My first introduction to a Dinnerhorn restaurant wasn’t even the restaurant itself, but what it became after.
Back in the late 90s, I hung out a lot in the Artist Colony area of downtown Pomona. Back then and even today, there is/was still quite a bit of great vintage buildings, signs, etc…and although it was run down, I enjoyed my time there very much. Even now I take my little brother there to catch Pokemon and I love the vintage vibes I still get.
So while I was there in the 90s, I would get asked a lot for directions to Robbie’s, the local gay club. After pointing them in the right direction, my curiosity got the better of me and I discovered that it used to be a restaurant called the Dinnerhorn.
Years later while having a conversation about the Covina location of Clearman’s Northwoods Inn, I then found out that it used to be a Dinnerhorn restaurant.
And then I got even more Dinnerhorny once I realized there soooooo many Dinnerhorn restaurants.
But what I don’t love is the lack of information I can find out about them.
I consider myself to be fairly good at research. I enjoy researching places. And with my hobbies and interests, it’s pretty much required.
And I couldn’t find squat. Sure, I’d find some ads in local newspapers, some postcards on eBay, and some pics of matchbooks and menus online (which didn’t help me at all because I have my own supply of Dinnerhorn matchbooks in my personal collection). But no articles about grand openings, grand closings, new locations, new management, or any memories or blog posts from twenty years ago when those Boomer memory blogs were a thing.
I had this great big plan to write a mediocre blog post about these Dinnerhorn restaurants and like the dinner horn itself, it blew away like a bunch of hot air.
So I guess enjoy these matchbooks from my collection and some odds and ends I found online. If you have any pics, stories, whatever regarding any of these restaurants (but especially pictures), please let me know and please share. Put my crappy research skills to shame.
It’ll be worth it to get some Dinnerhorn porn.
Myrtlewood 