OMG! I just happened to visit the Wooden Duck for my first time, during Blackburn Colleges…read moreHomecoming. The restaurant was packed and the staff hustled to provide good service. Lucky for me, I was able to get a seat at the bar. My adult beverage was a draft Flight by Yuengling. For lunch, I went with a Pork Tenderloin Sandwich with a side of Fries. The tenderloin was crisp and had good flavor. However, it had a perfect shape, so I could tell it came from a bag and was not done in house. I enjoyed the thin crisp fries. A roll of Paper Towels served as your napkin. Typically I prefer linen, but for a dive bar, paper towels do the trick. I also liked that the Wooden Duck has hooks under the bar. Hooks provide a safe place for purses and jackets. I got a giggle when I used the mens room and the owner showed his political views by having a caricature of the governor in the urinal. They even had a witty disclaimer, so you shouldn't be offended. I got a second giggle when I looked around the bar and realized, about 60% of the guest were an alternative lifestyle. So everyone is welcome at the Wooden Duck.

How did I get here. We retired to a small town that doesn't have a DMV office. So we drove the 20…read moremiles to the thriving metropolis of Carlinville (not really,charming for sure, but just big enough to have cheap plaza office space for a state govt. office). So of course although my wife had done extensive research on all the documentation we would need to pay a state to drive our car...we had missed one. So we went to the Wood Duck for lunch while we waited for our credit union to send us a lien release form. We had talked to the kind soul at the DMV and she was "all-in" on this place. She was so right. It is an intimate space, with a small bar out front, and then a few more tables in a back area. We took a booth right in front of the kitchen. It is a very "locals" place. There were some police having lunch (likely the entire force, at least by weight)...and one of them stared me down as if he had never seen a veteran, former DoD executive, in a collared shirt, and khakis in a public restaurant before. [Yes I was the only pepper in the salt]. The actual restaurant staff was excellent, and welcoming. Our server was a whirlwind of effecient hospitality. I got a pork tenderloin sandwich (and later the same day was invited to join a pork tenderloin sandwich group on FB)... ordered the fries, not clear if that came with them, didn't keep the reciept. My wife got a cheesburger that she was very happy with. My tenderloin was crispy, juicy and a bit too salty in a good way. This place is a definite keeper on the list of places we will be willing to travel to over time. Perhaps if I come back often enough, Barney will get used to "others" visiting his little fiefdom.

We held our 50 year class reunion here. Pietro could not have been more helpful and conscientious…read more The food was absolutely great. Wonderful facility!

Fantastic pizza! Excellent thin crust, delicious sauce and tasty sausage and pepperoni. Great deal…read morefor the money!! We will be back for sure!

Drive through to accommodate a small travel trailer. Super convenient to pop off the Highway real…read morequick for a road sammie. Gal at the window was incredibly kind. Fast service. Fast sandwiches. Fresh and delish as usual.

Stopped here for lunch for a quick grab and go to eat on the road when traveling back to central…read moreIL. Would be nice to actually get some roast beef in the new beefy ranch wrap (see pic). Appears they completely forgot it. Anyone can be prone to make a mistake but they also put cheese on my sons slim. They asked if we wanted it and we said no, but it still ended up on the slim anyway. Disappointing.

Route 66 icon! If memory serves me it's been in operation since 1924. Inside the decor is…read moreauthentic to the 1950's, but this is obviously well cared for, which was very apparent when I saw the counter swivel stool-chairs: they look brand new! I was on a road trip up from Florida to Wisconsin with a friend. We were going through Springfield, Illinois, so we could visit the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum & Library. So that's how I ended up in this neck of the woods. Needed a spot for dinner and this popped up as an option and sure glad it did. My friend & I both opted for the Fried Chicken dinner and this place makes the best fried chicken I've had in decades! OMGOSH! The meat was fully cooked, but still so incredibly juicy. The crispy skin and coating was unreal, it was so good - it was truly "finger-lick in' good". While I'm borrowing that old slogan, The Ariston Cafe's fried chicken is like the fried chicken ideal of perfection. They have a classic salad bar and that hit the spot, especially on a road trip where you're not often getting enough veggies. I'm writing this review some weeks later after getting back home. If the place had been average, I wouldn't bother, but when a reminder to do a review popped up, I had to do this as the waitresses and cooks deserve it, as do the owners & all the staff. Waitresses were all nice as could be and helpful. It's like walking back in time when you go inside, and it reminded me of great restaurants in the area I grew up in. If I make it back up that way again, I'll plan my travels to include another stop in at The Artisan.

My husband and I were looking for a place to eat supper and were heading toward a Taco Bell when…read moremy husband saw the Ariston Cafe. He noticed that the restaurant's parking lot was packed and said, "This must be a good place to eat." We then noticed the signs on the outside that said, "A better place to eat." While walking into the restaurant our appetites were stimulated by the wonderful smell of steaks cooking. We went inside and were pleasantly greeted and given a choice to sit at a table or a booth. We chose the booth and were seated right next to the salad bar. We opted for the Icelandic cod fish special which came with one side and unlimited trips to the salad bar. The salad bar had a lovely selection of vegetables and toppings. Several choices reminded us of dishes that one would bring to a family reunion. One was a sweet corn salad with a tasty dressing that tasted like hummus. It was delicious and I went back for seconds, another was a sweet carrot salad-equally delicious, another consisted of Brussel sprouts (I thought it would be pickled, but it was not), again, I had seconds. The cod fish came with unlimited servings, but the three large pieces were more than we could eat. We wanted to save room for dessert. The choices were many and we had first eyed them coming into the restaurant. They included: German chocolate cake, coconut and chocolate creamy pie, baklava, cheese cake topped with strawberries or blueberries, lemon meringue, and bread pudding with bourbon sauce. I had the coconut cream pie and my husband had the chocolate cream pie. Both were wonderful. We couldn't finish them because we were absolutely stuffed. So, we took them home to finish with our morning coffee. I wished that I could wrap this restaurant up and take it with me back to Evansville, IN to share with my group of retired friends when we go out for lunch. They would love it. The price for our dinner was extremely good considering the amount of food we had, and our waitress was very friendly and good at her job. We'll be back again next year for certain. This is truly a better place to eat.

When you enter a worker will ask you, "BBQ, Coffee or Ice Cream?" Once you share what you're there…read morefor, they direct you to that counter and take your order. The BBQ counter is near the entrance and kitchen. The BBQ menu is in a acrylic on the counter and also on a wipe board hanging on the wall. When I visit a new BBQ place, I always try their ribs and brisket. Here, I ordered the ribs ala carte and the brisket in a meal. The meal came with only one side and it's a half pound serving. That's a big helping of a side dish. I wish they offered two smaller portions as the side, like most BBQ joints do. I asked the young girl working which sides were made in house and it took her by surprise. I then asked if some of the sides came from a food vendor. Then she stammered the answer, "I've heard him say, that he makes them all." I ended up ordering the Smoked Beans. I'm picky about my beans and these lacked seasoning and were bland. The brisket was cut thick and was on the chewy side. I prefer my brisket cut thinner and much more tender. My order of ribs, shocked me. They were the first ribs that I ever had that did not have the membrane on the back of the ribs removed. The ribs did have good seasoning, since the membrane was not removed, they were tough. They had a 2" thick pork steak on the menu. I guess I'll have to come back and give that a try with a different side. If the pork steak disappoints me, I wont be back. The staff were friendly, but not overly friendly. Also, I don't think the cashier was knowledgeable about the product she was selling.

I stopped in at the Sugar Shack while driving through Brighton and wow! What a treat. I was like a…read morekid in a candy store, except the candy was apple glazed pork belly. Eat it by itself, eat it on a roll, dip it in bbq sauce every which way is culinary delight. I tried so much food, and I appreciated how moist all the meat from the brisket to the chicken was. The Nachos were piled high with meat and beans, doused in sauce and cheese with generous peppers on the side. Too this off with friendly owners and incredible service, and you have a winning combination. I'm already dreaming of returning to try the loaded brisket baked potato.

We moved into the neighboring town, Staunton, in June of this year. We had read about the makeover…read morewith Bar Rescue (S.9, ep.40) and we pass by it when getting to Interstate 55. Today we actually went for lunch. I was quite happy with my "Big Poppa" Breaded Pork Tenderloin sandwich and fries. My wife got a cheeseburger, was okay, but had a few reservations about it. I have no idea what it looked like before (still haven't seen the episode) but it looks nice, if a little dark. I do get the vibe and what they are going for. I do wonder if there are any actual ties to prohibition activity in the area? Our solid, effective server, Molly, was holding things down for the whole place, there were people at the bar, and another table came as we were leaving. I suspect they are more of a happy hour and beyond sort of place. I will be anxious to try some of the other meals.

Stopped at Vitale's Hideaway today! I ordered the bbq nachos and the pork tenderloin my wife…read moreordered a cheese burger! The food was delicious. The tenderloin and the nachos were amazing. We were very surprised how big it seemed inside! Very clean and decor was awesome! Our waitress was very good! Sure we're pleased with the place we will be back!

We stopped by Jubelt's on the way to Milwaukee and it did not disappoint! It is adorable and the…read morelunch and breakfast options are plentiful. Service was friendly and fast. I got the summer salad with chicken and fruit and vegetable beef soup. Both were fresh and tasted great! My fiancé got the biscuits and gravy, hashbrowns, bacon, and sausage and it was all delicious. We got some baked goods on the way out and they were also wonderful. I did get a special latte that I didn't care for, so I would try a different drink next time.

Excellent food! We each had the loaded baked potato soup which was good and creamy. My boyfriend…read morehad the three sirloin tacos which was very filling. I had a half junior club sandwich on a croissant and it was tasty too. Friendly service and clean restaurant. Next time we will buy some bakery items to take home.