The Best Amarillo Restaurants We Ate At As Kids

When you're a kid, everything seems amazing, and going out to eat was an adventure.  We all had our favorite restaurants as a kid.  Join me as we take this walk down memory lane.

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Pancho's Mexican Buffet

This was a fun Mexican food restaurant.  You went through the buffet and got your original plate of food.  When you wanted something else to eat at the table you just raised the flag.  Out of drinks, raise the flag, need more enchiladas, raise the flag.

It was always an argument about who got to raise the flag between my brother and me.  Luckily there were multiple opportunities to raise the flag.

Doodles

Doodles was a burger place here in Amarillo.  It was located at 3701 Olsen Blvd.  I remember the neon all over the place.  It had a Saved By the Bell vibe.

Rex's Chicken

Do you remember Rex's Chicken?  Rex's was located between Calico County and Pizza Planet.   Remember the fried bread!

Cattle Call

Remember this little ditty.

Wasn't it normal to go to a mall and eat at a really huge BBQ restaurant?  Didn't everyone grow up with a full BBQ restaurant in their city mall? This place was the best BBQ (until it moved out of the mall, but that's a story for a later date).  They had the best onion rings!  I hate coleslaw and this was the only place that served coleslaw I would eat.   Not to mention, the Texas Toast and apricots.  Oh, and this is where I started my peppermint addiction.  That peppermint taffy they offered at the checkout counter was heavenly.

ShowBiz Pizza Place/Pistol Pete's Pizza

They weren't the same business but they were in the same place in Amarillo.  Showbiz Pizza had the big gorilla animatronic and Billy Bob the bear.  After closing Pistol Pete's Pizza moved into the space.  I believe it was located where Drug Emporium is now.  Mr. Gatti's is now in the same area, just around the corner.

Crystal Confectionary

As a child, I remember this being a special treat to go and eat at Crystal's.   I don't remember the food, but I do remember the model train that moved through the restaurant.  That was the coolest.  I think the Happy Hours were what the adults loved.  I'm glad that Feldman's in Canyon, has this because I could take my child to experience something just as cool.

Bennigan's

The Monte Cristo.  Enough said.

Bennigan's was located off I-40 between Western and Paramount, El Patron sits in the location that was once Bennegan's.  If you're craving the Monte Cristo, then you can make the short drive to Borger, they still have a Bennigan's.

These are just a few of the restaurants we loved eating at as kids.