Lake Road Inn

Sat at the bar (by the kitchen). Bartender and cook were extremely welcoming and friendly. Just…read morepassing thru so it was our first time here and would definitely go back. Smash burger was amazing. Hubby had the octoberfest burger on a pretzel bun with amazing beer cheese and awesome German potato salad. The atmosphere of the workers was extremely positive, great to see young oeople enjoying their job!

Stopped here for an early lunch. The new building is beautiful. It's louder than average. TV's and…read morelots of loud talking. The staff is friendly and attentive. The food was delicious. The water was from the tap and the tea was made from the tap. Very funny taste with both. They obviously cut as many corners on cost as possible. No plates or glass or plastic cups. No silverware. Again, the burgers are good but making this place a regular go too on my rotation is a no.

The spread

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Don't forget to ask Becky for a Arnold Schwarzenegger instead of a Arnold Palmer

The Local Tap Craft Kitchen & Ale House

4.0(18 reviews)

7.5 mi

wow this food was so good. came a little after open and got helped right away. drinks didn't take…read morelong just got some waters and sodas. then ordered food and that didn't take too long either, timing was reasonable. the server was very nice and the bartender as well. i got the cesar wrap 9/10, towards the bottom is was thigh meat i think and i didn't like that very much. the wings 10/10 it was half off as well. super flavorful. off the menu the spicy chicken pita 7/10, could use a little more flavor. all fries were very good and the ranch was very good reminded me of wing stop ranch.

Local Tap Craft Kitchen and Ale House in El Paso, Illinois, has quickly become a culinary standout…read moresince its 2022 opening, blending community roots with inventive Midwest flavors. Owned and Managed by Aaron Thomas with his really great team. This family-friendly alehouse prioritizes local partnerships and menu creativity, earning its place as a surprise standout in central Illinois' dining scene. Culinary Highlights The menu shines with elevated bar classics, including Ropp Jersey Cheese curds sourced from Normal, Illinois. ~a crispy, creamy nod to regional agriculture. Wings tossed in bourbon-Sriracha glaze and lemon-pepper buffalo rub draw regulars, while the Italian beef sandwich, paired with sweet potato fries and maple mayo, offers a sweet-savory twist. The showstopper is the custom steak-blend burger: certified Angus beef smashed on a brioche bun, smothered in American cheese, and served with loaded fries-a "step above" typical pub fare. Surprise Standout Culinary Chronicles' sleeper hit is the maple mayo dip, a sweet-smoky companion to crispy sweet potato fries. While rumors swirl about its cult following, the dip exemplifies The Local Tap's knack for balancing familiarity with innovation. Community and Craft True to its name, the restaurant champions local breweries such as White Oak, Riggs Beer Company, and Casper Brewing. Also, fostering a patio-to-indoor vibe that's equally suited for family dinners or friend gatherings. Weekly cocktail features, like the raspberry Long Island iced tea and barrel-aged Old Fashioned, underscore their bar program's versatility. With its commitment to Midwestern flavors, community ties, and dishes that surprise even seasoned foodies, The Local Tap is a destination worth the drive. As Osborn and Thomas expand their culinary playbook-including this week's chicken cordon bleu ciabatta with white wine cream sauce-the restaurant solidifies its role as El Paso's flavorful heartbeat.

Thanksgiving Turkey club

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Cranberry Mojito

Epiphany Farms Restaurant

4.5(517 reviews)

12.1 mi

•$$$

Good selection of food on the menu for something different to suit your taste. Check out the menu…read morein advance. The service is adequate to excellent depending on your waiter or waitress. The atmosphere is pleasant. Well lighted. You must climb steps to get to the second floor which makes it hard for the disabled. Other than that fine.

Our late night visit to Epiphany Farms/Anju was exceptional! A huge drink menu welcome us and we…read morehad the Beyond jalapeño cornbread for a starter, which proved to be quite yummy and not hot at all. We decided to go with the rustic pizzas that were delicious and unusual: harmony, Korean, chicken and loaded supreme. The crust tasted like it was from a woodfired oven and the Korean chicken pizza was so unusual and tasty with kimchi and pickled shiitake. The fresh from the forest mushroom side dish they gave us a special treat to us was quite a delicacy. Even the farm to table items they have for sale when you walk in to take home are a treat, Especially the homemade marshmallows! Ended with dessert of a fresh orange olive oil cake with just tremendous flavor and blood orange on the side and orange marmalade on the cake. It served exquisitely with a side of homemade ice cream that was to die for. We can't wait to come back! Our waitress, Lupe, treated us like family and was incredibly personal and warm. Put this on your must visit List.

Farm Restaurant

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Epiphany Farm Restaurant

DESTIHL Restaurant & Brew Works

4.2(1k reviews)

10.1 mi

So in 2018 we took a short weekend trip to Champaign, went to Allerton, got lost in the woods while…read moretowing a child who didn't walk and felt we were doomed. After getting back to our car finally in air conditioning, I looked for a place for lunch and picked Destihl in Champaign. VERY MEMORABLE MEAL. My husband and kids were very happy. Fastforward 8 years. My kids are teens and we go down to ISU for the state Special Olympics championship. My child who barely walked last time is now particpating in a sporting event and I need a place for lunch. I literally started looking on Yelp hoping to find something like that meal we had back in 2018. What do you know but Destihl is in Normal and we can go there. Went for lunch with a reservation on a Friday. They were very busy so I was happy I reserved. The service was awesome (Emil was our server). We ordered two apps (Snack plate / Pretzel) and all got lunches (Pickled Mac n Cheese, Fish tacos, Club). We didn't want to eat too much since we had a lot of walking in the sun coming for us. Everything was great. Here's the deal with Destihl and what I like about it: Lots of components to dishes and it works. Each component is well-thought out, very fresh and seasoned perfectly. I wanted to order everything on the menu. The first time wasn't a fluke (I was afraid it might be). I'm glad they are still creating great food and service. The restaurant is very roomy and comfortable. While we don't live close, we will make it back whenever we're around ISU.

So, I know the new kids in the block like this kind of thing to order from table and pay and…read morewaitress just plops food on table with all canned drinks no fountain drinks but honestly I didn't like that. I prefer more interaction with the people who are trying to earn a tip. But food was good 4 for food 1 for business profile So 3

Seating by bar area. We arrived at an off time, so it wasn't crowded. People started filtering in around 4pm.

Guajillo Chicken Nachos & Sausage and pepperoni stone oven pizza

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Dining area

Woody's Family Restaurant

4.2(72 reviews)

7.6 mi

Old time diner style menu offerings done fresh, tasting homemade with To-go-box portions!…read more Friendly, courteous service. Casual, comfy dining room, like an upscale diner. Don't miss the array of pies, cakes, cinnamon rolls showcased . Nice travel stop.

This is a family restaurant with friendly service and good food. Nice salad bar included with most…read moremeals. Small hot buffet. Nice selection of desserts. Reasonable prices.

Don't forget dessert

Vegetable soup, some crackers, and endless salad creations

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Pork tenderloin sandwich with french fries

Baxters American Grille

4.0(230 reviews)

11.2 mi

We had eaten at Baxters before and really enjoyed the atmosphere and wonderful pasta dishes. But…read moretoday we wanted a good steakhouse steak dinner. We started off with shrimp cocktail. It was fine, though the cocktail sauce could have used a little more horseradish. The basket of warm bread and whipped butter was great. And The salads were excellent (we went for a standard greens salad and a Caesar salad). For the main dish, we each ordered a bacon wrapped filet, medium rare, with Brussels sprouts. The filets were prepared as directed, but seemed dry, tough and flavorless. Disappointed. But worse was the Brussels sprouts (one of our favorites). The sprouts were hard, woefully undercooked and crunchy. Not in a good way. The flavor was lost in the rough texture. Very disappointed. The staff seemed a little flustered too. Brought a side a sautéed onions when we'd ordered mushrooms. Too bad, as we had enjoyed our pasta meals before and had expected a steakhouse to perform better.

I came here tonight with 3 colleagues and it was 50% off all appetizers! What a deal! We shared the…read moresticky ribs, the pretzel, the nachos and mushrooms. The hit were the mushrooms and pretzel! It was filling and all very fresh. The mushrooms were gooey with cheese and a sauce. The pretzel was warm and brown with a yummy cheese sauce. We agreed the nachos were average. The ribs were good but I didn't love the mustard in the sauce. We had great service and you couldn't beat the price. Major score tonight!

Chilled Wine

Parmesan crusted Halibut

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Lexington Social

4.6(40 reviews)

8.0 mi

Lexington Social is definitely a destination dining experience. They are only open Thursday through…read moreSaturday, 5 pm-9pm unless they are having a special event such as Lexington on the Shore, a one day Maine Lobster shack experience with Maine and Connecticut style lobster rolls, clam chowder, fresh oysters, fish and chips, and fried clams. The petite Sea Kist oysters from Rhode Island were very good as were the Pleasant Cove oysters from Maine. We had the Connecticut style lobster rolls ( butter instead of mayonnaise salad style.) The fried clams were also very tasty. I liked the briny taste of the Rhode Island oysters slightly more than the Maine ones. Lobster rolls were only $34 which was quite reasonable. All in all, our dinner including Column Like I See 'Em' American lager from White Oak Brewing in Normal, Illinois came to about $82 each including tip. They also feature local beers from Fairbury, Illinois. Lexington is just outside of Bloomington-Normal and about an hour from Champaign, Illinois. It is worth the drive for such a fantastic dining experience.

I'd like to preface this review by saying last time I was here it was very, very good. This time…read morehowever, it was not. Last night I took my college-aged kids and wife here for my birthday. It was the 4th time I've been and was by far the worst experience. We started w oysters and they were great--both kinds. My kids and I ordered iced teas and got glasses full of ice w a little bit of really watery iced tea. Next were the fries--pretty good but the "aioli" was just mayo w a dash of lemon -- diff than last time. The carrots were also pretty good, but the flavors didn't all come together. We asked for a refill on iced tea and were told "the bar just 86'd iced tea for the night". ??The restaurant seemed discombobulated. The lamb ribs were cooked really well but didn't have much flavor. Our waiter never came by 1x to ask about or food, and when clearing plates never wiped up spilled food from the table. Had high hopes for the main entrees (lemon pasta and halibut w beurre blanc). All of our entrees came to the table lukewarm. The lemon pasta was oily and a little clumpy and didn't taste great. The halibut was overcooked and the beurre blanc had little to no taste. Super disappointing. If this was the first time I had been there I wouldn't go back.

Dining room

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Bar.

Barrel House

3.7(77 reviews)

13.1 mi

The food was good but it all came down to our waitress. Ashley with a K!!! She made our night…read moreeasy, she was inviting, informative on the menu and overall made the four of us in our group feel right at home. Next time we are in Normal IL we will certainly stop back in and make sure we ask for Ashley with a K!!!!

Beau was our server and he was abs incredible! super nice and friendly!!! service was fast and he…read morecame to apologize when our food was taking a little too long which we appreciated!! the vibe of the place was awesome! next time we are in Bloomington we will definitely come back :)

Inside

Spicy curds

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Reuban

The Spotted Dog

4.2(77 reviews)

13.2 mi

Dee was phenomenal. Could not ask for a better bartender! I would give more stars if I could!read more

Yeah dude! Really great spot…read more The Pony Shoe was really great. The cheese sauce it was doused in had a very unique flavor to it. The burger patty was also, like, seasoned well (what a concept!)? Like whaaaaat? Also, the portion size was great for the price. 9.5/10

Beer's cold!

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Rosie's Pub

4.2(226 reviews)

12.2 mi

Amazing service, food, and experience. Always a top spot for celebrations, a good family dinner, or…read morea drink after work. Beautiful interior and the bar has a great vibe. Love it!

Looks to be amongst the popular for the locals. I went with co-workers while in town. Solid menu…read morewith a lot of variety. Standard bar food with a bit of flair. Waitress was friendly, seating was comfortable, and the decor was cute. No complaints here.

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Lake Road Inn - bars - Updated October 2026

People who viewed Lake Road Inn also viewed

Kicks Bar & Grill

4.1

(33 reviews)

Good food and great service. located right off of Route 66 It is the type of Bar that makes you…read morefeel at home right away. The food selection is good nothing fancy just plain good food No draft beer just can and bottle but they do have a full bar and video gaming

The food is always good and the service is even better. Truthfully, if you're looking for a…read morerelaxing bar experience that can take you back to a simpler day, Kicks is the way to go.

Gill Street Sports Bar and Restaurant

3.1

(58 reviews)

The outdoor seating is very nice...watching the volleyball games is great during the summer. My…read morehusband has been in a leasgue out there for the last 5 years and they maintain their courts well. The food is always good...not the most creative menu, but solid food. I will say that the service is not always up to par...it seems the busier it gets, the more difficult it seems to be to even get a menu to order.

Charged me $9 for a domestic draft beer. Never again will I go there for any reason and...food is…read moredismal

The Local Tap Craft Kitchen & Ale House

4.0

(18 reviews)

Sit N Bull Bar

4.7

(3 reviews)

The bartenders are always very friendly. They have happy hour prices several days per week and the…read morebeer is always ice cold! Highly recommend!

Love love love discovering local hang-outs when on vacation or exploring a new area. We actually…read morestopped in at about 3-ish, so it wasn't really busy, but the place definitely looks like it can cater to groups. Sit-N-Bull offered a cool place to hang out, and I look forward to stopping by the next time we're in town.

Merna Tap

4.1

(25 reviews)

I think the food is always great. The service is always on point, very friendly staff…read more I recommend it to everyone and try to patronize every week. If others have problems with the place, easy answer. Go somewhere else, why wreck it for others because of your paranoia. (Susan S)!! Go and have fun, enjoy life and support the people trying to make a living.

This evening must've been an off day for them, our burgers, both, barely filled the bun, like half…read morea burger on a bun. Normally we enjoy their burgers, big and juicy. Order of onion rings were skimpy. Not very busy tonight, Sunday, so it's not like they were overwhelmed. I did mention the size of the patty seemed much smaller than normal to the waitress. We will try them at a later date and hopefully they will return to what they're known for, big burgers. Typical ambiance of a local bar.

Smash House Tavern

3.5

(19 reviews)

This place has a great staff! The Italian Beef is off the hook! Also, a great selection of beers…read moreon tap! Amazing live Jazz too!

Jalapeño Popper Smash - wow was this burger yummy! The right amount of spice with a creamy cream…read morecheese spread with cheddar cheese too! So so good the fries were crispy and crunchy just the way I like them. We also got the fried pickles and perfection - a light batter is my favorite! It's more of a bar, nice and clean. The staff was great and they kept busy!

The Backstretch Bar & Grill

3.8

(5 reviews)

Had to stop in this bar and grill in Pontiac after seeing the prices are cheap. It has about what…read moreyou can expect. The Backstretch has an auto racing kind of theme. Lots of TVs tuned into various games. You can get pretty strong drinks and food that's better than it looks. Certainly there's a greasy feeling about it. It's not exactly the cleanest or nicest but it's better than a whole lot of other places in town to go to. This mostly gets crowded on weekends. Actually it's never too crowded. There's happy hours on Wednesdays and Saturdays. It's about $7 for a basic cocktail. Whiskey and whatever. It's about $7 for most appetizers. The Giant Pretzel is great for sharing. Comes with a beer cheese or something else. The rest of the menu includes things like fish sandwiches. Good place to watch games. It's one of the few places around here that's open on Sundays. That makes sense because races are usually on the weekends.

It has been a while since I have been to this location. In fact, it was called Chump's and Bonz…read morebefore. The old sign is still there but so is the sign for The Backstretch Bar & Grill? I heard some good things about the pizza they serve so I figured I would give it a shot for myself. I placed a carry out order over the phone and was told it would be 20 minutes. The place wasn't that busy when I arrived, and it looked just like I remembered. There were two employees working and I spoke with both. They were both very friendly and my pizza was ready as promised. The crust was about par for the course around here. Not much taste outside of flour. The sauce was decent, and the toppings were plentiful. The cheese is the type mozzarella that turns a bit rubbery, but I must admit, I like that. All in all, I enjoyed the pizza, and the service was friendly. Was it my favorite pizza in Pontiac? No. But, I wouldn't hesitate to come back.

Colfax Bar and Grill

4.8

(5 reviews)

Our meals were very good, burgers to chicken fried chicken. Service is good as it's a small quaint…read moreestablishment. Don't judge a cover by the book, as the inside is nice and cozy.

I am writing this from the perspective of someone with the expectation of bar food in a local…read morewatering hole. That is exactly what we got and it was really good! I had a grilled cheese and hubby had a patty melt. Delicious and cooked perfectly. The crinkle fries were crunchy on the outside and fluffy inside. Nice game/slot room that is separate from The restaurant. Great service!

Joe's Station House Pizza Pub

3.4

(202 reviews)