Scrumptious! When…read moreyou're a regular, sometimes you slip into a routine and order from a group of your favorite entrees. There's nothing wrong with that, but sometimes you need to change things up. Last night, I did just that. I even changed up my adult beverage. My new adult beverage of choice was a, Sapphire Gin and Tonic. I've been gradually switching from vodka to gin and this was a smooth and refreshing cocktail. I was craving scallops my favorite seafood, but did not want the entree that comes with, lobster risotto. So I ventured out and tried the, Shrimp & Scallops with Portobello Mushrooms and Asparagus. It was sautéed in butter, garlic, shallots, red chili flakes and lemon. It was then served over a bed of linguine. I may have found a new favorite dish. Or at least, a new dish added to my rotation. I loved how four toppings were kept separate from each other. The three sea scallops satisfied my craving, the asparagus was prepared with a snap to it, the four shrimp were huge and the mushrooms balanced out the dish. The chili flakes, gave the dish an extra kick, that I really liked. Kept my salad the same as always, House Salad with House Dressing. The service at the bar was excellent. The bartenders are always friendly and professional. I like that they have a food server and a designated bus person behind the bar, so the mixologist can focus on making those refreshing cocktails.

I was honestly surprised to see such a low overall rating because I had a fantastic experience…read morehere. I even noticed one reviewer repeatedly updating a one-star review after multiple visits, which made me wonder--if you dislike a place that much, why keep coming back? We ordered the NY strip steak and the filet mignon, and both were absolutely delicious. We also tried the artichoke appetizer, which was excellent. The drinks were equally impressive. Our waitress was incredibly kind and attentive. She proactively kept us updated when there was a slight delay and checked on us throughout the meal without being intrusive. The restaurant itself was beautifully themed, and everything felt well thought out and cohesive. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my experience and would gladly return.

Let me start off by saying I rarely leave reviews. However,…read morewe loved this place so much that there was no way we couldn't say something. We're in town for the boat races & this afternoon my husband's engine came right off the back of the boat. While thankful it wasn't at the bottom of the Mississippi, getting it back on was more than a chore. Hot, tired & hard at work, we had a couple of teams to feed. We called in a large order & we were accommodated within half an hour, at a reasonable price & it's safe to say, it's the best pizza any of us have ever had. 12 people, 2 families, 2 racing teams, we all agreed. We weren't "just" hot. We weren't "just" hungry. It was literally JUST that good! We will absolutely see yall next year! -Diamond Z Racing

Decaro's is a wonderful surprise. We initially intended to eat at another restaurant in the area…read morebut it was closed for the day. Decaro's became a hastily decided Plan B. We had no expectations but we were hungry. What a wonderful Plan B this turned out to be. It was mid-afternoon so the place was relatively quiet, in a pleasant way.Everything was clean and the dining room looked inviting. We seated ourselves and the waitress quickly came to take our order for drinks and food. She suggested the day's special, a personal pizza with two toppings, side salad, and a drink. It sounded great was was a real bargain so we both went with it. The wife ordered a simple cheese pizza and I ordered mine with sausage and mushrooms. In very short order, our salads were presented and they were delicious. The lettuce and vegetables were all very fresh, not the sad looking stuff you frequently see at other restaurants mid winter. Even the croutons were delicious, light and with just the right amount of crispness. Next came our pizzas piping hot. We both loved them .They came on a thin cracker type crust, my favorite, sauce was sparingly applied but tasty, and the Italian sausage on my pizza had wonderful flavor with just a light kick to it. My wife truly enjoyed her cheese pizza as well. We'll definitely be coming back. I'm tempted to try their Italian beef sandwich next time. It was highly recommended by the staff.

Best fried chicken I've had in ages! Service was excellent. This is not fancy place, but it is a…read moregreat family restaurant. They had a good selection, but the menu was well rounded. They offer a little something for all tastes. Just picked this on a whim as a place halfway between me and family. The fries were crispy and the coleslaw was delicious and creamy. Worth the short drive off I55.

ate here for 2 days, dinner and lunch, service was great and food was amazing , the pattie melt and…read morethe blt both were great

I'm embarrassed to admit, I lived in Alton for six years and never went to Don & Penny's until my…read morelast month. To be honest, the first two years of living in Alton I thought it was an old closed restaurant. Then when I found out it was open, some people said to avoid it, that it was a rough crowd. Now I can honestly say, I regret not going earlier. If I had, I may have been a regular. The reason I finally went was a farewell party for a friend moving to Florida. There were twelve of us and I wish I would have photographed everyone's food. It all looked delicious and most of them had been there before and others like me who were there for the first time were blown away too. The service was super friendly, I knew the server/bartender from another local restaurant that he worked. I had him coach me on what to order, since the menu had a variety of choices.He said the Mexican dishes were their most popular, but I had Mexican the previous night and did not want to repeat. I choose to go with the Pork Tenderloin Sandwich. Damn, it was good. It was better than the restaurant in town that is known for its Pork Tenderloin. It was a typical pork tenderloin sandwich, the patty was huge and extended beyond the bun. The seasoning on the pork is what made it stand out over others that I have had. The fries were pretty stellar, too. They were crisp and fried to an appealing light golden color. The sandwich also came with garnishes on the side. The pork tenderloin was so good, I did not add any of the onion, lettuce or tomato. I regret not going to Don & Penny's sooner. Don't make the same mistake as I did. Next time you're out and about, stop by Don & Penny's for a cocktail and some delicious food.

Amazing. Everything homemade and service was awesome. If you are in the area stop and enjoyread more

Bakers & Hale is a family favorite and an absolute must whenever I am in IL seeing family. The vibe…read moreis incredibly relaxed and very family friendly, ample space so you never feel crowded. The food is consistently good with generous portions, and the friendly service always makes the experience enjoyable. if your there during the live music, it's a really nice touch. Even though I come here all the time, for some reason I always forget the actual name and just refer to it as "Bangers and Mash." Luckily, my family always knows exactly whatI mean!

Bakers & Hale is probably one of the if not the most popular restaurants in the Riverbend area…read more They are know for their amazing bands on the patio, which is year round and a pretty decent Happy Hour. The other day I meet up with some of my cousins for Happy Hour. I cannot go wrong with one of the HH pizzas. Three of the six cousins, ordered pizza with different toppings. I went with the HH Taco's. I enjoyed Two Shrimp Taco's for only $7. The HH pizzas are $10. Three cousins went with the regular menu and enjoyed salads, chicken wings and chicken strips/tenders. Everyone was pleased with their food. The only thing keeping B&H from getting 5 Stars is the service. It's never consistent. One time it's over the top and the next time it's the bare minimum. It really depends on who you get as a server. The seasoned ones who have been for a long time, know how to work a table. The newer and younger ones, just don't get it. They don't hustle and as their station fills up, they get overwhelmed and everything goes downhill. When: January 7, 2026 Why: Happy Hour with the cousins

Everything about this restaurant hits the spot Great food…read moreofferings and excellent staff and service Very nice atmosphere and clean

Santino's is back under the ownership of the original owners. Unfortunately the ones who bought it…read moreabout a year ago did not succeed and the original owners came back to rescue the restaurant. They had a special grand re-opening last night, which I avoided. I knew the crowds would be insane, so I came for their first day serving lunch. I like how the ambiance is old school Italian. White linen table cloths and black linen napkins. The tables are protected it a sheet of butcher paper cut to the exact size. It protects that pretty white linen. As a centerpiece, they have tacky artificial flowers. Table would look better without it. My server was quick to greet me. I ordered a Pino Grigio as my adult beverage. When she delivered my wine, I said I needed more time to look the menu over. When she came back, I asked a couple of questions and went with the chalkboard special, Meat Cannelloni with Spinach Pink Vodka Sauce. It came with a side salad and a breadstick. I chose Bleu Cheese as my dressing. The dressing was thick, creamy and had chunks of Bleu Cheese. The lunch special had two cannelloni's filled with meat and overly covered in a rich pink vodka sauce blended with lots of sautéed spinach. The sauce had good flavor, they just over poured on top of the cannelloni. Luck for me it came with a breadstick to wipe up the extra sauce. My server was attentive. She checked on me a couple of times while I dined. Sonny the owner, was assisting servers and thanking guest for coming back. From what I have heard in the community, everyone is glad Sonny is back in charge. I think they'll be doing just fine.

A nice quaint small town restaurant with an upscale menu and good food. The decor is old and dated…read morebut it's clean and nice. There is a separate bar area and small dining room. We were seated promptly and the service was great, our food came out in a pretty short time and was hot and fresh. They feature daily specials and have a nice variety on the menu. They also offer pizzas.

Pretty darn good, I had the rattlesnake and I was impressed. A great small town restaurant with…read moregood food!

I had a fantastic Tuesday night dinner. They were offering a $30 3 Course Dinner, but I went with…read morethe $25 Pepperloin Steak. Before ordering, I enjoyed a Tito's Extra Dry Martini with a Lemon Twist. The bartenders here are masters of their mixologist skills. Trust me I know, they've made my a lot of cocktails. Once my entree arrived, I totally impressed with all three items. The asparagus was prepared perfectly. It wasn't too hard and not overly soft. It had just enough snap. The Loaded Baked Potato was the size of a fist, which is a perfect size. It was fluffy and was topped with butter, cheese and bacon. The steak was truly the piece of resistance. It was super tender and they served it a true medium rare. The kitchen truly knocked it out of the park with this meal. I was a happy diner. Good food and good service will have me returning to Gentelin's, time and time again.

Best restaurant in Alton to celebrate a special occasion. My husband got the peppered rib eye and…read moresaid it was the best steak he has ever had. I had the Chicken Piccata. Delicious. We both had side salads. They gave us a complimentary dessert to share since we were celebrating our anniversary. We chose the Carrot Cake Bread Pudding. Yum! Meghan was our server and she did an excellent job.