Joy and Ed’s Bar and Grill

Food was REALLY good! Chicken sandwich with bourbon sauce was fire- so were the sweet potato fries…read more They have a cute little outdoor area which is dog friendly and they bring water for your dog in a bowl. Very friendly service. If I go back in the area, I would definitely go back here.

Fun place, good solid big portions, great huge chicken wings. The only thing is the music is so so…read moreso loud I had a headache, my chest was thumping, and I couldn't hear the conversation with my buddies. The wait staff are very attentive and sweet. They are always running around. Prime rib offered 1st and 3rd Saturdays for $48. They had specials today for V day. Lovely down to earth place. But please lower the volume on the music so I don't get hearing loss for my grandkids.

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Skoog's Pub and Grill

Canal Port

3.4(249 reviews)

0.0 mi

Amazing food and drink! Staff is great! Didn't take the pic…read moreof the burger, but so juicy and flavorful! Chicken sandwiches are one of my top favorites along with the Ribeye Sandwich. Seasoning is spot on!

We were visiting the winery in Utica and stopped at Canal Port for a bite to eat. We were greeted…read morewhen we walked inside. Warm friendly smiles and we were immediately seated. The dining area is spacious, outside patio and full size bar area. The food was made with love. Everyone in my party was happy with their food and drinks. Freshly cooked and seasoned with perfection.

Old timey bar with tin ceiling

Crab dip

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Restaurant

Uptown Grill

4.3(505 reviews)

4.6 mi

We love The Uptown Grill! I have been there multiple times and I always order something different…read more All of it has been delicious! I like the fact that they change their menu from time to time, so we're never bored with the same choices. Great restaurant!!

Great food and really nice service! The restaurant worked with us when the time on our reservation…read morechanged and ended up giving us the perfect table for our group. We were happy to have found this restaurant in this cute little town.

We offer a full service Banquet Facility.

Welcome to Uptown Grill!

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Our newly renovated dinning room.

Lodi Tap House - Utica

3.1(119 reviews)

0.0 mi

The bartender was super helpful helping me pick out a beer. I enjoyed the Buffalo chicken wrap-…read morevery flavorful and fresh. The cheese curds were yummy, but giant sized- more like mozzarella sticks in flavor.

Let me start out by saying that for a Sunday, the place looked sad. It sincerely seemed like people…read morewere just not wanting to be there. The bartender was great. He had suggestions for beers to try and a smile. But the place just has a bummer vibe. It's dark, gloomy, and untouched. We went in looking for a few of their beers and some oktoberfest ones. We were told that one was offered with a couple of flavors because it's not that good. I appreciate the candor, but why offer it? Our cheese curds turned my stomach. I don't say this lightly. I don't think they have changed the oil in a while by the dark color, or the oil wasn't hot enough. Just not good. I don't expect it to keep going like this. Sad it could be something. I wonder if the owners even care. The space that they made across the way was cute. They hardly use it. When they did, the bartenders didn't show up. It was a one man show for the 2 spaces. It's just not worth it with other bars so close by.

They have a great selection of beers on tap!

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Cool bar

Nonie's Bakery & Cafe

4.7(238 reviews)

0.3 mi

We loved this placed!…read more It was very off season so we were waiting all week until Thursday when they were open to try it. Our large group of 3 families enjoyed breakfast here and the lovely staff were very accommodating to our chaos. 3 grandparents, 4 parents and 4 toddlers to order, eat and we all enjoyed ourselves. We all loved the treats, the food, and best coffee we could find in the starved rock area! I got for the 4 I was in charge of: 2 hot vanilla latte, a kids French toast with bacon, a biscuit and gravy, cream horn, cinnamon roll, and more treats I can't recall now. Highly recommend this cute little stop and if we are in the area again we'd definitely stop by!

Cute shop on the outskirts of town. Staff was super welcoming and friendly. The baking goods were…read morenot only delicious, but incredibly affordable ($3!)

Nonie's Bakery

Cappuccino, espresso and pumpkin roll

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Thyme Craft Kitchen

4.8(156 reviews)

5.3 mi

Thyme Craft Kitchen is worth the trip to to get there! Located in downtown Peru, Illinois, the…read morerestaurant serves freshly made food with ingredients from local farms. They even list the farms where the ingrediants came from on the menu. When I arrived I had to use the washroom. Not only was it clean but it was stocked with cotton towels. I knew that this was a good omen of things to come. My husband and I had the grilled cheese and tomato soup and the grass fed hamburger. This may have been the biggest and most pack grilled cheese I've ever had. The hamburger was good but the potatoes that came with it stole the show. Since the entrees were so good we were excited to try the desert. We ordered the homemade chocolate peanut bourbon pie. This had the consistency of a pecan pie and was very rich. Everything was great at Thyme Craft Kitchen. It comes highly recommended!

Delicious place! Yummy caipirinha, watermelon marg- sour but balanced, & lavender vodka! Great…read moreprice. Birria tacos! McRib w tomato soup! Wow! What a feel for this range of food! Amazing service! I'll come back! Please support!

Part of restaurant

Elk Steak ($29) - braised collard greens with bacon, house steak sauce

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Grass Fed Hamburger ($18) with Tomato and Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Habaneros Mexican Restaurant

4.5(24 reviews)

1.5 mi

Yum! My boyfriend and I really enjoyed Habaneros! It was nice and open, with tables and booths. The…read morestaff were all really nice, our server was great! I had the Utica Bowl and it was amazing! My bf had the taco salad and said it was really good. The only thing was the shell was a little smaller than anticipated, other places seem to be bigger. He didn't leave hungry though. We will definitely be back to try other things!

Very good flavors and well prepared items, all from scratch. The salsa dips were all very good and…read moreI was able to add more heat to mine. I ordered the Burrito California style and all the meats that were included made for a great deal. My wife ordered steak tacos and 3 came with the order, she was full after 2 tacos. She said they were some of the best she had eaten. When we are back in the area, we will eat here again, for sure.

Chips and salsa

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The Rootbeer Stand

3.8(157 reviews)

4.3 mi

Oh my gosh, what an absolutely adorable place! Really threw me back to my childhood. It is a…read morecombo drive-in/dine-in spot that takes cash only, but has an ATM on sight. We had burgers and milkshakes that were solidly good and really hit the spot as we were stopping here along the way home from a long road trip. What really sets this place apart is the service! Everyone here was so friendly - and even though this is very much a "local" spot we felt completely welcomed. When they found out that we were from out of town they immediately asked us if we wanted a picture outside with Papa Burger and one of the waitresses enthusiastically led us outside for photos. This is exactly what you want from a small town root beer stand - a homey vibe, great food and friendly service!!

We stopped by The Root Beer Stand in Oglesby, which gives off a nostalgic blend of an old-school…read moreA&W crossed with the drive-in order bays you would expect at a Sonic, along with some super cute diner-style booth seating inside. Just a heads up that it is a cash-only spot, though they do have an ATM on-site if you need it. The service was quick and incredibly polite from start to finish. Food-wise, the burger was fairly plain but was cooked well, and the fries had a great texture and crunch even if they were a bit bland on seasoning. The side salad was essentially just chopped lettuce, but it was noticeably crisp and fresh. Overall, it is a fun, nostalgic pit stop with friendly service if you are looking for a quick bite.

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Woody the Root Beer man

Jamie's Outpost Parlor

4.0(23 reviews)

0.3 mi

I loved this bar. So much room for big events. Had a live band. Multiple full bars. The food menu…read moreis short but it's good food! Will definitely be back here.

Good food, good music good drinks. and shopping. Great place to see your local bands.read more

Salad bar and whiskey/moonshine tasting.

Plenty of knives to look at too.

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Close up of my dog's stitches after being attacked by owner's dogs

Garden Berry Cafe Ottawa

4.3(27 reviews)

8.7 mi

I don't usually write reviews about places I visit, but today I had such a unique experience that I…read morefeel like I should share it. The place is Garden Berry Cafe in Ottawa. The name is quite a mouthful, but it definitely makes you curious enough to go inside and see what it's about. The interior is very grey and urban, with some fake flowers here and there. The menu is pretty large and has a lot of interesting-sounding options. After we looked through it for a minute, one of the waitresses brought us another menu saying, "Here's our special menu." It was mostly coffee drinks, which, unfortunately, didn't look particularly appealing to me. I ordered the Route 14 crepes, and apparently the name was quite challenging. The waitress asked me "What?" at least twice, so eventually I just pointed to it on the menu. Then she proceeded to write down my order by basically cheat-sheeting from my menu. Lol. My husband ordered one of the breakfast skillets. The food looked good when it arrived. But oh boy... My crepes were stuffed with mushrooms, onions, cheddar cheese, and spinach, topped with hollandaise sauce. The cheddar was melted and the spinach was fine. The crepes themselves actually tasted good. But the onions were raw and crunchy, and the mushrooms were so undercooked that they were rubbery and hadn't even been properly browned. The hollandaise was sprinkled with something that looked like paprika, although it smelled strongly of cinnamon, which was... interesting. When one of the waitresses asked how everything was going, I politely explained what was wrong with my dish. They apologized, said they would tell the kitchen, and offered to replace it. I declined because, honestly, I wasn't interested in taking the chance of getting the exact same thing again. I was perfectly willing to just finish what I could, pay, and quietly never come back. But then the waitress came back. And this time, instead of simply acknowledging the issue, she explained that next time I need to make sure to ask for my vegetables to be "well done." She also added that she always eats raw mushrooms. Soooo... am I supposed to order breakfast and specifically say, "Could you please make sure my vegetables are actually cooked?" I've never thought I needed to specify that mushrooms and onions should be cooked when ordering a breakfast dish. It felt like I had to take responsibility for the kitchen not properly cooking the ingredients in the first place. That second conversation honestly upset me more than the food itself. I had already accepted the situation and wasn't demanding anything. But being told that it was essentially my mistake for not ordering the vegetables correctly was not something I expected. The total was $36 for two meals and one regular coffee. The food had potential, and my crepes themselves were actually tasty. But unfortunately, the experience -- especially the way the complaint was handled -- was enough for me to decide that I won't be coming back.

We went to the place because it was labeled as animal-friendly (we took our dog) but on the front…read moredoor it was labeled that no animals can enter. My son had to wait outside with our dog while I ordered but overall, the food was good and the service was amazing.

Berry pancakes

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Omelette

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Sam T.

0

2

0

7 years ago

The food was really quite good, for the price I think the quality is really quite up there. Excellent beer selection with lots of local options, if you get a domestic you are absolutely missing out. It is also worth noting that the entire restaurant was SPOTLESS. Bathrooms, cleaner than most kitchens I've seen. read more

Ron G.

396

7

14

4 years ago

It only took 20 plus minutes for them to prepare such an intricate dish of lettuce with a single tomato.

Alex W.

0

1

0

11 years ago

Great times good food local bar with slots and lots of fun

Joy and Ed’s Bar and Grill - tradamerican - Updated September 2026

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Uptown Grill

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(505 reviews)

We love The Uptown Grill! I have been there multiple times and I always order something different…read more All of it has been delicious! I like the fact that they change their menu from time to time, so we're never bored with the same choices. Great restaurant!!

Great food and really nice service! The restaurant worked with us when the time on our reservation…read morechanged and ended up giving us the perfect table for our group. We were happy to have found this restaurant in this cute little town.

Thyme Craft Kitchen

4.8

(156 reviews)

Thyme Craft Kitchen is worth the trip to to get there! Located in downtown Peru, Illinois, the…read morerestaurant serves freshly made food with ingredients from local farms. They even list the farms where the ingrediants came from on the menu. When I arrived I had to use the washroom. Not only was it clean but it was stocked with cotton towels. I knew that this was a good omen of things to come. My husband and I had the grilled cheese and tomato soup and the grass fed hamburger. This may have been the biggest and most pack grilled cheese I've ever had. The hamburger was good but the potatoes that came with it stole the show. Since the entrees were so good we were excited to try the desert. We ordered the homemade chocolate peanut bourbon pie. This had the consistency of a pecan pie and was very rich. Everything was great at Thyme Craft Kitchen. It comes highly recommended!

Delicious place! Yummy caipirinha, watermelon marg- sour but balanced, & lavender vodka! Great…read moreprice. Birria tacos! McRib w tomato soup! Wow! What a feel for this range of food! Amazing service! I'll come back! Please support!

Sunfield Restaurant

4.0

(172 reviews)

What a delightful place to eat. We stopped here after hiking. I had the 12 oz. Ribeye and let me…read moresay it was DELICIOUS! Cooked to perfection (medium). I always have a problem at establishments with my steaks. This was the perfection! Taking home the other half. The cream of chicken soup was a great start our meal... every one had some of my soup. The chorizo tacos were also a hit with my husband and daughter. The Mexican Benedict meal was also a great meal-- my other daughter had this. I had a taste and it truly was delicious! This is the place to go for a bite to eat. Very friendly wait staff and the men who brought us water .... Both very nice and friendly. When you're in the area stop by and enjoy a meal. You won't be disappointed! Sorry no pics ... I was enjoying my meal !!

This is an older restaurant and the wear shows. The staff are very nice and it looks to be a spot…read morewhere the local go. It was in walking distance to our hotel. We needed a walk after hours in the car. We were seated w/menus in a booth. They serve breakfast all day, apps, burgers, entree salads, sandwiches, and meal entrees with a kids menu and a seniors menu (65+) on the back cover. I went with the taco salad. It's a big portion with sour cream and salsa on the side and comes with soup. You can add quac if you like. My dining companion got the chicken parm which comes with a side salad or soup and, if you like, a bread basket. It also is a big portion and is served with garlic bread. As someone who makes their own sauce this one was not up to their standards. Still, they ate a good bit of their meal. The salad is pre-cut lettuce and I believe the soup is made off site. Salad dressing is served on the side. Plenty of meat in the taco salad. Salsa has a bit of a kick and there are three kinds of hot sauce on the table if you want more. Something I ate affected one of my many food sensitivities and by the time I got back to the hotel my stomach hurt. It happens. They have a private parking lot. Beer and wine and a few liquors are available besides soft drinks. Restrooms are older and in pretty good condition although they could use a deep, detailed cleaning. This was a convenient stop for us but not one we would seek out in future. Prices are very good. Menu is varied.

Gold Mine Restaurant

4.3

(20 reviews)

Always great food and service. It's a great atmosphere to enjoy a delicious breakfast.read more

The food is great and the people are even better! Cannot recommend high enough if you want a quick…read moremeal, with a family atmosphere, along with a diner experience

Cindy's On 34

4.1

(112 reviews)

I'm originally from Mendota and grew up on a farm right across I-39 from Cindy's. I can't believe…read morehow extensive the menu has grown over the years! Definitely the best restaurant in Mendota! Try either of the two pork tenderloin specials ... but save room for dessert!

An unexpected pleasure! It's a truck stop afterall, so I didn't have high expectations. But they…read morehit it out'ta the park. The Biscuits & Gravy Omelette was unusual AND delicious! The service was perfect. And even the ambiance was really nice, clean and bright. Even grabbed a (not overly sweet!) piece of cherry pie for later on. Can't go wrong here.

Lodge Restaurant at Starved Rock

3.9

(177 reviews)

Great brunch for the money! Lots of variety! Full sized desserts on the buffet. Great atmosphere…read moreand service!

We had a dinner reservation for 6:00 on a Tuesday night. We arrived a bit early and were just left…read moresitting there for quite some time. Eventually, we tracked down the waitstaff to get glasses of water and order beverages. We were then again ignored and had to flag down the waitstaff to take our orders from a limited menu (b/c we were with a tour group). I think the waitstaff neglected to submit our order b/c it was 7:30 before two of the four of us were served our food. The other two had to wait at least 25 more minutes before their food was brought to the table. We were never brought plates for our bread, despite reminders. Additionally, one person at our table never even got a glass of water, and another never got the refill of soda she had requested. Eventually, our plates of food and a glass of wine (which had not even been ordered) were slammed own on the table by waitstaff and the manager when they were finally brought to our table. Waitstaff and the restaurant manager were very rude when we asked them what took so long and pointed out that guests who had later reservations had already eaten and left before our orders had even been taken. At first, they pretended not to know what we were talking about, but later, they tried blaming the kitchen staff. The service was abysmal and their attitudes were horrible! The hostess was the only one who was courteous and helpful. The other two people (waitstaff and restaurant manager) did not deserve their paychecks for that night! The breakfast buffet the next morning was so-so. The scrambled eggs were served cold. Neither juice nor breads/pastries were offered.

New Chalet Restaurant

3.7

(24 reviews)

Laura G was our server (Mar 14) and was very attentive and friendly. We come here often for…read morebreakfast or an early lunch, and it is always consistently good. Are there better places to dine for breakfast in the area, probably yes. But it is a great place for the south side of Ottawa, and you can't go wrong with a hearty omelet or skillet here. The hash browns are always very crispy and tasty, not too greasy. The prices are very good. The one down side to this place is that they close at 1pm, no late lunch or dinner service at all! I assume they have trouble finding help or perhaps dinner is not profitable for them anymore. Regardless, the breakfast is very good. My mother has gotten French toast and loves it. The last time we were here I had a veggie omelet with cheese and a side of hash browns, mmmm! I ate every last bite. Great local joint for a quick bite.

It's a quant little restaurant with a friendly staff and the best prices I've seen since the 90's…read more Plus the food is homestyle yummy! You gotta stop by here if you're hungry for some American cafe food.

Burger and Sushi House-Ottawa

4.0

(333 reviews)

BASH (Burger And SusHi) in Ottawa IL: Why you should go there instead of fast food chains. If you…read moreget a $16 roll and a $10 roll and really take the time to enjoy each mouth full of those true works of art (tip of the hat to Hadi).. eyes closed ..face skyward.. all attention on your tastebuds to give the experience the attention it deserves.. you'll take half of each home and get two meals. Technically that $30+ tab is more than you'd spend for a burger and fries and a shake someplace.. but thats one meal..and its fast and its done and did you really need or want that calorie count? that fat and sugar? starch and salt? It tastes good you say? ok.. try this instead.. take half home. two meals at about the same price per meal.. much better for you and when I say ART.. I mean ART. Like taking your tastebuds to a live concert with Bach and Mozart playing and the opener is OG Queen. As to the economics.. If you buy at a chain..thats an organization designed to funnel money up and OUT of your community as much as possible.. if you eat at say Cinco in Streator or any locally owned and operated and incorporated restaurant more of the money stays local to swish around in the local economy. OH and of course, healthier eating in both cases. real food. A solid platter at Cinco usually gets me at least two meals and thats if i dont mix in the leftovers to punch up my own tacos or soup or whatever I'm cooking

It's a very upscale and modern cute and large establishment. The vibes are there and the space but…read moreit will never not be packed and loud. Rightfully so. Service has always been good when I went. I've probably gone under 10x and given enough tries at the new and old locations. Every time there's always something that goes wrong but I continue to come back because family and friends love it and I always try something else when I come in. Food is always edible most of the time but not great. I've had hair in my burger before. Other Burgers were overcooked and flavorless. Mac and cheese is disgusting. Sushi menu is kinda repeat and all fried / tempora. Pretty basic and boring and if you're gluten free you're kinda SOL. Crab Rangoon is imitation crab. Gross. This last time I went for a goodbye dinner to a coworker moving: Drinks- Table got a pitcher of white sangria- it was ok but way overpriced. I got the strawberry basil lemonade drink and it sucked. It lacked taste. I'n convinced it was water and not lemonade, nothing puree about it, & there was no basil in it besides used as a piece of decor. Sushi- I showed the waitress a picture of the roll I saw on someone review and that it claimed it was a Ottawa roll but it was not and 10/10 a different role that was given to me. Luckily I will eat anything and it actually wasn't bad but what the hell. Truffle fries- beer battered. Yuck. Mac & Cheese- I thought it used to be not bad but I got it this last time as a side and it was different noodles, thick, no creamy cheese sauce, & no seasoning. Dessert- 10/10 made the trip worth it. I hate fried ice cream and not a huge brownie person but that dessert was amazing. The beignet with caramel- yessss. I never get the hype of the food but think it's because there's not much around like this for locals. If someone wanted to go back I wouldn't not go but I am not a fan.

Parkway Family Restaurant & Pancake House

4.3

(16 reviews)

A local friendly restaurant serving traditional breakfast and lunch favorites at reasonable prices…read more Nothing real fancy but clean with a nice menu selection serving breakfast and lunch. Good portions at reasonable prices. Family owned and operated where everyone seems to know each other. Open daily 6am-3pm.

This is a Great Mom & Pop Family type Resturant. The Owners of Parkway are a Kind, Attentive…read moreCouple who also employ other Hard Working family members & a few other Great Workers. They Enjoy Visiting w/ their Customers which makes it a very Enjoyable Family type atmosphere & they welcome All. Above all the Owners & Staff make sure all Customers are Satisfied w/ their Entrees, Service & have a desire to return due to their pleasant experience.

Zeller Inn

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