Route 66 Motorheads Bar and Grill & Museum

Route 66 Motorheads Bar and Grill & Museum in Springfield, Illinois is a gathering place for lovers of The Mother Road, car culture, and a good time. Stop in to grab a delicious bite to eat from their curated menu of American favorites, drink an ice-cold drink from the bar, listen to live music, or explore a treasure trove of Americana memorabilia.

The Route 66 restaurant is housed in a 1970s building that was originally home to a Stuckey’s. In 2016 Ron and Pat Metzger saved the building from demolition and renovated and reimagined the property, transforming it into a restaurant, bar, and entertainment center that opened its doors in June 2018.

The theme of the restaurant is cars, racing, and Route 66. Throughout the property you’ll find race cars, motorcycles, vintage neon signs, gas pumps, and more. Find Ron’s personal custom 1969 Chevy Camero among pictures, signs, mementos, and more that celebrate Route 66, Springfield, and automobiles.

The extensive menu plays lighthearted fun with punny names for the sections and entrees. Find “Lug Nuts” (cheese curds) under “Start Your Engines,” a “Trans Am” “High-Performance Pizza,” or, for something lighter, a choice of “Green Flag” salads with your choice of “Gear Lubes” (dressing). Some menu highlights include a Road King Cheese Curd Burger, a bacon-wrapped Dino Dog, a Pork “Chopper” Tenderloin Sandwich, and a Rt 66 Ribeye. Or try the Springfield specialty, the horseshoe, which consists of Texas toast smothered in cheese sauce and topped with crispy potatoes (fries, chips, or tater tots), and a choice of meat. Though traditionally topped with hamburger, Motorheads also offers the choice of ham, turkey, grilled or breaded chicken, grilled or breaded pork tenderloin, pulled pork, Italian beef, bacon, buffalo chicken, or prime rib.

Wash it all down with a Pepsi, root beer, lemonade, or a drink from the fully-stocked bar with 18 beer taps.

After filling up on a horseshoe or cheeseburger, take some time to explore the Route 66 Motor Museum. Motorheads’ live entertainment space (The Motordome), beer garden, and back rooms are covered in vintage neon signs and memorabilia from local Springfield legends, Route 66, and more.

Find items from Shea’s Gas Station Museum, Sonrise Donuts, long-gone motels, old service stations, and more. And before hitting the road be sure to stop at the World’s Largest Route 66 Sign outside. Look up to find a 32-foot-by-32-foot aluminum Route 66 sign perched on top of two 60-foot tall poles that once held an original Stuckeys truck stop sign. It’s so big that it even outdoes the one in front of the National Route 66 Museum in Elk City, Oklahoma.

In 2024 a new custom 30-foot tall muffler man/Big John named Big Ron was installed underneath the sign. The burly figure sports a Motorheads hat and sunglasses and his unique figure was crafted with arms outstretched above his head, so as to “hold up” the already-standing shield.