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Find 1950s nostalgia, hearty Mexican plates, the original Del Taco building, and an iconic Greek restaurant serve travelers on the Interstate 15 between LA and Vegas
The road from Los Angeles to Las Vegas is one marked with mostly desert mountain roads — long stretches of nothing and sometimes crippling traffic depending on the time and day of the week. Leave LA on a Friday afternoon, and it might take six hours to go to Vegas. Leave Vegas on a Sunday afternoon, and it’ll take the same time or longer to get back to LA. Along the way, most of the food is going to be of the corporate fast-food variety, from Del Taco and McDonald’s to Chipotle and Panda Express (the original Del Taco building still stands in Yermo, while one of the longest-operating current Del Tacos operates in Barstow). Still, there are some actual highlights in cities like Victorville and Barstow, and at least a few historical oddities like the Mad Greek in Baker, California and Peggy Sue’s classic diner in Yermo. Here are the 12 best places to eat on the drive between Los Angeles and Las Vegas.
For this update, Alien Fresh Jerky, the Mad Greek, and Outpost Cafe were added while Mr. Kabob in Barstow was removed.
Matthew Kang is a frequent road trip traveler between Los Angeles and Las Vegas, making the drive at least a few times a year, though he’s more inclined to fly these days to save time. When he is making the road trip, his favorite burger spot is Freddy’s Frozen Custard and Steakburgers, a chain from Kansas that really ought to expand into Los Angeles proper.
A dusty roadside diner has been hailed as one of the best restaurants by truckers traveling through Los Angeles. The Western-themed Outpost Cafe was first built in the 1920s and then moved into this current building in the early 1960s, serving reliable plates of American breakfast classics, sandwiches, burgers, and even grilled steak. Portions are massive and well-prepared, using fresh ingredients whenever possible. Eating here sure beats the simple pre-made stuff usually available at other truck stops, but those traveling on four wheels will find a welcome diner-style experience too.
Wichita, Kansas export Freddy’s Frozen Custard and Steakburgers has been doing smash-style burgers since 2002, expanding to the Los Angeles suburb of Victorville a few years ago. It’s a viable In-N-Out alternative with hot dogs, chili cheese fries, and of course, excellent frozen custard to go along with nicely constructed burgers. Inside, find retro 1950s-style seating (meaning gleaming red leather) and ephemera, plus classic white-and-black-tiled floors.
This chainlet of high desert breakfast spots has locations in Hesperia, Victorville, and Helendale, with easygoing morning favorites like breakfast skillets — try the Sante Fe skillet with chicken fajita-style fixin’s — and omelets to lunchtime plates like grilled steak. The restaurant is every day of the year except Thanksgiving and Christmas until 2:30 p.m. Inside looks like your grandmother’s living room; the best seats are unquestionably the booth tables lining the windows (particularly the rounded corner booths for a bigger group).
A post shared by Molly Brown’s Country Cafe (@mollybrownscountrycafe)
Maria’s has a diverse menu of typical Mexican combination plates just off Interstate 15. Think cheese-laden plates of enchiladas, spicy shrimp camarones a la diabla, hearty beef chile colorado with dark red sauce, and grilled chicken fajitas served with refried beans and Mexican rice. Pretty much anything on the menu will do a fine job of obliterating any hunger along the 270-mile road between Los Angeles and Vegas.
A post shared by Maria’s Mexican Restaurant (@marias_mexican.restaurant)
San Diego-based pub and pizza spot Oggi’s has an outlet in Barstow with round, cheesy pizzas that come in a variety of toppings, plus its own craft beers. Think of it as kind of an alternative to the more ubiquitous BJ’s, with a huge menu of sandwiches, flatbreads, fried chicken wings, pastas, and salads. But the classic thing to get are the big, shareable thin-crust pizzas, best shared while watching the game on one of its many television screens.
A post shared by Oggi’s Sports Brewhouse Pizza (@oggispizza)
It isn’t a road trip without a stop at In-N-Out Barstow for a Double-Double, Animal-style fries, and a black-and-white milkshake at Southern California’s enduring fast-food burger spot. There are other In-N-Out locations in Victorville and Hesperia if you can’t wait until Barstow. While the drive-thru lane was made for road-trippers, stopping inside to stretch your legs and feel the energy of other travelers on the same off-the-beaten path as you is always a fun moment.
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For those looking beyond In-N-Out Barstow, there’s Lola’s Kitchen, a colorful strip mall gem with hours that stretch from 4 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., which makes it a good stop for those making early morning drives between Los Angeles and Las Vegas. And the morning is likely the best time to stop here, with heaping plates of chilaquiles, huevos rancheros, and other Mexican breakfast classics that will keep travelers full all the way to the desert (or Los Angeles, depending on the direction of travel).
A post shared by Ron Reynosa (@ronjrey)
There’s nothing like the nostalgia that comes with a meal at Peggy Sue’s Diner in Yermo, the ultimate jukebox-shaped ’50s-era throwback with television memorabilia and diner classics that haven’t changed much over the decades. The diner is probably the most complete and compelling place to stop for a meal between Los Angeles and Las Vegas; the maximalist retro design alone is worth a stop for mid-century pop culture enthusiasts. The menu is fairly sizeable considering its location in the middle of the desert, featuring classic greasy-spoon breakfasts, tuna and patty melts, a half-pound “King Kong” cheeseburger, and Southern fried chicken for dinner. After the meal, don’t hesitate to roam the grounds beside, where massive metal dinosaur structures and a lake landscape offer post-prandial amusement.
Who knew an Instagram-friendly destination would ever open along the I-15? Eddie World actually has a chef and numerous cooks who put together crowd-pleasing dishes from thin-crust pizza and sandwiches to sushi and handmade ice cream. Most of the food will be much better than the average gas station fare, and the visual appeal of a mini food hall in the middle of the desert makes it a fun, colorful pitstop for the family. Try one of the thin-crust pizzas or more substantial bacon-packed burgers and then finish with a fresh scoop of ice cream before getting back on the road.
A post shared by EddieWorld (@eddieworldyermo)
This dusty stand is actually the original home of Del Taco, which opened in 1964 and sold something like 900 tacos on its first day of business. Yermo was a bigger town back then, with 27 gas stations, grocery stores, and more, but it was bypassed by travelers when I-15 opened in 1968. Del Taco is now called Tita’s Burger Den, selling the same crunchy tacos and other fast-food bites like cheeseburgers and burritos. It’s only open on weekdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
A post shared by Paul Narvaez (@the_fotographer)
Prior to the pandemic, the Mad Greek was one of the most well-known restaurants along Interstate 15, the main focus of the town of Baker, which stands as the last major marker before reaching Las Vegas from LA. Founder Larry Dabour opened the place with his family in 1990, developing a bit of a cult following among road trippers and truckers. The blue-laden interior conjures images of Aegean islands and bright skies. Most diners come for the gyro wraps and plates, heaping portions of ground lamb and beef, pork, layered chicken carved to order. Crispy fried falafel also make for filling pita sandwiches served with earthy tahini and hummus. There are also fast-food favorites like burgers, fries, and patty melts, plus ice cream shakes (strawberry is the most popular).
A place to get dozens of different kinds of beef jerky in the middle of the desert? Themed around aliens? Whoever thought that was a good idea has certainly made a cottage industry of roadside beef jerky, so much so that it’s spawned imitators in the little California town of Baker. Actually, Luis Ramallo, his wife and eldest son, started serving Alien-themed beef jerky in Crystal Springs, Nevada in 2004, eventually relocating to Baker. Inside, try a variety of spicy and flavored beef jerky packed in cellophane bags. A few years ago, a UFO-shaped hotel and restaurant were announced, and it seems to be under construction, though no opening date has been announced.
A dusty roadside diner has been hailed as one of the best restaurants by truckers traveling through Los Angeles. The Western-themed Outpost Cafe was first built in the 1920s and then moved into this current building in the early 1960s, serving reliable plates of American breakfast classics, sandwiches, burgers, and even grilled steak. Portions are massive and well-prepared, using fresh ingredients whenever possible. Eating here sure beats the simple pre-made stuff usually available at other truck stops, but those traveling on four wheels will find a welcome diner-style experience too.
Wichita, Kansas export Freddy’s Frozen Custard and Steakburgers has been doing smash-style burgers since 2002, expanding to the Los Angeles suburb of Victorville a few years ago. It’s a viable In-N-Out alternative with hot dogs, chili cheese fries, and of course, excellent frozen custard to go along with nicely constructed burgers. Inside, find retro 1950s-style seating (meaning gleaming red leather) and ephemera, plus classic white-and-black-tiled floors.
This chainlet of high desert breakfast spots has locations in Hesperia, Victorville, and Helendale, with easygoing morning favorites like breakfast skillets — try the Sante Fe skillet with chicken fajita-style fixin’s — and omelets to lunchtime plates like grilled steak. The restaurant is every day of the year except Thanksgiving and Christmas until 2:30 p.m. Inside looks like your grandmother’s living room; the best seats are unquestionably the booth tables lining the windows (particularly the rounded corner booths for a bigger group).
A post shared by Molly Brown’s Country Cafe (@mollybrownscountrycafe)
Maria’s has a diverse menu of typical Mexican combination plates just off Interstate 15. Think cheese-laden plates of enchiladas, spicy shrimp camarones a la diabla, hearty beef chile colorado with dark red sauce, and grilled chicken fajitas served with refried beans and Mexican rice. Pretty much anything on the menu will do a fine job of obliterating any hunger along the 270-mile road between Los Angeles and Vegas.
A post shared by Maria’s Mexican Restaurant (@marias_mexican.restaurant)
San Diego-based pub and pizza spot Oggi’s has an outlet in Barstow with round, cheesy pizzas that come in a variety of toppings, plus its own craft beers. Think of it as kind of an alternative to the more ubiquitous BJ’s, with a huge menu of sandwiches, flatbreads, fried chicken wings, pastas, and salads. But the classic thing to get are the big, shareable thin-crust pizzas, best shared while watching the game on one of its many television screens.
A post shared by Oggi’s Sports Brewhouse Pizza (@oggispizza)
It isn’t a road trip without a stop at In-N-Out Barstow for a Double-Double, Animal-style fries, and a black-and-white milkshake at Southern California’s enduring fast-food burger spot. There are other In-N-Out locations in Victorville and Hesperia if you can’t wait until Barstow. While the drive-thru lane was made for road-trippers, stopping inside to stretch your legs and feel the energy of other travelers on the same off-the-beaten path as you is always a fun moment.
For those looking beyond In-N-Out Barstow, there’s Lola’s Kitchen, a colorful strip mall gem with hours that stretch from 4 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., which makes it a good stop for those making early morning drives between Los Angeles and Las Vegas. And the morning is likely the best time to stop here, with heaping plates of chilaquiles, huevos rancheros, and other Mexican breakfast classics that will keep travelers full all the way to the desert (or Los Angeles, depending on the direction of travel).
A post shared by Ron Reynosa (@ronjrey)
There’s nothing like the nostalgia that comes with a meal at Peggy Sue’s Diner in Yermo, the ultimate jukebox-shaped ’50s-era throwback with television memorabilia and diner classics that haven’t changed much over the decades. The diner is probably the most complete and compelling place to stop for a meal between Los Angeles and Las Vegas; the maximalist retro design alone is worth a stop for mid-century pop culture enthusiasts. The menu is fairly sizeable considering its location in the middle of the desert, featuring classic greasy-spoon breakfasts, tuna and patty melts, a half-pound “King Kong” cheeseburger, and Southern fried chicken for dinner. After the meal, don’t hesitate to roam the grounds beside, where massive metal dinosaur structures and a lake landscape offer post-prandial amusement.
Who knew an Instagram-friendly destination would ever open along the I-15? Eddie World actually has a chef and numerous cooks who put together crowd-pleasing dishes from thin-crust pizza and sandwiches to sushi and handmade ice cream. Most of the food will be much better than the average gas station fare, and the visual appeal of a mini food hall in the middle of the desert makes it a fun, colorful pitstop for the family. Try one of the thin-crust pizzas or more substantial bacon-packed burgers and then finish with a fresh scoop of ice cream before getting back on the road.
A post shared by EddieWorld (@eddieworldyermo)
This dusty stand is actually the original home of Del Taco, which opened in 1964 and sold something like 900 tacos on its first day of business. Yermo was a bigger town back then, with 27 gas stations, grocery stores, and more, but it was bypassed by travelers when I-15 opened in 1968. Del Taco is now called Tita’s Burger Den, selling the same crunchy tacos and other fast-food bites like cheeseburgers and burritos. It’s only open on weekdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
A post shared by Paul Narvaez (@the_fotographer)
Prior to the pandemic, the Mad Greek was one of the most well-known restaurants along Interstate 15, the main focus of the town of Baker, which stands as the last major marker before reaching Las Vegas from LA. Founder Larry Dabour opened the place with his family in 1990, developing a bit of a cult following among road trippers and truckers. The blue-laden interior conjures images of Aegean islands and bright skies. Most diners come for the gyro wraps and plates, heaping portions of ground lamb and beef, pork, layered chicken carved to order. Crispy fried falafel also make for filling pita sandwiches served with earthy tahini and hummus. There are also fast-food favorites like burgers, fries, and patty melts, plus ice cream shakes (strawberry is the most popular).
A place to get dozens of different kinds of beef jerky in the middle of the desert? Themed around aliens? Whoever thought that was a good idea has certainly made a cottage industry of roadside beef jerky, so much so that it’s spawned imitators in the little California town of Baker. Actually, Luis Ramallo, his wife and eldest son, started serving Alien-themed beef jerky in Crystal Springs, Nevada in 2004, eventually relocating to Baker. Inside, try a variety of spicy and flavored beef jerky packed in cellophane bags. A few years ago, a UFO-shaped hotel and restaurant were announced, and it seems to be under construction, though no opening date has been announced.

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