I'm so glad we finally had a chance to visit. This small little diner is a gem for kids. If you can sit at the counter, it's the place to be--though I think there's only two or three tables away from the countertop, so you probably have a good chance. Anyway, when you sit at the counter, your food is delivered by a little train that runs from the kitchen and stops at your seat. It's clever, it's whimsical, it's amusing. It made me smile as much as or maybe even more than my toddler. (She may have been more excited about the pancakes.) If it's your birthday, they'll send you a birthday cupcake by train and the whole joint will sing you a happy birthday. The food was better than I expected, with a good selection of items. I was considering the 2x4 until I saw the turkey club, which is something I'd actually been craving for weeks and unable to find so I went with that. It hit the spot, and one of the servers brought me some chipotle mayo and said everyone likes it so she brings it to everyone. And she was right, so there's a tip for you to ask for a side of it for your fries or whatever. Once we were finished we went to play! The place has a bunch of ways to entertain your kids. There's a photo booth, some kiddie ride machines, machines with toys and trinkets, claw machines, and more. They all take cash, but if you don't have cash they have at least one and maybe two change machines for you to get quarters. There's a train display at the front of the restaurant for kids to look at too. It's a great place and I'm looking forward to returning. There's no dedicated parking, but there's street parking and a small city lot down the block. read more

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A delicious turkey Reuben was delivered to me on a toy train!!! Quirky little spot in a fun part of town. I like the counter service & hilarious delivery. The sandwich had roasted herbed turkey w perfect heaps of sauerkraut, & fresh cut fries were salty n crispy. Good times. read more

Super cute place. SMALL! A large single bar table with stationary bar seating and the train goes around and serves the food. Very cute good for families. Just a few extra table seating surrounding. A Saturday night seating took about 30 minutes then another 30 to get food. However, we didn't mind because we just played arcade games and enjoyed the train and cocktails (beer and wine). Had a great time will definitely be back eventually trying a weekday. The food is good burgers and fries. Plus breakfast specialties. Ice cream from an ice cream truck. Very cute vibe. Must be patient. read more

I would give 4 stars for the food and 5 big, bright stars for the fun and our 2-year old son was happily entertained! I sometimes would come to Madison Street of Forest Park for the Brown Cow ice cream (yummy!). I booked "Junction Diner" before I even had kids. Umm...I guess I Yelped for the future family. Anyways, we made absolutely the right choice to come for a late lunch after the museum fun. This place truly catered for the entire family. There was a plenty of high chairs available and the staff was very kind to set it up for us without asking. Typical American comfort home cooking was on the menu which was fine by me. It was easy to pick out something our son would enjoy eating from the kids' menu and easy for my partner to pick out a sandwich he would like. My steak from the "steak and eggs" was overcooked, yet it didn't kill the joy we had while dining. The food train came out consistently and the staff always had the smile on their faces when maneuvering the train and delivering the food. I also noticed there were some bypassers only coming in to play with the miniature of Village of Forest trains and cars and other things by the entrance. The staff let them in with pleasure. The vibe in "Junction Diner" was relaxing. Everyone was able to have a nice meal at his/her own pace. They have the liquor license to serve alcohol. I don't really drink, yet I am glad that parents can use the time to unwind themselves with booze. Street parking can be a little tight but one can find one without encountering much difficulty. There are other great businesses on Madison FP that one should check them out as well. If you have young kids and want to bring them for dining out, "Junction Diner" is a solid option if you are in the neighborhood. read more

Good food and fun for kids! Food was ok, staff was friendly and we had a very nice time.

This is a great little diner! It's got a classic diner menu and the food is solid. Breakfasts are well-made and plentiful. The burgers are also great! I'd recommend the tater tots over the fries. On top of the really good food, they also serve a number of local beers, which is awesome for a diner! Had a few the night before? This has good hangover food too! The theme of this place is trains and railroads, which is great for the kids. But if you sit at the counter, your food gets delivered on a train right to you! Pretty sweet. The servers are always friendly, helpful and attentive. Be sure to have the kids check out the back area as well. read more

If you're in the Forest Park area, and you have children, I would definitely bring them here they have a train that goes around The counter and serves the food in baskets.. They have a little children's arcade section in the back .You can also take pictures with the kids in a photo booth I also think there's a wall that they can draw on as well . . food is pretty standard... I definitely recommend people who are visiting, or kids on summer vacation... Or if you are a remote worker and you want to get the kids out. This is a fun place for an hour or two out of your day .. parking's a bit rough .... But being on Madison Street downtown Forest Park , there is a lot of stores. actually fun to walk around there. read more

I have no idea how this place got 4 stars Unless you're under 10 the food is trash! Got a turkey burger & fries. It was a dry brown circle, like cardboard. Fries weren't even good TRASH! read more

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What a wonderful find for my train loving kiddos We chatted with the staff and management and everyone was wonderful, service was top notch and most importantly the food was great. I wasn't expecting much seeing it was potentially the trains being the attraction and not the food but I was wrong. Fair pricing on the meals and delicious - will be back. Support such businesses so they don't shut. read more

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this is an amazing kid friendly family friendly diner with a great menu including vegetable alternatives to the usual fries or chips. My wife is a patty melt expert and proclaimed it 5 stars along with upcharge sweet potato fries. My chicken breast wrap was outstanding with a side of my favorite broccoli (the only place other than Culvers to serve burger and broccoli). The family we accompanied had a little boy mesmerized by all of the trains. I am the president of the local model railroad club and I am totally smitten by this very good food restaurant read more

The service, food and ambiance is always great!!! Been coming here for years and it's always enjoyed so much by all. Total Gem! read more

Great fun place for adult n young kids, Great food and super friendly employees Brought my family from UK 2x they loved it and were treated so very extra friendly!!! I will definitely be back and take my 17 yr great grandson as I took him when he was 5-6 yrs old!!! read more

amazing food! service was great! love the theme! everyone there was really nice! overall 10/10 experience :)

Cute diner with fun food and great service. Surprised my kiddo since he's a train fan because the food is delivered by train. I love this place. read more

A great place with owners who truly value their local community! Going back today with our grandsons, whom we will load down with quarters for the back room arcade! We loved visiting last year as the Claus couple! read more

The Junction Diner - We are a Claus couple who met this adorable young lady at The Junction last year! - American Near Me - Forest Park, Illinois

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Suggestions. Don't clean up food before customers are done eating. Serve hot coffee not cold. And perhaps be kind to your patrons.

Super simple, but cute place with good food for all ages. Our daughter LOVED the entire experience and we did too!

This is probably one of the coolest and fun places for kids in Forest Park. Nice and cute concept of having a train come and bring you food. The customer service could of been a little better. The owner didn't engage with his customers. I would of never known he was the owner until the lady behind the counter mentioned it to me. Maybe even redecorate to update this place. One of the stools were broken. Need a make over. I ordered the chicken strips and fries with a glass of wine. Yes, Junction Diner serves wine for the adults Woo Hoo. i ordered the grill cheese, yogurt and apple juice for my Niecy Poo. The food was pretty good. There is a game room in the back that has some very old beat up games for the kids to play. It's not a bad place to take the kids. It just needs to be updated from the old worn out look. read more

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I was surprised to see 4 stars on the yelp overall rating after I visited. The food is greasy diner style but the cleanliness is questionable and the serving sizes are tiny. My daughter got a kids quesadilla and not kidding, it came with 8 fries. 8. You NEED to bring cash/quarters. Otherwise, you have to go across the street to the band for the atm. Normally, this would be fine but, oh wait, this is a place for kids so naturally I had 3 kids in tow and could not convince them to leave the place to go to the atm. They were all complaining the whole time. There are several other areas of the place that are worrisome and not kept. There is a gumball machine catered to young young kids... the height of the machine is for a 2-5 year old, not age appropriate at all. The train set scenery right when you walk in seemed like a poorly kept graveyard for train toys. The staff were very attentive and nice. They did their best to serve food in a timely manner but it still seemed like a long wait (25 mins) for the food we were getting. Won't go back. I don't think they are equipped to serve food and the train ambiance is just leftover goodwill finds shoved into a restaurant. read more

This is a fun place for kids! The train delivers food, and the owner is very friendly. There's games and rides for the kids. The only reason I gave 4 stars is because the food is pretty subpar, and no healthy options for the kids. It's also typical SAD (standard American diet) food. I got the veggie burger, and it was just okay. The Mac and cheese for kids is a very small portion. read more

So disappointed. Service was terrible, food took forever, order was missing my grandson's food (the kids were so patient, but then got antsy). We had to take it to go! Plus , they added the tip on -the receipt said large group. FYI-there were just 2 adults a 2 kids under three. Place was dirty. At least The food was great. read more

Can I give this place 6 stars? Seriously. A train brings the kiddos food. Theres so many kids games and rides and they only cost 1-2 quarters! Also, they have a change machine, and the staff was super duper sweet. Ill defibr back with my little ones!! read more

Just had my son's 2nd birthday here- it was so perfect for him! The owner was super responsive to us- about half the party cancelled last min and they adjusted our food order. Service was great- and my son had a blast with the Photo Booth and trains! Of the food- nachos were the best! read more

Great place to take kids to if you have any. Or great place to bring my hubby to just so he can see his food brought out to him by a train!!! We had so much fun here! The Junction Diner really is an adorable place. We enjoyed our food. Watching the train come out from the kitchen and around the counter and stop right in front of us with our order was pretty cool. They have and an automated train ride and kids section for your little ones to play while your food is being prepared. There's also a photo booth! Super cool! The best seats are at the counter if you want your food delivered via choo choo. We def will be returning with my nephews. ~Enjoy Yelpers! read more

The Junction Diner - The Flying Yankee Sandwich - American Near Me - Forest Park, Illinois

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Great atmosphere to take this kiddos and service was phenomenal. Only this that some of the food was a bit dry or greasy. Maybe it's because they were close to closing or something but otherwise a great experience. Next time we will come earlier. read more

This is a real cute little diner. A train delivers the food to your seat if you sit around the diner counter. It's also extremely child friendly so I can see the place becoming a little nightmarish if packed. Luckily, it was pretty empty when we showed up. All of us sat at the counter. That was a little weird for my 3 year old nephew, but he was pretty well behaved. I got the Burlington Bacon burger and upgraded to a bowl of soup instead of fries. The burger was good, but not outstanding. It was cooked a little more to my liking, but I never gave a cooking temp (never asked). The chipotle mayo was a nice touch! What surprised me the most was the cream of chicken soup. Extremely flavorful and just ehat I needed on a cold night like tonight. It did have two bay leaves on the bowl which was a little disappointing, but not a deal breaker. Along with the games, this is a nice little family restaurant that appears to be locally owned. It's weird enough and food was pretty good to give it another chance if I'm in the area. They also have a pretty large beer list which is a nice surprise. I'd certainly recommend stopping by if you want some diner food and are in the area. read more

Visited with our toddler. He loved the trains that went around the counters and the interactive train display with Thomas the Tank Engine. We ordered a burger and a beer, and the burger was delicious! Service was great too! read more

This is a cute spot for the kids. It's fairly expensive for what it is, but I should acknowledge that it's a large space with limited seating, making it ideal for it's kid friendly atmosphere. They have generous selection of beers for a what's is clearly a kid oriented restaurant. All the kid friendly Staples are on the menu and the menu offers plenty of choices for the adults. I would come back if others wanted to go. I wouldn't be the one suggesting we go. read more

The Junction Diner - American Near Me - Forest Park, Illinois

Awful experience and service, and to top it off- we were charged a large party tip for 2 adults and 2 kids under 3. Disappointed to say the least. read more

I took my daughter here (3 years old) last week . We used a groupon. We went on a night that burgers were 1/2 off ( can't combine with Groupon). But I didn't care as Groupon sends me steep discount codes ($10 off,$20 off and 90% off etc) since I use them often . My daughter had a grilled cheese and I ordered the pot roast sandwich. I did expect my sandwich to be a bit larger . It was fairly small but delicious . There was also wine available for parents. There's a small play area to keep your kids occupied while you wait. Beat of all the food comes to you on a train if you are at the counter . She loved it so much that when I told her we'll bring daddy next time she said no because she didn't want to share this with him read more

The Junction Diner - American Near Me - Forest Park, Illinois

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The Junction Diner is super child-friendly and a lot of fun, especially for children who love trains. Our toddler granddaughter was amused by the entire atmosphere. The burgers were actually tasty! The Staff are kind and suited to being around children. read more

I love getting my food brought out to me with the train. I enjoy it more than my 2 year old nephew though. I kept telling him to look at the train. He really didn't seem to care at all. Food is pretty good. I've had their burgers, wraps and veggie patties when I was fasting from meat. We've had most of their deserts. Everything is really good and tasty. We had a one off once, but the owner quickly corrected it for us. I will continue coming here cause my nephew likes riding the little rocking train/car in the window and cause I love the sweet potato fries. They also serve funky beers. Check them out. read more

Took the kiddos here after a visit to the Arboretum and it was a nice place for them. With the train delivering the food, kids loved it! Food was good too! Strawberry shake was the icing on the cake!!! read more

The food is great the service is good and it's is a fun place for kids to play and have fun

service atmosphere all of it is great simple fun for kids! great menu phenomenal service highly recommend

So much fun for kids: they loved the choo choo trains and arcade! So tasty for the adults: great pot roast sandwich, Cobb salad, fries, and butterscotch root beer! read more

The food was absolutely amazing. I order a cheeseburger and fries and it only cost $10. The store wasn't crowded even though it was after school hours and I had a blast looking at the cool train models. They even bring the food to you. I he environment was very pleasant and the staff always checked up on me every 15 minutes or less. 10/10 read more

Easy to dismiss as just a place for kids, and sure, between the model train and the game room, it's definitely a place kids will like. But the food isn't bad for adults either! Great burger, excellent mystery tacos. Waitress Jodie was enthusiastic and attentive. I'd go back here again, kids or no kids! read more

A fun find to meet up with our nephews! Adorable diner atmosphere that has lots of kid friendly activities, coloring, chalk walk, sit in train cars, a working miniature village, and arcade! Great find with good affordable food and adult beverages for the parents! A fun little stop if you have some kiddos dining with you. read more

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Took my train obsessed son here for his birthday lunch. The food was outstanding. Really really exceptional food. The mystery tacos are to die for. Highly recommend them. Their corn flake breaded chicken is top notch. They also sang happy birthday to him and gave us a cupcake on the train delivered to him. The service was good and the staff is very friendly. We will definitely return with all of our kids in the near future. read more