Cafe 20

These guys have the best pizza and lasagna! It's counter service, but everyone is nice. There's a…read morewalk-through to Sam's bar where you can get yourself a drink to enjoy with your dinner.

Long time customer. Great food, now terrible service…read more Tried placing an order tonight- called multiple times over 25 mins.. was put on hold for nearly 10 mins both times. Walked in 15 mins later to place an order and the store was empty. Guy working the counter was playing on his phone when I walked in - explained the situation and he proceeds to give me attitude and tell me that I somehow just missed the rush. Walked out because I won't deal with that BS. Had he at least been some what apologetic for the issue, I would have totally understood. Instead I got instant confrontation and attitude. I will not be coming back.

Mmmm great

Chicken and mushroom pizza

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Chicken and mushroom pizza

Alfanos Pizza Eatery

4.6(18 reviews)

10.5 mi

We were craving something outside our usual rotation, and this spot ended up being a pleasant…read moresurprise. I had ribs on the brain, and after a quick Yelp search this place stood out. I called in an order and was quoted a 20-minute wait. Since it's only about 10 minutes away, I gave it a little time before heading over... perfect timing, because the food was ready right when I arrived. The owner handled checkout himself, was friendly and welcoming, and the restaurant looked clean and well-kept which is always a great first impression. Once home, we dug in. The chicken parm sandwich was excellent: generously cheesy, with a tangy sauce that avoided being overly sweet. The bread was lightly buttered with just a hint of garlic, adding flavor without overpowering the sandwich. The chicken itself was thick, juicy, and very tender... not dry, not greasy, just done right. The way you expect it to be. The ribs were equally satisfying. They were very tender, tho not quite falling off the bone, but close enough to show proper cooking, they had a rich, smoky sauce that had real depth of flavor glazed over them. The fries were the only minor miss; they could have been crispier and benefited from a touch more salt, but they didn't detract from the overall meal. All told, this was a great experience and exactly the kind of quality local spot worth adding to the regular rotation. The menu is extensive, and there are several other items I'm eager to try. I'll definitely be back soon and would absolutely recommend giving this place a try.

The pizza was great! We also ordered the eggplant parmigiana, it was very good. Generous portions,…read moreand fair prices. We met and talked with the owners, who are super friendly. We found our new favorite local pizza place! There are only 3 small tables for dining. They do a lot of takeout business!

Inside

Look at the cheese pull!!!

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Order at the counter then have a seat.

Joe's Place

2.8(108 reviews)

0.8 mi

I had previously felt Joes was keeping the bar low. Having…read morebeen a customer there for several years I always looked forward to getting something from there on the way through Marengo, we had had a few poor experiences there in the past year. Saturday night was the exception to how things have been in that last year. I decided to give it one more try before writing them off completely. The sandwich was exactly as I ordered!! Fries were amazing as usual and the kid working at the window was pretty decent when I explained that the last few times I'd ordered from there it wasn't good at all. Hopefully when I come back there next time I'll be just as satisfied.

Just an ol' fashioned pizza, beef & burger joint...nothing more, nothing less. Gotta' comb thru…read moretheir big menu to find rhe gems...we did. Its called Pasta Casalinga....mostaccoli, peas and great Italian sausage...yum! Someone said they were discontinuing it...hope not...!

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Niko's Pointers Saloon

3.6(75 reviews)

0.7 mi

Checked out this pretty busy bar and grill in Marengo. It often has things like live music going…read moreon. Niko's Pointers Saloon is one of several bars in the downtown area of this small town. A lot of room for groups. There's a surprising amount of space. Basic menu items to get. It's got better drinks than food to be honest. There's actually some pretty thoughtfully made up cocktails especially for seasons. Also lots of the beers. The cocktails include the classics and modern stuff. A lot of beers on tap along with more in bottles and cans. It's about $6 for a basic cocktail like whiskey and whatever. As for the food it's mostly meaty. They even have the salads topped with bacon so it's not good for plant based people. It's about $11 to get the Beer Nuggets. These are pizza dough rolls fried and served with marinara sauce. Actually it was better than expected. The menu also includes plenty of meaty choices if you like things like fish and pork. For sure it's one of the most popular restaurants in the area. It's located on State Street at Prairie. There's plenty of TVs for watching games or whatever.

My friend, partner and I ended up going here because the restaurant we started with was closed…read more When we arrived my expectations were high but I shouldn't have gone in with any. There were only two people working the bartender and a waitress. We waited like 5 minutes of not longer to get a greeting . It took like 5 more minutes to get seated. We grabbed menus to get an idea of what we might want to eat. I went into the restaurant part looking for an employee. She was wiping down empty tables saw me but never acknowledged my presence. The bartender saw us standing waiting to be seated and also didn't acknowledge us. I didn't understand why it took so long to get seated there were only 3 people at a table and the rest of the restaurant was empty. There were a few people at the bar. When we finally got seated the waitress asked if the table was dirty we said yes but she didn't wipe it or anything. She was saying that she had like 35 boys come in to eat and messed up the whole other side of the restaurant. She got us our drinks and then asked if we were ready to order. We said Please give us a few minutes to decide. When she took our order she was nice. When we got our food my friend ordered the Niko burger the bacon was rubbery and not even half cooked. She poured A1 sauce on the side and it was very watery it wasn't thick like normal A1 sauce should be. My partner ordered chicken fingers the meat inside was good and had the crisp on the outside, I ordered an Italian beef sandwich it was good but only had meat on half the sandwich and didn't melt in your mouth. I was only given a very small 2 tablespoons side of au jus. The waitress got us our refills but wasn't attentive like I would expect considering we were the only people in the restaurant. Is it a place I would go back to? Probably not. I was disappointed considering it was downtown Marengo. The ambience was wilderness and forest themed the restaurant was clean but the women's bathroom was not.

Bar

Niko burger.

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Behind bar. Rustic, very rustic.

Rosatis Marengo

2.1(34 reviews)

0.9 mi

Always on time and food tastes great! Best pizza in Marengo! Person answering the phone is very…read morehelpful.

Always good food. Always delicious and worth the stop. I get slices here alot and it's always a…read morevery large slice.

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Sal's Pizza Place

4.2(131 reviews)

10.2 mi

Sals is the best pizza in northern Illinois. Excellent service. Great staff. Always a great…read moreexperience and good prices

Not the sausage I was expecting... not from here...so not their fault. I ordered the Garbage…read moreI love sausage mushrooms olive pizza, it this was spicier than I'm used to. Not spicy hot, sliced spice. Maybe the Sausage with the Pepperoni was just too much. BUT the quality of the ingredients.. and the quantity of toppings was good!! I had a salad as well... very crisp and fresh. The blue cheese dressing was the best I have had in awhile Staff was friendly and attentive. I took mine to go . Small cute dining room though if you wanted to try it... also a small bar... Give it a try!!

Dining room

Thin crust pepperoni

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RC FTW

Your Sister's Tomato

4.6(74 reviews)

9.4 mi

Amazing food! I have had their pizza at multiple local festivals and it has exceeded my…read moreexpectations. They cook all the pizza fresh and within a few minutes. I've had their buffalo chicken and margarita pizza which were both outstanding. I will have to make it out to the Woodstock location and give it a try. I can only imagine if it's that amazing from the food truck it will be that good from the restaurant.

Had a cheese pizza from this food truck. The crust was thin and had that nice wood fire oven char…read more The pizza was decent but I felt was a little pricey for the weight and size. Service was good and swift.

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Banana Nutella pizza

Napoli Pizza Place

3.3(152 reviews)

9.1 mi

I've ordered pizza from here many times and it is always amazing. Their Pickle Pizza is my favorite.read more

Hot or miss pizza spot One pizza was half sausage half…read morecheese the other was full sausage. Order extra toppings for normal portions

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Hampshire Social

4.8(14 reviews)

10.6 mi

I LOVE Hampshire Social. I aim to support local businesses first, when possible. The coffee here is…read moreso much better than "Starbies", it kinda ruined all the others for me. A good problem to have!

Great coffee, drinks, food and friendly service. Can't beat that combo! A bit small and sometimes…read moregets crowded due to the above, but well worth it.

Nutellatte

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Antioch Pizza Shop

4.1(32 reviews)

9.5 mi

Okay, let me preface by stating that pizza is one of our favorite foods so we're a bit picky about…read morewhere we order from. It was our first time ordering from Antioch and we are so glad we did! We ordered online for a curbside pickup, opted for an 18" thin and it did not disappoint. Pepperoni, sausage and jalapeños and it was delicious. Amazing flavor and so cheesy and just YUM! Had leftovers and it was so good reheated too. Beyond that, the customer service is unmatched- based on my first visit, we will absolutely be ordering again and are looking forward to trying some of their other options for pizzas and other menu items as well. This is our new favorite pizza place in Woodstock no doubt about it. The thin crust is similar to another locally owned franchise-style pizza place but Antioch has won us over, the pizza is so so good here and the service is unbeatable, and that my friends, is how you earn business. Highly highly recommend Antioch, tell your friends, family and neighbors - we will!

Ordered 2 slices and a pop $7, wow good deal ! Slices were a…read moresoggy and limp as I have ever had. Sauce had good flavor, cheese and sausage as well. But the crust was like wet cardboard ! And that killed the rest for me. No need to return here,unless maybe a fresh pizza has better stiffer crust Not sure I want to spend $20 to find out.

The Beef with trimmings

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The signage

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13 reviews that are not currently recommended

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Michael G.

10 years ago

Yes I recommend the cafe in Marengo there they have a great selection of food with the small-town atmosphere I recommend to my guests that stay here at the Sunset Motel in Marengo Illinois which is $45 a day with weekly specials flat screen TVs Wi-Fi HBO I recommend that they go there and eat because the prices are good there also. People want to save their money they don't want to give it away that's why I keep my prices as low as I can and offer the same amenities as other hotels and motels but I am able to do it and a great lawyer cost. I will continue to recommend eating there. read more

Felix S.

13 years ago

Went to Octoberfest at Cafe 20 last night Sept 18 Had 4 different items off the Octoberfest menue, all we're great. Good selection of beers, only one German Reisling wine though. One man band named Mike something, playing German music on All kinds of improvised instruments, beer bottles, bells etc etc hey its not Like Germany but for under 100 bucks for the four of us we had A great time ate and drank well. Oh one pretzel was enough for the four of us. read more

Sharron B.

15 years ago

They have Oktoberfest this week end, so the menue was limited. But it was good. Entertaining brother-in-law from CA and niece from AZ. Both were happy with the food. Prics same as last year. Normal Saturday menue offers the best grilled veg sandwich. Many other good entrees also. Their newish staff might need more training, but I found this place 4 years ago, and eating there has always been a treat. read more

Dale D.

17 years ago

My boyfriend and I just love it there! The service is excellent and the food is outstanding! We enjoy German Day....their Schnitzel is out of this world...comes with Spaetzle and red cabbage. We have also had their Pasta Primavera with chicken breast ...another great dish!!! For appetizer we suggest the fried pickles!!! We will definitely be eating there often! read more

Sojourn S.

13 years ago

Good food for a reasonable price. Steak tacos on Taco Tuesday are awesome--good size and great price. Really good Friday fish fry and plenty on the plate. And the cheese fries are perfect for the ultimate junk food fix. And few more wine choices would be nice. If in Marengo, it's a good place to stop for lunch or dinner. read more

Jonathan H.

9 years ago

Wonderful variety of fresh food. Great European flair. A must stop when in area. Wood fire pizza oven provide delicious pizza and warm atmosphere. The fish fry on Friday is out of this world. Looking forward to this years Oktoberfest, areas most authentic. read more

Eileen F.

18 years ago

Cafe 20 has a wonderful selection of foods. I like the veggie sandwich. Tuesdays is taco Tuesdays. I think Fri has fish fry. There is a rib and chicken night which is also yummy. They have good service. read more

Ben B.

10 years ago

I go here weekly. Great food, friendly staff and awesome service. Love the homemade soups, fish fry and steaks. Huge portions too. Awesome place. Gets busy on weekends so make a reservation just to be safe. read more

Sam H.

8 years ago

This place has great food and great atmosphere would recommend to anyone in the area looking for good affordable food.

C. S.

466

6 years ago

Good food, nice selection, and the service is always good. One of the best spots around. You won't be disappointed.

Katherine R.

15 years ago

Love their pizza!! And Sunday breakfast rocks!!!

Tyler K.

16 years ago

Portion sizes could be a bit bigger.

John G.

14 years ago

Did the fish fry and it was good.

Cafe 20 - tradamerican - Updated November 2026

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Pub 47

3.8

(296 reviews)

They have the absolute BEST THIN CRUST PIZZA EVER!!!!!! Outstanding. Service is great. Half price…read morepizza on Tuesday.

Great Food, But Service Needs Improvement…read more We knew the restaurant would be crowded because they were offering a half-price special that day, so we made reservations for Saturday at 5:15 p.m. When we arrived, we were told that the restaurant does not take reservations. This was frustrating, considering I had spoken with a young woman on the phone, provided all my information, and was under the impression that she had written down our reservation. A note to the owners: Please make sure the person answering the phone is properly trained to communicate your reservation policy and provide accurate information to customers. The service was also seemed disorganized. The servers seemed unsure of which tables they were responsible for, and we watched other customers who arrived after us get served first while we continued waiting. At times, it appeared that servers were asking tables whether anyone had attended to them. Better coordination among the staff would go a long way toward improving the dining experience. That said, the food quality definitely deserves 4 to 5 stars! The ribs were excellent--tender, fall-off-the-bone good, with an outstanding sauce. My wife's ribs, which came with the chips, looked a little mangled and smashed, with little bits of bones in them. The coleslaw served with the ribs was disappointing. The portion seemed to be little more than a heaping tablespoon, which felt rather skimpy. The "Cluckers" chicken sandwich was crispy and flavorful, and the French fries were excellent. Overall: The food was good, and we would give the restaurant fair marks for quality and flavor. Unfortunately, the reservation confusion and disorganized service took away from the experience. With better staff training, improved communication, and more attention to service, this restaurant could provide a much better overall dining experience.

Pub 72

3.6

(105 reviews)

Really good food. Had the burger. I have also had steak and their ribs. Best around.read more

I don't usually make bad reviews, but here it goes: Prime…read moreRib Saturday Special, arrived at the start 5:00pm. Ashley our server not very attentive at all. Not asking us for refills, forgetting our salads, got Caesar dressing instead of creamy garlic. She brought the salads during dinner and that was the last we saw of her until the check. Now quality of the food: my wife and I ordered the same size steak, mine was definitely not a 12 oz. ( not that I was jealous). Ordered it medium, both were rare. The loaded baked potato's were kind of under baked. Instead of soft, very chunky and slightly warm. We ordered the sautéed Brussel sprouts which seemed a bit under cooked and possibly boiled for the additional amount charged. Been here a couple of times for the special but this time it was a big disappointment and will think next time in taking this special.

Niko's Red Mill Tavern

3.6

(245 reviews)

Nice, quiet lunchtime meal. My Bride ordered a Ruben sandwich; the sandwich came with fries and a…read morepickle. I just had hand surgery, so I tried a Patty Melt, fries, and a pickle. Our Son got the cheeseburger, fries, and a pickle. That day we all enjoyed a nice quiet lunch. Thank you Niko's.

Got some great drinks and pretty tasty food at this biker friendly bar. It has some normal looking…read morepeople too. Niko's Red Mill Tavern is one of the favorite local hangouts in Woodstock. A lot of beers and burgers on the menu. There's also some other stuff. Came here looking for some food and fun. It's got plenty of both along with some other things about it. This can get pretty crowded especially weekends. Come and hear live music. Has a big ass stage outside. A lot of beers on tap, and plenty more in bottles and cans. It's about $12 for a basic cocktail, whiskey with whatever. Could be cheaper. The same thing for the food. It's about $16 for a burger. You can substitute a black bean patty. A lot more things on the menu. There's also the seafood and steaks among other things. Has some pretty generous hours. It's located on the southeast part of town on Lake Avenue at Martha. This place gets packed on weekends.

Griffin Room

3.8

(8 reviews)

Lovely setting along the golf course. We had the fried cheese ravioli with pesto mayo. It was…read moreamazing. We also had the grilled veggie sandwich's. The fruit was fresh. The ambiance was quiet and lovely. I have the Pinot noir. We loved it!

Went there today for lunch with a friend and a lady pulls up in her car and tells me we're closed…read morefor the season. Update your website because nowhere does it say Griffin Room closes for the season. There were golfers on Redtail yesterday and I'm sure they eat too since the courses are only a couple of streets away from each other.

Cruisin

4.4

(204 reviews)

Found this gem on Yelp! We had Friday night fish special with cod, potato cakes and coleslaw…read more Lots of beer options and service was excellent. Definitely a local hang out and was worth the drive!

Best place to hang out in Gilberts, which is a small village but it has a few bars. Cruisin' has a…read morecar theme going on. It has crap tons of 1950s and other car memorabilia, on the walls. Family friendly too with offerings for kids. The place gets pretty busy weekends as there's events and live music. A surprisingly nice looking bar considering it's also pretty casual. It's clean and looks kept up pretty well to be honest. There's the main area with the bar, lots of tables, along with another room with more tables. Has lots of drink specials to look at. It's about $10 for some of the fancier cocktails, the ones that take a little more effort to put together. Best one of these we had was the Black Cherry Mule. This has black cherry vodka, good stuff. It's about $11 for appetizers. We got the Pretzel Bites, which are good for sharing. Entrees here are pretty meaty. There's burgers, fish, and that kind of stuff. For sure we could come here again. It's located on Galligan at Higgins. They have live music and other fun things.

Coleman's Crystal Lake

3.9

(15 reviews)

Don't know why there aren't more or more current reviews, guess the typical clientele isn't the…read morereviewing type. Well, I am, aren't you lucky? Been by here a thousand times and always mean to come for their fish fry, because they have a lot of choices, including my favorite, bluegills. Bluegill are a freshwater panfish, also known as "sunnys," bream, or in Texas, simply "perch." They can grow to 12", 4 pounds, but I've never seen one in excess of a pound. It is flavorful, not "fishy" and lends itself well to frying, more often with a light breading than with a batter like you find here. But it was delicious. Accompanied by fries and slaw, I went with "Chicago's favorite beer" in a tallboy variety. The server/bartender lady was pleasant and attentive, and the Friday afternoon regulars shuffled in and took their places at their bar stools. They have an AYCE cod option, plus ocean perch and fried shrimp. I'd like it if they'd add lake perch and catfish. But I'll be back in any case. Other specials daily and breakfast on weekends.

Colman's is best known for its Friday fish fry. The Cod is worth it (either 4 pieces for $16, or…read moreAYCE for $17). There is a 'Smokers Friendly' Patio Deck. Also there is a small 'slot-room'.

Abbondanza Cucina

4.4

(31 reviews)

The ambience and the service and the food were great! The waitress was wonderful. There was six of…read moreus. The servings were good size.

Our server was amazing and the food was delicious. The bartender was horrible. I ordered a drink…read moreoff the menu that the bartender refused to make because it wasn't a real drink. Our server had to go behind the bar to make it for me. He then refused to make my husband's second drink. Said he wasn't a bartender anymore. All because our server went behind the bar to make my drink. Hate to tell ya if it is on the menu it is real. The manager was called over and he just made the bartender make the drink. We could hear everything the the young bartender was saying. He was very rude. Even told all those that would listen that the resturant really didn't want to hire him. I can see why. Bartender sucks.

Marengo Cafe

4.1

(56 reviews)

My husband and I stopped there on our way home to Minnesota from Chicago. It was a bit out of the…read moreway, but it was worth it! We had Sunday breakfast and both our meals were delicious. We had large helpings and the price was quite inexpensive for the meals we received. I had biscuits and gravy and hash browns (don't judge me.. I was hungry!) and my husband had the basic eggs, bacon (crispy), hashbrowns and toast. Eggs were cooked exactly as he asked. It was a great break in a long drive. The staff was really friendly and super fast. Never had an empty coffee cup. Make the trip. Its worth it!

Great place to stop in for a good meal and super friendly staff. Clean and comfortable cafe…read more They've been in the business for over 30 years. Support the local economy as you are passing through. The business owner and staff serve it.

D.C. Cobb's

4.1

(115 reviews)