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Diners' Choice: Neighborhood gem restaurants in Central Illinois

OpenTable

Updated September 05, 2024

Looking for the best restaurants that are the best neighborhood gems in Central Illinois? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

A photo of Firefly Grill restaurant

4.8

4.8 (2973)

$30 and under

Unspecified

Effingham

About the restaurant

The kitchen is the heart of the Campbell house which is why we created an expedition kitchen so customers can see all of the love and hard work that goes into our dishes. firefly's vision is a sustainable one; the frame of the building is recycled steel, all of the barn wood is reclaimed as is much of our furniture, the pond irrigates our gardens which greatly reduce our carbon footprint along with all the trash that comes with packaging food, we compost, are constantly upgrading our energy efficiency and NEVER use chemical fertilizers or pesticides in our garden.

Top review

T

Tabithavip

Dined 3 days ago

We enjoyed our long, later lunch with cocktails at Firefly Grill! The food and service was great!!!

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A photo of FILET GF of a restaurant

A photo of 6oz Filet of a restaurant

A photo of 10oz Filet of a restaurant

A photo of Hamilton Walker's restaurant

Hamilton Walker's

4.8

4.8 (1546)

$30 and under

Steakhouse

Champaign

About the restaurant

Hamilton Walker's is the community's gathering place. Founded by three long-time residents of Champaign, this modern steakhouse with a chic 1940's Hollywood vibe is an inviting backdrop for meeting, dining, and socializing; for friends, family, and business; for toasting special events and celebrating life. Our mission is to offer memorable food and flawless service in an extraordinary setting. Stewarded by widely-respected culinarian, Chef Zachary Schweig, Hamilton Walker's never disappoints. The menu-created from the finest premium aged meats, freshest seafood, and hand-selected produce-offers a superior dining experience, presented with Hamilton Walker's signature flair.

Top review

T

Theresa

Dined 3 days ago

We dined with our child, which always presents a little bit of a challenge, but the staff and our server took his underdeveloped manners in stride. The food was delicious and service was excellent.

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A photo of Crab Cake of a restaurant

A photo of 7oz Center Cut Filet Mignon of a restaurant

7oz Center Cut Filet Mignon

A photo of The FourNine restaurant

4.8

4.8 (223)

$30 and under

American

Mount Zion

About the restaurant

Small restaurant packed with an amazing menu, and cold beer. We give Mt Zion a flavor profile that you do not get in any other restaurant in town.

Top review

B

Brittany

Dined on Aug 22, 2024

Will definitely be going back! It was a little loud but well worth it for the food!

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A photo of Smash Burger of a restaurant

A photo of Thyme Kitchen & Craft Beer restaurant

Thyme Kitchen & Craft Beer

4.7

4.7 (378)

$30 and under

Contemporary American

Peoria/East Peoria

About the restaurant

Thyme not only offers the ultimate restaurant experience, but can also provide guests an extraordinary bar experience if so desired. Opened in the old Sealtest building in the heart of the historic warehouse district of downtown Peoria, Thyme Kitchen + Craft Beer offers a variety of unique food items as well as an extensive bar menu that offers choices for all. While keeping the tradition of producing quality food alive, Thyme Kitchen + Craft Beer has superb menu items that provide an exciting and versatile experience for all guests who walk through the doors.

Top review

S

Stevevip

Dined on Aug 28, 2024

Our waitress, Madi was awesome! Atmosphere and food was excellent as always! Our guests had two types of bourbon, and loved them both. Thyme is one of the small handful of “go to” places for any occasion. Great time was had by all!!!

A photo of Baxters American Grille restaurant

Baxters American Grille

4.6

4.6 (1265)

$30 and under

American

Bloomington / Normal

About the restaurant

Experience the contemporary decor, freshly made entrees from our professional chef and exceptional service. The restaurant offers seating for groups from 1- 80. Our outdoor patio is perfect for the summer evenings and our lounge is an exciting setting to view your favorite sports game with friends.

Dinner Menu includes: Fresh seasonal entrees & appetizers including: Tuna Tartare, Drunken Stuffed Mushrooms, Hand Cut Steaks, Fresh Seafood & Signature Dishes such as our Herb Crusted Lamb Chops & Chicken Picatta.

Top review

G

Gina

Dined on Aug 26, 2024

Great wine specials and all four of us enjoyed our food selections!

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A photo of Prime Rib Sandwich of a restaurant

Prime Rib Sandwich

A photo of Baxters Prime Rib of a restaurant

Baxters Prime Rib

A photo of Steak Nachos of a restaurant

A photo of Jonah's Seafood House restaurant

Jonah's Seafood House

4.6

4.6 (1618)

$30 and under

Seafood

Peoria/East Peoria

About the restaurant

Jonah’s Seafood House specializes in fresh seafood with a diverse mix of steak, chicken, and sandwich options. The menu is printed everyday to keep pace with seafood seasons and offers a wide variety of choices. Children’s menu, too! The house specialties change with the menu. The Sesame Crusted Ahi Tuna is a Jonah’s Classic.

The 2601 Oyster Bar is a casual, seat-yourself atmosphere set in a world class oyster bar. The menu is an exciting mixture of oyster bar selections from around the nation. New York, San Francisco, New Orleans, Tampa and Miami are all represented. The house specialty is a wide offering of flat breads and the signature Cuban sandwich.

Jonah’s "Down Under" Banquet Bar & Grill is a banquet facility with capacity from 20-300. Jonah's offers river level views and the cook-to-order style will make your next function the talk of the town!

Top review

P

Paulavip

Dined 7 days ago

Great view , food , and service. Never had a bad experience at Jonah’s

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A photo of Crab Cake of a restaurant

A photo of Devil's Double Dark Chocolate Cake of a restaurant

Devil's Double Dark Chocolate Cake

A photo of Jonah's Famous Chocolate Cake of a restaurant

Jonah's Famous Chocolate Cake

A photo of Broadgauge restaurant

4.6

4.6 (1043)

$30 and under

American

Petersburg

About the restaurant

UPDATE: The restaurant at Broadgauge will Re-Open in Fall of 2024. Thank you for your patience, we are excited to serve you again soon! The Talisman Coffee Shop and Bakery as well as our public and private events are operating normally, so please continue to come and visit us! Talisman hours are 7am - 3pm Wed -Sat, and 8am - 12 on Sundays. Thank you!

In 1872, the Broadgauge was built as central Illinois' original "mega store", containing under one roof; Hardware, Grocery, and Dry Goods stores.

Today, Broadgauge has been restored to its original architectural glory and redeveloped it into a Restaurant, Bar, Coffee Shop, and Event Center.

The restaurant is currently closed and will Re-Open in Fall of 2024. However, our private and public events are operating like normal and our coffee shop and bakery remains open! Come visit us for an event or a latte and pastry!

The Talisman Coffee Shop and Bakery is open Wednesday through Sunday.

Top review

G

Gary

Dined on Aug 2, 2024

Very lovely place. We had heard nothing but good so we had high expectations. Unfortunately we were unaware of a recent change in chefs or management or something that we could only order from their small plate menu so we were disappointed. The small plate menu was adequate but nothing special. Service and ambiance was excellent.

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A photo of New York Strip of a restaurant

A photo of Atlantic Salmon of a restaurant

Atlantic Salmon

A photo of Crab Cakes of a restaurant

A photo of Revery restaurant

4.6

4.6 (94)

$31 to $50

American

Bloomington / Normal

About the restaurant

Revery can be found tucked in a quaint neighborhood in Bloomington, Illinois. The building, once a locally famous restaurant, will be serving authentic American cuisine once more. Revery’s mission is to provide high-quality food & drinks for all those who wish to combine fun and enjoyable ambiance with skillful cooking into one extraordinary dining experience.

Top review

S

Sara

Dined 7 days ago

I absolutely love this restaurant. The food is excellent and, in my opinion, probably the best in town. Service has always been good. It’s evident that the chef is very experienced and knows his/her craft. Excellent preparations and always delicious.

A photo of Baxters American Grille - Champaign restaurant

Baxters American Grille - Champaign

4.5

4.5 (663)

$30 and under

Steakhouse

Champaign

About the restaurant

Baxters American Grille - Champaign offers seasonal menus that boast a variety of signature dishes that you can't get find anywhere else. Our concept provides a variety of steaks, seafood and chops accompanied with a management & chef team that are excited to offer a unique culinary experience. We offer a big-city dining experience within dinner, private dining and catering to the Champaign area. Whether you stop in for one of our new signature martinis or to dine in our upscale dining room Baxters is the destination for your evening out!

Top review

T

Thomas

Dined 3 days ago

Had a wonderful pregame meal. Very gluten-free friendly. Good appetizer, good entrees. Excellent service. Reasonable prices. Highly recommend Baxters.

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A photo of Steak Tacos of a restaurant

A photo of Saltgrass Steak House - Danville restaurant

Saltgrass Steak House - Danville

4.4

4.4 (574)

$30 and under

Steakhouse

Danville

About the restaurant

Saltgrass Steak House is an award-winning steakhouse in Danville, IL famous for serving Certified Angus Beef® steaks. Each steak is cooked to perfection with Saltgrass-7 Steak Spice, and topped with garlic butter. All breads, dressings, soups and desserts are made from scratch daily. Great food and legendary hospitality make Saltgrass an enjoyable experience for the whole family.

Top review

L

Lisa

Dined on Sep 2, 2024

Raine was a great server. She was very attentive to our needs. Food was wonderful. The manager, Kevin, was visible and was checking on the guests. Another great dinner and experience at Salt Grass.

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