36 Best American Restaurants near Elwood

“We had a funeral luncheon today, perfect location for the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery- the set up/family style food they have specifically for this type of event is great- private area, pleanty of food, good food. But what made me come on to leave a review was the great waitress we had. She went above and beyond, finding out my daughter couldn't eat much because her wisdom teeth had been pulled last week, and got her pleanty of mashed potatoes, and she was able to take some to go too. I know it doesn't sound like much, but when your 13, you haven't been able to eat much for the past week, have to go to all day funeral services, and then a lunch where your not sure what you will be able to eat, her kindness was very much appreciated! Thank you!“

“Absolutely delicious and filling!😁“

“Great food, drink, and staff. Reasonable prices. Love the outdoor area!“

“Clean, quiet, local restaurant. Tried bacon cheeseburger, waffle fries, chicken Philly sandwich, and two soups. All was good. Very clean, not busy. Easy to have quiet conversation. Staff pleasant, helpful. Yummy dessert case with several options, cheesecake, cakes. Carrot cake looked good, as did mango key lime cheesecake. No room for dessert, maybe next time. Prices reasonable.“

“WE GET FOOD FROM BABES SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK AND IT ALWAYS OUTSTANDING..NEVER DISSASPOINTED,, GREAT BURGERS,,WRAPS,CORNED BEEF, POT ROAST SANDWICH,, EVERYTHING EXCELLENT. WERE VERY LUCKY TO HAVE SUCH A GREAT,LOCAL LUNCH SELECTION.. FORGET THE KING AND THE CLOWN, MORE CHOICES , FRIENDLY STAFF,FRESH MADE TO YOU,, FAST SERVICE. THANK YOU BABES“

“We have eaten at The Reserve many times and they do not disappoint. Our go to is the filet which is outstanding, so tender and delicious. While the sundried risotto is offered as an entree, it made a wonderful side dish that everyone at the table shared and enjoyed. Lori is a wonderful server and keeps the pace of the courses on a relaxed but timely schedule. Her excellent service and friendly personality greatly enhances the dining experience. We will return.“

“I always love Culver's burgers, they're always a hit. Tried onion rings off the suggestion of an employee and was impressed with the crispiness. Sweet tea was delicious 😋 and I tried the butter pecan flavor of the day with some add on which was very good. Enjoyed a booth, not too busy, clean restaurant and nice service.
Spent 20 dollars for everything (also got a small fry)“

“Convenient as it is located inside the hotel. Food was fair, nothing special and was a bit pricey due to being in the hotel as expected. Sat at the bar after dinner and the bar service was excellent. Jen was on duty and was friendly, professional and courteous. A big plus is the huge fire pit right outside the back door! It's wonderful to sit out there and enjoy a livation in a comfy chair.“

“This is truly a hidden gem in downtown Joliet. Food was absolutely delicious. We tried the pollo anticuchero, the lomo saltado and the papa a la huancaina and it was all very tasty. I had the parchita for a drink and it was also very good. We will definitely be back.“

“Had to wait a long time for our order because the owner was the only one working. Her employee scheduled didn't show up... Again. That being said the food was excellent! Everything is made fresh, no frozen. The burger was high quality and fantastic. My husband had brisket sandwich which he liked also. The baked beans were thick and hardy with pulled pork meat in it. Yum! They were out of several items due to supply chain issues. Which, is happening all over. We will definitely be coming back. Thanks Jodi keep up the good work! Hope you can find some reliable employees to help you.“

“Go to 99 Hops House great food“

“Eating area was clean as always! Great friendly service! I think it was Lineta maybe (sorry if I didn't get the name correctly) was nice, attentive, and knowledgeable as always, and greets with a smile! Definitely a good place to go on lunch. Food is always cooked to order, fresh, and hot.“

“On Feb 17 my granddaughter got married so we decided to go to Cracker Barrel previously I had spoke to the manager Angel to warn her 25-30 people were coming by the way she's awesome! The food was great the waitresses were so nice we had a wonderful experience. I go there to shop lol my daughter eats there every weekend so I would recommend this place hands down!!!!“

“me and my daughter love it. great customer service, drinks and bowls“

“More of a bar that serves good food when you're inside. You order at the back of the hall, pay there, then wait for your buzzer to go off to go get it. Burgers were great! Barman was friendly and helpful about learning about their craft beer“

“fun bar great music and great bartenders“

“This place gets a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ from me! Everyone I spoke with was super nice! Gabriela, specifically, went out of her way to make a special day complete for me. Living in Ohio, I needed some assistance. She stayed in constant communication with me and the results were better than expected!!! Can't wait to visit, in person, in May!! Thank you so very much 💞“

“Good comfort food. They make lunch meals at breakfast hours.

Kid-friendliness: Good options for the kids menu.

Wheelchair accessibility: Plenty of handicap parking and wide doorway and isles in the restaurant.“

“Great service, friendly servers, good prices and amazing food!“

“Haydens is a great place to eat! they are the best restaurant in town. The food is wonderful and their soups are out of this world. I only wish they would get this website up to date and working properly. I try to check it every day and am often disappointed with it not being updated.“

“Rode my horse through the drive threw and they took care of us amazingly 😂👍🏻 definitely recommend coming here“

“This place has been around 'forever''. The food and service hasn't changed. Try this place, I guarantee you'll love it. I haven't t r ied the beef sandwiches, but I hear they're pretty tasty. Next time I end up there for lunch, a beef sandwich will be my choice.“

“The roast beef sandwiches are always steaming hot on a fresh bun! Curly fries are the same. Been coming here forever. The lovely lady in the drive up is always very sweet and says have a blessed day as I pull away with my warm bag of deliciousness.“

“Family owned and family friendly!!“

“Pretty unique Italian beef... I was honestly expecting giardinera on my sandwich but it came with a fresh celery, jalapeno and red chili sauce mix, which was surprisingly really tasty. The sliced beef itself has a unique taste, wasn't dry and had a bit of juice. If they toned down the salt and seasoning it would be excellent. ?“

“Four of us from Dwight ate there Thursday night. Everything was outstanding. The pork chops were well seasoned and moist. My veal and smashed sweet potato was to die for. And the bread pudding was delicious. Missed several items on the menu, I will be back. Kudos to you and your staff for a fantastic evening!“

“Excellent staff, lots of laughs, great music inside and outside!!“

“This place has been here forever!! And I became new to this place a smacking 8 yrs ago yes!! I travel here for my shrimps and fish.. prices are beautiful. Food always fresh to the taste and I will come here till I move too far lol. Parking is decent always a place to park. Not wheelchair accessible however don’t let that make you miss ordering here“

“Best chili ever Great service Feels like home ❤️“

“the baretender was awesome the atmosphere was great. very friendly people the service was awesome. it was our first time there. we will be back“

“I have to write a super positive review about a waitress here. This is my favorite place to have a wholesome, down to earth, old-fashioned breakfast or lunch. The food is so tasty and done well but the main reason I comeback is because of the waitress Suzanne! She is so personable and attentive. She lives in the area so you can converse with her about local issues and know she is feeling the pain about things going on in our town right now. She's gentle and funny and really knows her stuff. I depend on her recommendations often. She is a hidden treasure in Joliet and should be recognized for the exceptional job she brings to her job.“

“HOLY MOTHER OF BEAUTY 🌶️

April 2025

Thank you Lalos, Roula and Ivan for the re-experience of this Chili’s 🌶️ Grill & Bar. They mentioned how much this great restaurant changed their overall customer service to their establishment.

The staff was so attentive and I LOVED the potato 🍟 fries. I forgot the soup but wow 🤩 I was in love. Thank you to the chef and staff of this Chili’s Grill & Bar!

You reminded me why I fell in love with Illinois. Congratulations beautiful Roula Blooma 🌸 for you and Ivan’s special baby girl 👧❤️.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟“

“1.00 beer!!! Friendly bartender!! Free pool on Monday!!!!“

“great food at great prices“

“Excellent food, great place to stop for lunch/dinner. Service was great. Definitely plan to come back for dinner and to try some of the winter cocktails!“