I follow Chez Marilyn on FB and I am glad that I do. I saw their posting about a Thursday night…read moresteak special and thought I'd give them a try. They were having three different steak specials and I choose the Rib Eye. It was a 12 oz Rib Eye, served with Grilled Asparagus and a Baked Potato. My steak was perfectly grilled to my medium rare request, the Asparagus was tender, but still had enough snap to it. My potato was huge and was soft and fluffy throughout. The special was only $24.99 and was hefty portions. I took a third of the steak and half of the potato home. The next morning I re-heated the steak, diced up and fried the potato and fried me up an egg. Damn, that breakfast was as good as my previous nights dinner. My adult beverage of choice was, How To Marry A Millionaire, which is a Dirty Martini. It's fun that all their martinis are named after classic movies, or have a reference to them in some way. Service is always attentive and friendly. Chez Marilyn is becoming a regular in my downtown Alton rotation.

We love this little place in Alton. We have been several times and the staff is always super…read morefriendly and helpful. The bar area is fun and they have great music and drink specials. The restaurant is laid back with an old school vibe. The burgers are amazing. We went last night for steak night. Our steaks were perfectly cooked and the baked potatoes amazing. I definitely recommend it.

I ordered a cheeseburger and fries from the bar at Argosy Casino, and honestly, it was about as…read morebasic as it gets. The burger tasted like standard frozen fast food,no real flavor, or freshness and the fries were just cold, nothing crispy or seasoned enough to stand out. It wasn't terrible, but it definitely wasn't good either. For a casino setting, I expected at least some effort or flavor. This felt more like a quick filler meal than something worth recommending. If you're hungry and need something fast, it'll do--but don't expect anything special.

I love the atmosphere! Tons of games on the TV. People having a good time watching the games. There…read moreis a bar there to get all your drinks. The menu has appetizers and sandwiches and a few dinner plates. I was kinda shocked there was not more to choose from since this is in a casino! Some casinos have a buffet but they did not. However the bar tender was super nice. The food was great.

Got carry out to take to the hospital...great fish and shrimp tacos with sides of Cole slaw! Will…read moredefinitely do that again fast, convenient, friendly, and delicious.

Bluff City Grill was one of my stops on the St. Patrick's Day Pub Crawl in Alton. In my younger…read moredays, I could chug a green beer, but in my senior years it doesn't even sound good. So when the bartender offered me a green beer, I turned it down. She then offered me a, Green Sangria. What? She then told me it was made with Midori and I was sold. It was a refreshing green cocktail for the holiday. When you are partying on St. Paddy's Day, you need to snack to help balance the liquor consumption. Sticking with the "green" theme, I ordered some Guac Bites with a Sweet Chili dipping sauce. It's fresh mildly spicy guacamole wrapped in a won ton and fried to a golden color. It's one of my favorite appetizers here at BCG. They also offer a Cajun Ranch dip, but I prefer the Sweet Chili. The service is always fun and friendly, making your dining/drinking experience memorable.

Stopped in to enjoy my St. Patrick's Day with some Corned Beef…read more Mac's was serving up a plate full of tender Corned Beef, Cabbage, Potatoes and Baby Carrots. The Corned Beef was fork tender. Their cabbage was a mixture, half of my serving was mushy and the other still had a little snap to the texture. Both the potatoes and carrots were spot on, I enjoyed them more than I did the cabbage. The food never disappoints me. I follow Mac's on FB so I can see what the daily specials are. There's been many times when I see something good and it helps me plan my meals for the day. The steak specials are always a winner. I'm also a fan of their burgers, onion rings and Sunday brunch. My beverage of choice was a Citrus Wheat which is brewed here in Alton at, Old Bakery Beer Company. I'm not a fan of Guinness beer, so the local craft beer was a nice substitute. The service was attentive and friendly for a busy holiday.

Whatever you do, don't get the blue cheese burger. It was dry and so bad. The bun was also stale…read more Just bad. On the flip side, the t bone steak was really good. Warning: the steak fries are just like a potato cut into 1/8s and fried. The regular fries are much better. Also, the beer garden area allows smoking. Not a great time for non smokers or kids. Service was pretty good despite being super busy. Definitely were attentive and always on the move.

Great place! Cheap food! Frosty cold beer. I mean frosty! The beer glass is insanely frosted. A…read moreserver will come and take your drink order. (You have to at least order a drink.) You go up and order your food and pick it up when it's ready. Basket of fries for $3! The food is super cheap. They want you in there drinking and having a good time. The food will keep you in longer. NO KIDS! NO TO GO! It's a fun lace to hang out. They will have live music. There is a separate motorcycle lot. Drive a couple of minutes away to see the Piasa Bird as well as the ice cream joint called Shivers. Also, go see the Miles Davis statue. Make sure to drive up the Illinois River Road. Before you leave, grab some merch!

Cheap, good food, and great vibes!…read more My husband and I finished date night with food and drinks at Fast Eddies. This place is normally packed on the weekends especially when the weather is nice. I'm guess because it was later in the evening when we went they weren't as crowded. There's always live music playing, someone celebrating their 21st birthday and good vibes. Staff was friendly, welcoming and made sure we were doing good the entire time we were there. Ordering food is all self service at the food station. You place your order then wait for your number to be called. They sell burgers, chicken on a stick, steak on a stick, chicken sandwiches, shrimp, and fries. Your food is up pretty quick. We ordered burgers, fries, chick on a stick, big Elwood and shrimp. We also ordered two long islands and a beer. All in all we spent about $60. The food was delicious, seasoned well and plentiful. The drinks were made perfectly. No complaints from me. I'll be back!

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.

Round Table is my local dive diner. The portions are plentiful and they have senior discounted…read moremeals for individuals over the age of 60. My recent visit, I went with the breakfast I had on my very first visit back in 2020 when we were living in C0VID times. The single biscuit with milk gravy was fluffy and the gravy had a generous amount of sausage. Since my gravy had sausage, I chose bacon as my meat. I enjoyed my eggs scrambled. It also came with a choice of potato and I went with, American Fried over Hash Browns. I was surprised that I got 4 slices of bacon. 1 was cold, but the other 3 were warm. The eggs were super fluffy. I've had scrambled eggs here several times and they are always way better than other diners. When they brought me my order, they forgot my potatoes. My server went back to retrieve them and she returned with a portion that could have served three people. They were good, but I only ate a third. The servers are friendly and attentive, giving the diner a hometown feeling. With it being close to my home, I'll definitely return.

Came in around 9 on a Sunday and service was friendly and quick! The menu is extensive so we took a…read moreminute to decide but then food came out quickly and was delicious!

Do you love large breast? If so you need to visit Castelli's and have their fried chicken dinner…read more The breast they serve, are the largest I have ever seen and the accompanying pieces are impressive as well. Thick meaty thighs, curvaceous legs and wings that look as if the chicken has been pumping iron at the local gym. Big pieces, crispy flavorful coating and juicy meat. I primarily do carry-out and the quality of their take out is equally as good as when dining in the restaurant. Pick-up is smooth and fast, as they have a separate entrance and room for take-out. The staff is friendly and very professional. The service has that family owned business feel. If you're a fan of Onion Rings, I recommend enjoying an order as an appetizer. Their rings are super big and made in house. I do not like onion rings that come from a bag. When ordering my sides, I like mashed potatoes with white gravy. They also offer brown gravy, if that is your thing. My other side is always green beans. They make their green beans with bacon and onion. It reminds me of my momma's. With those two sides, it is a true Sunday Chicken Dinner on any day of the week. I've been coming to Castelli's my entire life. I started coming here as a child when it was called, Moonlight. Many of the locals still call it, Moonlight and no-one will correct them, because we all know where they are talking about. Service in the carry-out room is always speedy and friendly. So if you're a fan of fried chicken, I recommend ordering on-line for a pick-up. Or, treat yourself to a night out and dine in the restaurant. Remember to order the onion rings.

The best fried chicken in the area with a great menu Italian. This has an upscale ambiance with a…read moreseries of rooms from multiple expansions and upgrades. The service staff is experienced and professional. The tortellini soup is wonderful. Veal parmigiana and chicken cacciatore dishes are tasty. Big portions of food so you'll probably take a go box home. Nice main bar near entrance with an original second bar in bar one of dining rooms. Plentiful parking with easy access ramp for handicapped. Has a separate takeout room at rear of restaurant. Long-standing local favorite with well deserved reputation. Great for special occasions. Nice banquet room that is quite popular for sales presentations.

Fried or Grilled? I use to be a big fan of their Famous Fried Pork Tenderloin Sandwich, until I…read moretried it Grilled. A while back when I went in for my regular fix of a Pork Tenderloin Sandwich, the waitress asked me if I ever tried the grilled. When I said, no, she told me I had to give it a try. So, I did and now it is my way of ordering a Pork Tenderloin Sandwich. The piece of grilled meat is as big as the fried. It hangs off the bun. All you need to add is some white onion, pickles and lettuce. Some add a tomato, but that's not my thing. Also, just like when I enjoy a fried Pork Tenderloin, I upgrade to fries. Chips just don't do it for me. The service is always top notch. The ladies working are always so friendly. They make everyone feel comfortable while dining. Jimmy taught his staff well. I miss him always being there, but the ladies are making sure his legacy lives on. Another big plus when you come to, Johnsons Corner is the other patrons.It truly is a neighborhood bar. I was dining alone at a hightop and I ended up having a conversation with someone sitting at the bar and another hightop. We shared some good laughs. That's a small-town dive bar at its best.

So saddens me to write this…read more.. Very disappointed in Johnson's Special Salad. Have had this numerous times over the years - admittedly not too recently until tonight. Awful. Sorry but I have to say it. I'd read a similar review before I ordered but I knew JCorners and I thought I'd give them the benefit of the doubt. Nope. $17 after tax and tip - for just a salad and it has NO meat. ONE anchovy slice. Literally ONE black olive ... a sprinkling of cheese. And a whole lot of [admittedly fresh] lettuce and croutons. Was so looking forward to this salad. Very sad & disappointed in an Alton staple business. The other reviewer had pretty much the exact same experience with the exact same order and said her waitress (mine was a to-go order) blamed it on a new chef. But the chef can't be "new" for long. And making a salad is pretty darn basic cooking-101. Doubt I'll be back. Jimmy would be so disappointed. May he rest in peace