This review is written from an adult's perspective ... The food here is really bad. I think the main attraction here is the train that roams around the restaurant, which is great for kids until they grow old enough to realize that the food is of poor quality. In other words, until they have tried McDonald's and have grown tired of model trains. The food reminds me of really bad public school cafeteria food. My recommendation to the owners: 1) Focus on your food. That is what will keep customers coming back. It should be better than any fast food hamburger joint. That should be your minimum standard. 2) The vintage look is the right idea, but the place really needs to be remodeled. The economy is bad, but you need to put money in to get money out. read more

This place is WAY overpriced. $3 cupcakes, are you kidding? This place caters to kids and abuses their parents when the bill comes. They do not accept credit cards either. Say it with me, Tax Evasion. There is no reason a sit down restaurant would not take credit cards except to avoid taxes. read more

Alright. So the burgers and fries are what you'd find in a greasy spoon. But greasy spoons do not deliver by toy train. This restaurant is a novelty that you should experience at least once. And if you have kids, they'll think you're the smartest for knowing about this place, and then love you for bringing them there. A word to the weary - try NOT to go when there's a children's birthday party going on. And don't go with large groups. This place is tiny! read more

A little electric choo choo train delivers your food! The train cars carry baskets of food as the cook stops the train right in front of you (granted that you're sitting at the counter). This place is very small so you have a good chance to sit right next to the train tracks. If not, there are a few tables along the windows. Since it can get very busy, they enforce a 30 minute dining limit if people are waiting. Lots of families with kids come here and love it because of that neat train feature. You can't help but feel happy when their faces light up with joy. Children can also eat for free on their birthdays. Just fill out a little card and give it to the staff. A birthday song plays and if someone is available they will toot the horn along with the tune! Choo Choo has an old-timey burger joint feel. There's a simple menu that consists of various sandwiches, desserts, soft drinks, and milkshakes. Burgers are handcrafted, which is visually apparent since it isn't perfectly round. A nice touch knowing they're not frozen, generic patties. Ingredients are simple (lettuce, tomato, pickle) and it reminds me of making burgers at home or for a cookout. Strawberry milkshakes are bursting with flavor and even has chunks of actual strawberry in them. Prices are reasonable (cash only btw) and the staff is great. All of these things create a wonderful experience that you can't get at many places. A must-try for everyone. Oh, I've also heard the Space Jam theme song play here. Where else do you get that!? read more

This is a fun and nostalgic 1950s diner located in downtown Des Plaines. I just took my 4-year-old son here for his third lunch at the Choo Choo restaurant (we went a couple times last year), and little has changed here since my mom brought me when I was the same age. There's a short window that they're open for lunch, and as a result they can be busy (making it hard to get seated right away) on the weekends. You seat yourself at diner-style stools along the counter or at any of a handful of booths along the walls and windows inside. If you can get seats at the counter, your meals are brought out to you on electric train cars from the kitchen. The diner is cash only, which requires some additional planning and preparation before stopping in. For me, only accepting cash is a bit stressful on top of the limited business hours and other stressors involved with eating in a restaurant with lots of kids. Pro tips: remember to bring some quarters for your little one to sit in the moving "train ride" by the entrance before you leave. Make sure you also fill out one of the kids' birthday postcards, they'll mail it to you for your kid's birthday and it's good for a free kid's meal when you bring it back. read more

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Gosh, I was surprised to read some of the positive reviews of this restaurant. I found the restaurant to be dirty, the food mediocre at best and the owner rude. We went to celebrate my daughter's birthday, cute idea, right? My daughter placed her straw wrapper in one of the empty baskets on the train and the owner shot out of the kitchen to scold my daughter. My daughter is a "rule follower" so she started to cry. It was an honest mistake and my daughter thought she was being helpful. The worst part of our trip there was that I saw a staff member in the kitchen mixing a batch of vanilla cupcakes lick batter from her fingers and then continue to mix the cupcakes- yuck! We went there to see the train deliver our food which, of course, is cute but the whole whimsical feel of the restaurant is just missing. We will not be back. read more

It's not often that I would enter a place full of screaming toddlers who are constantly blowing train whistles, but I'm on an unofficial mission to try every mid-20th-century-or-earlier greasy spoon diner in the country. If you are like me, you will be initially disconcerted when you enter the joint and discover that you are the only adult without a half a dozen young'uns in tow, but if you overcome your horror and order a burger, you will soon be in greasy grill heaven. In your mind. read more

I finally went here... though I've lived near it for more than half my life, I'd never been in. It's a great place to go with the kids, but be prepared to wait for a table when you get there, and mind you there's no place to wait, so you're standing around the door until someone leaves. Now, don't get me wrong, my kids really enjoy the experience, and if you've never been there I recommend sitting at the counter if you can so that the kids get the effect of the model train delivering their food. As for the food, the turkey Chili is some of the best I've ever had! The rest, while it's okay I do think it's a bit on the pricey side for much frequency. read more

I went here as a kid and couldn't wait to take my son. We have been here with him three times now. The food was way better than expected. It's total old school, diner like food. I have had the burger and turkey chili, both were top notch. The onion rings are also excellent and don't miss desert, everything is home made. Shakes, brownies and cupcakes are all yum! I can't wait to try the Sloppy Joe's also. The train brings your food only if you can get a counter seat. If you don't want to wait, go on one of the weeknights when they are open until eight. A fun, reasonable place for the kids that serves awesome food and doesn't pretend to be anything it isn't. read more

This place was the BEST!! We're on a cross-country road trip and this was definitely a highlight. Our boys absolutely LOVED it. They couldn't get enough of the train. The owners were just so sweet and generous. You can tell they love what they do. And the food was incredible! I ordered the turkey chili, which was yummy. My wife ordered the burger and really enjoyed it! If you have kids, this is a must! If not, still go! read more

Great experience. Tons of fun for the kids. Don't listen to the people who complain about portions. It's the 1950's in here, before people gorged themselves at every opportunity. My two kids and I had cheeseburgers, hot dogs, fries, cupcakes, Oreo milkshake, and a ton of fun for about $10/person. The staff works hard to keep up with the rush. Mad props to them. read more

The concept and the fact that this is probably the oldest train themed restaurant in the Chicagoland area and is also a historic spot in Des Plaines is great. But I've definitely experienced better at All Aboard Diner in Downers Grove. The first thing I noticed off the bat, it is lacking in space. So it doesn't take many people to crowd this place. And believe it or not, on the menu it states that they enforce a 30 minute eating time at times when there is a wait for seating. Second, as soon as I walked it looked dingy/unclean. In a place that is regularly frequented by mainly children you really need to stay on top of wiping down countertops and sweeping the floors. The waitress and food was good, though I was surprised that we spent $30 for two BLT's, two cups of chili, two pops and a kids meal. I was also turned off at the fact of them adding tip (supposedly because we were a party of 6+) yet, my party split between two tables and had two separate bills. During the meal I was perturbed because on two occasions they propped open the rear door for some reason, and the freezing air was blowing right at me and my food. The 2nd time the door was open for several minutes before it was finally closed and I was getting irritated. Towards the end of the meal there were people coming in looking for seats and stalking people for seats. There was a large party of kids that arrived all at once, and those kids were all over the place and not well controlled. Not the diners fault, but you can imagine how annoying unruly kids can be in a very small place. I went to at least try it. But I will definitely not be back. read more

I love this place. Yes, I am not a kid, but I still dig the little train carrying out the lunches and all the train memorabilia. I like seeing the thrill in the eyes of the little kids when they see the train come past. It is one of the few places on earth that I don't mind loud kids, because here I am the interloper, reliving a childhood memory I never actually had, The burgers are surprisingly decent and so is the chili and the shakes. I would give Choo Choo five stars, but it is a tad pricey. It is a special place though. We've been here before and we'll be here again!!! read more

Great for the kids, but expect to be paying for the ambience, more so, than the food. Great fries and shakes. Mediocre burger and meh, hot dogs. Milkshakes the old fashion way where you get the whole shake made with the tumbler. Love that! You're not here for the food. You're here to watch your kids eyes light up as their order arrives by chop chop train like the namesake. New owners are friendly and nice; and seem to generally care about their customers. They would go up a full star if it was way more affordable. Perhaps a to go menu with normal under inflated prices would be a good idea for them. BE SURE TO ARRIVE EARLY OR HAVE A PRIVATE PARTY to insure you get a COUNTER SEAT where the trains run. Booths are just a regular service area and well, you're not there for the food, remember? HIGHLY Recommended for 6 and younger for Birthday parties! *side note. The Village wanted to rip this place down a few years ago to make more parking spaces for the nearby Police Station. People protested online and elsewhere and stopped them from demolishing this charming little place. I believe it has Historical Landmark Status now. I give this place 3.5 stars !!! read more

My son is train obsessed. When I read that this place served food on a train, we scheduled a playdate to meet up here. Their hours are a bit odd and we showed up at 10:45am (15 minutes after opening on a Saturday) and quickly found seats at the counter - the whole restaurant has seven booths that seat 4 and 6 counter seats. By 11am, the entire restaurant was packed. The train is a wonderful touch for those train obsessed kids like my son who screamed CHOO CHOO every time the train came out with food. The onion rings, turkey chili and milk shakes get a thumbs up for me. Otherwise, the food is pretty typical diner food so don't go for a gourmet dining experience. We came back again for the Choo Choo Birthday club where the kid's entree was free and got one of their birthday cupcakes with a candle and train whistle on top. They play Happy Birthday over the loudspeakers and our son had the happiest goofiest grin on his face. Free parking lot and lastly but most importantly, CASH ONLY. read more

I love this place. I have come on Saturdays and during the week. Obviously go on a non Saturday or kiddie school holiday at lunch time. My sister and I come here every time she is in town. I have never waited more than 10 min for a table and only a few minutes more to sit at the bar, yes, I'm 26 years old and wait to sit at the bar. Milkshakes are my favorite and are huge. I usually take half in a to-go-cup. I think its so much fun when the train delivers the food. Sure its small but really, the place was built in the 50's. If you want a lot of fun young or old I would come here. Just be prepared, its no McDonald's and you will be most likely having to wait for a table but go with it. You obviously come here for a reason. tip: parking in the lot is always crazy, if its full just park down the street. Never a problem and easy in and out. Also the Choo Choo is cash only. read more

I visited the Choo Choo this past weekend with my two sons, 11 year old niece and 9 year old nephew. My niece and nephew did not care for it at all. My boys who are 3 and 18 mos were in train heaven. The service sucked. There were two people and three tables and they were so slow. You would think we ordered something so complicated. I tried the sloppy joe and thought it was good but not great. I'm a huge fan of Silver Cloud's sloppy joe so this one has nothing on it. The cheeseburger my niece had was great. Juicy, seasoned perfectly and the bread was fantastic,. Grilled cheese for the boys was good. It was definitely over priced. Cupcakes tasted like they were duncan hines box made. I probably won't go back. read more

We love this place!! So fun for the kids & You don't have to sacrifice for the experience, the burgers are delicious. We come here every year for my sons birthday , it's so great to have pictures & videos of him at every age enjoying the trains in new ways. Thanks to the Choo Choo for great memories with my son! read more

Choo Choo Restaurant - Nolan enjoys the train bringing his food to the table - Burgers Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

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This quaint little joint is excellent for a quick, fun lunch for young kids. A train delivers food, your kiddos get a free plastic train whistle with their cupcake, and they play fun music during the visit. Tips for a successful visit to the Choo Choo Restaurant: *Go as soon as they open - 10:30am. The place is very small and gets crowded very quickly. Don't get stuck waiting for a table for 15-20 minutes with young children. Don't bring big strollers into the restaurant. There is literally no room for them in the tight aisles. *Get a booth by the counter, or sit at the counter. No point in going if you sit at a table by the windows. Your food won't be delivered by train, and it's very hard to get the waitress' attention if you aren't in front of her. *Order a cupcake and your kids get a plastic train whistle! (which they will blow incessantly in the car ride home and stop only after the whistle gets lost or you take it away) *Choo Choo is cash only. Bring enough, pay a tip, stay for 30 minutes and then jet. *Finally, sign up for Choo Choo's "birthday club" and your kid gets a free meal on their birthday! They don't put your name on any list (nothing is computerized there) plus when you go, they play a song and your kid gets a special cupcake delivered by train. Awesome. If you follow these tips, your children AND YOU will have wonderful memories for years! read more

Food is OK, price isn't too competitive. Problem is, this place is cash only, so if you don't have cash you can use their ATM which will charge you more fees than your meal costs. This is ridiculous! Never coming back, I feel like I was scammed! Edit: No where are there signs stating that it is cash only. You only find out when you try to pay for your food. AVOID! read more

Yes there is a train here. It runs along the counter and carries the baskets with your sandwich in it. There is also a little train/car that your kid can sit in and bobble up and down while you are waiting. This is basically a sandwich and shake restaurant/diner, so don' t get your hopes up for some fine cuisine. Everyone here goes for the train. The restaurant is very small, like 16 booths and some counter seating. There are 2 booths on either side of the counter and each seats 3, 4 if you squeeze. The other 8 booths are small, to get 6 in them is not a good idea. The wait here can be long and it depends on if you want to sit near the train or in a booth further away. There's no formal seating process, it's every man/woman/child for himself and you need to talk amongst yourselves to find out who is waiting for what. There is a parking lot behind the diner which fits maybe 12 cars, so keep that in mind. They also only take cash and personal checks, but there is a Walgreen's nearby with a cash machine. All in all, it's fun for your train lover, but there's no Thomas here, and not much to look at besides the train at the counter. The cupcakes are yummy and have a train whistle on them, but beware, it's very annoying to hear that over and over and over again! read more

It's hard to believe today was my first trip to the Choo Choo Restaurant. I've only heard about this place for the last 4 years of my Nephew's life. I'll probably hear about it for the next 6 years or when the day comes for him to finally be tired of trains. Everything about this place from the outside-in is vintage, right down to their antique metal cash register and old fashioned way of cooking a burger. The place is small but we still managed to find three seats at the counter, front and center of all the action. There is only one waitress. She is the jack of all trades who conducts from behind the counter. She has one short order cook to support her in the caboose. The cook doesn't use a bell or yell out, "Order up!" from the window. Instead, he operates an electric train... The place runs very methodically! My Mother odered the $6.75 Sloppy Joe. My Nephew ordered the Kid's Hot Dog. For $4.95, it comes with fries and a child size drink. I ordered the Choo Choo burger w/cheese and pickles. It comes with crinkled fries for $6.95. I asked for mayo on the side to use on my burger and fries. A coke with free refills cost me an additional $2.40. This is the only restaurant that is not stingy with their pickles. To say they are generous would be an understatement. The hamburger patty reminded me of the kind they put out at Steak and Shake, only better. You can immediately tell the difference between fresh and frozen. I'm never going to lose weight if I keep this up. I couldn't resist their homemade apple pie, made fresh daily! My Mom tried one of their cupcakes. She gave my Nephew the working whistle on top. Pink lemonade was enough sugar for a 5 year old today. read more

Read many bad things about it before I went, so I was not very suprisingly disappointed. It is very very tiny. If you don't sit on the high stool near the counter, you can not really see the train. The train tracks are very small too. When I went the train was not working, so we basicly paid $25 on some onion rings and burger...the kids did not enjoy it. Remember you go there to look at the trains not for the food. read more

I have been taking my children and students to the Choo Choo.restaurant in Des Plaines since 1992. Tonight my husband and I took our four grandchildren for dinner and we will NEVER go back again. The owner was rude and treated us like we were a pain. It seemed as if she was trying to get us to leave. She was cold and unwelcoming. 6 of the 12 booths were blocked off with red tape. If we were not with the children and had not driven an hour to get there we would have left immediately. Our waitress was sweet and kind but we cannot imagine working for someone like the owner. Her management style is so unprofessional. The restaurant is not child or young parent friendly. There are 3 "Choo Choo" Restaurants called Two Toots in the western suburbs which will be our new restaurants to take our children, grand children and students to. read more

I finally got little X to one, the original at that, train restaurant: Choo Choo Train. The little man was FASCINATED. I did not tell him we were going there so when he saw the train his eyes got big and he grew silent and just watched watched watched the train go by. One thing reviewers are forgetting is that this is a CHILDREN'S restaurant. 100% for the kids. That means it will be loud, crowded, a menu lacking for the foie gras crowd and some unruly children(some random child smacked little G on the back of the head! For no reason! He's only a year old for goodness sake! Control your children people!!). That being said I found the SERVICE to be excellent. And I am finicky about good service! We were greeted with a smile, the staff told us we should wait since one of the coveted corner booths was opening up soon, the table was cleaned and we ordered quickly. No complaints! This is an excellent place to bring the little people in your life. They won't remember the food, the service or the clientele but they will remember the train and that will keep then coming back. We'll be back for X's birthday since "birthday" cupcakes only go to kids who have a birthday that day. ;) read more

Overpriced. Know that probably 80% of what you're paying for is to see the little train pull around with your sandwiches because the quality of the food gets worse every time I visit. The burger was nearly as thin as 5 sheets of paper. The hot dogs are small and skinny. The onion rings have a lot of breading and not a thick onion inside. The fries are good, though. Be sure to ask if the train is working because one time we paid our $30 for lunch (3 kids 1 adult) and the train was out of commission the whole time. read more

Great time for the family. Basic diner food. Great desserts! Okay prices. Loved watching the train go by. Bring CASH! read more

I love Choo Choo Burgers. While I know that they attract a lot of adults with children ... I myself have none and wanted to try their burger and fries. The burgers are excellent and the fries yummy. If you get a chance, try their shakes and add banana to it. (delicious) read more

Hands down, this quaint little Jewel of a restaurant in Des Plaines has the best burgers in the area, in my opinion. The meat is seasoned well and cooked with just the right amount of crispness. It's hard to mess up fries, so theirs are on par with other restaurants, but I liked the fact that the burgers and fries came out at a good temperature and were neither soggy or cold. The ambience is light and family oriented and kids love the little train that makes it's rounds every few minutes. They are delighted by what we, as adults may see as antiquated (the train ride and quarter machines), but they see as something they can manage themselves. My daughter waited in anticipation for a year to get her postcard in the mail for her birthday - a chance to hear the birthday song and have the train stop at her table with a cupcake and candle. Simple, but so special to her. I have been here on days where it is really busy and we had to wait a few minutes get a table that would accommodate our group (during typical business lunch hours) and I've been on days at times where seats were a'plenty. The space is small, but I think holds a fair number of patrons comfortably. I prefer the booths to the bar (for the kids). The stools are pretty high. The staff is always friendly and warm. I wanted to write this in hopes that when you want to take your kiddos to a place where great simple food can be ordered and yet still feel like you are in your (or your grandma's) kitchen, you will choose them. Worth the drive if you're in nearby 'burbs. Forget the chain establishments! Cash only. ATM on site. read more

The first restaurant I have been to that has a train running on a track carrying food to customers. Yes, they only take cash, but that is their 1950's theme. I am a child at heart and I love trains. I love the 1950's music they play. They even have a special birthday song they play for children's birthdays. For those who do not wish to sit at the counter and have the train deliver their food, there are tables to sit at. They have wonderful milk shakes with real fruit in them. I went to a hot dog place the other day and the milk shake their was more like flavored milk. You can get a healthy chili over there made with turkey and sloppy joes which most places do not offer. The staff even dresses in fifties type outfits. They even have a little moving car the children can sit and play in. read more

Horrible service and the food is over priced, very very greasy and you don't get a lot for your money. The servers weren't friendly at all and barely spoke to us. They only accept cash and don't tell you until you are ready to pay. They used to give everyone the little train whistles when you were leaving, but now you can only have 1 when you purchase a $4 jewel cupcake. I offered to pay for the 3 whistles and our server refused and I also overheard her talking about us to the other server and customer sitting at the bar top. For a $12 a person lunch this place is definitely not worth the money and I will never give them another penny. The kids didn't even have fun because they thought they were getting the whistles at the end. Horrible from start to finish. read more

The burgers and fries are good, but the best part is, if you sit at the counter or the adjacent booths, your food will be delivered by model train! Woo-woo! This is a great place to take kids, and the busy weekend crowd attests to that. read more

Choo Choo Restaurant - Just a block away from the Metra station in Des Plaines - Burgers Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

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How can you go wrong when your food is personally delivered by rail? My wife and I came here figuring it was a gimmicky kind of place that mainly appeals to kids. Though it certainly does appeal to kids, we found out quickly that it also appeals to the kids in us! We ordered burgers - they were delicious. They far exceeded my expectations. Fries were good, and the ice cream sundaes are perfect. When we were here, it was quite loud since there was a kid's birthday party happening. I would have loved a birthday party here if I was a kid. All my friends would have been envious. The kids were given little plastic train whistles and let me tell you, they are loud and obnoxious. But isn't that what kids are supposed to be? Though the food and atmosphere were great, the prices here are a wee bit on the steep side. It's a little much for us to come here more regularly, but we will definitely return with our young nieces and nephews so that they can experience Choo Choo! read more

Why do so many people give this restaurant high ratings. The food taste like steak and shake and the prices are like a downtown restaurant. $70 for a family of 4 (2 adults and 2 kids) price including the birthday dessert (cupcake). Not sure why they charge for a plain cupcake but it costs you more than the store. The people that work here including the owner are extremely grumpy! There are other places near like this that probably have better costumer service! In Wisconsin dells they have a much better train restaurant with better food. Let's not help this grumpy old lady continue her crappy business. read more

I have been coming to Choo-Choo for more than 30 years, and it's safe to say that very little has changed. The Lionel-scale train circles from the kitchen to your seat at the counter, carrying your order on a model flatbed car. Kids love it, and so do I. I doubt the food will win any awards, but that's not why you step inside. It's a very small restaurant, filled with railroad memorabilia. I loved the chili and fries, and hamburgers generally do not disappoint. read more

This place is so much fun. I came here with my best friend for lunch and even though we were the only patrons not accompanied by a guardian or babysitter, we still had a great time. The decor is reminiscent of a small town 50's diner and if you're sitting at the counter, which I recommend, your food comes out in little baskets on... Wait for it... A train! As a 6-year-old in a 26-year-old's body, this delights me to no end. Our server was so nice. Basically everyone was. The manager and all other staff were funny and sweet and accommodating and incredibly patient, given their young clientele. I was very impressed with the service. I've also been here around Christmas and they decorate the windows with vintage-looking faux snow and lettering and the other decorations are absolutely vintage or a good replication of it. The ornaments and other (paper?) decorations looked just like the ones in my mom's Christmas pictures from the 50's and 60's. And I have to add... As a place obviously geared toward children, the restaurant wasn't loud, wasn't full of kids screaming and crying, wasn't full of kids running around. I tend to get annoyed when at an establishment full of rowdy children, and this was a pleasant surprise! I was expecting some errant cries, but NONE were uttered during my time here. A nice place to eat where you won't leave with a headache! The food was good but I honestly cannot remember what I ordered because I was so enchanted by my experience. This is a fun, kitschy place to grab a meal with a friend... No matter what their age. read more

This is a cute place although it's very small and rather cramped and VERY old school. The counter where the train circles only seats about a dozen people and the booths behind it each seat four VERY tightly. You're shoulder to shoulder with the person next to you and you have to organize your feet in a criss-cross pattern because there's just nowhere else to put them. The main reason we went was to check it out and take my niece and nephew who are 2 and 4.5. They loved the train. The food was okay, but nothing to come running back for. I definitely think this is a "been there, done that" type of place. I can check it off my list now, but probably won't be heading back there any time soon. read more

A classic old fashioned diner with a twist - if you are sitting at the counter, your burger is served to you on an electric train. The track actually runs the length of the counter and makes a loop through the kitchen. It's mesmerizing. And then the burgers - homemade, totally homemade - they are shaped like amoebas so that you know they are made from scratch, no two are alike. Crispy crinkle fries, friendly waitresses, and if you are lucky enough to go before they've run out of their homemade Ghirardelli brownies......it's nirvana. read more

Great fun, very basic menu but the burgers, hot dogs, fries, milk shakes and ice cream are top notch. The egg salad and onion rings were more so so, But does that really matter if it get delivered to you on a model train?!? Snood the booths by the windows I'd you want train delivery service. read more

Small building and small menu but the burgers and fries were really good and the waitresses were very friendly. If you go, know that you might not get to sit at the counter and have your food brought to you on the train. The booths don't get the train service at their tables. It's still a cute little place with good burgers and kids will enjoy it read more