Roadhouse

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Roadhouse can refer to a type of building or business, principally in North America and Australia:

In the theatre, a "roadhouse" is a venue that does not house a production company of its own, but instead rents its facility to other companies. Most Broadway and Off-Broadway theatres can be considered roadhouses. Many cities have roadhouse theatres of their own that present the "road show" of successful broadway musicals. The Shubert Organization runs many roadhouses across the United States of America.

A local inn or restaurant, the "roadhouse" or "road house" commonly refers to an establishment that serves meals, especially in the evenings, and has a bar serving beer or hard liquor, and which features music and dancing for entertainment. Most roadhouses are located along highways or roads in rural areas or on the outskirts of towns. Early roadhouses provided lodging for travellers, but, with the advent of motels in the early 20th century, few now have rooms available. Roadhouses have a slightly disreputable image similar to honkytonks.
* American film: The roadhouse is portrayed in movies including The Wild One and Easy Rider (see other films, below).
* In Australia, a roadhouse is a service station in a rural area specifically aimed to service passing traffic on a major intercity route. A roadhouse sells fuel and provides maintenance and repairs for cars, but also has an attached "restaurant" (more like a café) serving hot food to travellers. There is usually space to park semi-trailers and buses, as well as cars. In remote areas such as the Nullarbor Plain, a roadhouse also offers motel-style accommodation and camping facilities.
* In Alaska and the Yukon, starting in the 1890s [link], roadhouses were checkpoints where dog drivers (mushers, or dog sledders); horse-driven sleds; and people on snowshoes, skis, or walking; would stop overnight for shelter and a hot meal. Remains of a roadhouse can be seen today south of Carmacks, Yukon along the Klondike Highway. (See also [Black Rapids Roadhouse])

Other meanings

Road House is the name of two unrelated films—one from 1948 and one from 1989.
A band featuring former Def Leppard guitarist Pete Willis.
Texas Roadhouse is a US restaurant chain based in Louisville, Kentucky [link].

Local Interpretations

Cold Springs Tavern, Santa Barbara, California
Applejack's Inn, La Honda, California

References

1. [Historic Roadhouses along the Yukon] National Park Service

2. [Texas Roadhouse Official website] (requires Flash)

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