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All the United States Illinois Granite City Luna Café
AO Edited Gastro Obscura

Luna Café

A notorious Route 66 eatery once frequented by Al Capone.

Granite City, Illinois

Added By
Lew Blank
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Facade of the eatery   Tydence Davis
Historical Luna Café sign   Tydence Davis
Luna Café   Map Data © 2016 Google
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About

Now one of the few Route 66 eateries that remains open to the public, the Luna Café adds a dirty, criminal twist to the route’s history.

In 1924, two years before Route 66 was officially opened, the Luna Café was built in Mitchell, Illinois, along what would eventually become the “Mother Road.”

Rumor has it there was a secret gambling operation in the café's basement. But if you were looking for some more risqué excitement, the upstairs was the place to go. According to local legend, men dining at the café would eagerly wait for the red cherry on the neon sign to light up. Once it did, the local ladies would come out to provide “entertainment” for the men.

But that’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the scandalous nature of the Luna Café. The café’s greatest attribute is its historic tie to Al Capone. The notorious gangster used to drive down Route 66 from Chicago to the Luna Café to pay a visit to the haunt of some of the area's mobsters. The café grew to be one of Capone's favorite hangouts.

As of today, the giant neon moon that used to be mounted atop the roof has been taken down, but the vintage neon sign and the infamous backstory remain for those who decide to get their kicks on Route 66.

Related Tags

Restaurants Route 66 Gangsters Roadside Attractions

Community Contributors

Added By

lewblank

Edited By

80schic84

  • 80schic84

Published

August 3, 2016

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Sources
  • http://www.theroadwanderer.net/66Illinois/mitchell.htm
  • http://www.legendsofamerica.com/il-mitchell.html
Luna Café
201 E Chain of Rocks Rd
Granite City, Illinois
United States
38.761673, -90.088955
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