Restaurants in Rock Island

“Jasmine was excellent waitress! Fast and very friendly! Just love her!🩷🩷”

“Outstanding food and the best coffee in QCA!!! Highly recommended and outstanding service!!!”

“Circa has been in my life since I was a kid at Jordan Catholic school going to watch a Christmas Carol. The place is amazing. The bootleggers are awesome great actors great staff amazing atmosphere and while you’re there, consider checking out the speakeasy next-door.”

“Please show this place some love!! Absolutely amazing food and the service was top knotch. Im sure they are struggling with the road construction around their building. 10/10 recommend.”

“Stopped in today for the first time and we were absolutely blown away by the shrimp po'boy, Mac and cheese, and fried chicken. We will definitely be back!”

“Food was amazing. Atmosphere perfect, and the server, Tiffany, (i think) couldnt have better. Stopped on a whim from out of town. Definitely would stop again!”

“Another perfection pizza from Alfanos! Stuffed pizza, ordered well-done, absolutely perfect, crust had texture, not doughy at all like other places, loaded with top quality fresh ingredients. Medium size is huge for 2”

“Amazing food and quick service”

“Food was fire 🔥 customer service amazing. Big thanks to the chiefs working in the back too.”

“Aunt Beas is the type of place the locals keep secret. The type of place where the food is made with heart. Real southern home cooking! Everything, I ate was delicious and fair priced. Come try you some!”

“Heavy metal riffage in a ice cold glass.

To round out a day of exploring the Quad Cities, Emily and I dropped into Wake Brewing to have a beer and a few rounds of Uno and a few other card games to relax before the drive. I didn’t look into the place before we stopped here so I assumed it was either surfer-themed or was attached to a coffeehouse. Little did we know it was a heavy metal/groove metal nanobrewery. I thrive on heavy metal so perfect for me, not so much for Emily.

There were about 10 beers on tap to pick from so I got the Midlife Crisis (fitting as I near 40) and Emily got the Green Mind. The place was filled with what felt like the regulars so we took a spot over in a corner to drink one last beer before the road and play some card games in my ‘pub kit’ as seen in the cover photo above. My pub kit is a simple plastic container I got from Walmart that is full of quick and easy games to play at breweries, coffeehouses, or wherever you are. It just happens to be plastered in stickers from my travels. 😀

Anywho, back to the topic at hand. I really liked Wake Brewing. I have been into IPAs lately and tried a West Coast one for the first time. It was tasty but since I’ve been drinking hazy or tropical ones, it didn’t quite hit like I am used to but that’s on me and not the beer itself. Emily really liked her gose beer. I was eyeing the other IPAs on the menu but with a 2 hour drive back, I didn’t want to delay us getting home before too late.

While we sat there, some really nice groove metal was playing. It reminded me of Tool but less technical and more foot tapping. Shazam said it was King Buffalo and I’ll have to check them out once life settles down a bit. If the heavy metal scene scares you, don’t be intimidated. Most metal heads are big nerds and are some of the chillest people around.

We didn’t stick around too long but I wish we had. I loved the entire vibe of this place and would’ve liked to try some of their other beers. They do have some merch for sell, so you know Emily and I got all their stickers for this trip. If luck finds us back here again, I will def get a shirt. Anything to support heavy metal (and beer).

As a side note, do know that trying to park here had me miss the parking lot’s few entrances quite a few times. So, if it’s your first time, be vigilant of the weird layout and multiple entrances.

Rock on!”

“We was there today for the 1st time and the food was amazing can't wait to go again”

“This place is amazing! I was there last week had Pad Ped w Tofu. It tasted so good! In fact, the tofu here tasted better than the filet mignon at a different hibachi place that I had today imagine that. Seasoning and expertise is everything and this place has it 💯”

“Going to miss this place being close by. Great food. Great family and always fun to talk with. Hope your new venture works well for your family. I’ll miss your steak tacos and salsa”

“Best pizza in QC Area they need to bring back to eatin dinning so enjoy the Fresh taste from there oven to my Table”

“I’ve driven by so many times and finally stopped today. I am not disappointed! Friendly owners and staff, AMAZING coffee! Highly recommend to go out of your way for this local family owned Coffee shop.”

“How does anyone NOT love this amazing gem? Just go there and you'll see why....”

“One of the best martini places I've ever been. Owner is deeply welcoming, always respectful, and really cares about the community and people that come in. This is one of the places that you'll go and never want to go anywhere else. Definitely a highlight of the Rock Island community.”

“Can we talk about the pumpkin graham, a.k.a. pumpkin pie shake, for a moment? It’s not that often that you get something so good you would give it your phone number, but the pumpkin pie shake is SO GOOD, I would give it my phone number and let it meet my parents. I suppose I should’ve taken a picture so I could post it here, but it already did the walk of shame to my stomach.

The shake is a perfect blend of pumpkin/pumpkin spices and the simply delightful Graham Central Station ice cream. Topped with some whipped cream and additional spices for garnish, this is served with a domed lid. I highly recommend this, it will not disappoint.”

“Last night we went to Chevin's Kitchen and Catering located inside Kavanaugh’s Hilltop Bar and Grill in Rock Island. This is the second time we have stopped in recently for the daily special. We are so glad we did. From the prompt greeting by the servers and bar staff to the made to order burger sliders with fresh cut fries everything was AMAZING! Our servers were on top of it and so friendly. The food was GREAT! If you haven’t checked this place out yet or if you have forgotten about one of the oldest bars in the neighborhood don’t snooze on this! Great food and great service! We can’t wait to go back! — at Kavanaugh's Hilltop.”

“great service! chill spot!”

“I have been living in the QC for 3 years now, I was hesitant on trying some where new because every other Chinese spot has let me DOWNnnnn . BUT this is place IS GREAT. I got the beef and broccoli DAILY SPECIAL it’s only 12.99 / fried rice AND A EGG ROLL I was able to feed me and my 3 kids off one plate. Awesome flavor. Awesome price and awesome ppl. :)!! Definitely recommend.”

“1st time here. Ordered beef larb salad which was also a 1st for me. Very tasty. Lunch time and I was the only patron. Please show this little place some love so we can keep it in Rock Island! They have BOBA & smoothies!”

“Great environment, The waitress Alyssa took a lot of Care. To make sure that everything I had was ok. Great place,I will return! Would recommend you stop in!!!”

“The restaurant was easy to find and had plenty of parking. The food was great, carne asada was amazing. The staff was friendly and we got our food quickly and never had an issue.”

“Tried this place for the first time tonight for dinner. The food and service were excellent. Food came out really fast. Everyone was very friendly. I recommend this place. We will definitely be returning.”

“Cheap prices, great food, kid friendly”

“We were there virtually. My buddy was playing this beautiful lady on darts all the way from our bar in Iowa. Didn’t know you could that. But he smoked her like 100x. So he called over there and bought her a round and I played a couple songs on TouchTunes because that’s what wingmen do. Seems like solid place… virtually speaking.”

“In town for one night and stumbled onto this spot. Was exactly what we were looking for. Friendly atmosphere, good drinks, great prices. We will be back! The bartender Misty was the most welcoming part!”

“Great food and even better service! If you are looking for incredible steak tacos, nachos or even beef tacos, check them out. Can’t wait to head back and try the other items on their menu.”

“Dough is unique, deliciously savory and always perfectly balanced with a hint of sweetness and has the perfect texture that, I think, is superior to any other similar ‘Quad-Cities style’ pizza places. The pizza is absolutely amazing, but the real treasures are their calzones. For me, it’s their eggplant calzone. Eggplant can be tricky, but they slice it very thinly, use an excellent breading, fry it to perfection and layer it with creamy ricotta & rich mozzarella wrapped in that amazing dough, though occasionally they’ll not use enough filling (so, I order extra eggplant & cheese, just to be safe.) When combined with their ‘calzone sauce’ (on the side, a perfect match, bold & rich, similar to an amazing marinara but their own take, and I think it’s necessary for the full experience), it is one of my favorite meals. I’ve had pizza & calzones in so many states and cities, so many styles and varieties, but I always end up craving Pizza & Subs above all others when I’m in the mood for that. Pro tip: add eggplant to some of their pizzas, such as their garden. Another nice thing, they actually still deliver themselves, not using some service, and they deliver surprisingly quickly most of the time, for a very reasonable fee, and the people are always kind and friendly. Unfortunately, they changed their hours in the past few years and close much earlier than most pizza places, which can often be frustrating. Sometimes they’ll close randomly due to staffing issues or things that come up beyond their control. And their website is literally years out of date, and always reminds me of how much they’ve raised their prices when I go to look at their menu... But, it’s a family run joint that makes amazing food, so accepting those things is necessary even if it means I don’t get food from them as often as I used to. Otherwise, I can’t recommend Pizza & Subs highly enough as something uniquely amazing that I hope remains open for generations to come. Just wish they were able to stay open later, and their prices went down. It’s worth the splurge sometimes, though, and their pizzas are quite loaded with toppings. 🤷‍♂️”

“One of the bery best brewpubs anywhere. I have a handful of must stop small brewers and this is one of them. They also have excellent companion brews on tap—this is a pub where one is just not enough because of a sumptuous flavorful variety.”

“I've only been to roosters a few times and that was some years ago. But I loved it a lot the food could be better it was a little rushed and the atmosphere was a little stale but the theme of the restaurant is what saved it. But overall, it's a great place.”

“The food was good for a buffet. Some dishes are hit or miss. The prime rib was quite good when I was there, had fresh horse radish is all ways a plus, fried chicken was good, dessert was good as well. Skip the mac and cheese, and country gravy. Staff was friendly. Waitress made sure our glasses were always full. Nice interior, very bright and colorful, not like the Casinos of old. Great place for Sunday brunch.”

“This place rocks � .........”

“The course is BACK! I played here many times when it was previously open and I am so happy it is back! I went today with my family and the course was in great shape considering it was closed for many years. Do yourself a favor and golf a round! New carts, friendly staff, and great location!”

“The food is always really good and the staff have always been friendly! It's a shame they don't have a dine-in option anymore after covid, but that's not a huge setback. Good food and friendly staff make up for it!”

“Just had our wedding here 8/17/24
Eric and Ashley were phenomenal!!! Very friendly and answered any questions we had along the night. 100% will be booking their space for future events”

“there cheeseburger are the best on the planet 🙂🙂”

“The food's always great, and the service is too. I love that I can eat for under $10 with a Little John, chips, and drink. These people are just a step above other fast food.”

“Our first visit to Awake Coffee in Davenport was flawless. With a 10/10 rating, the service was exceptional, and the staff were incredibly friendly. The menu catered to all tastes, including my picky eater on the spectrum who loved the Strawberry Banana Smoothie and the Bacon, Sausage, and Egg Biscuit. The availability of breakfast sandwiches all day was a highlight. Awake Coffee exceeded our expectations, and we highly recommend it for a memorable dining experience.”

“So… I grew up on Happy Joe’s Pizza. As a kid I used to climb the stairs to the viewing window and watch the employees make the pies. Then I even worked for the company in my late teens and early twenties for 5 years. Loved that stuff. I eventually became one of the people that started early and made fresh dough every day. I never got tired of it! Fast forward to the 2010s-2020s and I became very disappointed with the quality of Happy Joe’s Pizza to the point that I wouldn’t buy it anymore. And yes it is expensive. The majority of the ingredients are the same as they were 30 years ago or more but the crust was like cardboard. Yuk! Every once in a while I think “what if they went back to freshly made dough every day? Then they could charge a lot because you know you are getting the quality again.” Well today I decided I was craving a Combo Pizza (formerly garden) from Happy Joe’s. I grabbed one on my way home at lunch. At the drive up window I asked the manager if they ever considered making dough from scratch again instead of frozen. She then told me something that blew my mind… they are making the dough from scratch again! Since restructuring things after recent world events (the disease that shall remain nameless) they started making dough daily again in Milan and it is shipped to Rock Island and a couple other stores. She said "it’s as close to the old recipe as they can get." On my drive home I scarfed down the pizza and was surprised to discover it was super good! I even ate the “pizza bones”! I looked down at the small pizza box… No survivors… So excited that Rock Island Happy Joe’s is back to kicking butt again! Next time: Taco Supreme…”

“great pizza... I will not be eating Harris again..... their pizza has nothing on Poor Boys.. and has declined greatly over the years.. ... THANKS POOR BOYS!!!..”

“Saturday July 26th 2025 about 630 or 7pm. I met the most outstanding young man ever. He made sure my sandwiches and fries were perfect showing me my order was correct. Plus the sandwich worker made the best hungry hobo sandwiches I ever ate! Amazing!”

“I've never been a fan of Chinese food, basically avoiding it my whole life, which hasn't been short. A friend today recommended I try the L3 sweet and sour chicken and apparently being in an adventurous mood, I decided to go for it. The chicken is mostly breading, which in my personal opinion is a very good thing, as I've always considered the crust to be the best part of chicken. These are basically like chicken onion rings. I didn't care for the sweet and sour sauce on the chicken, so I used some hot barbecue sauce on the chicken. The sweet and sour sauce was good on the rice.”

“It's taken me much too long to get a review on here, but this is THE BEST Little Ceasars. I can always count on good, fast, friendly service, and its always fresh! The staff is great, and I can honestly say I've never been disappointed with this location..I wouldn't be leaving a review if I had!”