Satan, be gone. Shivers Frozen Custard is sinful. Having lived in STL for 40 years and the last 20…read morefairly close to Ted Drew's. I can say in my humble opinion that Shiver's is the better custard. Living nearby, I have finally learned that you don't have to be a kid to order the kiddie size. By ordering the kiddie, I can save calories and perhaps be able to stop by twice during the week instead of limiting myself to one treat. I think Kiddie Size can also be called a, Senior Size. As we age, our appetites are like they use to be. Last night I couldn't pass by when I saw the FOTD (Flavor of the Day) was, Gooey Pecan Pie. I'm really not a Gooey person, but Pecan Pie is my favorite pie, so I couldn't resist. I ordered a Kiddie Concrete. It was rich in flavor and had large pieces of Pecan. I even had full sized pecans in my cup covered in the Gooey sauce. It was the perfect sweet treat to end the day. As a reminder, Shivers is also a coffee shop in the early mornings. So you can also get your caffeine fix, too. I also gotta tell you that they're dog friendly and offer free Pup Cups. Dog must be present to receive the Pup Cup. No To-Go orders for the pups.

Updating my review from 4 years ago to say Shivers is hands down the best ice cream around still…read more Service is always stellar, ice cream always great! The line gets really long but they do come out and take orders from those in line often to keep things moving along as fast as possible.

I love the dessert options. The bubble wrap bowl is super appealing and fun to look at and eat…read more I also enjoyed watching all the local neighbors being able to just walk up and order their treats. It's so nice to see a snack shop with outdoor seating like this one on the community. They also have hot dogs, bratwursts and I don't remember the rest of the savory menu. It's worth a stop. And you get to do a lil people watching too!

Great ice cream and very friendly service! Loved the summer feel of the neighborhood.read more

This place got very delicious ice cream, but don't go with your friends from school because they…read morewill make you feel bad and rip your favorite pair of leggings.

​Very rude. It's a bunch of kids running the place. Each one had an attitude, and that tells me…read morethat management is probably not treating them right. Will not be coming back.

Just visited 1904 General Store for the first time…read more I visited downtown Alton yesterday -- for the first time in years. Decided to check out the general store as soon as I saw it -- it's a cool, welcoming old building. The first floor is full of candy, chocolate, fudge, ice cream, and other treats. I picked out some candy and sampled some delicious Belgian chocolate bars. I bought one for me, but I'll be back in a few months for friends' birthdays, and to try the fudge myself. The ice cream flavors (about 8) were all unique -- you aren't getting a simple chocolate or vanilla here. The most common of the flavors available was a rainbow sorbet. I think some of the other flavors were Shipwreck, Pirate's Bounty, and Superman, though I may not be recalling the names accurately. The upstairs is full of home decor items, including a wall decorated to look like someone's front porch. The styles are cute, though not my speed, as I am something of a minimalist. You can read all about their business and the building's Worlds Fair history over on their facebook page. Hope to visit again soon.

Beautiful old building and lovely stained glass windows! Friendly service from the lady who sold us…read moreice cream and candy.

This DQ is always busy. Whenever I drive by, there is always a line in the drive-thru. So today, I…read moregot in line myself and ordered me some lunch. I was surprised how fast they moved the line, it actually was impressive. Earlier this morning I saw a commercial promoting their single cheeseburger, 2 for $5 or 2 Double Cheeseburgers for $8. I really wanted a double, but I didn't need two. So, I am sure you know what I did. I ordered the 2 singles and when I got home, I made my own double. It was pretty tasty for a fast-food burger, I'd order it again. To accompany my burger, I ordered a side of onion rings. They were from a bag, but they had good flavor and were crispy, too. The service over the intercom and at the drive-up window was friendly and quick. I can see how they move the line so quickly.

Food was good. Service however, an old woman with blue eye shadow treated me like crap. Started off…read morewith basically yelling into her mic. She asked if I wanted anything else and I said yes and proceeded to ask for an extra ranch which led to her having a very rude tone and annoyed with me wanting extra ranch. And when I asked if my order was good she didn't respond for about 10 seconds so I pulled up and as I was pulling away she began talking. And when I got to the window she said "since you wanted to leave while I was in the middle of talking...." And proceeded to go in very full detail of everything and made us wait a very long time and someone else had to take my card to pay.

Simply wonderful! Always fresh food, beautiful decor, and…read moretable/food service is good! Will return.

I love this place! It's a charming little cafe with phenomenal desserts and lovely service. They're…read morealso keeping a historic Alton building up and running for us all to enjoy. Great sandwiches and incredible soup. Get the soup. Highly recommend!!!!!

I'm biased because we frequent often, but if you still haven't made it over, do yourself a favor…read moreand go! Hubby and I were gifted tickets to their 11 year celebration. We were greeted by the owner, Lauren. During the event, we were housed in the newly renovated event space. Perfect for intimate events. They served guests a full spread complete and drinks on the house. The food was actually very delicious. There was this sort of cheese dip that we ate - all I know is that it had corn in it and spices, but everyone went back for seconds! It was good! (Put it as a regular menu option *wink wink*). Live music, photo ops, and a tour of the brewery where all the magic happens. Lauren led the tour and when I tell you she is knowledgeable, she is very knowledgeable! To learn about their inception makes me appreciate it even more. Go check them out!

I loved this place. I don't drink, but I got to try their local sodas, which lack all the HFCS…read morestuff and has real sugar. It was called Excel Bottling Company. I was pleasantly surprised. The walk to the restaurant area is very pretty and historic as well! They had board games and it felt pretty homey! The food was good, except for my fried chicken sandwich. It seemed to be over cooked, making it hard to chew from the outside. I enjoyed everything else, though! The service was great, too!

Great food all around. I've ordered takeout from this spot several times and they've never…read moredisappointed. Today was my first time dining in, and the experience was even better. The staff was incredibly accommodating -- I wanted to hang out and get some work done on my laptop, and they helped me get connected to the guest Wi‑Fi right away. Even after I finished eating, they kept my drinks refilled and I never once felt rushed, even as the dining room got a little busier. On top of that, they offer an impressive variety -- sushi, ramen, and even boba -- which you don't see at many places in the Metro East. They also have more rolls than most spots around here, and I've never spent as much here as I have at other sushi restaurants. Overall, great food, great service, and a really comfortable place to relax or get some work done.

I learned a valuable lesson, do not judge a restaurant by its name. I am not a fan of "sushi", so…read morewhen Toko Sushi opened, I avoided going there. Then one day, as I went to a business next door, I saw the word Tempura on their windows. That opened the opportunity for me to consider them for a meal. My first visit I tried their Fried Calamari and the Beef Fried Rice. Both were outstanding. The Calamari was better than some of the Calamari that I have had at a sit-down restaurant. Going forward, when I am craving some Fried Rice, I'll be ordering it from, Toko Sushi. My second visit, I enjoyed the Deep Fried Crab Jalapeño and an order of Chicken Teriyaki. Both were outstanding. I learned that I didn't need both. They were large portions, the Jalapeño appetizer can easily be a meal for me. The chicken with the Teriyaki was tender and flavorful. I dealt with two different cashiers on my visits and both were extremely professional. I was impressed with the food and service. When: January 9 & 14, 2026 Why: Lunches Return: Yes, it will be in my lunch rotation.

I had a fantastic Tuesday night dinner. They were offering a $30 3 Course Dinner, but I went with…read morethe $25 Pepperloin Steak. Before ordering, I enjoyed a Tito's Extra Dry Martini with a Lemon Twist. The bartenders here are masters of their mixologist skills. Trust me I know, they've made my a lot of cocktails. Once my entree arrived, I totally impressed with all three items. The asparagus was prepared perfectly. It wasn't too hard and not overly soft. It had just enough snap. The Loaded Baked Potato was the size of a fist, which is a perfect size. It was fluffy and was topped with butter, cheese and bacon. The steak was truly the piece of resistance. It was super tender and they served it a true medium rare. The kitchen truly knocked it out of the park with this meal. I was a happy diner. Good food and good service will have me returning to Gentelin's, time and time again.

Gentelin's is a nice higher class restaurant on Broadway in Alton, IL. Perfect place for a special…read moredate or celebrating an anniversary. Lights are low and the dining area is beautiful. The menu items are pricey for the area. However, the food is amazingly good. We met another couple to celebrate a birthday. My husband ordered Aunt Jaynes Chicken and French Onion Soup. The chicken came out with mashed potatoes and small serving of green beans. My husband is critical when it comes to restaurant food and he said it was great. The chicken was seasoned perfectly. I ordered the Chicken Condon Bleu which was served over pasta with a white sauce and a small Greens and Apple salad. So delicious! Our waitress was attentive without being overbearing. I would recommend this place to anyone looking for a nice night out. I suggest reservations. And, the dress is a little more than casual.

Bluff City Grill was one of my stops on the St. Patrick's Day Pub Crawl in Alton. In my younger…read moredays, I could chug a green beer, but in my senior years it doesn't even sound good. So when the bartender offered me a green beer, I turned it down. She then offered me a, Green Sangria. What? She then told me it was made with Midori and I was sold. It was a refreshing green cocktail for the holiday. When you are partying on St. Paddy's Day, you need to snack to help balance the liquor consumption. Sticking with the "green" theme, I ordered some Guac Bites with a Sweet Chili dipping sauce. It's fresh mildly spicy guacamole wrapped in a won ton and fried to a golden color. It's one of my favorite appetizers here at BCG. They also offer a Cajun Ranch dip, but I prefer the Sweet Chili. The service is always fun and friendly, making your dining/drinking experience memorable.

I attended with a large group and the staff were very attentive. I had the crab stew and fish…read moretacos. Mom had white chicken chili and veggie stir fry. We will definitely come again.