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    Ridott Corners Tavern

    4.6 (35 reviews)
    InexpensiveBars, American, Burgers
    Open 10:00 am - 11:00 pm

    Ridott Corners Tavern Photos

    RIDOTT CORNERS TAVERN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Juke Box
    Good for groups

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    a cheeseburger in a basket
    James R.

    For years people have been recommending Ridott Corners to me. I've driven and rode past it many times, but yesterday I finally decided to stop and check it out. It's located at the corner of US 20 and S. Rock City Rd. The entrance to the parking lot is off of S. Rock City Rd. The building is small, there's not a lot of space. It looks like it was an old gas station converted to a bar & grill. If you are a fan of small town, mom and pop, or dive bar environments Ridott Corners is right up your alley. Typical bar signage and neon on the walls, slot machines, dart boards pushed off to the side. Tables that were designed to be moved out of the way for dart night... I'm assuming. Or for what ever other reasons they need to clear the small dining area. The place was packed when we walked in. Fortunately there was one open table. Maybe it was because we were hungry, but the food smells were amazing. We sat ourselves and looked at the menu. The menu is rather limited. Their "World Famous Burgers", grilled cheese, and "Pizza from Scratch". But if you're going to Ridott Corners for anything other than the burger, I'm not sure why you are going. I say that because EVERYONE that has been there talks up the burgers. I ordered the Jalapeno Burger, my son had the Bacon Cheeseburger. These are 1/2 pound burgers and appear to be homemade patties. They were big, thick, and not perfect circles. Just the way they should be. We got to choose our cheese, both of us went with Pepper Jack. We had the choice of chips to go with it. They don't do fries or other sides. The burgers came in a reasonable time. They looked amazing. The burger had a good flavor, it was juicy. I thought it was good. I would have preferred fresh over pickled Jalapenos, and the burger to be cooked more to medium than well done, but it was still a good burger. I wouldn't say it was the best burger I've had, but it was a good one. The service was good. The waitress appeared to be the only server working the floor, and she hustled. She was friendly and would check on us from time to time. Overall.. if you're driving by, I'd check it out.

    Cheeseburger - A cheeseburger featuring a beef patty, melted cheese, pickles, and a bun is placed on a piece of paper on a wooden table. In the background, a bag of Mrs. Zilke's potato chips is visible, along with a group of people standing and talking inside a casual dining establishment. The setting has a relaxed atmosphere with purple lighting and wooden decor.
    Ariel B.

    Best burgers in Illinois! We make the 45min drive all the time to get this epic burger and chips. Great staff, always good burgers, and safe atmosphere.

    betty b.

    OMG this place is soooo great! We found it last year doing a food search on Google Map. (Seems it doesn't show up on YELP. Not enough reviews?) Anyway... we were looking for somewhere to quench our thirst & burger craving on the way to Galena. We ended up here and the cheeseburgers were such a delicious surprise- even at twice the price! This clean & comfortable little tavern serves a griddle-cooked hand-packed, half-pound of fresh ground beef on soft bakery-baked bun. (Be patient because everything is made to order on a very small griddle!) So this year our group decided to try again and yup, it wasn't an anomaly. Fantastic!! As a matter of fact, it's three days later and we're here on our way back home to Chicago lol. Definitely also need to give a shout out to the very nice staff.

    Ridott Cheeseburger, local chips and a good beer.  Doesn't get any better!

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    9 months ago

    working out of town. rumor has it great burgers. confirmed. best dam burger i've ate in a longggg time. very affordable.

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    8 years ago

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    7 years ago

    Great spot to stop and have a burger and beer before heading into the City to watch the Chicago Bears.

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    16 years ago

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    7 years ago

    Best burgers around!! Huge and satisfying! A fun place to grab a drink and a bite to eat.

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    8 years ago

    Stopped here on our way to Galena and it was so worth it! One of the best burgers I have ever had! So good!

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    8 years ago

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    12 years ago

    Great Hamburgers. Expect to wait sometimes if they're busy. One small grill but worth waiting for.

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    12 years ago

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    11 years ago

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    8 years ago

    Not what I would call good. Very blah not much flavor and few choices. I won't be going back anytime soon.

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    13 years ago

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    10 years ago

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    13 years ago

    Great place, I make sure I stop in for a beer and a world famous burger

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    12 years ago

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    Ask the Community - Ridott Corners Tavern

    Review Highlights - Ridott Corners Tavern

    Wife and I were traveling to Galena for the weekend and stopped in for a road soda and a burger.

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    The Wagner House - California chicken flat bread

    The Wagner House

    (28 reviews)

    $$

    So there has always been a lot of hype around this restaurant in Freeport, and I was looking…read moreforward to taking my mother out for a nice meal. Our entire party was very disappointed. The food, while edible, was not up to par with the pricing. It's as if the restaurant wants to be high end, but doesn't quite hit the mark with the food. Our appetizer, baked Brie with apples, was served on a black plate that honestly, looked filthy. The rim of the plate was greasy and smudged all over. The Brie had some limp, mixed lettuce as a garnish (that should have been a clue as to the level of attention the kitchen pays to presentation). Further, there wasn't any melted Brie in there, but there was Brie rind. The onion mushroom soup was salty, and all the onions and mushrooms were invisible, having been pulverized into the broth. The servers brought the food out like they were dropping a book on the table. One of the salads ordered, was not delivered with the rest of the food- not sure if the waitress of the kitchen screwed that up. The drinks were okay- they were the only thing not sub-standard. I'm giving this 2 stars because the building interior is historic and beautiful, the chairs were comfortable, and the cocktails were fine. It would be a nice place to have pre-dinner cocktails, but I strongly suggest you go somewhere else for your dinner.

    Service is always exceptional. Menu supplemented with great specials allows for either small…read morebites or a complete meal. Im addicted to the creamy onion & mushroom soup. Thursday taco night has unique options. Delectable desserts. Definitely a favorite place to unwind.

    Bushy’s Bar & Grill - Burnt pizza

    Bushy’s Bar & Grill

    (8 reviews)

    This is the second time we tried out this place. First time was just as bad. We did online order…read moreand when arrived 30 mins later they didn't event start the order. ( said they were behind) but they actually forgot to make the food. Then I was told that the online ordering was down. If that was the case, how did they know what I ordered and then what to make when I came in to pick up my order? They said. Oh just a few mins and then 30 mins later the food came out. Hmm. No Im sorry or taking accountability for their error. Today I called in my order for pizza and a few other items. This was for my mom's birthday dinner. When I came in to pick up the order they handed over the pizza and was quick to take payment, while I waited for them to run my card I looked at the pizza and thank goodness I did. The pizza was completely burnt. When I asked the bartender about it she blamed the oven then she blamed the cheese. She said the owner Brandy knows about the problem but hasn't given it any attention or tried to fix the problem. The bartender also didnt even try to fix the problem or offer anything in its place. When I arrived home the other food was also not cooked all the way. The cheese curds were cold in the center. The hamburger bun was soggy and the fries were soggy and cold. Mind you my mom only lives about 10 mins away, so the food shouldn't have been cold when we got home. The ranch sauce was also very watery. I don't understand how so many things could go wrong with the same order. This was a complete waste of money. I have given this place multiple chances and they have been horrible. I really wish it was a better experience and better food.

    Prophetstown Bushys- Took over a hour to get our food. Mind you the place still had tables open…read moreso it was not packed. Had to walk up to bar and ask if food was done. When my sandwich was brought out it was complete slop! Could not pick up sandwich by hand. Greasy, saturated, way too much cheese.... and more, just hope to see more professional improvments if we return.

    Lena Brewing Company

    Lena Brewing Company

    (81 reviews)

    $$

    Checked out this local brewery in Lena of course. It certainly is one of the highlights around…read morehere. Lena Brewing Company has beers but also food to fatten people up. A pretty busy place with locals and people from other areas. There's about what's expected on the menu it seems. Before even coming in there's a smell of barbecue. It's got a pretty full menu. There's a bar in the middle surrounded by plenty of tables. Beers are the main thing of course. It's about $7 a pint. Best one we had of these was the Coldstream Lager. This is a full bodied Bavarian style. A lot of the food is meaty. Brisket and that kind of stuff. Among the appetizers is the Cowboy Caviar. One of the few vegetarian options. This is a mixture of beans, cilantro, corn, jalapeños, red onions, and tomatoes. It's about $16 for the Tex-Mex Bowl. This has avocado, cilantro rice, Cowboy Caviar, marinated cucumbers, pico de gallo, and Thai sauce. Of course an option is to get it with meats added. There's plenty more things including burgers and pork belly tacos among the livestock based foods. For around here it's one of the better places for big crowds. It's got beers and barbecue along with some healthier options. They're closed Mondays and Tuesdays.

    Just missed. The pulled pork was delicious (but a touch fatty). Brisket, not so much. No flavor…read morefrom the smoker. The Cole slaw needs dressing (Marie Calendars, hint hint). My wife's beer was good. Root Beer was excellent (I'm driving)! Bread pudding was just ok. Order at the bad, served at the table. Service was quick and friendly. LOUD!!!

    Ridott Corners Tavern - bars - Updated May 2026

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