Took the family to Grafton, Illinois via car ferry and was recommended 3rd Chute Bar and Grill was…read morea favorite spot to enjoy food/drink when visiting. We visited on a Saturday afternoon and 3rd Chute was packed. They do have multiple bars and places to sit on the 3 levels and was able to find some seating. Servers were pretty busy and took a minute to get menus, are drink order and listen to the specials. 3rd Chute does have live music on weekends which was very good. 3rd Chute is a pretty cool place, Lots of great decor everywhere you look which gives the place that cool bar and grill feeling. We started with some mini corn dog appetizers and some Mac and cheese poppers, a fried blend of macaroni and pepper jack cheese fried to perfection. We also ordered a classic cheeseburger with fries, pork tenderloin sandwich, pulled pork sandwich with fries and a grilled hot dog with fries. It took a few minutes to get our food with how busy the place was. Our server did check up on us to make sure our drinks were topped off. Food was cooked to order and was a good portion for those with a hearty appetite. There are several other bar and grills in close proximity to 3rd Chute. Most other places had more seafood options, which unfortunately we had allergies to. 3rd Chute's menu had all the classic food options a great bar and grill usually has available. 3Rd Chute Bar and Grill was a cool experience and highly recommend if you're visiting Grafton and looking for some good food with reasonable prices. We'll be back!

Everything about 3rd Chute is amazing. Food is awesome. Bartenders (especially Dusty) are fabulous…read more Atmosphere is great

There's a couple of lines in an episode of Dr. Who, of what I consider what is one of the most…read moreunderrated episodes of the show in modern history of the show: "The Doctor's Wife", when the spirt of his Tardis is made humanoid and the doctor complains: "You never take me where I want to go" And she responds: "But I always took you where you need to be". And it will make sense for this story rather quickly Saturday brunch, as I was bound and determined to hit up a -different- location in Hazelwood (I will be polite and not name them but it wont be too hard to figure out) that's actually in a nearby location. I get there after a maze of side-streets (missing my primary turn off), and it's down to parking on NARROW streets. Uhm.. no thanks! I Spend 15 minutes looping around trying to find a spot on the street to park (the parking lot is teeny-tiny and every n, s, e, and w street either if us completely loaded with parked cars or right in front of a driveway (no blocking drives!) So it's time for backup site. And you know sometimes Fate smiles in your direction. I had known that there was a second lunch stop in a similar area, so follow the map again, and find it decently quickly, and surprise. they actually have a good sized PARKING LOT you can use! Welcome to Henkes! And I walk in to a long bar, and a crowded bar. (Wow, 1 in the afternoon and this place is packed!). Patio outside, indoor table... indoor table it is. And even those were nearly full. But the bartendress was over reasonably quick, although she had the same issue most bars here in st. louis have They never answer 'what is the best drink you make'. It's always what they like. Oh well, you can't have them all. (Although i will say I didn't have to ask about the Peanut butter and Jelly shot... You WANT ONE OF THESE! (if you're not allergic to peanuts - or peanut butter whiskey) Drinks came in a little slow (but not terrifyingly so.. did i say this place was packed for lunch on a Saturday?). Ironically, the busboy was over to me to make sure I'd ordered, but was nowhere the conversationalist the bartendress (I need a shorter word for bartendresses!), but don't take it as a negative, at least I know I was being looked after (or watched.. Nah, no paranoia here :) ) Easy to order: Shrimp Po-Boy with a side order of Onion Rings and Loaded Tater Tots (what can I say, I'm a simple man of food choices). Food came out reasonably quick, so I didn't have much time to look around (and most people have gotten decent indoor photos already) I will say (it looks like they're holding out hope that the video machine restriction is lifted back soon (2 video slots machines were listed Out-of-order). Anyway, whenever I had questions the bartendress was willing to give me a minute or two, (too bad they didn't have one of their "swag" in my size though). Although I forgot to ask as they appear to have live music bands on some days.. Where do the musicians fit? This place is a tight squeeze just on Lunch for Saturday! However, we do have to argue one issue with Heinke's and I'm just curious if this has never been brought up before: Asking for the meal with a side dish of Onion rings.. they charged me the sandwich plus an extra $8.95for the all-in-plate. (Yes, that's the only thing I can figure the all-in plate means?) But if i had just asked for the sandwich and a side of onion rings (I get the price of the sandwich + 5.95 for the side order?) Uhm.. Maybe I'm missing something in math class, but I get charged MORE for the same meal? Come on guys. tell me I'm missing something???? (only -star in the entire theme today) Anyway back to the original statement: So the TARDIS had it right. I may not always get where I'm going, but i'm glad I got to go where I needed to be! And if you're smart, you'll go there too! Patio or indoor, totally worth it!

We had such a great visit earlier in the week that we just had to come back!! We sat back out on…read moretheir beautiful and shady patio. Even on a hot day, they keep the air blowing and it is much cooler than out in the blazing sun. I ordered their Grilled Chicken Wrap with Fries and it was great!! I wanted something a little lighter and this fit the bill! Service was great once again and prices are spot on. This place is a must try if you are in the area!!

Everything I've had there is absolutely delicious and our server Jenna was so sweet and took great…read morecare of us! Even though we are about 45 minutes away, we make the trip as regularly as we can because the food and service is five star!

My wife and I stopped in on a Sunday eagle watching trip. They were having a $13 Sunday buffet…read more I'm not usually a buffet fan, but this was really good and I got to try several entrees and salads. They were all great. Fried chicken- crispy and hot. Boneless ribs- great, really good sauce. Vodka Penne- really good, Chicken in lemon and caper sauce- fantastic. Plenty of vegetables on the buffet and a good assortment of deserts. Also $5 Bloody Mary's and Mimosa's. Our waitress was attentive and cleared our plates quickly while we headed back to the buffet for deserts. She kept our drinks filled and asked if we needed anything. The restaurant was full, we had a short wait, without reservations, but pretty much every table was full. Most of the patrons were the "after church" family crowd (assumption on my part). We got the scoop on the owners from 2 elderly women sitting at the table next to us. The had been there many times and were making food suggestions- that's why I opted for the buffet. If you had been to the restaurant when it was The Fin Inn, you'll see they kept the aquariums that line the walls. This time they have more tropical fish- cichlids, goldfish etc. The river fish and snapping turtles are gone (at least in the area I was in). Honestly, I have no idea how they're serving this quality of food for $13. 5 out of 5 stars. Highly recommend.

Delicious! We had gumbo, mahi mahi tacos that came with red beans and rice. The gumbo came with…read morehomemade cornbread another plus! The service was great. We sat on the upper deck overlooking the river and the ceiling fans kept us cool. Next time we go, I want to rent a pontoon boat and then have lunch.

I recently visited the oyster Bar and this was my first time, however i'm not sure if I will be…read moreback. The good and the bad, I'm not aware of how many entry points this restaurant has but anyone with high heels, but more importantly elderly with a bad back or knees may have difficulty reaching the establishment. I ordered a catfish platter, now the fish was fried crispy and was tasty. The fries were good as well however, I subbed a scoop of red beans and rice for the fries but for the price and the name platter that maybe a little miss leading. Please take a look at my picture below

Simply wonderful! Always fresh food, beautiful decor, and…read moretable/food service is good! Will return.

I have a soft spot for Just Desserts because I remember this quaint little place from about eight…read moreyears ago when it was owned by two sisters. This is my second visit in the last two years. Every so often, I enjoy taking a drive to Alton and stopping in, so I was excited to visit again. A lot has changed since those days, but I still really enjoy the cozy, cute vibe of the restaurant. On this visit, I tried the ribs, soup, and potato salad. The ribs were okay, and the potato salad and soup were also okay, but for my personal taste they both needed a little more seasoning, maybe some salt or something to bring the flavors out a bit more. What I really appreciated was the hospitality. The owner was very nice, and the chef was nice as well. We actually had a great conversation about one of the dishes I tried, and I promised her that I would come back and give it another try. I appreciate a chef who is willing to have a genuine conversation with a customer and hear their perspective. And the pecan cookies? Those were good! I'm still rooting for this little Alton spot because I love the atmosphere and the history I have with it. I'm looking forward to going back, trying more dishes, and hopefully finding a few that have me coming back here to leave some raving reviews!

We tried the Florissant City Diner for the first time. It's always been so busy we couldn't find…read moreparking. We got lucky today. Our server was very nice, attentive but not hovering. This is a small, hometown diner, nothing fancy, separate tables as well as family style. Photos on the walls with happy customers. The food arrived quickly and very hot. Large portions, and all very good. Parking can be problematic, that is why I gave 4 stars.

Stopped at Florissant City Dinner today. First time there. It's an informal dinner with photos of…read morepast events and people on the walls. It has a home town dinner feel. Our waitress was very attentive. Our orders arrived quickly. We ordered the Farm Burger with Onion Rings and a Gravy Skillet. Both were delicious. Our waitress checked on us several times. Everyone was friendly.

This is truly a local gem on the River Road. We were staying at Green Tree Inn (also a gem), and…read morecame here for dinner on Saturday night. Melanie took excellent care of us. My dirty Martini was outstanding. Our entrees were excellent. They were also good for dinner the next evening when we had the left overs. It was a very warm evening in Elsah and the restaurant was also a bit warm...but so totally worth it! We will be back soon!

State Street is easily one of my favorite restaurants in the Riverbend area. They were a shining…read morestar in downtown Alton until their lease was not renewed. At first I thought it was a bad call by the landlord. Now that they are located in Elsah, I realize he did them a favor. Beau and Terri rallied and took on the challenge of relocating their restaurant. They searched hight and low and found the perfect location in Elsah, just 8 miles north of the old location. Elsah welcomed them with open arms and issued them the first liquor license in the history of the township. Since the relocation I have been multiple times for lunch. You cannot go wrong with their famous Mushroom Asparagus Soup or one of the popular Paninis. I've also been to a wine dinner that impressed me and my cousin who is a wine connoisseur. The wine and food were paired beautifully. Experiencing a regular dinner in the boutique dinning room is also a delight. Their menu changes regularly, but I must say when you see Terri's Lasagna being offered, that is a sign to order it. You will not be disappointed. All the servers and staff are spectacular. It blows my mind how many of them can remember the names of all their regulars. It makes for a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Next time you're traveling the River Road, take a detour into Elsah and visit State Street on LaSalle.

I've been ordering food from Meechie before the brick & mortar and before the food truck. It's been…read moreawesome to see the growth and scale. Pasta has always been great. The loaded chicken fries with hot honey are my absolute favorite. I want the hot honey on everything!!! The burgers are good. The Meechie box is a steal. I haven't dined in the b&m yet, but can only image the service is great and the beers are cold. He's been building this dream for a long time and deserves the 5 stars. Quality has always been superb. Worth the wait times.

Some of the best wings I've ever had. Definitely will be back. Only thing missing was the blue…read morecheese. But since it was the food truck the lady said they didn't have any.