Relive the Fifties at Bristol 45 Diner

No matter your age, it’s always fun to step back to the 1950s, the era of diners with soda fountains and juke boxes that played your favorite rock-and-roll songs. Bristol 45 Diner in Bristol, Wisconsin, lets you do exactly that. We stopped in for breakfast during our July trip to the Kenosha area and were impressed with both the fun ‘50s atmosphere and the delicious food we were served.

Bristol 45 Diner

The décor is iconic: Black-and-white checked floor, glass block wall divider at the entrance, white Formica and chrome tables with red vinyl and chrome chairs and a soda fountain counter.

Inside the diner

Bristol 45 Diner Soda Fountain

The walls are covered in movie and music memorabilia, including photos, life-size cutouts of the biggest stars of the day, and lots of old 45 rpm records.

James Dean at the Bristol 45 Diner

Western wall at Bristol 45

Elvis and Marilyn

In fact, the 45 records is partially where Bristol 45 Diner got its name, both from the 45 rpm singles on the walls and the fact that it’s located on Highway 45.

To add to the ambiance, oldies are played in the background. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself be-bopping to the music.

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In the spring and summer months the diner hosts monthly or semi-monthly classic car shows, weather permitting.

Bristol 45 sign

The fun ‘50s diner atmosphere goes hand-in-hand with good, classic diner food, and from what we experienced, the Bristol 45 Diner offers plenty of it. I splurged on the Arizona Sausage Links and Country Sausage Gravy Skillet that included cube potatoes, cheese and eggs. The combination of flavors in the savory dish was delicious, but it was way too much for me to finish. I ended up taking at least half of it home to enjoy the next day.

Breakfast skillet

Our waitress raved about the pancakes, so since my husband’s breakfast combo included pancakes, I tasted his. Our waitress was right to rave about them. They have a sweetness that most pancakes don’t have.

The lunch and dinner menus include not only the basic dinner burger, but go way beyond that with extensive lists of sandwiches, salads, wraps, Mexican dishes, steaks, Italian dishes … the list goes on. Oh, and breakfast is served all day in case you’re in the mood for a breakfast-dinner. Stopping between meals for a treat? Choose from malts, sundaes, and pies. Or how about an old-fashioned root beer float?

The Bristol 45 Diner is now added to our list of regular dining options when we visit the Kenosha area. The atmosphere of a diner from the ‘50s is fun, whether it’s nostalgic for you or a new experience. Add good food,, and you’ve got a real winner.

The Bristol 45 Diner, located at 8321 200th Avenue (Hwy 45) in Bristol, Wisconsin, is just a few minutes over the Illinois border and about 15 minutes from Kenosha. Check the web site for hours, the menu and special events.

Disclosure: Our trip to Kenosha was hosted by the Kenosha Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, but any opinions expressed in this post are my own.

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