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Going to Pontiac, Il

Going to Pontiac, Il
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  • Going to Pontiac, Il

    Post #1 - September 29th, 2014, 8:43 am
    Post #1 - September 29th, 2014, 8:43 am Post #1 - September 29th, 2014, 8:43 am
    Any recommendations in or around Pontiac? I'm headed there today.
  • Post #2 - September 29th, 2014, 9:05 am
    Post #2 - September 29th, 2014, 9:05 am Post #2 - September 29th, 2014, 9:05 am
    There's Bernardi's, which the locals love. They have an ok pork tenderloin sandwich.

    DeLong's has a nice outdoor sitting area on the square. The lunches are good, sweet potato fries are good. There's a relatively new restaurant called Lydia's Cup. I went once, and haven't gone back.

    If the Apple Tree is open, they have homemade pies and homey food. Along the square, I like Apple Tree & DeLong's the best.

    There's also a Monical's pizza on the outskirts of town, as well as La Mex and Cafe Fontana.

    If you feel like a little bit of a drive on from Pontiac, Lost in Time in Fairbury is good, with all desserts made in-house at their bakery.

    Enjoy the murals, stop in at the "made in Illinois" store, the art gallery, and the cute antique store, all on the square.
  • Post #3 - September 29th, 2014, 9:15 am
    Post #3 - September 29th, 2014, 9:15 am Post #3 - September 29th, 2014, 9:15 am
    Thanks! I'll check them out.
  • Post #4 - September 29th, 2014, 9:35 am
    Post #4 - September 29th, 2014, 9:35 am Post #4 - September 29th, 2014, 9:35 am
    Oh, Pfaff's Bakery is a good, old-fashioned German style bakery.
  • Post #5 - September 29th, 2014, 4:32 pm
    Post #5 - September 29th, 2014, 4:32 pm Post #5 - September 29th, 2014, 4:32 pm
    I saw this too late. Pfaff's is the family favorite for chocolate long johns. The Old Log Cabin out on old Rt. 66 on the north edge of town is a nice diner. La Mex has great Margarita's. We tend to go to Bernardi's, but it's not my favorite. The VFW has great fried chicken on Saturday nights.
    Ms. Ingie
    Life is too short, why skip dessert?
  • Post #6 - September 29th, 2014, 4:35 pm
    Post #6 - September 29th, 2014, 4:35 pm Post #6 - September 29th, 2014, 4:35 pm
    I saw this too late. Pfaff's is the family favorite for chocolate long johns. The Old Log Cabin out on old Rt. 66 on the north edge of town is a nice diner. La Mex has great Margaritas. We tend to go to Bernardi's, but it's not my favorite. The VFW has great fried chicken on Saturday nights.
    Ms. Ingie
    Life is too short, why skip dessert?
  • Post #7 - September 30th, 2014, 6:53 am
    Post #7 - September 30th, 2014, 6:53 am Post #7 - September 30th, 2014, 6:53 am
    Bernardi's isn't my favorite, either. We've been going to Emington lately to the RoadRunner for good fried chicken and pot roast, soup/salad bar that includes dessert -- usually bread pudding. Turtle's in Dwight has closed, and a BBQ restaurant has opened about a block off Main Street, but I haven't tried it.
  • Post #8 - August 24th, 2015, 12:20 pm
    Post #8 - August 24th, 2015, 12:20 pm Post #8 - August 24th, 2015, 12:20 pm
    tcdup wrote: Turtle's in Dwight has closed, and a BBQ restaurant has opened about a block off Main Street, but I haven't tried it.



    guessing that would be Cherry Red Roasters?

    Image

    kind of a cool spot - saw they had just opened the beer garden on the right about a week ago - Shay having a soccer game in nearby Coal City late Saturday made for a great excuse to roll over.

    Pretty ligit BBQ - liked everything I had here -

    1/2 slab ribs - pretty solid - Id be happy if these came off my smoker:

    Image

    Pulled pork sandwich - brisket beans(really good) -

    Image

    All in all a pretty good spot - $12 for a half slab - $6 for a sandwich add $2 for 2 sides and a drink with that.

    Cherry Red Roasters
    207 E. Delaware St.
    Dwight, IL.

    http://www.cherryredroasters.com/#about
  • Post #9 - August 31st, 2015, 7:23 pm
    Post #9 - August 31st, 2015, 7:23 pm Post #9 - August 31st, 2015, 7:23 pm
    Soccer games have been getting me around the rural area south east of my usual stomping grounds lately -

    after Saturdays game we rolled the 30 or so minutes from the Morris area down to Essex, IL. a few miles off I-55, smack dab in the middle of Kankakee, Wilmingtons, and Dwight. Cool downtown with what looked to be 3 active bars -

    Image

    we popped across the street to Ray's Ranch House reading up on their menu beforehand I saw they did bluegill and fried chicken - got me there thats for sure - also steaks, etc. typical roadhouse food.

    fried chicken was top notch - a definite contender - crisp crunchy batter - juicy, flavorfull flesh -

    Image

    (not sure how those those overs-sauced bake-b-q ribs got on my plate - - :P )

    Bluegill was also battered - nice portion of fish for $11. Bush Lites & jim beam were cheap, and dinner for 4 was about $60, Solid place -

    Ray's Ranch House
    208 West Main
    Essex, IL.

    http://www.raysranchhouse.com/
  • Post #10 - March 25th, 2021, 10:41 pm
    Post #10 - March 25th, 2021, 10:41 pm Post #10 - March 25th, 2021, 10:41 pm
    We're going to Pontiac, IL this Saturday. Looking for a casual spot with outdoor dining on the return trip to Chicago. Any good fried chicken? Or other tavern-style food?
  • Post #11 - March 26th, 2021, 9:09 pm
    Post #11 - March 26th, 2021, 9:09 pm Post #11 - March 26th, 2021, 9:09 pm
    Most of the fried chicken places open at 4:00 or so. I'm not up for indoor dining at this point, but YMMV. Not sure what the mask wearing situation would be in Pontiac, but I'd guess not much.

    Bernardis II in Pontiac is an outpost of the Mona's/Capponi's restaurants in Toluca. They have fried chicken and central Illinois Italian food. Honestly not my favorite for Italian but the chicken is ok.

    DeLong's is more casual. They are open for lunch.

    David's is sort of a supper club. I like them.

    The favorite pizza in Pontiac is Mario's, also open at 4:00. They have good breadsticks. Everybody likes their home-town pizza. I'm not from Pontiac.

    Rentz's Tavern in Odell has fried chicken and tavern food, but it looks like take-out only.

    I am looking forward to the day when we can jump in the car, find some good local restaurants and eat inside without a reservation or worry about masks. It's coming, but it's not here yet. I guess I'm just more comfortable with take-out right now, and I think mask wearing in central Illinois would be less than I'm comfortable with.
  • Post #12 - March 27th, 2021, 5:52 am
    Post #12 - March 27th, 2021, 5:52 am Post #12 - March 27th, 2021, 5:52 am
    Hi,

    This query was moved from Chicagoland to Beyond Chicagoland.

    I know it is subtle, Chicagoland is Cook and the collar counties plus Northwest Indiana. Everything else is Beyond Chicagoland, which can be Kenosha or someplace in Tibet.

    Lincoln, Illinois has a Russell Stover's store. We have stopped there for candy and ice cream. What I beeline for is the maple fudge log rolled in pecans. It used to be found at Jewel or Walgreens, then they stopped distributing it around here. It is a highlight for me.

    Lincoln, Illinois was named after Abraham Lincoln before he became president. Located by the train depot is a watermelon statue commemorating a 1853 christening with watermelon juice when the first lots were sold.

    After Bloomington and before Atlanta is Funk's Grove. For a very long time, Funk's was the only commercial maple syrup and sugar operation in Illinois. Worth a stop for a few minutes to load up on maple products.

    You may want stop in Atlanta to visit a handmade candy operation there called RGW Candy. I suggest calling in advance, because the business is not always open to the public. It is on a farm, so even if it is closed you will be noticed. You will pass a cemetery as you go there, there is a candy makers pot on a memorial.

    In the town of Atlanta, there is a hot dog carrying muffler man statue which was once in Cicero, Illinois. Nearby is the Palm's restaurant and a grain elevator museum. If you wish a tour of the museum, I suggest calling in advance. Cynthia has had the tour, but I have not yet.

    Regards,
    Cathy2
    Cathy2

    "You'll be remembered long after you're dead if you make good gravy, mashed potatoes and biscuits." -- Nathalie Dupree
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