Roadfood in the Illinois River Valley

Eating like a local:
Regional food specialties 
- Local Spots in LaSalle County Illinois  

We're heading down to the Illinois River Valley this week for a little rest and relaxation plus some food and drink. Michigan and Wisconsin are where most Chicagoans go to get away but I'm noticing a small uptick in people spending time and even purchasing weekend homes in the Illinois River Valley region. The IRV is two hours west of Chicago so around the same time it takes to get to those other states. This area is one of the most important geographic and cultural corridors in Illinois, stretching along the Illinois River from the Chicago area down toward the Mississippi River near Grafton. It cuts diagonally through the state and has shaped agriculture, transportation, and industry for centuries. At its core is the Illinois River and the valley surrounding it which is a broad, fertile lowland formed by ancient glacial activity which left behind rich soils and a landscape of bluffs, floodplains, and wetlands. The area is especially known for its dramatic mix of terrain. In northern and central sections, steep limestone bluffs rise above the river, while wide agricultural plains spread out beyond them. This is one reason the region became an early transportation and settlement corridor as it it naturally connects the Great Lakes region to the Mississippi River. One of the most scenic stretches is around Starved Rock State Park, where sandstone canyons, waterfalls, and forested cliffs overlook the river. Nearby towns like Ottawa serve as gateways to outdoor recreation and river tourism. Both Starved Rock and Matthiessen State Parks in LaSalle County are among the best in the state and can make for great daytrips or even a weekend getaway for the outdoors type. I've always been fascinated with river towns so this area has always fascinated me. Today we're headed to five LaSalle County eating spots I've stopped in at when I've been out and about this way - 

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Wedron Office (Wedron)

As mentioned in many previous posts of mine, there’s lots of spots for fried chicken in the Illinois River Valley region. I’ve been to many of them but never got a chance to check out the Wedron Office until last year. It’s in the middle of nowhere (Pop. 140) but it's far from hidden. Found on the outskirts of Ottawa, Illinois the Wedron Office has rustic supper club vibes. It stays packed pretty much all day, every day. Two of it’s big draws are fried chicken with a thinly coated cracker crisp crust as well as a freshly pounded breaded pork tenderloin sandwich which is pictured with a side of locally made “ravs” which is what they call tortellini in these parts. All of that plus a 1/2 order of onion rings and trip to the salad bar (I guess those survived covid after all) made for a blowout meal. Each dish was as perfectly fried as the next. I hope to make it back on a Friday for the fried bluegill special. The BPT is one of the better ones in this area. As far as that fried chicken it’s some of best in LaSalle County making it some of the best in the Midwest or anywhere for that matter. You know that old saying “you pick one thing and you do it well?” Well LaSalle County picked fried chicken and they do it really well. 

Lunch at Wedron Office (click pics to enhance)
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Maddie's Place (Leland)

Next stop takes us to Leland, Illinois (Pop. 951). This tiny farming village in northern LaSalle County, is located about halfway between Ottawa and DeKalb in the flat prairie country of north-central Illinois. It’s the kind of place where grain elevators dominate the skyline, the high school sports teams are a major identity point, and everybody seems to know each other’s name. That’s especially true of Maddie’s Place - an all-purpose small-town tavern where you get burgers, beer, trivia nights, live music, and community events all rolled into one. In towns like Leland, taverns like Maddie’s Place are often the civic center as much as the local village hall is. I had read somewhere that Maddie’s Place makes a great breaded pork tenderloin and I can now pass that knowledge onto my readers. As you might expect in these parts the fry job was fantastic and it wasn’t too thin so there was some real pork flavor to go with a fresh set of toppings and a soft bun to boot. I’m not the biggest tenderloin fan in the same way I don’t love fried chicken sandwiches but this was a BPT I would get again. 

Breaded Pork Tenderloin at Maddie's Place
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Grant Street Grocery (Streator)

Grant Street Grocery is one of those old-school small-town spots that’s half grocery, half deli counter, and a fully local institution. It’s tucked into a modest building on the west side of Streator (Pop. 12300) at 402 W. Grant Street. From the outside it looks frozen in time. People around Streator don't flock here for the grocery side so much as the homemade food coming out of the deli and kitchen. They have a local cult following for the stuffed sandwiches served on Thursdays. It comes up regularly in online reviews and I just so happened to be passing thru on a Thursday so lucky me. It’s basically warm and fresh baked buttery bread slit down the middle and stuffed with salami, ham, mozzarella and other savory fillings. I could taste why it’s a local comfort-food. I also left with some really good freshly baked Hungarian strudels which are a favorite of mine in the wide world of pastries. 

Stuffed Sandwich at Grant Street Grocery
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Smitty's Bar and Grill (Leonore)

Smitty's Bar & Grill in Leonore (Pop. 100) is a classic rural Illinois tavern that people from outside the area would never randomly discover. That said it’s become a legendary stop among road-trippers, bikers, Starved Rock visitors, and breaded pork tenderloin enthusiasts alike. Smitty’s is located deep in farmlands in the crossroads of LaSalle County. You’ll be chugging along and suddenly there’s Smitty’s, packed with people on wing nights and there's often a wait for Friday fish fry. The bar is famous for a few very Midwestern specialties including gigantic breaded pork tenderloin sandwiches, broasted chicken, and some of the best wings in the area which are in my opinion the best item on the menu. The wings are fried to order and sauced up with made on site sauces like the signature “Sweet Heat” which is sweet and spicy. These are very satisfying wings best paired with ice cold beer.  

Chicken Wings at Smitty's Bar and Grill
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The Old Mill Tavern (Sheridan)

Last stop takes us to the town of Sheridan (Pop. 2500) which is home to a handful of bars including The Old Mill Tavern - a small, long-running country bar and grill that’s been a local staple for decades, sitting out in rural LaSalle County near the Fox River. Walking into this bar can feel a bit intimidating due to it's location in the middle of nowhere with the feel of an old-school Midwestern tavern. It feels like old-country style spot with a time capsule vibe including an old wooden bar, plastic tablecloths and memorabilia from previous eras hanging on the walls. The draw here for most regulars seemed to be the slot machines but for us it was the fried chicken which some say is the best in the area - high praise for a place in these parts. Online reviews also mention the catfish but on this day me and the company I kept were craving fried chicken so we got a plate of that which was on special for a price that matched the old school atmosphere. We also got a half basket of onion rings which are the thinly sliced and lightly battered kind. They were good if not a tad too overcooked. The chicken was good but a bit over salted. But as to be expected in these parts it was perfectly fried with a crisp exterior. 

Onion Rings and Fried Chicken at The Old Mill Tavern 
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Previous Posts You Might Like:

The Smashed Crispy Burgers of Central Illinois (2015)
The Illinois Fried Chicken Trail (2021)
Eating BIG in Central Illinois (2024)
Back On The Illinois Burger Trail (2025)

See ya next time @chibbqking

Bar Food in Wisconsin

Eating like a local:
Regional food specialties 
- Bar and Supper Club Grub in Wisco

Over the years there's been more than 300 restaurants from Wisconsin featured on this site (close to 90 posts total). Today we add five more spots in the form of dining destinations that double as bars.

 

Random Bars in Wisconsin

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The 615 Club (Beloit)

I've had the chance to grab dinner at The 615 Club a couple times over the years. It's located in downtown Beloit which is the first spot in Wisconsin you enter when traveling north on 90 from Illinois (about an hour south of Madison). The 615 Club is a Beloit landmark going back to 1936. The type of spot you go to celebrate a promotion or anniversary and the likes. The Saturday night hotspot so to say. It checks all the boxes for a classic Wisconsin Club starting with a relish tray which can be seen above. The building, bar and dining rooms are all old school with photos of the past hanging on the walls. You can never really go wrong with the prime rib at a place like this and def try an order of the onion rings which have a sweetness in the batter like that of a donut. Good cinnamon rolls too. 

Saturday Night Supper at The 615 Club 
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Nite Cap Inn (Palmyra)

Next Stop: Friday Fish Fry in Palmyra (pop. 1781) at The Nite Cap Inn in the Scenic Kettle Moraine State Forest. This place is a step back into time with it's wraparound bar, curtain covered windows, Old German menu (Saturday’s only) and the vintage blast from the past dining room. The building itself dates back to 1857. The first restaurant opened here in 1938 and Nite Cap Inn has been occupying the space since 1988. Cod is all you can eat but walleye is where it’s at. Served with your choice of fries or what many consider the best potato pancakes in the state. The recipe comes from the lady who owned the previous restaurant in this building which she opened with her husband in 1974. Betty Betenz was the area’s Potato Pancake Queen until her passing at 93 in 2016 but her legacy lives on in these housemade potato pancakes that live up to their billing as some of the best anywhere. Even better they’re all you can eat with your Friday Fish Fry. So good I took four to go (extra charge). The fried walleye was pretty much perfect as well. The homemade dessert list features German torte including one that's not well known outside of Wisconsin. Schaum Torte is the German equivalent of Pavlova. Lots of old Sconnies of German descent make this meringue topped with fruit and ice cream for special occasions, like Friday Fish Fry. A contender for best fish fry in the state.  

Friday Fish Fry at Nite Cap Inn

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Clifford's Supper Club (Hales Corner)

Here's a spot I visited a few years back. One of the many cool things about Wisconsin Supper Clubs is you can pretty much count on them being the same place they were on your last visit whether that visit came last year or more than a decade ago. Clifford's has been a mainstay in the Milwaukee area since 1959. They're commonly mentioned when the best fish fry's in the area are discussed. But they don't do any of the lake favorites which is what I prefer. Still I had a fun Friday night when we sat at the bar during what was Christmas season at the time. These places always have festive crowds but the holidays make them even moreso. One plus about spots that serve cod is it's usually AYCE. 

Friday Fish Fry at Clifford's Supper Club 

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Mibb's & Vivs (Lannon)

About 15 minutes outside of Milwaukee is the small town of Lannon. It seemed like a pretty sleepy place but like so many other small towns in Wisconsin it comes alive on Friday night. The building that houses Mibb's & Viv's has been home to a bar for more than a century. You can feel the history inside. It's an old school spot with a friendly small town atmosphere though some of the regulars seemed to be easily swayed by the likes of Fox News and Facebook. The waitresses here make the rounds around the bar taking orders for Friday Fish Fry. Cod seems to be popular but walleye is a better bet though the breading is different. Fish Fry comes with your choice of potato and I always choose pancakes if it's an option. I thought these looked like the store bought kind but I was wrong. One of the best potato pancakes I've had alongside a fish fry. They also make a really great German potato salad (served warm). The rest of the fish fry was very traditional down to the buttered bread. This is one of the Milwaukee areas best fish fry experiences. Saturday is broasted chicken night. 

Friday Fish Fry at Mibb's & Viv's

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Buckhorn Supper Club (Milton)

If you want to experience some serious Saturday night supper club vibes than head to this contender for best supper club in the state. This spot hits all the high notes when it comes to classic Wisconsin Supper Clubs. It’s got the retro looks and feel, it sits on a lake, and the food is fantastic as far as supper club grub goes. Sure there’s no relish tray but gimme perfectly medium rare prime rib, fried blue gills with Old Fashioned's, and some of the best onion rings anywhere all paired with cheap cold beer. About two hours from Chicago and an hour north of Rockford. Serving the area for 90+ years.

Dinner at Buckhorn Supper Club 
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See ya next time @chibbqking

Babygold Barbecue

 -Grubbing in Chicagoland  
New to the 'Scene'

One of the most talked about restaurants among Chicago food people right now isn't in Logan Square or the West Loop or even Hyde Park, it's in Berwyn and it's a barbecue setup through a partnership between Chicago Chef John Manion and the owner of FitzGerald's. The latter of which is a Berwyn bar with a large outdoor patio and a stage for musicians to perform. I paid a visit just last night and arrived to a patio that was about 95% full. There was a really nice energy in the air as live music was being played while people ate, drank, and enjoyed a perfect summer night. We were seated pretty quickly as it was just me and a friend who joined me for some brisket and brews out in Berwyn. 

Locals Favorite in Berwyn 

We started out the night with a couple of their exclusive Babygold Cold Beer which is pilsner brewed by a local brewery. It's served in 16 ounce cans so thumbs up to that. The guy behind the food at Babygold, Chef John Manion, runs El Che Steakhouse & Bar located on Washington and he has a butcher shop called El Che Meat & Provisions that he runs from there. So he's well versed in the grilling of meats and is now attempting to become a master at smoking them too. The menu isn't the typical served by the pound style and instead the meat comes served as a plate or a platter. There's a nice selection of appetizers as well as sandwiches and we may have ordered a little too much but that's ok bc we got to try a decent amount and figure out what some of the standout items are. The smoked whitefish salad may or may not be one of them. I'm still undecided but it was definitely a bit on the wetter side compared to some other versions I've recently ate. There was probably a little too much mayo but there also wasn't anything left when our waiter came to clear the plates. Served with a side of saltines which I appreciated bc they usually work perfect with a cold fish dish like this. 

Smoked Whitefish Dip at Babygold Barbecue

I was very intrigued with the Po Boys even though I know that the consumption of them outside of New Orleans usually results in an unsatisfying product. What caught my eye was the brisket debris option which comes the traditional way so that's good but I knew much of my opinion on it would be made based on the bread and it wasn't to my liking. Too soft and not quite right. The brisket debris tasted pretty plain to me too. Not sure if it was smoked or came from the bottom of a pan loaded with drippings but it didn't taste that way to me. I thought the sandwich was ok but I wouldn't get it again. 

Brisket Debris Po Boy at Babygold Barbecue

Ok so lets talk barbecue! It's what David Chang calls the future of dining out. He thinks that in the way people went to steakhouses and such for special nights out will soon be how the masses consume barbecue. I'm kind of in agreement in that the cost of going out for barbecue these days isn't all that much cheaper than going to a steakhouse or even sushi. When Central Texas barbecue became thee barbecue among food media and foodies alike it skyrocketed in popularity and with that beef prices have risen. Since brisket is usually front and center with Central Texas style you usually get brisket if and you're going to pay a premium for it when you do. Especially considering most spots like this understand the importance of using quality beef so long explanation short - beef just isn't that cheap anymore. It's expensive actually compared to the other options like chicken and pork. My whole point is that when you go out for barbecue in this style you're going to drop some money so it's kind of become similar to going out for steak. It's for a special meal. That sets the quality expectations very high and the truth is there's lots of bad bbq out there. The good news is that's not the case here. 

Smoked Jalapeno / Cheddar Link Platter with onion rings and braised greens 

We ended up trying a combo plate that paired brisket (ordered sliced / fatty) with the ribs plus a platter of the sausage link which we paired with the waiter recommended onion rings and some braised greens. Pretty good at least the sausage and onion rings anyway. I appreciated the pickles and pickled red onion as you have to serve those on the side if serving this style of barbecue. The ribs which get a saucing pre-trip to the grill (they're smoked before that) were the best of the smoked meats we tried. I enjoyed the smoke flavor they had as well as the grilling of them with sauce bc it gives them another layer of flavor that's different from dipping the meat into a side of sauce. I don't order brisket outside of Texas and expect to get the good stuff save for a few special instances but this wasn't one of them. I wasn't expecting a guy that decided he's going to do bbq for a business model to be able to put put a smoked brisket similar to those in Texas smoked by lifetime pitmasters. Still it was better than alot of brisket I've had. There's tons of bad brisket out there and you'll realize this if you ever try the signature stuff served at some spots in Texas. This wasn't quite that. It could've used more smoke flavor and better texture but I still ate it all and enjoyed it for what it was which was decent brisket for outside the Lone Star State. I would've liked to see Manion build a menu mixing some of his Argentinean cooking with Texas style barbecue. The sides were all just ok. The onion rings the best of a mediocre bunch that included potato salad, beans, and greens. It all suffered a bit too from being served at room temp. But the thing with barbecue is you get much better the more you make so lots of barbecue spots get better over time. If that's the case here they'll have a setup that cant be beat locally in the warmer months. I look forward to a return trip later this summer. 

Brisket and Ribs and Babygold Barbecue 

Babygold Barbecue 
6613 Roosevelt Rd
Berwyn, IL 60402
(708) 637-4364
Website

Eating Up Lake Michigan Pt.2

Eating like a local:
Regional food specialties
- Summertime on Western Michigan's Shoreline

With air travel a no go for the time being we decided to take a small roadtrip this summer. We're still hoping to be able to take a longer one at the end of August but around Mid-July we decided to go beaching for a few days up the coast of Michigan. A trip I try to take every summer but don't always accomplish since there's so many other spots to see. That said there isn't much better as far as a 2-3 hour trip from Chicago this time of the year. Western Michigan easily has the best fresh water beaches in the country and there's some cute little towns to be found up and down. That said this was a bit of a last minute trip so any type of cute beach bungalow was long gone as far as rentals go. So instead we decided to make Grand Rapids our home base. More on GR in my next post as today's will focus on the food we ate up and down the lake since even though we stayed in Grand Rapids we hung out on the beaches during the day. It worked out quite well actually as there was more to see / do in GR in the eve. Today's roundup will include food from Harbor Country all the way up to Muskegon. We beached all four days and found the Pere Marquette Park Beach in Muskegon to be best in class. It's spacious and the sand is super soft while the water is pretty clear.

Pere Marquette Park (Muskegon, MI)
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 Patellie's (Three Oaks, MI)

I've always loved the charming little town of Three Oaks. It's a great place to stay if you're headed to Harbor Country and don't need to be right on the beach. I feel like it's seen major growth the last decade. But not to the point where it's lost any charm or feels like any other suburb. Most of the businesses in town are local purveyors of whatever it is they're selling. At Patellie's that's pizza. Found right on the main strip of town (Elm street) is this semi newish pizza place. The Michiana area has some good pizza spots and you can count these East Coast style pies and slices among them. We had called to order a whole pizza but there was a bit of a wait. Luckily they do slices and huge ones at that. I was confused by the lady at the walk up window asking if I wanted my slices sliced so I said no and ended up with basically a 1/4 of a pizza in each slice dressed with fresh local toppings.

 Slices from Patellie's 

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 Flagship Fish (Lakeside, MI)

I recently took my first trip to Flagship Fish located on the Red Arrow Highway in between Warren Dunes and New Buffalo. I got the tip from a buddy and agreed it looked legit. Small menu of fried items including lightly breaded lake perch and traditional fish and chips made with cod. Fresh seafood and local meats available too. I enjoyed both fried offerings on a hot summer day before some chill time at the beach. Judging by the constant takeout they're a welcome addition to Harbor Country.

Lightly Dusted Lake Perch + Fish & Chips from Flagship Fish 

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 Farmhouse Deli & Pantry (Douglas, MI)

Douglas Michigan is another cute little town that's worth spending a weekend in. If you do then check out Farmhouse Deli & Pantry for lunch one day. This is kind of the prototypical lunch option in Harbor Country if you ask me. There's lots of spots like it but they're not all the same per se. Farmhouse features a ton of Michigan products such as Great Lakes Potato Chips which are quite possibly the GOAT of bagged chips. Aside from a deli case with salads, meats and such they also have cold and hot sandwiches and fresh squeezed juice drinks. Their most popular offering is their version of a banh mi which isn't authentic at all in terms of the bread used (Dutch Crunch Roll) but they nail it in terms of deliciousness. House smoked pork with good smoke flavor is dressed with pickled carrots, pickled radish, pickled cucumber, greens, jalapeño, cilantro, sriracha mayonnaise. I'd advise to order ahead.

Smoked Pork Banh Mi at Farmhouse Deli

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Pronto Pups (Grand Haven, MI)

This little corn dog stand sits on a public park overlooking the Grand River. It's been a part of Grand Haven summers for a really long time. So when I walked up and found a line with news cameras interviewing people I assumed they had just opened from quarantine shutdown or something. I watched a blue collar local walk away with five and chow them down solo at a picnic table. He must've really missed them I figured. It wasn't until after I too enjoyed my unique pancake battered pronto pups (hence the name, they cant call them corn dogs) that I learned that news cameras were there bc the day before the owner had posted a racist rant to the businesses social media account. Apparently the dumb ass meant to post to to his personal page as if that's any type of excuse. Look they were good for what they were. Cheap hot dogs battered and fried fresh but I for one want to know if a place I'm supporting is part of America's ugly problem bc I don't want to support these people in any type of way. Some will cry cancel culture but it's in fact enacting the freedom to say "Fuck You".

Pronto Pups. Served up by a racist in Grand Haven.

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Fricano's Pizza Tavern (Grand Haven, MI)

Return trip to what some call the best pizzeria in all of Michigan. I first visited close to a decade ago and loved the classic atmosphere as well as the minimal menu. They offer pizza and drinks and that’s it. You can choose from just five topping options including anchovies. Also there’s just one size. Founded in 1949 by two brothers who decided to introduce Western Michigan to a Sicilian style pizza their family made and the rest is history with multiple locations today. That said the original here in Grand Haven is the one you want to try as the atmosphere is as important as the pizza. It was weird seeing the house empty but they were still churning out 100s of pizzas for takeout. The most popular order is “EBA” or everything but anchovies. But I had that last time and it was too much toppings. I think two is the most a pizza should have. So for this trip I chose sausage and green pepper. They load up the sausage with seasoning mix they call ‘birdseed’ that seems to be a dried Italian herb blend. It’s pretty potent in a good way and when ate with the sausage and peppers it tasted like an Italian Sausage with sweet. The pizza is extra thin but not cracker crispy or cut in squares - how I like it. That said between the unique style and the throwback dining area it’s worth a stop for sure. I love how they still cut the pies with scissors. Best pizzeria in the state? Maybe outside of Detroit.

Sausage and Green Pepper Pizza at Fricano's
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Tootsie's Diner (Muskegon, MI)

The Friday Night Fish Fry at Muskegon's Doo Drop Inn was iconic. Featuring freshly dusted lake perch and also a popular onion ring recipe made the long gone bar one of the most popular places in Western Michigan on Friday nights. But the lake perch and onion rings live on at Tootsie’s Diner also in Muskegon. I can see why people like both recipes so much. The fish has a nice light crust that lets the fresh lake perch shine. It wasn’t crispy but it was extra tender. Friday’s only in Pure Michigan.

Friday Fish Fry and Onion Rings at Tootsie's Diner 

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Crossroads Blueberry Market

If you're in these parts during the blueberry season there isn't anywhere that does them better. Michigan grows more blueberries than any other state and a large number of blueberry farms are found in Western Michigan. I stopped into a couple and found the blueberries to be best from the Crossroads Blueberry Market which also makes great blueberry donuts. I'd read that a place called Jawor Brothers rolls their pie crust by hand so I made it a point to stop there and grab one. I should've got the large instead of a small. Bomb blueberry pie and vanilla ice cream is a killer combo.

A peek inside Crossroads Blueberry Market 

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See ya next time @chibbqking