Yelp informed me about this new restaurant and hence I was curious to try this place. This place is situated at St. Joseph, about 12 mins drive from Champaign- Urbana. The place is very new ( a month old) and hence they do not have a restaurant sign board yet.. One needs to enter the building complex to access the restaurant to their left. At first the restaurant has very quirky yet very interesting decor.. there are bicycles hung everywhere. It's a small restaurant decorated very interestingly and has a great feel and ambience! Although we did not have reservation, we got seated very quickly! This place has a small bar and a very happy, refreshing environment! The menu is small but has some nice selections. Their farm to fresh concept is a real treat! Sadly they were out of Duck 3 ways- something I was eager to try! We tried their cheese curds and Smoking lamb.. both were very tasty and delicious. The lamb was very tender and the presentation was wonderful. I had the Wheelhouse burger- it had thin yet very filling patties with caramelized onion and fries! The burger tasted very good and their secret sauce did the magic to my taste buds! Loved the burger! My friend had the mushroom risotto which she loved it too. Regarding the drinks- we really loved the selection of wines they had but was greatly put off to find that they had not chilled their wine (white). Sadly they even diluted one during serving.. This was a big put off as wine lovers but still I am considerate as they are just new in this business. Hopefully they will be better in their wine servings soon!The red wine (Malbec) was great and so was their beer selection. Luckily we happened to be on their first Trivia night.. this was amazing fun! They had 5 rounds of trivia and that made this dining experience real fun! Their desserts were amazing.. (chocolate cheesecake and strawberry cake with lemon mousse) we loved it so much that we ended up ordering second time! The service was good and server (Jenny) was prompt and attentive. However the main course took a long time to be served but trivia night kept us busy! Overall we loved our dining experience and hope by our next time visit they would be up in their game! Amazing restaurant and hope to return soon! Suggestions- You have awesome wine on the menu- please keep them chilled for wine lovers like us! read more

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Tbh I was not a fan of this place close to its opening, but its menu and food quality have improved TREMENDOUSLY. The risotto is bonkers, the bread pudding slaps, and it's definitely the place I would take anyone on a date to. read more

We have had the best time here! Our favorite dishes were the cheese curd appetizer, the shrimp and grits entree, and the vanilla bread pudding dessert! Amazing staff, delicious food, lovely decor. All around wonderful experience! read more

The Wheelhouse - New American Near Me - St Joseph, Illinois

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Excellent high quality dining. Great farm fresh ingredients, real farm to table. Great atmosphere, and wonderfully friendly owners.

Great local place! Incredible quality, inviting atmosphere, and fresh greens. Conveniently located next to the Kickapoo trail that is being built. Definitely worth the drive! read more

The Wheelhouse - The bar, with craft beer on draft. - New American Near Me - St Joseph, Illinois

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Great spot for food conveniently located just off the Kickapoo Rail Trail! Great decor with bikes decorating the walls and they use second hand glassware. Great selection of food and drink - especially considering you're all the way in St. Joseph. They're huge fans of tomatillos. They use it in lots of their dishes and their homemade "ketchup" is made from it too. If you like old school ketchup, you're probably not going to like it. It doesn't taste anything like ketchup. Since it's made from tomatillos, it's not as sweet and its pretty tangy. They also make a bloody mary from tomatillos. I also was a little disappointed because it didn't really taste like a bloody mary to me. I guess I love bloody marys because I love tomatoes and tomatillos are so different. The bloody mary wasn't as sweet, it was pretty tangy - almost sour. Anyhoo, if you're a tomato purist like me, steer clear of their signature dishes with tomatillos. read more

The Wheelhouse - New American Near Me - St Joseph, Illinois

This bicycle-themed restaurant boasts local ingredients and a hipster menu. Located at the end of the Kickapoo Rail Trail, it's a great destination for a bike ride. However, there is no bike parking (even though it is bicycle-themed and at the terminus of a bike trail). The farm-to-table menu evolves with what is available and in-season. We ordered the fried okra as our appetizer and were pleasantly surprised. It wasn't the breaded, deep-fried standard. Rather, it was delicately fried okra with a crispy cornmeal topping strewn with sesame seeds and green onions. This was followed by a burger since burgers are the litmus for me. It came well-seasoned but a little dry. I asked for medium-rare but received medium-well. With only two samples, I found these menu offerings to be a hit or miss. I didn't have the stomach space or the change to try even more things on their menu. That will be reserved for another trip. read more

Great atmosphere and awesome food. There is a wide variety of items on the menu. As a family we tried a number of things and enjoyed them all. There is also a lot of diversity in the beer selection, always a bonus. Next time we are in town we'll be coming back. read more

Jess cooked for us. AMAZING KAITLYNN was our server. SUPER AWESOME Good food. Great atmosphere. And super low price!!! Come out of Champaign to experience this amazing place!! read more

I found this little "hole in the wall" Located inside a shoddy pole barn mall. Wobbly tables.uncomfortable chairs, tacky decor. spray painted old Walmart bikes strung from the ceiling, on galvanized dog chain, really? Oh well, I convinced myself, despite their pretentiousness and over reached attempts at political correctness that the food must be killer at those prices. I'm sure my mushroom risotto had been warmed over, though served a bit cold, At $140.00 for three adults, (1-beer 1- soda 1- water) a chunk of bread might have helped. to call it dog food would be a compliment. Sorry, But I honestly went in with anticipation and high hopes. read more

We went there w 15 people after graduation and everyone enjoyed this place. Atmosphere was great food was outstanding and service was very personable. Highly recommend this for a parent visit...not far from u of I campus. read more

Came here today to check it out, love the library ladder over the bar, could use more decor in the place. Quite cold from the windy fans but I'm ok with it. I had the burger. Looked nice. I like the house pickles on it. Good char flavor from the onions and bun. The fries are nicely done, LOVE the tomatillo ketchup. Daughter had grilled cheese. I tried it and was impressed it was creamy and very good. Black walnut cake is great, the walnut flavor came through awesomely. My better half had the Cuban Rueben. Nice concept and name. Could use more sauce and thicker bread. Corned beef seemed like it was done in house. Would like it to be more tender though. Great job guys I will return! read more

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Been wanting to check out the wheelhouse for awhile now. I got the spaghetti and meatballs, son got Mac n cheese, and husband got the Italian burger. All of it was amazing! Definitely a big enough portion to fill me up! Worth the price! Service was great!! We had Sara as our server and she was attentive and met every need! Husband tried one of the draft beers and loved it! Will definitely be back! read more

The atmosphere and service were great. We loved the Cuban Reuben and the craft beers.

We had the 4-course dinner for two as part of Restaurant Week and were not disappointed. I ordered the day before and the food was ready (and hot) when I requested. All of the items were great, especially the soup with homemade croutons. We will be back in person! read more

What a delightful place in the middle of the prairie. We had a lovely anniversary dinner outside. The food is wonderful (hats off to the chef!) My husband had the pulled pork (be open minded- the green ketchup is yummy) and I had pan seared chicken breast. We topped it off with an orange bar. All were delicious. The waitress very friendly and helpful. We will go back. (I know outside seating is probably more work but would love to see it stay if Covid ever leaves.) read more

Amazing food, with even better atmosphere. Everyone in the restaurant is always more than welcoming! I will always recommend trying the cheese curds! read more

I just finished a spectacular farm-to-table meal at the wheelhouse. Chef Ryan and wife Abbie make a great duo. Abbie was very welcoming and hospitable and Ryan served up flavorful, great quality food. Fresh and new this week was asparagus and peas. So good!! The prices are a little steep but so worth it as the quality of food is top notch and the dishes are a culinary treat! Will definitely be returning to try new dishes and inviting others to come along. read more

The Wheelhouse is a new restaurant that hasn't even had it's official grand opening, yet they are quickly becoming one of many folks favorite restaurant myself included. It's located directly off of the soon to be open bike path that will run from Champaign through St. Joseph and beyond. They feature uniquely crafted items made with local fresh ingredients. The chefs creativity and culinary flair shine through in all of the treats featured on this simple menu. The homemade green ketchup, is full of zest and stylishly a lovely alternative to the plain red ketchup that I am used to. I chose a delicious handcrafted hamburger consisting of two beef patties that melted in my mouth. It was topped with carmelized onoins, palmetto cheese, and various other deliciousness. It created a wonderful flavor combination and was perfectly prepared. The server mentioned they serve green Bloody Mary's! How different and fun does that sound! I will definitely come back here. read more

Excellent service and great meals. Rissato was excellent and the special tonight was BBQ pork with fries. Homemade roll was very good.

Tasty burgers, homemade fries were really good. Cute little place with some creative menu items. Vintage glassware was a nice touch. Great find in a small town. read more

You'll be delighted by this spot! The food is A-maz-ing! I can't wait to go back to try everything on the menu. It was so hard to decide!!! It's great that this place is here to serve the community by using local growers. read more

Service is excellent. Executive chef Ryan knows his stuff and keeps the kitchen running well. It is a bit pricey to visit weekly, but it is well worth the occasional treat. It is the best dining experience in St. Joseph and among the best in Champaign County. read more

Amazing, amazing dinner, dessert and beer selection. Must try the fettuccini and don't leave without chocolate mousse and donut!!! Already made reservations for the weekend. Excellent service made the night. read more

The Wheelhouse - New American Near Me - St Joseph, Illinois

My husband and I had a date night here a few weeks back. We'd been hearing good things for a long time but hadn't made it over yet. My only regret is it took us so long to try it! Our food was delicious, the portions were generous for the prices, and the service was good as well. The cheese curds are a must, and my stroganoff, the special that night, was perfectly seasoned. My husband's burger was delicious as well. We were stuffed but couldn't help splitting the pumpkin cheesecake which didn't disappoint either. We are expecting a baby soon so we probably won't have many chances to go for a while, but we will return as often as we can. Definitely worth the short drive, dinner for two of this caliber would run you $10-20 more in Champaign, easily. read more

Holy cow!!! You need to try this place!!! Flavor, Yes! Atmosphere, Yes! Great service, oh yes!

My wife and I love this place. They have great service (hard to find these days) and the food is great. They seem to have a full restaurant on a regular basis but well managed and the customers all seem to have a smile on there face and enjoying themselves. Nice Job Wheelhouse staff!!! Keep up the great service and quality. read more

Great food! Principle is him just a little bit of the tweak to them to be interesting, but not unfamiliar. The beet salad lambs out of this world. Service was super fast and the venue is comfortable and interesting! Loved it! read more

This place was everything I hoped it would be. The very definition of farm-to-fork w/ local ingredients and creative/delicious recipes. We made a full meal out of it (drinks, appetizers, entrees, and dessert) and were impressed from start to finish. The staff was also very attentive and friendly. We'll 100% be coming back. read more

We came in not sure what to expect and walked out with a new favorite place! 5 star food, 5 star ambience, 5 star wait staff and 5 star wine and beer options! If you don't live in St. Joseph, it's well worth the drive. We can't wait to go back! read more

Hubs and I try really hard to only eat out at locally owned, Mom and Pop type restaurants/bars. We are so excited to have another choice, especially since we live in St Joseph and went to school here. The atmosphere is friendly and welcoming. I love that they leave the bottle of water at your table. The owners are wonderful and seem to really care about your satisfaction. The wait staff are knowledgeable and attentive. The food? Well, it's darn good! Our favorites are the Wheelhouse Burger, the cheese curds, which are made from Ludwigs cheese, 10 minutes east of us, and the fries with the tomatillo sauce/catsup. There is no salt/pepper on the table because this food is freshly prepared and properly seasoned during cooking. You don't need it and won't miss it. But don't YOU miss a chance to have a nice meal, in a cute place, with great owners. read more

Best cheese curds ever! Also, regularly amazing draft beer selection, fantastic burgers, and good salads. I prefer brunch/lunch menu. Good service too! read more

Amazing food, staff, and atmosphere! My children love the food which is definitely most important. Highly recommend!

My wife and I had our first luncheon meal at The Wheelhouse. The menu is outstanding, the wine list quite acceptable, a wide selection of unique soft drinks and a varied selection of beers (craft and commercial). The ambiance is delightful and refreshing. We are anxious to return for dinner and Sunday Brunch! Prices are very reasonable. So many delightful choices we will be back often! read more

Home made local cheese curds with their home made beer mustard dipping sauce - outta this world. Burger - local beef - "That's my jam" burger- teased all taste buds!!! Shirley server / bartender was friendly and made our dining experience great. Will be back when in the area. read more

Excellent food!! We all had something different and everyone was happy and very full when we left. Pan seared chicken, burger and cuban reuben were super awesome just to name a few delectable dishes. read more

This restaurant was recommended to us by residents in the Champaign/Urbana area. OMG! The food was some of the best I have ever eaten. I had the burger and my friend had a Rueben. The taste was so favorable and the ingredients were fresh and a perfect blend. The restaurant's deco is unique and tastefully done. I can't wait to eat there again. read more

Clever design, great food. All the basics, can't go wrong. Locally sourced! Well done!

Great place to eat! Everyone is so nice and the service is spectacular! The cheesecurds are definitely the best and the seasonal desserts are phenomenal. I would definitely recommend for a family gathering- everyone will love it! read more

Absolutely fantastic. We tried almost one of everything and will be going back to try the rest. This is a 5 star restaurant in our backyard, don't miss out. read more