Category: Hot off the Grill

  • I-80 Truckstop Review – Walcott Iowa

    I-80 Truckstop Review The I-80 Truckstophttps://iowa80truckstop.com/, I love this place.  I’ve been stopping by here for 30 years, at least.  Think of it as a “mall for truckers,” but us regular folks can go too.  There are shops, displays, a food court, and a 24-hour restaurant, which is where I hit.  They have three buffets […]

  • Urban Counter Review – Palatine, IL

    Urban Counter Review Not sure why I haven’t been here before, driven by many times, and am now sad this hasn’t been one of my regular burger stops. These oversized hand-pattied burgers are started on the char-grill and finished with a light smash on the flat top.  Cooked to order.  Cooked to your specifications. I […]

  • Papa Gs Diner Review – Huntley, IL

    Papa Gs Diner Review – Huntley, IL Papa Gs is an all-day diner located in Huntley, IL, a far distant suburb of Chicago. In the before times, it was one of my regular go-to’s for breakfast out, but I haven’t back in until today. Their service is without fault, the food is terrific, and everything […]

  • Ross Restaurant Review – Bettendorf Iowa

    Ross Restaurant Review Ross has been around forever, although it’s in a new location than the one when I used to live here.  Owned a radio station here, and the light of my life, my daughter was born here.  For those of you unfamiliar with the city, it is one of the “Quad Cities,” four […]

  • Giacobbinos Take Bake Pizza Review

    Giacobbinos Take Bake Pizza Review Although I have seen these in Chicagoland groceries for some time, I’ve been reluctant to try Giacobbinos, at $13 I thought that was a little spendy for a take and bake pie. At last, the local Jewel-Osco chain had a BOGO on them last week, so greedy pizza monster that […]

  • Harold’s Chicken Shack Review – Schaumburg, IL

    Harold’s Chicken Shack Review Beats me if I can figure out which Harold’s is affiliated with what other Harold’s.  They are all over the country now, but I think there must be several different parent companies. Kinda like “Original Ray’s” pizza places in New York City. Harold’s sells chicken.  On the bone, wings, strips, gizzards, […]

  • Basil’s Pizza Review – Northfield, MN

    Basil’s Pizza Review I hate thinking about anything that I learned about “FIFTY YEARS AGO,” but here we are again, at Basil’s Pizza in Northfield, MN, our go-to pizza as students at St Olaf College. Back then, it was called “Bill’s Pizza.”  My fellow students and I kept Bill’s busy, as did our rival college […]

  • Palatine Inn Review – Palatine, Illinois

      Palatine Inn Review For over forty years, the family-owned Palatine Inn has served the Chicago suburb of Palatine and surrounding areas for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I’ve been a customer for, let’s see, counting on fingers – thirty-five years at least. The menus offer a range of American fare and Greek specialties because like […]

  • Re-Pete’s Saloon and Grill Review – Black River Falls, WI

    Re-Pete’s Saloon and Grill Review Black River Falls is a burg in Wisconsin on I-94, two hours from Minneapolis, two hours from Madison, and five, give or take, from Chicago.  It’s a hub for outdoor sports in all seasons, no matter your choice of Northwoods fun.  They also have one of six locations of casinos […]

  • Russ Kendalls Smokehouse Review – French River, Minnesota

    Russ Kendalls Smokehouse Review Writing about Russ Kendalls Smokehouse Review, I can’t pin down how long they have been in business, but I certainly remember stopping there with my dad 60+ years ago.  Long an institution on the north shore of Lake Superior, about 15 miles north of Duluth, Kendalls smokes and sells herring, walleye, […]