Romantic Dining by Benny Grunch This edition of Romantic Dining is a listing of drive–in restaurants during the 50’s and 60’s that fit the following criteria:
- Hot food or hot sandwiches
- Soft drinks and beer
- Automobile parking and dining in the car
- Romance permitted
- Night hours
- Juke box or radio music provided or permitted
A&G CAFETERIA
LOCATION: Shopping Center on Gentilly Blvd. & Elysian Fields Ave.
YE OLDE COLLEGE INN - (College Inn)
PROPRIETORS: Emile, Albert and Dennis Rufin. Mr. Rufin, Sr. started in the restaurant business with portable Bar-B-Q "Pig Stands". The College Inn is on the site of one of the "Pig Stands".
LOCATION: 3016 S. Carrollton Av. (still in business at this address). The College Inn was originally part of the family's dairy land.
PARKING: Blacktop in back and on side with very narrow drive–through space. A large oak tree took up a lot of room. Parking against the brick wall was too bright, darker against cypress fence.
DECOR: Combination Mid-City/ Uptown
ATMOSPHERE: Bright to dark
VIEW: Brick wall, oak tree, or house next door (white single–story shotgun, the back door was visible over the fence).
MUSIC: Your AM car radio
MENU FAVORITES: Chicken fried steak sandwich breaded veal cutlet on French fries and burgers. The specialty "Lone Eagle" club sandwich was named in honor of Charles Lindbergh. The specialty desert "Caramel-Cup-Custard" is still served.
BEVERAGES: Soft drinks, beer, mixed drinks. Ladies favorites- Tom Collins, whiskey sour, and (ugh) gin & 7 Up.
SERVICE: Parking lights on, car hops with metal door–trays. The car hop stand was visible from your car.
BARTENDER INSIDE: Mr. Nick, Head Bartender 50's through 70's was Gary
OTHER ATTRACTIONS: Two pinball machines
NOTES OF INTEREST: Mr. Emile played baseball for LSU. Once before a Tulane/ LSU game at Tulane stadium during the 50's, a group of Tulane students stole the (real-live) LSU tiger (Mike) from its cage while parked at the College Inn. The tiger was returned after the game.
DANOS’
LOCATION: Fourth St. In Marrero, near Barataria Blvd., next to Dick Gabriel’s Edsel dealership.
PARKING: Shells, all the way around the sides and back.
VIEW: Danos’
BEVERAGES: Soft drinks and beer, ladies Favorite- Cherry Coke with a straw
SERVICE: One car hop affectionately known as "Mamma", took good care of everyone. She placed and received orders through a service window.
DA WABBIT
Location: Fifth St. In Gretna, visible from Franklin Ave.
DELICATE JERRY'S
PROPRIETOR: "Delicate" Jerry (who weighed about 400 pounds)
LOCATION: S. Carrollton (downtown side), present site of the Lake Pontchartrain Expressway Carrollton ramp.
DEMA'S
LOCATION: Chef Menteur Hwy. just before Paris Road
PARKING: Big parking lot in front
THE GOLDEN ROD
LOCATION: Frenchman St. (Uptown side) between Gentilly Blvd. & Florida Avenue
SERVICE: Car hops
NOTES OF INTEREST: The Golden Rod was said to cater to gay women
THE HITCHING POST
LOCATION: Elyisian Fields Ave. & Paris Ave.
JC's
PROPRIETORS: Mr. Jay and his brother. They both looked like 60's or 70's versions of Nash Roberts.
LOCATION: Veterans Hwy. & Aris Street, present location of Ralph & Kacoo's
PARKING: Shells, in back
DECOR: Contemporary modern, pre-Popeyes Metry
ATMOSPHERE: Semi-dark
VIEW: Fence
MUSIC: Speakers in parking lot
MENU FAVORITES: Very large dressed hamburgers on very-very large sesame seed bun (for many, this was the first time sesame seeds were eaten on a burger bun).
BEVERAGES: Soft drinks, beer, mixed drinks. Ladies Favorites- Whiskey sour, Blue Jay (house specialty), root beer in a mug.
SERVICE: Parking lights on, car hops with metal window trays
OTHER ATTRACTIONS: Inside on the right (as you walked in the side door), were five pinball machines. It was ok to eat on the machines while playing.
JIM'S FAMOUS FOR FRIED CHICKEN - (JIM'S)
LOCATION: The original Jim's was next door to Delicate Jerry's on the downtown side of S. Carrollton Avenue, present site of the expressway ramp. During the expressway construction, Jim's relocated to the other side of S. Carrollton near Earhart Blvd. (Coincidentally, now the site of a Popeye's Fried Chicken).
PARKING: Shells
DECOR: Early Post-War Mid-City
MUSIC: Your AM car radio
MENU FAVORITES: World's best fried chicken
BEVERAGES: Soft drinks, beer, mixed drinks
SERVICE: Parking lights on, car hops
KRUPP'S (KRUPP'S HAD NO SIGN OR OFFICIAL SPELLING)
LOCATION: Lakeshore Drive, the largest lakefront shelter closest to West End, between Canal Blvd. and the U.S.C.G. Lighthouse.
PARKING: Shells horseshoe all the way around the building. Any parking cut-in on Lakeshore Drive.
DECOR: Pre-War lakefront
VIEW: Lake Pontchartrain lakefront
MUSIC: Juke box. Krupp's juke box was one of the first in New Orleans to play Rhythm & Blues music ("Lawdy Miss Clawdy" by Lloyd Price) to a young white audience.
MENU FAVORITES: World's best hot dog on french with chili and onion, oyster, shrimp, and roast beef po-boys. Snowballs and watermelon accounted for the very sticky picnic tables and benches.
BEVERAGES: Soft drinks, beer
SERVICE: No car hops. Everything was ordered and picked up at the service windows.
OTHER ATTRACTIONS: Krupp's had a huge advantage in this category. Right across the street, swimming in Lake Pontchartrain (off the stepped sea wall), was permitted and enjoyed by all.
LENFANT'S
PROPRIETORS: The Lenfant family
LOCATION: Canal Blvd. Between the railroad tracks and Greenwood Cemetery, present site of All Faiths Funeral Home.
PARKING: Shells, back and side of building, black-topped later
DECOR: Old lakefront pre-war beach modern
ATMOSPHERE: Semi-light to medium-dark
VIEW: Lenfant's had a great advantage in this category. The parking lot overlooked the vast and quiet beauty of Greenwood Cemetery and railroad tracks with real passing trains.
MUSIC: Speakers facing the parking lot played contemporary AM radio, mostly WNOE and WTIX (both R&R and R&B local mix).
MENU FAVORITES: "Lenfant's seafood, finest seafood", sang by the dancing Lenfant's chefs on early WDSU-TV. Oyster, shrimp, and roast beef po-boys.
BEVERAGES: Soft drinks, beer and mixed drinks. Ladies Favorites- Tom Collins, Jack and 7 Up, screwdriver.
SERVICE: Parking lights on, car hops with metal window trays. Car hops remembered; Hank and Billy.
BARTENDER INSIDE: Harold
OTHER ATTRACTIONS: A huge bar, a fine restaurant, and a lavish reception hall (The Boulevard Room).
NOTES OF INTEREST: There was a Lenfant's in Clearmont Harbor, Mississippi. It was across the street from, and faced the beach. It was lost to Hurricane Betsy.
MARTIN BROTHERS - (MARTIN BROTHERS ON CHEF)
PROPRIETORS: The Martin brothers
LOCATION: Chef Menteur Hwy. (Hwy. 90), on river side just before the Industrial Canal
DECOR: Post-war Industrial Canal neighborhood
MUSIC: Your AM car radio
MENU FAVORITES: French fried potato sandwich on French with extra gravy and mynez. World famous roast beef po-boy.
BEVERAGES: Soft drinks, beer, mixed drinks
SERVICE: Car hops. No service if you backed into a parking spot
OTHER ATTRACTIONS: The restaurant was open 24 hours
MARTIN BROTHERS - (MARTIN BROTHERS ON ST. CLAUDE)
PROPRIETORS: The Martin brothers
LOCATION: River side of St. Claude, just before Elysian Fields Avenue
PARKING: Shells, black-topped later
MUSIC: Your AM car radio
MENU FAVORITES: French fried potato sandwich on French with extra mynez and gravy. World famous roast beef po-boy.
BEVERAGES: Soft drinks, beer, mixed drinks
OTHER ATTRACTIONS: The restaurant was open 24 hours
NELSON’S
LOCATION: Fifth St. In Gretna, almost next door to Da Wabbit. There was an Arthur Murray dance studio in between.
PARKING: Shells
THE RAINBOW INN
LOCATION: Jefferson Hwy.
PARKING: Shells
VIEW: One solid fence
MUSIC: Your AM car radio
MENU FAVORITES: Burgers, roast beef, etc., all on French
SERVICE: Car hops
THE ROCKERY INN - (ROCKERY)
PROPRIETOR: John Signorelli
LOCATION: City Park Side of Canal Blvd. & Robert E. Lee. Present location of a Hibernia bank.
PARKING: Front and side, black-top
DECOR: Pre-to-Post War Grey Rock-Stone
ATMOSPHERE: Semi-dark, some neon and Canal Blvd. light
VIEW: Brick wall with Lakeview vines and vegetation
MUSIC: Speakers facing parking lot
MENU FAVORITES: Roast beef on French, fries, onion rings
BEVERAGES: Soft drinks, beer, mixed drinks, ladies favorites- Tom Collins, screwdriver
SERVICE: Parking lights on, car hops with metal window trays. Car hops Remembered- Frank, Joe and Al.
BARTENDERS INSIDE: Eddie, and Jim
POLICE OFFICER: Louie
NOTES OF INTEREST: The first K-9 assisted NOPD arrest was made at The Rockery Inn, (burglary suspect in building).
SIGNORELLI’S
LOCATION: Robert E. Blvd., present site of John Jay Beauty Salon
PARKING: Side and back
DECOR: Pre-war beach. Neo-modern lakefront residential 2-Story
ATMOSPHERE: Medium-dark
VIEW: Lakeview vegetation
BEVERAGES: Soft drinks, beer, mixed drinks
SERVICE: Car hops
NOTES OF INTEREST: According to Lakeview-lore, the "villa" on the corner of Canal Blvd. & Robert E. Lee (present site of condos), was the Signorelli family residence.
SOUTHERN TAVERN
PROPRIETOR: Mr. Joe
LOCATION: Lake side of Airline Hwy. In Metry, near Schwegmann’s
BEVERAGES: Soft drinks, beer, mixed drinks
THE STAR BRIGHT INN
LOCATION: Canal Blvd. across from Lenfant’s, present location of KB/ Rite Aid
PARKING: Shells with pot holes
ATMOSPHERE: Dark
MUSIC: Your AM car radio
MENU FAVORITES: Bacon sandwich
BEVERAGES: Soft drinks, beer mixed drinks
SERVICE: Lady car hops in uniforms
THE STAR LIGHT INN
LOCATION: Franklin Ave. at foot of Franklin overpass
PARKING: Shells
VIEW: The fence or the movie screen, (yes! movie screen)
MUSIC: Whatever music came with the movie
BEVERAGES: Soft drinks, beer
OTHER ATTRACTIONS: The Star Light Inn was a drive-in restaurant that featured real movies on a real movie screen.
STEER INN
LOCATION: Elysian Fields Ave., near Robert E. Lee Blvd.
MENU FAVORITES: Steer Burger with bar-b-que sauce & Bar-B-Que Beef on seeded buns.
WALLACE AND RAOUL’S
PROPRIETERS: Wallace and Raoul
LOCATION: East side of Elysian Fields. Present site of I-610
PARKING: Shells
DECOR: Post-War Old Gentilly
ATMOSPHERE: Dark to very dark
MUSIC: Your AM car radio
MENU FAVORITES: Roast beef with gravy, French fried potato sandwich; all on French
BEVERAGES: Soft drinks, beer, mixed drinks
SERVICE: Parking lights on, car hops. Car hops remembered- Sleepy and Mack
BARTENDER INSIDE: Betty
WAITRESSES INSIDE: Shirley and Rosalie
OTHER ATTRACTIONS: Pinball machine and motorcycle policeman waiting for drag-racers leaving parking lot.
NOTES OF INTEREST: Wallace and Raoul both worked at a small restaurant on Poydras St. (present site of the Texaco Bldg.) where the specialty was red beans with two pork chops. They saved and pooled their finances to open Wallace and Raoul’s.