Great steaks cooked to request. Good service. Fun venue from 1968. Lots of menu choices and servers were aware of allergy concerns like gluten. read more

Local customer of The Cellar for over 50 years, have been away. Was excited to return. Have tried it three or four times but it has really suffered. The changes have been noticeable. I sincerely hope managment will consider returning to how they previously served their food and their customers. This is said with love and fingers crossed I never see this place close in my lifetime like the Deck did Dear Cellar, I (and many others I speak for) beg you: Bring back the "The Cellar" pewter chargers and bread plates Stop bringing Green Goddess to the table in a trashy little plastic to-go container (dinner has just started we're not leaving yet!) and bring salad dressings to the table in the carrousels as before and stop being lazy. Shame on you for bringing GG dressing to the table like that. You know it's wrong. My mouth fell open the first time I saw that. When the waitress left, my dinner companion held up the little plastic container and waved it in the air like "see? they do THIS now" UGH Offer at least ONE signature side (not green beans straight from frozen. cream 'em, toss 'em with slivered almonds, do *something* to them. I ate waxy frozen green beans at home growing up bleh) Offer at least ONE house-made or locally-made dessert, like a CRUMBLE with ice cream. If you offer ONE dessert people can't get anywhere else, they will travel for it. Make use of the countless local bakers. You have French Onion Soup which is very cool. It is also served very cool which is not cool. French Onion Soup is only enjoyable when it is served hot The $30 BBQ shimp was terrrrrible- you are a grill house. This was expected to be grilled and butterflied jumbo shrimp. Not frozen, gummy, small pink shrimp floating in BBQ sauce. This is the one place I go where I hope I can get decent "surf n turf". Newp Steaks are okay, hit an miss with cuts and preparation. Had a New York strip one night that was absolutely amazing, but everything else was as above. The bartenders are excellent. They deserve a raise. The waitstaff is excellent. They are fast (a little too fast, you feel like everyone is running mad, and you're a bit rushed to finish dinner). The cocktail bar is awesome. Bartendresses are amazing and working their butts off. Tip them well. Whatever you do, for the love of all that is corn-fed: don't change the decor. I say this in all honesty and sincerity. This is an enormous aspect of The Cellar's charm. I love that the interior decor throughout has not changed a bit. Don't waste one second thinking any money woes are due to the upside-down brick wallpaper or let people tell you it's "dated" and needs a re-model. That will kill the restaurant for good Dated look = good / Dated food = bad. KISS read more

Great tasting food. They had the best lobster I have had in a long time. Our streaks were perfect. The onion rings were great Their chocolate cake was out of this world delicious read more

Literally the best appetizers and the best salad ever! We go very often and have never had a bad meal! We always leave stuffed and very satisfied !! read more

Food is always good here and service has always been great! Nice ambiance and a go to when friends or relatives come to town.

Welcome to the Cellar! Not sure how to feel about the Cellar honestly, decor is decent a little dated, reservation is needed, staff seemed very nice and attentive and the cellar was very clean place. After making a reservation and arriving the staff was quite nice and found us a decent table. The table was clean, cloth napkins and arranged quite well. Server Our server was pleasant and brought out a cheese dip in a dish which looked like a ice cream scoop worth and packaged crackers and bowl of croutons and pats of packaged butter. After seeing the odd packaged food, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. Our server came and presented the menus and reviewed the nightly special. He was dressed nice and had no stained clothing. You would be surprised how may times we have seen the staff dressed in stained shirts or pants or even dirty, not the case here. I opted for a fresh brewed ice tea, which was actually quite delicious. We opted for the steak special which was the New York strip 140z with baked potato and it came with a salad. I asked for a loaded baked potato and the only option was sour cream? Salad I was surprised with an iceberg lettuce bowl, no tomatoes, no cucumbers and a few strips of purple cabbage. It looked like something that was dumped out of a bag and just washed for $2. Not sure what I expected honestly, I ordered garlic Parmesan and green goddess for the wife. They came in a plastic container from a Costco bulk buy, the upside was, it did appear homemade. The cheap container threw off the supposed feel the restaurant was going for. Main Course The steak arrived rather quickly and we both opted for medium rare on the steak. It was large and looked great with very nice grill marks and did not have a large fat cap. Cutting the steak was easy and it was cooked to perfection, soft, tender and moist. There was a hint of Worcestershire sauce and salt with a light dusting of pepper. The steak was the best part of the whole meal so far. The poor baked potato was covered in sour cream, no butter, no cheese option and had to use the butter pats, and dusting of dried parsley. It was a massive let down, flavorless and pathetic. I would have like the option for real bacon bits and a soft butter on the side or even included in the warm spud, so it would've started melting already. Price After the meal dessert was offered but we both passed as we were not really that happy with the meal in general. The steaks were $34 Dollars each and the drinks were separate prices. The salad was complementary and of course the crackers were as well. In total the meal was $81, tip was $10 because the service was great not to intrusive but was attentive at the right level. Overall We both loved the steak, the rest of the meal was forgettable and boring and bland. I was not in love with the baked potato with the sour cream only option and cheap iceberg lettuce. The price was a little high considering the potato, salad and other issues. Is this a reservation type of restaurant? No I would say if this was a $60 dollar meal well worth it for sure. Priced at $81 without the tip, there are better options without the drive to a small town to get gouged because it's called the "Cellar" read more

Service was slow. Ordered shrimp cocktail appetizer which was good. Shrimp were large. Sauce Was great Salad was nicely chilled and crispy but took a long time to get it to table. Service was slow. Main course was not very hot leading me to believe it was ready before waitress. MY daughter ordered the Filet mignon med rare. If was chewy and not as good as times past. Her chargrilled screwed shrimp were very good. My deep fried catfish was very good. However, the French fried shrimp, although good, had the coating coming off. Saving grace was the very good cocktail sauce. Wikdcrice said was good and plentiful. Although we had 5 pm reservations and were seated promptly at a desirable window table, it was nearly 7 pm b4 we finished our dinner. Food and service were not reminiscent of years past. Disappointing. Dinners were pricey and over rated. Not sure we will return. A plus was good parking. . read more

This is a amazing place pls come check it out they have a lot of kids menus and desert and but it is for a fancy place

The food wasn't as good as it has been in the past. The charcoal shrimp was rubbery. The crackers and cheese is still as good as ever. Service was good though it seemed they were short of help. The ambiance is still great. The started going to the Cellar in the seventies. read more

The Cellar in Geneseo, IL is a great environment and eatery to take people to. The menu is fairly expansive with every thing from steaks, chicken, shrimp, fish that are all well done. We took my wife's father,sister and us with significant others there last Friday evening. We were seated at our reservation time with a minimal wait as they were very busy. Waitress was very attentive and efficient. Cocktails and drinks with salad and various dressings were fresh and well more than all could eat. Meals were varied from their signature steaks grilled perfectly, grilled chicken breasts, fish, and bbq and fried shrimp. All were excellent..sides, especially the hash brown potatoes with the vegetable sides were perfection. Prices are very reasonable for what they deliver. We will go back again when we get into town next time. read more

Great food for great price! Can't go wrong with the hash brown with cheese and onion and the strip read more

We have always gone to the cellar to celebrate special occasions. Sunday, September 1st,2024 was no different. I made reservations two weeks in advance and made a request not to sit in a high traffic area as we have been seated in the past. Reservationist suggested table #2 by window. Reservation for 5p.m. Get there at 4:55. I say Reservation for ****** at table #2 only for them to tell us someone else was sitting there. How? I can see I'm at top of the list so clearly they made a reservation after us...they sat us at table #22. Food great as always . Found out the people at table #2 are regulars and that it where they usually sit. Sorry I am not a regular and am not from your community but I chose your restaurant because I like it. Called owner and he could have cared less... read more

Amazing place to eat. We have never has any complaints. Used to only go for special occasions, but now go whenever we want a great meal! We have introduced many people to The Cellar. Service is great, atmosphere is great. We always let the cooks know what an awesome meal it was. They do know us when we come in. Would recommend The Cellar to anyone wanting a great meal! Give it a try, you won't be disappointed! read more

I have been here quite a few times and every time the food is fantastic. And reasonably priced as well. The salads are the best I've had. The garlic and Greek goddess dressings are great. Service is outstanding. I didn't give it 5 because it in a basement with no windows and no TVs. Also an older crowd. read more

What a hidden gem! The server went above and beyond to make our night special, which made this one of our best dining experiences ever. She was knowledgeable, efficient, and fun! The food was delicious and very high quality. Loved the ambiance and everything out our night at The Cellar! We will be back! read more

My wife and I, along with our sister-in-law enjoyed a wonderful dinner at The Cellar last evening. The last time we had enjoyed this fine establishment was 55 years ago when we were dating. The food and service was great and the atmosphere was exactly as comfortable as it was long ago. A real tribute to the owners that they have maintained the high standards for over fifty years. Not too many restaurants last ten years so it was a pleasure to visit the Cellar on our visit back to the Midwest. Larry Claton read more

Delicious, but exceedingly high price for the region. The steak was tasty, but not $30 worthy. However, I adored the fried shrimp! It was hearty, sizable, and flavorful. Not too much coating and no off-putting taste. I will come back, but it will need to be a special occasion spot because of the costs and the distance. It's 40 minutes away or so. It is in a quaint town with a charming main street of boutiques and lovely homes. It would be a delightful way to spend a Saturday. read more

Just the best! Everything is just fabulous! It is worth a trip from anywhere! They have wonderful appetizers and everything is hot and delicious! It has always been my favorite restaurant of all times! read more

Great food they do not overcook their steaks. The waitstaff are attentive to their tables (Like waitstaff should.) Did not have to ask for anything. Wish more restaurants treated their customers this much. My only complaint is that they do the salads different after CO-VID. Miss the big bowl and dressing choices. read more

Wow, how things have changed under new owners.. Cost have almost doubled and service is lower. The great salad taste now like it came from a bag. The steaks are still good but at New York prices. It was at great value and a treat, it is now sad overpriced so so restaurant. read more

I usually like to cook my own steaks because it turns out better than most restaurants. The Cellar steaks are on another level! I usually have a extra large filet rare or medium rare with a side of bleu cheese. I cut the steak thin and dip it slightly in the bleu cheese. The bad part about their steaks being soo good is I miss out on their other menu items that are phenomenal. read more

Came here for a birthday meal,food smelled great walking in unfortunately didn't know we needed reservations which would have been nice to know before we drove an hour to get here read more

Excellent food, classy atmosphere for special occasions. The wait staff was very attentive.

We love the Cellar for its steaks, ribs and homemade salad dressings but lately we have been a bit disappointed with the service ... they seem to be very "rushed" while serving you and makes it a less than ideal dining experience especially for the high end price you pay for the food. They also don't offer the wonderful dressing carousel that they used to and are very stingy with the dressing that they give you these days :( read more

The food was delicious, the atmosphere and ambiance was nice, the service excellent. If you enjoy fine dining, this is the place to go!

Burnt steak is always good Toke an 1 hour to get our bill and sitting there with no drink waiting. Never go back. Got to climb a mountain and cross a river to get to a bathroom read more

We love this place. Just was there for husband's 41st birthday. The cheese and crackers were a hit for the kiddos, fresh salad. Onion ring appetizer was really good. All of our dinners were awesome. Shrimp steak and pork chops, incredible. Had some Bally's coffee with dessert, great, and they have birthday cakes and sparklers on hand, cut it up and served it and packed up the other half for home. Just a great family feel at this place. read more

We have been going to the Celler for at least 50 plus years The food is always fantastic, great service and price are good. We have been there for anniversary, Birthday and just the to of us. Never had a bad experience. Highly recommended. Mrk read more

First time.. going to try for several years and tonight was the night..absolutely delicious! The supper club vibe is in the air: cheese and crackers, complimentary cinnamon rolls, a waitress that is so gracious, a menu with lots of variety..just a wonderful restaurant enjoyed with wonderful friends.. tasted at our table.. shrimp cocktail, French onion soup, salmon, steak kabobs, sirloin steak and New York strip.. not a grumble in our foursome.. Flavor is the best description... ended meal with one of the many specialty coffees.. I had Israeli coffee.. you'll have to stop by to see what flavors it imbued. read more

An excellent dining experience! An old supper club type of feel with a great bar and dining room. I had reservations for 11 people in town for a golf trip. The service was excellent and so was the food. Everyone at the table enjoyed their meal. Highly recommend the shrimp cocktail for an appetizer and I had the 5 oz filet and lobster tail. The steak was cooked medium rare as I requested and the entire dinner was excellent!! If in the Quad Cities area and looking for a great dinner, don't miss this place!! read more

Amazing food with wonderful service although the hash-browns tasted different recently than they Did a few weeks ago still amazing tho

On a golf trip with 11 guys...this place was OUTSTANDING! Service was great, Susan knew funny, fast, and always on top of our needs. I had the "2 & 4" combo, which is shrimp and ribs. Ribs fall off the bone and bbq shrimp was done perfectly. An old school, quality, steak house. If you happens to be in the area, stop here!!! read more

Greatest steak around the area by far. The attention to detail and the great service you see far too little today.

The atmosphere and staff are very nice! The food is really good and although it is a bit expensive I still think it is a really good place to eat! :) read more

We have a dear family member that has been begging us to try this place! It definitely lived up to the hype! Our steaks were amazing (and I'm very picky), mine was cooked to a perfect medium rare exactly as I ordered it. Don't forget to try the hash browns with cheese and onion! The onion gave it great flavor! The salad before the meals was very good, the lettuce was cold and crisp! The dressings were great and presented nicely. The decor, I would assume, has not changed in many years! I love it. read more

One of the best places to get a steak in the area. Tonight we had great service and good food. I had the NY Strip Steak Special with salad and wild rice. My wife had the Fried Chicken with steak fries for her side. All was cooked as ordered and was great. The sticky buns we got with meal were very good as well. Tonight we did not get dessert but they have a lot of great options. read more

See all

Consistently great food and service. We visit the Cellar as often as possible. I love the food, but it's also a nice and relaxed restaurant.

Absolutely delicious! This restaurant is a hidden gem my boyfriend and I frequent for great dinners. The location is unique, located in the basement of a building with dark, comforting, and cozy lighting. Upon arrival while waiting for your table, there is a bar, where we had delicious cocktails including a yummy and generously portioned mudslide! One of of our visits, once seated at our table, we were served by a lovely older woman who was perfectly attentive and friendly without being overbearing. The amount of food you get for the price is amazing! They first bring out bread, butter, and salad served with an array of dressings. The most delicious and favorite of our's is the green goddess dressing and is a unique treat we only have at the Cellar. Following the bread and salads, I ordered a french onion soup, which is always one of my favorites and it did not disappoint here. Then, I had a glazed salmon which was cooked perfectly and my boyfriend got the filet. His filet was cooked to a perfect medium and he had no complaints whatsoever! On previous visits, I've had the chicken and the BBQ shrimp (this i highly recommend! and you get probably 12 large shrimp) We both got baked potatoes with sour cream and butter as our sides. Overall, The Cellar is a perfect spot for any special occasion or just a nice dinner where your money will be well spent and you will leave stuffed from the delicious food! read more

Fantastic. Service and atmosphere were great and the food was delicious! Definitely will go back.

The food is always delicious! We love the cheese and crackers and the homemade cinnamon rolls! It is a true dining experience! They have great waitresses and it's always such a treat to come to the Cellar! Everything is fabulous! read more