What a find! You would never know this place exists unless you're a local. It's hard to put into words how cool this place is! The deck is massive, tons of tables, and the view is top 10! Service was excellent and super friendly! Got the lobster salad BLT with the pub chips. The bacon- thick, crispy and amazing. Texas toast was perfect. The lobster salad was spot on. Definitely want to go back on a weekend and enjoy the deck!! read more

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What a fun place ! Good food and great view of the lake . They had plenty of vegan options for me as well. Really enjoyed the acai bowl . read more

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I have been there many many times during the summer months and never had a bad experience or a bad meal. read more

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It was a hot, humid, buggy June evening. I understand there will be bugs when eating outside. But it was buggy. Annoyingly so. The food was okay. Not fabulous but all right. The pizzas were the highlight of the meal. I appreciate that it is a dog-friendly establishment and my dog had a great time. read more

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Coolest place. Walked over to have a Bloody Mary while camping next door. Highly recommend!! read more

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Service and Ambiance was great! Food was ok. Would have been nice to have fresh breaded shrimp instead of frozen. Drink prices were a little steep. I guess i should have asked before ordering. 2 coronanitas and an order of island shrimp was $50. It was quite the expensive lunch. read more

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We loved this restaurant! The domes were so adorable and it was a unique way to have dinner outside in the cold weather. We loved the Christmas aesthetic and Christmas music too. It was a super fun way to be outside while not freezing, and to also be near other groups but feel more intimate. The food was good and all of our orders were correct. Every staff member we encountered was great. Tipping is included at 20% automatically. I'm not sure how long a wait would typically be with no reservation, but we had a reservation, arrived a bit early, and they were ready for us. I would recommend eating here, especially during the cold season to experience the domes! I'm sure it's nice in warmer months too! read more

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I loved their Taco salads!! Was a great size and over loaded with Everything!! I believe it is served on Tuesday!! Our service was great and we enjoyed the view of the lake!! We will be back again for another Taco salad !! read more

Pinky's - Taco salad - American Near Me - Effingham, Illinois

The food, service, and beautiful surroundings earn this place a 5 star rating! Friends and I spent a gorgeous fall day, having lunch on the deck. The waitress was attentive. We were not rushed but well cared for. The food we had was a strawberry/pecan salad, the fish and chips, and the lobster BLT. EVERYTHING was wonderful. read more

Effingham's hidden gem! It might be a drive but well worth it! With the beautiful Lakeview, great service and amazing food it's a must try!!! Took the day off for my birthday and spent the day in Effingham however Pinky's was the highlight! we went on Taco Tuesday and the margaritas were on special as well! Love this place. We will be back soon! read more

Because of the setting, right on the lake with great views I will have to give it 5 stars. The service was great as well. The burger I will give an A minus, the chicken salad a B and the fries and A plus. read more

Fish tacos were bland. Also it was obvious our order went missing or was messed up, the wait was long. Other tables seated after us got their food. Server didn't come up once to explain or apologize. It has decent atmosphere, that's it. read more

First off, I would say come here for DRINKS not food. GREAT location, so pretty, huge tables. Getting drinks here would be so fun in the summer. And service was great. Drinks were good. But most of the food was not good so sorry to say. The ghost pepper cheese bites good, but the crispy chicken sandwich and mac and cheese burger and they were both very bland. The hostess and servers were great and really the huge tables and view of the river makes it the perfect place for a party and drinks. read more

The domes were a very fun experience for the holidays. Food the same as we have had in the past. Service was outstanding! We really enjoy the people and atmosphere at Pinky's. read more

You don't go here for the food, it's the atmosphere. We visited today because we wanted an outdoor restaurant on a beautiful day. We waited over an hour for our food, for 4 people. The grouper fish and chips is all breading and very little fish. Big disappointment! read more

The the drive from Decatur was worth it to experience a wonderful dining experience under the domes at Pinky's. The food, the service and the atmosphere were all awesome. This was our first visit and will not be the last to enjoy the Christmas decorations all around the facility. read more

Reserved one of their heated domes for my girlfriend's birthday. We arrived for our reservation on time and ended up waiting 25 minutes standing near their bar while another party wrapped up their meal, despite a clear disclaimer at the top of the print out regarding dome rentals very clearly stating that they didn't allow people to overstay on time. Should have politely cleared the dome out in time for our reservation. Their menu was, in short, very uninspired. Nothing eye catching or appealing. I got the "Alaskan Pollock" which was incredibly disappointing, the fries were under done and the fish was greasy and 90% breading. Some very anorexic, frozen tasting fish and it was overdone no less. The highlight of the evening was playing limp bizket on the touchtunes, much to the dismay of the other clientele read more

Fantastic new fall menu for food and drinks!! Very comfortable domes for your eating and drinking pleasure!! most definitely worth checking out!! read more

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The food was very good and was moderately priced. Having dinner in the globe was like being in a room, we could talk and hear each other and didn't feel like we had to talk over music. Staff was excellent. Highly recommend read more

Absolutely disappointed. Memorial Day and the place was moderately busy. Several open tables, but we put our name in and were told a 30 minute wait. Got a drink and sat down. More tables opened up, no text. After 45 minutes of waiting and half the place cleared out, was told we were 3rd in line. First time ever coming here, wife's been here a couple times. I'll never be back. If you can't seat a couple at a table for 6 at 1:20 in the afternoon, I don't need to give you my business. Lost 2 customers today and a future customer. read more

Atmosphere is great, music is good and the food is always delicious. The staff is friendly and helpful if you can't decide! read more

This is by far the worst restaurant I have ever been to. My family of (30) called hours before due to no reservations. We were told if we wanted to be seated at 7, we should arrive 15 minutes early at 6:45 with our whole party, which we did. We then continued to wait 45 minutes and asked about our party 2 or 3 times prior to getting seated. We were then seated at 7:45. Which was already an hour after arriving. When being seated, we were spilt into 3 different tables. Two of the three tables were asked for drinks, appetizers & eventually food. One table was never served other than drinks. Their order was taken and their food finally arrived after both other tables were done eating entirely. AND THE ORDERS WERE ALL WRONG! Once we complained about the food, service, and refused to pay for that tables food. We were told we have to pay for the drinks. Not ONE SORRY! This place is a poor excuse for a business. Food was not worth the money. Overpriced. DON'T take your family here! read more

Pinky's - Receipt to show that this place is overpriced and just how much - American Near Me - Effingham, Illinois

We were looking for something kid-friendly on a road trip. This is only a few minutes off the interstate but was a perfect stop. I was nervous that we would have to wait a long time since it was a three day weekend and on the lake. It wasn't a long wait at all. We went to the hostess stand, put our name down and it texted me. I clicked the link and we were 6th in line. We got seated in about 10-15 minutes. They have a good variety of food and everybody found something they liked. The covered patio area was perfect. Definitely worth the side trip from the interstate! read more

The best pullpork ever Staff very friendly I'm from another state Wish they where in Wisconsin read more

Pinky's - American Near Me - Effingham, Illinois

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Great view overlooking Lake Sara! The food and drinks were great as well. Enjoyed our visit.

Good food. Good service. Can't ask for much else. The pizza is really good. They have good grouper. Burgers. A grilled chicken sandwich. Kids meals come on a frisbee. Me son loves the grilled cheese as well as the cheeseburger. Decent beer selection. Mixed drinks. Live bands on weekends. Haven't been there during a band but I hear it's packed. Parking can suck even when they are mildly busy. There's a play area for kids down by the water. And a boat dock to launch into lake Sara right next to it for $5. Seating is all outdoors on a deck overlooking the lake. Lots of covered seating so rain isn't an issue. If you need air conditioning it is. I imagine the place is seasonal. But don't know for sure. Highly doubt they are open in the winter. Over all I definitely recommend this place. Haven't ever had a bad experience here. Always look forward to going back when we come to the lake. read more

We've been here several times and always love it! The food is amazing and the service is tremendous as well. It can be busy, as it should be with how good it is, so you might have to wait if it's a peak time. But the atmosphere and food are both worth it! read more

Pinky's - people sitting at tables in a restaurant - American Near Me - Effingham, Illinois

Service was good.very attentive. Drinks were pretty cool. Drink menu gave a wide selection. Probably too much. Food was alright but not the best. I got the grown up mac n chez and I wasn't Impressed. Maybe if it was brisket instead, in a skillet plate with some burnt ends. The water was beautiful and the atmosphere was so laid back. Still would recommend read more

Pinky's - Baldo got the bucket - American Near Me - Effingham, Illinois

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Muy buen ambiente familiar con un excelente servicio.. Aunque la comida es muy buena el menú es muy limitado. Very good family atmosphere with excellent service.. Although the food is very good, the menu is very limited. read more

We had a great time at pinkies. It's a fresh open. Colorful experience It's a great view of the lake. Jake was fantastic and a great bartender and a host. We will return when the weather warms up just to hang around and feel like Jimmy Buffett in a small Midwestern town. read more

Just tried this place after figuring out how the heck to get there (seriously, Lake Sara is not a place for the directionally-challenged), and my impression was that it's a pretty darn good little place. A friend and I split orders of fried pickles, sliders, and shrimp tacos, I ordered a water and she kicked back with a beer, all of which brought us a combined total of just over $20 before tip. The food was really good - as others have said, the pink corn tortilla is a lot of fun, and the sliders were perfectly cooked. My friend was disappointed because we ordered "chips" to come with the sliders and we got sweet potato fries instead. They were fresh and piping hot so we didn't complain. Wait time was standard - neither fast nor slow - and allowed us to chat and enjoy the beautiful day. The covered deck area was cool (both in decor and in terms of temperature), they had great 90's alt-rock bands playing over the speakers, and dogs are allowed if you want to bring 'em along. We'd have appreciated umbrellas on the uncovered portion of the deck so we could dine a little closer to the water, but you still have a perfectly nice view from further back. For the price alone, Pinky's is worth the visit. The fact that the food was delicious was just icing on the cake. read more

Pinky's - Shrimp tacos, sliders, and sweet potato fries. - American Near Me - Effingham, Illinois

My fiancé and I recently visited for our first time. When we arrived, we were greeted immediately and placed at a table. We were not planning on eating since we had dinner prior, but we were pleased at the sight of the food at other tables. The nachos looked amazing! I would certainly get the peel and eat shrimp if we went back. I hope we do! My favorite beer, summer Shandy, was on draft! The bar staff was great, and the owner was very friendly and had great customer service. I hope to return with friends or family and bring a large group next time. What a neat atmosphere! read more

I have heard a lot of great reviews for this place. Honestly, I just didn't see it. We started with the fried pickles, they were fine, nothing special. I had their pulled pork nachos and was very disappointed. It felt like the entire dish had just been pulled out of the refrigerator. There was 0 social distancing and the waitresses were actually asking the diners if they preferred the waitresses to wear a mask. I had to visit the men's room and let's just say it was not a pleasant experience. I know that this place is mostly a bar, but c'mon, at least put forth an effort. read more

Sat right at the edge of the dock overlooking the water. Great local to hit up now that we can dine at outside restaurants. All seating is outside but there is ample coverage for shade. The food was better than expected to be honest. Burgers were really good and believe it or not so was the island shrimp meal. The best part of the meal was the fries. Not a boring steak fry or season fry, just a different fry. Service was a little slow but no big deal, the weather was nice. My son really enjoyed being able to play in the sand and every kids meal is served on a frisbee so that added to the excitement. We watched several boats roll up for dine in plus the parking lot was full by the time we left. read more

Great food with a fantastic atmosphere . They treat your puppy like a king!!! The nacho's were huge

First time at this wonderful spot on the lake, real good atmosphere and food. Wonderful job to the staff and owner

Great place to eat! Good atmosphere and very nice service staff! Will definitely return.

This is a great location. The food was okay, service was excellent. If you see reviews for pulled pork, this is not smoked barbecue, but more like sloppy joes - not my cup of tea. The fish and chips were quite tasty. Breading was more like calamari and not your typical fish batter. Fries are excellent. Looking around us, nachos look great and the portions are huge. Burgers also looked delicious. read more

Pinky's - Pano of the venue. - American Near Me - Effingham, Illinois

Came here on a whim for drinks and we felt like we'd been transported to some tropical outdoor bar. It's actually a really neat cabana-like restaurant overlooking the lake with a very large covered seating area, good music, and pretty decent food. Had the pink tacos and a burger, plus a strawberry fields salad. Prices were affordable and there were lots of servers assisting customers. We would totally come back again next time we visit Lake Sara. read more

My friends family owns a house on Lake Sara and we've been going there for the the past 15 years or so. There have never been great options for eating on the lake. I haven't been down to the lake in the last year or two and I was excited to give Pinky's a try. Pulling up on the boat it looks like a neat place. It's a large covered patio with TVs and fans, so even on a hot day it's not bad. It's got a lot of seating plus a small indoor section. They do have indoor gaming if you're into that. This is when we sit down and things go down hill pretty quickly. We had a large group of people, I think there were 15 of us. They start bringing out water but three of us don't get any. It takes another 15 minutes for them to bring us water. We ordered our drinks at the same time we ordered the meal and those took about 10 minutes to show up. It wasn't very busy when we were there either. All in all just a lot longer than you'd want but it's not a deal breaker. So when the food comes out, that is where the real disaster starts. About 8-10 people in our group ordered burgers. All basic, some with cheese and some without then various toppings (onion, lettuce, tomato). Every single one was incorrect. The waitress said it was due to the POS system and how she entered them. I'm not even sure how that would be possible. To make matters worse, almost everyone said their burgers were really overcooked. Actually burnt on the outsides. Three people at our table didn't even eat them. The waitress had to bring out plates of lettuce, onion, tomato and cheese just so people could "fix" their burgers. I personally had a buffalo chicken wrap and it was decent. Near the end of the meal I ordered one last beer while we were getting our checks. It was about 8pm I think. A couple bus boys came over and asked if they could start clearing the table and we said yes. The kid grabbed my beer as I was signing my check and tossed it in the trash before I could open my mouth. Believe it or not, we actually stopped in about 2 hours before this just to get a drink before coming back with the whole family. We had different servers but the service was equally as bad. The waitress took our drink order but apparently never submitted it to the bar. Again, I'm not sure how that happens because they have an iPad POS system. She never came back to check on us either, we I'm giving this place two stars instead of one because the staff isn't rude. I don't think they're trying to do a bad job. It seemed like it was all high school aged kids, I didn't see a manager or anyone older. But really this place was a joke. I'm writing this long review in the hopes that someone there sees it and they address this stuff. It's a neat spot and it wouldn't take much to fix these issues. The menu is basic and it works. It's a neat place to park your boat and grab a burger or wrap while having a beer. They just need a manager to keep an eye on things and hold people accountable. Right now there is no pride in what they're doing. I hope the place is still there next year and I'll give it a try again. read more