Hungry Moose

My boyfriend and I enjoy some roadside kitsch, so when a magic shop we wanted to visit in Champaign…read morewas closed, this place was a welcome substitute. While it's not terribly impressive on the outside (it's in a strip mall), the 50's diner is a full-in blast from the past. Even better, it has a gift shop with all of the cheesy handmades (Signs with quotes! Crocheted tablecloths!) you could want. It has an old-fashioned soda fountain/diner counter and a jukebox, interesting cut outs on the walls, and a Batman on the ceiling (Why?) Service was great! There was a sign that said they were understaffed, but it didn't feel like it. To drink, I ordered a Red River (cherry soda). Green River was out, which made me a little sad. My boyfriend ordered the Reuben and I ordered the patty melt, and they were everything they should be: buttered bread, AMERICAN cheese (this place ain't fancy), burger patty that would be overdone by itself (me) but was perfect on the sandwich, buttery grilled onions (me), tangy and creamy homemade 1000 island dressing (my boyfriend). We both got the onion tanglers, which are like thick-cut onion rings, but are coarsely-chopped instead of rings. Salty crispy heaven served with a side of ranch in true Midwestern fashion. With tip, our bill was about $25. No doubt this will be a regular stop on our trips west!

Review Visit: October 28th, 2014…read more If you are a diner aficionado, do not confuse yourself. Yes, there is two diners in Illinois that have nearly the same name. This one is THE 50's Diner located in Peoria, IL and the other is THAT 50's Diner in Dwight, IL. The similarities do not end there. They are both themed from the 1950s. They have a big love of Elvis and other 1950's stuff decorating the diner. That's about where it ends. Matt, Tim, and I rolled up on a sunny autumn afternoon for some nostalgic trip. Not that we were alive in the 50's but it is always fun to visit a place themed after a time period one isn't alive for. I am still waiting for someone to open a Cafe 80's modeled after the one from Back to the Future II. This diner was screaming 50's from the moment we walked in. Black and white color scheme for the seating. 50's decor and memorabilia lining the walls and counters. A menu that screams styling from the time. But none of that matters in the end. It's the food. The menu emhpasizes the Loosey Sammich and that is just what I ordered. While looking over the menu, I did notice they served curly fries, which seems like a rarity outside of Hardee's/Carl Jrs. The diner wasn't busy so our server was timely and our food was delivered after a short while. The food was served in those plastic baskets with wax paper (but sometimes served on plates). To me, I enjoy food being delivered in those things. Why, only foggy childhood memories can explain. The food was dropped in front of us and the Loosey sandwich was... not appealing. I'm not sure what I was expecting but it if you've read enough of these blog posts, you know I save my judgment for how it tastes, not how it looks. Chomp. Chomp. A few bites in and my mouth ran in to dryness without flavor to cover it up. The sandwich was somehow disappointing despite being their signature sandwich. I am going to guess that the meat was sitting in a warmer and dried out. Ah, what a bummer. The fries were good, at least. I've been back a few times with my friend Maria for random breakfasts and lunches and the food from those visits mirrored my first experience here. Bland. Not to say the food is awful or should be avoided, but don't expect anything to make you crave coming back time and time again. But, on the other hand, maybe you'll love the place. Don't let me bland experience deter you from checking it out. Maybe my taste buds are compatible with the 50's. Ah, but this isnt the end of this blog. Nope, one little thing left to talk about. There is a store that takes up the right side of The 50's Diner. Yes, you heard it here. A store. I've browsed the merchandise for sale and I am not sure if this store is a consignment-based or what. The assortment of items is rather eclectic. There's novelty candy, jewelry, random clothes, and other odds and ends. It kind of makes visiting here exciting because you just never know what they will have on sale.

All you can eat walleye

Very neat interior!

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Gebby's Family Restaurant

4.1(54 reviews)

2.7 mi

Came from Chicago area, Love this place, food great, good portions and staff attentive and…read moreefficient. Seemed like mostly all local people. Sat at the bar and spoke to friendly people near us. They could remodel and update bathrooms. Hope to get back to area and try the restaurant adjacent.

Outstanding breakfast. I try to eat here whenever I come home for a visit. The food and service is…read morealways awesome. We had pancakes, biscuits and gravy and the hearty breakfast with poached eggs, bacon, pan fried hash browns. Their hash browns are excellent. Coffee is served piping hot with a small carafe on the side. It's a cute little restaurant that typically has a short wait on weekends. I highly recommend.

Hearty breakfast

The Cinnamon bun came out warm with the pot of coffee. A great beginning!

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Two Eggs over medium with hash browns & bacon. A little extra cinnamon roll just for good measure to start your day!

Mayflower Restaurant

4.3(19 reviews)

9.8 mi

Very friendly atmosphere, solid food very well prepared, very good value and service! Went there…read moreall three mornings during a recent family reunion in NW Peoria.

This review is for my grandmother…read more The Mayflower used to be a nice place to go for breakfast in a small town, but over the years the prices have skyrocketed. Also the server is rude and doesn't attend to all guests.

Steak Skillet

Blueberry Pancakes are Delicious!

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Bill was a little over $21.00 for two of us, both had the same thing, did not include a drink, we both had water.

Childers Eatery

4.1(219 reviews)

1.0 mi

Very good people working and good food with great selection. Clean and nice area. Easy parkingread more

I feel like if you want general American breakfast food, this is a solid place to go with fair…read moreprices. I got a salad with beets and sweet potatoes, although they forgot the sweet potatoes and brought me some after I pointed it out. I don't think you need to go out of your way but they do have a bunch of breakfast items you could get and it's a diner vibeish.

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One World

4.3(793 reviews)

1.9 mi

Passing through town, we needed a lunch place and chose One World. Wow, it was hopping over lunch…read moreon a Monday. Lots of energy in the place. There is quite a bit of seating. We had a nice booth in a back room. I chose the Lavendar lemonade. So good. Full of fresh fruit as well which I was happy to eat after the lemonade was gone. We split a turkey club sandwich with kettle chips on the side. So glad we split as it was huge. It came on a tomato ciabatta bun. It was so stuffed with ingredients it was hard to take the first bite. Street parking was easy. Service was good. I forgot my Yeti cup there and I reached out via the website and someone connected with me quickly to arrange sending it to me. So nice. It's appreciated!!

This is our must stop Peoria restaurant! Family friendly, cool vibes, great food and drinks and…read moreaffordable! Kiddie corner from Bradley's campus, this is a great place for families making a college visit to stop. I've been many, many times and on this latest Peoria trip stopped for both a breakfast and a dinner. We had great, quick service both times and delicious meals. I HIGHLY recommend the appetizer sampler platter, it is my favorite thing on the menu! A trio of great apps including a creamy spinach artichoke dip with warm bread, perfect pico de gallo with tortilla chips and fresh hummus with warm pita triangles. Perfect for sharing or just having as a meal honestly! We also love the Mac n cheese and burgers! For breakfast, I recommend the Belgium waffle- it is so good!! They have a variety of typical breakfast fare as well.

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Hummus- single

Honey Sugar's Cafe

4.0(1 review)

3.0 mi

This cafe is located in downtown Peoria at the twin towers? You will drive right past it if you…read moredon't know what you looking for. My brother found this on Google. I was surprised no one had this business on Yelp. Appreciated the service received and the recommendations offered. I come to Peoria I ften and seeing a soul food establishment finally is good. The location is interesting. It's unfortunate it's not in a more "inviting" space. Maybe it's when I cam, but there weren't any other establishments open cept for a barbershop, which I will come to next time. Now my brother wanted to try this place out because of the reviews on Google. The food was good? Hmmm, per my brother, the chicken was to oily. The catfish was nicely prepared. Just a SMIDGEN to much salt. The Mac n cheese was good. The greens were good per my brother and me since we both ordered it. Foot traffic was steady in the place.

Deep Fried Catfish Dinner/2 sides with Honey's Cornbread Slice.

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Lou's Drive-In

3.3(41 reviews)

2.2 mi

The food is great. The service is great. I look forward to their opening every year!!!read more

I was very much looking forward to taking my kid there. They completely forgot her food and when I…read morecalled back they acted as if I wasn't being honest. Ended up driving back with the food and was offered a gift card for half the amount that was spent. Will not return. Customer service wasn't very good

Lou's drive-in sign

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Silver Dollar

3.2(14 reviews)

3.2 mi

It's a hot Tuesday afternoon. We're on vacation in need of a cooling beverage. Silver Dollar was…read morethe nearest venue. So glad we stopped. The bar was clean and thankfully air conditioned. The beers were cheap and the cocktails strong. Thanks to "Crazy Mary" (who provided excellent service and was vey attentive) we received some valuable information on places to visit and local restaurants. She was fun to chat with and we're sorry we are just passing thru and cannot be regulars.

This place is average at best. A group of friends stopped in for breakfast. Food is adequate, but…read morenot great. The American fries had a texture and taste that resembled boiled potatoes more than fried. Floors were dirty and sticky. And it's time to recognize that it's 2023 and start accepting credit cards. I'm unlikely to return. One good point: I was able to get a decent bloody mary with breakfast.

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Schooners

4.4(61 reviews)

2.6 mi

Just had one of the best Buffalo chicken sandwiches I ever had. This place is a gem in the…read moreneighborhood. Met And talked with Gebby (the owner). Just a great and kind person. Friendly staff and lots of locals frequent this place for good reasons. Will be back.

I had the quarter chicken dinner. Both the fries and chicken were perfect. I mean it! Perfect,…read morevery crispy on the outside very soft, succulent and juicy (chicken was) on the inside. The service was very good too. It's not a fancy place but wow! Their chicken was perfect. I highly recommend giving it a try!!!

Welcome to Peoria!

Mozzarella sticks

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Connected Restaurant

4.3(262 reviews)

0.9 mi

•$$$

This was my first time visiting and I definitely plan to come back. The service was exceptional,…read moreand the food was exceptional as well. Upon walking into the restaurant, the little landscaping was really cute to see. All the staff was very pleasant and happy throughout our visit. I ordered the mushroom salad, which was amazing and I will order next visit as well. I also ordered a half order of the rigatoni with sausage. It was explained to me almost like a biscuits and gravy rigatoni and that was on point. Thank you connected for an enjoyable meal and service.

I went to the host stand and inquired as to our table. I was told it was the best they could do,…read moreor we could sit on the patio out front. Did I mention it was over 90 that day?? Our servers were slow to the table. Introduced themselves saying the gent would be the main server and the lady would be helping. SHE did all the work. Never saw him again. We could hardly hear each other talk. We were practically yelling. Dinks finally arrived. Later I ordered another glass of wine which never arrived. When I asked about it, I was told we were lucky to get the first round due to how busy they were. I was shocked at the response. The food was unusually average. Two of the dishes contained lobster. One was overcooked, the other lacked flavor. Yes, there were large parties in the house that night, but that is their business to manage NOT an excuse. If they want to cater solely to large groups, then DON'T take my reservation. There is growing competition for places to go for a nice night out, I'll be sure this place is lower on my list going forward. I felt very disrespected. Not a feeling I've ever gotten from this place.

Dessert

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Clifford C.

117

7 years ago

Time to HEAP on the cheapest food items per the original idea of the original restaurant concept. After my second time of an overpriced breakfast plate with FOUR bites of hash browns & oven-dried sausage patties, I realized the "overflowing plate" concept is exclusive to the pancake. Service both times was poor @ best. I wish the owners the best in the new Sterling Avenue location, but until you add 12¢ of potatoes to your $7 breakfast, you will probably continue to loose customers. read more

Christina P.

6 years ago

I have always enjoyed the food and atmosphere. Unfortunately, the owner allowed a drunk customer to call his bartender names and then fired the bartender. I wont go to an establishment that allows their staff to be treated that way. As a bartender myself, that behavior from an owner is unacceptable. I won't returning. read more

Chad Z.

10 years ago

In reply to Brandon K. review. the owner is not a female if you live across street you live in a electrical supply house. and if it were closing time you would be eating dinner night lunch Monday thru. Saturday and if It was on sunday 11/13 your a liar I was was there read more

Jeremy C.

12 years ago

Awesome. Great food. Nice staff. Its a small place So the seating is a little tight. But who cares? This is a mom and pop with kickass homemade food. read more

Matt B.

13 years ago

This place is amazing. Try the onion straws, and French toast. Everything we had was amazing. This little greasy spoon is amazing.

Kathryn C.

12 years ago

Food was delicious! We had a cheap, filling breakfast and great service! I'd definitely eat here again and again!

Karen D.

7 years ago

Eat here, get the tenderloin, you will not be disappointed. Great food and good service read more

Patrick W.

14 years ago

Big variety of diner food. Ham and brie sandwich is excellent. Breakfast all day long.

H D.

5 years ago

$22.00 for a chilli dog and 2 pancakes is way too expensive for me never again.

Rita C.

9 years ago

DELICIOUS!!!! Friendly, clean and very good prices!

Hungry Moose - diners - Updated October 2026

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My family and I ate here shortly after arriving at the Peoria Airport. Shortly after walking in, I…read morediscovered that there is not a changing table in the women's restroom; my hubs informed me that there is not one in the men's either. So maybe not super suitable for families with young kids. We were greeted promptly and drink orders were taken. The coffee was mediocre and we had to request a fresh pot be made. Our food came out quickly and was pretty good but nothing out of the ordinary. Atmosphere was average but inviting. Picture here: French toast combo with scrambled eggs and bacon

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There is no love for food here. It's just simply feeding people for the lowest cost possible. The…read morefacility is worn and humble. The people were friendly but unaware of the mediocrity they were serving.

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A Peoria native referred us to this breakfast restaurant so of course we had to try. There was a 15…read moreminute wait for a table. The hostess added my phone number to the list and we were seated after receiving a text. I ordered the On the Border skillet over seasoned potatoes, scrambled eggs and a side of pancakes. My meal was seasoned well and the salsa added a fresh element to the skillet. My husband ordered the Denver omelette with potatoes and pancakes. He's a harsh pancake critic but he gave these a great rating and I agree! Our food came very fast after ordering. I love that the establishment is on the smaller side; It gave a cozy, down home feel.

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The hostess Star was an absolute Gem. Restaurant was packed on a Sunday morning and she was still…read morean absolute angel with every customer. Will be coming back just for her

Hey guys it's Brad, back at it again with another review!…read more My friend was troubled with finding a place that served both a good Bloody Mary and Strawberry Pancakes. Luckily we found the found place! We immediately were seated in a comfy booth and I enjoyed the vibey music. My friend even started to dance! I got the breakfast tacos and was so happy to see a bottle of Cholula calling my name already at the table. They were delicious and paired excellent with the Ranch Taters. My friend got her spicy Bloody Mary along with her strawberry pancakes and ate her whole plate! What a biggie! My other friend, the dancing one, had a breakfast sandwich with hash browns. She enjoyed it and also ate the whole plate. Overall, it was a pleasant experience! Special shout out to our server Mary! (Fitting I know lol!) She was a treat and had great conversation with our table! Definitely will be coming back for great food and even better service! Peace out -Brad

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