Firefly Grill

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Address:
1810 Avenue of Mid America
Effingham, IL 62401

Neighborhood:
Effingham

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Cuisine:
American

Price: $30 and under

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Firefly Grill Details

Dining Style: Casual Dining
Website: http://www.ffgrill.com
Phone: (217) 342-2002
Hours of Operation: Lunch: Tuesday - Saturday: 11:00am - 4:00pm
Dinner: Monday - Thursday: 4:00pm - 9:00pm;
Friday & Saturday: 4:00 pm - 10:00pm
Sundays: Brunch 11:00am - 3:00 pm
Dinner: 3:00pm - 8:00pm
Payment Options: AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Cuisine: American, Global, International
Executive Chef: Niall D. Campbell II
Dress Code: Casual Dress
Accepts Walk-Ins: Yes
Additional Details: Banquet/Private Rooms, Bar Dining, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Chef's Table, Counter Seating, Entertainment, Farm to Table, Fireplace, Full Bar, Late Night, Non-Smoking Area, Non-Smoking Restaurant, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Smoking Area, Takeout, View, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
Private Party Facilities: Firefly Grill offers private dining for small parties and large events. Featuring such amenities as personalized event planning, customized or a la carte menus, AV equipment, data port connection and much more.
Private Party Contact: Cayla Horsey (217) 342-2002

Getting there

Cross Street: Keller Drive
Parking: Private Lot
Parking Details: Accessible on all levels.

A word from Firefly Grill

Firefly Grill is a modern roadhouse restaurant located on the shores of Kristie Lake. Chef Niall Campbell and his wife Kristie own and operate this oasis of American fresh cuisine in the heart of the Midwest.
Firefly's menu changes daily and boasts fresh seafood, oak fired steaks and brick… oven pizzas. Firefly uses local ingredients whenever possible and fresh herbs and vegetables straight from their very own garden! Continued

Foodspotting photos

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Awards voted by OpenTable diners

Diners' Choice WinnerBest Overall
Diners' Choice WinnerBest Ambiance
Diners' Choice WinnerBest Food

Firefly Grill - Best Restaurants in Effingham

Diner Reviews

"Very charming atmosphere with beautiful landscaping. The building is so unique and tastefully decorated. Love the old barn boards with multiple colors. The blue drinking glasses and the touch of fresh flowers on the tables were a nice touch. Everyone who served us were enthusiastic and were knowledgeable in the menu. We were there for brunch and they had a very nice selection to choose from. I loved looking at the pond with the water lillys blooming and the sunflowers in the field. The gardens with the vegetables and flowers were a very nice touch. I like that they have such fresh produce. My four friends and I had a great time and will return. Mojito and sangrias were awesome! Thank you for such a great time."
Dined on 7/20/2014
"We learned of the Firefly Grill on a St. Louis PBS cooking show & thought it looked interesting. We live 1.5 hr drive from Effingham and the food was totally worth the trip. Everything was very fresh, right from their large on-site garden & tasted wonderful. Menu was loaded with interesting thing that made it tough to make a choice. We will definitely be back!"
Dined on 7/12/2014
"We drive across country twice a year and make a point to stop in Effingham. Food is delicious, inventive; their own garden supplies fresh herbs. Good crusty bread. It was a busy night (Fri) and all the staff pitched in to keep pace smooth."
Dined on 7/12/2014
"The server was insensitive, the food portions were extremely small & too expensive"
Dined on 7/12/2014
"We heard so much about this place and have read a bunch of reviews (mostly good, some bad). Overall, it did not disappoint. It is a good restaurant. We loved the interior and the patio area. We had the onion ring appetizer, Caesar salad, kid's chicken and fries, pork chop (unevenly cooked - one part was tough and the other part was raw), short ribs (nicely done), chocolate milk, a cocktail, and a glass of wine - all for a a little over $100. Our child enjoyed feeding the fish in the patio. Other than the pork chop, everything else was good. The mashed potato was vey tasty. We'd come back and recommend to others as well."
Dined on 7/11/2014
"We loved the concept of the Firefly. The setting, the landscaping and the decor all lended to the farm-to-fork feel. My husband devoured the signature hamburger on a very yummy pretzel bun. (He was kind enough to let me taste before it was gone!) I had the meat pizza which was baked in a wood fired oven. Although it was smoky and meaty, is was also super salty and I think I would have been happier with a different choice. Our waitress was nice. I think she was trying to be helpful because the couple who sat next to us had a disruptive toddler. They were seated and ordered well after us but were served and left well before us which I'm sure everyone in the restaurant appreciated. Very savvy if that was what was intended."
Dined on 7/6/2014
"Beautiful setting, outstanding chef, and quality ingredients, a combination not usually found in a town of this size."
Dined on 7/5/2014
"as good or better than advertised.. The food is awesome the sevice is splendid,, the prices are high but you get what you pay for."
Dined on 6/29/2014
"Service was good despite a tent wedding reception going on at the same time. Although we arrived early, we were seated immediately. Some listed foods and wine were not available. Otherwise food was very good."
Dined on 6/28/2014
"Effingham may not be thought of as a dining destination, more like where highways meet, but the Firefly Grill proved to be a real find with creative cuisine, knowledgable servers, and just a delightful place to celebrate our wedding anniversary two days early in the middle of a road trip. Highly recommended."
Dined on 6/28/2014
"Lovely location, excellent food, great service, but noisy inside and we found it hard to carry on a decent conversation."
Dined on 6/27/2014
"Good place for a first date! Little $ but good food."
Dined on 6/25/2014
"I love this place, make it a must when traveling for work to arrange it so that I can go to the Firefly. Always exceptional food, friendly people, and a great view!"
Dined on 6/25/2014
"If you are passing through Effingham you have got to stop at the firefly and grab a bite to eat. This award winning restaurant is my favorite. Just returned from Austin TX where we ate at many great places but not one of them were as good as the firefly. The service is over the top and the food is excellent. If you are looking for a quiet experience you should eat outside and enjoy the beautiful view. Love this place!!"
Dined on 6/23/2014
"Nice restaurant, but quite disappointed in my steak. If I do return, I definitely will not order your steak again. Tough meat, and I'm confident that my steak was cooked well over my medium rare request. Maybe it's due to the grass fed cows you use? But whatever it is I won't be having steak again as I don't think the price matches the quality. Outside of that, it is a very nice restaurant and I thought the staff was courteous and professional."
Dined on 6/14/2014
"This is not our first time at Firefly Grill and again it did not disappoint. The food is always fresh, the service is fantastic, and just a nice place in general. The smoked salmon was excellent as well as the appetizers of calamari and crab purses. The grilled ribeye sandwich melted in your mouth and even the greek salad had it's own unique flavor with the peppadew peppers and blue cheese. We were able to bring someone with us who had not ever been to Firefly and they were impressed as well. We will definitely be dining there again soon."
Dined on 6/14/2014
"We had a belated Mother's Day dinner there and everyone loved it. Food was great, as well as the service. It was nice eating out on the porch, not nearly as noisy as inside."
Dined on 6/13/2014
"I grew up an hour south of Effingham. Every time I go home, I eat here. The food tastes great and most of it comes from local sources. For the first time, we sat on the screened in porch and had a nice view of the fountain, pond, and the koi fish."
Dined on 6/13/2014
"There o is no question that this is the best upscale restaurant in Southern Illinois. Although no one there knows us they always great us as if we are returning friends. Seated promptly in the section and table of our choice. Their excellent locally grown produce and meat products from local producers is always fresh, prepared as ordered and served promptly. We have been there a few times and will go back often."
Dined on 6/11/2014
"The wait staff was super. The food was incredible. The entire night and experience was wonderful!"
Dined on 6/8/2014
"We love the hour road trip to the Firefly several times a year because we really do like this place. But every time we go there it is something that always leaves you a little less then impressed. For example... we met another couple there Saturday early (right after 4) to visit and have some drinks outside. There were less than 8 people in the place that early and we had to bug our server twice to check on our drinks as they took forever. When we get seated they go through the specials .... their bone-in ribeye jumped off the menu. But there were only 4 left. At 5:00 on a Saturday nite? I can't imagine how many people got that pick turned down before the end of the night. How can you have a special on a menu with only 4 available? Weird."
Dined on 6/7/2014
"Crab purses were very good, that's the only good thing I have to say about firefly. We made reservations, the place has great a view unfortunately we sat behind one of only 4 walls in the place. The food was ok but I can make much better at home for a lot less money. The service absolutely sucked! The bus boy was the only reason we got 1/2 of what we had. I will not go back and would strongly recommend anyone who does to make it known up front you better get good service and food. You should never have to say that going into a restaurant hince the reason I'll never go back. Good luck. "
Dined on 6/6/2014
"We recently stopped here on our way through Effingham. (Thank goodness for Google Maps or we wouldn't have found it; needs more signs.) The place was respectably busy during lunch. We weren't very so hungry and so ordered a house salad (big enough to share!) and a chicken sandwich. The pretzel bun was novel. The otherwise tasty fries were a touch salty for my taste, but I'm really sensitive to it. The waitstaff were friendly, although the busser was a little over enthusiastic about clearing our plates. We had a nice view of Kristie Lake from our table. If we're ever down that way again, we'll stop by!"
Dined on 5/28/2014
"12 meals in all, (6x2), everyone happy! Good food (not overly complicated), great ingredients, prepared with skill, with friendly but not pesky service = a great meal! We will be back. "
Dined on 5/24/2014
"We have been stopping at firefly for many years during our trips to Indiana. On Friday, the place was empty and the food was not the high level firefly has always delivered. The service was not good, we had to ask repeatedly for drinks to be refilled and the food took a long time. Hopefully this was an isolated bad day and things get back to the previous awesome level. "
Dined on 5/23/2014
"Did not expect the setting, menu, the wine list, the service or the ambience. If only this were closer to home. If you are thinking the best nearby restaurant at the I57/I70 junction is TGIF, walk (yes, walk) 400 yards down the road. You will be awed."
Dined on 5/23/2014
"We were very disappointed in the service and food. This is a frequent stop for us on the way back to Indiana and have referred many friends here as well...so surprised to see the big change in service and the quality of food. Had to find waitress three times and the pizza and entrees were not desirable. Something must have happened...hope it turns around. "
Dined on 5/23/2014
"One just doesn't expect a dining experience this interesting in a town of 12,000. Granted there's significantly more traffic through this community than most due to the two interstates that intersect here and there is the usual proliferation of fast food. But less than a half-mile off the interstate, past the Steak n Shake and Starbucks, situated on a small lake is this rustic designed restaurant. The food in inventive and delicious. The service is attentive but not obsequious. The only downside is the noise factor. If you plan a quiet dinner with murmured conversation, it is not going to happen."
Dined on 5/21/2014
"My wife and I definitely enjoyed our scallop dinner. The dinner and the restaurant were clearly worthwhile. We'd recommend both to all."
Dined on 5/19/2014
"We had great food and wine here. Worth a trip to Effingham. Our waitress, Lexi Walker, was informed and personable. "
Dined on 5/16/2014
"I have had both the blackberry and the strawberry shortcake here -- just amazing! Using the angel food and adding the chevre are both wonderful ideas which really make this an unforgettable dessert. The great flavor of the berries comes through and the sweet comes from the ice cream on top. I really appreciate having a relatively unsweet dessert so that all the flavors mingle and complement one another."
Dined on 5/16/2014
"We have planned trips so we could stop in Effingham and eat at The Firefly Grill. Always really good."
Dined on 5/15/2014
"Our visit was our second visit. My wife and I had a great experience our first visit and wanted to entertain our family on my wife's 70 the birthday and Mother's Day the food selection allowed everyone to order something they wanted and the ambience was perfect. We were very disappointed in the service we received. We started with a friendly waitress but due to a shift change got a young man who was very unattentive to our needs. He did not clear our appetizer plates until asked to do so, forgot to deliver a bar drink to me until reminded to, we had to ask for the desert menu and for water to be replaced. Overall the $42 automatic gratuity was not earned. "
Dined on 5/11/2014
"Enjoyed Mother's Day brunch with friendly and great service. The selection of food was unique and delicious. We couldn't eat all the tempting pasteries so we took some of them home. We will definitely return and bring along friends!"
Dined on 5/11/2014
"Very good food & service. Only complaint would be they don't refill drinks very well."
Dined on 5/10/2014
"We hadn't had a night to ourselves for some time, and were really looking forward to the Firefly despite the 1/2 hour drive to get there. We've dined at the Firefly before and have been very happy with the food, wine list, and service. But on this night the service was disappointing. It was no busier than usual for a Saturday - there were even some empty tables and they were fully staffed. Our server seemed to forget about us, while devoting his attention to the 4+ tables. After an hour, our wine was gone and still no meal, we'd had enough and complained to the general manager (Cara?). She apologized profusely, gave us our meals to go, and comped the entire thing (well over$100). We will definitely return because of her making things right."
Dined on 5/10/2014
"Great locale. Great Food. Service is fantastic. Evening specials are always a good choice. Lunch specials are priced great. My only negative is the noise level. Seems like the talk bounces all around so small talk can be difficult."
Dined on 5/10/2014
"I was not impressed with the food. The appetizers were good, having said that the main course was cold and the Braised beef rib was not tender. It was chewy,fatty and cold. I have been to my share of 5 star restaurants and this one just does not compare. Took my mother to lunch last fall and we had soup and bread that was great! So i thought mothers Day i would take her for dinner on the Saturday before. I live about an hour away and couldn't wait to surprise her with the Firefly for dinner. Should of had her to my house for a cookout, as i have in the past several years. Would of been a lot cheaper and a lot better. I did however like the atmosphere and the waitress was wonderful, which helped us get through the dinner? "
Dined on 5/10/2014
"We sat out in the area overlooking the pond and really enjoyed the view. Service was wonderful and they didn't mind at all that our group stayed a bit longer after our meal to chat. Food was excellent as always. Love all the variety on the menu and the fact that the dishes are one of a kind. It is not your typical restaurant chain food and that's what keeps me coming back. "
Dined on 5/10/2014
"We stopped here for dinner before attending a concert at the Effingham Performance Center. It is a wonderful venue for dinner before a show. We had a reservation for 6:45 and were done in time to catch an 8:00 show."
Dined on 5/9/2014

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