Excellent bbq. Some of the best ribs we've ever had, and delicious sides as well. Everything we…read moretried was worth a drive from St. Louis. You can really tell they put a lot of love into their food and restaurant. Highly recommended if you're looking for good bbq in (and out) of the area!

Not what it used to be. It use to be, really good BBQ. My recent visit ordering a Two Meat Plate…read morewith Two Sides was a total disappointment. It was so disappointing, that I didn't even eat it all. I threw half of it away and I rarely waste food. My Two Plate was a Pork Steak and Brisket, with Smokehouse Beans and Spicy Cheese Corn. The Pork Steak was good, but the Brisket was dried and tough. The Smokehouse Beans have disappointed me before, but I wanted to give them another chance. Again, they were to runny and had not enough seasoning to give them pizzaz. Their Spicy Cheese Corn was just okay, it was cheesy, but did no live up to the "Spicy" name. What was most disappointing was the customer service. The young lady taking my order was friendly and professional, so she gets a thumbs up. The disappointment came when I was presented my order at the counter. As I waited for my for to be prepared I took a stool at the counter, just down from the register. When it was ready, the owner brought it out and dropped the bag in front of me and turned to walk away. No thank-you, no nothing. I had to speak first, to get response and it was just faint grunt. It is a sad day when a business owner cannot thank a customer for supporting his business.

Great food and good atmosphere!! The service is always great, karaoke nights are awesome am so the…read moreweekday specials!

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.

Took the family to Grafton, Illinois via car ferry and was recommended 3rd Chute Bar and Grill was…read morea favorite spot to enjoy food/drink when visiting. We visited on a Saturday afternoon and 3rd Chute was packed. They do have multiple bars and places to sit on the 3 levels and was able to find some seating. Servers were pretty busy and took a minute to get menus, are drink order and listen to the specials. 3rd Chute does have live music on weekends which was very good. 3rd Chute is a pretty cool place, Lots of great decor everywhere you look which gives the place that cool bar and grill feeling. We started with some mini corn dog appetizers and some Mac and cheese poppers, a fried blend of macaroni and pepper jack cheese fried to perfection. We also ordered a classic cheeseburger with fries, pork tenderloin sandwich, pulled pork sandwich with fries and a grilled hot dog with fries. It took a few minutes to get our food with how busy the place was. Our server did check up on us to make sure our drinks were topped off. Food was cooked to order and was a good portion for those with a hearty appetite. There are several other bar and grills in close proximity to 3rd Chute. Most other places had more seafood options, which unfortunately we had allergies to. 3rd Chute's menu had all the classic food options a great bar and grill usually has available. 3Rd Chute Bar and Grill was a cool experience and highly recommend if you're visiting Grafton and looking for some good food with reasonable prices. We'll be back!

Everything about 3rd Chute is amazing. Food is awesome. Bartenders (especially Dusty) are fabulous…read more Atmosphere is great

We had such a great time at Penalty Box! We came with a group to celebrate, and it was the perfect…read morelaid-back spot for it. The patio was great, everything inside was clean and welcoming, the service was wonderful, and the food was amazing! Plenty of games to play too!

I had to cross State lines to find a quality sports bar??? And even this time it wasn't one I was…read morelooking for? To be honest, I had no idea what I was doing in Alton, (probably considering trying Fast Eddie's, but as i drove right past it, I was like .. ehhh. So I stopped in one of the nearest plazas and thought about this axe throwing bar.. but I don't think I'm ready for that, at least not in the mood i was in from my previous disappointment. Then i realize there's a fast food court right by it.. but it's closed on Saturdays????? What? So i look down and just try my luck "nearby sports bar".. and you have read about my "luck with sports bars' right? Well, luck be told, there's one right here in this same plaza parking lot... (there was also a drive through coffee shop I should have tried but passed on.. maybe when i come back for the axe-throwing place?) Anyway , my sports bar luck so far, has been truly hit or miss, so the question was.. do i have a good experience and head home happy, or a bad experience and pray for an axe to take me out in the forehead (you know like you see in the cartoons!) So anyway, let's get to the rules of a sports bar: 1) TV screens on various sports right? World Cup on one Tv, College World Series on tv two, an HISTORIC Espn broadcast on tv 3, 24 hours of Lemans on TV 4, a MLB game on tv 5, and some Tv sports intrview on tv 6 .. and that was just in the main room. (and every tv high enough to where I could see from my chair/table). Check, i think we got sports covered! 2) Attention side items for adults and kids. Darts, check (Plastic board, but i can live with that). Pool Tables, check.. I think they even had a tabletop shuffleboard, (but i wasnt' about to interrupt the "birthday" party to see if I was right, a claw machine (I think?) and Pac-man standing video game (heck, they even got the perfect video game if you're only going to have 1). We've got category #2 well in hand! 3) DRINKS. You know my rule, If you serve me, you better have a speciality. Well, ironically the bartendress thought i meant soda.. Do I look like a soda and sugar water guy? (Okay, sometimes I do... ), but a quick correction adult beverage on it's way.. 4) FOOD.. This is where I always screw up my pocket book, cause I always seem to go bigger than I should have.. and I did it again! Potato filled poppers to start with *Drool worthy cheese sauce under it* and then .. Philly Cheesesteak Pockets with Waffle Fries. I really need a travelling companion so i can split things and feel like I'm not spending as much on myself 5) TREATMENT from the staff... If you had noticed in the Fox & Hounds I honestly felt like I was ignored by the staff. This time... just the opposite, and they did it right.. And yes, this is going to sound chauvenstic, but it's my review, right? Everytime one of the ladies came by to check on me (and they did so regulary so to those of you who got inattentive servers, maybe it was just a bad day), cause I was checked on by even my non-servers when they came by, it was with a smile, and a feeling like they were glad I was there.. And the ladies made me feel years younger just by using those key words, With a "dear", "darling", "babe" polite word thrown on pretty much every time they came by. So no aspirin for the axe-splitting-head-ache tonight... just a smile on my face and a very good time, and I think the same will be said for anybody (Family, solo, friends, party group) who finds themselves ... and I think you'll find yourself asking to be called for hooking or tripping or high-sticking or whatever it takes to end up... in the Penalty Box. (okay bad pun, but i hadn't worked any good ones in here yet!)

My wife and I stopped in on a Sunday eagle watching trip. They were having a $13 Sunday buffet…read more I'm not usually a buffet fan, but this was really good and I got to try several entrees and salads. They were all great. Fried chicken- crispy and hot. Boneless ribs- great, really good sauce. Vodka Penne- really good, Chicken in lemon and caper sauce- fantastic. Plenty of vegetables on the buffet and a good assortment of deserts. Also $5 Bloody Mary's and Mimosa's. Our waitress was attentive and cleared our plates quickly while we headed back to the buffet for deserts. She kept our drinks filled and asked if we needed anything. The restaurant was full, we had a short wait, without reservations, but pretty much every table was full. Most of the patrons were the "after church" family crowd (assumption on my part). We got the scoop on the owners from 2 elderly women sitting at the table next to us. The had been there many times and were making food suggestions- that's why I opted for the buffet. If you had been to the restaurant when it was The Fin Inn, you'll see they kept the aquariums that line the walls. This time they have more tropical fish- cichlids, goldfish etc. The river fish and snapping turtles are gone (at least in the area I was in). Honestly, I have no idea how they're serving this quality of food for $13. 5 out of 5 stars. Highly recommend.

The previous owner of, Santino's Steak and Pasta House, didn't stay retired long. He has opened,…read moreFountain Hill Steak and Seafood House in Grafton. If you were a fan of his restaurant in Alton, you're going to love this place, because it's menu is very similar. I stopped by and took a seat at the bar. They have two entrances, one for the bar and another for the dining room. Patio seating with a good view of the Mississippi River is available and it is located off the bar area. The decor is very "retro" and will most likely be part of your conversation. While I sat at the bar, I enjoyed an Extra Dry Martini and a Manhattan. Both were good, with the Martini taking the Blue Ribbon. The menu has a good variety and the prices are affordable, too. I couldn't decide on an entree, so I thought I"d have an appetizer while I figured out what I wanted. One of the waitresses picking up drinks recommended, Lasagna Fritta. She warned me that the serving was large. OMG, she was right. It was so big, I didn't order anything else. I'll have to go back to try an entree. Actually, I told the bartender, adding a salad to the Lasagna Fritta would make a meal. The staff is friendly. Also, they offer a Sunday Brunch which I will be checking out. Grafton was in need of a good brunch restaurant.

It was a Friday during Lent and I went to Delmar Public House to enjoy their Fish & Chips. Well,…read morethat didn't happen. In addition to their regular menu, DPH always has a Weekly Special Menu. Once I saw what the weekly special pasta was, I had to have it. I am a huge fan of Smoked Salmon and they did theirs in house. The pasta not only had the smoked salmon, it also had sautéed red onion, a tangy European style cream cheese sauce and cavatappi pasta with fried cappers and fresh dill. The cream sauce was perfect. It was just a light covering, enough for flavor without being overwhelming. As always, the portion was healthy, so I had leftovers for the next days lunch. I enjoyed it chilled and it was like eating a cold pasta salad. DPH always gets bonus points from me for having eco-friendly to-go vessels. My adult beverage of choice for the seafood pasta, was a glass of Pinot Gris. I prefer a Grigio, but they only had the Gris. Gris is fairly similar to Grigio. I always say, it's like a first cousin, once removed. Service is always top-notch. It doesn't matter if you are sitting at a table or the bar, you'll be treated right.

Literally my favorite restaurant ever, and it's not even close. If you're in the St. Louis area,…read morethe hour long drive is worth it for the hummus alone. Or the sticky toffee pudding alone. Or the soup. Or any of the entrees. If something is on the menu, it's because it's great-- there's no "filler" options or reheated Sysco food. It's the freshest food I've ever had at a restaurant (you can tell it's farm to table/locally sourced) and I don't really know how to describe this but like... after I eat there, I feel full to the point of bursting, but not in a gross way? Like usually when I eat that much I feel kinda sick or nauseous, but that doesn't happen here. And for how high quality the food is, you'd expect a kinda stuffy environment and high price tag, but no! It's got a friendly, laid back vibe with chill (but attentive) staff. Apps are $10 and entrees are $20. They could charge twice as much and I'd still consider it a fair price. As previously mentioned, everything on the menu is amazing so follow your heart and get whatever sounds good. But I'd personally recommend the hummus, grilled bread, and soup as starters (yes, all of them) and don't even THINK about leaving without getting the sticky toffee pudding, even if you split it between a few people. It's exactly how I imagined ambrosia tasting like.

This place isn't at the same location. Call the number and they said they doing delivery. Ordered 3…read morerib tip plates. The lady called and said the driver was outside. Seemed weird because usually delivery comes to the door. Went out and got the food which the total price was 45 and some change. Give the guy a 50 and told him keep the change. Unwrapped the food and it looked terrible. Mac and cheese looked old. Rib tips looked like chopped up pork steak that was boiled with sauce poured over it. I've been to the restaurant when it was open but this is ridiculous!!!!! Please do not get fooled into ordering from here.

Outstanding BBQ. The Pork steak is a must try. Pricing is very good and the people are nice. Basic…read morerestaurant, no frills and no fountain soda. You go there for the food not the environment.

When you enter a worker will ask you, "BBQ, Coffee or Ice Cream?" Once you share what you're there…read morefor, they direct you to that counter and take your order. The BBQ counter is near the entrance and kitchen. The BBQ menu is in a acrylic on the counter and also on a wipe board hanging on the wall. When I visit a new BBQ place, I always try their ribs and brisket. Here, I ordered the ribs ala carte and the brisket in a meal. The meal came with only one side and it's a half pound serving. That's a big helping of a side dish. I wish they offered two smaller portions as the side, like most BBQ joints do. I asked the young girl working which sides were made in house and it took her by surprise. I then asked if some of the sides came from a food vendor. Then she stammered the answer, "I've heard him say, that he makes them all." I ended up ordering the Smoked Beans. I'm picky about my beans and these lacked seasoning and were bland. The brisket was cut thick and was on the chewy side. I prefer my brisket cut thinner and much more tender. My order of ribs, shocked me. They were the first ribs that I ever had that did not have the membrane on the back of the ribs removed. The ribs did have good seasoning, since the membrane was not removed, they were tough. They had a 2" thick pork steak on the menu. I guess I'll have to come back and give that a try with a different side. If the pork steak disappoints me, I wont be back. The staff were friendly, but not overly friendly. Also, I don't think the cashier was knowledgeable about the product she was selling.

I stopped in at the Sugar Shack while driving through Brighton and wow! What a treat. I was like a…read morekid in a candy store, except the candy was apple glazed pork belly. Eat it by itself, eat it on a roll, dip it in bbq sauce every which way is culinary delight. I tried so much food, and I appreciated how moist all the meat from the brisket to the chicken was. The Nachos were piled high with meat and beans, doused in sauce and cheese with generous peppers on the side. Too this off with friendly owners and incredible service, and you have a winning combination. I'm already dreaming of returning to try the loaded brisket baked potato.