The Back Door Lounge

"dined in on a sunday. i grew up in illinois but moved out of state and came to visit so my dad took us here since i came here since i was a kid. i have not been so disappointed in a restaurant ever. i am a server and i understand being understaffed but we were told to sit outside and that was all. we had to set up our own table, own chairs. i understand it’s february but it was 58 degrees out. they had 4 entrees to pick from and were out of one of those so only 3. it cost me and my fiancee 65 dollars for 3 drinks and 2 sandwiches. we live on the west coast now and have never spent 65 dollars at a burger joint. also our bill was so large because of 15% added AUTOMATIC gratuity for a take out order because they don’t serve outside. me, my fiancée, and my dad will not be back. so sad too because they used to be amazing"

"The lounge is super cute and drinks are good. I had the pot roast which was outstanding. One of the best I've had. Stacy was my server and she was super sweet and attentive. Took my spiked cider into the lounge and sat in front of the fire. What more do you need on a January day after hiking?? $27 for spiked cider and large serving of pot roast and green beans, reasonable. 10/10 recommend."

"Our first adventure/sit down was in afternoon a bit chilly outside enjoying some eats after the St Louis Canyon Trail!! Ohhhh the Smores dessert, Cheese Curds and mixed drinks! So good!! Then...... later on we couldn't get a table for 2 at the lodge diner until 7pm since we waited to book a reservation on Saturday.......whoops!! So "The Back Door Lounge" rescued the dayyy with some awesome nachos that I highly recommend!! I enjoyed these later that night after more sight seeing on the town!! What a great little hideaway and our first time there the waiter was working his rear off to make sure we were all taken care out outside!!"

"I’ve been going to starved rock for 25 years. I was never so disappointed in service and quality of food and drink as tonight. It took 10 minutes for someone to recognize us once we sat at a table. Bloody Mary toppings were smashed and old, mix was lacking flavor and not the same. No more homemade chips, we got individual snack bags of potato chips, no option for fries. Nacho chips were stale. Burgers were processed and thin. I love it there, and never had a problem before, but considering it’s $15 for a bland burger and a bag of chips…I will consider other options for eating next time."

"The service was excellent, the young man who was our serves was fantastic, attentive, kind, and polite. I believe, if memory serves me well his name is Kam. Cheese curds are always yummy. We were going to share fish tacos and pot roast but I like more my tacos so did not share. These were fry fish tacos which are okay, even though I prefer grilled. Food is mediocre and the patio and view are wonderful. A safe bet when we go hiking at Matthiessen or Starved Rock"