Route 66 has produced a lot of legendary stops over the decades, and Emma Jean’s Holland Burger Café in Victorville, California earns its place among the best of them. The pistachio green building at 17143 N. D St. has been feeding truck drivers, road-trippers, and High Desert locals since 1947, and it looked right at home in Season 2, Episode 2 of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives — “Route 66,” aired October 8, 2007. Guy Fieri came for the biscuits and gravy and the famous Brian Burger, and left with a clear picture of what makes a diner worth the detour.
The cafe is still open, still run by the family, and still the kind of place where the griddle sizzle and the coffee refills do most of the talking.
Quick Facts
Restaurant: Emma Jean’s Holland Burger Café
City: Victorville, California
Cuisine: Burgers / Breakfast
DDD Season: 2
DDD Episode: 2
Episode Title: Route 66
Original Air Date: October 8, 2007
Address: 17143 N. D St., Victorville, CA 92394
Phone: 760-243-9938
Website: https://www.hollandburger.com/
Status: Open
About Emma Jean’s Holland Burger Café
The cafe opened in 1947 under Bob and Kate Holland, built to serve the drivers working the Mother Road. The Emma Jean name came later — Emma Holland was a longtime waitress who eventually married Richard Gentry, a truck driver who had been stopping in for years. In 1979, Richard bought the restaurant as a gift for his wife. Their son Brian and his wife Shawna carried the legacy forward, adding the Brian Burger to the menu and becoming the faces of the place for a new generation of regulars. Brian passed away in 2024, and Shawna now runs the cafe, keeping the family’s tradition intact.
Inside, the walls are covered with license plates, Route 66 memorabilia, old photos, and autographed Guy Fieri posters. The counter stools and well-worn booths give you a direct sightline to the flat-top, where everything is cooked in front of you. The cafe has also appeared in the film Kill Bill: Vol. 2 and the TV series The Old Man — a resume that tells you something about how authentic the place feels on camera.
What to Eat at Emma Jean’s Holland Burger Café
The Brian Burger is the signature — a thick beef patty with melted white cheese and a mild Ortega chili, served on Parmesan-crusted sourdough Texas toast that comes off the grill piping hot. It’s the dish on the sign outside, the one Guy spotlighted during filming, and the one most first-timers order based on reputation alone.
The Biscuits and Gravy are the breakfast anchor — buttery, flaky biscuits under a peppery house-made gravy that regulars have been coming back for since the 1940s. The Trucker’s Sandwich — tri-tip roast beef, cheese, Ortega chili, and bacon on grilled sourdough — is the move for lunch. The Strawberry Shake and daily cobbler round things out for anyone with room left, which may be optimistic given the portion sizes.
Breakfast and lunch only. Hours are Tuesday through Friday 6:00 AM to 2:30 PM, Saturday 6:00 AM to 1:30 PM. Closed Sunday and Monday. Get there early — the biscuits and gravy sell out.
Plan Your Visit
Address: 17143 N. D St., Victorville, CA 92394
Phone: 760-243-9938
Website: https://www.hollandburger.com/
Status: Open
Emma Jean’s Holland Burger Café appeared in Season 2, Episode 2 of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, “Route 66,” originally aired October 8, 2007.