Colonial Cafe

A nice spot to grab a drink on a nice weather day - the outdoor patio is fantastic!…read more The fellas and I grabbed a round of brews here while roaming around downtown Geneva and we had zero complaints. It was really nice out so, naturally, we were at the outdoor bar/patio. What a delightful space: open, airy, ample seating, great staff. The biggest bummer is navigating inside for the bathroom but everything else is top notch. We're fans and will return again!

Had an event in downtown Geneva later in the evening and needed someplace for dinner. Tons of…read moreoptions available and this was a new choice for us. Didn't need reservations. Got seated in the enclosed patio though looked like some were seated outdoors. I assume it was heated as it was a little chilly. Had Non Alcoholic options on the menu which is always nice to see. Mostly small plates for sharing but when we got the lamb the server told us it had three skewers but she could add a fourth so we could each have one. I'd never been offered that option at a restaurant before - a very nice touch. The lamb was amazing. Gnocchi was considered a large plate and defiantly enough for a meal. Nice atmosphere. Friendly service.

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Pretty storefront for the "Front Lounge". Rest of place is more open air concept but with class!

The James

3.8(158 reviews)

2.5 mi

The James has been a summer staple. We love going there for the beautiful outside space and fun…read moremusic as well as excellent food and cocktails. Service is outstanding however, Colby is THE BEST! We can always count on Colby's hustle and excellent service.

We had a reservation for a party of eight at 8:15 and were seated out on the patio. The inside of…read morethe restaurant is super cute, and they have very elegant bathrooms. I informed our server that I have celiac disease, and she was helpful in confirming that the cocktails were gluten-free. I ordered the Pineapple Express sangria, and it was absolutely delicious. When it comes to the food, most items on the menu can actually be made gluten-free, but they aren't marked on the menu and they do not offer a separate gluten-free menu. Our server did let us know right away that they were out of three of their entree items. For my meal, I started with the gluten-free soup which comes with gluten-free noodles, and it was really good. However, I didn't really like any of the remaining entrees they had left available, so I decided to order sides instead. The server mentioned that most of the sides are or can be made gluten-free. I chose the creamy mashed potatoes and the brussel sprouts, specifically requesting the sprouts without croutons. When the food arrived, the brussel sprouts unfortunately had croutons on them. I pointed it out to the server, and she immediately said she would have them remade for me. While I am very glad I caught the mistake before eating them, it is something to watch out for. Overall, the experience was mediocre.

The wine cellar!

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Manhattan

Geneva Ale House

3.9(336 reviews)

Really enjoyed our dinner! We came in on the 4th of July, and appreciate that the place was open…read moreand staff provided great service when downtown Geneva was essentially closed and deserted. Our food was tasty and the music was set at a good level. Prices are fair. Looking forward to returning another time.

Very nice hole in the wall hidden on the Main Street in Geneva. Attentive and the food was…read moredelicious.

Chicken quesadillas

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Barrel + Rye

4.2(640 reviews)

2.6 mi

Fun spot with unique cuisine, this restaurant may be small but the food packs big flavor. On my…read morevisit here, I had the opportunity to try two dishes off the shareables menu and was super impressed with both of them. Service was also quick and friendly throughout the entire meal. The Birria egg rolls were a bit on the smaller side but made a big impression with its preparation. I've never had birria wrapped in anything as crispy as the wonton wrapper this was wrapped in. The birria was flavorful while being tender and not being too salty. The white cheddar and chihuahua cheese added a small amount of extra saltiness and a bit more fat, which matched well with the chipotle aiola. The duck poutine was incredibly flavorful, while sitting on the edge of potentially being too bold. The fries were incredibly crispy though there was quite a bit of gravy on the dish and the white cheddar cheese curds did a great job of keeping the entire dish hot throughout the meal, while adding a little bit of extra flavor. The bacon and onion added some umami though it almost made the dish a bit too salty and the duck confit added a nice protein element. Overall a little pricey, but given the more unique menu and quality of both the flavors and textures, it's worth the premium. The food here is definitely memorable and in line with excellent options available in Geneva.

All around had an amazing time! Visiting in town for work…read moreand wondered along this place that was delightful and charming. Henry was our server/bartender and gave us excellent service. He was naturally humorous and humble. The best part was my Tuna Tartare. I order it everywhere I go & I must say - it was the best I've had this year! Thank you Barrel + Rye!

Barrel + Rye

BLACK + BLUE chicken with truffle fries. Yummy

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Outside seating

The Graceful Ordinary

4.3(293 reviews)

1.1 mi

•$$$

My husband and I went for our anniversary a couple of weeks ago. First of all we were greeted with…read morea homemade care signed by All the staff We are huge foodies, from fine dining to dive bar food, this has to be one of the BEST dining experiences I've ever had!!! The food was absolutely amazing we had the smoked deviled eggs, oysters and the pears with blue cheese and toasted pistachios all were delicious!! We also had the lobster pasta wow on the sauce and they were NOT shy with the lobster! Which also was fresh and delicious! We then spilt the sea bass fish which they spilt up and brought us out our own dishes, and the owner and head chef delivered to our table himself which was such an awesome touch! And he's was so kind and wonderful to talk to! And then came the dessert which was the butterscotch pudding.......WOW I'm pretty sure this was made in Heaven! Carson was our waiter and was wonderful too!! He is delightful and very knowledgeable of the entire menu and all the drinks I'm a very picky wine drinker and he gave me the perfect recommendation after listening to me. The overall experience is truly one of my favorites!! And the ambience is wonderful too!! We loved the open kitchen as well!! If you haven't been, GO!! You will not be disappointed!! We can't wait to return!

Short answer: Yes! Would recommend!…read more Long answer: Came to celebrate 2 birthdays and was sat at "the chefs table" which is a high-top table right in front of the kitchen. It was just too hot sitting there and also noisy from the kitchen and orders being called out, etc. Asked (I think) the manager, Amanda, if there's any way we can move to another table cause we are just sweating and wouldn't be able to survive through dinner, haha! We also had our 83 year old grandma there so we were even more concerned for her well being. Amanda was accomadating with offering us a different table as long as we could finish in 90 minutes. I told her I'll take it! She felt bad for the time limit also, but I told her I appreciate her accommodation even more. The food and drinks turned out great and the service was superb along with a unique ambiance! Definitely recommend!

Dining room

Avacado toast

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The Fox River just outside the restaurant

Nobel House

3.8(388 reviews)

A group dinner at Nobel House left us hungry for more (in a good way!)…read more This is a pretty sizable restaurant with a bar along half of one wall and plenty of tables of varying sizes that can accommodate whatever you throw at them. There is ample lighting and the staff is welcoming and friendly. The food is BBQ and they have a little bit of everything to offer. That is great, but makes it hard to choose what you want! We certainly had that problem but ultimately were very happy with our meals. They pretty much cover all the bases as far as BBQ and the sides. The flavors were very tasty! Having one in Glen Ellyn won't have us running back to this location but that is only on account of circumstance.

(Former) Nobel House 'regular' here…read more.. What happened? Inflation, greed, complacency... Nobel House is in a tailspin. These days the price hikes are expected, nothing new, and the day Nobel started to impose a penalty for paying via credit card (which initially they were ALSO taxing, and at a rate no less that was higher than Geneva's local tax percentage) was when I started only paying with cash. Hey, I like(d) their food and love(d) their employees, I'm willing to pay out the nose and jump through hoops for the experience. I'll admit, I went from eating there almost every day during Covid to maybe once a month, but when my family asks me where we should go out, Nobel is ALWAYS the first that comes to mind. Within the past week I've visiting Nobel for the last time. Prices notably up again, check. Many new employees, slower service, and uh oh, what's this, the food quality is in the toilet? Couple that with another service by Kelli and her terrible attitude, and things aren't looking great. Portions. Like everywhere else, as I said, at Nobel the prices are up and portions are down. My wife's favorite though, their lobster roll (formerly one of the best I've ever had in the United States, and I travel along the east coast quite a bit), has taken a hit harder than anything else on their menu from what I can ascertain. $31 now, which isn't new, it's been $31 since the beginning of 2026 from what I can remember, but $31 and it's probably 30% smaller than it used to be. For $31 you get a lobster roll that literally looks like a piece of Texas toast folded in half now, a 30% smaller portion of lobster, and if by some off chance you order the side salad, the side salad is also smaller. I can go on about all of the other cuts that are evident, but the $31 lobster roll is about the best display of the dismal direction Nobel House is headed. Sad... Nobel House, you'll be missed.

Smoked Cubano

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The Goat

4.1(97 reviews)

4.7 mi

I've been here twice, once this past fall, and the other just last week - it was great both times!…read more This most recent time I was there with a group of teachers, having pre-comedy show lunch & drinks, and everyone (there were 6) loved their food, and really enjoyed their drink options. Our server was fab, super friendly and quick (shout-out to Brody!), and had great suggestions from his menu faves. The previous time I came was post-comedy show, just for drinks, and the 3 of us all enjoyed our drinks then, as well. I also love the decor vibe, especially as a (elder) millennial, because MJ IS the GOAT. Stop by and try it, definitely worth a shot!

We stopped in on a Friday night and this place was crowded! We were told there would be about a 20…read moreminute wait but we were fortunate to be seated in 5 minutes. We were greeted by Ian our server immediately which was very nice. We noticed they have Happy Hour Tues-Fri from 4-6pm so we took advantage of their half off cocktails and a few food specials. I had the Wisconsin Old Fashion and my wife had the Poli Old Fashion which was tequila based. Both were fantastic! We started with an order of their Street Corn Deviled Eggs which were amazing..super creamy. They do have a GF menu so my wife had a bowl of their homemade chili and I had their Italian Beef Bao trio. Both were delicious and very meaty. They have an extension whiskey/bourbon list plus their burgers looked amazing. We will definitely be back!

Delicious bacon burger with egg

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Poli Old Fashion

Riganato Old World Grille

4.4(435 reviews)

Riganato played host to a wonderful 90th birthday luncheon for my Mother (from nearby St. Charles)…read morein their back room this past Sunday afternoon, with just enough capacity for 24 people. Food was excellent, as expected, from sandwiches and pizza to outstanding fish entrees, menu specials, and pastas. Service was very attentive and kind. No extra fees or surprises whatsoever. Highly recommended for your special events, and general family-friendly, high-quality dining at reasonable prices.

An incredible place to have a great meal! Outdoor seating was pleasant, the sea bass was cooked to…read moreperfection, and the service was first class! It felt like eating at the home of someone who really cares about the quality of their food. I would highly recommend it! Don't let the road construction stop you from finding it!

Outside

Gingers Wild Salmon

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Lasagna Riganato Pasta

Stockholm's Restaurant & Brewery

3.8(319 reviews)

Always friendly service and I love their homemade soups. This month they have an asparagus soup,…read moreand I really enjoyed it. I came in for lunch and went with the half sandwich and soup combo. The chicken salad sandwich comes on a croissant and I have always enjoyed their chicken salad and also tuna salad sandwiches here. The meal is perfect for lunch. When in doubt, always get the Stockholm's Small Batch Root Beer- it's great! My lunch came out quickly and they even have outdoor patio seating too.

Great service friendly staff, and food that's always on point. They actually make a great burger…read morewhen it seems so hard to find one these days! Price is solid, pub atmosphere and family friendly. They make their own root beer too!

Dining and Bar Area

Grilled Cheese Brisket and Fries

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The Burger Local

4.2(700 reviews)

2.6 mi

The burger was yummy. The short rib was very tasty good flavor perfectly cooked and The quality of…read morethe meat was good. The environment is very nice. It does have an industrial deal and there's Free covered Parking on the weekends.

We tried Burger Local last weekend as it's been on our list for a while. They have a nice outside…read more- close to the parking garage, but it was too hot to eat al fresco. Surprisingly - after talking about the heat - my husband and I both started with the Chili Verde - w/ braised pork & hominy. It was outstanding. A lot of pork, spices and hominy in the dish. There was definitely a kick and I felt it was the highlight of our evening - in terms of food. For drinks - we got the Patio Pounder and Declaration of Independence cocktails - both pretty good. For burgers - we got the Elotes and the Four Pepper w/ the side salads with dill + mustard vinaigrette. Their salad dressing was quite good and next time (if there is one) I would get their salads - just to try more of the dressings. I say this b/c the burgers were just okay. On paper they sounded much better. I ordered mine medium - and it was definitely more well done. And while we love pretzel roll buns - it was too much bread/bun to the ratio of ingredients. It was impossible to eat w/o a fork and knife. Which you think might not be bad, but it felt like too much. And having the burger too done sort of ruined it. However - if ever in the area - I would stop for the chili and the salad dressings.

Things to do in Saint Charles

Bar

Burger on a pretzel roll with a side of Brussels sprouts !

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Chocolate shake

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18 reviews that are not currently recommended

The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.

J.D. W.

10 years ago

I rediscovered Colonial Cafe about a year ago. I have to admit it wasn't my first choice (or fourth for that matter), but I'm so glad I went! It FAR exceeded my expectations and what I remembered as a child. The menu has evolved to something comparable to my favorites like Egg Harbor Cafe, Nosh, and Yolk -- without the wait tims. I try something new each time, but you can't go wrong with the Banana Bread French Toast and a mimosa. Highly recommend. **This locations varies from the other St. Charles location in that it is more of a lodge feel with stone and a fire place. If you have kids in your party the other location is more fun with changing colored lights and bright colors. read more

Phyllis P.

9 years ago

Our experience has generally been wonderful, but occasionally a server isn't exactly providing quality service. The food is always prepared very well. The chicken tenders are especially good. My husband has been having the Asian noodle bowl with shrimp every time we go there. I like to change it up a bit and try different menu items which are all delicious. The Bistro meatloaf is different from regular meatloaf. We go there on a Tuesday or Wednesday around 4:00 PM. The butter pecan ice cream is our favorite flavor, but since that's all we've had, it's time to try a new flavor! I recommend this restaurant. read more

J.D. W.

10 years ago

Beautifully renovated interior, very comfortable and welcoming atmosphere. Staff is friendly and knowledgeable. Menu can be overwhelming (there's literally something for everyone), but don't be afraid to try one of their specials. I've always been pleasantly surprised at the culinary level. Breakfast is their staple, but lunch and dinner options are strong. We order pick-up quite often and have only had a few errors with orders. There is huge specialty ice cream menu as well. Will return and highly recommend for breakfast. read more

Joe B.

6 years ago

This place used to be a great place, but they've severely cut their menu down and the service and quality of food has suffered. The location in Western St. Charles on Randall road and the one in Aurora, IL have closed, becoming SYRUP. Not sure why this once great establishment has fallen. read more

Candice H.

9 years ago

This is a great place to go. I have grown up in Saint Charles. I have come here when I was a kid with friends for ice cream, to now coming with my family for a great dinner and always some ice cream. read more

Jeremy M.

5 years ago

My friend took me here a few times. the food comes in large servings and is AMAZING! nothing was bad and the service was excellent. If I didn't live an hour away i'd be there all the time. read more

Tom D.

Elite 21

1459

1439

505

11 years ago

This place is really better than most places and has a decent selection to pick from. The pricing is good, the service is better and the staff are even better! Could use some cleaning! read more

John I.

12 years ago

Great place especially for colonial kitchen sink! I ate the whole thing put the bumper sticker on my car. This place is great. Great service and good food. read more

Anna J.

7 years ago

Amazing food and always excellent servers that are happy to make suggestions and seem like they just genuinely like working there.

David D.

6 years ago

Please wash your hands and put on some gloves. Why are you not wearing a mask. This is vary sad... Please see photo below. read more

John H.

8 years ago

Disgusting! Never Going Back! Hair in the ice cream (not on top). Filler......... Filler......... read more

Jacqueline R.

Elite 21

6 years ago

Great place! We stopped in for breakfast and the food was delicious. The service was great!

Robert W.

11 years ago

Nice family atmosphere, good food & great ice cream! Friendly staff and good service.

Carolyn R.

115

9 years ago

Great food! Always go there Food is warm and servers always keep coffee cup full!

Julia B.

9 years ago

Great Place for family or a group - Great Food ! Great Service !

Christine H.

9 years ago

The cheese curds rock and the staff is very attentive.

Jen K.

9 years ago

Fabulous food and great service!

Dave B.

Elite 17

265

343

15 years ago

Bleh food, nice desserts

Colonial Cafe - tradamerican - Updated September 2026

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Tasty Biscuit

3.2

(151 reviews)

We live in the area and come to Tasty Biscuit often for brunch! They have such a huge menu with…read moretons of options for everyone, so there's always something new to try. I especially love their soups! The environment is bright, cute, and welcoming, and the wait staff are always friendly and helpful. This time, I got the chicken avocado ranch wrap with fries and a bowl of cream of chicken soup. Everything was delicious and fresh! Definitely a great local spot for brunch. We'll keep coming back!

I really hate starting off the New Year with a bad review, but our experience here was terrible,…read moreprimarily due to the awful service. The food was not good either. Perhaps NYE had the staff tired... I am attempting to give them the benefit of the doubt. My husband loves his coffee in the morning, and for every single refill, he had to get up and ask for it. He got a biscuit, and had to get up to ask for butter. If a place is called "Tasty Biscuit," then they had better be sure to serve Tasty Biscuits! His was stale and just fell apart. I had the Avocado Toast, and both the toast and the avocado were inedible. I felt that they used bread and avocado that they had purchased over a week ago. The prices at Tasty Biscuit are a bit higher than at most diners, so I feel it is entirely fair to receive at least adequate food and service, of which we received neither. I hated leaving this review, but Tasty Biscuit should feel worse with sub-par to awful everything as a start to 2026.

SYRUP - St Charles

4.2

(227 reviews)

Staff was very attentive, even the general manager stopped by to say hi to us…read more The atmosphere is very spacious and bright. The food was great. The one comment I would have is that we ordered thick cut bacon, but was not thick cut. I think it cost $5.75 for three strips so you might want to change that to just regular bacon, that's my only comment but it was very nice Restaurant.

Met up with my friend for brunch at 10am. The place was packed and we waited about 25 minutes…read more There was plenty of parking. We sat in a corner booth and their menu was huge. They did list some items as gluten-free. I asked the server if the gluten-free pancakes were cooked separately and she said yes and that they had gluten-free toast. I ordered an orange juice. It was really bitter. Not my type at all. I ordered the short stack of gluten-free pancakes with strawberries and hash browns. She said she would put in an allergy alert and not have any seasoning added just to be safe. My food came and the pancakes looked like buttermilk pancakes. I asked the server and she did confirm. I tried them and they tasted like buttermilk pancakes. I didn't eat much as I was worried. When the check came it did say buttermilk pancakes and nothing about gluten-free. But also the hash browns said seasoning on the ticket when they came out with none. I did tell the server I had a gluten allergy. I was just so suspicious that I didn't eat much at all. They could have gluten-free options, but it would have been nice for the server to confirm when setting down the food or putting an allergy stick in. I did have mild symptoms after I left, but they were different than I had experienced before so I was not sure.

First Watch

3.6

(74 reviews)

The food was fresh. The service was great. And the ambiance was very nice. If you're in the area…read morecome try them out. If you're not in the area, come it's worth the drive.

I came on a Saturday morning to fuel some Geneva Commons shopping and it was the perfect start to…read moremy day. There is plenty of close parking and lots of seating options inside. I decided to try something different from my normal brunch order and ended up with the choose two special. I had half of the superfood kale salad and a cup of the hearty vegetable soup which happened to be the soup of the day. Both were very wholesome and delicious. The salad had a good mix of sweet and savory toppings and I really liked having the opportunity to try two smaller dishes. Service was great! Environment is very bright and clean! Food was delicious!

Chilaquiles House

4.2

(53 reviews)

•$

Asked for my chilaquiles to be spicy and boy did it deliver! Everything on my plate was fantastic…read moreand fresh. Even though the place was slammed, service was great and my food was out quickly. Can't wait to come back!

Very cozy interior. The Wait staff was attentive. Service was prompt and courteous. We ordered…read morethree dishes. The steak chilaquiles was bland. Steak was pretty rough. Hard to chew. Certainly the meat was not ribeye as indicated on the menu. The biria was very tender and flavorful. We would order that again. The chorizo was also less flavorful.

The Southern Cafe

3.5

(124 reviews)

Another Delicious Breakfast TEX-MEX POLLO LOCO…read morePerfectly fried Chicken breast between a home made biscuit topped with this outstanding Chorizo gravy along side hash browns and two over medium eggs forgot to mention the grilled Jalapeño pepper This is one of my favorite breakfast Fix Great service friendly Staff Owner DP Always has an exceptionally kind attitude to all the patrons that come in to this cheerful establishment

Visited Southern Cafe (SC) for Father's Day. Understood it would be a longer than average wait but…read moregiven our previous positive experience, thought it would be worth it. When we arrived, there was no one else waiting and I'd guess that only 75% of the tables had customers. Couldn't have been more wrong in our decision as we waited for over an hour post ordering before we actually received our meal. This is the longest we have waited for breakfast... EVER. Anyone with kids knows having kids sit still and wait with minimal sources of entertainment is hard enough, then add hunger to the equation and it's a recipe for disaster. What could have made our experience better? 1 - Be transparent about your delays upfront -- Empower your diners to make a decision around whether they'd want to wait or not given how busy you are. Don't continue to seat customers when your kitchen is severely behind and hope diners don't notice. 2 - A small gesture goes a long way -- It would have been nice for SC to offer a couple of biscuits given the excessive wait. 3 - Don't add insult to injury... by bringing butter and ketchup 30+ minutes before the meal arrives. It added to the frustration that even my 7yo remarked "what are we going to do with butter, we have no food". They offered more water even when all our water cups were clearly full. Don't really understand how more water would make us less hungry? Looking at another recent 1-star review, I can see the same pattern as our experience. This restaurant clearly doesn't fail gracefully on busy days... and they don't seem to care either. At the conclusion of our meal, we didn't even get the typical "how was your meal" question from anyone. I guess they already knew.

Egg Yolk Cafe

4.1

(196 reviews)

Great family run place from over 25 years. Always fresh. Their baked omelets are unique.service is…read morevery quick and attentive. Will definitely be going there again.

Am a little late on this review (August) but it was memorable and very good breakfast/lunch food…read more Plus they have Bloody Marys on the menu so already a bonus in my book! I enjoyed the tuna melt sandwich and my friend had a chicken pesto panini. HUGE portions... I could not finish even half of the tuna melt. It was delicious, melty hot and reasonably priced. There are a lot of choices on this menu and a little something for everyone. The service is very quick and friendly. It is a very busy restaurant, great ambiance, would definitely dine here again.

Biscuits & Gravy Cafe

4.6

(78 reviews)

Was looking for a breakfast spot and saw Manny's Biscuits & Gravy. They are located right off Route…read more59 in a strip mall. Check out the daily specials!!

Stopped by today for brunch with my friends. Ordered an eggs Benedict ham eggs hollandaise. The…read morelady who took care of us was Alejandra. She was so sweet. Prompt service. Nice people in a Mom & Pop Restaurant. Delicious food and we can talk and hear each other! Lots of parking. They made a lovely French Toast and ice cream mountain for one girl's birthday and came to the table singing Happy Birthday. Sent us on our way with a cup of coffee for our trip home!

Eggceptional Cafe

3.0

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