2 nights in a row... Great bourbon selection and great food. 1st night was beef tacos and then went fast before any pics... Great food, service, atmosphere, and all. Worth a stop in downtown Decatur! read more

The Gin Mill - Bacon-wrapped chops and asparagus - Bars Near Me - Decatur, Illinois

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After my party of four was seated at a table on the first floor, we began with six excellent Deviled Egg halves with a variety of toppers, including Paprika, Onions and Jalapenos. Alongside we shared a very good Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail. Next up for me was a fine bowl of French Onion Soup covered by a solid sheet of Gruyere Cheese, and a House Salad with French Dressing. For my main I selected Pan Fried Grouper with Fruit Salsa and Truffle French Fries. A small piece of fish was slightly underdone, and the Truffle Fries tasted salty. Otherwise, everything was praiseworthy. A complimentary loaf of rustic Bread & Butter added to the enjoyment of the meal. Other diners consumed 6 oz. Filet Mignon, Truffle Fries, a cup of Lobster Bisque, a Baked Potato, and Chicken Cordon Bleu. We all eschewed dessert. Service was excellent. XXXX-1/2 stars overall this first time around! read more

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Very low quality steak. Food tastes processed and rushed. Have been several times in the past but the last 2 times our meal has been very underwhelming. read more

Came back today for dinner after a long while. Tasty bang bang shrimp. The Salmon was little dry side. Great service. read more

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Great food. Spinach artichoke dip is delicious. I had the beef filet and it was flavorful. Twice baked potato was also really good. We all ordered different drinks from the drink menu and none of us really loved our drinks. They've been hit and miss in prior visits. Staff is always super friendly. read more

Some people call this spot "upscale," which it's not. It's nice, and probably the nicest restaurant in this area, and certainly busy due to this fact, but it's pretty casual. I went on a Tuesday night, around 6 PM, as a single diner. I was told I could sit at the bar, or wait until around 7:15 for a table. I chose to sit at the bar, which was fine, though I did notice several tables on the second level stayed vacant during my entire hour and 45 minute stay. The bartender was super busy, so service was a little slower than I was used to, but that's not his fault. He was having to prepare drinks for the bar and all the tables. He was nice enough, so no complaints there. I had the deviled eggs as an appetizer. 1/2 dozen of chef's selection. There were three flavors and I know at least one of them was bacon and cheese maybe? The bartender explained it to me, but very quickly, so I missed it. I then ordered the beef Blackstone, which is two 4 oz filets, crostini (the crostini wasn't necessary in my opinion), mushrooms, garlic, and bordelaise. Steak, which I ordered medium, was done well (not to be confused with well done). Juicy and tasty. I ordered the twice baked potato at the recommendation of the bartender, and wasn't disappointed. Decadent, creamy, flavorful. The broccoli, also recommended by the bartender, was a miss for me. Kinda soggy and flavorless. Watery. No char or crunch or taste. I had a few drinks. The basil fizz (hibiscus gin, fresh lemon juice, basil, soda water was pretty plain). The watermelon bourbon slash was pretty good and not overly heavy on the bourbon, light and refreshing (bourbon, watermelon puree, lime juice, simple syrup, mint, soda water). The Marshall's rye was also a good drink and a good way to end the evening (Hemingway rye, lemon juice, Disaronno, maraschino cherry, cherry liquor, Blanton's maple syrup, luxardo, orange bitters). It wasn't sweet like you'd think. Not an overly complex menu, but probably the best you'll get around here--several types of martinis, some classics (sidecar, French 75, sazerac). Other options on the menu: shrimp cocktail, artichoke dip, fish tacos, bang bang shrimp, salads, pork chops, salmon, chick cordon bleu, a few other types of steak and fish. Prices are good (especially as someone who spends most of their time in New York and Nashville). Service was as good as it could be with being seemingly understaffed. It would be helpful if you could make a reservation online rather than call. And as some have noted, tables stay empty even when they say they are booked. Overall a decent experience, but nothing wowed me. Kudos to the bartender who was doing his best to spin a lot of different plates. read more

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Server was very nice and professional. I would highly recommend the cilantro lime glazed salmon as it was probably the best thing I have ever put in my mouth. The first bite put me into a trance. I inhaled the entire salmon in about 2 total minutes. read more

My buddy and I are visiting from Ohio and decided for dinner to go to The Gin Mill. Brandon was our waiter and was very nice, polite, and kept checking in on us and refilling drinks. We both ordered the bacon-wrapped pork chops, gouda mac-n-cheese. He ordered the twice-baked potato, while I ordered the loaded baked potato. Our plates arrived with two pork chops, the mac-n-cheese, and potatoes. It was a lot of food that neither of us could finish. The food was delicious including the complimentary bread. We couldn't even think about dessert. My only complaint is where I was sitting, the air conditioning duct work was dripping on my back at times. Now, understand this was the heatwave where temps were 95-100°F so I know the air conditioning was working hard to cool the inside. It is a little pricey, but it is delicious. read more

The Gin Mill - Bread and butter. - Bars Near Me - Decatur, Illinois

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While traveling I attempted to visit this establishment, food for thought for whoever owns or runs this place.... Hire individuals that want to work or you might just need to pay them more.. it was 9:00pm as where it states you close at 11:00 ... I own and run/operate several businesses/restaurants. It's not difficult to update your hours of operation.... It's a Friday and people would like a place to hang out, eat and maybe just maybe not deal with a host with an attitude. .... I wonder why they state Decatur, IL is a dying city.... I can't rate the food but the front staff... smh... Good luck. read more

I barely made it to this restaurant in the first night I was in town. My friend said I should just dine in STL for dinner instead of driving here and trying to arrive before they close. I didn't listen to him. I did make it in time. They seated me quickly, but in no way were they trying to rush me through dinner, so that was a relief. I've never heard of a restaurant closing at 830 pm during a weeknight...seems kind of a strange time, but I'm sure there is a good reason. Another strange thing I noticed about the interior here are the tables for the booths. They stick out into the walkway about 8 inches or so, which is unusual when walking, but when dining with a group, it's nice to have the extra table space sometimes with multiple plates. I ordered the small ribeye with baked potato and asparagus. It's a pretty simple order, but sometimes I like to keep things simple. The meal is also served with fresh bread. Starter bread - this doesn't look like much when coming out, but wow, it's really good. The bread and the butter ended up being my favorite part of the meal. Ribeye steak with baked potato and asparagus - asparagus was severely overcooked, off color and some parts were brown. One piece was even rotten, and I had to spit it out. The baked potato wasn't much better. It only comes with butter and sour cream. They don't ask if you want it "loaded." It was chunky and not cooked well or completely. The waitress brought me another side to replace my asparagus, the brussel sprouts, but they were also terrible tasting. They had an awful burnt flavor. Maybe the kitchen was just having a bad night, not sure. The steak was decent, but it's just a basic ribeye steak and does not taste like a fancy steakhouse steak by any means. I'm not sure what quality the steak was, but I was leaning toward select. My original plan was to order dessert, but I was just ready to leave and head to the hotel after all the mishaps. I just expected a much better meal after spending $50. read more

Came in while on a work trip with a colleague. Had a 730 reservation and showed up about 8 minutes early. They asked us to wait, despite several tables being open. They called us right at 730 and sat us at one of the tables that was empty. Odd Our table was sticky, didn't like it at all. Was one of the hitops near the bar. Don't think it was dirty, the shellac was peeling off and making it sticky I think Anyway our server came right over, got us some water and an old fashioned Was really good I ordered the lobster bisque And the ribeye steak med-rare. Bisque was good, very tasty and really thick Salad was good, had some cheese and cranberries on it. Different but delicious Steak was good too, but overcooked. It was medium at best. My friend got medium and his was medium well. Contemplated sending back but was real tasty so I just ate it. Interior is cool, wild skull wallpaper and a loft to eat on. Enjoyed the experience and would come back for sure! read more

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Always good for larger parties upstairs. Options and are always top notch. Apps are amazing. Great bar. Service always on point. Never disappointed read more

Amazing lunch at a very good price. I'd highly recommend this place to anyone wanting more than fast food for lunch

The best restaurant in Decatur no competition. Food competes with any 5 star. Restaurant anywhere. Atmosphere and service are warm friendly and relaxing but upscale for a factory/farm town. It is the only place to go for that special celebration. We did not expect to need reservations on a Monday night. They were booked solid but scoured their reservations to find a table for our anniversary dinner. read more

Definitely make a reservation to this establishment, because you may not get an opportunity to sit at the bar. Nice upscale restaurant. The calamari in Thai chili sauce is fantastic. I ordered the double pork chop, sautéed, brussels sprouts and truffle french fries. We also ordered the chicken cordon bleu. This meal was well worth the cost of the meal, it wasn't cheap but again worth it! Please come see a server named Morgan, she is distractingly beautiful. read more

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Great food, good service, and excellent ambiance. It's a little expensive but worth it. Great date spot.

Champion sprinter (Omar) and I have ate there. Great food and service. Highly recommended. read more

The Gin Mill - Statue of Lincoln, near the Gin Mill - Bars Near Me - Decatur, Illinois

The taste is fresh and the presentation is neat. The staff greet customers with a smile. The room is clean and comfortable. It gives a sense of ease while eating. The order came exactly as requested. Everything was handled well. read more

Has to be the fanciest restaurant in Decatur. It's the place to go if you're looking beyond fast food and pizza. The Gin Mill is typically thought of as the best restaurant by many in town. Also it has got to be the cleanest. Usually it's a good idea getting reservations if you're in a big group. After looking around town we needed somewhere nice to eat. It seems like this place often gets recommended. Taking a look at what's around here, it's easy to see why. Most places are divey or fast food. The tables don't have tablecloths but they could though. For sure this is as fancy as it gets around here. We got seats at the bar, and got a few things. It's about $8 for the cheapest cocktails. I had a Martinez, which is gin and vermouth with bitters and grenadine. They have a lack of vegetarian choices, so our options were limited. Most of the entrees are things like beef and fish. We each got the House Salad. It's $10, which is kind of a lot for a pretty average sized salad, but it was good. This was modified to get more cranberries and cucumbers instead of cheese, and ended up being a light yet good meal. Come here if needing something that's not fast food. It's more expensive but the food is better though. The only other bad thing is there's not much to get for vegans and vegetarians. read more

The Gin Mill - Martinez And The House Salad - Bars Near Me - Decatur, Illinois

The Gin Mill restaurant is a place that I like to go to when visiting family in Decatur. I've always had a decent meal here and enjoy the eclectic style of the restaurant. I love to get the horse shoe dish with filet as this is nothing you would ever find on a menu where I live and has always been a delicious combo of steak topped with fries and a rarebit cheese sauce. My most recent visit left a bad impression, and I was a bit embarrassed that I had talked the place up to my sister so much-it was her first time here. The place is looking a little shabby. Torn vinyl on the booth seats and just a general sense of being a bit run down. But the greatest disappointment was the food. Portions were huge, which didn't make up for the blandness of the food. The dish I had enjoyed so many times before was smothered in a gloppy heavy cheese sauce that was awful. The fries were delicious when you could find one that wasn't trapped in the thick tasteless cheese sauce. Such a disappointment!! I really hope the owner will realize what a cool place this has been in the past and not just let it go the way of another has been restaurant in a town desperately needing great places to dine out! read more

Horrible experience...food, atmosphere and service. Whatever they do with the radio that causes such noise is ridiculous read more

Food and service were amazing. Lobster bisque is a must try if you're a fan. Portions of food were good sized and the atmosphere was nice. The only reason this isn't 5-stars is because the bass was so loud that it thumped. Subwoofer can probably be turned down or off during diner hours (we ate around 6 p.m.). Can't wait to go back to try something new! read more

Really great place here! Cool atmosphere, awesome food and staff was super friendly. The chef came out and showed us the special he was working on, which I ended up ordering. Everything was excellent. read more

Had 5:45 reservations on 2/22/25 and had to leave to make the 7:30 play 4 blocks away. Never did get what we ordered. Saw other diners come in & be served their appetizer, salads & main courses. Waitress was rude & I had to flag her down to take our orders after 25 mins. Not recommend. Their excuse was "we're busy." Waitress ignored us after I complained it was taking so long. read more

We stopped in here while in town. Loved the vibe. Id call it upscale relaxed. We had a good drink at the bar and then had a corner booth. Jessica our waitress was an absolute doll. We didnt have a full meal but saw others and they looked amazing. We had drinks, wine, shrimp and lobster bisque and everything was great!!! read more

Food and drinks are good. Hostess at the front is incredibly rude. Bar is empty and they turn customers away from even getting a drink at the bar despite 3 bar tenders and only 2 people at the bar. Sad to see one of Decatur's only decent restaurants employed by such rude and incompetent staff read more

Good service, pretty decent food (except for their "special") nice ambiance overall. Very disappointing crab leg "special" last night--very, very poor quality. If I can smell the crab legs before you have finished putting the plate in front of me, you should be able to smell it, and never put it out. Didn't say anything, but the diner next to me later on mentioned they had smelled it too, so...yeah. No one should have plated that, much less brought it out to a customer, guys. Lesson learned--will not be getting seafood from you. read more

I have now gone t the Gin Mill 3 times, which the first time was wonderful. Te last 2 times, after ordering my meal, the salad came out rather quickly, but I wasn't even halfway done my entree came out by a runner. I. refused to take the food, and requested that my meal be made up fresh, but both times the original entree wa brought out ice cold, and was left in the kitchen to sit. I should never have gone back the third time, but figured I would give it another chance, but the manger, who also was my server, never denied that my meal was left sitting for over 15 minutes and then brought out. For $36.oo for an entree, customers deserve quality service, not excuses and cold food. There will be no fourth time back. read more

My son and daughter-in-law from California were impressed at our dinner on Thursday. Great service and delicious dinner!

On my most recent visit, I was in for dinner on a Monday evening. I wanted to try one of the seasonal martinis, but they were switching them out and didn't have one of the ingredients. The bartender suggested a Moscow mule; I tried the apple pie one. Initially, it was good but seemed to get sweeter. Started with the complimentary garlic bread and French onion soup which was OK. I had the 4oz duchess filet with truffle fries for my entree. The filet was tender and cooked nicely but could've used more seasoning (salt & pepper). Took the sticky toffee pudding to go which was amazing. read more

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My lady and I decided to try this little downtown spot now that restaurants in Decatur and Macon Co are being reopened. The waitress was quick to stop by our table and ask us if we wanted waters. We agreed, and she dropped off a liquor, wine, and beer menu with the waters shortly thereafter. I ordered a Door 4 Imperial Stout, and my lady just asked for some tea. It was brought quickly and with a mask enshrouded smile. The stout was delicious with a lovely chocolate aroma and clean, sweet finish. We decided to order the bruschetta after we finished our entrée orders. Nonetheless, it was brought out in plenty of time for us to enjoy it fully. And their bruschetta is quite delicious and refreshing. For the entrée I ordered the Beef Blackstone and my lady ordered the New York Steak, medium DeBurgo Style with Asiago cheese and garlic butter. We each decided on the twice baked potato. She got the Brussel sprouts and I snagged a house salad with raspberry peppercorn vinaigrette. Shortly after the appetizer was presented, the waitress dropped off a hot, half loaf of French bread, well seasoned, with a cup of butter. The Beef Blackstone was mouth watering, thinly sliced steak cutlets smothered with Bordelaise sauce and seasonal mushrooms, served over brioche. I also highly recommend the raspberry vinaigrette, which is made in house. It was sweet and tangy, a delightfully refreshing garnishment for their signature salad. The New York Steak was a little undercooked for my lady's tastes. But, it was edible and she preserved the portion not consumed. We both enjoyed the twice baked, though it was a bit crispy. Nonetheless, they provided a side garnish dish of cheese to dip it. She also ordered the French onion soup, and enjoyed it, but didn't find it exceptional. Our waitress was always eager to provide for our needs and kind. She seemed quite authentic and was happy to be back serving customers after a long break. Her attentiveness was on point, and we only had to wave at her once, to bring my second Imperial stout. She also agreed to snap a pic with my phone, which I've included with this review. All in all, I highly recommend this establishment if you're spending some time in Decatur, or if you're a long-time resident. It is easily in the top three restaurants in the city. read more

The Gin Mill - Me and my lady basking in the afterglow of a lovely diner at the Gin Mill - Bars Near Me - Decatur, Illinois

The lobster bisque is so creamy good!! The plantation blt is so good. Just right for lunch.

One of my quests is to find great restaurants in every town I visit on business. Decatur Illinois did not disappoint! And the Gin Mill was the bomb! We asked our hotel front desk clerk what his favorite restaurant is in the area, with no hesitation he said the Gin Mill. It had good yelp reviews, so we decided to check it out. The restaurant is located in downtown Decatur, and has a wonderful old town feel to the restaurant. The restaurant was packed for a Thursday early dinner, And we were promptly served with our drinks and menu. I when we asked for the best meal on the menu, instantly we were pointed to the steaks. My business associate ordered a filet, and I ordered a filet with the béarnaise sauce. The steaks were cooked to perfection and absolutely delicious. For an excellent steak, with this atmosphere, I really expected to pay a lot more than I did. read more

I visit Gin Mill frequently and know most of the people who work there. They work well as a team, food & service is top notch. I highly recommend it! read more

Excellent service. Good was excellent. Reservations recommended. We were early for our reservation and they were very accommodating in sitting us early. Highly recommend. read more

"Wow" is the first word that comes to mind after a wonderful dinner at The Gin Mill in Decatur! As a guy who's been away from the city for a while, I was frankly surprised to find such a nice, upscale-feeling restaurant in the downtown area. When I dropped in, I was blown away by the old-time decor that created this incredibly quaint, comfortable atmosphere. The booths are nice and comfortable and the service is top-notch. They have a well-stocked bar and a great assortment of beers on draft, including some quality options like Delirium! Their wine and cocktail options are also very well thought-out and seem to be designed to complement their creative menu. We tried the lobster bisque, which was just stellar. It was creamy and delicious with lots of awesome lobster pieces. I also went with the 12oz New York Strip Bordelaise style with an added crab cake. For my sides, I chose the grilled asparagus and the twice baked potato. Absolutely everything I had was incredible. The steak was cooked to a perfect medium and was so incredibly flavorful. The bordelaise style provided a delicious, beefy jus and incredible sauteed mushrooms that really pushed the steak over the top. The crab cake was also fantastic, with a generous amount of crab tucked inside. I will without any question be back and I already know one thing that is definitely on my list...the tempura fried lobster...I can only imagine how wonderful that must be! Great food, great ambiance, great service...hard to ask for more. It's a bit "pricey", but not at all too much for a good night out with some stellar food. 5 stars. read more

The Gin Mill - Fantastic lobster bisque and fresh bread! - Bars Near Me - Decatur, Illinois

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Was pleasantly surprised how good the food and service was! The French onion soup is probably the best I've had in a long time!!!

They stop seating the patio tables 30 min before closure. We arrived 35 min ahead of their lunch closing time and they would only seat us inside. That said, the service and food were both pretty good. Cool building and atmosphere, we enjoyed our lunch and will go back the next time we're in the area. Check them out! read more

Food was great! Loved the fried grouper. Our waitress was phenomenal and went out of her way to accommodate us. My favorite place to eat!

Best restaurant in Decatur for a special evening or celebration! Everything is always delicious and service is always great!