Victorville is High Desert crossroads: old Route 66, military families at the air base, rock climbers and truckers, wave after wave of newcomers carving out a place at the edge of Southern California.
The local dining scene is a mosaic of regional Mexican, classic diners, barbecues, new Asian kitchens, and home-cook soul.
1. Goody’s Family Restaurant
A Victorville icon where breakfast never ends—fluffy omelets, sunrise specials, pancakes as large as a steering wheel, and bottomless coffee.
The lunch and dinner menu is as American as it gets, from club sandwiches and BLTs to chicken-fried steak and banana cream pie.
The red booths and wall of local photos say “community,” while the regulars make every new face feel welcome.
2. Emma Jean’s Holland Burger Café
A true Route 66 relic, Emma Jean’s is both diner and living history: blue-plate specials, huge burgers, hand-cut fries, and milkshakes whirl as truckers, families, and road-trippers watch the traffic roll by.
The “Brian Burger,” loaded with pastrami and Swiss, has been featured on TV more than once, and the counter is always busy with trucker tales and big plans.
3. Molly Brown’s Country Café
Here, hefty portions of cinnamon swirl French toast, country-fried steak, hash browns, and biscuits keep Victorville going from sunup to dusk.
The staff remembers your coffee order and treats all like family.
Sunday mornings are a joyful chaos of little league teams, retirees, and birthday singalongs.
4. Paulina’s Mexican Grill
Upscale for the desert, Paulina’s casts a spell with its rich mole, grilled fish tacos, shrimp ceviche, sizzling fajitas, homemade salsas, and a margarita that packs a punch.
The space is always humming—families celebrating, couples on a “date night,” and regulars treating themselves to a touch of luxury after a dusty week.
5. TNT Chinese Restaurant
Classic American Chinese—egg drop soup, fried rice, Mongolian beef, crispy kung pao chicken, all at local-favorite prices.
The takeout boxes multiply on weekends when families round up to watch football or host backyard parties. The fountain drinks and fortune cookies never run out, and the kitchen always sends a wave as you head out.
Get the All-American Travel Secrets!
Don't miss out on America's hidden gems!
