The story
Founder William Mitchell opened his first restaurant in 1923 across the street, on the north side of Jackson Boulevard, and named it for his son Lou, who helped run it with other family members. The current building at 565 West Jackson was built in 1949.
In 1992 Lou sold the restaurant to his niece, Katherine Thanas, and it has stayed in the Thanas family. It is described as one of the first stops on Route 66, the Mother Road, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in May 2006.
Everything that was here
- 1923–present · still open
Lou Mitchell'sBreakfast / American Diner
William Mitchell named his 1923 restaurant for his son Lou, and the current building at 565 W. Jackson dates to 1949 and is on the National Register.
See the map in 1924 →
Did you know?
Connected places
Litchfield Museum & Route 66 Welcome Center
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Thaxton Speakeasy
Fluky's
Kiel Opera House
Baker's Keyboard Lounge
Explore the full web of connections on the map.
Nearby history
Chicago Union Station
Cafe Bohemia
Ithaki Estiatorio
Pegasus Restaurant and Taverna
Santorini
Greek Islands Restaurant
Know something about Lou Mitchell's? An old photo, a date, a memory of what stood here before?
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