50 Best American Restaurants near Columbia

“We love the cocktails, steak night, and brunch. The kids don’t really love the dinner menu so we just steer away from family dinner.“

“Potato skins were awesome! Hot honey pepperoni pizza was good, but not great! Cheese didn't seem completely melted. MOD pizza beats them here, and that shouldn't be. We had to ask for a refill. However, our waitress was super nice. The hostess and bar tender were very nice. The place has TV views and a variety of sports playing, so over experience was really good!“

“I recommend Cafe on the Abbey for anyone any day of the week! Breakfast or Lunch! The food, the service, the atmosphere is excellent. My favorite is the vegan and gluten friendly items that their baker Amanda makes!!! She makes the best cakes ever for any occasion and bakes the best Gluten Free cake around!!! Check them out!!“

“Good Food, and a great time!!“

“Me & my husband had our wedding reception at top shooter this past Thursday and I must say 20 out of 10. Food was delicious, drinks hit harder than a 🤭, place was clean & the whole team was on their game. Special thanks to Ciara, Mary & Rose they all made sure our reception was everything. I’ll definitely be back at least once a week cause Top Shooter is were the party at…“

“We are full-time RVers who, while traveling around the US, are in search of the best cheeseburger and have a rating system of The Best (only 1 rated), Very Good, Good, OK, and Not Impressed. While at our home base in Southern Illinois, we were in the Columbia, IL, area and Googled “hamburger restaurants.” We saw Washy’s Pub had good burger reviews, so decided to give them a try for lunch. Washy’s has a simple bar atmosphere with about a dozen tables. We ordered their Classic burger with me having American cheese and my wife pepperjack. We also requested lettuce, pickles, and sliced onions. The handmade patties were about 10 oz (good sized), nicely seasoned, cooked to order, charbroiled, and served on a nicely-toast fresh bun. I had their skinny-style battered fries and my wife had onion rings. The burgers came out hot and were super tasty due the meat seasoning. We’re not sure what seasoning they used, but it worked! My wife’s burger was just a tiny bit better than mine due the pepperjack they use. The fries and onion rings were among the best we’ve had as well. We rated the burgers (even without a special sauce), fries, and onion rings Very Good. The service was also top notch.“

“Great burgers! I LOVED my TriPPPy burger which has a pineapple chutney and bacon jam. You will want extra napkins with that one.? My husband built his own burger to get just what he wanted and enjoyed his burger. They also have veggie options, but these carnivores did not explore them.“

“Amazing food, atmosphere, service, great quality and quantity for what you pay for and the dessert section is huge! My new favorite place“

“Food was excellent, service was great! Our bartender was awesome!“

“Food is delicious. Little gem in STL. Great service .“

“Hands down the best burgers in the area!“

“Absolutely amazing food!!!“

“The staff were very personable, and inviting. I had such a great experience! The food was hot and delicious also. We were a party of 20+ and they took care of us very well. I’d definitely return! I think there were only two people running the kitchen but if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn’t have believed it based on the service.“

“Best Gyro I have found in st.louis.“

“August 23, 2024 First time playing Annbriar & loved it. Tees, fairways & greens were in very good condition! I really liked the layout with many uphill & downhill shots required. Elec carts & GPS?“

“Wifey and I were here Friday night, and we were pressed for time - had to run for a movie at Arkadin theatre. The lady waiting on us seemed to be both server and bartender, and was no doubt very busy. She was attentive and pleasant, even adjusting the music volume for us without being asked, and brought our check early so we could run. The food was great. We had to shove it down quick, but the steak sandwich had a full slab of steak! Fries were absolutely amazing. There was a pool table, bar, and different ambiences throughout the space. Looking forward to going back when we have more time. Great staff!“

“Best place I’ve ever ate service is great food is great an their prices are fair can’t wait till go back my favorite thing to eat is the rice bowls they have 😎🥰🥰🥰🥰“

“Cellar House is my favorite restaurant in South County by a wiiiiide margin! I try to stop in at least once every couple of months and make it my business to always attend their pop-up dining events. Cellar House features an ever-evolving seasonal menu with new offerings every quarter as well as menu staples that never get old. The Tuna Sliders are an entree favorite of mine and the goat cheese and brussel sprouts appetizers never disappoint. The flatbreads are always creative and flavorful as well. For dessert I’m always ordering the bread pudding if it’s on the menu!

Though the food is fabulous I’m a sucker for their creative cocktail selections and no matter what I choose it doesn’t seem like they can mix a bad one. I particularly love their bourbon and mezcal cocktails. And during the holiday pop-up there’s always a flaming drink to be had. I’m a sucker for an aromatic herb smoke to accompany my cocktail.

Finally, we have to talk about the staff. The servers, bartenders, and hosts are never anything but kind, warm, and helpful. Shout out to Jose for being the absolute best as well. And of course the owner is almost always present to welcome diners and is himself just such a sweet person. If you dine here you’ll be made to feel like family and the entire atmosphere is so inviting and comfortable.“

“Great food, great people, great atmosphere.“

“Enjoyed Sunday Brunch!!!!“

“We wanted to let you know, we been coming at lease once a month. No matter what we order it has been good. The service and the way y'all work together to help the customer is great. hats off to the kitchen and the other staff for great job.“

“Grilled ham and cheese was fantastic. Nice thick ham!!! Wife had the chili dog especially liked that it was cut in half and grilled then chili added!!! Our kid devoured the grilled cheese and my mom loved the frito pie!!! Whenever we are in the area we will stop in again!! Staff very accommodating and friendly!!!!“

“If you haven’t gotten a JJ Twig’s burger with a fried egg on it, you are missing out. Big juicy burger cooked up by Sam is exactly how I wanted to spend my lunch today. Friendly people and good food. I will definitely come back to see what Sam is cooking.“

“If you haven’t tried Terry’s tacos, you are missing out! They are awesome! Especially liked the chips.👍“

“Best late night pizza and bartenders around🍕🍕🍻🍻🍻“

“Just visited for the first time. Great atmosphere, awesome staff, nice menu! We will be regulars!!“

“Yesterday a celebration of life was held in the Mystic Oak banquet room with catering by Mr. BBQ. The food, service and courtesy was amazing. Karen was very considerate and helpful in keeping the event stress free. Just what we needed under the circumstances. Thanks so much for a lovely afternoon. I will definitely hold another event there.“

“Short on staff. But friendly and attentive.“

“I have always found the staff here to be super friendly, some are a little more attentive than others but the service is generally good. I ordered the fish and chips. Our server stated the fish comes with fries, I wasn’t sure how to take that as I have a noticeable British accent. The fries were a little dry but the food was hot and fish was
good. The restaurant is also clean and well maintained.“

“This Waffle House on Telegraph Road was fantastic! The service was incredibly fast—our food came out so quickly that it felt like it arrived almost before we finished ordering. Everything was hot, fresh, and exactly what we were craving.

Our server was attentive from start to finish, making sure our drinks stayed filled and that we had all the condiments we needed. It was clear the team was focused on providing great customer service.

I also noticed several managers outside actively beautifying the property, trimming trees and taking pride in maintaining the restaurant's appearance. That level of care really stood out.

If you're looking for hot food served fast with friendly, attentive service, this Waffle House is definitely the place to be. We'll be back!“

“The burgers are really good.“

“I had the Chefs garden salad and apple jalapeño slaw today for lunch both was delicious. First time going here and it wont be the last. Food was excellent, prices was good, servings where big, nice guys that was there today. No seating inside, but they have a nice outdoor seating area thats fenced in.“

“Ate at Cafe Smoke Shack recently. The food was fantastic. Service was excellent and our waiter was very attentive. Giant portions, well prepared & we were all extremely pleased with our meal. "Stan, Matt & Marlowe were charming and cordial to all. The owner (Matt/Chef) is one of the nicest and most hospitable folks you'll ever want to meet. Truly cares about his customers. Stay clear of Bill... Why you ask? He was a smug, rude & a disingenuous individual. Brought in six (6) people & spent over $300.00 with no other customers dining that day. He acted like he did us a favor. All of the other employees were wonderful.“

“Great staff and great food!!!“

“Everyone was very nice and worked hard to make our group at home and the food was very good!“

“Went to the “Taste of History” event tonight, and it was WONDERFUL! Such a cool, unique building, and the tour was so informative! The included dinner was delicious and honestly a great value for the cost of the ticket.“

“My favorite place to grab a bite to eat or drink after my Mt. Bike ride at Cliff Cave .“

“Starting off, hostess Emma was so friendly and accommodating for our group, quickly getting us seated and squared away with our server. Food portions were big and priced right.

We will hopefully be back soon, mostly for the welcoming faces who took care of us.“

“Delicious food, attentive service, and cozy ambiance. Highly recommended for a delightful mea“

“I found them on Doordash and the food was delicious and the burger was huge. I couldn't even finish it. I'm definitely going to order from them again.“

“We were drawn in by the really festive Halloween decorations outside. It's a fun environment inside too, dedicated to local firemen and police. Menu had a lot of options that sounded good, and could even be kinda healthy if you choose the grilled versions over the fried. We had great service and a really attentive server with Zach. We got plenty of refills, food came quick, and checked on us often. We enjoyed our chicken fingers and fried fish, although I feel like the portion could've been bigger for the fish. House made chips were fresh and great, and we liked the beans too.“

“Great staff !! Lots of fun games and just a down home atmosphere!“

“I had the B&G combo. It was amazing and they weren't greedy with the gravy. The 2 servers were both personable and made sure our coffee stayed hot.“

“Was a wonderful dining experience. Food and service was great. Will definitely come here again!“

“I go to grand grill probably about 3 times a week I love the food! The workers are just as amazing“

“Great spot to take kids. Staff are friendly and helpful when your hands are full with kids! Pretzels are fresh and warm!“

“Highly recommended best burgers in town“

“We're quickly becoming addicted to this place... They're fast and reasonably priced, the menu is extensive for a takeout grill, and everything we've tried has been great. My girlfriend (a New Jersey native) says that both the gyros and the cheesesteaks are boardwalk-quality, which is not a compliment she's throws around lightly :)“

“Sam & Stacy are so awesome and the sweetest persons ever they both do a amazing job and are so great with their customers and always have big smiles every time we are there. So check these beautiful ladies out next time you are in Waterloo,IL Denny’s 😊“

“fun spot. always treated good and have a good time.“