First of all the place is so neat and lots of nostalgia. The pizza is the best I think I have had…read morefrom any bar. Made in house even. Everyone is so friendly and the owners will tell you the story behind the place if you ask. What an enormous outside area too. Huge patio out back. The hotel attached is pretty neat too.

Came in here after a race right after 11am. It was pretty busy when we arrived but for the most…read morepart everyone had already received their food. When we sat down, we ordered 3 Bloody Marys and 2 fountain drinks and were then informed they don't serve lunch until 1pm. You heard that right! Eggs and oatmeal until 1pm! So the person who wanted the burger was SOL Instead ordered three omelets and a side of biscuits and gravy. Then we sat for an hour. No drink refills. No "sorry! It should be coming out shortly!" We were tired and hungry and really to call it a day. It took 10minutes to even flag down our waitress which happened only after she brought another table's food out that came in after us. It's easy to keep track when there is only about 5 tables with people in them. She then said they were just about done with our order. 5 more minutes (either it was impeccable timing or our order was lost for a short time). And they still forgot the biscuits and gravy. The hashbrowns were extra crunchy/overdone., The omelet and biscuit and gravy were good. Bloody Mary's were fantastic! But there are plenty of places in the area where I can get the same. Probably won't be back.

My wife and I stopped in on a Sunday eagle watching trip. They were having a $13 Sunday buffet…read more I'm not usually a buffet fan, but this was really good and I got to try several entrees and salads. They were all great. Fried chicken- crispy and hot. Boneless ribs- great, really good sauce. Vodka Penne- really good, Chicken in lemon and caper sauce- fantastic. Plenty of vegetables on the buffet and a good assortment of deserts. Also $5 Bloody Mary's and Mimosa's. Our waitress was attentive and cleared our plates quickly while we headed back to the buffet for deserts. She kept our drinks filled and asked if we needed anything. The restaurant was full, we had a short wait, without reservations, but pretty much every table was full. Most of the patrons were the "after church" family crowd (assumption on my part). We got the scoop on the owners from 2 elderly women sitting at the table next to us. The had been there many times and were making food suggestions- that's why I opted for the buffet. If you had been to the restaurant when it was The Fin Inn, you'll see they kept the aquariums that line the walls. This time they have more tropical fish- cichlids, goldfish etc. The river fish and snapping turtles are gone (at least in the area I was in). Honestly, I have no idea how they're serving this quality of food for $13. 5 out of 5 stars. Highly recommend.

The previous owner of, Santino's Steak and Pasta House, didn't stay retired long. He has opened,…read moreFountain Hill Steak and Seafood House in Grafton. If you were a fan of his restaurant in Alton, you're going to love this place, because it's menu is very similar. I stopped by and took a seat at the bar. They have two entrances, one for the bar and another for the dining room. Patio seating with a good view of the Mississippi River is available and it is located off the bar area. The decor is very "retro" and will most likely be part of your conversation. While I sat at the bar, I enjoyed an Extra Dry Martini and a Manhattan. Both were good, with the Martini taking the Blue Ribbon. The menu has a good variety and the prices are affordable, too. I couldn't decide on an entree, so I thought I"d have an appetizer while I figured out what I wanted. One of the waitresses picking up drinks recommended, Lasagna Fritta. She warned me that the serving was large. OMG, she was right. It was so big, I didn't order anything else. I'll have to go back to try an entree. Actually, I told the bartender, adding a salad to the Lasagna Fritta would make a meal. The staff is friendly. Also, they offer a Sunday Brunch which I will be checking out. Grafton was in need of a good brunch restaurant.

Everything about 3rd Chute is amazing. Food is awesome. Bartenders (especially Dusty) are fabulous…read more Atmosphere is great

Took the family to Grafton, Illinois via car ferry and was recommended 3rd Chute Bar and Grill was…read morea favorite spot to enjoy food/drink when visiting. We visited on a Saturday afternoon and 3rd Chute was packed. They do have multiple bars and places to sit on the 3 levels and was able to find some seating. Servers were pretty busy and took a minute to get menus, are drink order and listen to the specials. 3rd Chute does have live music on weekends which was very good. 3rd Chute is a pretty cool place, Lots of great decor everywhere you look which gives the place that cool bar and grill feeling. We started with some mini corn dog appetizers and some Mac and cheese poppers, a fried blend of macaroni and pepper jack cheese fried to perfection. We also ordered a classic cheeseburger with fries, pork tenderloin sandwich, pulled pork sandwich with fries and a grilled hot dog with fries. It took a few minutes to get our food with how busy the place was. Our server did check up on us to make sure our drinks were topped off. Food was cooked to order and was a good portion for those with a hearty appetite. There are several other bar and grills in close proximity to 3rd Chute. Most other places had more seafood options, which unfortunately we had allergies to. 3rd Chute's menu had all the classic food options a great bar and grill usually has available. 3Rd Chute Bar and Grill was a cool experience and highly recommend if you're visiting Grafton and looking for some good food with reasonable prices. We'll be back!

This is a quaint, unassuming little cafe on the edge of town. We saw a lot of cars in the parking…read morelot and decided to give it a try. Glad we did! Excellent service! The food was delicious! Nothing fancy, just good!

Since I retired almost 3 years ago, I've enjoyed having breakfast out. I had an early AM shift for…read morework and my body alarm clock hasn't adjusted, so I just get up and go out for a hearty breakfast and Clifton Country Inn is one of my favorites in my restaurant rotation. I've ordered a variety of different breakfasts and have never been disappointed. My recent outing, I enjoyed their Chicken Fried Steak with a side of scrambled eggs, Hash Browns and a Biscuit. When the waitress asked if I wanted Hash Browns or American Fries, I asked her what her favorite was and she said Hash Browns and she recommended adding onions. I took her advice and she was so right. I also liked that they put the Milk Gravy on the side, so I could add it to my Chicken Fried Steak and to my fluffy biscuit. Another thing that I like here, is their seasoning. They do not over salt in the preparation. The service here is friendly and attentive. I typically sit at the small counter, so I do not tie up one of the tables dining alone. One of the advantages of sitting at the counter, my coffee cup is never empty. All the waitress keep it full, since the coffee station is right there. I need to expand my experience and go here for lunch. I've heard the burgers are pretty delicious, too.

State Street is easily one of my favorite restaurants in the Riverbend area. They were a shining…read morestar in downtown Alton until their lease was not renewed. At first I thought it was a bad call by the landlord. Now that they are located in Elsah, I realize he did them a favor. Beau and Terri rallied and took on the challenge of relocating their restaurant. They searched hight and low and found the perfect location in Elsah, just 8 miles north of the old location. Elsah welcomed them with open arms and issued them the first liquor license in the history of the township. Since the relocation I have been multiple times for lunch. You cannot go wrong with their famous Mushroom Asparagus Soup or one of the popular Paninis. I've also been to a wine dinner that impressed me and my cousin who is a wine connoisseur. The wine and food were paired beautifully. Experiencing a regular dinner in the boutique dinning room is also a delight. Their menu changes regularly, but I must say when you see Terri's Lasagna being offered, that is a sign to order it. You will not be disappointed. All the servers and staff are spectacular. It blows my mind how many of them can remember the names of all their regulars. It makes for a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Next time you're traveling the River Road, take a detour into Elsah and visit State Street on LaSalle.

This is my first time here since they moved to Elsah, and it's as delicious and wonderful as ever…read more The service is so personal, the kind you only get in a small town. The new dining area is beautifully decorated and cozy. And of course the food is delicious. Just look at their panini options and you'll know what I mean. This time I had the potato soup and the roasted turkey panini, and it was absolutely delicious. I only wish I had gotten a full sandwich! I had a dilemma ordering because there were too many incredible options. Thankfully I was able to see a few other dishes that my friends ordered, so I know how yummy they look! I can't wait to return and try more.

First, I love the location and vibe you get stepping inside. They have a lovely outdoor sitting…read morearea and comfortable seating inside with plenty of views of the river. The staff is always friendly and welcoming each time I have visited and overall feeling you can spend all day in this place and feel at home. I came today to try their coffee flights. Then theme was St Patrick's. They are small which is perfect because anything bigger would've sent me flying on the sugar! Each drink was different and thoughtful. The flavors blended well with the coffee. I would've liked to have tasted more of the coffee but I have no complaints. This round of flights was tasty with my favorite being the Lucky Charms which tasted like they infused cereal milk into the drink and the Clover with white chocolate, peppermint and vanilla with that striking green hue. They change their flights often, so give them a follow on FB and Instagram to keep up with what they have next.

Underground has an extensive menu of coffee drinks, plus smoothies, and breakfast sandwiches and…read morepastries. This turned into a terrific spot to wait for the train coming to the Amtrak station across the street.

Came in around 9 on a Sunday and service was friendly and quick! The menu is extensive so we took a…read moreminute to decide but then food came out quickly and was delicious!

Round Table is my local dive diner. The portions are plentiful and they have senior discounted…read moremeals for individuals over the age of 60. My recent visit, I went with the breakfast I had on my very first visit back in 2020 when we were living in C0VID times. The single biscuit with milk gravy was fluffy and the gravy had a generous amount of sausage. Since my gravy had sausage, I chose bacon as my meat. I enjoyed my eggs scrambled. It also came with a choice of potato and I went with, American Fried over Hash Browns. I was surprised that I got 4 slices of bacon. 1 was cold, but the other 3 were warm. The eggs were super fluffy. I've had scrambled eggs here several times and they are always way better than other diners. When they brought me my order, they forgot my potatoes. My server went back to retrieve them and she returned with a portion that could have served three people. They were good, but I only ate a third. The servers are friendly and attentive, giving the diner a hometown feeling. With it being close to my home, I'll definitely return.

Such a cool space in the old Post Office. Elevated coffee house vibe with total respect and love…read morefor the building's history. So Alton! HANNAH is the GM and she is an amazing host. Knowledge and willing to share ingredients and labels as she helped me order Gluten/Dairy/Sugar free. We had yummy greens with eggs and turkey sausage (hold the croutons). The poppyseed vinaigrette was dairy free and just perfect. My matcha latte and Clyde's coffee latte were delicious. Troy had pizza and he loved the crust ( he had regular but they DO offer GF crust AND vegan cheese!). Sam's French Toast looked amazing in all its gluten-filled glory. We also tried the immunity shots from CJ's Juicery and they were dynamite. If we still lived here full time I'd be making the drive over from STL once a week for that breakfast salad and matcha. The menu is varied and thoughtful, altho I would love to see them find a way to offer at least one gluten free bread (I bet their avocado toast rocks!). I understand it is not an easy undertaking for small kitchens to manage proper handling of GF if it's not their focus. However I promise those on a restricted diet can absolutely find something here due to Hannah's expertise.

If you didn't already know, Post Commons has added two tenants to the building. They now share this…read moregrand old post office with, Good News Brewing Company and CJ's Juicery. However, this review is about them, so let me focus on them only. If you go to Post Commons, you gotta get a biscuit. Their biscuits are homemade and they are delicious. My personal favorite biscuit sandwich is the Sausage. In addition to the sausage patty, it has cream cheese and pepper jam. The pepper jam is what really makes this sammie special. If you're wanting a more hearty breakfast, you can create your own plate with items from the A La Carte menu. I've created one with two scrambled eggs, bacon and breakfast potatoes. The potatoes are cut into little cubes and fried to a crispy golden color. It's a great place to meet friends for a cup of coffee. The staff is cordial and makes you feel welcomed. Why go to a chain coffee shop, when you have a unique one in a old post office building? There is, no reason to go. When: February 4, 2026 Why: Biscuit Sandwich