Loved the food, service, and ambiance! The live music was great to listen to while we ate. I loved…read moreall of the decorations as well.

The atmosphere was good. We went to watch a band and it was also on a night that the civic center…read morehad an event so it was very busy and packed. We waited for a table for a bit and it was alright to wait because the band had started. We had an appetizer of fried pickles. They were delicious. I had the smash burger which was phenomenal. My husband had the pulled chicken and said it was alright, not great. The mixed drinks seemed watered down and the beer is in cans and bottles only. Or server was attentive. It was a $100 night with drinks, food and tip. Reasonable priced food and (several) drinks

Von Jakob was the last stop on our ladies Shawnee Hills Wine Trail Spring tour. There is plenty of…read moreon-site parking. Our group enjoyed some beer. There was lots of inside seating, but it was extremely loud (and crowded) when we visited. The front room is decorated like a German beer hall. We sat in a large room off to the side that looks like it would be used for wedding receptions or large parties. There is also a patio with seating but it was a cold day so we stayed indoors. The patio looks like it could use a refresh but the view is very nice.

Von Jakob winery and brewery in Alto Pass is a must stop on the Shawnee Hills wine trail. Walking…read moreinto this non descript one story widely spread out building leaves much to be explored. We were invited into this large bar space with ample seating and easy access to another attached large space that had even more seating which led to even another large seating space outside with a view of the valley. Von Jakob offers, wine, beer, and limited bourbon which we were told was really a one time offering, and once the bourbon is gone, that's it. We were only there for a tasting and did pick up a few bottles. I never felt rushed and the host was knowledgeable and offered information on all that was available as the tasting list was extensive. There was no live music while we were there but I would not hesitate to come back for that. A solid experience.

This was our first stop on our wine tour. Small gift shop. Great patio overlooking water…read more They have a large open space inside for sitting but there was a paint and sip with a rescue. However the reason for the 3 stars is due to the unfriendliness of the staff we had a girl with black hair. Also the rescue was very stuck up and rude. We asked to hold a kitten and they refused. Yet talking about how they wanted them all adopted. Only thing I can come up with is because we didn't buy a table for the paint and sip. Weird for winery to not allow any inside seating unless you buy a table for the rescue then allowing the rescue to be so rude to their customers

We visited StarView on a Saturday afternoon in March as part of the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail. The…read morelocation is nice. There is a large indoor area and a huge back patio partly covered/partly uncovered overlooking a small pond that provides a nice lively but pretty setting in which to enjoy your wine. The parking lot is right out front. They allow you to bring in food and do permit dogs on-leash. When we entered, we saw lots of rather typical wine merchandise to buy. We were hoping to have wine flights outside on the patio, but they only do flights inside at the walk-up bar. Instead, we had a couple of small tastes and picked a bottle of wine to bring out back on the patio. There was a live band performing which was nice. Lots of seating and an energetic vibe. We enjoyed our wine as well. You have the option to either keep your wine glasses as a souvenir or return them to get your deposit back.

Austin was wonderful, belle and the other gentleman working with them…read more We did two wine tastings, pizza and waters. Everything was delicious. We got a pizza with onion, mushroom and sausage. Gift shop is pretty much only shorts and salsa. I wish they had more. Great service!

As you drive into the pristine vineyard with their chambering grapes growing on well groomed lines…read moreit looks a bit like old Tuscany. The staff is knowledgeable and friendly. Their Seyval is tasty as is Cabernet Franc. We do enjoyed the spinach dip and freshly baked pita bread.

The communications building has 3 theaters but this is the largest one where can fit hundreds of…read morepeople in a two-tiered seating arrangement. I just went and saw a preview of Rock of Ages as part of the summer Playhouse where in the summer they have four plays over six weeks. I tend to be hot but I noticed most people think this place is pretty cool so plan to bring a jacket and plan to come early if you need to buy a ticket or buy them ahead of time as a lot of students go to the place and they wait until the last minute to buy their tickets. there's usually a long line. Park in the lot on the southwest side of the building not the lot across from the main entrance as the one across from the main entrance is sticker parking. So if you don't have a sticker you might get a ticket

Growing up in the area I've been going to see SIU basketball and football games all of my life. Now…read morewith kids I make sure to go to a couple games a year with my parents, sister, and nephews. I absolutely adore going to these games. There is nothing better than seeing a game in person. The energy and crowds are just infections. A lot of the Arena has stayed the same since I was a kid. There have been some nice new additions though that have updated the arena. There is a new concourse, some booster areas, a team store, and some new Saluki statues on the main approach. We went this past year right around new years. My kids had an amazing time. They go to meet a real life Saluki, there was a balloon drop, and they got their fill of pretzels and popcorn from nana and grandpa.

Jackson Country Club is a pretty solid gold course in Southern Illinois. Not the longest course in…read morethe world so there are holes out there where low scoring can be had. Greens are in good shape and for the most part fairways are fairly flat. We are in a bit of dry spell currently so some areas of the tee boxes were a little hard, but still not terrible. Food at the turn was very good and it appears they make most of it from scratch. Always nice to see! If you are in the Carbondale area it is a solid course to play. Will definitely play another round in the future.

The general John a Logan Museum is completely devoted to general Logan and his political pursuits,…read morefamily and the Civil War forward. The museum is on the property for Logan's family farm and surrounded by homes built in the 1880s and 90s. If you're a history buff this is a must stop, a little gem .

Nice little museum that does a good job telling about Logan's life and some of the momentous…read morehappenings during his career. Has a few artifacts that belonged to the Logans but not many. They are working on a GAR room but it wasn't set up when I visited. I think it took me about 30 minutes to go through. Worth a stop if you are interested in Logan, probably not if you aren't.