What a great restaurant. Clean as could be. We were able to see the chefs working diligently to get the orders out in a timely manner. The food was really good. My husband had the fish tacos with Brussels sprouts. I had the home made pastrami sandwich and my side was the green beans. I would have asked for them to be cooked longer as I don't care for al dante. I was stuffed after eating it but I couldn't pull myself away from it. It is a shame that it is not closer to my home. Effingham is three hours away. We will have to plan a golf date to go back. read more

Just made our 2nd annual stop here on our way back home from a family trip to Kentucky. It upheld every single fantastic memory from last year. Food- Excellent flavor in every dish. From the Chicken Sandwich w/Brie, paper thin apples and caramelized onions (!) to the Fish Tacos to the Crab Cakes to the freshly made donut with chocolate and peanut butter glaze (!). Whew. I really could go on and on. Oh! And all with a Farm to Table twist?! Seriously! Did I mention the seasoned fries? ....and the Cream of Mushroom soup. Yikes. We were a party of 8 sharing food so no need to panic. Atmosphere- the decor is stunning. Rustic with maybe a steampunk undertone. Maybe. Light fixtures are thoughtfully placed. Flooring is perfection. Even the dinnerware, drink-ware and flatware completes the vibe. Kid friendly - oh yes. Fantastic kids menu. PLUS they have a gorgeous pond filled with catfish and koi fish that the kids can feed with approved, supplied fish food. Our youngest son's quote when asked how he liked his brick oven pizza: 'it's heaven on a plate' Overall thoughts: when will Firefly II be opening in the Chicago area. read more

The food was amazing. I honestly enjoyed the atmosphere and the waitress was perfect. The water was also so crisp. I would say that the food was a tad overpriced for what was being served. I understand it is fine dining, but the items still need to reflect their true cost. Still, had a great time and was delicious. read more

My fiance and I decided to have a relaxing weekend at his parents' lakehouse in Effingham this weekend, and after watching several hours of college football, we were hungry. We did a Yelp search, saw this place had great ratings, and decided to hit it up. The food breakdown: 1) onion rings (more like straws, good heaping full, 3 stars) 2) popcorn coconut shrimp (the coconut foam and breading they serve with this dish are disgusting, 0-1 stars) 3) crab rangoon (more slimy cream cheese than crab, 2 stars) 4) meatballs (the absolute best part of the meal, 4 stars) 5) brownie sundae (meh, 3 stars) So why the 2 star rating? The service was awful. It took 10 minutes after finishing our water glasses until they were refilled. They served our appetizers without the accompanying sauces, and it took 10 minutes to flag down the server to bring this to her attention. It was 15 minutes between the appetizer order and the entree order. No, the restaurant wasn't bustling (it was only halfway full). No, there wasn't a shortage of servers that night. We could never figure out what all the delays were about. Summary: average food, slow service read more

Headed to Terre Haute for the day and had to stay in Effingham due to every hotel being booked for the Nike Regional XC Meet. We rolled into town and I was a little dismayed by lots of interstate fast food fare. I found this amazing little place just down the street from our hotel. Wow! To say this is most definitely the best place to eat in Effingham is an understatement. It is probably the best place to eat in the region. Everything from the table service, staff, food preparation, presentation and ambiance could not have been better. Absolutely gorgeous space with an upscale country/industrial feel. I've never ordered a pork chop for dinner but my entree was nothing short of amazing! Hubby went for the filet and whipped potatoes. The "kids" meal was nothing short of amazing either! Don't get me started on dessert...Our waitress was also fantastic and super helpful when we asked for her recommendation of a pasta place to carbo load. She directed us to Joe's Pizza which hit the spot later for 7 cross country runners! read more

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There is nothing better in the world than a successful hunt. For me, that could finding a wheat-back penny in the pile of change near the washer, picking up a guitar in music shop that just feels right, or stumbling upon an unexpected gem of a restaurant. Culinary artifacts along I-70 are about that rare. Pulling off for gas in Vandalia allowed for the viewing of a spectacular scrap metal dragon, but not much else. So I drove on another 30 or so miles. And I stumbled onto it. Firefly grill must be run by the culinarily insane. Who in their right mind would move here, build an oak fired grill and pizza oven inside a nouvelle pole barn decorated tastefully with discarded barn wood, then serve excellent escargot with trumpet mushrooms, lobster ravioli and wood-grilled flatiron steak to fewer than 12,000 possible local customers? Who'd dig a lake behind it just to have something other than the freeway to look at during terrace dinners at sunset? This knife wielding insane person is Chef Niall Campbell. The menu changes daily, but the seafood (yes, insanely, great seafood on the prairie) is always front and center. I had a dish that would have to be typical of the attitude: Sable fish with an applewood smoked hamhock in a shallow bowl of black beans. A riot of fat, richness and salt, I began to wonder if there were some odd race of truck-driving farmer-gourmands living here in seclusion, speaking a pidgin of Escoffier culinary terminology with a drawl. The service was of the attentive just-post-high school variety, making it even more surprising when they actually seemed to know something about food, giving informed opinions about the filet wrapped in puff pastry with boursin, bbq and bacon; herbed-rubbed rack of lamb; elk ribeye; and morel mushroom appetizer. Cue the music from the Twilight Zone. On the back roads of France, we learned, after a time, to toss aside the guidebooks and embrace the hunt. We'd follow the clues our eyes and noses collected to our meals with happy result. After all, food just tastes better when you think you've struck secret gold. However, with the Firefly Grill, this is one of the very few times I've felt like this in America - that, like in the smallest towns in Provence, someone has chosen to live where the food actually comes from. To literally put his money where his mouth is, and make life a little better where no one, no sane person, would have any right to expect it. read more

I've driven to Cincinnati from St. Louis many times now and I've always noticed the Firefly Grill billboard. I finally decided that I needed to stop on my next trip after reading an article that simply raved about the place! It was the day before my birthday and I was in the mood to celebrate and simply order dessert. Since I was dining by myself, I sat at the bar. I was torn between the brownie and the bread pudding, so I asked my waitress which was bigger, badder and crazier. She was strongly in favor of the brownie, so I went with that. However, she also happened to mention that one of the current ice cream flavors was blackberry, so I chose to sub that for the vanilla. Not five minutes later, she was back with my dessert! The brownie is served in a huge bowl that is about as big as my head. The brownie itself had to be about 3.5-4'' square and 1.5'' tall! Along with this, she brought a long platter with several little bowls - these held all of my toppings. The hot fudge, the caramel, the whipped cream, the blackberry ice cream, the cherries and the chocolate-covered peanuts. My waitress then proceeded to top my brownie with all of the ingredients, making my mouth water! The brownie had a VERY rich chocolatey-flavor, it was moist and dense and it was served warm (of course), which made the chocolate chips throughout nice and gooey. The cherry, chocolate-covered peanuts and whipped cream were classic and delicious toppings! But were I to get this dessert again, I would tweak a few things - I would totally swap the fudge out for extra caramel. First off, you already get some serious chocolate going on just because of the brownie. Secondly, their caramel is house made and AMAZE-BALLS! It isn't overly sweet. Instead, it's perfectly buttery. The other thing I would tweak - I would take the menu's suggestion and stick with the vanilla ice cream. I'm not usually a vanilla girl, so it's not unusual for me to swap it for another flavor. But their blackberry ice cream has the tang of a sorbet, which isn't my preference. And frankly, a simple creaminess of vanilla would've been the perfect balance for the rest of the dish. However, I still immensely enjoyed my enormous dessert and wouldn't hesitate to order it again and again! On top of this wonderful food, because it was my birthday, my waitress informed me that my dessert was on the house! I couldn't believe it - what a pleasant surprise! And very generous! I definitely plan on paying another visit to the Firefly Grill! If my husband is along, I'm sure we would love to check out their burger! Or, if I'm on my own and feel like getting sugared up again, I might check out that bread pudding.... read more

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I took a trip down to Southern Illinois for work and was told by several of my foodie friends that Firefly was worth a visit. I was warmly welcomed right from the start, and everyone (from my server to other people who walked by) was really friendly and pleasant. I started with the pomegranate iced tea and it was fine; it probably could've used a bit more sweetener but I was too lazy to add it, so there you go. I had the spring flatbread with morel mushrooms and, seriously, I wish there were some way of capturing the smell. It was amazing! And what's better is that it tasted just as good. I highly recommend it. For dessert I had the strawberry shortcake, and though I loved the presentation I didn't think the dessert tasted quite as good as it looked. In all, I had a really great meal and would happily go back next time I'm near the area. read more

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Awesomeness that will wow you no matter what you order. Can compete with every place we have travelled in the world! Don't miss this!

Don't miss this countryside jewel nestled near the 'cross roads' of southern Illinois. Great local flavor meets rural chic at Firefly. I have a client in Effingham and make frequent trips from Chicago as a result. In my opinion this spot certainly holds its own among even some of the most highly rated restaurants in Chica-go-go, but the best part is that they include a lot of locally grown food. Even the dining tables were made in Effingham, nice work on supporting the local economy! On my last visit we started with a caprese salad and then moved on to the grilled truffle duck egg sandwich - Lake meadow Farm's ducks eggs, white truffle, white balsamic dressed greens on house-made Challah bread (this was lunch time). Food was great...filling, but not too heavy so we could go about our day. Unfortunately I don't remember what I had for dinner there on my last visit (months ago), but I do know that it was just as good, if not an even better experience, if that is even possible. Sit on the back deck and enjoy the view of the fountain in the large pond or dine inside and check out the great decor. The building looks like it was constructed in salvaged barn wood and even the parking lot is stylishly landscaped so these guys get an A+ for building an excellent establishment all around. Oh...and if you like beer and wine you won't be disappointed. It absolutely has to have the best selection in Effingham...hands down. read more

Ok, no doubt this place gets a 5* rating. This was an INCREDIBLY pleasant surprise considering I was stuck in Effingham for the night. Given past stays in Southern Illinois (see my reviews of Mount Vernon) I was pretty sure that Effingham would be a culinary wasteland of Applebees, TGI Fridays, Buffalo Wild Wings and other standard highway exit chain restaurants. And if I hadn't checked Yelp, I would have never found this option, because it is sort of out in the middle of a field, though not far from the highway. Just in an area all by itself. But what a find it was.... Driving over, I wasn't sure I had turned the right way. I was driving out into the dark away from the rest of the highway exit buildings... but then just another half mile or so along, I saw the building. Though it was dark outside, the building is all glass and timber with a tin roof. Very warm looking inside with big high ceilings and a country setting with fields all around. Very inviting as you are driving up. Went inside and found an inviting, open space with tables in the middle, a bar at one end and the kitchen at the other. Took a spot at the bar and reviewed the menu which was amazing. From the decor to the menu filled with locally sourced items and creative food combinations, this place would fit in perfectly in Sonoma or Napa. And of all places it is in Effingham, Illinois! There were tons of interesting things on the menu, but I just had the wild mushroom soup (local mushrooms), the 5 oz filet and a side of grilled asparagus. As opposed to most midwestern meals, this was about quality, not quantity so it was refreshing to get good food with reasonable portion sizes. All food was done perfectly and I finished with the bread pudding with caramel sauce and pumpkin ice cream. I'm guessing many people would be pissed off at the relatively tiny size of the dessert, but it was perfect. Great flavors in a size that doesn't add 1000 calories to your meal. I can't recommend this place highly enough if you ever find yourself in Effingham. Great decor and warmth, great menu, friendly service and I would imagine great pastoral scenery if you are there for lunch or in the early evening when it is still light out. read more

We had dinner here on our way to Kansas City and it was one of the best meals of the summer. No, I have not had a few beers and yes, it is in Effingham. I don't know why it's there either. I had scallops and squash blossom appetizer and pie - all outstanding. We are planning a fall trip to St. Louis and one of the goals is to somehow stop here either on the way down or back. Yes, it is that good. read more

Why are you in Effingham? Really? The only reason we even heard of it was because it was one of the only cities at this point in our drive cross-country that had an actual hotel and since we were about to fall asleep at the wheel, Effingham was out spot. If you are within 100 miles of this place you are nuts to skip it. Seriously. I took a chance and scoped out the Effingham 'yelp scene' (HA) and noticed that this place had some stellar reviews and even though I was weary, we had to try it. It was either this or another dose of Toxic Smell or some other abusive road food... The place is amazing! The restaurant is off the main drag and literally set on a farm with a pond and all. We went on a Sunday night so the place was super quiet. Our server was great and could tell we were thrilled to have some real service and awesome food. I went with the spinach salad and loved it and my boyfriend went all out and got a Cesar salad to start with fillet and mashed potatoes as his entree. Service: 5 stars! Drinks always full and people generally happy to be at work Food: 5 stars! Unreal! One of the freshest salads I have tasted-clearly fresh from the garden/farm out back Ambiance: 5 stars WOW someone dumped some major money into this beautiful barn-turned-restaurant. Impressive! We were so surprised at this place! I think we are still getting over the shock factor of finding an awesome dinner spot in fricking Effingham! If you are looking for an awesome meal that is SO far from anything in this area, come to Firefly Grill! read more

The Firefly Grill is the Field of Dreams for foodies,"If you build it,they will come." Finding a place like this is like going to a singles night held in a retirement community and finding Scarlett Johansson in the mix. I don't mean to be hard on the town but I believe that the Firefly survives on the fact that people seek out this place thru word of mouth. I hope that the locals realize what a gem they have here. My wife and I had the Montana Mignon wrapped in a puff pastry with boursin, BBQ and bacon along with the oak-fired Columbia River Sturgeon with chickpeas and edamame salad, both were fantastic. The staff is knowledgeable and friendly, which is always a plus. For dessert we had the banana cake with banana ice cream which was a real treat. The prices are reasonable for the quality of food. The only problem I had was that there were far more good choices on the menu then I could have anticipated. For the record I hope to find a menu that I will want to eat 50% of the items on this one I will say it is 70-75%. You must visit if you are traveling on I-57 or I-70 or within 20 miles of Effingham. I don't give out five stars easily but I will say that easily the Firefly Grill is the most worthy in an area awash is a sea of chain restaurants. read more

Firefly Grill is destination dining in Southern Illinois. This eco-friendly farm-to-table roadhouse features fresh and delicious seasonal fare. Chef Niall's menu and execution are worthy of Chicago, so Firefly is a surprising find indeed for Effingham, Illinois. I don't begrudge Kristie and Niall Campbell charging big city prices in small town Illinois. Obviously their product is in strong demand. If the prices get too high, people will stop coming. With that said, Firefly Grill is definitely a "$$$" restaurant. (I think Yelp has it wrongly categorized as "$$".) The only way to dine at Firefly for less than $30/plate is to have no apps, no alcohol, and no dessert. Though their gourmet burgers, fries, and fried chicken are delicious, I aspire to someday be able to afford some other dishes and drinks. If you are a foodie and you find yourself on I-70 between St. Louis and Indianapolis, stop for dinner at Firefly! Feed the catfish from the dock, stroll in the vegetable garden, and enjoy a first class meal in a pastoral environment. You won't regret it. read more

On our way from Mississippi to Chicago. Stopped overnight in Effingham. We eat out a lot. Best restaurant ever. Greeting hostess superb. Sat in the bar before dinner. Bartenders were great. Beefeater dry martini was perfect. Had Victoria as a server. Wonderful. Sea bass and quinoa was great. Halibut with risotto was great. Hummus was great. Desert was great. Atmosphere was perfect. Don't pass this place up! read more

This place I love to go to when traveling. It has a wonder full setting off the interstate, easy to get to but well hidden. It's not your normal meal. They have a great menu of fresh food, and always a special on the blackboard. In my many trips to this place, I have never had a disappointment. The wait staff is both knowledgeable and courteous. They love your feedback on the meal. I had the "island girl" pizza. Jen had the "best Ruben I ever ate" ... The cranberry tamale with caramel was a savory sweet treat to end the meal with! read more

I've enjoyed reading the other reviews for Firefly, many people commenting how this restaurant is in the middle of nowhere. Sheesh, people, this is a farming community! People want local produce and products, alas, here it is! Are we not worthy of a restaurant to showcase local agriculture? :) This is a delicious and innovative restaurant. I've been to Firefly many times over the past couple of years- the menu is seasonal and changes fairly often. Some things that stand out from previous meals: pork chops, steaks, and crab cakes...the brick oven pizzas are also tasty, although I can't remember specifically which ones I have tasted. The decor is very modern, with a high ceiling and open bar in the mid-back of the restaurant. The only criticism would be that sometimes the restaurant can get super loud. And by all means, if you are in the Effingham area, get off the interstate and main roads. There are some local wineries, cool countryside, and nice people to see. read more

Had a great experience at Firefly. We had a large party (15) and they were very accommodating as the number grew. Stefanie was our waitress and she was outstanding. Food was also outstanding. Highly recommend the fried green tomatoes, onion rings, crispy meatballs and hummus on the appetizer menu as these were great for everyone to share. Great wine list. Steaks, pork chops and scallops were favorites from the entrees and the crispy Brussels Sprouts on the side menu. If you're coming they Effingham and looking for an exceptional dining experience, Firefly is a must! read more

This is a gem in the town. Great food. great people. great vibe. I was in town for 5 days, and I ate every meal here, except for 1 dinner. They don't serve breakfast, or I'd be there, too. It's that good. It's simple American food. But very nicely done with fresh and very good ingredients. I had tuna burger, fish taco, fish and chips, pork shank, coq au vin, lava cake, chocolate moulin rouge, banana cake, spicy wings... Pretty much everything is very good. Most of them are not complicated, but I love the simply delicious quality food that they provide dish in and dish out. I also love the fact that they change menu almost weekly based on the fresh ingredients they get. I had too many dishes to grade dish by dish. Here's some highlight: Deserts I had were all great. Like Great. If you are remotely a dessert person. give them a shot. It's worth it. All the seafood I had were very fresh. I also like how the chef let the food shine without over season them. Pork shank was vey tasty. Very juicy and flavorful. My kind of food. This is a restaurant that will be love in anywhere of the country. If you are around the town. stop by this place and you won't be disappointed. read more

I've been here about 6-8 times over the past year or so, and Firefly Grill has become one of my favorite restaurants over that time. The menu changes with the season, the food is fresh (seafood flown in overnight, meat from local farms, produce from their own garden), and the restaurant is a cool place to eat (on a lake, relaxing atmosphere). For Central IL, the seafood is second to none--always a wide variety and always really good. I would definitely recommend the seafood or something from the "special considerations" portion of their menu--I've had a steak here once, it was fine, but you are better of going with one of the more "unique" options. I've never had any apps here, but they look incredible. If you go to Firefly Grill, take this advice: --Sit at the bar --If Mike is bartending, ask him what's good tonight --Follow his advice and enjoy your meal --If you get a salad (or firefly onion rings) they have housemade honey mustard and housemade blue cheese--both are amazing! read more

Wow. I haven't looked at every review here but I bet many of them that are written by out-of-towners wonder just how this restaurant survives and thrives in Effingham, IL. Coming from the west suburbs of Chicago I doubt a fantastic restaurant like this would attract the clientele in my area. There must be some things about Effingham I don't know. But I do know that I sure wish I had this gem closer to my home. Upon my arrival I was thrilled-maybe stunned-when I saw their drink menu. Singapore Sling? Classic rum drinks? If I could even get a drink named Singapore Sling in Chicago, which I can't, I'm sure I'd find it to be kool-aid and vodka. Their version was absolutely 100% accurate to the original. (Need I say again, IN EFFINGHAM IL!) I was with a wedding party with a set menu. The salads and main courses were as great as I would have expected. Overall I was just blown away to find a place like this in Effingham. Sounds crazy, but we're going to plan another trip back to the area simply to dine at this restaurant again. Fantastic place. read more

We stopped here by random chance, and was not disappointed. This place is hidden gem, and worth every penny.

If this restaurant was in Chicago, it would be in my top 10 restaurants to go to on a regular basis. I've eaten and drank here over 10 times so far and the quality of the food, service, and drinks are amazing. One Tuesday night, I ordered a salmon and on Wednesday (I think), they have sushi lunch available. So I think I happened to get the sushi grade Salmon on Tuesday and I ordered it medium rare. I don't think anyone ever asks, but I tried it and it was the best salmon I have ever had in my entire life! Another night, I found conversations with the bartender and he recommended a few to taste. Because of his recommendation and their selection of single malt scotches, I found my favorite... Scapa. Overall, this place is consistent and the staff are friendly and welcoming. read more

Great dinner! We don't come here often because it's about an hour from our house, but when we do they never disappoint!! Tonight our server was Adam and he was the best! I had rack of lamb which was really good and my husband had Montana Mignon which was also really good! If you haven't been here, you owe it to yourself to stop in for a great dinner or lunch or Sunday brunch! read more

Passing through on our trip to our KY cabin from WI. We always stop in Effingham, which is about halfway. I saw the field to fork ad on the billboard on our way into town and asked if we could stop here instead of the usual. What a wonderful surprise! A relaxing stop with fresh and flavorful food. The fish tacos and shrimp poor boy were excellent. The Bloody Marys, for the non-drivers, were perfect. We will be back. A lovely oasis in winter, we can't wait until our future stops to watch how the outside surroundings change. Thank you for a wonderful lunch!! read more

Firstly, this restaurant is sort of in the middle of no where in Effingham..however it is a please surprise! It is a little pricey, however it has an open view of the kitchen so you can watch them make your food! You can also sit outside and eat where there is a pond. The interior has a very nice rustic design/decor. We just ordered simple things: mac and cheese and caesar salad. The mac and cheese was great, the caesar salad wasn't that good. Overall really cute restaurant! Food wasnt amazing but i would order the mac and cheese again and definitely come here again! :) read more

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What a wonderful surprise! Found this place on a road trip along 70 and I was so glad we stopped. The food is as beautiful as it is delicious. Very fresh, local ingredients. I started with the chicken consommé soup which would be a meal in itself. It had the best flavor of any soup I've had in recent memory. Then I had The Asian Pole bowl. So good!!The atmosphere is inviting - big bright windows and a nice view. Love this spot and I highly recommend it. read more

Firefly Grill - Steakhouses Near Me - Effingham, Illinois

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Wow! What a diamond in the rough! This place is an absolute dream! A restaurant with their own farm and the food reflects the meticulous care they took to set up the restaurant concept. The wedge salad with home grown tomatoes was fabulous, my halibut with porcini mushroom ravioli was to die for. The other dishes I sampled were the fried chicken over corn vichyssoise and that made me question my already great decision to get the halibut. The real surprise came with the best burger I've ever tasted. I eat a lot of great burgers, but I still crave this one. If I'm ever anywhere near Effingham again, I won't hesitate to stop and have another absolutely perfect dinner! read more

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After 1000 miles of the tedious and tallow menu items of the likes of McDonalds, Denneys & Cracker Barrel, a suicide bomber had issued a fatwa on my digestive metabolism. As Lady Luck looked kindly upon me for I stopped in Effingham for the night and Firefly Grill surfaced on the Yelp search. . Oh! To experience humanity again at Firefly Grill after the tyranny of interstate 70, rejuvenated my spirit to trudge onward through the usual suspects of IS 70, namely tasteless, colorful processed foodstuffs. A higher end restaurant with staff pleasing to look at, menu items pleasing to taste, wholesome and satisfying. One minor criticism, provide a wine list with the menu. read more

Solid experience yet the bone in ribeye was over cooked ... I did love the calamari appetizer and the pretzel bread saves the day!!

My wife and I just spent a fabulous time at Firefly Grill, enjoying the 6 course tasting menu. I find it very difficult to describe just how awesome the food, plating, and service is at Firefly. First off, the food. Flavor profile and plating, rivaling any Michelin Star restaurant in the big cities. The atmosphere is the same but without the embellishments of a fancy restaurant. It is simple, yet elegant, classy yet casual. Not many restaurants can you go for just a casual burger and beer the turn around and enjoy a romantic dinner that is way over the top. Why go to Chicago when you find what you desire, right here in Effingham. Service. It's like everyone has read Dale Carnegie "How to win friends and influence people". Total respect and friendliness from everyone. Our wait person was Cayla, and not only was she super nice, very attentive, but also very knowledgeable of the menu and how the dish is put together. We received a wonderful visit from the owners, Kristie and Niall Campbell. Niall is the chef. We felt like royalty. Kristie, Niall, and Cayla, we cannot thank you enough. Anyway, you gotta go there. You'll be glad you did! Paul and Becky read more

Excellent restaurant. On our road trip today we had to stop at Firefly grill. I have heard it so hyped up in Feast magazine and other publications. Well you can believe the hype! We started with the stuffed squash blossoms which were excellent, followed by the fried green tomatoes...ditto. Then for our mains we both enjoyed the 12 ounce ribeyes with a blue cheese butter and demi glace that made it just incredible. Propped up on a cloud of the smoothest whipped mashed potatoes. My daughter thoroughly enjoyed her chicken tenders with housemade ranch (as did we). The fries & strawberry soda were great and when we were about to leave they gave her some fish food to feed the fish in the pond. She had a ball and wanted more. The fact that a lot of what's on their menu they grow fresh on the property just bumps it up to baller foodie status for me. Thanks for keeping it live in Effingham Firefly! read more

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Delicious food and premier service. I had the steak burger. Beef was so flavorful, French fries were crisp and tasty, even the bun was delicious. SO had salmon - wild caught flown in daily. He's a fisherman and quite Picky about the fish he eats and he said it was out of this world. From the specials menu so may not always be available. Salads were good but the entrees were what gives this Place 5 stars. Shout out to Kelly who made the experience ever more enjoyable with her menu suggestions, pleasant conversation, and unobtrusive/always there when you need her service. Not easy to find but its right off Rte 70. Take a left at the light by the Starbucks and drive to the end of that road. read more

Very funny story how I came upon this restaurant. I was on a road-trip and saw a billboard sign on I-70 that said "Firefly Grill". First, I thought it would be a typical Midwest BBQ place, but boy was I wrong. This restaurant is tucked away from the highway and the main street, in an oasis of its own. It was just by chance I came to this restaurant and I'm extremely happy that I did. The restaurant is an organic based restaurant with their own garden. The ambiance is incredible. Firefly Grill has a deck and pond in the back side, and a fire-pit on the porch. I ordered Braised Kurobuta Pork Shank and it was excellent. It was so well cooked that the meat just pulled right off the bone. The pork came on a bed of split peas and roasted kale (grown from their garden). The service was great also. The hostess and the waiter were hospitable. The restaurant closes at 8pm on Sundays. However, I arrived about 8:30pm and they were still willing to serve me. I would definitely recommend this place to anybody who would love a hidden gem. read more

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First trip the food was fantastic. Second time around was not so hot. Started with the tomato, mozz, and basil salad. The tomatoes, touted as "heirloom", were under ripe and tasted no better than your average grocery store grape tomato. Basil leaves were left whole and managed to overpower each bite. $6 for a half order, aka 5 bite salad, is severely overpriced. The chicken with white asparagus risotto was over the top rich. It was screaming for acid. The fried duck egg and pancetta pinwheel were just unnecessary. The skin was perfectly crisp and could have been tasty but heavy handedness with sea salt left parts of the dish inedible. Greatly dissappointed on my second trip. read more

I want to really like this place, but I can't. First, the good; I love their building and decor. It fits the Southern Illinois landscape well, and is set far enough out of town to give you a sense of being in the country. The inside is designed in a very modern and spacious way, which appeals to me. However, that being said, the food here is overpriced both for the quality and the quantity of what you receive. I'm from Southern Illinois, but I travel a lot, and I can tell a lot of people are impressed with this restaurant simply because it stands out in Effingham. I think the best advice is this; try Firefly for lunch if you are feeling adventurous; you'll get to see the building, setting, and decor, while saving money on the food. Also, if you want some good wine, don't waste your money on the markups here, travel to one of the many local wineries in S. Illinois, and support them directly. read more

I've been here twice for birthday celebrations. First time the waiter refused to pay any attention to my friend - who I had taken there as a birthday treat - and instead asked any and all questions through me as if my friend were a small child. Portions were perfect, but we had to remind them a couple times they forgot one of our side dishes. Second time was when my grandmother took me for my own birthday this year. The waitress was much better this time around and when I wanted to order something they were supposed to be out of she went back and double checked to make sure they were completely out. The food was great as expected after the first time I went there. Potion sizes were still decent too. Just remember their menu changes with the seasons so that strawberry vinegarette or that delicious salmon you tried last time may not be available the next time you go. read more

My respite stop on trips to the OH. Great place to walk th dog. More $$ than typical travel stop food but after 8 hrs of diving, I deserve this treat. Fish tacos are recommended but all tasty. read more

Firefly Grill - Our target stop on trips to the OH. Room to walk the dog. A bit more $$ than usual travel fare but worth it n about now, I deserve a treat. - Steakhouses Near Me - Effingham, Illinois

I have to give FF only 4 stars because I was only there for lunch, and could not imbide....their beer / wine selection looked good but the proof is in the pudding...or the pint, as the case may be I was very impressed...for Effingham but this place would be a success (and much more expensive) in Chi-town.... I had the grilled scallops and pea risotto...very very good....along a well spiced but not overspiced chicken tortilla soup....excellent... my lunch partner had the chicken pot pie (hey, she's from Springfield, cut her some slack...) which she said was also excellent... Would like come back some evening (yeah, I know, on my way to........) and sample the beer list... but that is for a future time.... bottom line....wonderful....way to go Effingham.... read more