Really cool place in downtown Alton. Came here with my family and we had a great time. Very lively…read moreand well decorated place. I would recommend coming here to anybody who's looking for a fun bar experience. Service was quick and everything is great. Nice big space and plenty of parking in the area. I'm looking forward to coming back in the future, surprised I've never been here before as an Alton native.

Oh, Daddy. I like Catdaddy's…read more Catdaddy's recently went under new ownership. It's a new partnership that is mainly women. They are promoting themselves as, "A female owned space where women can let their hair down and have fun...We've got your back." They're promoting a safe place for ladies to have fun and not have to go it alone when feeling uncomfortable. The entire crew will have your back. It's a safe place. I met two female friends here for Happy Hour this past Friday. I thought I'd arrive early to secure a table, when I did the bar was already packed and it was just 5PM. I was greeted by a male bartender, who poured a good and refreshing Tito's with Seltzer. Pricing for a call brand was cheap. Not sure if it was a HH deal or not. I'll update that on next visit. The best way to describe, Catdaddy's is that it is an upscale dive bar. Its crowd was a good mix of ages, sexes and diversity. We were still there during the bartender change and the young lady who came on duty was also, attentive and friendly. There's no full kitchen, but they do offer bar pizzas, if you need a nosh to cut the liquor. I had fun, so I know I'll be back.

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.

A bowling alley bar and grill is just like a dive bar. They have a down home feeling and they seem…read moreto know all the regulars. I gotta come back at night time when there is a bustling bunch of bowlers in the bar area. I was the only one in the grill at lunch time, so the bartender was busy stocking and the cook had to come out and do double duty as a waitress. I will say, my beer was cold and the frosted glass gave it an extra chill. I had a cheeseburger that was a hand patty. My garnishes were onion and lettuce and I had a side of fries. It was all served hot, but not as quickly as I would have thought being the only diner. I think with the workers do side and prep work made things a little slower. That is why I'll return and give them a second try.

This place is like an oasis in the middle of a vast desert. The Christmas lights on the outside of…read morethe building pull you in like a strange unexplainable magnetic force. Once inside, you'll be exposed to one of the most expected but savory bar menus. You'll be able to wash down your mozzarella sticks, nachos, philly cheese steak and chicken wraps, with some of the best local IPA's and traditional beers you know and love. Once your belly is full, you'll be able to enjoy some of the best bowling this side of the Mississippi!! Whether you're out with some friends, on a first date, or celebrating your 25th wedding anniversary, this place is the only establishment to go to. You'll never have a bad time at Spectators!

Place seems like a fun night place. For lunch, it's standard bar grille food. Not a huge standout…read more I had the cheesesteak. It was odd. Instead of pieces of thinly sliced steak mixed with cheese, it was a thin sliced piece of steak with cheese on top. More of a steak sandwich. It was ok. The fries were well seasoned. And the homemade ranch was a standout. Service was pretty good. We had a big group and they did very well. Biggest turnoff was the semi outdoor area that allows smoking. Not a big fan of eating with cigarette fumes throughout the building.

I've lived in the area five years and I am still bewildered how people can smoke on the patio at…read moreRoper's even when the all the sliding doors are closed. I just always hope no one who smokes is seated near me. Today I expanded my menu experience by trying something totally new and different. I went with a Foul Ball, which is a chicken breast on a Brioche Bun with garnishes. I choose hand battered. You can also do, grilled or blackened. My breast was super thick and batter was crispy and had good flavor. As a side, I went with Tater Tots instead of fries. I've done this at other places and I'm starting to favor Tots. My beer was cold and the service was attentive. My server was training a new person and I think you always get better service when they are training. They want to make sure the newbie gets it, so they overdo it sometimes. I live super close to Roper's, but don't think of them when I'm heading out to eat. The food is good, I need to train my brain to remember them. I'll be back, hopefully sooner then later.

Had the ribeye and it was good. Had a live band and it was fun and met new people. Will continue to…read morecome back.

Great little place to stop when going for a drive on 94. The inside is fun to look around and the…read morefood was really good. Grilled shrimp yummmm.

Great daily deals, the tacos could have more taste to them, MARGS are great. For 2.50 dollars…read more French fries are great. Wings EXCLENT.

For a dive sports bar, The Franchise puts on a good feed. The offerings are your typical sports bar…read moregrub, but it's prepared a level above other sports bars. My recent visit I enjoyed the Pork Loin Sandwich. It was a typical pork tenderloin sandwich, extending beyond the bun. The one here is served grilled, not fried like the majority of other restaurants. The seasoning and glaze were full of flavor. It surprised me with how juicy and tender it was. If you're a fan of Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches, this is a must try. A previous visit I had one of the steak specials. I ordered the 16 oz Filet and giggled when it was served. I was given two 8 oz filets on my plate. I didn't care, it still was 16 oz. It actually worked out for me, I ate one and took the other home and had steak and eggs for breakfast the next day. For my two sides, I choose Baked Potato and Green Beans. Half of the potato went home and gave me American Fried Potatoes for breakfast. They have a good variety of beers on draft, bottled and canned. In addition, they offer a full bar for adult beverages. The service is hit or miss. It was obvious who was a regular by the attention and quality of service they received. They need to treat everyone the same, so the newer customers become repeat customers, too.

You typically can't go wrong with Applebees. The young male host held the door open for patrons…read moreexiting and us entering. He offered no greeting. No 'welcome to Applebees'-nothing. At the hostess area, another more pleasant young guy greeted us. I requested a booth. Mr No Personality said "none available now". I asked "can we wait?" Don't even think he acknowledged me. A few moments later, booth was available and "MNP" seated us. And that's all he did. No, "your server will be with you shortly; sorry for your wait; kiss my grits" nothing. Our server Lexie was a pleasant and cheerful breath of fresh air. She checked on us although it did take a little while to get extra napkins. I almost always order the Chicken Wonton Tacos. This time I got the appetizer platter with fried pickles (good but salty), chicken wonton tacos and fried shrimp. I don't typically eat seafood so I was really going out on a limb. The chicken wonton tacos were disappointing. Smaller in size and extra crispy. Almost paper like. It was busy, but it was also a Friday night.

Took a second to be seated as the waitress was in the middle of a conversation, but she was nice…read more Spinach and artichoke dip is a must! I know steak from Applebees isn't anything spectacular, but it's not terrible - they just never seem to be able to cook it correctly the first go round. I ask for medium and I typically comes out well done. Overall AB's will always be a staple because it's typically convenient and not bad on cost.