Bob's Big Boy (Googie landmark)

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What visitors say

• John B Lester★★★★★

  The year was 1936 when a young man named Bob Wian founded his innovative hamburger restaurant. Designed to serve as a meat up and a meeting place. The meat up concept inspired the first double decker hamburger. Extra bun pun intended for the 2 pattie burger made with 3 slices of bread. A franchise that expanded the image of a proud standing boy in overalls as a legacy in American pop culture. An image you will encounter along any road trip today. Whether it be a restaurant. A shop of nostalgic toys and tee shirts. A postcard inside a travel center gas station. A poster board of fun facts, within a place of Oddities. Even on a American antique roadshow event. There is a special type of connection about finding Bob. In all the right places in time.

  2 months ago

• Cyrus Graesslin★★★★★

  One of the highlights of our California visit this year was our pilgrimage to one of me and my wife’s favorite restaurants in the whole world, Bob’s Big Boy! For whose who don’t know, Bob’s Big Boy was a chain of restaurants that began 89 years ago in 1936. Their claim to fame was the Big Boy hamburger, the original double decker with 3 bun slices and 2 patties. In the 60’s they were sold to Marriott corporation, then changed hands several times over the decades. Sadly they all eventually shut down due to a combination of failure to modernize, bankruptcies, and eventually the pandemic. From their peak of 240 stores in 1989, only 4 remain - all in SoCal. This branch is the oldest remaining store, which was built in 1949. Built in the style of “Googie Architecture” - which was influenced by car culture, jets and the Atomic/Space age, it was designated as a California Point of Historical Interest in 1993. A litany of notable celebrities including Bob Hope and the Beatles have dined here, so it’s a true pop culture icon. Our favorite aspect of the brand is the iconic Big Boy logo, a cheerful chubby boy in red and white checkered overalls holding their famed double decker burger. It was designed by Looney Tunes animator Bennie Washam on a napkin, who also frequented the restaurant. Some may recognize it as part of the intro on the “Fresh Prince of Bel Air”! Service was great though we had to wait for 20 minutes for a table, and it was 10pm on a Sunday evening. Of course we opted for the Big Boy burger as well as the Pappy Parker’s Fried chicken which was divine with its dense, crunchy crust. We asked for a recommendation and we were told the Chili Spaghetti was popular - and we could see why as it was delicious. We wrapped up our evening with a strawberry pie which was chock full of lush strawberries and not too sweet which was perfect. An absolutely wonderful evening at a historic venue!

  2 months ago

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