Bernardi's Pub and Italian Eatery

For Mother's Day we met the moms (and a dad) at the newly dubbed and revamped Bernardi's Pub and Italian Eatery in Dunlap's Lake of the Woods Plaza.
Waiting for some of our party to arrive, we enjoyed their outdoor seating for a bit since the weather was so beautiful.
Once we headed inside, I loved the large vintage prints of Mona's and various family shots throughout the dining room.
The menu featured some of the more traditional Bernardi's family classics such as tortellini, but also salads, beer battered asparagus, Cajun salmon, pulled pork, grilled tuna, a Reuben, and even a mac n cheese melt complete with Italian beef, BBQ sauce and green onion.
However, once I saw the garlic parmesan flatbread on the menu, I was sunk.

Described as fire roasted flatbread brushed in Bernardi oil, parmesan, and fresh parsley served with homemade roasted garlic paste with chopped tomatoes and slightly drizzled with Olio & Vino’s black truffle oil, I was surprised at the simplicity of the flatbread when it arrived, accompanied by a dish of garlic paste. However, this was a dish after my own heart, with true, hearty roasted garlic I could spread all over the soft pita-like bread.
I had the fortune of sampling my husband's little "hush puppies", which were dusted with powdered sugar, and my mom's side of mac and cheese, which was delicious. I have always liked the idea of mac and cheese at a restaurant, but have always been disappointed after trying it. This version topped the charts.
My dad had a nice looking piece of salmon that I believe featured a pesto-based sauce and my mom had some BBQ pork sliders.
I did notice fried chicken being served up in galvanized "buckets" and I remembered my dining companion talking about a customer who was taken aback by the change. Hey, if the food is good, it's all good with me!
We were able to supplement our meal with margaritas, red wine and iced tea, and service was good.
I'll be sure to keep Bernardi's Pub on my list for future family gatherings!

EP's Timeout and Sports Eatery

EP's Timeout sits along East Washington Street where Diana's Family Restaurant once did in East Peoria.
I've eaten at the sports-themed bar and restaurant about three times, twice for lunch and once for breakfast.
The most recent time we had lunch there, they had $5 lunch specials that included a soft drink, which is quite a deal. My husband and I both had hot beef, the comfort meal featuring white bread, roast beef and a scoop of mashed potatoes drenched in beef gravy. With the weather turning cooler, that meal sounds great about right now!
In addition to a Sunday breakfast buffet, which we have not tried, EP's breakfast features a good selection of the usual suspects: eggs, biscuits and gravy, waffles, French toast, pancakes, meat and the like. The food was better than the cheap breakfast fare some places offer up.
The menu runs the whole gamut, from pizza to wraps to salads and healthier fare, plus stuffed burgers and hot dogs. And yes, there are plenty of TVs in case you want to catch a game while you're there.

Famous City Bistro

We visited the newly-opened Famous City Bistro in Peoria for a quick dinner one weeknight.
Pulling in to the parking lot from northbound University Street, I saw a yellow arrow painted on the pavement pointing toward me, so I turned to the right and had a bit of difficulty maneuvering into a parking space, but several spaces were open so it was not a big deal.
We noticed their digital sign said they were looking for bartenders, and we were surprised to learn that the restaurant served alcohol. I had expected that it was more of a sandwich shop.
We headed toward a nice outdoor dining area and into the first dining room, which featured a bar along the back wall.
The decor was modern with black leather look chairs flanking the tables and bar. I liked the fluffy looking white clouds painted on the sky blue ceiling, and if I was decorating a condo, I would have to know where they got the beautiful pendant lights over the bar.
We were greeted and taken to a table by the window. We were both pleased with the drink specials for the night, a $4 margarita for me and some sort of beer for StfRon.
The margarita was quite good, better than one I had recently at a Mexican restaurant actually, and came with extra 'rita in a shaker so I could top it off as I enjoyed it.
The menu featured a large selection of sandwiches U.S. cities are famous for, such as a New Orleans po boy, Cape Cod fish and the like.
Noticing that they had hickory smoked selections on the menu, my husband had to know what kind of smoker they used. We found out that the smoker is an Old Hickory and that there was an experienced BBQ competitor on staff manning the ship.
After reading about the Santa Fe grilled chicken sandwich, billed as a grilled chicken breast seasoned with special chili-lime seasoning, served with fresh Pico de Gallo, a cheddar jack blend and topped with sweet chili sauce on a ciabatta roll, I had to give that a try. Nothing on the sandwich overpowered the chicken breast, which was juicy and hot, tucked into the soft Ciabatta roll.
I also tried their smoked baked beans, which were indeed smoky and savory.
My husband enjoyed the Dallas brisket and tried the selection of sauces offered. This sandwich made up for a disappointing BBQ experience he had at a food truck on the riverfront recently.
Our waitress was attentive, making sure we had everything we needed and offered water when my husband declined another beer.
In addition to all of the sandwiches, Famous City also offers salads, burgers and wraps and plan to start serving breakfast soon. They also feature live music some nights.

Retro American Tap

Last week we decided to try Retro American Tap for lunch, newly opened in the former Old Chicago spot along Peoria's river front.
As we were greeted and taken to a booth we were told that our lunch options included a Retro potato bar, horseshoes or selections from the sandwich menu, and were welcomed to take a look at the potato bar.
I did walk by the bar and noticed a decent selection of items in addition to the several potato options, such as a southwest corn pudding style dish, Jalepeno cornbread and lots of potato toppings. I decided to eat from the potato bar for lunch.
My husband ordered a bacon cheeseburger, and I was informed that my potato bar came with soup or salad ($9.99 including a soft drink). I opted for their  Greek style salad.
Sandwich options included catfish, a Philly, honey chicken, pulled pork and more paired with a choice of three types of fries or bacon potato salad.
While we waited for lunch the chef visited our table and asked what we had ordered. When he found out that we had not opted for the potato soup, he soon brought a sample by. The made from scratch soup was creamy, rich and flavorful, and even had bits of sausage in it.
For my tuber from the bar I took a yam and topped it with a bit of butter (or spread) and a scoop of brown sugar. I seemed to notice a bit of cinnamon, which I'm guessing was mixed in with the brown sugar that added a nice touch. I also sampled the corn casserole and the cornbread, both of which had a decent kick.
On a side note, my husband did dart over to the room off to the side to check out the "arcade". I didn't take a look, but commented that maybe a sign might be in order telling people it was back there because I never would have realized it.
Our server was very cheery and did a good job taking care of business.

El Mexicano

Just down the road from the Hofbrau on NE Jefferson sits a pretty non-descript restaurant serving Mexican food. In the early 90s the building housed a Daylight Donuts.
We've been to El Mexicano twice now for food, and I know my mom is a fan as well.
The food is good, prices are reasonable and the servers are efficient and polite.
There is seating for a few inside if you want to dine in. There are several picnic tables outside so you can enjoy your burrito alfresco, and they also do a good carry-out business.
They currently don't accept credit cards, so you can leave home without your Visa card.

The Publik House

On a recent night after work, we decided to make our first visit to The Publik House in Peoria Heights.
I ordered a nice glass of Cabernet and took a look at the menu while my husband enjoyed a beer.
He had arrived before me and had already made his decision: fish & chips ($13), served with hand-cut french fries.
After hearing a description of the spring vegetable risotto ($9) from one of the employees, I decided to give it a try.
My meal arrived in a bright white bowl that set off the distinct green color of the risotto, nestled with asparagus, leeks, scallions, crisp green peas and shavings of parmesan cheese. It was unexpectedly delicious.
We also decided to splurge and split a dessert: peanut butter mousse sandwiched between two warm peanut butter cookies, paired with a serving of spiced chocolate milk. It was scrumptious.
The menu featured unique offerings for appetizers, sandwiches, soups and entrées, certainly not your ordinary pub fare.
The Publik House made for a great midweek diversion.

Noir Tapas & Rendezvous Lounge

This month for date night I chose a movie followed by dinner at Noir Tapas & Rendezvous Lounge in Peoria Heights.
We arrived at Noir shortly before 7 p.m. on a weeknight and were able to get a seat right away, but within less than an hour of our arrival there would have been a wait for a table.
There were chocolate leather couch style booths, bench booths and tables plus tall tables available for seating and some fun vintage horror flicks were being broadcast against the back wall.
We chose a bottle of wine from the list of many and decided to start with two tapas (appetizers meant to share) selections: sauteed mushrooms with garlic and the bruschetta.
Our order arrived quickly.
The mushrooms, in this case Crimini mushrooms sauteed with garlic, parsley and applewood bacon, were incredibly rich and flavorful. The bruschetta, toasted crostini topped with tomatoes, feta cheese and a balsamic reduction was great.
Next we ordered the spicy Chorizo skewers, which were presented like upside down meatball lollypops. The Chorizo was paired with Gruyere cheese and the balls were coated in a breadcrumb-type crust. Not being a huge fan of Chorizo, I was surprised at how good they were.
After enjoying some more of our wine and allowing our food to settle, I couldn't get the gelato I had noticed on the menu out of my mind so we ordered it to share.
The gelato, vanilla bean and roasted banana served with fried plantains topped with rich whipped cream was a nice finish to the meal.
Our server was helpful and attentive, and with our wine selection (about $30), our bill with tip came to about $80.

Uncle Bob's Homemade Ice Cream

Ice cream season may be winding to a close for the year, but we managed to make it to Uncle Bob's Homemade Ice Cream in Eureka on their last night of the season at their Eureka spot, 111 S. Main Street.

Uncle Bob's has taken some prizes for their ice cream, including the Best Dessert category at Taste of Peoria this year. Its chocolate raspberry cheesecake earned first place, while its fudge brownie sundae won second.

I ordered their cookie batter ice cream on a regular cone instead of the waffle cone offering, while StfRon tried the turtle sundae.

The cookie batter ice cream had a buttery base that reminded me of butter pecan with a few chunks of cookie dough and plenty of tiny chocolate chips. It was very good.

If you haven't had a chance to try their ice cream yet, don't despair. We spotted Uncle Bob's mobile truck at the El Paso Corn Festival this weekend, and I'm sure they will be making rounds at other fall events.

Kouri's Pub

I remember going to Kouri's Pub in Peoria several times in the 1990s and hanging out in their beer garden on a nice night with friends. Heck, I think I had only stayed inside once, they just had such a nice beer garden with all of the hanging plants and such.

Kouri's has moved down the road a bit to 4421 N. Sterling Avenue.

StfRon and I stopped in for lunch this week, and walked through their new beer garden to enter the restaurant. If there is a nicer beer garden in Peoria, I've yet to see it.

The beer garden is large with slate style tile flooring and the fence is lined with flowers. It reminded me of some serious beer gardens we saw in the Ozarks last year, with a large bar along the back. There are also TVs for the sports/news fans.

We dined inside on this visit. They still have their menu housed in a plastic table tent, and have a decent selection of sandwiches, appetizers and salads.

I ordered a Reuben, which was $5.71 and came with chips, or an upgrade to fries for a bit more. I stuck with the chips.

StfRon ordered the gyro with fries, which was the featured special.

Our waitress was very friendly and attentive and before too long our food had arrived.

The corned beef on my Reuben was super tender, and the sandwich came with Thousand Island dressing on the side, and a crisp pickle spear (one of my favorite touches). Overall the sandwich was a little greasy, but good.

SftRon said his gyro was great, the pita bread was soft and that all of the veggies seemed quite fresh. I snagged a couple of the fries and they were hot and tasty.

With two iced teas and tip, we were out the door for $20.

M & M Twistee Treat

Now that ice cream season is officially upon us, we made our first visit to M & M Twistee Treat in East Peoria.
This fun ice cream cone shaped building is located at 1207 E. Washington Street, offering both outdoor and indoor (in the attached building) seating.
The original Twistee Treats were built between 1983 and 1990.
One thing that has always impressed me about the East Peoria Twistee Treat is the number of items on the menu. I could eat there five days in a row and still have more things I wanted to try.
The massive menu includes: tenderloins; burgers; hot dogs; polish sausage; tamales; chicken; pizza burgers; catfish; Italian beef; tacos; pizza rolls; BBQ; and fried veggies, plus several frozen treats.
They offer basket specials which include fries, and daily specials.
M & M Twistee Treat is closed during the winter months.

Two25

While my husband is still mourning the loss of Uno's in the Mark Twain Hotel, we took a chance on lunch at the restaurant now occupying the space: Two25.
Walking through the lobby of the hotel at 225 NE Adams Street in Peoria, I noticed it has been updated since I last walked through. I liked the decor, and the library looked like a great place to park myself and hang out for the rest of the day. Too bad I had to get back to work.
Stepping into the restaurant, we were greeted by a gal manning the hostess stand who showed us to a booth.
The dining room has seen some decor changes since Uno's as well, which were a nice touch.
With loungy hits by Louis Armstrong and Frank Sinatra playing in the background, we checked out the menu.
On the appetizer list, the crab & artichoke gratin sounded good, as did the baked Brie. There were a couple of salads that I would like to try: the pear and the spinach salad. Moving on to pizzas, the thought of the White Pie had me salivating: olive oil, ricotta, spinach,
artichoke hearts and garlic. The menu also featured steaks, chicken and seafood, burgers, pasta and sandwiches.
Being lunch, however, I went with something a bit lighter, the salad bar with soup. The lunch endless salad bar was priced at $7, and adding French onion soup or the soup du jour is an extra $2. We had scoped out the salad bar after noticing it on the menu, and it looked worthy.
StfRon went with the salad bar as well, and added a sausage pizza bread for $1.
This salad bar made its way to my list of top three in Peoria since it had three choices of greens, a tri-colored pepper mix, grape tomatoes, cucumbers, peas, onions, sunflower seeds, candied walnuts, a couple of fruit choices, broccoli, cottage cheese, several dressing choices and more.
Our food arrived fairly quickly. The French onion soup was served in a large cappucino style mug on a saucer and the rich broth filled with onions was topped with some bread and melted cheese.
StfRon's pizza bread was sprinkled with chunks of savory sausage and had a nice crispness to the edges of the submarine style bread.
Glancing around as we were finishing our meal I noticed the dining room we were in was almost full and the voices of the patrons floated up into the high ceilings, mingling and echoing down, lending a nice touch to the atmosphere.
Our waitress was bustling around and cheerful, johnny-on-the-spot with refills, even after we paid our bill of $22 before tip, which included two iced teas.
On our way back to work we declared the last-minute decision for lunch a nice success, and we'll be sure to come back to Two25 again soon.

Kelleher's Irish Pub & Eatery

The Salty Sam fundraiser last week gave us good occasion to visit Kellher's Irish Pub & Eatery once again.
Phil Luciano's column in the Journal Star brought to light the fact that the popular actor from the local Captain Jinks Show, George Baseleon, is buried in Peoria's Springdale Cemetery sans headstone.
The show aired from 1956-1972, a bit before my time, but apparently had scores of fans, including my husband, StfRon.
A fundraiser was organized to help raise money for a more appropriate burial, with the extra funds going to St. Jude (the last tally we heard before leaving was that $2,600 had been raised).
Kelleher's, 619 SW Water Street in Peoria, hosted the event Thursday, August 28, complete with several characters dressed Salty style, sporting caps and mustaches. Owner Pat Sullivan was one of them.
I've always loved the atmosphere at Kelleher's, with the exposed brick walls and worn wood floors in the old warehouse building. There's even a balcony with upstairs seating, and the back bar is beautiful. Add to all of this a nice brick patio with seating, and the site is a real winner in my book.
There is also a good amount of neat memorabilia scattered throughout the building.
Hanging around watching the Salty Sam hi jinx, we decided to order some appetizers. We settled on an order of Irish chips and some wings, half with Beamish BBQ and half with hot sauce. A few of the other appetizers caught my eye, too, like the Galway Bay crab cakes and the crab crunchers, but despite being a fan of Captain Jinx and the USS Albatross, StfRon is no fan of seafood.
The Irish chips were potato wedges, most likely from frozen, nicely crisped on the outside, topped with some cheese sauce and crumb style bacon bits. The cheese sauce was much tastier than I thought it would be at first glance.
Normally when it comes to wings, I stick to the hot or mild variety, as I haven't found a BBQ wing I like thus far. However, upon sampling these wings doused in Beamish BBQ sauce, I now have an acceptable BBQ wing option, one I will probably even crave from time to time. The sauce hit just the right note with me, smoky, sweet and savory.
With all of the hubbub, we found the service to be good. We were seated at the bar, and our bartender was wearing a Salty Sam cap. He was cheerful and on the ball throughout our stay.

Crusen's

Tuesday I turned on the radio at work, which I rarely do anymore. 99.9 was playing some good tunes, and the morning moved along well. I also heard the DJ say probably four times that Crusen's on Farmington Road had a grilled chicken sandwich special with two sides for $5.25 or thereabouts, which sounded like a bargain to me, so when StfRon stopped by for lunch, I threw that option on the table.
He went for it, so we headed to 2117 W. Farmington Road for some lunch.
Crusen's is a college hangout during most of the year, and the wear and tear seems to show on this location more than the Peoria one. They do have a nice back patio (and the War Memorial location recently built a beer garden).
We walked inside at 11:45 and took a booth near a table of about seven people just taking their seats. There were also a couple other booths of customers.
Our waitress stopped by to take our drink order, and we learned she was the only waitress on the floor. No worries, though, as she did great and checked on us several times throughout the course of the meal, even after the dining room filled up a bit more. There were a couple of guys who helped with refills and delivery of meals, too.
We both went with the grilled chicken sandwich basket, and I had cole slaw and applesauce for my sides. StfRon chose their homemade chips and some cole slaw.
The chicken sandwich was juicy and nicely seasoned, not like some bland birds I've been served at other places. I added a slice of swiss to mine for 50 cents plus lettuce and some nice Claussen-esque ridged pickle slices. They keep their menus on the tables, though, and during my meal I read a line I remember from the Peoria location "We'll buffalo anything for a dollar" and contemplated the merits of having this bird buffaloed.
The little plastic containers of sides were more generous than some I've seen places, and the cole slaw had some zip to it.
I also noticed there are lunch specials all week long, including cheeseburgers on Thursdays. With our lunch coming in at around $13, I'm sure we'll be back.

Destihl Restaurant and Brew Works

Lunch stop number two in the twin cities: Destihl Restaurant and Brew Works.
Located at 318 S. Towanda Avenue in Normal, at the Shoppes at College Hills, Destihl, as you might guess, is a restaurant and brew pub.
The decor is fairly modern, with mod fabric on the booths and geometric panels scattered on the exposed ceiling, which may help with acoustics. It wasn't overly loud and busy when I was there, so it's hard to say.
I saw many things on the menu I would be interested in trying, especially some of the appetizers like Reuben egg rolls and beer battered asparagus.
I went with a more lunchy selection, though, the Cheddar ale soup and a strawberry goat cheese salad.
The soup is made with white Cheddar and Bleu cheese, and was nicely presented on a white square platter with my salad alongside. The soup was tasty, and had a good cheese bite to it.
I was also glad to find a peppermill on my table. I've often said, if I ever find myself running a restaurant, I will be sure to have peppermills available for the customers.
The salad was delicious, with spinach, strawberries, mandarin oranges and toasted cashews interspersed with chunks of goat cheese.
I didn't get to sample any beer, but chose an iced tea to accompany my meal, which had a subtle fruity or floral flavor which I found refreshing.
The employees I encountered were all quite professional and pleasant, as was my lunch. Speaking of which, my meal arrived within five minutes of my order (although it was not a hugely complex order) and I was out the door with 20 minutes of my hour to spare; a nice bonus.
Destihl also features live music a couple of times a month. The lineup can be found on their web site.

We stopped by Destihl on August 3 to sample some brews. The beers were better than most brew pubs we've tried lately, and we found they use a mixture of fresh hops and pellet hops.
We also had an order of Ropp cheese curds at the bar; very tasty. The staff once again was super-friendly, and we had a nice time.

Grady's Family Fun Park

After dinner Friday night, StfRon had a surprise for me. A trip to Grady's Family Fun Park, 1501 Morrissey Drive in Bloomington.
Grady's is filled with batting cages, go karts, bumper boats and cars, mini golf, a video arcade, and carnival rides.
They also have fair food such as funnel cakes and deep fried candy bars. Unfortunately, we arrived kind of late, and while we were riding some rides the concession stand closed for the night.
I was a little skeptical about going, but once StfRon and I got on the bumper car floor and were the only ones out there, I ended up laughing my ass off at chasing him around, shooting his car and smacking into him. The kind of crazy laugh where you feel your lips are stuck to your teeth in a fiendish grin. I just couldn't help myself.
The other ride we tried was the go carts, and it was pretty fun zipping around the track with the wheel cranked all the way to the side to try and make the turns. It was only once we got home that I noticed all the tiny bits of dirt stuck to my face from the track.
It was great to cut loose a bit at Grady's.

Lou's Drive-In

Beautiful spring weather is out in full force, which made it a perfect time for us to visit Lou's Drive-In late last week, since it's open for the season.
I've been going to Lou's since probably 1988 or so, and it's always a fun time. Considering they've been around since 1953, they've gotta be doing something right.
After 5 p.m. and all day on weekends, carhops offer curbside service for your auto-dining pleasure.
There are lots of great baskets to choose from, like the tenderloin, cheeseburger and BBQ sandwiches (including fries and a drink). Or, go with a hot dog or even skip the basket, it's all good. Heck, Lou's even has Boca burger baskets!
I typically get a cheeseburger with pickles and mustard. A lot of people I visit Lou's with like to order the homemade root beer, but it's not really my thing. A good iced tea hits the spot for me.
In the fall, the bees go crazy for the root beer, but I've found them to be harmless.
On Friday when we visited Lou's, it was a non-stop rotation of people trying to get a seat at one of the tables, for well over an hour.
It's great to see this longstanding tradition doing so well.

The Butcher Block

In the newly-renovated Junction City shopping center, there is a great market/cafe, The Butcher Block.
You will still find great cuts of meat, sausages, pork, chicken and more you expect from The Butcher Block with the added bonus of cheeses, sodas, beer, wine, breads and specialty items.
The café is a great addition, with nice deli sandwiches featuring Boar's Head brand meats, subs, wraps and salads. You can even enjoy a beer or glass of wine while you're visiting.
StfRon tried a BBQ brisket sandwich, which was very good. I've had the Reuben, which is good as well. I think next time I need to try the smoked pulled pork and coleslaw wrap.
Check out their web site at http://thebutcherblockpeoria.com/.

June, 2009 — The Butcher Block has removed much of their market items and is now focusing on meats and the deli, which now offers breakfast.
September, 2010 — The Butcher Block is under new ownership, and no longer offers deli items. They do offer dinner with a focus on steaks.

Spotted Cow

I remember the Spotted Cow from my high school days. It was a small store on Prospect in Peoria Heights, and when it would rain hard, water would leak in from the ceiling into buckets on the floor. We're talking probably close to 18 years ago now.
My friends and I would stop in often for a homemade ice cream treat, either mint chocolate chip, chocolate chip cookie dough, or Oreo cookie for me. At some point they expanded and got a nice, newer location on Prospect with lots of cow decorations throughout, including cow spots on the tile floor. I would stop in for lunch over the last 8 years, as it was close to work. I wouldn't have ice cream with lunch, but a chocolate Coke would be my treat to myself.
In 2006, the Spotted Cow built a free-standing building complete with outdoor seating at 718 W. Glen and moved out of Peoria Heights. I made it in last week to pick up some carryout, and check out the new digs.
I like the funky Formica they used in the new building, and the shiny tin ceiling tiles. The place is bright, fresh and new. Lots of cow decor still graces the walls and chairs throughout.
I ordered a homemade Italian beef sandwich with cheese and peppers, and two chili dogs for StfRon. I also threw in a chocolate malt for good measure. The menu still features selections from the Heights location, like the tuna melt and cakes, plus new additions like burgers and fries.
You can also catch the Spotted Cow at their hospital café, or with their mobile ice cream cart at events like the free CILCO concerts at Lakeview Museum.
As for this visit, my Italian beef was juicy and well-seasoned, and StfRon pronounced the chili dogs a hit. The chocolate malt was so thick I couldn't get it through the straw at first, but once I did, all was good.

Burger Barge Dry Dock

I first went to the Burger Barge Dry Dock, 1401 N. Main Street in East Peoria, maybe five years ago, and was not thrilled after my visit. Much to StfRon's dismay, as he had never been and is a true burger buff, I vowed never to go again.
Flash forward to this year, and a work group outing sent me there again. Maybe my tastes have changed or something, but this time I found a winner: the BBQ burger (cue heavenly music). The burgers at the 'Barge are huge, huge, huge, and this one is no exception. It's smothered in barbecue sauce and cole slaw, and the combination is awesome. Reminiscent of my trip to Memphis earlier this year.
After tasting this gem, StfRon and I stopped in a few weeks later, and I ordered the same burger. Why mess with a good thing?
The Burger Barge also has such favorites as a paper bag o' fried shrimp and great homemade chips. My scheme is to snag some chips off of someone else's plate, as the burgers alone are more than enough to fill me up (sides are not included with the burgers). They also have salads for those who choose to graze. And beer, of course!
The Burger Barge is very casual, and features outdoor seating as well, right along the river.

Schooner's

I think it's high time I gave up some love for Schooner's.
Schooner's serves up large, well, schooners of ice cold beer, great wild (or mild, be sure to enunciate well) wings and garlic wings, burgers, turkey burgers, chicken sandwiches (including an awesome buffalo-style bird), excellent tempura-style onion rings and more. Plus, a huge king tenderloin which is served with four buns. Great for sharing, or a good pig out.
The garlic wings are one of my favorites, covered with chunks of minced garlic. I eat these babies at lunch and have no guilt of my garlic breath for the rest of the day. I'm an unabashed garlic lover.

I am most familiar with the cozy War Memorial Schooner's in Peoria Heights, but there is one in Morton as well, and I have been there, and a Bloomington location, which I have not visited. The Peoria location is my favorite, as it's more like home. One wall of the restaurant is covered with photos of people and their morel mushroom finds.
The Peoria location also features a decent-sized beer garden of sorts, filled with picnic tables and tall wooden tables.