How did Stagger Inn fly under my radar for all these years and I do mean years. Stagger Inn opened…read morein 1974, the year I graduated from high school and I am now just discovering them. If it were not for the Illinois 66 Passport, I still may be oblivious. The Illinois Passport is promoting 66 businesses on the first 301 miles of the original historical Route 66. The businesses start in Chicago and come all the way down the state to Collinsville. After visiting the business, you get a stamp in your passport just like your travel passport. Stagger Inn is definitely a historical neighborhood dive bar. It's 52 years old and still going strong. It has an old wooden bar, two rooms for dining and drinking and you can see into the kitchen from a large window. The staff was friendly and provided great service. I sat at the bar and ended up chatting with all the servers as they picked up drinks for their tables. When reading the menu, I was impressed that they hand-cut their fries and hand batter the onion rings. I am definitely going back for the onion rings. This visit I did the fries as a side and they were crispy and still had the skins on the potatoes. When they placed my plate in front of me, they informed me they do not season the fries. The bartender recommended that I salt them while they were hot. Preferring pepper, I gave mine a shake of black pepper. I liked that they didn't salt the fries, since I'm trying to reduce my sodium intake. My Stagger Burger was incredibly delicious. I added, Pepper Jack Cheese and Jalapeños. They were generous with the jalapeños and left the seeds in, so the burger had a little burn to it. For me, this burger was top-notch. Stagger Inn, thanks for the stamp in my Route 66 Passport. I'll be back for Chicken Wings and Onion Rings. See you, soon.

What a fun place to meet up with friends! It's a typical bar in so many ways, and yet it has a full…read more(and somewhat fancy) menu. Getting there and parking: My family, including a pre-teen, met up at Stagger in to visit with a couple of our friends. Parking was a small challenge. There is a large public lot on the same block, but it was full when I got there around 6:20pm on a Wednesday. There is minimal street parking. Luckily, I found a spot after a couple of times around the block. Walking in, you can see right away that it really is a no-frills tavern. There's not even traditional table service, though it's not exactly counter service, either. You sit down, decide what you want from the menu, walk up to the kitchen counter to place your order, and give the ticket the kitchen gives you to your server. However, the menu was much nicer than what I expected, with very fair prices! Appetizers ranged in variety from French fries and wings to fried pickles and spinach artichoke toasted ravioli, with prices ranging from around $4 to $8. Entrees included a variety of sandwiches, salads, and burgers from $4 to $8.50 or so. They even had vegetarian and pescatarian options, including a blackened tuna sandwich and a black beans burger! All three of us, including a picky pescatarian adolescent, found food we enjoyed! Beyond the food, the service staff was friendly and the bar service was adequate. In all, it was a really great place e together up with friends AND bring a kid--at 6:30 on a weeknight, at least! I would very much recommend this place to a group looking for a casual environment with good food at good prices! Atmosphere: Food selection & taste: Service: Price: I'm not sure if would be fair to give 4 starts based on the above, though, because I wasn't to rate it for what it is, not for what something else is. Overall, I give it a 4.5! Vegetarian friendly: yes (lacto-ovo)

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.

I attended with a large group and the staff were very attentive. I had the crab stew and fish…read moretacos. Mom had white chicken chili and veggie stir fry. We will definitely come again.

this place was amazing the food was so good and tasty the staff there are very sweet and kind…read morereally nice people I came there with my family and my kids loved the pretzel over all a real good family owned restaurant and I highly recommend going there if you have the chance

This place is a Vibe. The food is Amazing, the space is…read morereally cool. The sandwiches are huge. Go Here Now!

A bowling alley bar and grill is just like a dive bar. They have a down home feeling and they seem…read moreto know all the regulars. I gotta come back at night time when there is a bustling bunch of bowlers in the bar area. I was the only one in the grill at lunch time, so the bartender was busy stocking and the cook had to come out and do double duty as a waitress. I will say, my beer was cold and the frosted glass gave it an extra chill. I had a cheeseburger that was a hand patty. My garnishes were onion and lettuce and I had a side of fries. It was all served hot, but not as quickly as I would have thought being the only diner. I think with the workers do side and prep work made things a little slower. That is why I'll return and give them a second try.

This place is like an oasis in the middle of a vast desert. The Christmas lights on the outside of…read morethe building pull you in like a strange unexplainable magnetic force. Once inside, you'll be exposed to one of the most expected but savory bar menus. You'll be able to wash down your mozzarella sticks, nachos, philly cheese steak and chicken wraps, with some of the best local IPA's and traditional beers you know and love. Once your belly is full, you'll be able to enjoy some of the best bowling this side of the Mississippi!! Whether you're out with some friends, on a first date, or celebrating your 25th wedding anniversary, this place is the only establishment to go to. You'll never have a bad time at Spectators!

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!)

Penalty Box is a quality sports bar. It's located in Eastgate Plaza, at end next to the indoor…read morehockey rink. The location and theme is definitely a formula for success. The menu is typical sports bar, it's got chicken wings, burgers, a variety of fried appetizers, chicken sandwiches and pockets. I went for a burger, but after hearing a the special of 75¢ wings, I did a couple of those, too. I tried buffalo and garlic parmesan. They tossed them in plenty of sauce, so I did use a couple paper napkins to keep the fingers clean. Both had good flavor, but I'd say buffalo was the best. I liked it because, it wasn't super spicy. For the burger I was craving, I went with their Classic Burger with Pepper Jack Cheese. It was a thick burger garnished with, white onion, lettuce. pickle and a tomato. As a side, it came with seasoned fries. I enjoyed the burger just as it was served, without adding ketchup or mustard. I'm a ketchup man and I didn't even dip my crispy fries. The seasoning, was enough. Being a sports bar, they had a good selection of beers. I went with one of their drafts, but they also offered canned and bottled. The service was "super" friendly and attentive. My bartender was cute and perky, just what you'd expect at a sports bar. I enjoyed the wings, so I'll definitely will be back for lunch in the near future. When: March 4, 2026 Why: Lunch and checking out new pub.

Great place, great people, an iconic bar in Alton, stop in there and have some fun and exciting…read moretimes

Awesome place to go have a drink! Heard it was a Biker bar only, not true! Nice bartenders,…read morereasonably priced drinks , and I even had a drink with the owner! Hell of a guy! Check it out on your next bar crawl through Alton!

Morrison's Irish Pub - Alton, IL…read more We finally stopped into Morrison's and it delivered that cozy, old-world Irish pub charm you want when you walk through those doors. I had the Irish cheese sandwich, Justin went with the corned beef -- and both were genuinely good. Comforting, hearty, and exactly what you hope for in a pub meal. Now... the kitchen was moving a bit slow this visit. Was it noticeable? Yes. Was it worth the wait? Also yes. Because Sam -- the female bartender -- absolutely made the experience. Fun, engaging, and the kind of personality that makes you feel like you're already a regular even if it's your first visit. That kind of service turns a "slow day" into a good memory. The menu is packed with authentic Irish favorites, and honestly, next time we're absolutely going to lean fully into the classics -- because this feels like a place that does traditional comfort food right. One small wish: I really wish they made their own chips. The bagged chips were a little lackluster and felt like a missed opportunity next to an otherwise hearty, made-with-care menu. Overall: a great spot that was likely just having an off day -- and still absolutely worth your time. Don't leave without ordering the pear cider. It is absolutely fabulous. Bright, crisp, lightly sweet, and dangerously drinkable. We'll be back -- and we're coming hungry.

This was my first time and let me tell you...it will not be my last! The food was phenomenal! The…read moreservice was perfect and the staff were amazing! The vibe had me wanting to book a trip to Ireland!

Such a great local staple! This place has such a cozy atmosphere it honestly feels like you're…read moredining in someone's home in the best way possible. The food is consistently fantastic, and the cocktails are always perfectly done. We've been back several times now and have never been disappointed. It's the perfect spot for a Friday night dinner, date night, or celebration with friends. And whatever you do, don't skip the French onion soup it's a must-order every time!

At my most recent visit, I did two things that I have never done at Moussalli's. First, I sat at…read moretable instead of the bar and second thing is that I did not order a steak. It was a special night, a group of foodie friends got together after not seeing each other for a while. It was a group of 11 and the accommodations and service couldn't have been better. Our server was extremely professional and didn't mind that it was 6 different checks. As our server was telling us the Daily Specials and the Catch of the Day, I immediately knew what I wanted. Whenever I hear, Pan Seared Sea Scallops or anything with Scallops, I'm sold. My scallops (4) were huge and the Risotto that they were served on was moist and flavorful. I also learned that they offer half bottles of wine and one of them is my favorite. I love, Quilt Cabernet Sauvignon. I'm probably going to wine hell because I paired it with my seafood instead of a white wine. Also, I want to give a shout out for their, Crab Stuffed Mushrooms. I've been known to stop by and have them and a Martini and call it a meal. When: February 19, 2026 Why: Meeting up with friends