Get Your Chicks on Route 66

Skippy’s Restaurant: Comfort cooking rules the road at Leasburg.

Skippy’s Route 66 Restaurant’s modest stone and timber building sits on a gravel lot. The place isn’t flashy. There’s no neon sign to bring in night travelers—just a big plain black and white sign perched on an overhead pole reading “Skippy’s Route 66—Good Food for Good People.”

It’s not just a boast—it’s a promise to anyone who walks through the door hungry for a good meal.

For over 25 years, Skippy’s Route 66 Restaurant in Leasburg has been attracting travelers to jump off old Route 66 for its legendary made-from-scratch roadhouse fare, like its fried chicken, fish, and burgers. Owner Skip (Skippy) Sheleski bought the business in 2000; before that, it was Coachlight Inn, which was established in 1970. “After I took the place over, I heard somebody say, ‘If you really think you’re good, put your name on it.’ So, I did,” says Skippy.

When a fire destroyed the restaurant in 2016, he slowly began reshaping what had once been a country tavern into a hometown, family-friendly restaurant. “After the fire, we tried to keep the place as close to the original as possible,” Skippy says. “We were able to put it back together and tried to put it back a step higher than it was before we started.”

That step-up restoration retained the restaurant’s original roadhouse charm with a no-fuss retro interior. Dining room tabletops are set with paper place mats. The stone facade bar is illuminated with neon beer signs, and a pool table is in the dining room.

While chicken had been on the menu for decades, after reopening, general manager Denise Basham gave Skippy’s fried chicken its signature status. She insisted that every chicken be kept fresh on ice until it’s ready to be seasoned, hand-breaded, and fried. The chicken-on-ice technique has been the secret to keeping the birds über moist and crispy. It’s a dish that draws customers from Springfield to St. Louis and points in between.

The chicken arrives juicy, not greasy, with a soul-warming golden-brown crust that crackles delightfully with the first bite. Skippy’s hallmark chicken transforms into a true roadhouse classic when paired with hand-mashed potatoes topped with a mildly seasoned milk gravy. To get the full Americana experience, pair the dinner with a beer on draft.

While yardbird is the star attraction, there are other options, such as half-pound burgers, pizza, salads, and walleye. Skippy’s is one of the last genuine roadhouse dining experiences found along Missouri’s Route 66—a place where good food is generously served with a side of hospitality.

“No matter what you order, we guarantee you’ll leave happy and will come back,” Skippy said.

• 247 Missouri H, Leasburg • Follow on Facebook

---

This article was originally printed in the February 2026 issue of Missouri Life.