Joliet, Illinois, offers a mix of classic American and ethnic cuisines, with typical dishes including Chicago-style deep-dish pizza and Italian beef sandwiches.
Cafés • Waffles • Chicken • Breakfast
"The real home of all waffles! Louie’s Waffle House is extremely attentive to detail from little signs on the jelly/jam, overall decor, and their delicious food presentation. It is clear that there is a high level of care placed on providing the best customer experience. Special recognition to our great bilingual (Spanish/English) sever, Larissa. If you like waffles and delicious yet affordable breakfast and lunch food —get here and get here fast! In honor of the family’s dog, Zeus I really hope Louie’s can add a dog friendly dining area during the warmer days. Overall fantastic experience and delicious food, thank you."
Bars • Beer • Grill • Casual
"Great food, but watch out for the coffee,they actually charged us for refills, not a normal practice around here. Guess we'll go back to water. Edit: I spoke with the manager after this post and was assured that they do have a free refill on all non-alcoholic drinks and provided a credit for our next visit. Had a great meal and coffee a couple of weeks ago."
Full • Wine • Steak • Steakhouse
"Overall, my experience was lovely, but there were a few issues. My mother and partner ordered medium-rare steaks, but they arrived undercooked. They weren't pleased with that. The management offered to replace the steaks, and my mother and husband went back to the kitchen to have them fixed. I ordered a Forbidden Fruit cocktail, but unfortunately, it came with some drops on the top and side. The management kindly prepared a new one for me. The music was fantastic! I would definitely return."
Wraps • Cheese • American • Chocolate
"Interesting it's been years since I've been in one, well maybe I should say decades. I think it may have been this one. The Rax Beef still tastes good, but the place seems to be showing its age, not dirty just a little run down. I'll probably stop in again as the beef is better than Arby's, next time I'm in the area."
Tea • Wine • Pasta • American
"Our server was outstanding. We started with the pretzel appetizer, which was delicious, and then ordered two poutine burgers along with a chicken roulade. Unfortunately, we found the burgers to be rather underwhelming; they lacked the juicy, flavorful experience we were hoping for and had very little gravy, resulting in a dry texture. On the other hand, the chicken roulade and its accompanying sauce were quite flavorful. However, the cauliflower side was dry and lacked seasoning, which was also the case for the Brussels sprouts that my husband had with his burger. While we'd be willing to return for another visit, we would avoid those particular dishes next time."
Full • Steak • Cheese • Steakhouse
"Anniversary dinner. Took them 30 minutes to locate a partial comp from host. Not to busy . Started off with cab cakes, they were fishy and under cooked not even warm. Ordered 2 prime rib dinners 1 medium 1 well done and a side order of $12 crispy Brussels sprouts. Presentation a little sloppy for an upscale restaurant. Brussel sprouts arrived 10 minutes after entree. Could not cut or chew the prime rib.very tough. Brussel sprouts seemed reheated from previous days. They were not tender or crispy.Cheesecake for dessert. Seemed like it may have been precut days earlier since it was dried out on top and the berries were dried out as well. When asked if we wanted leftovers wrapped we decliend. The server could see we didn’t eat much of the dinner. We did eat the cheesecake since we were hungry. Really disappointed. It ruined my Anniversary. I’ve eaten here many times before, expected more for $150. Since they are closed Monday thru Wednesday. Your probably getting old food, I wouldn’t go on a Thursday again"
Steak • Cheese • Burgers • Mexican
"I don't like the fact that the owner will increase the price from what's in the register. Ex:: an extra hamburger patty is in the system as 1.25. He added an extra .75. The price of the patty was not the problem. It was the principal. I asked about the increase. He stated, everything is more expensive. I felt I was being cheated. Update your system and the daily specials."
Tea • Beer • Cheese • Chicken
"I haven't returned to this restaurant since the pandemic began two years ago, but I was pleasantly surprised by the improvement in the burgers. I tried the MyGrain burger and the Spicy Vincent with fries, and they were both amazing. The flavors were outstanding, especially the mango habanero sauce. I highly recommend this gem in Joliet. The staff is kind, and it's nice that the restaurant is family-friendly despite serving alcohol. They even have Nickelodeon playing on the TV at the bar, which is a cool touch. You can check out more photos on Instagram at @sunflash.photography."
Soup • Steak • Cheese • Chicken
"Had the Fried Chicken dinner. Chicken amazing, mashed potatoes delicious. Green beans need some flavor. My hubby had the Filet, it was yummy. Twice baked needs a little help, a tiny bit on the dry side. Chicken noodle soup awesome. Cream of broccoli was great too. The pineapple cheesecake. Outstanding. The restaurant is outdated but that makes them. **** Mary's are a MUST"
Soup • Wine • Coffee • Buffet
"**Dining Experience Review** **Meal Type:** Dinner **Price Range per Person:** $50–$100 **Food Rating:** 5/5 **Service Rating:** 5/5 **Atmosphere Rating:** 5/5 The dining experience was exceptional, with each aspect exceeding expectations. The food was absolutely outstanding, showcasing a perfect blend of flavors and creativity. The service was impeccable; the staff was attentive and friendly, adding to the overall enjoyment of the meal. The atmosphere was inviting and elegant, creating a perfect setting for a delightful dinner. I highly recommend this restaurant for anyone looking for a memorable dining experience."
Full • Pubs • Cheese • , Sports
"Fritz's never disappoints. The food, service drink are always good. It gets very busy, especially on the weekends. They don't take reservations except for parties of 5 or more. It would be fantastic if they could expand the restaurant. They have daily specials, and the regular menu is always good. Parking can be tight, especially when they are busy. They do offer take out. On busy nights, I recommend ordering your food to go or plan to wait 20-30 minutes. Whichever you choose, the food is worth the wait. Definitely try the Greek style pork chops."
Pub • Soup • Fish • Steak
"We walked in on a Sunday afternoon and they were kind enough to offer us a 'reserved ' table and made room for a kids ' high chair. The place itself has a very relaxed vibe; loved the ambience. Food: For appetizer, it was probably the best 'stuffed mushroom ' I 've ever had (in pic). We also tried the potato and leak soup. Kids burger was tasty and surprisingly, quite big in size (in pic). The main course 'fish and chips ' (in pic) was on point! Very tasty. Crust was awesome! But I feel, the quantity/size of fish was small for the price of a main course! We tried 3 different types of beers they even topped off one of our beers with Guiness (that was my first), but the final taste was 'good ' interesting. Overall, the service was very good. Will definitely do it again!"
Pub • Pubs • Irish • Italian
"I don't like to give negative reviews but I am one who relies on reviews. So disappointed in what i hoped be a place to add to our local list of restaurants. Took our neice here who was staying at Harrahs, and wished we had made another choice. Service was great. Craft beer selection was great. Food was not. Of course no atmosphere because it looks like I remember from years ago. Was really hoping the food would be great too but it wasn't. By the way, listing what you called cheesy potato casserole which sounds yummy but serving lumpy mashed potatoes with no flavor....very misleading. Also a note to theater goes, there is a limited menu on Rialto show nights . No more comments needed."
Salad • Lunch • Italian • Chicken
"Great place for a larger party. We had our daughters baptism today and had around 24 people (not including children). The young lady handled our entire party almost entirely by herself and absolutely nailed it with her level of service. We got the party package which came out to about 26 a piece and it was served family style. Large helpings and delicious food. The food was seasoned beautifully and as fast as we were finished they ensured our spots were cleared off. The Calamari was really tasty. I was worried because sometimes if it's not cooked right it comes out rubbery but not this time. We finished with coffee, Lemon Ice, and Tiramisu as a desert. Never felt rushed. Never felt judged because we had our kids running around the atrium. Definitely family friendly and will absolutely have another family gathering here!"
Full • Lunch • Breakfast • Ribeye Steak Sandwiches
"I stopped by Clayton's Tap for breakfast a few days ago. On the Internet, my 8:00 arrival time was listed as not very busy. The place was packed and there was only one woman serving everybody. She was the hardest working waitress/bartender I have ever seen. She was very good at her job. I had bacon, eggs and toast. It was simple and pretty good. The atmosphere is what anyone would expect for a bar and grill. I'll be back."
Pizza • Coffee • Cheese • Desserts
"Probably some of the best pizza around. I can 't compare it to big city pizza, to be honest, but we love Jane Doughs and will happily drive to Joliet to buy it. The pricing is fair, especially with inflation being so out of control right now. Just can 't expect anything to be cheap these days."
Soup • Fish • Pasta • Chinese
"The food here is very good. The Best Chinese food, imo in Joliet, and I have been looking. Portions are well served. Everything I ordered was great. I ordered a veggie lo mein by mistake cuz who orders veggies i aint vegeterian) and that stuff slaps. It's really freaking good. My only complaint is the dough for the dumplings is too thick, same for the crab Rangoon. But they were still very good. This is the 1st time I ordered Chinese food in my life and I don't have any leftovers the next day. It was that good. I found my new go to place. You should give it a try. Good Job people who probly don't know what I'm saying."
Cafe • American • Breakfast • Sandwiches
"I've been here quite a few times in the decade I lived nearby. We don't have many restaurant options in walking distance, and most are not full service. So when I don't want to drive but don't want a hotdog or taco, I come here. Both the service and the food remain consistent. The food is cooked well but has limited seasoning which is great for someone with dietary restrictions, not for the foodie looking for flavor explosions. It reminds me of the old greasy spoons I would visit in Chicago in the early 90s which is nostalgic. I could look past the average dishes if the service was better. No matter what server I have had in 10 years, it's always the same terrible etiquette. Now, I worked as a server for over 2 years, 15 years ago during the recession, and I know what should and should not be done. These waitresses are not being trained properly and they must not have rules to follow. They don't flip their tables (bring the check after meals are nearly finished). They don't bus anything (take your plates). They don't get drinks on the table right away. After you sit for 15 minutes or more they get around to asking about drinks and walk away before you can give your food order. The only reason I keep coming back is the convenient location in a town with few options. Come here only if you have all the time in the world and you have patience."
Pub • Pubs • Beer • Grill
"I went to a restaurant in Frankfort on Sunday for the Bears game. We started with nachos, shrimp, and potato skins. The nachos were okay, but the shrimp was amazing! I didn't try the potato skins, so I can't comment on those. I also ordered the Cobb salad, which was very good. It was a lot of food for one meal, but I don't eat leftovers, so I left it. They have the best Thousand Island dressing. My friend had a burger and said it was good. The waitress was a bit slow with beer refills, but it was busy because of the game, so I understand."
Full • Pizza • Casual • Italian
"Thin crust is the way to go.. This is a good place for pizza, though I do recommend sticking with thin crust. Their deep dish isn't horrible, but not their specialty. On the weekends it can get crazy in there with all the families and groups of teens, so be prepared for that. It's not a place for cheap pizza, at least that was the case when I was there last, but you do get a lot for what you pay . Overall, Cemenos has good food and is a great place to start a fun night out."