Skip to Main Content

Big Boy.

Oldest Big Boy in America

Field review by the editors.

Burbank, California

Bob's Big Boy might have been lost in the special sauce of minor burger chains if not for its swirl-haired cartoon statue. It is instantly recognizable, wherever a Big Boy statue hoists a double-decker cheeseburger platter overhead. The character was based on a six-year-old named Richard Woodruff, who got fat eating double-decker hamburgers there in exchange for cleaning counters. The concept and character were licensed to franchisees in many parts of the country (Frisch's in the midwest still uses the mascot statue).

Big Boy started in Glendale in 1936. Burbank's Big Boy restaurant, the third one, was built in 1949, but it's the oldest still in operation in the United States. The restaurant has a nice period stylish sign, standing 35 feet tall next to the entrance. A statue of the puffy boy in the red and white checked overalls is at the base, intimately ready for souvenir posing.

Oldest Big Boy in America

Address:
4211 W Riverside Drive, Burbank, CA
Directions:
134/Ventura Fwy exit south to Pass Ave, right on Riverside Dr, between Rose and Evergreen.
Phone:
818-843-9334
Save to My Sights

Nearby Offbeat Places

Wonder Woman StatueWonder Woman Statue, Burbank, CA - < 1 mi.
Johnny Carson Mini-MonumentJohnny Carson Mini-Monument, Burbank, CA - < 1 mi.
Mystic MuseumMystic Museum, Burbank, CA - 1 mi.
In the region:
Beach Bordello, Gargoyle-Encrusted, Venice, CA - 13 mi.

More Quirky Attractions in California

Stories, reports and tips on tourist attractions and odd sights in California.

Explore Thousands of Unique Roadside Landmarks!

Strange and amusing destinations in the US and Canada are our specialty. Start here.
Use RoadsideAmerica.com's Attraction Maps to plan your next road trip.

My Sights

My Sights on Roadside America

Map and Plan Your Own Roadside Adventure ...Try My Sights

Mobile Apps

Roadside America app: iPhone, iPad Roadside America app for iPhone, iPad. On-route maps, 1,000s of photos, special research targets! ...More

Roadside Presidents app: iPhone, iPad Roadside Presidents app for iPhone, iPad. POTUS landmarks, oddities. ...More

California Latest Tips and Stories

Latest Visitor Tips

Sight of the Week

Sight of the Week

JFK's World Famous Twine Ball, Highland, Wisconsin (Mar 18-24, 2024)

SotW Archive

USA and Canada Tips and Stories

More Sightings