I was a bit disappointed when I went into the bar. I was expecting more of a sports bar with some…read morefood and more premium/craft beers rather than just a tavern with bar pizzas. The bar tender was nice enough, but probably knowing I was from out of town or not being a regular, held conversations with the locals. It seemed like a good place to hang out for some drinks with friends though.

The service was amazing by Laura to is outsiders from Wisconsin. Highly recommend this bar…read moreestablishment!

We came in town to stay at the Campground House Airbnb (which btw is awesome) to fish, have…read morebonfires, and have an "unplugged" weekend. We decided to have a "night out" one night and started out at the Anchor Inn. Having been to another bar in the area where we were made to feel super unwelcome, this was an amazing contrast to that. As soon as we walked in, everyone waved and said hi to us. After a few minutes the owner came over to welcome us and we all took a shot together. The rest of our time there was spent discussing other fun stuff to do in the area and Illini sports! :)

Enjoyed lunch here today. I had read local reviews so we gave it a shot, only 30 minutes or so…read morefrom our house. The service was efficient, polite, a single woman running the front and one cook. Our food came out pretty fast. It wasn't that busy when we first got there right at noon, but the numbers grew as we wrapped up. I got a pork tenderloin sandwich w/ fries and my wife got a shrimp basket. The meals were good, and a pleasant lunch. We will certainly come back and try some other things. The fries and my BPT were a bit overcooked for my personal taste but certainly not burned or inedible. The place itself is quite nice, a big old building with lots of old wood and brick. The decoration style is simple, a few knick knacks, some model ships.

An old bar with some way cool character! The owner was a cool chick. Had a great burger & seasoned…read morefries. Prices were fair, food was good, great ambiance. I definitely recommend!

Dud's was a great choice for an early dinner. We had Brussels sprouts, Basket of Tots, White…read morecheddar cheese curds for appetizers. There were 4 of us, each ordered a meal, 1/3 Burger, Double bacon burger, Grilled Chicken sub, Fish and chips. All the meals were delicious. I had the grilled chicken sub it was so good, juicy, and filling. All of the appetizers were tasty even the sauces that went with them. The cheese curds were crunchy and soft. When we walked in we were greeted with smiles when we said we wanted to eat outside they were very helpful. The waitress was quick service and great with suggestions . Sitting outside was comfortable tables had a large umbrella, the area was clean. We will definitely eat there again.

From the owner: Great atmosphere for great drinks, great food, and a fantastic place to relax and enjoy friends or…read morea game on TV

Been a couple times a few years ago and this was not the best visit. Wings were drenched in an odd…read moresauce but everyone else said food was ok. Granted, we were there mid afternoon, but service was absolutely terrible. Only other people were a couple dudes sitting at the bar, but the only waitress never came to see if we needed drink refills. I had to go up to the bar to pay since she never came back to our table after delivering the food. Disappointed and wouldn't make the drive.

Good service and very welcoming. Always loved there food from when my dad owned the bar to now.read more

Pad See Ew, add chicken. Thank me later…read more Both times I have been to this restaurant the service has been incredible and the food amazing. Worth the drive from STL and always a stop while in Carlinville.

I was passing thru Carlinville and spotted Sun Thai , decided to give it a try. I have the Beef…read morePho , it was a large serving and very tasty. I just ordered mild with a bit of heat and was very pleased. Quick & friendly service. Would definitely recommend. The restaurant is in the historic original building and location of the Ariston Cafe opened in 1924. The building itself dates to 1854 and was the first 3 story building on the town square.

Food is decent, but prices are steeper than expected for the area. After hours the DJ CRANKS the…read moremusic for 2 people on the dance floor, even though the majority of people in the establishment would like to be able to continue their conversation. I left this establishment an hour ago and my ears are STILL ringing because of the unnecessarily loud music. (Even after asking them to turn down the volume and being told no). Seems odd to me that the bartender and their friends get to dictate this.

Jim is my hero. Prices are killer - service is impeccable. Jim will out gentleman your ass 24/7…read more We'll be back.

Stopped by the Prairie Inn for lunch today, We were greeted immediately with a pleasant hello from…read morebartender Lisa. We picked a table an had our drinks ordered and severed within a minute or two. The 1/2 lb burger was cooked perfect and the seasoned fry's were good. Also had the jalapeño bacon wrapped meatballs appetizer, recommended by the bartender, definitely worth ordering. This is the second time I have been to Prairie Inn, Both times I was greeted when I walked in, even though the bar was about 50% full. Service is always top notch and the food is delicious. I'm definitely looking forward to going again and sitting outside on their updated patio.

Made our third visit to a place that will certainly play high in our rotation. Went for lunch on…read moreMonday, realized this was the first time we had been other than a Saturday. The larger open area we had sat in prior was closed. We were in a smaller more intimate bar part with a a few tables. We had a very good lunch, and the single bar tender/server, Rebecca, was holding court masterfully. Right after we got seated the place filled up and she was off and running. Got everything right at every table, gave each of us the right amount of attention. Really enjoyed her suggestion on the "Prairie Sauce for my wings"... The wife got a burger and fries, always a solid choice here. I had a Chef's Salad along with the 6 wings (Mon. special) and was stuffed. The only thing I would want different is a slightly larger plate/bowl for the salad, early on it was hard to move it all around. It all worked out, but those first few moments were a little messy. Adding photo of Chef's Salad, very well executed, appreciate the volume and presentation, the chopped meats is the right move.

OMG! I just happened to visit the Wooden Duck for my first time, during Blackburn Colleges…read moreHomecoming. The restaurant was packed and the staff hustled to provide good service. Lucky for me, I was able to get a seat at the bar. My adult beverage was a draft Flight by Yuengling. For lunch, I went with a Pork Tenderloin Sandwich with a side of Fries. The tenderloin was crisp and had good flavor. However, it had a perfect shape, so I could tell it came from a bag and was not done in house. I enjoyed the thin crisp fries. A roll of Paper Towels served as your napkin. Typically I prefer linen, but for a dive bar, paper towels do the trick. I also liked that the Wooden Duck has hooks under the bar. Hooks provide a safe place for purses and jackets. I got a giggle when I used the mens room and the owner showed his political views by having a caricature of the governor in the urinal. They even had a witty disclaimer, so you shouldn't be offended. I got a second giggle when I looked around the bar and realized, about 60% of the guest were an alternative lifestyle. So everyone is welcome at the Wooden Duck.

How did I get here. We retired to a small town that doesn't have a DMV office. So we drove the 20…read moremiles to the thriving metropolis of Carlinville (not really,charming for sure, but just big enough to have cheap plaza office space for a state govt. office). So of course although my wife had done extensive research on all the documentation we would need to pay a state to drive our car...we had missed one. So we went to the Wood Duck for lunch while we waited for our credit union to send us a lien release form. We had talked to the kind soul at the DMV and she was "all-in" on this place. She was so right. It is an intimate space, with a small bar out front, and then a few more tables in a back area. We took a booth right in front of the kitchen. It is a very "locals" place. There were some police having lunch (likely the entire force, at least by weight)...and one of them stared me down as if he had never seen a veteran, former DoD executive, in a collared shirt, and khakis in a public restaurant before. [Yes I was the only pepper in the salt]. The actual restaurant staff was excellent, and welcoming. Our server was a whirlwind of effecient hospitality. I got a pork tenderloin sandwich (and later the same day was invited to join a pork tenderloin sandwich group on FB)... ordered the fries, not clear if that came with them, didn't keep the reciept. My wife got a cheesburger that she was very happy with. My tenderloin was crispy, juicy and a bit too salty in a good way. This place is a definite keeper on the list of places we will be willing to travel to over time. Perhaps if I come back often enough, Barney will get used to "others" visiting his little fiefdom.

The restaurant was clean and nice. They were able to fit in a big group with no problem. I got the…read moreQuesobarria and it was so good. We also had the stake quesadilla and that was also really good. The service was great and and the food came out fast and hot! Over all it was a great experience and definitely will be back!!

The best Mexican food we've ever had and always love it when we get a chance to get food from here!…read moreUsually do takeout, sometimes dine-in but usually always a couple people there if not close to a full house. The chicken fajitas are out of this world! Be careful doing "large" carry out orders over the phone because it took over 10 minutes to try to communicate what we wanted (5 items) after talking to two people and when arrived to pick up had to be remade because of errors in the order. If you get double order of fajitas make sure to check because there have been several times where it was way less than that. But otherwise will always look forward to the chance to get food from here!