Brickhouse has the perfect local dive bar feel but with a really nice setup inside. Huge open…read morespaces, tons of TVs for watching sports, and long tables that make it great for groups and gatherings. The food menu has a lot of solid options, but the wings are easily the best in the area, huge, meaty, and packed with flavor. Great variety of beers on tap too. Definitely a spot worth checking out if you want good food, cold beer, and a relaxed atmosphere.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, you do not have to be at a Mexican restaurant to enjoy a…read moregood Taco Tuesday. LBG offers up a delicious variety of tacos. You get to choose from; Beef, Chicken, Fried and my personal favorite, Grilled Shrimp. They come three to a basket. The only downside is, you cannot mix and match. However, if you have multiple people in your group, you can do it yourself at the table. In addition to the amazing tacos, you can enjoy a Taco Salad, Taco Pizza, Smothered Burrito, Loaded Nachos and Burrito Bowl. If you need something to munch on with your refreshing Margarita, order the Three Amigos. It's a basket of Tortilla Chips with Salsa, Guacamole and White Cheese Dip. I am not embarrassed to admit, I've had them all and will proudly say they're all delicious. I've dined at a table and seated at the bar and each time the service has been attentive and friendly.

I am so proud of myself. Today, I went to The Pump House and I did not order chicken wings. It was…read morea struggle, but I forced myself to order something else off the menu and I am glad that I did. Instead of my typical order of wings and fries, I got the Pump Jack Burger. It's made with Angus beef topped with Pepper Jack cheese, Grilled Balsamic Onions, Mild Banana Pepper Rings with a Sweet and Spicy Sauce, all served on a Onion Roll. It was served with a side of Fries. I was impressed by the size of the burger and that it was hand pressed. A hand pressed burger always tastes better to me. I requested that it be prepared medium rare and it was done perfectly. The fries were soft, I'd prefer mine a little crispier, but they were seasoned well. I got a giggle from their ketchup bottle, it said it was "Fancy". They have an impressive variety of beers. They offer draft, bottle and canned. I personally always go with one of the many craft beers they have on the menu. When dining alone, I always sit at the bar. The bartenders are typically female and are friendly. I am fan of hooks under a bar and Pump House takes it even a step further. They also offer, outlets. If your phone needs a charge and you've got a cord, you are set to go. Offering outlets under a bar, is top notch customer service. Now that I know they have great burgers as well as their wings, I'll have to rotate between the two when coming to dine.

Update Haven't been back here too much but called in for an…read moreorder to go tonight. Pump House! You need new cooks! The ones you have don't know how to cook basic food. Like I said in my first review you need to learn low and slow for a pork steak. Oh we don't have that anymore. Thank goodness. Your pork steak was chewy and not done appropriately. Horrible to try and eat. Tonight one of us got the chipotle chicken sandwich. The chicken was cooked to death. Ugh. Came out like chicken powder, you know the kind they put in your dog's food? Way too dry. Hard to eat. All the menus online are out of date so just about everything we chose we were told oh we don't have that anymore. Not good business practice. Put out a new menu and delete the old ones!! You fit right in with the rest of the crap food we are served in this area. Not a bit better. We won't try again.

A bowling alley bar and grill is just like a dive bar. They have a down home feeling and they seem…read moreto know all the regulars. I gotta come back at night time when there is a bustling bunch of bowlers in the bar area. I was the only one in the grill at lunch time, so the bartender was busy stocking and the cook had to come out and do double duty as a waitress. I will say, my beer was cold and the frosted glass gave it an extra chill. I had a cheeseburger that was a hand patty. My garnishes were onion and lettuce and I had a side of fries. It was all served hot, but not as quickly as I would have thought being the only diner. I think with the workers do side and prep work made things a little slower. That is why I'll return and give them a second try.

This place is like an oasis in the middle of a vast desert. The Christmas lights on the outside of…read morethe building pull you in like a strange unexplainable magnetic force. Once inside, you'll be exposed to one of the most expected but savory bar menus. You'll be able to wash down your mozzarella sticks, nachos, philly cheese steak and chicken wraps, with some of the best local IPA's and traditional beers you know and love. Once your belly is full, you'll be able to enjoy some of the best bowling this side of the Mississippi!! Whether you're out with some friends, on a first date, or celebrating your 25th wedding anniversary, this place is the only establishment to go to. You'll never have a bad time at Spectators!

RJ's is a true neighborhood dive bar. It's just down the street from all the refineries in…read moreHartford, so it caters to a true blue collar crowd. When a bar caters to a blue collar crowd, you know the drinks are going to be good and the food is going to be delicious comfort bar food. I discovered RJ's from a local monthly coupon magazine that is delivered in the mail. On my first visit, I glanced over the menu and then noticed a flier with daily specials for the month. By chance, the day I was visiting the special was 8 piece wings and fries. I was sold, especially because I got decide between breaded or naked. I prefer my wings naked, so that was a win. They offered four different sauces available. I asked the bartender which one she recommended and she suggested the one I was leaning towards - Sweet & Spicy. I'm a counter, I like to have the same amount of flats and drums. I favor drums, so I wasn't too disappointed when my order had 5 drums and 3 flats. The sauce lived up to its name, it had a nice tang and my fingers didn't get too sticky while eating. The fries were crinkle, which is my favorite right behind house-cut. They were super crispy and not overly salty. Wings for lunch is always a win for me. They didn't have much of a selection of craft beers and had no IPA's. So I enjoyed a, Blue Moon. The bartender was attentive, but not overly friendly. The staff looked at me as if I didn't belong. It was my first time, I am sure once I return, they'll be warmer. I'm learning as I adjust to my new hood, that the neighborhood places are truly neighborhood favorites. I did get a giggle that they sold Yankee Candles behind the bar. They also made me smile, by having hooks under the bar. The charms of a dive bar will always surprise.

Went there for lunch. Had the Italian beef. It had a good flavor but was too soupy for my liking…read more The onion rings were very good and would recommend them. We were a large group, they apologized up front as to a wait, but the food came out pretty quick. Overall I was not disappointed with the overal experience.

We stopped by for a drink after dinner. First impression was an overwhelming smell of smoke…read more Apparently the room in the back is a smoking lounge and of course the smell leaks out into the main area. We got used to it pretty quickly. It's not nearly as bad as bars used to be. The bartender was great. Drinks were cheap and not too watered down like a lot of places. The music was at a comfortable level. We all enjoyed it and will stop by again if we are out that way.

Nice standard Midwest dive bar. Beer was cold and even had a fridge with some locals. People were…read moregenerally friendly but didn't go out of their way; the place you go when you want a drink and to be left alone. Negative: lost an item and not sure where; wanted to check the bar but their phone number sends you to voice mail and no messages. Very annoying...

A local fave! This restaurant is soo delicious. We love the street tacos. The quesabirria is…read moreauthentic and very tasty. Even when ordered as take out or delivery, it is soo good & maintains its quality. When dining in our servers have been kind, quick, and collaborative.

Friday night and this small restaurant was packed! We were seated as soon as we walked in and…read morewaited about 15-20 minutes for our food. The service was good and the servers were friendly. The birria that I ordered wasn't necessarily the best, but I'd certainly go back to try something else.

Best liquor store in Illinois or Missouri!! They almost always have what I want and if they don't…read morethey are sure to order it

From the owner: Liquor store stocking a large variety of goods, including hard-to-find candies.read more

The Airliner is a great local family bar…read more The interior is decorated with lots of fun things to look at and if you ask the bartender, she will make Woody's horse above the door trot to music. The kids love it! The food is wonderful as well! Award winning chili and yummy hot wings are on the menu. Tons of sandwiches, but if you don't want meat, the roasted veggies with garlic bread are great too. If you're on a low carb diet, the grilled chicken breast has the best seasonings! Beer is cold and service is fast and friendly. It's definitely worth a stop in this little bar if you like little "dive" places with great food, and fun ambience. Oh, almost forgot to add: the prices are extremely reasonable.

We stopped here on a whim (cute diner atmosphere) and I have to say this place has THE BEST…read moreburgers!! The 1/4 lbs cheeseburger was great but the patty melt was FANTASTIC!! Would have given it a 5 star but the service was really bad. The waiter barely waited on us and he decided the chips I ordered should be fries instead. ($1.50 up charge and I don't even eat fries) He never came back to see if our food was ok (we were sitting at the counter and ignored) so I was never able to get it corrected so we had to pay the up charge. Plus people at other tables were yelling at him from a booth over the counter "can we get some boxes and our bill" and another booth did the same, so evidently everyone got the same crappy service.

To be honest, I was not impressed. I walked out without buying anything and that is unusual for me…read morewho has a fully stocked bar at home. I thought the variety of liquor was poor and leaned towards the lower end of quality and price point. With that being said, my local grocer beats them on price. I was not impressed with the mixers, garnishes and bar accessories, too. However, they did have an extensive selection of beer and the prices were good. For me, a cocktail snob, I'll make the drive to Edwardsville or Saint Louis for a better liquor store.

Way over priced terrible service certain liquors are seven to $15 overpriced some of the wine us 3…read moreto 5 dollars overpriced and say they have the best prices in town

Planned to meet friends with under-age kids here on a Friday night after a high school football…read moregame. Late-night food options in Alton are sparse. Had eaten here in the past, but apparently this bar/restaurant recently changed ownership. The once loud dance crowd was absent and few cars occupied the parking lot. The menu appeared the same. We ordered chicken wings, peel n eat shrimp and a burger. They only had cajun shrimp left, so after seeing the folks behind me being served the ribeye dinner, I changed my order. Wow. Great flavor, and served with roasted potatoes and fresh green beans. I was impressed. All that was missing was bread, but I didn't care much. I liked the quieter atmosphere and after a very drunk man made a huge scene and a fool of himself, the manager stopped by our table with an apology. Very good service. Excellent value for a steak dinner. Still a great place to eat. The entire meal was less than $30 for two drinks, burger/fries, and steak dinner!

If you're a fan of their Grafton, IL location, you're going to love this one, too. It's way bigger…read moreand we all know, bigger is usually better. Having recently moved to the River-bend area, I am out exploring my new territory. I am on the search for great burgers, wings, pizza and other popular pub foods. Going home from my cousins, I was traveling a side backroad and as I was passing 3rd Chute, I quickly entered the second entrance. I was surprised that they had added a second location and became anxious to see their pub fare. The COVID restrictions had just been lifted today, so their was a mix of mask and non-mask wearers in the restaurant. The majority of the staff was mask-less and half the patrons like myself were still wearing one. I seated myself at the far end of the bar and I'd be damned if a young man didn't come sit next to me with only one stool between us. At first i was miffed, but when I looked, he too was a mask wearer. When I pulled into the lot, my intentions was to get wings or a burger. However, my mind was quickly changed when I found out what the special of the day was. Their special was Fried Catfish! It came with two fillets of fish and two sides. I'm a fan of catfish, so I was sold. They had signage up promoting Jayne's famous chili, so I went ahead and had a small bowl as one of my sides. It was very mild. I like some spice and heat to my chili, but I can see why a lot of folks may be excited about hers. For my other side I choose fries. They served up the thin shoestring type fries similar to a famous burger chain. They were extra crispy and only lightly salted, which I like. Then there was the catfish, the two fillets were larger then I had anticipated, but I managed to eat them all. They came with a thick slice of white bread, similar to Texas toast and a generous slice of white onion. I'd get this special again, if offered. Except I'd replace the chili with coleslaw a side dish that goes better with fried catfish. When in a pub, you gotta drink booze, so I enjoyed a, Love Gun from Heavy Riff. It was nice to see that they offered a good variety of local breweries from both sides of the Mississippi. Staff was friendly and attentive. My bartender checked in with me several times to make sure I didn't need anything and to make sure I was satisfied with my entree. The atmosphere and ambiance is a cross between a sports pub and country bar, but I found it to be very relaxing. Will I return? - They've got burgers, wings and pizza for me to try. When: October 10, 2020 10102020 Why: Meal of Day