10/30/2009 6:00:00 AM
Mr. D'z chosen No. 2 AZ diner in 'Highways'
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JC AMBERLYN/Miner
Michelle Jimenez and her husband Armando lease Mr. D'z Route 66 Diner from the Dunton family. The restaurant was recently rated as the No. 2 diner in the state by "Arizona Highways."
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KINGMAN - Kingman residents may have a harder time finding a soda fountain stool or a booth at Mr. D'z Route 66 Diner. The bright pink and turquoise diner hopped into the No. 2 spot in November's Arizona Highways' top 12 list of diners and drive-ins in the state. It even beat out Seligman's Snow Cap Drive-In, which pulled in at No.5.
"We're really happy to be in Kingman and extra happy to be named in the magazine," said Michelle Jimenez, who leases the classy diner with her husband Armando from the Dunton family.
The diner's black and white checkerboard floor is no stranger to fame, however.
In May 2006, TV talk show host Oprah Winfrey stopped for a bite and a mug of the diner's famous frosty root beer. Winfrey and her friend Gayle King were out to see the USA in a Chevrolet along historic Route 66, and Winfrey liked the sweet concoction so much that the Jimenezes donated 17 cases to her studios in Chicago.
The diner is a local haven for classic car and motorcycle enthusiasts as well as TV crews. An episode of The Learning Channel's "Biker Build Off" was filmed at the diner. It has also appeared on travel shows in Ireland, Japan and in international magazines and newspapers.
The diner was originally the Kingman Café in the 1930s and then became the Kimo Shell Station, according to Scott Dunton.
"I used to go there when I was 5 or 6 years old," Dunton said.
His family bought the place several years ago when it was still the Kimo Shell Station, gutted most of it and rebuilt it into the diner that customers see today. The front room, where Oprah and her staff had lunch, was the spot where the gas pumps once stood. Dunton owned and operated the diner for several years before leasing it in 2000.
Armando was working as chef at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas when he decided he had had enough of big corporate restaurants. The two heard from family and friends that the diner was up for lease. They drove out, liked the place and have been here ever since.
The original menu, including the chicken fried steak and the Harley dog, was based off of Dunton family recipes. Dunton even created the famous root beer. The idea came from when he visited a fair as a child and tasted a sweet, creamy root beer. In 1993, he tried to recreate that creamy taste. After several taste tests by the family, they settled on one concoction and contracted with a company to manufacture the syrup that is used in the diner today.
Michelle attributes the diner's international fame to her husband's great cooking and the friendly staff. "He puts a lot of work into the restaurant and getting top quality food," she said. The handpicked staff are "always friendly and just great people to work with."
Mr. D'z is open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day on Route 66.
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Posted: Sunday, November 01, 2009
Article comment by:
Robert Stieve, Editor, Arizona Highways
Nice story, Suzanne. I hope it introduces Mr. D'z to a lot of new folks around the state. Just to clarify, we didn't rank the diners 1-12. The order was random. We believe all 12 of the diners are equally great. Thanks.
Posted: Sunday, November 01, 2009
Article comment by:
kak
Thanks for not posting my comments..I guess anything not rah rah rah Kingman is not allowed.
The paper is a reflection of the city...One sided.
Posted: Sunday, November 01, 2009
Article comment by:
Game
The place is too expensive!
Posted: Saturday, October 31, 2009
Article comment by:
Whatever
Do you think that the Dunton family was mentioned enough? They are the landlords.
Posted: Friday, October 30, 2009
Article comment by:
No name provided
theres always a friendly face there and what ever food you order, its good,fresh and hot. the coffee could be improved, but the root beer is great
Posted: Friday, October 30, 2009
Article comment by:
Bart
Hey Dave.
Posted: Friday, October 30, 2009
Article comment by:
Dave in Golden Valley
A great story for Kingman. It was good to see the cheerleaders in the diner picture. Great for our kids! Go Bulldogs! Hi Bart!
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