If you're on Facebook, be sure to follow Town Club. That way you'll be kept up to date on what…read moretheir daily specials are. You'll eventually find your own personal favorite and will not want to miss out on enjoying it. I'm a huge fan of their smash burgers, but the other day they had a Grilled Chicken with Pepper Jack Cheese and Bacon as a special. It was served with Crinkle Fries and a Little Cup of Ketchup. Crinkle Fries are a favorite of mine, I like how the ridges hold on to the ketchup. I also like that a dive bar serves the ketchup in an individual cup. It's a better presentation than a bottle. Plus the fact it's more sanitary. Service is always friendly and attentive. I love how all the guest, know each other and add to each other's conversations. They'll even include the non-regulars in their chit-chat. Town Club is kinda off the beaten path, but it's on Broadway the main drag through Alton. So I highly recommend that you check them out when you're in the Riverbend area.

One of my favorite old dimly lit gem hole in the wall dive bar with the absolute tastiest made to…read moreorder food. Been in the owners family 90+ years, I believe the oldest family owned bar in Alton! Not a large place but not overly crowded either- 4 four tops, 1 six top, 2 high tops that seat 4, a pool table, 6 slot machines and a bar with maybe 10-12 barstools. Not usually crowded (unsure how it's not crowded as the food is AMAZING!). The grill is back behind the bar & closes 1 hour before close for cleaning most nights. Check their Facebook page for daily specials! We love their double cheeseburgers and tater tots - always SO hot and fresh right off the grill with fresh veggies. The bone in hot wings are delicious, too & come with a big ole boat of ranch. Parking - street or out back behind the building. Okay now go have a great dive bar burger!

Norb's is a neighborhood dive bar and that is a good thing. Norb's has pool tables, dart boards,…read morejukebox, cold beer and strong cocktails. Best of all, it has Sammi's Sandwich Shop attached next to it. If you order a sandwich at Sammi's, you can go sit at the bar to enjoy an adult beverage and they'll bring it over to you. I got mine to go, but if I wanted to eat it there, the bartender had paper towels for me to use. With the pool tables, darts and good music, Norb's a fun dive bar in North Alton. My bartender was cool and the way she was interacting with the others seated at the bar, I'd say they were regulars. It gave it a Cheers feel, because she knew all their names.

Norb's a favorite of local alcoholics, I think they still have 75 cent beer nights. It used to be…read morenickel beer nights back in the day. They do offer free chili sometimes. There's also a pretty good sandwich shop next door.

When I moved into my new subdivision, I meet one of my new neighbors while walking our dogs. After…read moreour greet and meet, he commented he had to go pick-up wings for a party. Being a lover of wings, my ears perked up and I asked him where he was getting them. He told me, Sunset Bar and that they were the best in the area. Moving to my new home right before the holidays and during a pandemic, it took me awhile to finally go and check them out. He is right and so is Sheila T.. For a dive bar, this wings were killer. They had just enough sauce, so your fingers didn't get too messy and just enough spice make your lips burn. If your fingers do get messy, they give you a roll of paper towels to wipe your hands. Also, a double shout out to the kitchen crew. First, I like that my order had the same amount of drums and flats. It burns me when they are uneven. I know it doesn't affect the flavor, it's just my quirky personality. I want the numbers to match. Second shout out, is for the creative way they folded foil to seperate the wings and fries. It kept the extra sauce underneath the wings and not mixing and running underneath my crisp fries. The staff/bartender was friendly as were the other guest who were strategically spaced out around the bar following COVID guidelines. Several of them shared their favorite menu items and were genially interested in my opinion of the wings. It was also fun chatting with a group of day drinkers that were out bar hopping up the Riverroad. They truly were my type of people. When: February 6, 2021 Why: Checking out their wings.

I have only eaten here once , but it was great! Fried taco, you only need one. Big parking lot…read more Gaming and music.

The bartender that had glasses and blondish brown hair was horrible. I left solely because she was…read morenot at all tentative. I understand when it's crowded that it can be difficult to determine who was there first, but I told her she passed me up 3 times and she looked at me and said I'll get to you when I do. Horrible attitude, horrible service. I would never get anything from there if she is there as she doesn't deserve a tip.

A staple in the downtown Edwardsville bar and music scene. Would recommend! Bartenders Chloe and…read moreDahlia are always welcoming and knowledgeable with drink and shot recommendations. If you are looking for a fun bar and patio with great service and great entertainment look no further. Cheers!

I love me some, Flock. It's a food truck park with a kick ass bar…read more The bartenders are masters of their skill. They can make you a classic cocktail, a simple liquor and mixer drink, or one of their specialty cocktails. My personal favorite from the specialty menu is, "I'll Have What Phil is Having". Imagine a cocktail if an, Old Fashioned and Manhattan could have a baby. It's taking the best of each of those classic cocktails and combining them into one. Thursday nights are for Trivia. This past Thursday, I thought they were too easy, but they got harder and harder as the rounds progressed. I still did okay, but some had me saying, What? Who? and Where? Occasionally on the week-ends you'll be lucky to catch live music. It's all outside, don't you don't have to worry about it being too loud. Listening to local musicians, helps the cocktails go down smoothly. The Brydies food truck is always there and at times you'll see a guest food trucks offering more variety. As stated earlier, the bartenders are awesome. However, sometimes I worry about myself, because a bartender at a food truck park knows my name and what I drink.

When I tell you, The Flock is MY PLACE. I really want to keep this Gem a secret but I also want to…read moretell the world about it. I loooove the Flock. The vibe... perfect. The drinks.... delicious. The Food.... great. The Atmosphere... everything. The massive covered patio is perfect for any weather and the food truck park so spacious. And when the sun goes down, there are lights outside offering such a good vibe. They have a great trivia night and hold all kinds of other events. 4th July here is a must do.

Ranch House is a Godfrey staple for cheeseburgers and beer. This spot is in my weekly rotation…read more Plenty of parking and seating. The folks that own this spot take great care of everyone that comes in. The staff is very friendly and helpful. Great weekly specials on drinks and food. The prices are truly affordable for families. This is a hangout spot. Come in and take your time and watch a game on the TV or play some bar games. They also offer a monthly GREEK dinner by appointment only.

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner…read more Ranch House offers Fried Chicken dinners, 3 days a week. It use to be only on Wednesday, which made for a great Hump Day treat. As the popularity of their crispy well seasoned chicken grew, they added Saturday and Sunday. Now, I can enjoy a traditional Sunday dinner. RH offers 2 piece or 4 piece dinners with two sides. You can mix your chicken, or you can choose all dark or white meat. Typically, I go with Mashed Potatoes with White Gravy and Green Beans as my sides. For me, that makes it just like the Sunday dinners when I was growing up. Sometimes when I switch it up, I order Cole Slaw and Fries. It makes it more like a picnic. I like the fried chicken here at RH, because it is super crispy and their seasoning is extra peppery. It is so peppery, you can see it the skin. Another winning dinner is, Fried Fish on Fridays. It's really good during Lent. My go to order is their, Catfish Fritters. I enjoy the bite pieces of crispy Catfish, along side an order of Cole Slaw and Fries. Pair it up with a cold beer and you've got yourself a Catholic approved meal. Ranch House truly is a dive bar, but it does have a family vibe. When you visit, you'll see a good mix of patrons and that is part of the charm of dining at RH.

We decided to make a whole day in Alton and Firehouse made the list…read more If you decide to make a day in Alton, this spot should be a must visit. They have a great indoor bar area and a fantastic outdoor bar area. I hope they market the outdoor area because it's perfect for summer and fall. The staff (we had Summer as a bartender-amazing) was great! We went right before Halloween and we learned the area always puts in a great Halloween parade.

It's a true "dive bar". It's a cash only bar. It's a heavy pour bar…read more When I moved to the Riverbend area, I thought it would be fun to visit all the local "dive bars". This one is located in downtown Alton just a few doors up from one of my favorite restaurants. I was picking up some bakery items across the street and also shopped at a new boutique next to the bakery. When I finished, I thought it was time for a cocktail and checking out another dive. The bartender was friendly and heavy on his free pour of my Tito's vodka. I use to bartender, so when they free-pour I watch and can tell if they go over or short a shot. My cocktail was refreshing. While I enjoyed my cocktail, it was interesting people watching. Everyone else in the bar knew each other and were buying each other shots. It was a beautiful day and the original garage door to the old firehouse was open. The other day drinkers were going back and forth from the patio and bar area. I am glad I got to experience another dive bar in my new hometown, but I can tell you, my neck is not red enough to return to this one. I truly stood out amongst this crowd. I didn't feel uncomfortable, but I was not a match for the clientele. When: March 27, 2021 Why: Dive Bar & Day Drinking

This place is all about supporting local!…read more We wanted to pop in to see the new bar/venue in the Alton area. We wanted to make a whole day of Alton and we had to try the next hot spot. The place was filled with local art and they did a great job at displaying it. They have an upstairs area that was servicing a food truck style food option to support other local businesses. I was wowed by the support for their fellow Altonians.

Incredible art, great people. Comfortable places to escape the noice and people and chill or get…read moreloud and weird, all within a pretty small club. Not an all-ages club, but hosts the top local and regional bands in a great space with very good sound techs. This place is about quality, not quantity. A little weird mixed in.