Solera is a great start to your evening in downtown Alton. It's a simple and intimate wine bar with…read moregood offerings and knowledgable service. It has become my place to go for a glass of wine before enjoying dinner at one of the nearby restaurants. Solera is strictly a wine bar, but they do offer various cheeses and meats to nosh on while you enjoy your wine. They also offer desserts so you can end your evening in downtown Alton with a glass of wine and offerings from a local bakery. Solera had to close down during the pandemic, but they are totally back and I highly recommend that you check them out.

The atmosphere was nice. Small and cozy to what you would find at any local bar. The service here…read morewas great, but items on menu were limited. NOTE: they no longer serve "food" since COVID 19 from what the bar tender told our group. Nonetheless a good place to go with plenty of options to eat close by.

We visited Aerie's Resort on a Sunday afternoon to enjoy the view and a glass of wine while…read morelistening to some live music. After traveling up via the Grafton SkyTour (reviewed separately), we decided to do the Alpine Coaster first. It cost $18 per adult for one round-trip coaster ride. After completing a waiver on a tablet, we were able to board right away. Strangely, it was not possible for myself (5'5" F) or my partner (6' M) to sit with our backs/necks in the chair and also push the hand accelerators forward all the way. That meant we both were bending forward unsupported for the entire ride in order to go fast (fast = fun!). The coaster itself was nice and shady with twists and turns that we both enjoyed. Unfortunately, we have both had bad back and neck pain and muscle spasms after the coaster (2 days at this point). They really need to move the hand controls back about 5 inches so normal people can reach them while having their backs in the ride. After the coaster, we visited the main building (Terrace) for a glass of wine. The "winery" building was closed during our visit. The main space, which feels like a banquet hall, was well air conditioned with large windows that allow a view of the river valley. The live music was nice. The Cardinals v Cubs game was on the big screen muted. The service was rather slow, which was a surprise considering that it wasn't very busy. Our server was friendly but not very knowledgeable about wine. There were only 3 Aerie's wines on the menu. I tried their Chambourcin, which was pretty good and my partner had a Pinot noir that was okay. After the wine, we took some pictures on the patio and then headed back down the SkyTour.

View from my balcony and room are fantastic . Person at the front desk was pleasant. I still got l…read morea little lost but this place is really off the beaten path. What a great getaway! Will be trying the food tomorrow. If it's as beautiful as the views, might have to raise to 5 stars.

I never actually made it to the venue. Over the years I have seen many acts at this venue, all acts…read moreI have seen were held indoors. We had tickets to see Chicago Farmer a few week back, I have been wanting to see this act for a long time so I was very excited. It was a very warm weekend. My friends and I could not figure out from the website or the tickets if this was scheduled as an indoors show or outdoors. I figured the best way to find out was to actually call the venue. I called the venue the evening before and asked if it was going to be an indoor or outdoor show. The gentleman that I talked talked to never really answered if it was indoor or outdoors, but eventually told me it was scheduled to be outdoors, and if the weather was an issue it would move indoors. Trying to plan ahead, since I had never seen an outdoor show, I asked the gentleman on the phone if patrons brought their own lawn chairs for outside shows. This was new to me and I wanted to be prepared for my evening. The gentleman on the phone was very rude and told me if I would've read my tickets I would've had the answers to all these questions. I feel like I looked in the proper places to get these answers and then I looked again after I got off the phone with him, nowhere on the tickets did it explain whether or not it was an indoor and outdoor show and if it was an outdoor show that patrons were to bring their own lawn chairs. What should've been an easy informative phone call to the venue ended up leaving a very bad taste in my mouth. I was planning on heading out with a group of eight of us, we would've spent a decent amount of money at the venue. After the conversation with the gentleman on the phone, I discussed the issue with my friends, and we decided that we were going to choose not to spend our money at that venue. I hope that this is not common practice to be rude to customers as they're trying to gather information about a concert that they were looking forward to seeing. It is a beautiful, fun establishment that I hope to enjoy in the future.

This place is great. Their wines are flavorful and plentiful. Service is great and the staff is…read morevery knowledgeable of the varieties of wines. There are plenty of seating options inside and outside. There is even a bocce ball court! Wish I could be in town when it starts to get cooler outside. They do have nights with live music which rocks the house!

A small but inviting establishment. Enjoyed the live music and the fantastic wine. Wish I could…read moreremember what brand I was drinking. Oh well, gives me an excuse to go back and find out another time. Hopefully sooner than later.

When I went to Springfield, IL one weekend to handle some personal business, I stopped in It's All…read moreAbout Wine to meet my former colleague for a glass of wine and catch up with one another. I remember this place very well for when I lived in Springfield, IL. It is a good hangout spot to unwind and relax with a glass of wine. It was packed when I arrived, and I waited about 10-15 minutes before I was helped by one of the staff members, but I when I did get a glass of wine and hung out with my former colleague, I was able to unwind and enjoy myself. It's All About Wine is a great wine bar/shop with a good selection of wine and knowledgeable staff who can help you pick out the right bottle of wine for you. It's a cool hang out spot with table and chairs outside the store as well to hang out outside with friends with a glass of wine. If you go to Springfield, IL and want a place to hang out with, I would recommend It's All About Wine.

Delicious! We had gumbo, mahi mahi tacos that came with red beans and rice. The gumbo came with…read morehomemade cornbread another plus! The service was great. We sat on the upper deck overlooking the river and the ceiling fans kept us cool. Next time we go, I want to rent a pontoon boat and then have lunch.

I recently visited the oyster Bar and this was my first time, however i'm not sure if I will be…read moreback. The good and the bad, I'm not aware of how many entry points this restaurant has but anyone with high heels, but more importantly elderly with a bad back or knees may have difficulty reaching the establishment. I ordered a catfish platter, now the fish was fried crispy and was tasty. The fries were good as well however, I subbed a scoop of red beans and rice for the fries but for the price and the name platter that maybe a little miss leading. Please take a look at my picture below

A wonderful little boutique nestled onto a nice corner in wildwood square across from the theater…read moreand the wildwood hotel. This quaint little establishment has a bit of everything from gifts for the people in your life to a really nice bar to enjoy something nice to drink with a friend or loved one. Check out their patio its pretty nice. Stop in and say hi to the owners Jackie and Elise, you will be happy you did..

love this store!! my mom and i go here most of the time when we're in need of gifts for family…read moremembers. the workers are very helpful and never forget to greet us at the door. they have a wide selection and make sure to get a new inventory at every new season.

Our group had a great time at this place during the July 4th weekend. The root beer slush was…read moregreat, as were the bloody Marys and other mixed drinks that we got. Prices are decent and service is good. They have a few tables outside and several tables inside.

Review #3000! Came here on a visit late last night, I wanted to visit another bar in the area but…read moreapparently this was closed but this place was open. I wanted to only stop by for a few drinks but I definitely enjoyed my visit simply because it felt like I was back in time into a 1870s saloon but it's way more modern. It's got cool Pina Colada wine slushies. Bands are featured here. Coming here late at night too is just great simply to engage with the locals around here and not really bump into any tourists. Bathrooms are clean, establishment itself is very clean. Prices are fair and the bartender was really friendly. Definitely worth checking out if you're in the area.

State Street is easily one of my favorite restaurants in the Riverbend area. They were a shining…read morestar in downtown Alton until their lease was not renewed. At first I thought it was a bad call by the landlord. Now that they are located in Elsah, I realize he did them a favor. Beau and Terri rallied and took on the challenge of relocating their restaurant. They searched hight and low and found the perfect location in Elsah, just 8 miles north of the old location. Elsah welcomed them with open arms and issued them the first liquor license in the history of the township. Since the relocation I have been multiple times for lunch. You cannot go wrong with their famous Mushroom Asparagus Soup or one of the popular Paninis. I've also been to a wine dinner that impressed me and my cousin who is a wine connoisseur. The wine and food were paired beautifully. Experiencing a regular dinner in the boutique dinning room is also a delight. Their menu changes regularly, but I must say when you see Terri's Lasagna being offered, that is a sign to order it. You will not be disappointed. All the servers and staff are spectacular. It blows my mind how many of them can remember the names of all their regulars. It makes for a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Next time you're traveling the River Road, take a detour into Elsah and visit State Street on LaSalle.

This is my first time here since they moved to Elsah, and it's as delicious and wonderful as ever…read more The service is so personal, the kind you only get in a small town. The new dining area is beautifully decorated and cozy. And of course the food is delicious. Just look at their panini options and you'll know what I mean. This time I had the potato soup and the roasted turkey panini, and it was absolutely delicious. I only wish I had gotten a full sandwich! I had a dilemma ordering because there were too many incredible options. Thankfully I was able to see a few other dishes that my friends ordered, so I know how yummy they look! I can't wait to return and try more.

A must try. Perfectly assorted boards, lots of variety. Mood lighting, decor, and service.read more

Visited this spot multiple times while in town. There's street and lot space available. They have…read morean outside patio and two inside spaces, one a little more lax than the other chic place with a bar. I enjoy being served by the nice people of this establishment and have sat at the patio and the bar twice. The service is always good and the food is perfect for a stop right after work.

A recent fall colors drive took us through Jerseyville so I decided to try the Redbird Deli for…read morelunch. The menu is simple but well thought out with plenty of options for fresh sandwiches and salads. You can choose from the menu or build your own. The interior was inviting, restrooms were clean, and the staff was very friendly and helpful. Did I say fresh? Oh yeah! All of the ingredients seem super fresh. I went for the Redbird Club on multigrain bread this time around. A simple yet delicious sandwich was presented and quickly devoured. The next time around, I'm going to have to try one of their salads. They have so many fresh ingredients to choose from, you can't go wrong.

Great menu! We really enjoyed the friendly atmosphere and service. We definitely will be back!…read more Carla is simply amazing!