22 Best American Restaurants in Elgin

“Tonight I decided to venture out and try this restaurant my family has been RAVING about called Al’s Cafe in Downtown Elgin! I sat upstairs and had this lovely server named Marcie! She recommended the monthly special called “Moonstruck” and it was ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS! The ambience, service and food is unmatched! If you are looking for a great night out I highly recommend Al’s Cafe!“

“So if I order a cocktail “neat” with rocks on the side I am sure he would charge again for the rocks. Better yet….just include the $2 rocks charge in the drink itself ….don’t put a separate $2 charge for ICE!“

“We just had our Mom's 90th surprise birthday party here. The staff was fabulous! A big thank you to Mary, Sofia and Romy in particular. They helped usher her in, they refrigerated the cake for us, they took care of everything! I highly recommend Bennigan's for a party.“

“Great service and delicious food! Our server, Mark, was excellent! Drinks were perfect too. We will be coming back often for sure“

“Had he most delicious breakfast this morning. Not only great food but our service was fantastic. She had great smile,a happy personality and speedy service. We did not have a long wait for our food ,and it was served popping hot.Highly recommend .“

“I hardly believe this, but I left today and they forgot to include my coleslaw. I got home and called to mention it. I was told they'd bring the coleslaws to me. I thought it was a joke, like doctors making house calls. Sure enough, they came to my door with the coleslaws, an extra, and a pint of blueberry cheesecake. Unbelievable! I've gone there since they opened. Now I won't go anywhere else. Caring about customers isn't lost! Wonderful people!“

“From the moment we stepped into Old Republic Kitchen & Bar we knew we chose the right place to celebrate. We hosted my husband's retirement party here, and the evening was nothing short of spectacular! The atmosphere is perfect blend of rustic warmth and modern charm. We were greeted with friendly smiles and impeccable service from the ENTIRE staff. From drink orders to desserts, every detail was handled with care and professionalism. The party menu was perfect, beautifully presented and the food was outstanding! What really set Old Republic apart was how well they accommodated our group. They helped us throw a retirement party that was personable, joyful and truly unforgettable! A special thank you to Jorge for coordinating every detail of our event; and to Chef for the beautiful presentation of food and the entire staff who made our party a success! We are forever grateful! We highly recommend Old Republic Kitchen & Bar for parties, special occasions, or just a great night out!“

“good food great service waitress very helpful.“

“Great food. Fresh, not overcooked. Nice menu, not too big. Better than Egg Harbor!! Need more locations!“

“clean safe well maintained establishment. excellent service outstanding food and the best potato pancakes in the valley.“

“Great variety, good service and very tasty!“

“The people there are super nice.The food is excellent.I have never had a problem with them.Always on time , just a good place to eat“

“Love this spot. Great food, coffee and atmosphere.“

“excelente comida el menudo delicioso si lo recomiendo 👌“

“Come an eat at spankys really good food n nice service n friendly people“

“First time there. Food was outstanding. Had the pizza“

“Very good meal and extremely attentive service. We had the 2 for $32 Bourbon street chicken and shrimp. It had a good flavor and the chicken was very tender. The carafe of Tito's strawberry lemonade was tasty and was a good value. I enjoyed the tomato basil soup as well.“

“We come to half price Mondays a lot, and we are never disappointed! I love how their chicken sandwiches come half price too on Mondays! Such good food.“

“Hi. I would like to say thank you to Jacki at the Crystal lake location. She was so kind and showed empathy when I was there on Thursday 8/1/2024. It’s been a difficult week and my mom had passed away that morning. That was my first meal in about a week. She was so kind to pay for our meals. Thank you so much. I would like for that owner to know this and we will be returning back soon! 10/23/2024- we had Maya as our server today. She is also another wonderful asset to your team! Thank you for the Bingo night!“

“perfect lunch with my mom in-between doctor appointments. Delicious as usual!“

“Best pizza around, hands down! Very family friendly and always great service!“

“I have no complaints regarding the food. We order from this location almost every week and have never had an issue. Today, when I walked in, the restaurant was extremely busy due to the Wild Card game, and the atmosphere was understandably tense. The kitchen staff appeared focused and working hard to get orders out.

During this time, a woman who came from the back to assist with phone orders and customer service did not appear to be wearing a name badge, and it was unclear whether she was an owner or an employee. Regardless of her role, the way she conducted herself was very unprofessional and made the situation uncomfortable for customers.

There was an apparent mistake involving an order that had been handed out incorrectly. One of the assistant managers, who was clearly working hard in the kitchen, was confronted and loudly blamed for the error. He calmly stated that both parties should have verified the order, yet she continued yelling and placed all the blame on him. This exchange took place in front of staff and customers, which was inappropriate and unacceptable.

If a mistake occurs, it should be addressed privately and respectfully. Yelling at an employee in front of others serves no purpose and shows a lack of professionalism and basic human decency.

To Tomas, the assistant manager: we are all human, and mistakes can happen, especially in high-pressure situations. No one deserves to be treated the way you were. You were clearly working hard, and I commend you for standing your ground. I hope this behavior is reported and addressed appropriately.

This incident made me very uncomfortable, and I truly hope steps are taken to ensure staff are treated with respect moving forward.“