It was a Friday night, so I considered myself lucky getting a seat at the bar. It was at the very…read morefar end, which meant I only had to worry about someone to my left. I didn't end them, but I bonus was, a hook and outlet was under the bar right in front of my stool. I didn't want the Friday special, even though some Fried Fish was tempting. All I wanted was some of their incredible hand cut and breaded onion rings. I paired them with a 6 piece bone in chicken wings in mild sauce. When served, I was pleased to see my order had equal flats and drums. The wings and rings were very filling. I ended up taking two rings and one flat and one drum home. They re-heated very well for the next days lunch. The service was a little off, but I will admit they were slammed. The bartender was slow on greeting and doing follow-up. It may have helped if they had an extra person behind the bar. Even a bar-back would have helped. They may have lost a star this visit, but I am sure they'll get it back soon.

Brickhouse has the perfect local dive bar feel but with a really nice setup inside. Huge open…read morespaces, tons of TVs for watching sports, and long tables that make it great for groups and gatherings. The food menu has a lot of solid options, but the wings are easily the best in the area, huge, meaty, and packed with flavor. Great variety of beers on tap too. Definitely a spot worth checking out if you want good food, cold beer, and a relaxed atmosphere.

I've been numerous times since I moved to the Alton area and just realized, I've never updated my…read morereview in six years. I think it is time to do so. A couple of my visits have been parties for graduation, retirement and a thirtieth birthday. Food was good, beer was cold and the cocktails had a heavy pour. Sometimes I dined alone and enjoyed a hot chicken sandwich, a cheeseburger, wings and catfish. All of them satisfied my hunger and were better than average pub grub. For a while they served breakfast, but that's a thing of the past. When they did, the chicken and waffles were good. The bartenders and servers are always attentive and friendly. Alton Sports Tap is one of the better sports bars in the Riverbend area.

Referred to Alton tap house by a family friend. Immediately met with great service and through…read moresmall talk Ellen recommend their Nashville hot sand which. My partner and I tried the horseshoe chicken and the Nashville hot and wow! What a flavor. I will by pass the fast Eddie's and Mac's to trek my way here. Good service and great food. You have earned a customer.

And visiting Chico's for years, a really good place for pork tenderloins, and onion ringsread more

We were really impressed with Chico's. Went in a Sunday when fried chicken was the special. A…read morefew of us got it and let me say it was amazing! Also a great deal with more than enough for one meal! I ordered the patty melt and a baked potato. Both tasty and served perfectly. Can't say enough good things about her server! She said she was new but you certainly wouldn't tell. Wish I could remember her name because she did a tremendous job keeping up with a restaurant filled up faster than one person could normally handle. She did an excellent job! Can't wait to come back and try some other things! Cute place and very clean. Oh the grandkids also enjoyed the pool table and everyone enjoyed the placement of TVs to be able to watch football.

My wife and I ate at the Town Club. It was perfect. The food was great. I had the sizzler and my…read morewife had a hamburger. The bar was quiet. We were able to have a conversation without shouting. The owners Mark and Laney were very personable.

If you're on Facebook, be sure to follow Town Club. That way you'll be kept up to date on what…read moretheir daily specials are. You'll eventually find your own personal favorite and will not want to miss out on enjoying it. I'm a huge fan of their smash burgers, but the other day they had a Grilled Chicken with Pepper Jack Cheese and Bacon as a special. It was served with Crinkle Fries and a Little Cup of Ketchup. Crinkle Fries are a favorite of mine, I like how the ridges hold on to the ketchup. I also like that a dive bar serves the ketchup in an individual cup. It's a better presentation than a bottle. Plus the fact it's more sanitary. Service is always friendly and attentive. I love how all the guest, know each other and add to each other's conversations. They'll even include the non-regulars in their chit-chat. Town Club is kinda off the beaten path, but it's on Broadway the main drag through Alton. So I highly recommend that you check them out when you're in the Riverbend area.

Why can't I find a decent on line menu they don't even show the steaks. None of the menus on line…read moreare actually full menus even though they say full

Waitress did her best. I have been a customer for years but it was a terrible experience with 5 of…read moreus. Bread offered was cold, only margarine no butter, green beans weren't favorable, baked potato was cold and had been around the block

A bowling alley bar and grill is just like a dive bar. They have a down home feeling and they seem…read moreto know all the regulars. I gotta come back at night time when there is a bustling bunch of bowlers in the bar area. I was the only one in the grill at lunch time, so the bartender was busy stocking and the cook had to come out and do double duty as a waitress. I will say, my beer was cold and the frosted glass gave it an extra chill. I had a cheeseburger that was a hand patty. My garnishes were onion and lettuce and I had a side of fries. It was all served hot, but not as quickly as I would have thought being the only diner. I think with the workers do side and prep work made things a little slower. That is why I'll return and give them a second try.

This place is like an oasis in the middle of a vast desert. The Christmas lights on the outside of…read morethe building pull you in like a strange unexplainable magnetic force. Once inside, you'll be exposed to one of the most expected but savory bar menus. You'll be able to wash down your mozzarella sticks, nachos, philly cheese steak and chicken wraps, with some of the best local IPA's and traditional beers you know and love. Once your belly is full, you'll be able to enjoy some of the best bowling this side of the Mississippi!! Whether you're out with some friends, on a first date, or celebrating your 25th wedding anniversary, this place is the only establishment to go to. You'll never have a bad time at Spectators!

Great daily deals, the tacos could have more taste to them, MARGS are great. For 2.50 dollars…read more French fries are great. Wings EXCLENT.

For a dive sports bar, The Franchise puts on a good feed. The offerings are your typical sports bar…read moregrub, but it's prepared a level above other sports bars. My recent visit I enjoyed the Pork Loin Sandwich. It was a typical pork tenderloin sandwich, extending beyond the bun. The one here is served grilled, not fried like the majority of other restaurants. The seasoning and glaze were full of flavor. It surprised me with how juicy and tender it was. If you're a fan of Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches, this is a must try. A previous visit I had one of the steak specials. I ordered the 16 oz Filet and giggled when it was served. I was given two 8 oz filets on my plate. I didn't care, it still was 16 oz. It actually worked out for me, I ate one and took the other home and had steak and eggs for breakfast the next day. For my two sides, I choose Baked Potato and Green Beans. Half of the potato went home and gave me American Fried Potatoes for breakfast. They have a good variety of beers on draft, bottled and canned. In addition, they offer a full bar for adult beverages. The service is hit or miss. It was obvious who was a regular by the attention and quality of service they received. They need to treat everyone the same, so the newer customers become repeat customers, too.

I dove into a dive bar for lunch. Wigglers is out in the boonies and definitely off the beaten…read morepath. Once you make the trip and find it, you'll enjoy some flavorful bar grub. I met the day bartender at another bar during Sunday Brunch and she sold me on adding Wigglers to my bucket list of places to experience. So when I walked in Monday for a late lunch, I surprised and put a smile on her face. I took a seat at the bar and she proudly told me the daily specials and even shared the specials for the rest of the week. The Monday special is a Cheeseburger for $6. It came with a side of fries. I choose the Seasoned Fries, which are hand-cut and made in house. They also offer, Crinkle Fries which come from a bag. Typically I like Crinkle, but when you offer me hand-cut made in house fries, it is a no brainer. The burger was juicy and my toppings of pickles and onions made it more delectable. In addition to my burger and fries, I enjoyed an order of Onion Rings. I am a Onion Ring snob. Whenever I order rings, I always ask if they are from a bag or made in house. If they come from a bag, I'm not ordering. I was excited to hear that Wigglers makes and batters their rings in house. Ordering the rings, opened up a conversation with the other four men seated at the bar. We all seemed to enjoy our rings house-made, so we started sharing our favorite restaurants who has the best rings. All the other men were regulars and they treated me as if I were a regular, too. It was a welcoming experience. My order was so large, that I passed the basket around, so they could enjoy a ring, too. I was impressed. I'm going back for the Wing Special on Thursday and the Friday Fish Special, too.

The food was amazing, service was great, drinks were always full, atmosphere was lively and fun…read more The windows brought the perfect light to the restaurant. We will be back.

Dive bar with cheap food. But don't come for ambiance. Definitely a place for the locals. I…read morethink they were surprised we came in with 6...

Working nearby at the refinery for current. Shutdown. Sparkys has something for everyone. Im doing…read morethe night shift so I occasionally stop after work with other tradesmen & women. Sparkys closes at 3am but opens up again at 5am which is gr8 cause Im done at 5am. Service is allright cause its busy but its a bar so its ok . Food is good, I usually get the country fried steak. Very tasty, yum yum! Downed with some suds and a shot or two, its a perfect nightcap!

RJ's is a true neighborhood dive bar. It's just down the street from all the refineries in…read moreHartford, so it caters to a true blue collar crowd. When a bar caters to a blue collar crowd, you know the drinks are going to be good and the food is going to be delicious comfort bar food. I discovered RJ's from a local monthly coupon magazine that is delivered in the mail. On my first visit, I glanced over the menu and then noticed a flier with daily specials for the month. By chance, the day I was visiting the special was 8 piece wings and fries. I was sold, especially because I got decide between breaded or naked. I prefer my wings naked, so that was a win. They offered four different sauces available. I asked the bartender which one she recommended and she suggested the one I was leaning towards - Sweet & Spicy. I'm a counter, I like to have the same amount of flats and drums. I favor drums, so I wasn't too disappointed when my order had 5 drums and 3 flats. The sauce lived up to its name, it had a nice tang and my fingers didn't get too sticky while eating. The fries were crinkle, which is my favorite right behind house-cut. They were super crispy and not overly salty. Wings for lunch is always a win for me. They didn't have much of a selection of craft beers and had no IPA's. So I enjoyed a, Blue Moon. The bartender was attentive, but not overly friendly. The staff looked at me as if I didn't belong. It was my first time, I am sure once I return, they'll be warmer. I'm learning as I adjust to my new hood, that the neighborhood places are truly neighborhood favorites. I did get a giggle that they sold Yankee Candles behind the bar. They also made me smile, by having hooks under the bar. The charms of a dive bar will always surprise.

Went there for lunch. Had the Italian beef. It had a good flavor but was too soupy for my liking…read more The onion rings were very good and would recommend them. We were a large group, they apologized up front as to a wait, but the food came out pretty quick. Overall I was not disappointed with the overal experience.