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The Mystery Diner's mission this week is to take the monotony out of your meal.
If you're like me, you've dined out so many times, the memory of one single restaurant fades over time.
The Roadhouse Country Bar and Grill, this week's excursion, thankfully breaks the mold. Opened in 2014 at 1901 S. Bridge St. on Yorkville's south side, it touts on its website to "come for the food, stay for the fun" – and delivers on that promise.
The Roadhouse's relatively staid brick exterior, with a nice-sized outdoor patio area, doesn't quite do justice to everything going on inside.
Quite frankly, there's something for everyone.
From live music on Fridays and Saturdays, to trivia Thursdays, bar bingo on "kids eat free" and "taco night" Tuesdays, "cheap chicken" Mondays and a host of other specials, a visit to this lively country-themed restaurant stokes the appetite with endless entertainment. Roadhouse is an ideal setting for the sports fan, too, with a bank of TVs atop the circular bar area in the restaurant's center and throughout both flanking dining areas.
On to the food.
Noting appetizer options like "The Hay Bailer" loaded steak fries and "Red Neck Heaven" loaded nachos, we opted for "The Silo" onion ring tower. The tall stack of peeled, sliced and beer-battered rings was served with Roadhouse's tangy garlic aioli sauce – a condiment the Mystery Diner highly recommends. I enjoyed it with a cold beer from Roadhouse's extensive beer list; there are also several signature drinks served in mason jar-like glasses.
Burgers are a big attraction on the Roadhouse's menu, from the traditional roadhouse burger to the belt-busting "Big Hoss Challenge" – three 10-ounce patties layered with all the toppings. Eat it all, and you eat it free – and take home an "I Conquered the Big Hoss" T-shirt.
The contest elicited a laugh from the Mystery Diner and his companion, who feeling less than a conqueror opted for the Rooster Wrap. The fried chicken sandwich is rolled in bacon, lettuce, tomato, Pepper Jack cheese and ranch dressing.
The Mystery Diner went with the Roadhouse ribeye steak sandwich. The 10-ounce ribeye is served on a garlic hoagie, and lathered with mushrooms, onions and more of that delicious garlic aioli sauce. Piled on high, it provided a cornucopia of flavor, although a pro tip for Roadhouse guests: Cut the sandwich in half. It is a handful, two in fact.
Our appetite not quite satiated, we had room for dessert. Our friendly waitress Lindsay, always one step ahead of us, offered a recommendation – deep-fried Oreos, or as she called them, a "life-changing experience."
Deep fried and sprinkled with powdered sugar, the five warm bite-sized treats oozed with gooey goodness.
We weren't quite ready to leave, reveling in the live music, but noted the number of signs on the walls promoting future events for a return trip.
Roadhouse Bar and Grill in Yorkville is the perfect place to go to break the monotony of a meal with good food, a lively atmosphere and entertainment for just about anyone.
• The Mystery Diner is a newsroom employee at the Record Newspapers. The diner’s identity is not revealed to restaurant staff before or during the meal. The Mystery Diner visits a restaurant and then reports on the experience. The Mystery Diner is not intended to be a restaurant critic but does highlight the parts of a dining experience that he/she can recommend.
If you go
What: Roadhouse Country Bar and Grill
Where: 1901 St. Bridge St., Yorkville
Hours: 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday
Information: Call 630-385-2571, email roadhouseyorkville@gmail.com or go to www.roadhouseyorkville.com