$ The Root Beer Saloon, Alto Pass IL

#4 Main Street

618-893-1634

The Root Beer Saloon may be the most unique dining destination we’ve reviewed. I’d post the hours, but they seem to be open when they feel like it, and close up show when they have other plans. Generally they’re open for lunch. The restaurant seats relatively few so large groups are ill advised to show up unannounced. No credit cards accepted.

When they are open it was our experience that it takes the husband and wife proprietor a while to warm, but once they do they are plethora of information subjects ranging from custom guitar building (If you come in with an extra $6000 or so in your pocket you might want to pick up one of the curly maple Zuni Custom guitars built by Michael Blank the owner).  The food is unique and ever changing. I was doubly surprised to find cioppino on one of my visits, first to find it anywhere outside the San Francisco area (much less Southern Illinois), and secondly then to find it was pretty good.  Herbed pork loin was another dish we tried that was good. There are two alluring factors to this place (1) the craziness of the décor which includes 175 sets of antlers and  150+ mounted ducks and geese and too many other artifacts to mention and (2) the food is anything but basic fare and totally unexpected and generally done well.

Oh yeah, the root beer saloon is so named because they have at least 3 craft / draft root beer selections – if you haven’t had a frost mug of draft root beer you don’t know what you’re missing.

π π π      Surprising menus, a solid 3 pi (good/B) rating.

π π π      You’ll remember the very unique setting, hit and miss with the service.

$ Harbaugh's Cafe, Carbondale IL

901 S Illinois Ave

618-315-9897

Hands down my favorite breakfast in Southern Illinois. A favorite destination shared by many with lines stretching out the door onto the sidewalk almost every weekend.

Harbaugh’s is open for breakfast and lunch only and feature a menu that is fairly extensive. You’ll find the expected comfort foods such as eggs, pancakes, biscuits and gravy as well as more than a couple of delicious selections you’re less likely to make at home. The Mexican omelet and the “some like it hot” frittata are a couple of my favorite choices.

π π π ½  Great breakfasts and reasonably priced.

π π   You’ll remember the breakfast not the ambiance. Good wait staff

$$ Giant City Lodge, Makanda, IL

460 Giant City Lodge Road

618-457-4921

I struggle defining my thoughts regarding dining at the Giant City Lodge. I’ve heard many folks that are not from the immediate area describe this place as the Holy Grail. I don’t know many locals who choose to eat there. Myself, it’s somewhere I go when family is in town because there is an emotional attachment (my grandfather worked building the lodge in the CCC days), and there no defining the beauty of the setting. I think the journey to and the surroundings around the lodge put flat landers in such a state of piece and awe that they’d brag about the porridge of out of any of the three bears bowls.

Not that the food is bad, it is not. For those who enjoy family style, all you can eat fried chicken this is a Mecca of comfort foods. Good fried chicken, dumplings, corn, mashed potatoes, green beans…you get the picture. They also have local buffalo on the menu for those who either really enjoy it or (and more likely) the tourist who want think they’re being adventurous by trying it. Most locals I know have no aversion to buffalo but wouldn’t spend the premium cost of eating it over when other area establishments serve a good beef steak meal at roughly half the price of a similar buffalo steak.

π π ½      Good food, family style a specialty, priced slightly higher than some other local restaurants.

π π π ½   Beautiful destination – so much it may be reason enough to go. A beautiful traditional log lodge within an equally scenic park.

$$ Midland Inn, Murphysboro, Ill

7570 Old Highway 13

618-529-9133

This is a great local treasure. Casual, serving a large variety of good food at fair prices are descriptions that best describe Midland Inn.

Midland Inn boasts their own smokehouse in the back of the restaurant. I think there are two schools in our area for favorite barbeque those at the Midland Inn and those across town at 17^th Street. I think both are good but probably give the nod to Midland Inn specifically because I don’t feel the present offering at 17^th Street comes close to what their 3 time World Champion billing would lead you to believe.

From burgers to barbeque, from fish to fowl and soup to nuts (OK, there may not be nut offerings but it fit the description) Midland Inn offers good food to locals who know of this location off the beaten path. Away from fast food and chain restaurants will satisfy and so much more pleasing.

π π π    Lots of stuff to choose from, all pretty well done

π π ½   Pub atmosphere, enough said, come for the food

$ Taqueria Pequena, Cobden, Il

107 East Market Street

618-893-1353

A wonderful little family run taqueria. This is not a Mexican restaurant but a taqueria where authentic Mexican style tacos, home made tamales and tortas are ordered from the counter then taken back to the tables in their new digs (was formally limited to 3 picnic tables outside under a tent/awning) in the former digs of “chicken Sunday” or otherwise known as the C-Infinity Center.

The steak (carne asada) tacos are my favorite. Each taco is served on a double stacked corn tortilla with the traditional cilantro and onion with a wedge of lime and a supply of green (verde) sauce. I find it no different than many of the taqueria’s I frequented while working in Central Mexico.

If your looking for table service, chips and salsa on the table or feel inclined to ask for a “crispy shell” taco this will NOT be the place for you.  If your enjoy experiencing cultures through a culinary experience – the “Little House of Tacos” will make your taste buds feel as if they’ve been transported to Mexico. Enjoy.

π π π    Simple, authentic food that is made well

π π ½   Missing the street presence of the old shack, now in comfortable indoor digs just around the corner

$$$ Koko’s at Kokopelli, Marion , Il

1401 Champions Drive

618-997-5656

What would your expectation be upon hearing that a consortium of prominent investors which include the owners of Mary’s acclaimed restaurant in Herrin had opened a restaurant within Marion’s exclusive Kokopelli neighborhood? Mismanaged, disaster and almost empty on a Saturday night might not have come to mind but are in fact accurate descriptions of our January 29^th dining experience there.

A sterile décor reminiscent of the dining area in an assisted living community, a bar cart on wheels sans limes or a bartender with a repertoire that must be limited to the number of digits on his/her hands, and a menu that has a grand total of 4 entrees and a sandwich (2 steak cuts, one chicken and one fish plus a cheeseburger) made this restaurant the most disappointing experience of any restaurant I’ve reviewed.

The experience started off on the wrong foot when our party arrived at the traditional front door (the one with the bright neon “OPEN” sign) only to find the path beyond it blocked by a dumpster and the door locked. Somehow in our after sunset sojourn we had missed the marker-on-poster sign pointing to the restaurant. Upon finding the door we entered the dining room that had three occupied tables (this was 7PM on a Saturday night). The menu choices did not meet the special dietary choices my significant other practices so, being the gamer she is, she cheerfully ordered two side salads since the menu did not contain an entrée salad choice. Management for reasons that still escape me, decided they would not sell a salad to us – much less two. At this point, we had pretty much reached our breaking point and focused discussion on where we might go for dessert. 
The steak I ordered was no better, and perhaps not as good, as other area establishments have for half the Koko’s price was no surprise.

If you are a Top 20 card patron you’ll notice that Koko’s is a participating restaurant. My advice is leave that square unused and get a better meal with far wider choices somewhere such as Midland Inn for the same price you would spend at KoKo’s utilizing the card.  

 π  Just can’t recommend the experience

 π  Just can’t recommend the food

$$ Cummare's Murphysboro, Ill

1603 Chestnut Street
618-687-3700
The Galati family has been in the restaurant business for three generations. The menu features authentic Italian cuisine featuring homemade sauces used in the lasagna and spaghetti, along with pizza dough and alfredo sauces, all made from recipes that have been in the family for years....as quoted from their website.

Our groups visit in early January 2010 found the food enjoyable and without cause to doubt the authenticity of thier posting. Subject to quite a rush on weekends (we were there on a Saturday night), it can be quite crowed with little room between the tables but my guess is the people who come are largely "in the know" and find the food worth enduring somewhat cramped conditions. The variety of pasta dishes were ordered and the table was satisfied, a little heavy on the red pepper on the nights pasta special, but overall very satisfied.

Although a family run business, it requires outside staff as well. Therein lies the most noticable room for improvement, the staff while friendly and prompt failed to offer a dessert offering, coffee or after dinner apertiff leaving the associated profits in our pockets. And I hear the tiramisu is fantastic!


For those living in the jackson County area, they'd be hard pressed to find a better choice to satisfy a craving for a pasta dinner.

π π π pi’s for the the flavorful     Foods

π π π pi’s for the atmosphere and service