Oasis Diner

405 W. Main Street

Plainfield, Indiana 

"Great Food with a Side of History"

The Oasis Diner is a fully restored, authentic 1954 Mountain View Diner located on the Historic National Road.  Manufactured by Mountain View Diners in Signac, New Jersey it was shipped by railroad to Indiana in 1954. After closing in 2008 due to the owner's declining health it landed on Indiana Landmarks' 10 Most endangered list before being saved, restored and reopened. The retro landmark even made a cameo in a music video.

The Oasis features classic mid-century road trip charm with shiny stainless steel exteriors and cozy retro interior seating.  The diner provides a nostalgic family-friendly environment reminiscent of classic American roadside culture.  The staff features hand-crafted sodas like butterscotch root beer, thick milkshakes and hand-dipped ice cream and an on-site bakery.

Their menu includes classic comfort foods such as the Atlantic City Stuffed French Toast. The hand-breaded Indiana Tenderloin uses a recipe trusted for over 50 years and their Indianpolis Country Fried Breakfast is popular among all their customers. 

Pick a Stool!

The Mountain View Diner Company was a famous manufacturer of prefabricated diners founded by Les Daniel and Henry Strys in the Singac section of Little Falls, New Jersey.  Strys was an experienced local builder and contractor while Daniel had previously worked as a construction foreman for othre established diner-manufacuring operations.  Combing daniel's technical expertise in specialized dining car engineering with Strys's construction acumen they named the venture after the Mountain View section of Wayne, New Jersey which was Stry's hometown.  The founders separated themselves from local competitors by adopting a rigid, "scientific" manufacturing strategy.  They focused heavily on precision structural durability.

The company operated from 1938/1939 to 1957, selling diners that were shipped nationwide with the famous motto "A Mountain View Diner will last a lifetime".  Over 400 diners were constructed and shipped across the United States.  Pre-WWII models featured late Art Deco styling while post-war models embraced the popular Streamline Moderne look.  Following the war, Mountain View exploded in popularity.  They shifted entirely toward the Streamline Moderne style, embracing shiny stainless steel, prominent neon lighting and expansive glass facades.  By the 1950s, their aggressive sales techniques allowed them to outsell almost all other regional modular builders. 

In 1956, the company attempted to go public to raise capital for expansion.  However, the push failed and amidst shifting consumer preferences toward fast-food franchises, the company went out of business and officially ceased all production in 1957.  

Today, while many have been demolished, several surviving Mountain View Diners are highly sought after by preservationists and remain active landmarks.

The Oasis Diner is one of those active landmarks.  

Model #151

The footprint of a standard Mountain View model was long and thin, directly mimicking the silhouette of a railroad dining car.  The main section was built as one piece, while the secondary kitchen/support models were built separately and bolted together on-site. 

Mountain View models became instant landmarks on American highways due to a distinct visual language designed to catch the eyes of fast-moving motorists. 

Post-war blueprints swapped out heavy porcelain enamel for reflective steel and aluminum skin.  The company was famous for its ornamental metal detailing which included ribbed corner trims, raised geometric wall panels and articulated diamond patterns stamped into the metal surfaces. Their blueprints featured a continuous horizontal "ribbon" of large fixed plate-glass windows framed in aluminum.  This was anchored by a protruding central entry vestibule that naturally channeled foot traffic into the middle of the restaurant. To prevent the steel from looking too industrial, they integrated horizontal accent bands made of brightly colored laminates or ceramic tiles often utilizing shades like mint green, red or teal.

Stepping into a class Mountain View diner meant encountering a highly standardized,  layout designed for fast, high-volume food service. Parallel to the front windows ran a long service counter made of sleek Formica.  Bolted directly into the floor were heavy, stainless steel swivel stools. 

Directly behind the short-order cooking line stood a signature "quilted" metal wall.  This wall was not just aesthetic, it was highly reflective, fire-resistant and incredibly easy to wipe down.

Other Mountain View Diners made by the Mountain View Dining Car Company are Sally's Diner in Erie, PA, the Lake Effect Diner in Buffalo, New York, Crazy Otto's Empire Diner in Herkimer, New York and the Colonial Diner in Lyndhurst, New Jersey. 

Sally's Diner

25 Peninsula Drive

Erie, Pennsylvania

Manufactured in 1957 (Model #522).

This diner serves as an incredible example of structural preservation through relocation.  It served under several names across Pennsylvania before being moved to the entrance of Presque Isle State Park in 2003.

Lake Effect Diner

3165 Main Street

Buffalo, New York

Manufactured in 1955 (Model #446)

Originally operating in  Pennsylvania as teh Wayne Diner it was saved, relocated to Western New York in 2002 and meticulously restored.  It features a classic stainless steel exterior and was famously featured on the Food Network show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.

Crazy Otto's Empire Diner

100 West Albany Street

Herkimer, New York

Manufactured in 1952 (Model #330)

A massive favorite among roadside preservationists it was voted a Reader's Choice best Upstate New York Diner.  It operates daily and still proudly showcases stunning neon illumination on its Streamline Modern metal skin at night.

Colonial Diner

27 Orient Way

Lyndhurst, New Jersey

Manufactured around 1948 or 1950 (Model #267)

While it has undergone modern modifications over the decades, this is one of the few prominent Mountain View models still operating commercially in the company's home state of New Jersey,