Amazing spot! Love the interior. We stopped in for dinner last week and so happy we did. The inside is gorgeous and the service was outstanding. Aja was out waitress and explained that Firefly is farm to table. We tried their spicy pineapple vodka drink and it was stellar, had two. For entrees, we both had the wrapped filet. Cooked to perfection. We also split the brussel sprouts and they were amazing. Lastly we had the brownie with ice cream and it was decadent and delicious. Everything was a 10/10. Highly recommend! read more

My wife and I have eaten at a ton of restaurants. While traveling the mid-west, we were stopping in Effingham, IL. When the time to select food came around, we decided that, "well I guess we can eat there." Boy am I glad we decided that. Easily became one of the top 10 we've been too in the country. We both ordered the filet, wife 4 oz, me 8 oz. The steak had FLAVOR and a slight crust. Flavor seems to be hard to come by nowadays. Let me tell you, the whipped mashed potatoes are to die for. Best I've ever had literally. I asked if they put aged white cheddar in them. Nope! Just heavy cream, a lot of butter and potatoes. Please go. In a town of 12,000 you wouldn't expect to find a restaurant like this. Service was impeccable too. 0 disappointment. read more

This was our first visit, and everything was exceptional! The food was delicious, the drinks were fantastic, and the overall experience exceeded our expectations. A special shoutout to Victoria for her outstanding service. She was friendly, energetic, attentive, and genuinely welcoming. She anticipated our needs, checked on us at just the right times, and helped make our evening truly enjoyable. Victoria is a wonderful ambassador for this restaurant, and thanks to her and the amazing food, we'll definitely be back! read more

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I've been going there for 20 years and it's amazing and delicious every time. Love the atmosphere and grounds.

We returned to Firefly last night for dinner and I'm left with overall good feelings but a few hiccups. The bread service, cocktails, and entrees were great. Service and dessert both left a bit to be desired. Our waiter, while friendly, took a very long time to return anytime we asked for something including about 10 minutes between bringing us our check and coming back to get our payment. The fried chicken entree was great as was the bread and beer cheese, and we would order these items again. The banana cake dessert was a big disappointment. The cake itself was dense and dry and it was honestly surprising they'd serve this, given the quality of other items. read more

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Alright - I went back for a Round2 do over ! This time around In the middle of Effing nowhere I was blown away by the delicious eats coming out of firefly restaurant. They serve up fresh veggies from the surrounding gardens . Beautiful water views . Loved the vibe and ambiance . Beyond great service ! Chef cooked up some delicious Vegan eats for me "off menu " . Really enjoyed everything . The hummus board was one of the best I've ever had. The highlight for me was the non alcoholic Louie Louie blackberry lemon seltzer infused with hemp derived delta-9 along with the chefs veggies special , Yum . read more

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From the moment we approached the hostess station, we felt welcomed even without a reservation. Though the restaurant was quite crowded on a Saturday evening, our server came relatively quickly as did our drinks and finally our salad and entrées. The atmosphere was charming and along with the outstanding food, made the evening special. My choice of the risotto was a good one. It was the creamiest I've ever had and topped by some tasty crispy fried onions. My husband's Bangers and Mash was also delicious. Our portions were large enough that we had no room for dessert. Though the Simple Salad was very fresh tasting, it needed something, perhaps some textural variety like nuts or croutons? read more

Firefly Grill - Bangers and Mash - Steakhouses Near Me - Effingham, Illinois

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We just had a marvelous dinner of risotto and shrimp and a beautiful salad with chicken! The ambience and service were superb and we were very impressed! read more

The ambiance is perfect, the food was huge in portions we had the fried green tomatoes and the hummus board was amazing. our waitress/Victoria was the nicest, attentive amazing waitress . worth every penny! we are from the Midwest, and was a perfect dinner. read more

Firefly Grill - Outside - Steakhouses Near Me - Effingham, Illinois

Let me say this... you guys really saved us from a bad experience today. We walked in early after noon during the week and was seated promptly by the friendliest server I've ever encountered. The menu was succinct with just the right amount of choices for each category. I opted for Shrimp Risotto and hubs got the burger. It took a bit but it was worth it! The Risotto was so rich and creamy i knew he was back there stirring for a while... and the shrimp? Cooked perfectly. I'd make the drive for the food alone but the real bonus is the incredible ambiance and amazing customer service we received. We'll be back! read more

Firefly Grill - Shrimp Risotto - Steakhouses Near Me - Effingham, Illinois

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Stopped at this restaurant to charge the car and decided to come back for dinner. What a lucky stop for us. We opted to sit on an indoor patio with a lovely view. Our server Ean was wonderful and patient with our questions. The menu was not overwhelming and fresh herbs and veggies came from an adjacent area. Prices reflected the quality of the meat and other ingredients. The corn and crab chowder was a five star experience. The wedge salad was sufficient to split and so was the filet. The potatoes and garnishes were nicely prepared as well. Since we were traveling the leftovers would be wasted. The peach cobbler dessert was also really yummy. Going to put this on our travel agenda in southern Illinois as a required stop. Highly recommend! read more

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Needed a place to stop on a long drive and found Firefly. What a great spot! Huge modern space with a lot of additional outdoor seating. Clean and modern. Service was solid, though I could have used one more visit to refill a drink. The muffaletta is a spectacular sandwich. Plenty of meat, amazing flavor with the dress and capers. And the fresh focaccia was incredible. I highly recommend this spot. read more

Great, fast service, terrific ambiance, and AMAZING food! The mushroom soup, pork chop, 8 ounce filet, and Brussel sprouts were outstanding, and we will definitely be back. read more

Went to Firefly on 8/20 just before Happy Together concert in Effingham. It is Farm to TABLE, not all veggies are in season just to let you know, just be aware. Make a reservation it is busy, due to mild weather we had gotten a table outside (front of building) they do also have Lake side tables with covered patio in back. plus inside seating as well. We ordered Peach Sangria. Plus meals you see below. Service was stellar. read more

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The ambience is really cool: rustic chic, farm to fork, with a nod to mid century style. We were seated in the rear sunroom with a view of the pond. Staff were very friendly but my order wasn't accurate. It worked out though. I had asked for jalapeños on the side of my pork tenderloin. They still put it on the sandwich and when I removed them, the flavor left behind was good. Otherwise it would have tasted bland, which surprised me because it looked delicious! I'll try it again sometime for an entree. I have high expectations for this place based on friends who love it. read more

Before I express any disappointment, let me give a great shout out to Eddie (pronounced Eeeedie)!!! She beautiful, friendly, and a GREAT server!!! The food was really good--not sure worth the higher prices, but really good. The place is stunning and VERY clean restrooms--a huge plus. The negatives? I think it's a bit overpriced, then they add a service charge and then we tipped. Not sure what the service charge was for. We did not get anything from the bar. ??? It was charming. Just an opinion. read more

Firefly Grill - Steakhouses Near Me - Effingham, Illinois

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This is a fantastic gem! The dining area is interesting and fun. The food is delicious. And we loved that they grow many of the produce items they use in their menu. I highly recommend. Stop on your road trip and give this place a try. read more

Service was awesome and the Food was well seasoned and delicious!!! The restaurant was very clean and inviting. I'd surely recommend this as a place to go. read more

Wow! Unbelievably good! Beautiful! We left all the fast food places behind and in a matter of a minute we happened upon the Firefly Grill. What a find!!!!! It was like a secret paradise nestled in a farm setting. The food was excellent. It is farm to table and we could taste the freshness. The server highly recommended the special, fried green tomatoes. They were divine and we also had the most delicious caesar salad. We came back with our whole family two days later. Yum! read more

Firefly Grill - The front porch eating area! - Steakhouses Near Me - Effingham, Illinois

Went here on two seperate occasions while I was in the city. The service was amazing and food was served in a very timely manner. One of the waitresses we had went above and beyond to help reticify a mistake that she had made by accidentally charging the wrong card to the wrong order. We really appreciate her for going the extra mile. However, I felt like the food was lackluster. The first time I went, I got the baby back ribs, and they were on the drier side and felt a little bit bland. The second night, I got the cacio e pepe and the brussel sprouts. The cacio e pepe was pretty standard and the brussel sprouts were prepared very well. They were crispy and flavorful -- to the point where I feel like the bottom pieces drowned in the sauce a little bit. One of the people in my dining party got the truffle fries and those tasted amazing. Especially the aioli sauce, which was probably my favorite thing that I had tried from this restaurant. read more

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The one star is for the very instagram attractive decor, construction and features like the rustic yet modern entry, sprawling bar, charming pond with koi. They lost 4 stars on service and mainly the highlight of this place which is farm to table flair. Service was a slow as the place was not busy. Tables that arrived after us were served before us. We were recommend the fried green tomatoes. Typically these can't be messed up. There was so much breading I couldn't discern the tomatoes from the heavy layer of vegetables topping the dish. Overly salted and the excessive sauces masked the flavors of the farm to table fresh veggies. Not good overall.Similar to I imagine something like you'd get in lower quality chili's type places. I was told that the foccacia for the muffletta would be the best I ever had. It was not. Not pillowy at all. On the heavy side and covered in oil. Seemed to be rubbery like it was microwaved. Meats may have been good quality if I could get past the oil and salt in the focaccia. Muffletta is typically not on this type of bread anyway. Even the fresh arugula was dressed in a very salty dressing. Again I could not enjoy this dish because of the salt. Also tasted my husband's Philly which was the saltiest of all. Why!!?? Farm to table doesn't need to be covered in excessive salt!! The apricot Agua fresca was terrible. Sour and flavorless. Very underwhelming, salty and uninteresting food not to mention the price for the portion was just paying for the insta surroundings. Go if you like cute surroundings and salty dishes but the food had zero farm to table qualities. Skip it and save your $ for local bbq or pack your own road trip lunch instead. read more

Firefly Grill - Fried green tomatoes? - Steakhouses Near Me - Effingham, Illinois

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Beautiful place located right off the main drag. Nice selection of food. We had checked the menu online and were looking forward to hummus sandwiches but when we got there, we were informed they did not have those at lunchtime, which was somewhat disappointing. But we ordered a hummus charcuterie board, which was very good. The focaccia bread was excellent. Lots of indoor and outdoor seating. Corn chowder was very tasty as were the squash blossoms. Service was good. Not sure if we will get to that area again, but if we do, we will definitely stop for lunch or dinner. read more

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Stopped here for lunch on our 12hr trip back to KC! So glad we did... we had the fried chicken, fried green tomatoes, corn chowder, and caprese salad... The best!! Everything was top notch! We will be back it was nice to have a health choice while driving through read more

Firefly Grill - Fried chicken, fried green tomatoes, corn chowder, caprese salad - Steakhouses Near Me - Effingham, Illinois

Best fried green tomatoes I've ever had. The toppings they put on it make a world of difference. Hummus sandwich was huge but tasty. I've never had one on a focaccia before but it worked. The server I had was as friendly and attentive as they come. The restaurant strikes a great balance of modern and countryside esthetic. The outdoor seating is great, provided you like dogs. I might have to take this detour to Chicago more often now. read more

Firefly Grill - HUMMUS SANDWICH V - Steakhouses Near Me - Effingham, Illinois

Several people recommended this place to us and while the prices had previously kept us hesitant from coming, OMG the food did not disappoint! It was fresh, high quality and delicious! Portion sizes were good and the ambiance was lovely both inside and out. Service was lacking a bit for an expensive place like this (we had to ask for plates and silverware with our appetizers and our server was not very attentive) but the food was so good I'll still give it 5 stars any day! read more

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Stopped here for dinner tonight. It was so good! I ordered the Chicken Noodle soup, good portion, well seasoned, chunks of chicken, carrots, onion, ramen noodles, very good. My friend had the 12 oz. NY strip, med rare with French fries. It was tender, cooked correctly, and my friend said it was very good. Service was excellent. Would definitely recommend eating here, and when in this area I would return. read more

Firefly Grill - Chicken Noodle soup - Steakhouses Near Me - Effingham, Illinois

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The food is always very good, interesting, well prepared, and varied. The ambiance is special, with seating possibilities including the porches in good weather and the enclosed porch overlooking the pond in addition to the main dining room. The service is usually excellent yet this evening it was quite annoying. The waiter insisted on treating us like we were in kindergarten using phrases such as "how is our meal", "what would we like for dinner tonight", "can I bring us anything else". I had to bite my tongue. It became so annoying. There is also a 5% service charge, which we've not noticed in the past, which the Restaurant can remove if we don't want to pay it. Sort of felt shamed into paying it. And lastly, when I was here in October, and it was very cold, I spoke directly with the manager and asked that perhaps they consider adding coat hooks outside the bathroom stalls in the ladies room so that when women exit the stalls, they have a place to hang their coat. Brilliant idea he said. Two months later, nothing has changed. Still trying to figure out where to hang my purse and my coat when I'm washing my hands. Sadly, after five years of stopping here on our way to and from Southern states, we may simply pass. The irritants are increasing. read more

Firefly Grill - The ladies room, where the manager said he'd have the picture moved to the left wall and hooks installed where it had been hung. - Steakhouses Near Me - Effingham, Illinois

It was our second time stopping here as we traveled through on vacation. We noticed when our bill came that there was an additional 5% service charge Normally, we would just pay our bill. We are normally generous tippers and be on our way, but we decided to ask what that was all about. It seems that the owner would like for us to help him pay to be in business I was never asked, nor am I interested in becoming a business partner with him. As it seems, it was explained to us that this charge is to offset the cost of running the kitchen and products If you can't afford to run your business, kindly close your doors The waiter explained that it is on the menu, but they would be willing to take the 5% off if someone did not want to pay it. It in fact was on the menu as we then looked in very small print at the very bottom. Very deceptive. On a sidenote, I was going to have dessert and our waiter came back and said oh sorry we're out of that so I ordered a second choice. He went away came back and said oh we're out of that also. I'm not sure if it's a breakdown in communication between the weight staff and the restaurant, but definitely not a good experience. Something should just be tagged as the cost of doing business. Certainly, the owner doesn't give us all 5% when he has a very financially successful month. read more

This place is amazing and dog friendly the food is amazing, the bee is amazing , and the staff is amazing and the ambiance is fancy and rustic it's amazing!!! read more

Great food. Awesome server. Beautiful restaurant and healthy portions. We sat out on the deck. Still high class and relaxing. I'd love to return but unfortunately it ads a 5% service charge. This is a high end restaurant they should be smart enough to figure out their costs and put it in the price. In response to owner adding fees that are optional is a joke and takes advantage of customers. What's the point of a menu with prices if you add optional costs. Again food and service was great but hard to recommend when they are lying to you about pricing. Bait and switch. Just list your real price. read more

Great restaurant with. amazing service, and even better food. Best salmon I've ever had. Always worth the stop when in town.

Vibe: saw huge sign on interstate 70 that said "I Love Firefly Grill" so I asked Siri about it and was told it is farm 2 table and has 4.5 stars Seating: arrived around 1:30 pm on a Saturday just after lunch crowd left Service: top notch***** Ambiance: lovely ***** Food: Spectacular!!! ***** This place made my day!!! Driving for hours today and on the road 3 weeks Ive eaten my share of different foods. This was the best I've eaten in the past month! And that's saying something bc I've been through 11 states and only had fast food once. Try and get a table next to the windows bc the view is so soothing while dining. I noticed they even have charging stations for your electric car. I can't recommend this place enough. Total surprise to find it and would not have if not for their sign. Perfect placement, perfect food choices that were unusual, perfect parking situation, perfect concept of farm to table, perfect wait staff, perfect all around! read more

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Let me start by saying this has always been my favorite restaurant and we drove 2 hours to eat here for my birthday. My husband ordered the 8 ounce filet 58 dollars and I got the ribeye which was 61 dollars and both came with a side of mashed potatoes. My husband's steak was edged with a lot of gristle and my ribeye was overcooked and tough and honestly looked more like a sirloin as there was no marbling. The mashed potatoes were amazing. But we honestly have had better steaks at Texas Roadhouse. I'm not sure why rosemary was on a steak. A big disappointment. I will say our waitress Asia was super sweet and all of the staff were professional and nice. I'm not sure why we're paying this much for a subpar meal and also charged a 5% surcharge on top of what we tipped. I did a review on this restaurant a few years ago and did give it 5 stars I'm not sure what changed. This will be our last trip sadly. read more

Excellent farm to table upscale eatery!!!! The server was super attentive and fun!! Great ambiance and decor!! The food was superb!!!!

This is such a lovely restaurant. The location is so whimsical and lovely. The service is top notch and the food is so fresh and flavorful. Our server was Aja and she was a joy. She demonstrated such poise and knowledge and she was always making sure we had everything we needed. We started with the bread course which was a Bavarian pretzel bread and beer cheese, it was so tasty there was no time for a picture. I had the ribeye and hubby had the 8 oz sirloin. Not pictured my dad ordered the special 4 oz Chilean sea bass with a Parmesan risotto. My dad's dish absolutely melted in your mouth. Hubby loved his dish, he said the star was the peas and onions. They were so fresh. I loved my steak and potatoes. The mushrooms were absolutely tasty. For dessert my dad and hubby shared the Apple Cobbler which they loved and I had the S'mores which was very rich and decadent. Thank you for the lovely dinner and ambiance. read more

Firefly Grill - 8 oz. Sirloin with Mashed Potatoes - Steakhouses Near Me - Effingham, Illinois

Driving through Effingham and hadn't eaten lunch. It was 3.30. Saw a sign off the freeway. What a great find! I was a bit disappointed that I could only order from the dinner menu at 4 pm. Their special app was fried zucchini blossoms. Yum! I had the fried shrimp cake for dinner. Lots of fried for me but everything tasted so good and fresh. Everyone loved their meals and we left with some leftovers. A definite stop. They stop serving lunch menu at 3. read more

Great food, great service. So nice to have a farm to table establishment in the midst of fast food America. Beautiful restaurant and large liquor/wine list. Thank you! read more

So off the beaten path ( maybe 1/2 mile) that I felt like we weren't close to a freeway, gas stations and fast food places. The decor and ambiance is relaxed and inviting. There were outside and inside seating available. Quick friendly and efficient service staff, menue for everyone and moderate prices. Order light the food quantity is full plate. read more

I love this place! It has car chargers (electrify America) which is such a relief to plug in and then have an amazing meal. You can see where they grow their food right on the property. Everything I've eaten has been very delicious! The staff is patient and knowledgeable. And if you have kids.... Don't forget to feed the (HUGE) fish! read more

Firefly Grill is a "farm to table" restaurant in Effingham, IL. The owners take pride in using the freshest and best ingredients from local or sourced artisan farmers, foragers, and fishermen. I went with my wife for a fun date, and since we like to share, we decided to pick a bunch of small appetizers and eat family style. We ordered the following. Clam chowder - creamy and had good portions of clams 1/2 lbs shrimp - good size shrimp, had a good crisp bite Seasonal risotto - rice was cooked well and good consistency Sesame Asian Crunch Salad - surprisingly the star of all the dishes we ordered. Probably one of the best salads I've had. Crispy Brussels Sprouts - wasn't quite crispy as advertised, but the flavors were there Fashionably Pear - not quite the drink I was expecting. I knew it wasn't gonna be a traditional old fashioned, but it was more on the sour end and I couldn't really taste the bourbon. Service was great, as our server was very helpful in giving us some food recommendations. Firefly Grill is definitely a prime spot to go take your spouse or significant other on a date, host an event, or celebrate someone's birthday. Overall, a great restaurant and will be back again. read more

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