The Rock Cafe, a popular roadside attraction in Stroud, Oklahoma, on Historic U.S. Route 66

Rock Café on Route 66 in Stroud, Oklahoma

As Route 66 left Joplin, Missouri, it was only a short distance westbound thru extreme southeast Kansas to the Oklahoma border. It quickly entered Commerce, and headed southwest through Miami, Afton, Chelsea, Claremore and Tulsa. The road continued west through Sapulpa, and Stroud.

Stroud is situated virtually midway between Tulsa and Oklahoma City and at the juncture of historic Route 66 and State Highway 99. When construction of Route 66 was completed, Stroud became a rest stop with amenities such as motels, gas stations and restaurants.

Today, a popular "must see" stop in Stroud is the historic Rock Café. Don't miss it!

Welcome to Stroud, Oklahoma, on Historic US Route 66

The Rock Café The Rock Café in Stroud, Oklahoma was established in 1939, built with rock unearthed during the paving of Route 66. It has been added to the National Register of Historic Places. In 2001, Pixar crews visited Stroud to research Route 66 for the animated film Cars, at a time when the town economy was still attempting to recover from the massive 1999 tornado. At the time, the Rock Café was undergoing historic restoration. The character of Radiator Springs hotelier Sally Carrera is heavily based on Rock Café proprietor Dawn Welch and her efforts to promote and rebuild the town. A fire gutted the café on May 20, 2008 but the grill and the original stone walls survived. The Rock Café was rebuilt by historic preservationist David Burke; Dawn Welch reopened the business on May 29, 2009. Its menu is extensive, with a wide variety of burgers, sandwiches, salads, chicken fried steak, shrimp dinners and so much more! The Café is located at 114 W. Main Street in Stroud, and remains an area icon. Highly recommended! Visit the Rock Café on Facebook and phone 918.968.3990

Interactive Map of the Rock Cafe

Oklahoma Route 66 Passport

The Oklahoma Route 66 Passport from the Oklahoma Tourism & Recreation Department helps Route 66 travelers find new destinations to explore and document their progress along the way. A new updated passport (yellow) is being offered beginning in 2023.

The Route 66 Passport, which is available free at TravelOK.com, features 66 of the state’s memorable Mother Road attractions. It includes iconic stops like Catoosa’s Blue Whale, Stroud’s Rock Cafe and Clinton’s Oklahoma Route 66 Museum along with many newer favorites.

Get your passport stamped at each stop, then take it to a Tourism Information Center to be verified and earn an exclusive Route 66 coin.

Both the new yellow and previous red Route 66 Passports are now available in a digital format. Download the official TravelOK Trip Planner app on the Apple App Store or Google Play to get started. When you get to each stop, you'll find a code displayed that you can enter to digitally check in.