Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Diver Down

    4.4 (43 reviews)
    InexpensiveSteakhouses, Bars, American
    Closed Closed

    Diver Down Photos

    DIVER DOWN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

    Recommended Reviews - Diver Down

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Pepper Jack triangles
    Alyssa R.

    Friendly service! The pepper jack triangles were the star of the show, good flavor and amazing breading. I personally didn't enjoy the catfish. The cuts of fish were very small with bland breading. The slaw had an over-powering onion flavor, and the wedge potatoes didn't have any crunch. It was a very fun and vibrant restaurant with a bar on the other side.

    Burger
    Jessica M.

    Giving it a 4/5 because there's nothing else in the area. Quaint, great local folks working. Bar seemed nice, had a pool table. Food was average & inexpensive, cheese triangles were great.

    a person holding a bottle of beer
    Shari B.

    I was pretty excited to try this divey bar when we were in Southern IL. We had the fried pickles, steak sandwich and catfish fillet sandwich. The portion size of the fried pickles was huge, but unfortunately the seasoning was way too salty. It didn't help that the pickles were slices so that meant even more salty breading to pickle ratio. The steak sandwich was a bit greasy. The fish sandwich was just ok. I had it with cheddar cheese, and I don't think I've had to complain about this before, but there was too much cheese, lol. The fried okra was very good. The okra seemed fresh and the batter was much lighter.

    The back wall of the bar

    Cool bar/restaurant! I stopped in & ordered a mushroom Swiss burger with fries & a corona. Burger came out as a double smash burger style. Everything tasted good! Place has some cool decor. A fish tank & a pool table. Service was friendly & order was timely & prices were good.

    a plate of fried chicken on a table
    Stephanie T.

    Delicious and generous portions . We had the fried mushrooms- they are huge! I also had the farmhouse burger and sweet potato fries. All of it was amazing. Great service too! Highly recommend.

    The bar side, across from the family dining side
    Karen B.

    Phenomenonal food!!! Fun and funky nautical bar vibes, incredible catfish and mustard sauce, the freshest salad, and amazing fried okra. Warm and friendly staff and a pool table, can't be beat! Road tripping from California, and found this gem hiking in the Shawnee National forest.

    Yum! All you can eat on Friday night!
    Caroline C.

    We're back for the second night in a row after a day on the trails. Awesome catfish and all the fixings. Tasty fried mushrooms. Quaint atmosphere, delicious food, country music, and the friendliest folks around. As a native southern Illinoisan now residing in the city, I love coming back to discover gems like this. Just one more reason to visit sweet little Golconda! You won't be disappointed!

    See all

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    12 years ago

    Waitress and good were great. Took and hour and a half for food though so make sure you have ample time. Great atmosphere.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    12 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 2 of 2

    Ask the Community - Diver Down

    Verify this business for free

    Get access to customer & competitor insights.

    Verify this business

    Driftwood Lounge - Ribeye done right.

    Driftwood Lounge

    4.7(25 reviews)
    22.5 mi

    I walked into Driftwood Lounge expecting a full on dive bar experience, and they delivered. This is…read morenot the place to go if you are looking for mood lighting, artisanal coasters, or a bartender who calls you "sir" unironically. And honestly it works. The locals greeted me like I'd just come back from a long trip instead of walking in for the first time. Either they're incredibly friendly or they thought I needed supervision. Either way, solid welcome. Service was minimal in the best possible way. No hovering, life story, or unnecessary check-ins. Just quick, friendly, and efficient, like they understood I came to eat, not start a long term relationship. Now here's where things take a turn: the food has no business being this good. I ordered the Southside Supreme Pizza, and I'm still trying to figure out how a place that looks like it could host a darts league championship is casually putting out world class pizza. I've had pizza from all over the world and this place can hold its own. Thin, perfectly crispy crust, fresh ingredients, and enough cheese to make you question your priorities but not your choices. It's like the pizza didn't get the memo about where it was being served. So yeah, I give it 5 stars. Come for the dive bar charm, stay because the food quietly outperforms half of the "fancy" places that make you wait 45 minutes for a table and then serve you a disappointment on a wooden board. I'll definitely be back. Next time I might even try to look like I belong.

    Really high-end bar food. The menu is quite large and everything is good. The servers are all…read morefriendly and attentive.

    Photos
    Driftwood Lounge - Outdoor patio

    Outdoor patio

    Driftwood Lounge - Southside Supreme Pizza.

    Southside Supreme Pizza.

    Driftwood Lounge - Finally a menu II.

    See all

    Finally a menu II.

    Grill 211 - Thai noodles with pork loin

    Grill 211

    3.8(105 reviews)
    20.3 mi

    235$ The most expensive bill I've ever had. Anywhere. In…read morethe entire u.s.a. Overpriced!! I typically am perfectly happy to pay whatever it takes to get a good meal and usually don't pay attention to the bill But this bill easily exceeded by 50% What you typically pay for a high-quality meal And while the meal was quite good, it wasn't a five star meal The service was five stars The salad was good The coconut clam appetizer was good My branzino was quite the small portion and lacked flavor Our salmon was overcooked to dry The best part was the service it was impeccable I rarely say this But I'll never go back it's just not worth it It's a 150$ meal. Not a 235$ meal. Other patrons voiced the only reason they were there was because it's the only place open on Monday.

    Went for dinner, very cool atmosphere. Lights could be a little dimmer. Service was excellent…read more Food is where the price doesn't meet the road. Truffle fries; don't use crinkle cut, you're not Culver's. Seriously, you have to figure out how to make fresh cut fries Or get creative w/ another spud. Chilean Sea bass; you have to give us a bigger piece for $62, It shouldn't be 1" x 3" morsel. Again, do better, It should be twice as big. If you're worried about running out, oh well, at least match the size for the value. Salmon seemed fairly big enough for the $$. You're a good spot fr dinner, but have to do better. Hope you take to heart.

    Photos
    Grill 211
    Grill 211 - Dry  salmon.

    Dry salmon.

    Grill 211 - 63$ Branzino. Lacked flavor  Small portion

    See all

    63$ Branzino. Lacked flavor Small portion

    Strickland’s Seafood Restaurant - Blackened chicken breast with Cajun Red Beans & Rice and hush puppies

    Strickland’s Seafood Restaurant

    4.1(195 reviews)
    21.8 mi
    $$

    Came on the recommendation from a friend (04/25/2026), I'd heard mixed reviews so I was curious…read moreabout this place. I'll give them 4.75 stars, but they did fantastic so I'll round up for this place. First, we walk in the door and Zack walked past and complimented the boss on her snazzy shirt and a few other staff were friendly too so the vibe was nice to start off. We were then led to our table to discover Zack is our server for the night. Another compliment on the bosses glasses, okay she did look great - Thanks Zack! Drinks come out super fast and we get our food ordered. Zack was great helping with Alpha Gal and later following up with the kitchen staff that they had in fact not put butter on my fish - another win. I ordered the red fish special (I think) with a baked potato and the boss got the Harris Platter. Zack recommended blackened and was so right, delicious! I tried her fired catfish and that was delicious too, but would have dipped it in hot sauce, but the cocktail sauce was so yummy with a nice horseradish bite - delicious and maybe better than hot sauce (slander I know). That 0.25 off - well the hushpuppies were kinda gross and bland. This is the south so quality hushpuppies are a must. Ask for Zack, you will not be dissapointed.

    Service was fast and very friendly. The tartar sauce was to die for we loved our crabcakes. I love…read moremy blackened catfish. I don't remember anything that I didn't like. Honestly, we will definitely be back and we definitely recommend thank y'all so much.

    Photos
    Strickland’s Seafood Restaurant - Indoor dining

    Indoor dining

    Strickland’s Seafood Restaurant - Harris Platter

    Harris Platter

    Strickland’s Seafood Restaurant - Oysters-half a dozen

    See all

    Oysters-half a dozen

    Riverview Mansion Hotel - King bed suite

    Riverview Mansion Hotel

    3.7(15 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$

    I have a very revealing experience to share. I am the owners only niece and i am seven years…read moreescaped from this cult of a family. And I have several things to share about this "establishment". First of all, believe every single low review. The majority of the five star reviews have been written by people that I personally recognize as family members or family friends. I can attest to the state of the "mansion". It has always been run down, dirty, and full of roaches. And if you think the rooms are bad, the private quarters are worse. The bugs, the dirt, the clutter, the old plumbing and electric. And finally, I'd like to call out every lie that I've seen from the owners in their replies. First of all, "world class wine shop"? I love my red wine and theirs was barely worth a sniff, let alone a taste (and that's if anyone but Tony drinks it all). If you want a good midwest wine, try Purple Toad. Secondly the roaches (and Tony, you've been hearing this since I was 10 and complained about it to the both of you), roaches are not something to expect just because "it's Illinois" I have lived in various places in Illinois for 17 years of my 23. Bugs are quite easy to manage. Third, the house was not used as a hotel for a century. It was an abandoned house and that's why they could afford to purchase it. Finally, I've had their coffee after being woken up at the crack of dawn to babysit their four children for free. It's shit. Onto the second reply from Beth (Beth I had higher hopes for the woman who took pity on me during my fathers neglect and bought me new clothes but I guess you conformed to the Eckert ways and I pity you and your children's souls). First of all, y'all are a half hour from the Shawnee national forest, which is more towards the western side of Southern Illinois, whereas you are located on the eastern border; and this excuse doesn't even hold water! Cockroaches, which are what your victims are complaining about, prefer to live deep in cities, which is why they are more common among inner city residences. Secondly, "extensive renovations and upgrades"? You literally had to! No one, not even you and your family, wanted to stay in it in the original state. It had no modern elements. And I can recall on several occasions where you and Tony talked about how to do the absolute bare minimum to get the place running so you could start extorting people for the "historic experience". And yes people, this is their home... and actually examine this. If they are willing to show you roaches in your rooms, imagine what it's like behind the scenes. Dirty dishes everywhere, the kids rooms smelled like pee, and roaches sitting with you on the couch. It is absolutely false advertising because you are not disclosing that you have a "historic" bug problem, you do not advertise what people will actually experience while here! And the walls are most certainly paper thin. I could hear anyone move in the house at night. So clearly that I could tell who was moving and what they were doing. Third, if the room isn't ready for someone, why would you let them check in? Because it's just an excuse. Additionally, "complimentary bottled water"? It is a crime to not allow access to water for customers, and for the luxury price people are paying, I'd expect luxury water to go with it. And considering, from my understanding, you have never given dissatisfied people a refund, I'd hope they drank the complementary wine as well. People traveling deserve to have a reliable place to stay, where they don't have to "roll with the punches". And lastly Beth, there's a significant difference between eclectic and just rundown and gross. If you want to know exactly who these people are, I'll tell you. The Eckert clade is a cult, simply put. The founder, my paternal grandfather, is a pedophile. I experienced this since I was 3. Everyone knew and did nothing. I was physically, psychologically, and sexually abused by my father as well until I left when I was 17. They brainwash the women into going along with everything they do, luckily four of us escaped. Maybe I should add on how there's a significant chance that my eldest cousin is actually my half-brother, since my father and uncle were doing the same woman at the same time. I bet my younger cousins were fed many lies about why I left, but the truth is plain and simple, I left because of the abuses I suffered in this family. Thank you for listening, and if I can leave you listeners with a parting message let it be this: This family does not deserve your money, your patronage, or your time.

    Stayed one night. I had the king suite. It was a beautiful room! A beautiful big old house with a…read morevery friendly family that hosts. The family lives on the 3rd floor.

    Photos
    Riverview Mansion Hotel - Golconda marina

    Golconda marina

    Riverview Mansion Hotel - The king bed suite

    The king bed suite

    Riverview Mansion Hotel - Victorian comfort

    See all

    Victorian comfort

    Diver Down - steak - Updated June 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...