Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives

Baby Blues BBQ (Venice, Calif.) • Louie Mueller Barbeque (Taylor, Tex.) • Bar-B-Q King (Charlotte, N.C.) Guy travels the country this week in search of the best barbecue in America. In sunny California, a spot where buddies are smokin' up unique SoCal barbecue ribs, pulled pork, and homemade sauces. Down in small-town central Texas, it's a joint folks have been linin' up outside since 1949 for legendary brisket, scratch-made sausage, and anything else they cook in their pit. And in Charlotte, a visit to the drive-in bringin' Carolina barbecue car-side since 1959, including vinegar-sauced pulled pork and chicken.

Eveready Diner (Hyde Park, N.Y.) • Leo's BBQ (Oklahoma City, Okla.) • A1 Diner (Gardiner, Maine) The emphasis of the show shifts slightly when Guy investigates the love and attention aimed at three culinary icons beloved by their clientele.

Squeeze Inn (Sacramento, Calif.) • Triple X Restaurant (West Lafayette, Ind.) • Hackney's on Harms (Glenview, Ill.) Guy chases down some of the best burgers in America. First, in Sacramento, an outrageous burger made with as much cheese as meat - all surrounded by a crispy cheese skirt. Then, in Glenview, Illinois, it's a spot in a residential neighborhood that's been grillin' their inside-out burger stuffed with cheddar since the 1920s. And the Indiana joint that's a rite of passage for Purdue University students, servin' up "steak burgers" and nostalgic XXX Root Beer for more than 75 years.

Voula's Offshore Café (Seattle, Wash.) • Red Arrow Diner (Manchester, N.H.) • Hank's Creekside (Santa Rosa, Calif.) This trip, Guy stops in for some one-of-a-kind specials: in Manchester. in Seattle, a spot makin' their signature "Hobo scramble" breakfast. In Guy's hometown of Santa Rosa they're servin' every kind of "Benedict" imaginable. And in Manchester, they've been bakin' homemade Twinkies and 20 kinds of pie since 1922.

Byways Café (Portland, Ore.) • Southside Soda Shop and Diner (Goshen, Ind.) • Taylor's Automatic Refresher (St. Helena, Calif.) This trip, Guy rolls out to some legendary joints that'll take you back in time. In Portland, red vinyl booths and checkered floors keep it feelin' like the '50s as they crank out corned beef hash and key lime pie. Then on to Indiana, it's a total '60s experience, where the special is home-made chili over spaghetti in a parfait glass. And in California Wine Country, an original '40s take-out only burger joint, where nothing has changed -- except the list of burgers now includes Ahi Tuna.

Big Star Diner (Bainbridge Island, WA), Mo Gridders BBQ (Bronx, NY), Harold's Café (Gaffney, SC) Guy visits three places this week that, as the title states, are definitely worth the trip. Ribs in the Bronx, a choriso scramble with salmon hash in Washington state, and pinto beans fried in fatback in South Carolina

Kelly's Diner (Somerville, MA), Bay Way Diner (Linden, NJ), Beacon Drive-In (Spartanburg, SC) Lobster rolls, Philly cheesesteaks, and a meal covered in French Frys. How can you go wrong?

Rosie's Diner (Rockford, Mich.) • The Russian River Pub (Forestville, Calif.) • Al's Breakfast (Minneapolis, Minn.) • Dari-ette Drive-In (St. Paul, Minn.) This trip, Guy's enjoyin' good ole American cookin' at places that are time-tested and community-driven.