Bartonville Diner 1420 West Garfield Avenue, Bartonville, IL 61607

"Very relaxed atmosphere. I got the impression that many are repeat customers that the waiters knew personally and lots of folks were friends. Small town diner feel. Food was good with homemade food items."

"The food was wonderful, full of flavor and cooked perfectly. I ordered the skillet breakfast with bell peppers onion & melted cheese and asked for the gravy on the side, the over easy eggs were perfect & great large flavorful pancakes. The servings were so large we had to get take out boxes. It has a wonderful small town atmosphere. The waitress didn't offer water and we had to ask for it and she failed to follow up for drink refills and it wasn't very busy when we went even at that she was nice. The prices were very reasonable. We we pleased with the whole experience overall and definitely will come back. Even though we were there early I had the feeling it's family friendly. Highly recommend."

"Had a great time at Bartonville Diner. Food was good, prices were fair. Most important to me, the staff was accommodating and friendly. I was meeting with family I hadn't seen in a long time, and our party didn't arrive all at once; we also were enjoying our visit and lingered a bit. I actually apologized on my way out (since I do understand it's a business and they need to turn tables to make money), but at no point did the employees rush us or hover. I'd never take undue advantage of their consideration, but I was grateful for it."

"I had the steak and eggs. How much flexibility is there in such a simple dish? As expected, the steak was large but thin. Unexpectedly, it was actually rare! I loved the everything bagel topping on it. The over easy eggs were absolutely perfect with firm whites and runny yolk. For a small upcharge I got cottage cheese instead of potato. The cottage cheese was exceptional--large curd whole milk and so creamy! I will make a point of returning at the end of our trip Our server was super helpful, prompt, and friendly. She kept our drinks filled, took our orders right when we were ready, and brought our bill promptly."

"Diners. The very word is evocative of delicious food, friendly staff and cheap food. Does Bartonville Diner, after trying to come here for the better part of a decade strike those notes? Yes! My dad and I wanted to grab food and I was tired of our usual stomping grounds so I suggested we both try something new. We rolled in at 7am on a Sunday to try and beat the church crowds. The first thing we ordered was some coffee and water while we half-looked at the menu while cracking jokes and catching up on recent events. On my way here, I knew I wanted some french toast. It’s been a long time since I had any and nothing was going to stop me from getting it. My dad perused the menu online and knew what he wanted ahead of time, too. We quickly placed our orders and got back to chatting up a storm. My dad ordered the Country Fried Steak Skillet and I got the Thick French Toast. The food took a bit longer than expected to come out despite how quiet it was there but that wasn’t a problem as we were busy telling each other terrible jokes and sipping decent coffee. Once the food came out, we dug in. The french toast was pretty plain, no real sprinkling of powdered sugar or that soft buttery dollop on top. No biggie as it was still good and it had a nice crisp crunch on the edges that I love and can’t replicate at home at all. My dad’s skillet looked good but also kind of goofy with a slice of cheese just slapped on top and only half melted. The food was really good and the coffee was decent. Not the best diner coffee I’ve had but after two cups, I can say it was serviceable without any sugar or cream added in. My dad said he enjoyed his meal but has a preference for a certain style of country fried steak and this wasn’t quite it. But we both left with empty plates and full bellies with smiles on our faces. Not a bad way to spend a Sunday morning. When I started my travel list, Bartonville Diner was added around 2014 or 2015. Well, after 8-9 years, I finally got to cross it off my list as many failed attempts to try it out. The time it took to try it out wasn’t due to the lack of trying. Many plans were made to come here but life happens and plans can go sideways. I’m finally happy to have tried it out and hope I can drop in with my friends that live nearby before too long."