Great old school Italian restaurant with some game machines. Always a nice feeling when your remembered and offered a sincere hello and please come back. The pizza is great and the staff always try to make your experience great read more

Mother's Day Failure. 1) set menu. So my moms only and favorite dish wasn't available. 2) the salad was nothing special 3) my brothers lasagna was cold and took 15 minutes to return back. 4) my shrimp in the shrimp scampi was dry and over cooked 5) the "medium-well" steak was a dry hockey puck 6) everything was extremely overpriced We will not be coming back again read more

Great food and service. We go there often for pizza and pastas. Chicken genovese, sea bass and tilapia dishes are a winner as well. Friendly restaurant/bar atmosphere. read more

This was the worst sausage pizza we have ever had. No flavor at all. It was actually like eating cardboard. The veal parm was awful and the dinner salads looked and tasted like they were made a week ago. We haven't been here in 4 years and we were so excited to be going back. We used to loved this place and their food. What has happened? read more

This place should be shut down for over serving customers. The wait staff and manager are criminals for letting my significant other walk into their establishment intoxicated and then proceeded to serve a knowingly intoxicated person drinks without concern for their wellbeing. Clearly nobody at this establishment is Basset certified. I hope they lose their liquor license and gaming license because the manager and waitress encouraged an impaired person to gamble at their establishment as well. Both myself and my significant others child called them to inform them of my significant others impaired state and asked to stop serving. The manager and server lied about my significant other being there, and then allowed my significant other to drive home. If you live in McCook IL or are visiting, do not patronize this establishment which is a danger to the community. read more

I have to applaud JC's Pub for taking on the challenge of my cousin's wedding rehearsal dinner. We had a group of about 50 hungry Italians who were ready for dinner. The restaurant closed off a back room area for us an. We were served an amazing dinner of salad, enormous bread rolls, chicken, Italian sausage, green beans, and pasta with meatballs. They also made sure that our group had drinks throughout the evening in addition to the coffee service in the back of the room. Everyone loved the delicious, plentiful courses and couldn't believe how perfect the meal was for such a large group. Across the ceiling-high barriers of the room, other patrons were singing karaoke. I have to say, this restaurant attracts a pretty talented crowd! We felt like we were being serenaded throughout the dinner. I would love to return to this restaurant in the future, whether it's for a date night or huge party. Thanks to JC's for making my cousin's night a special one. read more

The pictures are misleading. We had a pepperoni pizza that was EXTREMELY over cooked. It looked and tasted like reheated week old pizza. Also had a full slab rib dinner. The ribs were dry and overdone. The fries that came with were soggy and blah. The dinner came with veggies and they had zero flavor at all and were soggy. I don't understand how this place has business and a packed lot every night. It's as if their loyal customers don't know better OR just don't care to move on out of laziness. read more

This is an old-school joint with a championship local reputation. They could shoot a movie in this place and not change a thing, if you catch my drift. The menu holds no surprises. The Italian classics. Then why did I order a hamburger? 'Cos I know the Italiano stuff is fab. I wanted to see if their kitchen prowess extended to something as prosaic as a burger. Plus, I had a taste for a burger. But...Starters! Wife had Cheesy Garlic Bread. The "cheesy" part non-menu, but the order was welcomed without pushback. I believe we weren't the first folks to swerve. I had "Escarole and Beans". A magnificent soup if well-prepared and this rendition certainly was. Served in a huge, shallow bowl, it was as yummy as could be. And about that burger: a big-ass dose of high-quality beef, perfect to the medium rare I ordered, on dark rye bread. Mozz cheese and raw onions. It hit the spot. I'm not a real potato guy, but I asked for the fries to be "burnt". They were dark and crunchy, and tasty with a squirt of ketchup. Wife also eschewed the obvious Italiano choices and swung with a grilled Chicken sandwich, proclaimed as delicious. It's in a decidedly shitty location, in an industrial district. You might think it's a rough-hewn bar where hardened guys from the nearby chemical plant meet after their shift for a run of cheap beer and sandwiches. Don't let that throw you one tiny bit. Surprise! It's a warm and homey oasis, with great food. The onliest flaw I could come up with was the background music, which was classic rock. In this kind of place I want to hear Tony Martin, Tony Bennett and Frank. I would think the middle-of-the-day clientele (lots of Cadillacs and Lincolns in the lot...do the math) would think so, too. But then again, you come here to eat and have a good time, it's not an occasion to stand on ceremony. Mangia!!! read more

Best food ever!!Every pasta I have had has soo much salt and other places but this food is PERFECT!Best food, atmosphere and people.Lots of singing with karaoke some nights.Such a fun and nice restaurant!! read more

JC’s Ristorante - Capellini Amalfitano Angel hair pasta with tomato and mozzarella - Italian Near Me - McCook, Illinois

I love JC's! From the atmosphere & music, the people-watching, to the delicious food (pizza, filets, and fried calamari especially) & strong drinks, I've never had a bad time at JC's. The staff is always welcoming and you feel like a regular after a few visits and that's a really nice feeling. read more

Like a warp in time, J.C.'s Ristorante is a peek into another era, another time, when restaurants were owned by locals and the staff had been there for years and knew everyone by name. We walked in for dinner on a Sunday night. The owner greeted us at the door shaking both of our hands and welcoming us back (I have not been there in years so it was either a good guess or he has an incredible memory!) We were seated in the bar area at a booth to watch the end of the Bears game but given the way they played we easily could have sat in the back! The menu is large covering the gamut of an Italian steakhouse- with steak specials and Italian specialties. Their pizza always gets rave reviews but we both went with a couple of the specials of the day- Prime rib (king cut) for him, and baked chicken with mashed potatoes for me. We started with a couple of the appetizers- oysters on the half shell (just don't ask them what kind of oysters they are- my server said she had not been asked that question in 18 years!) But if you get the same kind I did on the night you visit- know that they are an east coast variety! We also tried a bowl of their soup which was also quite good.. The huge chunks of soft salted bread that were brought to the table were amazing, and gone in an instant! When the food came- it was obvious there were going to be leftovers. The king cut of prime rib had to be over a pound of meat and my chicken was a full half of chicken, roasted golden brown and served over mashed potatoes with gravy. Comfort food all the way around! The interior of the place has the walls covered with pics of the celebrities that have visited over the years- many of them with the owner in the picture. It's not a fancy place- more reminiscent of an Italian steakhouse that might be a prop in a 70's movie but in a good, nostalgic way. Parking is easy in the big lot and dinner for two with drinks and appetizers came to around $55 which was great given all the food we had. Remember that big menu I talked about:? I asked for a "to go" menu and it was 7 pages long! Chances are you'll find something you like at J.C.'s! A bit off the beaten path but worth the trip- J.C.'s reminds me of those supper club type places that I remember from when I lived in Wisconsin. A simple place with good food. And that is just fine in my book! read more

Where could you have a lively discussion of the Bleeding Stopsign AND a killer "mob martini" with a stuffed olive? THIS PLACE! Let's get the most important part out of the way- the PIZZA IS GREAT! Crunchy crust, yummy cheese and a great sweet sauce. It's one of the most tasty I have had in years in Chicago. The decor and outside of the restaurant is totally retro old school and places lke this NEED to be patronized so they don't disappear. When you go, be sure to mention how cool the bar and decor is. Forgot going to a chain for dinner, hit a local place - this place, or Mccook Family Restaurant on the next block, the Polish places down the road on Harlem or one of the Serbian places on Ogden, just pick a local and keep the money in your hood! I sampled the rest of my family's food at the table. The french fries were really really good- greasy retro hot dog stand with a bit of curl. The grilled cheese was definitely something I would order next time. The lasagna was "good" but not great. Tipsters Pub 's is better. The articoke appetizer was good also. The menu s very extensive and has something for everyone. We went on a saturday at 2 pm and the bar area was hopping with diners, locals hanging out. It looked fun. My mom says the deck in the summer is very pleasant and my mom knows everything. Go check it out. NOW. read more

The best drinks and food. Great service with friendly atmosphere!!!

Great old school place. Perch was awesome. Fun to go back here again after many years and see it's still the same fun place. Our server Mayra was a pleasure and made our night even better. read more

Had a very nice experience at JC's. It was my first time but my wife and her brother were old-time customers. The ambiance in the dining room reminded me of Wisconsin supper clubs, which is a great thing! Relaxed and casual. The service was excellent! Forgot his name already but he was server 152, great job. Friendly and efficient. Food was very good too. We had a couple of appetizers while waiting on a pizza. Fried calamari was the best I've ever had and I'm 64! Fried mozzarella sticks yielded long stringy cheese accompanied with a sauce for dipping. Pizza was great and loaded with cheese. I'd go back any time to sample more of the large menu! read more

My fiance's mom goes through periods of time where she obsesses over a restaurant and this month JC's is it. We came here once with her, and although it wasn't bad it also wan't memorable. Portions are large and they have good specials. The place is fairly large too if you have a bigger group. read more

one of my favorite restaurants in mccook in joliet road. they absolutely have the best pizza along with great italian dishes

Had the chicken vesuvio and it was amazing! I'd been there before but I must've tried the wrong dish bc I wasn't too pleased. That dish isn't on the menu anymore so it's not worth naming. But the CHICKEN VESUVIO was awesome I'll come back over and over again for it read more

I've been going here for years and went there tonight with my family. I have to say I won't be back. From the appetizers down to the dinners, everything was Luke warm. It took forever just to get our appetizer, salad and dinner. They were not that crowded. Service was horrible. No one had a smile on their face that worked there. I'm so disappointed. Used to be my favorite place to go. Don't know if there are new owners or what, but they definitely have lost my business. Such a shame. Hope they don't run it into the ground. read more

We had dinner last night. Joe has done an amazing job creating an out door space. It was wonderful and of course the food was outstanding. Thank you!!! read more

Went there for lunch on March 1 and I have to say it was not that good. I ordered a cheeseburger and my boyfriend ordered the fish and chips. My burger was so tiny and was okay (definitely not worth the price) and his fish was not very good and we both ordered curley fries which were undercooked and greasy. I had water and he ordered a soda and the bill came to almost $34.00. So unless you order the pizza which might be more of a bargain I think you are better off just eating at home read more

Thank you so much to the whole staff for accommodating my large party in their beautiful patio. The selection of food was impressive, our party had everything from fish, to pasta, to steak and burgers and everything was superb. And thank you especially to our server for being kind and understanding with my haughty sister and her rude wife who often are lacking in their manners and tact. When faced with obviously disrespectful behavior he was kind, understanding and professional. You're a rock star. Thank you. My daughter enjoyed her celebratory dinner and I look forward to enjoying more evenings out in your establishment. read more

We came here recently with a large group who were extremely curious about the place as it's in the middle of an industrial area yet still seems to maintain quite a crowd. This place is very old school. It's also very large. There are at least two dining rooms separated by a bar. The place was pretty busy and the crowd was mostly older folks, like 50-60 somethings. My husband ordered the ny strip steak rare. And I ordered the fish sauteed in a white wine sauce. We also ordered some appetizers like the fried smelt, calamari, and stuffed banana peppers. My husband's steak had no flavor whatsoever. Very disappointing. We've had rare cuts of steak before, like at the Chop house, that were very tasty, so we know it can be done. This was not good at all. My fish, on the other hand, was very good and tasty. And quite a large piece of fish too. The other folks in our party seemed to enjoy their selections. All in all, it was a decent place. Very inexpensive. A place you can totally take your family and friends. read more

Visit on When we walked in they took our temperature then they seated us in a room where there was a party of at least 20+ people. They left after 10 minutes then they brought in 4 people and they sat right next to us...not 6 feet apart. And then another table you guessed it on the other side of us. The service and food was very good and even had leftovers just wished they would have observed the seating rules a little better. I'll wait awhile before I go back. Sandra S read more

Not impressed with this place. Started off with a drink which was ok. But food was blah. Soup tasted like it came out of a can. Got eggplant parm which was bland and served cold. A friend of mine had to ask for a new serving of curly fries and side veggies as those were served cold. Waitress wasn't the nicest, and a couple times I thought the food was going to spill on me since she wouldn't move next to a person to put the plate in front of them and instead reached over people to hand plates to them. Definitely not going back. Can get much better Italian elsewhere. read more

As you walk in the hostess is absolutely the best part of your experience. She's friendly, professional and inviting. Similarly, when you leave, she thanks you for coming and invites you back. If not for the terrible food, I'd have considered her offer. I've stopped in this place from time to time over the years. It typically has an older clientele and my mother used to like to stop in. It's been a few years since she passed so I figured we'd give it another try. The food was never really great but generally passable. At this point, the food has degraded to a point that when my dinner arrived, I pictured myself as Gordon Ramsay, under-cover, trying to evaluate the mess in front of me. One of the oddest things is that JC's Pub touts themselves as an "Italian restaurant", I suppose because they have Italian dishes on the menu. They also allegedly won an award back in 1991, for being one of the 30 best Italian restaurants in the U.S. That noted, I was around the area twenty-eight years ago and I can tell you that I would never, in any universe, have considered this place as an Italian restaurant, let alone one of the 30 best. Maybe it was a Route 66 thing. Maybe at one time they had edible food. Things have definitely changed. I ate the Pan-Fried Lake Perch. I wasn't particularly hungry so I wanted something lighter. The meal comes with choice of potato, soup or salad and bread. I skipped the potato altogether. The beef barley soup was - fine. The bread basket was fresh. The meal was disgusting. They offer two types of Perch. The one I ordered and a breaded version. Oddly, the pan-fried version was also breaded. So, why the distinction? The meal arrived quickly, because they clearly dumped the fish out of the freezer bag into a fryer and in 3 minutes dropped seven, two-ounce pieces of fish onto a plate over wilted lettuce. If this fish ever touched a pan, I'd be shocked. Actually, if this fish ever saw a lake, I'd be amazed. The consistency of the fish was hard to the bite and completely without flavor. It wasn't even "fishy". It was just - dead. They paired this plasticine garbage with a green bean and bacon combo that was nearly as tasteless as the fish, with the added benefit of being massively greasy. I tried to figure out if the beans had come out of a can, but I'm sure any manufacturer with any measure of self-respect wouldn't package anything so damaged and stringy. Whomever was in the kitchen at that moment (it couldn't have been a "chef") slopped the beans around with some pre-cooked bacon bits to fill out the plate. Our server, who didn't come back to check on us and was nowhere to be seen, stopped back after about 25 minutes. Seeing that I still had 90% of my meal on the plate, asked if she could wrap it up for me. I simply said "no". No question as to why there was so much food left. Was my meal satisfactory? Just "okay" and came back with the check. If you happen to be driving the old Route 66 highway through McCook, do yourself a favor and pass this place right by. If however, you want to sit around at an old bar for a beer or gamble with old people, this may be your place. Just don't order the food. read more

Friendly people here but the service ? SLOOOOOOOOWWWW! We came for lunch and waited ONE hour for our food! This is the second time we had come for lunch and dismissed the first slow service as just a bad day. The food was fair & not worth such a wait. The curly fries were cold and limp. 3 people ordered those fries! I'll come here again for drinks. At the bar but never again to eat. read more

The quality of the food is consistently great, the service is always prompt, seafood dishes, pastas, sandwiches and pizza dishes I love them all. I live about twenty miles away but the food is worth the drive time. read more

I've been going here for years and they always had descent meals until this past Saturday. We went for dinner and I had a pasta dinner with marinara sauce, the sauce was extremely watery and not very tasty. I was totally disappointed. read more

The service is horrible, we have been here for 45 minutes and just got our first refill. That I asked for about 10 minutes ago. The pizza bread we ordered took about 20 minutes and was cold. The soup was cold. So far the place sucks. I just got my beef sandwich, the fries are cold, the waiter has not been by to see how everything is. Do not waste your money or appetite at this place. I am extremely disappointed, and you will be too! read more

I had the worst dish of chicken vesuvio at this establishment..The potatoes in my dish were moldy and black even on the inside..I pointed it out to my waitress..She said. What do you want? They are roasted potatoes. I was apalled.. read more

Went in to give another chance only to overhear I belive was the owner yelling at her kitchen staff that they are liberals and not good chefs only bc they found a new restaurant to cook definitely not ok to speak to another person this place has obvious issues with ownership I can't imagine what the kitchen cleanliness looks like read more

I really like this place, retro vibe but an updated granite front bar makes a really inviting space. Bartenders are always friendly and attentive. They usually have complimentary pizza in the front bar! We like the pizza a lot, good crispy thin crust and a good price. The wait staff is experienced and takes good care of you. We've come for dinner or just drinks and enjoyed both. Great place! read more

JC’s Ristorante - Front Bar - Italian Near Me - McCook, Illinois

The food is plentiful so bring your appetite. We come for the karaoke on Friday and Saturday nights. JC himself is always there to greet you and thank you for coming to his restaurant. Cathy the back bartender always remembers your drink and Smokin' Joe invites you up to sing with his infamous puns. There are definitely some regulars with their usual songs, but they are always welcome to a new crowd to bring some modern delights. read more

What a wonderful place to have lunch there pizza is out of this world you have to come and see the bartender Gia what wonderful gal . read more

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Delicious pizza- thin crust, buttery and cooked perfectly. Love the complimentary bread oil and Parmesan cheese. Our server was Angel and she was great, very attentive with refills and polite. This is my first visit and will definitely come back and try their dinners. read more

This place is AMAZING. when my family of 5 went there to eat (mind you 3 kids under 5) the lady at the front made our table ready right away, and made sure the kids would not be bothered by the people walking by. Our waitress was a gem. You could tell she way busy but she always came back to make sure we were ok and even had a few conversations with us. Other waitresses noticed our kids and stopped by the table to say hi. When leaving everyone at the bar (which is pretty centered to the place) stopped us to say good night. Or hi to our kids. Ok, about the food! We ordered a pepperoni pizza, curly fries, side salad, fettuccine alfredo, and 2 raspberry ice teas. The pizza, 10/10. Sauce was AMAZING sweet yet full, bread had flavor and didn't over take the pizza, pepperoni was crunch and not too salty. The pasta was simple yet very authentic to nature. Great sauce. Pasta cooked perfectly, not to hot, not cold (which happens a lot with pastas). Didn't need salt or pepper. 10/10 Fries were fresh and crunchy. Overall I will Time outta my month to come and eat here. Very family oriented ambiance felt like I left my grandmas kitchen by the end of the night! This place is a must go! read more

JC's is a restaurant that takes us right back to 'Nonna Sarah's' basement kitchen in Springfield and 'The Hill' in St. Louis. Located in an industrial area, J C's doesn't look like it would house a culinary gem...but wait! The food is remarkably similar to what we used to enjoy as a big family gathering on Sundays, back in the 60's and 70's. The ambiance is casual, the staff down to earth and friendly. Come here for the food and prepare to stay awhile. Even our very, very picky 95 year old Nonna, who compares all Italian cooking to what her own mother - who was born in Palermo, Sicily, but immigrated to the USA in the early 1900's as a child - approves and gives the thumbs up. That's BIG! This is hearty home cooking, the real thing. I rated 4 stars only because we aren't regular enough to say if the food is always fantastic or just fantastic most of the time. Guess we'll have to make the drive and stop in more often. If you have kids wondering what the home cooking was like back in the day for those who were 1st and 2nd generation American - Italians, take them here. Casual, family friendly, attentive but not pesty staff / great food, generous portions. read more

This place is in the middle of McCook. I know, you're already intrigued and searching for your car keys. Paris, Rome, McCook...Ok, I shouldn't tease McCook. It's a heavy industry suburb which likely provides a lot of products necessary (but unacknowledged and unappreciated) in our lives. Vulcan Materials is here, for instance, and where would Michelangelo have been without his quarries? (Hey, it's a stretch, but I'm just sayin'.) Anyway, we've had takeout pizza from here (the old school sign and odd location drove us to the website) and it was awesome. So we decided to dine in. We were greeted by the owner, and then by the hostess. My suggestion: If she leads you to the back dining area (which has that functional, funeral luncheon look and lighting) ask to sit in the bar area. It's convivial and softly lit. The menu is quite large, as is typical of a restaurant like this (everything sounds good) and they have daily specials. The sea bass special caught my eye, but I was suspicious. It's saltwater fish. In the middle of Illinois. Unless it came from the Shedd...I kid. Anyway, I asked our smart, funny waitress if the fish was fresh...(I know this is a tricky question but should it have come out smelling like Nine Lives, I was ready to give her the 'ever so disappointed in you' face...) She noted that she saw the specials arrive that day and always ordered the seafood herself. So I gave it a try. I was not disappointed. Wonderfully fresh and expertly cooked. I could easily have polished off another filet. The only issue for me were the accompanying frozen vegetables: cauliflower, carrots, broccoli. Carrots in particular suffer in the freezing, and really, there's no need. 4 pounds of carrots for a dollar, as I noticed today at Berwyn Market. Either that, or a few fresh green beans or asparagus spears...this would make all the difference in flavor and would likely be comparable in price. Other than that, no complaints. Meanwhile, husband's pizza was, as he noted, delicious as usual. We'll be back. And judging by the crowded parking lot, we're not the only ones. read more

Wow! Cioppino served! I once promised I'd walk on hot coals for a local Cioppino that challenges the west coast variety! Well, I had better get my feet ready. Sadly, they serve it only as a special when they have sufficient seafood available to do this wonderful dish justice and today was such a day! Also, once my guests saw what I ordering they also succumbed. This is essentially a seafood stew with clams, mussels, shrimp (prawns on the coast), scallops and white fish. It is served in a red sauce created with plenty of heat. Today it was Zowee! This Italian restaurant is straight out of the 1960's but exceptionally well maintained. As I looked around there was a guy who looked like Don Corleone while a middle aged couple sitting closely together in a darkened corner. Two guys with no necks were at The bar: eating. I loved the place. This not your yippee fern bar place. We were purposely place close to the kitchen. Most were big meals: Steaks or ample orders of spaghetti with re sauces and meat balls. Next time it will one of those guys! read more