must feel the same way. Jerry was someone that was special. Once you won him over he surely wasn't so grumpy!! Ahh for the innocence of it all.
Dan B
Anyone remember NUTBURGER in Santa Ana? I think it was near Edinger and Fairview. I definitely know Oscar's by the DMV in S.A. and the Knowlwood (with the attached fruit stand) in Santa Ana Canyon. How about the gorilla at the Zoo at PCH and MacArthur blvd.? The Date Shakes stand on PCH between CDM and Laguna Beach? The TASTEEFREEZE on Main in Tustin? Am I old, or what?
ReplyDeleteThe Tastee Freeze in Tustin was on El Camino Real near Newport.. at least in the 70s-80s.
DeleteIn orange in the 60's it was the Dairy Queen and Fike's on Glassel Street north of the circle. Fike's had these great little burgers with mustard and pickles. Also Ivan's Drive in for hamburgers and fries with barbeque sauce. I can still taste them now!
ReplyDeleteMy all-time favorite was Fike's, a little hole-in-the-wall burger joint in downtown Orange on North Glassell. Kick-a@@ burgers, fries and chili. Like A&W, their rooot beer was served in a large, frosty mug. Darn, I just made myself hungry...
ReplyDeleteI, too, remember Beany's hamburger stand in Santa Ana in the early 50's--we lived on So Broadway from 1952 to 1955. They actually had a puppet theater in back of Beany (or Beanie) and Cecil puppets. You sat in your car, ate your burgers and fries, and watched the show. I don't know how practical that was or how long that lasted. And the cars kicked up dust since the theater was located on a dirt area behind the stand.
ReplyDeletedose any one remember the of the hambuger stand next to lincoln elementary school in garden grove ca in the 50's
ReplyDeleteI use to go to The Pink Spot in Garden Grove in the 1960's with my 2 brothers and Mother. I remember the French Fries as being very long. My brothers and I use to have contests to see who could get the longest French Fry. Whoever won would get to give the other a punch in the arm! Lol! Good times! Until you lost!
ReplyDeleteI am putting togeter a book for my 88 year old Mother of Places in her Past. I am desperately searching for an Image of The Pink Spot. If anyone out there has one, I would be love to have it. reincarn003@yahoo.com. Thank you so much!
Dear DeeDub, It was in fact "Circus Wagon" you referred to that was next to "little black Sambo's" restaurant on the corner of orangewood and Harbor blvd. I know this to be true because I worked there from 1969 to 1970. This is amazing as I was wondering if ANYONE would ever remember "Circus Wagon" and you did ...(Big grin). It was also the meeting place for many Hot rodders, including "Big Willie" and the street racers. Thanks for remembering..!! Dyno Don Chamberlin www.dynodon.net
ReplyDeleteDear DeeDub,...and anyone else from back in the day. The place was in fact "Circus Wagon" hamburgers next to "Little Black Sambo's" restaurant on the corner of orangewood and harbor blvd. I know this to be true because I worked there from 1969 to 1970. It was owned and operated by Bill Craig of McDonalds fame at the time and managed by two friends from Savannah high school by the name of Dick Mann and Ken Pyle. It was also a meeting location for many cool Hot Rods as well as "Big Willy" and the Street Racers. I have tons of fond memories working there. Thanks for remembering,(Big grin). Dyno Don Chamberlin www.dynodon.net
ReplyDeleteKnowlwood's in Anaheim hills... Charlie's Chili in Costa Mesa... Watson's in Orange circle.... awesome places in the 80s and up to the 90s... Knowlwood's did modernize in the late 80s... but they still had great burgers. Anyone ever have a burger at the PX snack bar at El Toro Marine Airstation?
ReplyDeleteKnowlwood's in Anaheim hills... Charlie's Chili in Costa Mesa... Watson's in Orange circle.... awesome places in the 80s and up to the 90s... Knowlwood's did modernize in the late 80s... but they still had great burgers. Anyone ever have a burger at the PX snack bar at El Toro Marine Airstation?
ReplyDeletewhat about oscars on first st.santa ana we allways had a lot of street racers out of that one Rudy Kurtz
ReplyDeleteBurger Q, original location across the street from LaHabra High School on Whittier Blvd., and later another one at Chapman and State College Blvd. in Fullerton.
ReplyDeleteAztec burger stan across from la quinta high.
ReplyDeleteTwo places I went as teen living & growing up in south west Santa Ana were Freddies on So. Bristol. They had the best French Dip sandwich I have ever had. The other place that had awesome huge hamburgers was inside the Rendezvous in Newport Beach. I would always split one with one of my cousins when we would go to the Rendezvous to dance.
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