Stopped in to enjoy my St. Patrick's Day with some Corned Beef. Mac's was serving up a plate full of tender Corned Beef, Cabbage, Potatoes and Baby Carrots. The Corned Beef was fork tender. Their cabbage was a mixture, half of my serving was mushy and the other still had a little snap to the texture. Both the potatoes and carrots were spot on, I enjoyed them more than I did the cabbage. The food never disappoints me. I follow Mac's on FB so I can see what the daily specials are. There's been many times when I see something good and it helps me plan my meals for the day. The steak specials are always a winner. I'm also a fan of their burgers, onion rings and Sunday brunch. My beverage of choice was a Citrus Wheat which is brewed here in Alton at, Old Bakery Beer Company. I'm not a fan of Guinness beer, so the local craft beer was a nice substitute. The service was attentive and friendly for a busy holiday. read more

Mac's Downtown - Local Craft Beer - American Near Me - Alton, Illinois

See all

Whatever you do, don't get the blue cheese burger. It was dry and so bad. The bun was also stale. Just bad. On the flip side, the t bone steak was really good. Warning: the steak fries are just like a potato cut into 1/8s and fried. The regular fries are much better. Also, the beer garden area allows smoking. Not a great time for non smokers or kids. Service was pretty good despite being super busy. Definitely were attentive and always on the move. read more

Mac's Downtown - Blue cheese burger - American Near Me - Alton, Illinois

See all

Didn't even get to coordinate a proper review as I called to see if they accept reservations for one of our Catholic high school groups and whoever answered very rudely cut me off to say ", absolutely not" and proceeded to hang up before I even had a chance to ask anything. I've never had such an experience. As my status stands on Yelp, I probably could've had got their star rating up pretty high with my review but no thanks. I will not support anywhere I'm not respected. read more

My husband loves this place it's a laid back restaurant with regular American Fare. They have a completely covered patio that you can go outside with a sports bar feel. You can smoke outside also. The food was affordable and it's good. I always order a steak when I come and I'm satisfied when I leave. It's not something that I have to stop by but when I do I'm not disappointed. It's a spot where you don't feel like cooking and you are in the area stop in read more

Sunday brunch details - $18 a person, $3.50 for a soft drink so around $22 total. Buffet is very clean, great selection & everything was hot. Prime rib, bacon, sausage, eggs, eggs benedict, fresh fruit & more! They do charge a fee for using debit / credit. read more

See all

I hate giving any place a low rating but there are just some things that are inexcusable. Top of that list is cleanliness. The pictures describe the issues here better than I ever could. The first thing I did when I entered was head to the restrooms to wash my hands and the condition of the sink is just not acceptable. If this is how the restrooms are maintained, what about the kitchen? I was there with a large group and, if it were up to me, I'd apologize for suggesting this spot and I'd suggest we all go somewhere else. Since I was along for the ride, we elected to stay. I ordered a plain black coffee and what I was given was extremely watered down. I'm not attempting to sound macho here where I say "I love my coffee black like mud" or whatever other analogy you can think of but the coffee was literally see through. Like... come on. How do you screw up plain black drip coffee?! Again... see photos for what I'm talking about. You don't need to take my word for it. Side note: what a strange cup to serve coffee in, haha. In terms of the food, things looked alright. I ordered a burger and sweet potato fries and the burger was cooked well. The fries were limp and greasy however and didn't have much flavor besides acrid oil. Somehow I got a single tater tot as a bonus. It was actually likely the best thing in the plate! I made a huge error in eating the food here though because, for the next two day days, I had the worst upset stomach and spent a lot of time in my OWN bathroom at home, if you catch my drift. Food poisoning is real and I should have known better, based off of the cleanliness of this place. It's a shame because the prices were fair and service was cordial. read more

See all

New to area and thought I'd give this place a shot. The place seemed a bit busy but there were some empty tables. Being new, I was quite surprised with the indoor smoking. We ordered an appetizer then about 5 minutes later ordered out meal. The appetizer came out at the same time as our meal. The appetizer was nice and hot but my meal was a bit cold. I think the meal was made before the appetizer. Service was a bit slow even though I would see the waitresses gathering at a drink station. The place was ok, but the smoking was a bit overpowering. read more

Beyond impressed with the food, ambience and wait staff! Prime Rib done right on the Sunday brunch buffet. WOWZA!

Everything!!! the food was terrible. Ordered salads had hardly anything on them. Potato skins were hard as a rock sent back and they brought out more still over cooked and then they gave us the same sour cream from first plate because we already took a scope out I think they gave us same potato skins. Ordered chicken sliders the chicken was dry as a bone and burnt and waitress came back out said the manager said all chicken will be dry. I looked at waitress and said if it's going to be dry why even sell it. Don't recommend this place ever!! Manager never came out to check on anything or discount our bill and our was $100.09 or more dollars. read more

Wow, what a huge disappointment. Can't get a beer, takes 5-10 for a refill. 20 minutes to order, oh well, not in a hurry. Food comes, mushroom Swiss burger must have been cooked yesterday and warmed up, should have put it in broth if that's what you were going to do. Fries with it have been sitting for an hour or two, slightly warm. Oh my. The philly is awesome! Too bad I didn't order the old fries, so she went to get me the chips and french onion dip that I did order. They came after we were done. As my tea was empty for a bit, I went to get another since she wouldn't even look at us. Amazingly she saw that. Said she would get me one. Wonderful. Wow, look at the filthy glass she brought. Paid the bill and poor girl missed out, just a little effort, is all you need, my husband tips very well, not this time. Went to the manager, wow, she watched the video and I handed her the glass, she looked at me like I had lost my mind. No apology, no what can I do to fix it, no response. read more

Mac's Downtown - The dirty glass she served me a tea in. - American Near Me - Alton, Illinois

there is a mouse in the restaurant I'm currently in and they are taking forever with the food I ordered read more

Mac's Downtown - American Near Me - Alton, Illinois

See all

Every time I've been there the staff is extremely rude and the owner Mac is too busy being drunk at the corner of the bar to care. I would not recommend going here if you want good vibes and food. Went there on 12/30/25 and their was food just sitting out at room temperature on the counter. Looked like a big batch of coleslaw and my food was not cooked all the through. I order pizza and hot wings both items were undercooked. The pizza was doughy still and the chicken was still raw. read more

The head server was vary mean spirited, she was a horrible person to us iv heard this from other people sense this the bake potato was days old it .was a bad experience all around.the ambiance was ok read more

The beer garden is nice. The food is decent, but the service is the worst. Waitresses go MIA for long periods of time. DO NOT go late. Get out by early evening. There's a bad element at night and there have been multiple shootings out front and nearby. The police have to close off the street in front of the business at closing on the weekends, because people loiter in the streets and absolutely don't care. read more

My wife and I went to Mac's today (Easter Sunday) and they offered an Easter brunch today but I wasn't really in the mood for brunch. So, I asked for a menu and the waitress just huffed at me and said I need to give her a minute. Then the waitress begun to pick up a glass next to me (all the tables were dirty and left with dirty dishes and food everywhere. When she went to pick up the glass she knocked it over spilling soda all over the table and me. Never once did she apologize she just half ass wiped the table and she walked away never offering me anything to wipe the soda off of me. I know that Mac's is advertising like crazy about the new space and the giant guitar they had built but if your service is this bad you should prepare yourself for an onslaught of bad reviews. My wife and I left after that as I was not about to have that woman serve us. I'm not sure if we will ever be back as there are plenty of restaurants in Alton that I'm sure would welcome our service. read more

Food was awesome, the space is awesome, and the server was friendly, she checked on us a few times after the food was delivered. But, that's about when she stopped checking on us. We waited about 20 minutes after we'd finished eating to get some boxes and/or the check. We ended up asking the bartender for some boxes. We then waited 20 more minutes before we had to chase our server down to get the check. The worst part, and I'm not sure how legal this is, was that the bill had a card fee on it. The server had not run a card, just brought us the preliminary bill. We paid the entire bill in cash (I like to tip in cash so servers/wait staff can have always have cash and they do not have to wait) and I didn't want to have to wait another 20 minutes to ask our server/someone to fix/remove the card fee message and charge. I recommend watching your bills and receipts after visiting Mac's. read more

Food was served ice cold. Ordered buffalo shrimp. When they were brought out I bite into them and it was still ice cold. The server told me it was because they put cold sauce on them.... He then took them back and I assume put them in the microwave. Gross. read more

Service started out poorly, server demanded my drink order before I remove my jacket, said "I will bring you water" I ask for cup of hot water with lemon; it came in a cup with coffee drip marks on outside, inside had dirty coffee ring... needless to say she wiped the coffee off and gave me same cup! Food was below average, boneless wings were do double breaded very little chicken, and they added red pepper flakes to the Asian sauce. It's a bar motif do nothing grand. Our server was three shades from rude, could not remember giving us our bill. She added 3% for credit card when I paid cash . We shall not return, would not recommend this place. Service, clean cups Our server acted like she was doing us a favor... I low ball tipped for her attitude from the start never getting better read more

Stopped in for lunch while eagle watching along the Mississippi River. Food was very very good. Service was good. Wife had a bacon cheeseburger on poppy seed bun with fries. I had a Mushroom Swiss burger on Texas toast with hand made chips and garlic parmesan dip. All was prepared fine. Finished off the meal with a delicious triple layer chocolate cake. read more

Well, this has to be one of the worst food experiences I have had in a long time. It took about 50 minutes to get 3 apps and 2 burgers w/o buns. The fried mushrooms were good, the fried pickles were cold and were taken back and replaced but had to have been fried in the same oil as fish because they tasted fishy. The Mozzarella sticks were good. We ordered to blue cheese burgers medium that were as hard as hockey pucks. The waitress was very pleasant but occasionally absent. They did reduce the bill, I'll give them that. read more

We came here for a snack on a Friday. We walked in and little did we know our waiter was already stalking us. Lol. We sat at a table and he was right there getting our drink order. He brought our drinks super fast and we ordered right then and there. He checked on us multiple times and EVERYTHING was great! But I have to say the service was EXCELLENT. I have not had service like this in yearssss. What a great hire Mac's. His name is Daniel what a great person. read more

I give it zero stars really - the nachos were not edible with sitting water on the bottom of the dish soggy nachos from the meat sauce that tasted like a pasta meat sauce that was horrible and over sugared. I mean it made me sick. No joke. Then the tavern salad wasn't very good either. I mean how do you mess up nachos and salad? It's like they tried to do the worst possible job! I told the bartender they were not edible yet she still charged us for them - we left a full plate of nachos on the bar. So, $33.00 for one beer because it was the only thing that was good. I've been going there for years and I won't be returning for food ever again. Gross beyond belief. And I really dislike giving poor reviews. And the service was mediocre. The fact that she did not even offer a refund for obviously nasty food pretty much solidified my opinion. read more

Mac's Downtown - This picture actually makes the chips look like they are crispy but it's quite soggy and grotesque. - American Near Me - Alton, Illinois

My husband and I hosted a pre-wedding event here for our son and daughter-in-law. They exceeded our expectations! Abby arranged the buffet food and everyone commented on how tasty the sliders were. Tony was our waiter for the large group and was outstanding. He hustled and kept everyone in drinks all evening. The toasted ravs were on point too. Overall, we were very pleased with everything! read more

There's a good burger THEN there is a DUNUT BURGER! Too much you say? I think not this sweat and savory combo is everything you need! Probably best they only serve it one day a week because I cannot gain another COVID pound. Service was awesome and it's the perfect spot to grab a burger with friends, lots of space and great beer options! read more

See all

Well that was a surprisingly good meal! This unassuming downtown spot appears to be more of a saloon serving up Bud Light and J-mo shots to passers by for decades. But I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by the airy interior and dedication to good eats. + don't pass on the nachos and get the blackened chicken on top + soups and salads are + service is efficient and SoIL friendly And take some time to explore Alton. It's a beauty of a river town with lots of architectural charm, small businesses and food fit for foodies! read more

Mac's Downtown - Chicken Skewers - American Near Me - Alton, Illinois

See all

We ordered 3 of the smothered chicken and it was under cooked. Sent it back and they came back with half the original size and it was still under cooked. The manager did nothing to compensate us. Told us it was perfectly cooked which it wasn't. Even our waitress said it was under cooked. I came hungry and left hungry and pissed off after waiting 1.5 hrs. Had stop on our way home to get something else to eat... I will NOT be back!!!!! read more

Good food, vibes, live music and absolutely great house dressing Thanks Tony for the excellent service !!!! read more

Worst catering I've ever had in my life, I'm sick today due to my raw slider I bit into, all the lettuce wilted or brown, no cheese provided for sliders. I've never been to a cookout with worse burgers and I've been to some white ass cookouts. read more

See all

Great thin crust pizza with melty cheese and our choice of toppings. Moderate prices and a casual fun and relaxed atmosphere. Wait staff were on point. Wish every place had such attentive staff. read more

We eat at Mac"s fairly often. We sit outside on the patio and receive great service. We were there this past weekend and the food was better than normal. I had the filet special and it was delicious. My husband ordered a pizza and we had a couple of adult beverages. Jessica was our server and she was just great. This place is clean and enjoyable. read more

Mac's Downtown - Filet special - American Near Me - Alton, Illinois

See all

Ate here for dinner one night. Meat Loaf happened to be one of their specials that night so I ordered it. Hubby ordered a prime rib special they had that night. He loved the cesar salad that came with his meal. My meat loaf was pretty good, it had a bbq flavored sauce on the top and it gave the loaf good flavor. The sides were also good. Hubby's prime rib was not pink in the middle, as good prime rib should be, but he said it had good flavor and was tender. All in all, it was a good meal. read more

Mac's Downtown - Meat Loaf Special - American Near Me - Alton, Illinois

GET the sliders! They're pretty darn good! The fries? Okay. The service? Not bad, but not wonderful either. The environment? If you like LOUD and lots of TVs, it's great (ehhhh). But the sliders? Way good! Guess I might need to try somethin' else? read more

Mac's Downtown - Sliders! - American Near Me - Alton, Illinois

Went for brunch on Father's Day. Food was amazing, prepared well and presented exceptionally, service was very good. A bit of a line for food, but server explained that was unusual. Highly recommend! read more

My to go order was ready immediately and the food was terrific. The Philly is filling and the Swiss mushroom burger is better than other burgers in the area. The staff greeted me and was very friendly as well making sure I was taken care of. Also the steak fries.... They're massive and so good. The price for the value is on par. Will definitely be back. read more

Tried the brunch buffet the food was pretty good as with most places it seemed they may have been a bit understaffed. I would go back.

Very sad.. food is normally decent, but not today. Philly was so burnt couldn't even eat it. Only good part of my meal was that they hooked me up with extra extra French onion dip. Gonna be along time before I think about ordering from them again read more

Mac's Downtown - Suppose to be a philly - American Near Me - Alton, Illinois

Read the majority of the reviews and you will see that this place is not worth spending your hard earned money. The service is horrible and it just seems like they are trying not to give you service. Also, the word is that you might not want to visit at night due to violence from patrons. I do not recommend this place to anyone. read more

Great atmosphere Lots of great canned music The servers are super friendly and the food is very good The club sandwich is phenomenal We visit 2-3 times a month read more

food is shit, service is even worse. server is disengaged and doesn't care about anything. do not come here not worth your time or money. Atmosphere is very uncomfortable, insanely unsanitary and disgusting. read more

Went to Mac llast night for dinner it was terrific I had the shrimp dinner my husband had one of the subs which was huge then we had cheesecake and chocolate cake for dessert and they were both fantastic I will definitely be returning and send all my friends read more