We had a quick look at the lunch buffet -- frog legs, catfish, shrimp, ribs, chicken, and more, but we weren’t looking for a heavy meal so opted to order from the menu instead. There were lots of choices including burgers, sandwiches, salads, chicken, steaks and catfish done a number of ways.

We started the meal by sharing a half-foot of onion rings for an appetizer. The rings were lightly breaded, deep fried, and then served stacked around a wooden dowel with a trio of sauces -- chili ranch, barbecue, and sweet mustard. I opted to try one of their advertised Missouri specialties, a Maid Rite loose burger. Served on a hamburger bun it reminded me of a sloppy Joe without the tomato sauce, but was juicy and filling. Joyce had Mark Twain fried chicken, Tracey opted for a chef salad and Bea had chicken strips and fries. The chicken was crispy without being greasy and all the portions were more than adequate. The food was nothing special but service was pleasant and prices were cheap. Our beverage of choice was root beer made on site. At $1.25 for a frosted mug with unlimited refills, it was a very good choice.

To finish the meal we shared a couple of small desserts -- frozen vanilla custard which is similar in taste but lighter than ice cream and a pastry dumpling filled with sliced apples. The dumpling was very small -- enough for the four of us to have one bite, but since the cost was only $1.40, we weren’t complaining and neither were our waistlines.

The restaurant is quite large with a couple of separate dining sections and the walls are adorned with pictures of Hannibal's early years. This is not the place to come for gourmet cooking or trendy atmosphere; it is very much a small town diner but for kids, seniors and those who don’t want to spend a lot of money, it is worth a visit. It is open seven days a week for breakfast, lunch and dinner and has a children’s and senior’s section on the menu. The restaurant also has outdoor drive in car service for those want to relive memories of the ‘50s.