The Airliner is a great local family bar…read more The interior is decorated with lots of fun things to look at and if you ask the bartender, she will make Woody's horse above the door trot to music. The kids love it! The food is wonderful as well! Award winning chili and yummy hot wings are on the menu. Tons of sandwiches, but if you don't want meat, the roasted veggies with garlic bread are great too. If you're on a low carb diet, the grilled chicken breast has the best seasonings! Beer is cold and service is fast and friendly. It's definitely worth a stop in this little bar if you like little "dive" places with great food, and fun ambience. Oh, almost forgot to add: the prices are extremely reasonable.

We stopped here on a whim (cute diner atmosphere) and I have to say this place has THE BEST…read moreburgers!! The 1/4 lbs cheeseburger was great but the patty melt was FANTASTIC!! Would have given it a 5 star but the service was really bad. The waiter barely waited on us and he decided the chips I ordered should be fries instead. ($1.50 up charge and I don't even eat fries) He never came back to see if our food was ok (we were sitting at the counter and ignored) so I was never able to get it corrected so we had to pay the up charge. Plus people at other tables were yelling at him from a booth over the counter "can we get some boxes and our bill" and another booth did the same, so evidently everyone got the same crappy service.

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.

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.

I've been going to No Man's Land for years. Tonight, I've…read morejust come home from picking up their Fried Tacos (available the first Friday night and Saturday afternoon of the month). This is a monthly holiday for my family. (We love us some tacos) Call ahead and have them ready for pick up or stop in and order from the counter and enjoy some ice cold beverages while your hot and fresh tacos are prepped for you. If you're a local you'll likely run into friends so plan on hanging out a while!

The best neighborhood bar in Illinois. Great bartenders, owners and clientele. Great prices too…read more Great place to grab a cold drink and relax. Tacos on the first weekend of the month are the BOMB!

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.

I am so proud of myself. Today, I went to The Pump House and I did not order chicken wings. It was…read morea struggle, but I forced myself to order something else off the menu and I am glad that I did. Instead of my typical order of wings and fries, I got the Pump Jack Burger. It's made with Angus beef topped with Pepper Jack cheese, Grilled Balsamic Onions, Mild Banana Pepper Rings with a Sweet and Spicy Sauce, all served on a Onion Roll. It was served with a side of Fries. I was impressed by the size of the burger and that it was hand pressed. A hand pressed burger always tastes better to me. I requested that it be prepared medium rare and it was done perfectly. The fries were soft, I'd prefer mine a little crispier, but they were seasoned well. I got a giggle from their ketchup bottle, it said it was "Fancy". They have an impressive variety of beers. They offer draft, bottle and canned. I personally always go with one of the many craft beers they have on the menu. When dining alone, I always sit at the bar. The bartenders are typically female and are friendly. I am fan of hooks under a bar and Pump House takes it even a step further. They also offer, outlets. If your phone needs a charge and you've got a cord, you are set to go. Offering outlets under a bar, is top notch customer service. Now that I know they have great burgers as well as their wings, I'll have to rotate between the two when coming to dine.

Update Haven't been back here too much but called in for an…read moreorder to go tonight. Pump House! You need new cooks! The ones you have don't know how to cook basic food. Like I said in my first review you need to learn low and slow for a pork steak. Oh we don't have that anymore. Thank goodness. Your pork steak was chewy and not done appropriately. Horrible to try and eat. Tonight one of us got the chipotle chicken sandwich. The chicken was cooked to death. Ugh. Came out like chicken powder, you know the kind they put in your dog's food? Way too dry. Hard to eat. All the menus online are out of date so just about everything we chose we were told oh we don't have that anymore. Not good business practice. Put out a new menu and delete the old ones!! You fit right in with the rest of the crap food we are served in this area. Not a bit better. We won't try again.

Owners and Bar tenders Mike and Jessica are awesome, Very welcoming, has karaoke on Thur and Sat…read morenights and dance music on Friday, has a few slot machines and a decent size dance floor, and one pool table, My Family has came here most of my life, never a bad time as long as your respectful

Dis place right here...Big Reg don't like this joint an ima tell you why.I had just got done…read moreshooting hoops with the homies at the Y, slammed my protein shake and was rolling back into B-Town. Then I get a certain taste in my mind, cold beer. So first place I see is this joint so I stop in to get my lip wet. I sit at the bar and order my King Cobra and start dranking. I was having a good time until I found out dis place is racist! 5 or 6 guys staring at Reg while I sip my beer! I got scared real quick... my stomach started turning around...protein shake king cobra and fear of getting jumped!! I got up to leave and it hit me...I shits all down the bar stool! Right down the leg of my basketball shorts!! It was the squirts! Then I book it out dat place! Big Reg not going back there anymore! 3 star still cause my King Cobra was ice cold!

If you're on Facebook, be sure to follow Town Club. That way you'll be kept up to date on what…read moretheir daily specials are. You'll eventually find your own personal favorite and will not want to miss out on enjoying it. I'm a huge fan of their smash burgers, but the other day they had a Grilled Chicken with Pepper Jack Cheese and Bacon as a special. It was served with Crinkle Fries and a Little Cup of Ketchup. Crinkle Fries are a favorite of mine, I like how the ridges hold on to the ketchup. I also like that a dive bar serves the ketchup in an individual cup. It's a better presentation than a bottle. Plus the fact it's more sanitary. Service is always friendly and attentive. I love how all the guest, know each other and add to each other's conversations. They'll even include the non-regulars in their chit-chat. Town Club is kinda off the beaten path, but it's on Broadway the main drag through Alton. So I highly recommend that you check them out when you're in the Riverbend area.

One of my favorite old dimly lit gem hole in the wall dive bar with the absolute tastiest made to…read moreorder food. Been in the owners family 90+ years, I believe the oldest family owned bar in Alton! Not a large place but not overly crowded either- 4 four tops, 1 six top, 2 high tops that seat 4, a pool table, 6 slot machines and a bar with maybe 10-12 barstools. Not usually crowded (unsure how it's not crowded as the food is AMAZING!). The grill is back behind the bar & closes 1 hour before close for cleaning most nights. Check their Facebook page for daily specials! We love their double cheeseburgers and tater tots - always SO hot and fresh right off the grill with fresh veggies. The bone in hot wings are delicious, too & come with a big ole boat of ranch. Parking - street or out back behind the building. Okay now go have a great dive bar burger!

I've been numerous times since I moved to the Alton area and just realized, I've never updated my…read morereview in six years. I think it is time to do so. A couple of my visits have been parties for graduation, retirement and a thirtieth birthday. Food was good, beer was cold and the cocktails had a heavy pour. Sometimes I dined alone and enjoyed a hot chicken sandwich, a cheeseburger, wings and catfish. All of them satisfied my hunger and were better than average pub grub. For a while they served breakfast, but that's a thing of the past. When they did, the chicken and waffles were good. The bartenders and servers are always attentive and friendly. Alton Sports Tap is one of the better sports bars in the Riverbend area.

This review is for carryout, so I can't speak to dine in BUT this smash burger is 10/10! Exactly…read morewhat I think of when I think a very well done, dressed up burger - fresh lettuce, onion, etc.

Awesome place to grab a few beers. Michelle behind the bar is super friendly and the locals are…read moregreat to chat with. I was in the area to play some pinball at CP's next door and was happy to have a place to drink nearby.

We decided to make a whole day in Alton and Firehouse made the list…read more If you decide to make a day in Alton, this spot should be a must visit. They have a great indoor bar area and a fantastic outdoor bar area. I hope they market the outdoor area because it's perfect for summer and fall. The staff (we had Summer as a bartender-amazing) was great! We went right before Halloween and we learned the area always puts in a great Halloween parade.

It's a true "dive bar". It's a cash only bar. It's a heavy pour bar…read more When I moved to the Riverbend area, I thought it would be fun to visit all the local "dive bars". This one is located in downtown Alton just a few doors up from one of my favorite restaurants. I was picking up some bakery items across the street and also shopped at a new boutique next to the bakery. When I finished, I thought it was time for a cocktail and checking out another dive. The bartender was friendly and heavy on his free pour of my Tito's vodka. I use to bartender, so when they free-pour I watch and can tell if they go over or short a shot. My cocktail was refreshing. While I enjoyed my cocktail, it was interesting people watching. Everyone else in the bar knew each other and were buying each other shots. It was a beautiful day and the original garage door to the old firehouse was open. The other day drinkers were going back and forth from the patio and bar area. I am glad I got to experience another dive bar in my new hometown, but I can tell you, my neck is not red enough to return to this one. I truly stood out amongst this crowd. I didn't feel uncomfortable, but I was not a match for the clientele. When: March 27, 2021 Why: Dive Bar & Day Drinking