4. Restaurants

All Aboard Diner

Grove Shopping Center,1510B 75th St, Downers Grove, IL, 60516
  • (630) 322-8960
  • Store is closed

All Aboard Diner Menu

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Visit below restaurant in Downers Grove for healthy meals suggestion.

Chili’s ( 1330 75th St )

Visit below restaurant in Downers Grove for healthy meals suggestion.

Chili’s ( 1330 75th St )

  • Courtney M.

    Great idea!!! food was fine, for what it was. Staff was very friendly!! The train is awesome. Great family restaurant

    (5)

  • Amanda M.

    This is a super cute place. Ideal for groups of 4 or less. Tables are somewhat small. There is a party room, however it's usually roped off for the frequent parties. Food is good. Nothing amazing but definitely enjoyable. If your kiddo is into trains, you'd probably want to sit at the counter. Your food is brought out to you on a train if your at the main counter. If you sit at a table, there are trains near the ceiling that circle the room. I remember when my daughter was a baby and in a car seat, she enjoyed seeing the trains go by. So, I guess this is a great place for big kids, little kids and even babies to enjoy! The people are nice. Food is average price. Not too expensive but not cheap. The location is interesting. It's easy to find, easy to park and there is a Toys r us down the strip. But, if your goal was to park, eat and walk around to shop, there aren't many other child-related stores near by. The place is clean. I know we had to use the bathrooms before- I believe there is a changing table in the women's restroom. Highchairs available. Fun decor. Overall, I'd recommend if you have a train lover in the family. :)

    (4)

  • Natalie S.

    We've been wanting to check out a train themed restaurant for a while. We happened to be in the area and needing some lunch. I saw this on Yelp and we went right over. Holy trains! Everywhere! There's a Thomas movie playing on a couple screens, a train that runs on a track near the ceiling, a train set near the front door and, the best part, a train that drives up to you at the counter to deliver your food. My husband and i agreed: the food was actually very good! I kinda expected it to just be mediocre and that the place thrives on the train gimmick. But I had a bacon cheese burger that was pretty amazing. My husband enjoyed his burger. The kids shared a meal and inhaled it. Next time I'll pass on the special fried pickles, they needed more pickle, it was like eating fried cucumbers. I will also add that while we were there, the woman sitting next to my husband had a medical emergency. The employees handled it all in a very professional manner. A gentleman working the front counter took the very young boy up front to have ice cream while the paramedics worked on his mother. I was impressed by how well everyone handled themselves. Extra star!

    (5)

  • Sharon R.

    This restaurant is train themed and geared toward kids. We took our grandchildren there on a Sunday afternoon and they enjoyed the experience. My 4 yr old grandson did put his hands over his ears a lot during the time there because it is a very noisy place with trains whistling and lots of kids. My 7 year old grand daughter loved the atmosphere and seemed to enjoy the activity overload. We all had burgers which were fine. The kids can have fruit cups which were fresh fruit instead of fries or chips. It was a lovely time before our park excursion.

    (4)

  • Tracy V.

    If your children are into trains, this is the place to take them! I have two sons both under 3 years old and they just loved it! It's a fun and happy atmosphere. The staff is very friendly and although it was pretty packed for a Wednesday night, we only waited 10 minutes or so to be seated. I'd recommend being seated at the counter because they bring the food out on a train. Yes! A food train! It's super awesome and fun for the little ones to see their food being delivered on the train. We kept it simple and we all ordered hamburgers some with cheese. The food isn't the highlight but it didn't matter. The looks on the faces of my boys' totally made it all worthwhile. We will definitely be returning to All Aboard!

    (4)

  • Shannon D.

    We love this place! We've been here at least 10 times in the 10 months we've lived in the area. The train decor is awesome and so entertaining for the kids. They go crazy for the train that delivers the food. They have really good food for adults too! We also had a birthday party here and they were amazing! The people who were working the party were so helpful and friendly from the minute we got there until the minute we left. Highly recommend!!

    (5)

  • Tricia T.

    Good place for kids and families. Atmosphere is inviting for kids into trains. A lively environment. It's a small place, so plan to wait a few mins for an open booth or the main attraction in the middle where an actual train delivers food right in front of you! Too cute. ;) Food is good. Typical burger place. They have an extensive menu, but we stuck with burgers and chicken. Usually can't go wrong there. I'd go back!

    (3)

  • Michelle I.

    Very cool little restaurant!! I've always meant to come here but finally had the chance as I brought our G-daughter here today. I later come to find out that the owners are the originals owners of the Royal Shield restaurant in Darien which if you grew up here you've definitely been to a time or two! I always heard the owners were going to start another restaurant but never envisioned them opening a kiddie place!? Their menu was pretty basic but had some nice completer items such as salad, appetizers, and fried pickles which I'll get next time when there is more than one adult present. They had a cool inactive railroad right when you walk in which made it difficult to get back to our seats. There was a railroad going around the perimeter of the restaurant and another little railroad that brings the food out to you if you're seated around the "bar" area where your server will assist you to take it off and get you whatever else you need. Our server was very nice and helpful! The food wasn't bad!! A little expensive for kid food but you have a lot to experience while you're there and it's entertainment your paying for!!

    (5)

  • David H.

    Honestly the food was 3 stars. It's more about the everything else. Games , interactive train table , train food delivery.. Just wish food quality was a bit better. Nice staff service speed was also 3 stars...

    (3)

  • J. Michael E.

    All Aboard Diner is stuffed with trains and overstimulated yougins--there are multiple model trains going at the same time, and several tv's showing Thomas the Train episodes. The menu is very vegetarian friendly (I've always had the black bean burger and fried pickles), and it's a real delight to see your food come out *on* a train as slimy-fisted toddlers squeal it on. That said, if you don't like families, then this probably isn't the place for you.

    (4)

  • Deanna S.

    This place is cute. We took our 4 and 1.5 yr old boys this last weekend for dinner on a Saturday. We got in easily and didn't have to wait for a seat. We were seated at the counter so the kids could revel in their food being delivered by train. I read the previous reviews about the food and I have to agree. So/so food. I ordered the fish and chips and it came with a side of tartar sauce that was simply a plastic container of Kraft Foods tartar sauce. The 3 small fish fillets were likely frozen and baked. My husband had a burger and he said it wasn't bad. Kids had cheeseburgers and fries with a side of fruit. They also have a few dessert options from ice cream to brownies and cookies to cupcakes. Mine had cupcakes...served on a Styrofoam plate. Who still uses Styrofoam?? The kids enjoyed watching the train go around the ceiling, pushing the buttons by the train set by the front door and a myriad of other things. Would I go back? Yes; the things we do for our kids, right? Was I excited about the food? Not so much.

    (3)

  • Jacquie S.

    Love this place!! Good food & lots of train stuff! Our 4 year old train man is in heaven!

    (5)

  • Brandy W.

    Busy joint! I can see why. My 2-year old was quite thrilled to be going to the choo-choo restaurant just like he'd visited with his grandparents. So for his birthday, we took him with little sister in tow. We had to wait a sizeable amount of time-- but to be expected on a Sunday for prime seating at the counter. The restaurant was clean, very stimulating, the food was good and the prices were reasonable. I was shocked at the great variety of food. They had THREE types of vegetarian burger patties! I ordered one of those and my husband had a chicken burger with mango salsa. We were quite pleased. The train delivers the food and comes around about every couple minutes for your kid's enjoyment. There is a lot going on, so if that's not your kid's thing, this might not be the place for you. Obviously, weekends and peak hours will have you waiting. Have plenty of quarters on hand if you have a kid who is aware of that sort of thing, because they have kid machines with cheap toys lining that joint. If it's a birthday, let them know and your kiddo can choose a cupcake or scoop of ice cream with lots of options. We'll be back. Fun experience indeed.

    (5)

  • Alice D.

    This place is great! The kids loved it and the adults got a good meal. The owners and staff are very friendly and accommodating. With Thomas on the big screen and a train table to play with we will definitely be back.

    (5)

  • Mike N.

    A rare five stars due to the fact that the food, atmosphere, and cleanliness are all up there and it's a place designed for kids! Most of these places fall short in most or all of those categories, but you can enjoy this place as an adult as well. Nice job making the concept work guys. Family owned, and has a nice frequent buyer program... Ten clicks gets you $20 gift card.

    (5)

  • Laura C.

    The food is tasty and the atmosphere is great for my little boy who loves trains. A cupcake with candle is essential if you're there for a birthday.

    (5)

  • Jorie B.

    My toddler sons love this restaurant! There is enough to for two rambunctious boys to do while waiting for our food. It's bright, clean, and pleasant. The food itself is very good and not bland kids restaurant food. We've had several pleasant experiences there, but today we had to leave suddenly because one of the boys wasn't feeling well. The staff packaged our food for us to-go and sent the train out just for the kids, since their food wasn't going to come on the train. They were so kind and helpful. All Aboard Diner will continue to be our "go to" restaurant.

    (5)

  • Glenda C.

    This place thought of everything-- from the step stool in the bathroom, to the stacking of the high chairs for the little ones to see the rotating train that carries the food around the train track. I like that the menu has more than just burgers and fries! Yes, it's diner food, but the selection acknowledges that oftentimes adults accompany their smaller companions! Also the hostesses and servers are mostly women in their 40s or 50s, so customer service is great!

    (4)

  • Aimee M.

    Hurray for a Train-themed diner that offers a huge menu and adult beverages! I figured I'd be eating a burger or a hot dog here because in my mind, you've been to one train themed restaurant, then you've been to them all. I was so wrong. First, this place is full of trains. There's the train that runs along the counter that delivers your food (of course). And then there's the train that runs along the upper wall, along the whole course of the restaurant. Then there's the miniature train set up where your kids can push the buttons to make different parts of the display light up or move. Then there's the mechanical train ride that rattles and hums. Then the two large Flat-screens that run Thomas the Train videos non stop. Sensory overload? Surprisingly for me and my son, No. Then there's the great menu I mentioned earlier. There are burgers and dogs, but I love that there are many different kinds of toppings for your burger. There are many different salads, sandwiches, chicken, fish available too. I love it. And yeah, other than the fountain drinks and milkshakes, you can order beer (some craft options too) and wine. My buffalo chicken salad was delicious. They also offer unlimited refills of soda so my diet coke was filled as often as I wished. I tried my son's burger and fries--both tasty. And his strawberry milkshake was pretty darn good too. Service was spectacular from beginning to end. The hostess (whom I think is one of the owners) was super sweet and helped my and my son settle in to our seats. Our server was awesome and really anticipated our needs. The price was right for a nice meal and train entertainment. The restaurant opens at 11 and when we arrived at 1120 on a Saturday, we were lucky to snag some of the last seats at the counter. There's booth seating but the train doesn't deliver your food to you. So yeah, prime counter seating on weekends goes fast or prepare to wait a bit. I also love that you can purchase train engineer hats for the kids here too!

    (5)

  • Jason M.

    All Aboard is great fun for the kids. We have been several times and we are always impressed by the quality of the food and the friendliness of the service. For a place centered around a children's theme, one would not expect the food to be as good as it is. We have brought grandparents and friends from out of town; all ages have enjoyed the experience. While it can get VERY busy at times, the management and staff are always very accommodating. They know how to seat folks to fit the most diners around the bar to be served by the trains. If you have a large party, try to come early before the lunch or dinner crowd to guarantee a seat at the bar.

    (5)

  • Marge D.

    Thank you for having a great restaurant where kids are always welcome! The staff is exceptional & all very patient. Always a great experience for us & good food for kids of all ages

    (5)

  • Nancy R.

    Finally got a chance to take my grandson here over the weekend and he loved it. You can't help but fall in love with the train concept. Good food at a responsible price not to mention it keeps the little ones occupied. Good alternative to Chuck E. Cheese on a Saturday afternoon.

    (4)

  • Paul A.

    Average food, but my niece really liked the trains. Definitely worth a trip in you have children.

    (3)

  • Shannon A.

    Great place for kids and parents! Broad selection of food for adults. Staff is great and the owner is very attentative. We need to support folks like tihs owner, who know that family is first. Get the wings!!! We will be back!

    (5)

  • Jen W.

    I can't rate or review the food since I never got a chance to eat there, but after standing in a crowd for 20 minutes, staring longingly at the dozen or so empty seats with my hungry three year old and baby, I'm really quite angry. Especially at the servers who seemed oblivious to this nonsense, and the single old man who not only plopped himself down to eat but got up to play effing video games. I realize people have the right to eat wherever they want, but this experience nearly made me start drinking.

    (2)

  • Steve H.

    This is suburban hell. Obnoxious kids, with even more obnoxious parents. Food is average at best. If you are the type who considers Applebee's good, this place is for you. Go once and don't ever need to come back. My toddler loved it, that's why I gave it 2 stars.

    (2)

  • Renita M.

    This place is a kiddie train lovers' paradise. With pretty decent food to boot. But please note: do NOT come here if you hate kids. It is swarming with kids. My brother is not a kid, but he is a train lover, so when he and my dad came to visit I thought this would be perfect for a fun and inexpensive meal. Sure enough. There is Thomas the Tank Engine playing, railroad memorabilia everywhere, and free train whistles for the kiddies. The menu is fairly impressive for a little dinery place. Burgers, sandwiches, salads, fried fish and fried shrimp. There are vegetarian options, including a three-grain burger and a black bean burger. I got a "Cajun jack burger" (cajun spices, pepperjack and grilled onions) with fries; my brother got a plain hamburger; my dad got the black bean burger. I have to say my burger was tasty, though it was a) not medium as ordered and b) *not* spicy at all. Must be the midwestern version of Cajun. But it was flavorful and the fries were solid. Service was good, our waiter was friendly and available. The atmosphere is mildly chaotic. BTW, for directions' sake, it's a HUGE shopping center on the NW side of Lemont & 75th -- there are several turn-ins off Lemont Rd so feel free to turn there instead of going all the way down to 75th.

    (4)

  • Meg T.

    AMAZING FOR KIDS! Our twin 14 month olds loved it! The service was great and the food was Americana diner food. They pulled two high chairs right up to the main bar for us so we could enjoy the train passing as it delivered the food. Will definitely go back and next time invite friends.

    (5)

  • mick j.

    Nice place, food we had was good and they have a big menu. We came for the trains since snackville junction closed and it made my nephew happy.

    (4)

  • Melanie O.

    I have been dreading taking my 2 year old here for, well, 2 years. I hate the whole train phenomenon. Don't know why. But we were looking for something fun to do indoors today so we went. The owners (I'm assuming) were so nice and had 3 seats ready for us as we walked in the door. They serve beer and wine (great idea) and there was a lot on the menu. The food was really good, and I plan on going back to try some more. I also like how they serve Kraft mac and cheese (and note it on the menu so you know that it is) because 95% of the time, it's the only mac and cheese kids will eat. They are smart to have good food because it's the parents that take their kids back! I also expected angry teenagers to be working but the waitstaff was great - smiles all around on their faces! The only reason why I only gave 4 stars was because you can't move the chairs at the "bar." I felt like I had to yell for my husband to hear me when I was trying to talk to him. Will definitely go back!

    (4)

  • Effie B.

    Our first visit to All Aboard was today. My 5 yr old daughter loves trains. We got there before Noon and were seated at the counter. The bar stools are really low, but they come right off and the staff placed a regular chair with a booster so the little one could reach the counter. It was a blast watching the choo-choo train deliver food! My daughter had a smile on her face the entire time. I ordered the All Aboard Chicken, which tasted just fine - I ate the whole thing. My husband ordered a grilled chicken wrap off the specials menu, and he ate the whole thing. My daughter had a cheeseburger and she ate the whole thing. The fresh fruit cup was really fresh and delicious. There is a binder behind the counter that lists all ingredients in each item, which is helpful for those with food allergies or intolerance. No, this is not a fancy-schmancy restaurant, but the ambiance was great, the prices were reasonable, the food was good, and the staff were friendly. The restaurant was clean, as was the ladies' room. We definitely will be back.

    (4)

  • Andrew C.

    My family and I absolutely loved the All Aboard Diner. What a business model: combining two things that kids love - food and trains. Our server, Wendy, was extremely courteous and attentive to our every need. I had a chance to speak with Nick, the owner of the diner, who shared with me the story of how he started the place. The restaurant is kid friendly and very clean. An electric train was mounted high along the wall and wrapped around the entire restaurant. Booths were lined along the wall on the left and right sides of the restaurant and there was a looooong counter in the center of the place with seating. The highlight for the kids (and adults) was that along the inside edge of the counter was a train track that ran to and from the kitchen. When our food, which was served in baskets, was ready, it was loaded on cars on the back of the train and the waitress would use a remote to have the train deliver our food from the kitchen right to our end of the counter. All of us walked out with fully satisfied bellies and the kids walked out with Thomas the Tank Engine rings too! The next time we visit Chicago, we will be making a run back to the All Aboard Diner for sure!

    (5)

  • Christine C.

    As far as kids and trains are concerned, this place is great. My son loves this restaurant for its train car food delivery system. He also loves to toot the train whistle on our way out. Everything is fresh every time we visit.

    (5)

  • Jason S.

    You go for the kids. Food is fine and not obnoxiously priced. Service is fine; you can tell all of the people working there minus the kitchen are the family. Owner seems like a nice and friendly guy and so are his kids. Bathrooms are clean and overall the restaurant is too.

    (4)

  • Joanna S.

    We brought our very active toddler boys here, ages 4 and 2. They love trains at this age and really enjoyed looking at the interactive train display and fun decor. It's hard for us to go out to eat because our boys don't like to sit still for long and get antsy but they were perfect here, with lots to look at to keep their attention. The most entertaining part of our visit was when the train brought the food out to us. The food was good, decent prices, and our waitress was awesome :) will definitely go back!

    (5)

  • Sara M.

    SO CUTE! Just visited All Aboard Diner on Friday as a last-hoorah for the 15 month old I had been nannying for. I wanted a special activity for our last day together (I got a big girl job unexpectedly and we had to part ways). I knew she goes cuckoo for the the little Thomas trains at the public library so I thought this might just be the place to be! We rolled in about 12:45 on a Friday and the place was surprisingly not packed. Busy, but not packed. Cute decor all over the restaurant, a train that runs the length of the restaurant while you eat and TVs playing Thomas the Tank Engine all over the place. Awesome sensory overload! To top it all off- a train brings you your food and always runs the length of the seating area so there is a train before your eyes once about every 20 minutes. Long story short- girly loved it! All I heard was "wooooooooow" as she alternated pointing to either train as it drove by. It was hard to get her to pay attention to her food! Staff was super polite, the owners were there working and they made sure everyone was well taken care of. Didn't even bat an eye when girly stole my cup of water and promptly dumped all over herself and the floor; they actually brought her her own cup with a lid! Then why the 4 stars? Here's the big difference between this location and the downtown train diner. The price. Downtown doesn't have all the frills that this place has but their food is priced significantly lower. This location has prices more like you're eating out at a diner restaurant. $5.99 for a kids meal- a cup of macaroni and cheese and a fruit cup. I had I believe about $6.95+ for a veggie burger and fries. That in itself was not bad but I couldn't get over the $5.99 for girly's food. Oh, well, it was definitely nice for a once in a while treat!

    (4)

  • mary ann m.

    My almost one year old and I went here with two girlfriends, one with a 3 year old girl. Really cool concept for a diner. Staff was extremely friendly, accomodating, and understanding. My baby loved the train delivering the food and the three year old loved the games and rides. They even had a cupcake with a candle delievered on the train to my almost one year old which I thought was adorable. The cupcake was yummy too! Had a grilled chicken sandwich which was good but not great. Was appreciative that they had some healthier alternatives like fruit instead of fries. Very cute, kid-centered place to eat.

    (4)

  • Yu H.

    I had heard about this place once so I figured if was near it, would stop in and check it out. That happened today. Keep in mind this is a family establishment, emphasis on family. There are toy trains everywhere rolling around including the main toy train that actually brings you your meal. DO NOT COME BY YOURSELF if you are an adult. You'll feel the same way I did when I sat by a train carrying chicken fingers to some little kid. Its just like going to chuck e cheeses without a child: completely awkward. The food is pretty generic diner food you can find in a steak and shake. Fries, sandwiches, hot dogs...etc. The quality isn't that much better. I had: "Homemade" chicken noodle soup: Pretty bad, the broth was bland and flavorless and the noodles and vegetables were either over cooked or undercooked. (See picture) A complete ripoff at 3.95. "All Aboard Dog": A basic chili dog with crappy chili that had more beans and sauce than meat, onions, and melted cheese. Worth the price seeing as it was only 4.95 and came with a lot of fries which were fine. (See picture) To my surprise they actually serve beer and wine here which is pretty amusing to imagine drinking beers while a little train drives by you. Bring the kids, I'm sure they'll like this place. I certainly cant go back....

    (2)

  • Kelley S.

    What an adorable place. Clean, spacious with attentive staff and lots to look at while you wait. We wanted to have diner here, but after driving all the way down only had time to order a few appetizers so we could run out to the meeting we had scheduled. This was on a Tuesday night and the place was empty. We had our choice of places to sit and our son could explore without worrying about bothering anyone. of course we sat at the bar so we could have our food delivered by train. We got fries and onion rings and both were quite good. Not fabulous, but definitely much better than you would expect at a normal place themed for kids. The specials they had on their boards... mango chicken sandwich and fried ravioli among them, sounded fabulous. Perhaps we will drive down again to have a proper meal here.

    (4)

  • Courtney O.

    LOVE LOVE LOVE All Aboard! We've done lunch, dinner, and one of our kids birthday parties here. Clean. Entertaining. AMAZING food (which you wouldn't expect from a kids place). We are here at least once a month!

    (5)

  • Becky S.

    I passed this place and just had to walk in! It's a train themed diner that delivers food to you from a electric toy train. I stuck around to check out all the thrills, then i left because i had already eaten lunch. I ended up planning a day to come back for dinner. I couldnt find any little cousins or friends kids to bring, so i went with my boyfriend. It was kind of strange eating around so many children, but it was fun. They do serve beer and really yummy birthday cake ice cream. I didnt like the music of the kids singing, but i guess thats something you have to deal with being in such a kid friendly place.

    (4)

  • Meghan G.

    My 3 year old along with my 60+ year old father n law love this place! Clearly, it entertains all ages. Wait for a seat at the bar as that makes the experience for the little ones. Believe it or not, the food is very good with lots if variety for both kiddos and adults. Nothing fancy, but great burgers, wraps, etc. Owners and servers are exceptionally wonderful.

    (4)

  • Carrie S.

    I love this place! We took our 4 year old boo here last week, and I was just expecting some hokey train themed restaurant with okay food. What I got was a hokey train themed restaurant, really good "bar" food, and warm heart feelings that I will carry with me for the rest of my life (or maybe like a week). We sat at the counter in the center of the restaurant versus the booths. This is vital bc if you sit at the bar, you get to have a model train bring the food to you!!!!! What. I ordered the buffalo ranch chicken sandwich. It was like Portillo's good. The fries were decent too. My babydaddy ordered the Big Boy burger. It was so good, I dare say almost better than the original Big Boy (of which we sadly don't have any locations in the western burbs). So delicious. Plus they serve beer. Here is the heart warming part: A 2 year old boy across the counter from us was having his bday at All Aboard. It was so cute to see the train bring him and his sis each a blue frosting covered cupcake. His eyes were wide with amazement and the staff also sang him a bday song. I clapped along like a huge dweeb, it was a magical moment. There is a fantastic mural on the wall back by the bathrooms. If you want to see a glamorous giraffe and a lion in a beret, I highly suggest checking it out. There is also a bunch of claw games in the restaurant. They are each $0.50 to play. If you want to waste $0.50, let a 4 year old play a claw game without any help. Because 4 year olds totally sucks at claw games.

    (5)

  • Erin O.

    My kinds and I LOVE this place for lunch. I take them here for celebrations as well as just a lunch anyday. I love their food for myself, they have a great KC's chopped salad that I swear I dream about. It is so good. My kids love the train decor and the kids menu. The games they have are fun...but I'd like it if they had a few more.

    (5)

  • Brad C.

    Is All Aboard a little more expensive than you would like, yes, because you are expecting 'kid fare' and for the most part you are right, but... Atomic Fries were one of my favorite here, they aren't on the menu but they will still make them, the new alternative was good though, buffalo fries. They offer two veggie burgers that really BLOW AWAY most any restaurant I have been to. Seriously, they know how to prepare a no meat burger so well we deconstructed it for recreation back at the home lab. Finally, a frequent visitor card is available, ask for it if you have kids! Spend $20, get a punch, 10 punches, get a $20 gift card. That is a 10% discount people just for eating... and they have coupons in the local mailers too. Pricey, ehhh, above average food for a diner, good veggie options and the kids like it. Combine that with the discount card and I would say it isn't bad pricing.

    (4)

  • Maggie R.

    This place needs some renovation done as the booths look like they are going to fall apart but then again their target audience is children so that would be a waste. Food is ok. Typical dinner food. Train: super cute if the kids are into moving objects. Service: pretty good, nothing special. I sort of expected more "perkiness" from the waitresses as they are there for the kids. Con: the parking lot is terrible.

    (4)

  • Melanie T.

    They have a separate small birthday room, a few arcade games, a little train that you can ride and tvs all over that play Thomas the Train or train related movies. We brought my two kids here early this year and LOVE it! My two year old son is a huge fan of trains, so he probably thought he was in heaven. We came at lunch time on a weekday and it wasn't crowded or busy. We actually were the only customers for the first hour we were there. We spent about close to two hours at the restaurant. There's nothing my family and I don't love about this place. I only wish they offered a little bit more on their menu but I do understand that they cater to kids. We've recommended this place to a few of our friends who have gone and said that their families have loved it as well!

    (4)

  • Christina K.

    I took my nephew there and he was awestruck with awe with all the trains! There is a train running on a track near the ceiling, a model train operated by kid friendly buttons, and your food is even served on a train. Thomas is playing on the television, and the incredibly friendly and helpful wait staff even wore conductor hats. The food was decently priced and average greasy spoon fare. This will definitely be a go-to location with my nephew. They do serve beer, which is great for adults coming here, but I wouldn't recommend this place without a child- unless you REALLY love trains.

    (5)

  • Steph J.

    We came here after going to the International Motorcycle Show in Rosemont. Having never been here before, I thought it would be a bit like most kid-oriented places -- fun for the kids but torture for the adults. I was more than pleasantly surprised. Good food, great decor (it's a mixture of a 50's diner and a train depot restaurant) and pretty interactive for both age sets; even the adults find the train that brings out the food neat. We ordered the Rueben, turkey club, BLT club, corndog, pizza and burger and all of them were good, and arrived quickly, which was surprising because we were a party of 7 with small children. The only detraction was wait time, but isn't a deal-breaker; we were told that no matter when we came there'd be a wait. All in all, we'll definitely be returning.

    (4)

  • Howard L.

    We came here for a kid's (of a friend) birthday party. It's a fun place for the kids for sure. The food is decent with pub selections like burgers, tacos, chicken sandwiches, chicken tenders, etc. They also have a few domestic beers. I didn't track how long it might take to get a food order to a kid sitting at the stools by the train, and delivered by the train, but if you're a kid watching the trains, the longer the better probably. It seemed a bit chaotic for the servers handling the food orders, but I'm sure they were keeping up somehow. We (er, the adults, that is) had our food delivered to us at tables off to the side, and it was a decent time for all.

    (4)

  • Abhay S.

    We brought our son here and he absolutely loved All Aboard Diner. We were seated at the counter and the waitstaff was excellent. They gave us 2 high chairs stacked on top of each other so our son could watch the trains as the roll the food by. He couldn't control himself each time the train went by. He also loved the overhead train that went around the restuarant. Service was excellent. They made sure you were taken care of and the food was delivered quickly. We'll be returning. Often.

    (4)

  • Irene Z.

    What a great time!! So much fun! First time this weekend and the kids LOVED it. Our two little ones were enthralled from the moment we stepped in. They are 3 and 5 but there was an array of kids here ranging in age and all of them seemed to be having a great time. The hostess greeted us right away and asked if we would like to sit at the counter or the booth. There is a U-shaped counter space with bar stools that take up the middle of the restaurant...around/on top of that U are train tracks where the food is delivered via train stops. On either side of the U, there are booths and tables. At the open end of the U is the kitchen and a huge flat-screen monitor showing cartoons (Thomas the Train on this day, of course). Our son loves sitting in booths so I initially said 'booth' but the hostess was great, asked if we were in a hurry, and then convinced us to take a seat at the counter. It was full at the time, but she had a party leaving, and sure enough, we were seated within 2-3 minutes after that. I really appreciate that she wanted us to enjoy our time here. I'd told her it was our first time and she wanted us to get the most of it. Food orders included hot dogs, cheese pizza and egg salad sandwich. Good food for a great price. I was tempted to order beer or wine, but didn't. We're french fry fanatics and the ones here were really good too. The egg salad had cut-up pickles in it. Tasted better to me than the usual relish mix. Service was quick but they didn't rush us after the meal...giving the kids a little more time to enjoy the train delivering meals to others at the counter. The rest of the diner has games and gum-ball machines. Most games are 50 cents each (they also have the 'claw' game with candy...play till you win). Another train runs along the top of the restaurant just under the ceiling. In the front is a train display where the kids can press buttons to make the train (and other things) go. They also have a separate bday party room off to the right once you first step in. Bathrooms and coat hooks in the back of the restaurant. Staff here is all wonderfully friendly and efficient. When we left and paid the bill, they asked if we had a good time and was happy to hear we did. They also gave us a frequent visitor's punch card I have a feeling we'll be using it a lot. The kids also got to take home train whistles. Overall, a terrific experience. Kids have been asking when we can go back. We'll have to be back soon. And I highly recommend sitting by the counter whether it's your first visit or not.

    (4)

  • Nessie V.

    Went here today for lunch. With a co-worker. We didn't have a kid. We just wanted our food to be delivered by train. I mean, if I can get my sushi to arrive on a boat, why not my fries on a train? Despite about 3 birthday parties, kids were pretty well-behaved. I heard only one annoying scream the whole time and that was short-lived. This place is train-overload. Trains zooming around, train art, Thomas the Tank Engine on the TV and The Locomotion playing on the speakers. There was another childless group that came in, but one was on the way so I guess they just were in training (get it?) for later. The father looked like he was getting a kick out of the place though. They have a Boca veggie burger, one of the larger-sized ones, and it came with fries. I think it was like 7$ so not to bad considering entertainment was free.

    (4)

  • Alvina C.

    Beep, Beep, yeah, Toot, Toot! My girls love this place. There is a larger counter area for the train than other places that we have been to. They also have a large variety of foods for both the kiddy menu and the adult menu. I had the philly cheese steak and it was delicious. Don't get sucked into all the random little games on the side though. They give out train whistles and rings for the kids--some hooray for random little toys that I end up stubbing my toe on in the middle of the night--but at least the kiddies like it. Our server was nice but probably starting to lose steam--since it was nice outside and a little later in the afternoon. It happens--I think I would but a little nutty too if all I heard all day was train sounds and the obnoxious birthday song. Again I'm not a fan of visiting places during the peak of their lunch/dinner rush--but when we did visit there was a birthday party going on--we received out items hot and fresh with no delay. In terms of pricing I thought it was average--not too expensive but too cheap either---for the novelty of it--it was a nice visit.

    (4)

  • Nicole V.

    I didn't know my son liked trains until we had lunch here! He wouldn't stop oohing, "wow!"'ing and pointing as the trains went around the room! The food was decent. The atmosphere is a little weird - but totally fine for a lunch with the kiddos. I had a turkey wrap that was tasty, although something was "off" flavor-wise. The fries were delish. My son ate his ENTIRE burger, which is unheard of for him. My daughter ate her entire hot dog and was raving about the place :-) Definitely something to try, at least once.

    (4)

  • Andres D.

    Definitely a great diner for children's party. My nephew had his 3rd birthday party at All Aboard. There is always something going on whether trains passing overhead, arcade machines being played your child will be amused and entertained. We had about 15 adults with us and a handful of kids. The menu is extensive ranging from 14 unique burgers, 7 different style salads and beer. They even have jumbo fried shrimp, chopped steak and beer battered Cod. Our server was outgoing, friendly and on point, my soda was always filled, our table never had to ask for anything. ( I wish I got her name, blonde hair with dark glasses). In the end its the kids faces that really makes this place wonderful, its something new they've never seen.The kids reactions of a train bringing your food out is priceless.

    (4)

  • Danny Y.

    Yea... this rating is purely for the food, which is average. But I really wouldn't recommend coming here unless you have a kid. Since it's my mistake for being lazy and not reading the reviews first, I will give the place 4 stars... although, I will probably never go back. Until I have kids, that is.

    (4)

  • Dee W.

    This place was great! We threw our son's 3rd birthday party here and I placed the order with the owner's mom and worked with him, as well. They were really fabulous and easy to work with. Decor: Trains galore! My son and his friends loved the machines and the train model up front. The parents got a kick out of the buttons, especially the Strong Man one to 'test your strength'. The party room was filled with balloons and mylar balloons of Thomas the Train and Happy Birthday! I love the flat screen tvs around playing Thomas, as well. Party: Each kid got to pick out his own meal and got a cool cotton hat, as well. After we sang Happy Birthday to my son, the kids all lined up to get their own scoop of ice-cream. The private room is nice for parents to leave their coats and the gift table was nice, too. Food: This is probably the best train diner around Chicagoland with their food! They had 7-8 different options for the kids, including a gluten free chicken one! My son loved being able to pick something he would eat and even got to pick out his sides. The adults had apps and sandwiches/burgers in quarters which we enjoyed, as well. The chopped salad was delicious - bacon and chicken - yum! We had ordered several of the turkey club sandwiches and burgers which were well made, as well. Some of the parents also enjoyed a beer, as well. Suggestions: Next time, it would be nice to maybe get a name tag or something to identify the kids that were with our birthday party. Overall, service was fabulous - our server was very accommodating and helpful with our group of kids. THANK YOU AGAIN!!

    (5)

  • Ann B.

    This place is incredible. Not only is is ADORABLE for children, but adults can actually enjoy the food too! My child has life threatening nut allergies and this is one of the only restaurants I can taker her too and not have the constant worry. The staff is friendly and the management is outstanding. I highly recommend this place to families, those young at heart or really ANYONE that likes good food!

    (5)

  • Patricia E.

    Not that great, Pricey for the quality food you get and my kids werent too excited. We expected alot more than what we got. We have been to other train themed restaurants and this one doesn't come close.

    (1)

  • Mike P.

    While the food may not be the best in the world it certainly is not bad for the price. That and if you bring your kids you can actually relax and enjoy eating out because this is one restaurant they will not mind being at. Nothing like a big o'l Hot Dog, 6or7 beers, and tons of trains all around. J/K I never get a Hot Dog. Oh and the service is surprisingly good!

    (4)

  • Corin C.

    Pros: Train themed diner that keeps the kids' attention through an entire meal. Friendly staff, clean, decent decor, a nice alternative to the disgusting Chuck E. Cheese establishment. Beer for the parents to wash down the fact that you're in a train diner with kids everywhere. Cons: Food is mediocre. Turkey reuben was ultra greasy and soggy, salad was wilted and just ok. Prices were a little high for the quality but you're paying for the whole theme experience.

    (2)

  • Ellen M.

    I don't know what it is about little boys and vehicles, but there's something encoded in their DNA that causes a riot in their brains when a train goes by, especially when it's hauling a grilled cheese sandwich. My son is three, so I expect we'll be back a couple hundred more times before he moves out. If you have kids and live in the west burbs, check out this very cool little choo-choo themed diner. It opened a couple weeks ago, so it's clean and sparkling but still has a lot of character. If it isn't too busy you can sit at the big U-shaped counter with the train track and the train will bring you your meals. Standard diner fare - burgers, hot dogs, fries, chicken sandwiches and ice cream. My kids were ecstatic. While they wait, they'll be entertained by the train circling the room from the track suspended from the ceiling, or the model train/town set up. There are also televisions showing Thomas the Tank Engine videos (no sound when I was there) but it was the last thing my kids paid attention to. If Yelp had half star ratings, I might be tempted to dock another fussy, parental half star for giving each kid a free whistle as they leave (don't worry - no shrill blasts in the restaurant). They serve beer too, so it's all good. It's a few doors from the Toys R Us.

    (4)

  • Melissa M.

    What a cute place! Definitely bigger and brighter than the train-themed diner in Des Plaines. There's a hug U-shaped counter in the center and the train rides all the way around delivering meals to all seated there. There's also another train up near the ceiling that's constanstly circling the perimeter of the diner. Needless to say pretty much everything is related to trains. There are two large TVs... one is playing train-themed movies (of course!) for the kids (or kids-at-heart) and the other has sports on. The music being played follows along the train-theme (bet you didn't guess that!). The diner has a little private party room in front, but it seems like it can only hold about 15 people. The food was good and the kiddies had fun.

    (4)

  • Courtney O.

    We have tried three "train-themed" restaurants in the past three years (i.e., since our son was born): 2 Toots, Choo Choo Johnny's, and All Aboard. All Aboard is the best, hands down. Let me start with self-indulgence and squee over a veggie burger option: fabulous! The restaurant is clean, service impeccable, quick seating even with a wait, Thomas on big screen televisions, delicious food, reasonably priced (all things being equal). We are in the DG quite a bit, and the kids (3 and 2 y/o) lap this place up. Highly recommended! A great family restaurant and everyone there is so nice and ultra kid-friendly. Keep a sharp eye out when heading there--it's tucked in a bit in a shopping plaza but definitely worth the turn around if you pass it up. Awesome!

    (5)

  • Jessica M.

    Heh. So yeah, I'm 28 years old and went here for dinner. But it was with my 2 little nephews and their mommy and daddy. As an auntie it's cute to watch the kiddos get excited about their food (read- hotdogs, grilled cheese and fries) bein' delivered on a train. The video games and other interactive train set is a nice touch. I had a burger and fries and it was all just ok. A cool concept for the kids! It's nothing fancy, a bit loud and crowded with kids (even a party room) but it delivers for sure.

    (3)

  • Joe G.

    All Aboard is one of the numerous "train themed" restaurants in the Chicago area. A nicely designed location, it sports plenty of seating, good service, a LARGE menu, and a good experience. Sometimes the smallest detail can give you a good insight into a business. Here, I'd have to say, it's the fact that they've chosen to use large baskets on the train for their food. They're not chintzy with the food; the baskets come full, and the food is very good. It might sound strange, but we kind of measure most of these places in comparison to The Choo Choo in Des Plaines. The Choo Choo is a virtual madhouse of kids, activity, and radiates an underlying sense of joy by the owner. It's small and cramped, though we allow for that due to the historical nature, and so, given the great atmosphere, The Choo Choo gets high marks in the end. All Aboard is a little more sedate, and is a much larger, nicer, and modern place. It is different from The Choo Choo, but is every bit as nice an experience in a different way. Anyone contemplating a train restaurant would be well-advised to note: 1) Great selection of food on the menu, including the way it has been executed - nice to get a basket that doesn't look skimpy, 2) Nice decor, very enjoyable for both the kids and the adults. The overhead train, train layout in front, etc. all keep it a bit more exciting for the kids, 3) Good call on having a (small) party room and an ice cream station Things that aren't so hot: Seating during peak times. Cheating by sticking chairs between stools is kind of crummy. Probably okay if it's just for kids, but two adults and a kid - that just doesn't cut it. (The toddler highchairs over a stool thing is way cool, however, and definite bonus points for having the best highchair-to-seating ratio I've ever seen.) Location, location, location... the first time we went, it was hard to find, until we figured out it was way in the back of a strip mall area. 2Toots DG definitely has the gold medal for location. Overall, though, I'd have to put this at the top of the list - probably alongside The Choo Choo - for excellence in train-themed restaurants in Chicago.

    (4)

  • Brady H.

    If you are a young boy who loves trains, well, you are going to love this restaurant. Get your parents to take you, even if you live downtown. The food is decent - its better than I expected and the price was decent. I'd stick with the basics like a burger or a corndog, but the woman next to me ordered a tamale and said it was good. Try and get a place on the counter - they can stack two highchairs or a booster seat to the counter stools so your little one can watch the train action. Food is delivered on a train - awesome. Service was very friendly and the waitresses seemed to actually like kids. Good tip - there are hooks underneath the counter for your diaper bag or jacket.

    (4)

  • Bleu W.

    Great place for kids and excellent with food allergy concerns. We love this place and look forward to many returns. This place has a binder with all of the ingredients of every menu item for food allergy concerns- what a wonderful concept! This place is really fantastic for food allergies and for families- the kids love the ambience (a train continuously courses the perimeter of the restaurant near the ceiling. Another train delivers food at the huge counter- soooo cool!)

    (5)

  • Jesse W.

    It was a Friday night, and it was packed. My family and I came out exclusively for the enjoyment for a couple of my little cousins. The boy was enamored, while the girl was barely interested. Imagine a less tasty Johnny Rockets with a sh*tload of trains and rambunctious kids all over the place. We overheard birthday parties throughout our entire dinner. It was cute, especially since my nephew was so excited about the whole ordeal. But I was definitely ready to go. I blamed our server for my under-enthusiasm, as he looked like he was in pure hell the entire time lol. The food came on a train, but it was about the quality and price of something I could have ordered at a movie theater. So there you have it: food is meh, value is low, and enjoyment for boys is high. RECOMMENDED for little males in the family; NOT RECOMMENDED for date night not just because it closes at 8 or 9 on a Friday night.

    (3)

  • Lauren T.

    This place was suggested last night as a quick cheap place to eat and I am so glad it was. You wouldn't think it was much being a strip mall diner, but going in you realize how special it is. There is train stuff everywhere. There is a train that runs along the ceiling, a big train set you can control, a train kids can ride, train pictures, Thomas on the tv and a train even delivers the food! My son was so excited, and there was absolutely no need to entertain him. It was wonderful. You wouldn't expect much at a place like this food-wise either, but the food was good. My Reuben was great, the fries perfect and my son's burger was better than anything you could get at a fast food place. We ordered him a scoop of ice cream and it came with a cute little train whistle on top of it. For three of us to eat was only 25 dollars and the food was for sure better than Crapplebees. This is a great little family run place with a super friendly staff. Our server, Melissa was so nice to my son and was right on top of everything we needed. They have a birthday party room too, and if it was just a little bigger we would have my son's there. We will be back on his actual birthday though for a fun dinner and ice cream!

    (5)

  • Kristee B.

    Food was good, fast and hot. Service was lousy. We waited over half an hour for a table (which we were fine with) but then our waitress complained the whole time to another waitress about how they were closing in half an hour and they were still seating people. She was too busy doing her closing duties to bring us refills on our drinks, a to go box, or ask if we wanted dessert. We finally had to flag another waitress for these things who then yelled our dessert order halfway across the restaurant to her. Would have given it 5 stars if the service had been good.

    (3)

  • Kris B.

    Fun kids place. Our daughter loves going here. When you can get a seat at the center table it makes the whole experience. I have had the burgers a couple of times and they are pretty descent, and the fried dill pickles were excellent. My father-in-law had the pizza burger which was not very good, but if you stick to the basics you will be happy.

    (4)

  • Angela P.

    We went here last night with the kids and my sister and brother-in-law for dinner. I was surprised to see how busy it was on a Thursday night but it's obviously one of the top restaurants in the area to bring kids, especially little boys! When you walk in, it is definitely set up like an old diner but with a massive train theme! =] Everything from the wall decor to the music playing had something to do with trains and my kids loved it! We were asked if we wanted to sit in a booth or wait a few minutes to sit at the counter where your food is delivered by the train...so of course we waited! That was the whole point! (I said there has to be some way that they could have made it so every table was served this way...but who knows!) When we sat down we were greeted promptly and ordered our drinks and shortly after, our food. Everything we ordered was really good, we had the Cajun chicken sandwich, Buffalo chicken wraps and a Gorgonzola burger and I substituted my fries for onion rings for a small charge. Again, everything was very good, juicy and flavorful and the onion rings are a Black and Tan onion ring and you can really taste the beer! Yum! We all ate for under $50 for four adults and a toddler, so not bad at all! We will definitely be back!

    (4)

  • Jeremy P.

    My son loved it and the food was good. Great double decker sandwich. Great place for taking your kids.. don't go as adults alone!!

    (4)

  • Jason P.

    Of the two train-themed restaurants we've been to with our 2 1/2 year-old daughter, this is definitely the better of the two (the other being Two Toots in downtown Downers Grove). The menu here is much larger than Two Toots, and the restaurant is much larger as well. It is also a bit cleaner here, and the service is definitely far less surly than the high school or community-college kids who work at Two Toots. Let's call it like it is, this is a restaurant for toddlers and little kids. In that aspect, it excels. My daughter had an absolute blast here. You know the concept, so I won't repeat it. Train that brings the food? Check. Train decor? Check. The main counter, on which the train runs that brings the food, is huge. The seats are a little low compared with the height of the counter, so it is a little awkward sitting there. Also, the stools are placed pretty far apart. This is good from the standpoint of not being crowded up against your neighbor, but bad from the standpoint of, if you are coming here with a kid, who will most likely sit between you and the other adult in your party, forget about trying to hold a conversation with them because they will be a good 6 feet away. The food was pretty decent. My wife got the BBQ Pork Sandwich, and I got the French Dip. Both were really tasty, although it would have been nice to have a bit more dip, and in a little wider-mouthed container. Our daughter got the chicken nuggets and potato chips, and she actually ate a bunch of the nuggets (she's notoriously picky, and either loves or hates chicken nuggets depending upon the day or the position of the planets). As an appetizer, we ordered the Sweet & Spicy Asian Boneless Wings (yeah, that right there will tell you this is a step up from Two Toots), and they were really good. Presentation was a little dull, but come on, you're here for the trains and food that is decent enough to make you refrain from toddler-overload-induced thoughts of suicide. Overall, while not the height of gastronomic excellence or originality, this place is the best of the train restaurants I've been to, yet.

    (5)

  • Alexis C.

    Our sons, ages 18 months and 3 years, ADORED this place. We were looking for someplace cool to take them for dinner while visiting the Chicago area, and came across the All Aboard while browsing reviews on Yelp. Since both boys are total train fanatics, we thought they'd love All Aboard ... and we were right! The All Aboard is in a large shopping plaza, which had plenty of parking. (We drove from Rosemont, which was a hike, but at least it wasn't downtown traffic!) We went on a Saturday evening, and were pleasantly surprised to find that they weren't terribly busy. The boys were immediately transfixed by the train chugging around the wall and the one delivering food to diners. There were also several games, a small train to ride in, a very cool miniature train set-up, and a train whistle kids can pull on when they leave. (My sons could have done that all day!) The diner looked clean and tidy. The restaurant had both high chairs and booster seats available to fit over the bar stools at the counter, which was nice for the boys. There was a good selection of kids' items, with some healthy options (milk and a fruit cup instead of pop and fries, for example). Most of the food was fairly typical diner food (hot dogs, sandwiches, etc.), but what we had was very tasty. The prices seemed reasonable to me -- I think we spent $36 for four people. We don't have food allergies in our family, but I did notice there were several menu options (including desserts) for kids who do have them, which was a nice touch. I was afraid getting the kids to leave would result in tears, but the lure of the train whistle convinced them to head for the door so they could try it out. We had a great time, and next time we're in the Chicago area, we'll certainly be back!

    (5)

  • Heather L.

    Take your toddlers here! My 4, 2 & 11 month olds loved it and so did me and my husband. Food was good, the trains we're mesmerizing to the kids and we can't wait to go back. Totally worth it! Service was outstanding! Not a drink went dry, special orders were a breeze and they have patience for the kids and the parents. My son who has tons of allergies was actually able to have dessert here because they have delicious allergy free cupcakes. Loved this place!

    (5)

  • Jessica V.

    All Aboard Diner is our favorite restaurant in Downers Grove, mainly because our one-year-old son loves it. But they also have good food and great service. Their menu is mostly sandwiches, but they have a big variety and they're pretty good. The quality here is better than at most low-priced restaurants in the area. The service is very friendly and attentive too. My son loves to watch the trains go by, and everyone seems to have a good time.

    (5)

  • Amaliya L.

    Hands down, this was the most memorable, most excellent adventure that we have had dining out with our little one. This is the feel good restaurant of the year. Cool, friendly staff and amazing owners. I had first heard about the All Aboard Diner from our friend Ellen M. I was in the mood for something exciting to do on a Friday night and suggested it to my husband. I did a quick search on Yelp and on their website; Yelped directions and we were good to go. And this is where I failed as a wife and a mother. I fully admit that I am a scatter brain. I have absolutely no concept of time. I did not take into account that it was a Friday night and that we would be driving right at the tail end of rush hour, and smack in the middle of Friday night traffic. We also ran into several stretches of construction along the way. The drive time posted on the directions did not account for construction or traffic. What was stated as 40 minutes was in actuality 1 hour and 15. I also did not check their hours of operation. We arrived 30 minutes before closing. A quick cursory glance around the stores flanking All Aboard made me curse myself that we arrived so late. This is definitely a place that I will want to make a day trip out of. There is a Toys R' US, Marshall's, Grants, Michael's, Salvation Army, Barnes and Noble, Ulta, and the Hobby & Toy store all within the Grove Shopping Center. We didn't have time to dilly dally; the hideous drive time already threw us off schedule. The restaurant was still booming when we entered. All of our senses went into high over drive. There is so much to take in, from the train whistles blowing, the overhead train that circles the entire restaurant, the train table in front, the kid friendly arcade games, and the big screen featuring Thomas The Engine. The owners put a lot of attention to detail into designing this restaurant. We had originally planned this trip as an adventure for our son, but it ended up being an incredible flashback for both my husband and I. This restaurant totally made me feel as if I were a kid again. The Cheshire grin and delight on my son's face was totally worth the trek. What could have become a really bad situation was thankfully averted by their fantastic staff and owners. They welcomed my family with open arms. We were invited to stay as long as we wanted and did not feel a bit rushed. We were seated around the U-shaped counter so that our food could be brought to us via train. The Owner suggested placing a booster on a chair to bring our little one closer to the counter. Absolutely brilliant! The menu is huge and prices are incredibly cheap. We ordered a strawberry shake, fish & chips, popcorn shrimp, Black & Tan Onion Rings, triple decker BLT, fruit cup, juice box, coffee, and iced tea. While waiting for our food to arrive, my son was able to ride the Caboose, and try his hand at a few of the arcade games. I love the fact that they have a play till you win Claw game. My son was beaming from ear to ear every time that he won. The food here is delicious. Our bill was only $30 and our waiter even presented us with a $2 off coupon to redeem at checkout. Our son truly enjoyed operating the train table. We got a kick out of it too. While he was playing, we had the opportunity to chit chat with the owners. We learned that the restaurant only opened 2 years ago. We also learned that we had a lot in common from music taste to The Nightmare Before Christmas. My son was overjoyed to receive a Spiderman sticker in their vending machine. He was even more ecstatic when they presented him with train whistles, 2 Spiderman rings, and several Thomas rings. They were so good to us. We have never felt so welcomed in a restaurant. Strange as this may seem, it felt like family here, and despite that this is a kid's restaurant, there wasn't any annoying screaming, whining, or kid's crying. If there was, I was completely oblivious to it. One of the owners presented my son with a cup of Superhero ice cream for the road. She was even thoughtful enough to give us a lid for the road. Incredible. I love these people. Upon leaving, my son had a million questions. How did they know that he was into Spiderman? Was the ice cream going to give him more powers? How did they know all the songs from Nightmare Before Christmas? He sincerely thought that All Aboard was All About him. Before going to bed, he asked when we would go visit his new friends again. As a side note I'd like to add that they do have a party room. The restaurant is very spacious, bright and extremely clean. They also are a nut-free restaurant and serve many foods and desserts that address other allergy issues. Vegans will also appreciate that they do have a vegan friendly menu and will cook these foods in non meat contaminated fryers, etc. Do not let the distance scare you. It is every bit worth the time.

    (5)

  • Michelle B.

    My kids adore this restaurant and I do too. It's a fun family restaurant where your food is delivered on a little train. It's kitschy but the food is actually reasonably good. Typical options such as burgers, chicken fingers but also a really nice chopped salad. Very friendly service and once you've visited twice you'll be treated like a regular.

    (5)

  • Christine R.

    I've been here twice and both times were great. My kids can't get enough of the train delivering food. Even if the food isn't being delivered to them. My son is a huge Thomas the Tank fan, so he just loves this place. Not to mention the huge TV screen playing episodes of Thomas the Tank Engine. (But they also have another less obvious TV playing stuff for the adults). The looks on my children's faces both times make All Aboard well worth it. I tried another train themed restaurant (Choo Choo Diner in Des Plaines), at there was absolutely no comparing. All Aboard is definitely much better. When I went to the place in Des Plaines is when I realized how very clean All Aboard is (Choo Choo Diner was not as well kept and I noticed it the moment I walked thru the door.) The food is great. They have a pretty large menu for the size of the operation. It's very impressive. Between food, drink, and dessert, you can spend an easy $10+ per person. But the quality of the food is great and well worth it. I love the pizza burger. Service is always very friendly. I have never had a wait time the times we've gone. However, I have pinpointed a non-peak time (which I'm not sharing with you or you'll all be showing up at my secret day and time). Location wise - I think it's great that's it's located in a plaza/mall with more than ample parking. Heads up, the first time I went I recieved some odd directions from either my GPS or Mapquest. I can't remember which. So just in case, taking I-355 to 75th is the easiest way to get there. When you exit on 75th you would want to go eastbound, and the diner would be on the left side right by the Toy R Us. All in all, this is a great place, great food, family oriented, and I could be here an eternity typing every detail about how wonderful it is. You definitely need to check it out.

    (5)

  • Kirk W.

    Can restaurants that specialize in delivering your food via train be considered it own genre? It could very well be because just about everyone who goes to these places has a child under 7. The really funny thing about All Aboard Diner is that food is actually .... pretty good! I had the Reuben and my wife had a burger and they were both quite good. My son had a hot dog - and well that's pretty hard to screw up. Also try one of their shakes. Be careful when you go - as on school holidays (President's Day, etc.) this place gets packed and you'll be waiting for a table. You may not appreciate this place if you don't have a little kid in tow ... I can understand the reviews of people w/o kids who can't wait to get back out the door.

    (4)

  • Jeff G.

    the food is only 3 stars, but this is a great place for kids so i gave it 4. took my 3 y.o nephew there the other day. he was not in a good mood when we left my brother's house, he did not want to leave the house. but then we pulled up and he started running to the door as soon as he saw the train in the front window. he was all of a sudden in a better mood. sat at the counter and had the train deliver our lunch.

    (4)

  • Scott C.

    The food here is actually REALLY good, and trains, trains, trains. My kids love it, and it's not a rip off. Lots of things for kids to do and i get a good meal. Win/Win.

    (4)

  • Chuck D.

    Let me explain my ignorance first. My mom and sister were coming to visit and I was doing the usual last minute panicked Yelp search for new vegan places to try. For once, and I mean this never happens, they actually arrived early, leaving me little time to fully research my lunch choices. I had read that there was a vegan choice here and that it also served great burgers (hey, I don't always have to give up my meat!!). It was fairly close, and seemed fast. ...How the name "All Aboard Diner" escaped my attention, or "my kids love this place!" - is far beyond me. But I had absolutely no inkling that this place was a train themed cafe made mostly for kids (although, I think they are missing a business opportunity by not making this 21+ after 10 pm on the weekends and using that train to deliver shots...). That being said... this. place. was. awesome! How fun!! Short little stools sitting around a railroad track that had trains delivering your food to you! There were exactly three seats left at the bar area that they offered to us, but we didn't feel right stealing those last seats from the kids that would inevitably arrive just after us being seated. We opted for a more comfortable booth. I was content to be here just to be somewhere so different and fun, but the burning question is - can the food have any choice of being good here?... and how many vegan options are there ACTUALLY at a place like this? As far as the vegan options, I was disappointed. I don't think I'd recommend this for vegans, even though there are vegan "options". I put options in quotes because I asked the waiter what their options were and he was like "oh! we have a boca burger..." ...I waited for the "and...." but it didn't come. That being said, if you enjoy Boca burgers, come on in, vegans! My mom and sister were not sad about this. They said that it was as good as any boca burger they have ever had, and it really hit the spot after a long morning of driving! (Phew!) As far as the food for the rest of us, I was definitely pleased. I got the Cajun spiced burger. I have to admit, I was a little worried that it would be tasteless. I guess I just don't expect a place like this to have good food because they don't have to. Kids will force their parents to come here anyway. The burger was very good. You could definitely taste the spices and it was juicy and cooked to order. The fries were just good fries. I really enjoyed my lunch, as did my mom and sister. I guess this place isn't for everyone. But definitely if you have a family, bring the kids here, they will love it for sure! If you are looking for a cute place to go out to a quick lunch or dinner, I would say to give it a try. How often can you have your food delivered to you on a model train? I mean really....

    (4)

  • Sara D.

    We went there at little-kid dinner time on a Saturday. Probably not the smartest idea, but we were seated quicker than we expected and had a fun interactive train display for my daughter to play with while we waited. The staff is friendly, the atmosphere is super toddler-friendly, and the food was pretty good. The food is typical diner food, but good diner food. My 22 month-old daughter sat in her seat for almost the entire time we were there, which is extremely rare. I'm sure this won't be our last visit.

    (4)

  • Rene P.

    We just drove here all the way from the South Loop to have dinner with my parents because our son is 15 months old and obsessed with trains. He was IN HEAVEN! This place is so cute, it's unbelievable. They have not missed a detail...everything revolves around trains from the big train track set up, the train whistle over the door, Thomas and Friends playing on Flat Screens, pictures of trains, gates, conductors, everything everywhere was trains! Thomas cupcakes, a Thomas party room, train whistles for the kids, games - it's awesome! The menu is massive too with a lot of sandwiches and appetizers and desserts. The kids menu is great. We had burgers and shakes and they were delicious old fashioned diner style - fabulous! We are probably having his 2nd birthday here since he was in love and it's too cute for words! There was a birthday party while we were there and they all had conductor hats and played a special song, etc. I can't wait to take our son back there and to try other things on the menu!

    (5)

  • Mike D.

    The kids absolutely love this place! The atmosphere is great! The service is great! The prices are great! The food, well, you're not really coming here for the food, are you? The food is typical Sysco food service fare, nothing special, but defiantly edible. But the atmosphere and the service are extraordinary! Super neat and plenty of things for the kids to do! Watch the food be delivered by train, play the games, ride the rides, play with the giant train set at the front, order ice cream from the ice cream mini bar. Spectacular! Bring Your Kids!!!

    (5)

  • Maribel L.

    We happened to be in the strip mall where this little diner is located and we decided to walk up and take a peek inside. Of course, once my daughter (7yrs old) saw the trains, she wanted to go in and eat. The concept is really neat. The train brings your food out to you. The food was a little better than I had expected. Nothing fancy. We might come again, if we happen to be in the area. If I had little boys that were really into trains, I can see us coming here more often.

    (4)

  • Tiffany K.

    I went here with my 2 year of nephew. He had a great time. I think its cute that the food comes out on a train. The place itself is definitely for kids. If you don't have kids or like them, I suggest going somewhere else ha. However, if you are going there with kids, its a nice place. Although, it is kind of cramped. I would not suggest to going with a big group. Due to the number of kids there, it can get a little loud. As far as the food, it was only ok. Guess you wouldn't have gourmet chefs for kids lol. They seemed to enjoy it though.

    (3)

  • Moe f.

    Attended a 3yo birthday party yesterday. It's a great place with super friendly staff. And my friend said the party was ridiculously cheap. We had a nice little party room. The kids got to eat at the counter and the train brought them their food. All the kids were having a blast. And the adults noshed on some very good buffallo nuggets, o rings, and club sandwiches. Highly recommended for the under 8 crowd.

    (4)

  • H O.

    We went to "All Aboard Diner" today for lunch with my husband and 2 year old son. Any child or adult that loves trains, this is the place to go. Everything is train related. The modeled train even delivers your food on a track, how cute is that? I seriously loved how entertaining it was for my son. This was just as much fun as going to the "Day Out With Thomas Event" last month at the Railway Museum. Thank you Melissa for making our stay fun for my child. He literally broke down in the parking lot crying after he realized we were leaving. He didn't want to go, ha-ha! They offer a wide variety of sandwiches, burgers and other kid foods. The burger was average and the fries were good. We didn't try anything else so I can't offer any other tips on what to eat. It was worth a half hour drive from our house! Fun place! Thank you!

    (5)

  • Ty S.

    Some of the best burgers you'll find if you ask me. The place is very friendly and outside of a sometimes long wait you can't find a better place to take kids for a meal. As a family of four we usually end up spending another forty to fifty bucks including tip. Be an the lookout for coupons in local mailers. The place is very clean and the staff attentive. But the great burgers make it for me.

    (5)

  • Maria S.

    If you have boys you have to come here. Fun place. Best for probably 6-and-under (our 3 year old was enthralled with the place); but the 7 and 8 year old played some games and were happy to eat here too. There is a Pokemon game, Pac Man, and a train ride to keep them entertained when there is a wait. We went on a Sunday at 12:30 and had to wait about 15 minutes for a seat at the counter. It was worth the wait time for the counter seats - the train brought our lunch - and that's the appeal. Fun place. Standard food. All in all a fun time. You have to take the kids at least once if you live in the western .burbs.

    (4)

  • William V.

    If you have kids this is a great place to go. Fun atmosphere, nice staff and the owners are present and active. Food delivered on a train - what could be better. Sure it's not the best burger I've ever had but the trains and happiness makes up for it. Plus the beers help.

    (5)

  • Liza P.

    Took the kids here after a day at the DuPage Children's Museum, and it was a hit! We got to sit at the counter, and the train brought us our food, which really delighted my kids! There was a train that ran around the whole restaurant, lots of train pics, games, and Thomas the Train playing on the tv. So, plenty of stuff to look at while we waited for our food. The food itself was typical fried fare, nothing to write home about. Priced decently. The boys had a hot dog and chicken nuggets meals, and I had a double burger with thousand island dressing. The dressing was kinda gross, the burger was okay. Each of my kids got a free train whistle and a novelty ring before we left. And there was a plexiglass enclosed train set with 2 trains, and some rides, etc that the kids could operate by pressing various buttons on the side of the display. That was a huge hit! The boys loved it. And they had a cool train whistle that you pull on your way out. I would definitely come here again.

    (4)

  • Sarah C.

    Woo woo! We just love this place. I am sad to say that with two boys under three, this is about my favorite night out with the kids. We have braved several other restaurants with the little ones, but it's just not worth the effort. I'm always worried that they are disturbing someone and the one-year-old is still dropping food on the floor like crazy, but at All Abroad, this is par for the course. It is a little troubling how I can just relax and enjoy a beer with all the kid noise and the choo choos making their rounds. The food is mostly sandwiches but pretty darn good and the kids menu is pretty extensive, as you might expect from a kids restaurant. The service is great - not sure how they can be so nice dealing with kids all day, but God bless 'em. There is enough going on with the TV's, trains, and games, that the kids never get fussy. The whistles and rings they hand out as you are leaving distract the kids as you are dragging them out, so it all just kind of works. And for the nights that I just don't want a sandwich for dinner, I worked out a compromise. We'll go next door for sushi or somewhere else local and then go to "Choo Choo Restaurant" for cupcakes for dessert. Either way it's a win-win-win scenario.

    (5)

  • Barbara S.

    Hi, it's Barbara S. from Glen Ellyn again. I am here to recant my earlier positive review. I went back to the All Aboard Diner on Sat 7/25 with my 3 children (6y,4y, 15 months). We arrived at 4:15 on a Sat and it was pretty empty. They seated us at the diner counter so the train could deliver our food. Fine. We ate. Fine. When my 2 boys (6 and 4) finished eating, they wanted dessert, so I ordered them each cupcakes and shakes. This was around 5:00. My daughter and I were not going to have dessert. The owner came over and asked me to stand with my daughter while my boys ate their dessert, so he could seat others at the counter. I have never heard of a restaurant that ejects members of a party who are finished eating ! I Needless to say, we won't be back.

    (2)

  • Ken H.

    Kid Friendly, Allergy Friendly, Wallet Friendly! This inviting little spot nestled in a sprawling suburban shopping center has won our hearts. I have a train-loving 4 year old son who can name all the Thomas trains by rote. So there was an instant connection with him when we were 20 feet from the door and he saw the model trains running in the window. He grabbed my hand and off we ran for the door. Inside the place is a kid's dream. An interactive model train runs at the store window. A larger scale train run alond a suspended track along the ceiling. An old fashioned soda fountain dominated the entrance. and the diner's counter has a model train the delivers your food on freight cars. Two flat screens run Thomas videos and along one wall are a series of little kid friendly coin operated machines and mini-rides. For the parents, it is clean, the staff is friendly, and the prices are very reasonable. The kicker for me is their willingness to accomodate customer's with allergies. My son has dairy, egg, and nut allergies, so eating out can be a real problem. First off, All Aboard is a nut-free environment - a great start. Secondly, they have a book which lists the ingredients of every item they serve. They were happy to show it to us and answer any questions we had. They have dedicated fryers to avoid cross contamination of foods. Finally, they carry Divvies (a wonderful online supplier of Nut, Milk, and Egg free sweets, including cupcakes and chocolate bars) dessert items so even allergic children can enjoy dessert out. Now that is a rarity! We drove almost an hour to get there and it is well worth the trip.

    (5)

  • Sara B.

    Found this place on Yelp when looking for a place to meet some old friends who now have one and two year old boys. The food was great, the staff was just amazing and the boys had a blast! This place place makes me smile...

    (5)

  • John V.

    When some friends came to visit me in DG with their 2 year old son, we went to All Aboard Diner. This place is nuts! You can get you food delivered by train if you sit at the counter and there's also trains all over the place. My friends son loved it. The food was pretty good, with a decent selection for both the kids and adults. Highly recommended if you have little ones or like trains a lot.

    (4)

  • Gary F.

    I've been to this place today and 2Toots in Glen Ellyn last month. All Aboard is hands down the winner between the two. The menu must be at least double, if not triple the2Toots menu. 2Toots just has a horse to ride on. This place has a train, plus another 6 games to play after eating. We'll be coming back here, not 2Toots. Parking is much easier, too.

    (5)

  • Loreli P.

    This restaurant has good food (for adults too) and I've had my sons birthday party there 2 years in a row. He loves it. The private room is nice to have cake and open presents while the counter is the place to go for the real fun!

    (4)

  • Jo F.

    Best of all the diners that deliver food via train. Hands Down...best food at any diner. In fact, great food. The owner is always on-site and he makes sure you have the best customer service. You can have your child's Birthday Party at this location. If you are just visiting for a meal, your kid will get to enjoy the Birthday party too! The customer service here is the best. No apathetic teenagers serving you meat inside bread + ketchup. Grown-Ups that want you to have a great time and meal. The menu here goes beyond your expectations. Soup is fantastic and there's more than just your average diner menu. This is a family owned and proud restaurant. It's a great experience. If you have kids or just want a great meal, visit this location! I can't imagine you'd have a bad visit- but if you did, the owner would be heart-broken. He'd run out and make it right because this is a fantastic dining establishment. This is how a restaurant should be run. No, I'm not related to the owner, I just admire his well-run joint.

    (5)

  • J. Michael E.

    All Aboard Diner is stuffed with trains and overstimulated yougins--there are multiple model trains going at the same time, and several tv's showing Thomas the Train episodes. The menu is very vegetarian friendly (I've always had the black bean burger and fried pickles), and it's a real delight to see your food come out *on* a train as slimy-fisted toddlers squeal it on. That said, if you don't like families, then this probably isn't the place for you.

    (4)

  • Courtney M.

    Great idea!!! food was fine, for what it was. Staff was very friendly!! The train is awesome. Great family restaurant

    (5)

  • Amanda M.

    This is a super cute place. Ideal for groups of 4 or less. Tables are somewhat small. There is a party room, however it's usually roped off for the frequent parties. Food is good. Nothing amazing but definitely enjoyable. If your kiddo is into trains, you'd probably want to sit at the counter. Your food is brought out to you on a train if your at the main counter. If you sit at a table, there are trains near the ceiling that circle the room. I remember when my daughter was a baby and in a car seat, she enjoyed seeing the trains go by. So, I guess this is a great place for big kids, little kids and even babies to enjoy! The people are nice. Food is average price. Not too expensive but not cheap. The location is interesting. It's easy to find, easy to park and there is a Toys r us down the strip. But, if your goal was to park, eat and walk around to shop, there aren't many other child-related stores near by. The place is clean. I know we had to use the bathrooms before- I believe there is a changing table in the women's restroom. Highchairs available. Fun decor. Overall, I'd recommend if you have a train lover in the family. :)

    (4)

  • Natalie S.

    We've been wanting to check out a train themed restaurant for a while. We happened to be in the area and needing some lunch. I saw this on Yelp and we went right over. Holy trains! Everywhere! There's a Thomas movie playing on a couple screens, a train that runs on a track near the ceiling, a train set near the front door and, the best part, a train that drives up to you at the counter to deliver your food. My husband and i agreed: the food was actually very good! I kinda expected it to just be mediocre and that the place thrives on the train gimmick. But I had a bacon cheese burger that was pretty amazing. My husband enjoyed his burger. The kids shared a meal and inhaled it. Next time I'll pass on the special fried pickles, they needed more pickle, it was like eating fried cucumbers. I will also add that while we were there, the woman sitting next to my husband had a medical emergency. The employees handled it all in a very professional manner. A gentleman working the front counter took the very young boy up front to have ice cream while the paramedics worked on his mother. I was impressed by how well everyone handled themselves. Extra star!

    (5)

  • Sharon R.

    This restaurant is train themed and geared toward kids. We took our grandchildren there on a Sunday afternoon and they enjoyed the experience. My 4 yr old grandson did put his hands over his ears a lot during the time there because it is a very noisy place with trains whistling and lots of kids. My 7 year old grand daughter loved the atmosphere and seemed to enjoy the activity overload. We all had burgers which were fine. The kids can have fruit cups which were fresh fruit instead of fries or chips. It was a lovely time before our park excursion.

    (4)

  • Tracy V.

    If your children are into trains, this is the place to take them! I have two sons both under 3 years old and they just loved it! It's a fun and happy atmosphere. The staff is very friendly and although it was pretty packed for a Wednesday night, we only waited 10 minutes or so to be seated. I'd recommend being seated at the counter because they bring the food out on a train. Yes! A food train! It's super awesome and fun for the little ones to see their food being delivered on the train. We kept it simple and we all ordered hamburgers some with cheese. The food isn't the highlight but it didn't matter. The looks on the faces of my boys' totally made it all worthwhile. We will definitely be returning to All Aboard!

    (4)

  • Shannon D.

    We love this place! We've been here at least 10 times in the 10 months we've lived in the area. The train decor is awesome and so entertaining for the kids. They go crazy for the train that delivers the food. They have really good food for adults too! We also had a birthday party here and they were amazing! The people who were working the party were so helpful and friendly from the minute we got there until the minute we left. Highly recommend!!

    (5)

  • Tricia T.

    Good place for kids and families. Atmosphere is inviting for kids into trains. A lively environment. It's a small place, so plan to wait a few mins for an open booth or the main attraction in the middle where an actual train delivers food right in front of you! Too cute. ;) Food is good. Typical burger place. They have an extensive menu, but we stuck with burgers and chicken. Usually can't go wrong there. I'd go back!

    (3)

  • Michelle I.

    Very cool little restaurant!! I've always meant to come here but finally had the chance as I brought our G-daughter here today. I later come to find out that the owners are the originals owners of the Royal Shield restaurant in Darien which if you grew up here you've definitely been to a time or two! I always heard the owners were going to start another restaurant but never envisioned them opening a kiddie place!? Their menu was pretty basic but had some nice completer items such as salad, appetizers, and fried pickles which I'll get next time when there is more than one adult present. They had a cool inactive railroad right when you walk in which made it difficult to get back to our seats. There was a railroad going around the perimeter of the restaurant and another little railroad that brings the food out to you if you're seated around the "bar" area where your server will assist you to take it off and get you whatever else you need. Our server was very nice and helpful! The food wasn't bad!! A little expensive for kid food but you have a lot to experience while you're there and it's entertainment your paying for!!

    (5)

  • David H.

    Honestly the food was 3 stars. It's more about the everything else. Games , interactive train table , train food delivery.. Just wish food quality was a bit better. Nice staff service speed was also 3 stars...

    (3)

  • Deanna S.

    This place is cute. We took our 4 and 1.5 yr old boys this last weekend for dinner on a Saturday. We got in easily and didn't have to wait for a seat. We were seated at the counter so the kids could revel in their food being delivered by train. I read the previous reviews about the food and I have to agree. So/so food. I ordered the fish and chips and it came with a side of tartar sauce that was simply a plastic container of Kraft Foods tartar sauce. The 3 small fish fillets were likely frozen and baked. My husband had a burger and he said it wasn't bad. Kids had cheeseburgers and fries with a side of fruit. They also have a few dessert options from ice cream to brownies and cookies to cupcakes. Mine had cupcakes...served on a Styrofoam plate. Who still uses Styrofoam?? The kids enjoyed watching the train go around the ceiling, pushing the buttons by the train set by the front door and a myriad of other things. Would I go back? Yes; the things we do for our kids, right? Was I excited about the food? Not so much.

    (3)

  • Jacquie S.

    Love this place!! Good food & lots of train stuff! Our 4 year old train man is in heaven!

    (5)

  • Brandy W.

    Busy joint! I can see why. My 2-year old was quite thrilled to be going to the choo-choo restaurant just like he'd visited with his grandparents. So for his birthday, we took him with little sister in tow. We had to wait a sizeable amount of time-- but to be expected on a Sunday for prime seating at the counter. The restaurant was clean, very stimulating, the food was good and the prices were reasonable. I was shocked at the great variety of food. They had THREE types of vegetarian burger patties! I ordered one of those and my husband had a chicken burger with mango salsa. We were quite pleased. The train delivers the food and comes around about every couple minutes for your kid's enjoyment. There is a lot going on, so if that's not your kid's thing, this might not be the place for you. Obviously, weekends and peak hours will have you waiting. Have plenty of quarters on hand if you have a kid who is aware of that sort of thing, because they have kid machines with cheap toys lining that joint. If it's a birthday, let them know and your kiddo can choose a cupcake or scoop of ice cream with lots of options. We'll be back. Fun experience indeed.

    (5)

  • Alice D.

    This place is great! The kids loved it and the adults got a good meal. The owners and staff are very friendly and accommodating. With Thomas on the big screen and a train table to play with we will definitely be back.

    (5)

  • Mike N.

    A rare five stars due to the fact that the food, atmosphere, and cleanliness are all up there and it's a place designed for kids! Most of these places fall short in most or all of those categories, but you can enjoy this place as an adult as well. Nice job making the concept work guys. Family owned, and has a nice frequent buyer program... Ten clicks gets you $20 gift card.

    (5)

  • Laura C.

    The food is tasty and the atmosphere is great for my little boy who loves trains. A cupcake with candle is essential if you're there for a birthday.

    (5)

  • Aimee M.

    Hurray for a Train-themed diner that offers a huge menu and adult beverages! I figured I'd be eating a burger or a hot dog here because in my mind, you've been to one train themed restaurant, then you've been to them all. I was so wrong. First, this place is full of trains. There's the train that runs along the counter that delivers your food (of course). And then there's the train that runs along the upper wall, along the whole course of the restaurant. Then there's the miniature train set up where your kids can push the buttons to make different parts of the display light up or move. Then there's the mechanical train ride that rattles and hums. Then the two large Flat-screens that run Thomas the Train videos non stop. Sensory overload? Surprisingly for me and my son, No. Then there's the great menu I mentioned earlier. There are burgers and dogs, but I love that there are many different kinds of toppings for your burger. There are many different salads, sandwiches, chicken, fish available too. I love it. And yeah, other than the fountain drinks and milkshakes, you can order beer (some craft options too) and wine. My buffalo chicken salad was delicious. They also offer unlimited refills of soda so my diet coke was filled as often as I wished. I tried my son's burger and fries--both tasty. And his strawberry milkshake was pretty darn good too. Service was spectacular from beginning to end. The hostess (whom I think is one of the owners) was super sweet and helped my and my son settle in to our seats. Our server was awesome and really anticipated our needs. The price was right for a nice meal and train entertainment. The restaurant opens at 11 and when we arrived at 1120 on a Saturday, we were lucky to snag some of the last seats at the counter. There's booth seating but the train doesn't deliver your food to you. So yeah, prime counter seating on weekends goes fast or prepare to wait a bit. I also love that you can purchase train engineer hats for the kids here too!

    (5)

  • Jason M.

    All Aboard is great fun for the kids. We have been several times and we are always impressed by the quality of the food and the friendliness of the service. For a place centered around a children's theme, one would not expect the food to be as good as it is. We have brought grandparents and friends from out of town; all ages have enjoyed the experience. While it can get VERY busy at times, the management and staff are always very accommodating. They know how to seat folks to fit the most diners around the bar to be served by the trains. If you have a large party, try to come early before the lunch or dinner crowd to guarantee a seat at the bar.

    (5)

  • Marge D.

    Thank you for having a great restaurant where kids are always welcome! The staff is exceptional & all very patient. Always a great experience for us & good food for kids of all ages

    (5)

  • Nancy R.

    Finally got a chance to take my grandson here over the weekend and he loved it. You can't help but fall in love with the train concept. Good food at a responsible price not to mention it keeps the little ones occupied. Good alternative to Chuck E. Cheese on a Saturday afternoon.

    (4)

  • Paul A.

    Average food, but my niece really liked the trains. Definitely worth a trip in you have children.

    (3)

  • Jorie B.

    My toddler sons love this restaurant! There is enough to for two rambunctious boys to do while waiting for our food. It's bright, clean, and pleasant. The food itself is very good and not bland kids restaurant food. We've had several pleasant experiences there, but today we had to leave suddenly because one of the boys wasn't feeling well. The staff packaged our food for us to-go and sent the train out just for the kids, since their food wasn't going to come on the train. They were so kind and helpful. All Aboard Diner will continue to be our "go to" restaurant.

    (5)

  • Glenda C.

    This place thought of everything-- from the step stool in the bathroom, to the stacking of the high chairs for the little ones to see the rotating train that carries the food around the train track. I like that the menu has more than just burgers and fries! Yes, it's diner food, but the selection acknowledges that oftentimes adults accompany their smaller companions! Also the hostesses and servers are mostly women in their 40s or 50s, so customer service is great!

    (4)

  • Shannon A.

    Great place for kids and parents! Broad selection of food for adults. Staff is great and the owner is very attentative. We need to support folks like tihs owner, who know that family is first. Get the wings!!! We will be back!

    (5)

  • Jen W.

    I can't rate or review the food since I never got a chance to eat there, but after standing in a crowd for 20 minutes, staring longingly at the dozen or so empty seats with my hungry three year old and baby, I'm really quite angry. Especially at the servers who seemed oblivious to this nonsense, and the single old man who not only plopped himself down to eat but got up to play effing video games. I realize people have the right to eat wherever they want, but this experience nearly made me start drinking.

    (2)

  • Steve H.

    This is suburban hell. Obnoxious kids, with even more obnoxious parents. Food is average at best. If you are the type who considers Applebee's good, this place is for you. Go once and don't ever need to come back. My toddler loved it, that's why I gave it 2 stars.

    (2)

  • Michelle B.

    My kids adore this restaurant and I do too. It's a fun family restaurant where your food is delivered on a little train. It's kitschy but the food is actually reasonably good. Typical options such as burgers, chicken fingers but also a really nice chopped salad. Very friendly service and once you've visited twice you'll be treated like a regular.

    (5)

  • Moe f.

    Attended a 3yo birthday party yesterday. It's a great place with super friendly staff. And my friend said the party was ridiculously cheap. We had a nice little party room. The kids got to eat at the counter and the train brought them their food. All the kids were having a blast. And the adults noshed on some very good buffallo nuggets, o rings, and club sandwiches. Highly recommended for the under 8 crowd.

    (4)

  • Renita M.

    This place is a kiddie train lovers' paradise. With pretty decent food to boot. But please note: do NOT come here if you hate kids. It is swarming with kids. My brother is not a kid, but he is a train lover, so when he and my dad came to visit I thought this would be perfect for a fun and inexpensive meal. Sure enough. There is Thomas the Tank Engine playing, railroad memorabilia everywhere, and free train whistles for the kiddies. The menu is fairly impressive for a little dinery place. Burgers, sandwiches, salads, fried fish and fried shrimp. There are vegetarian options, including a three-grain burger and a black bean burger. I got a "Cajun jack burger" (cajun spices, pepperjack and grilled onions) with fries; my brother got a plain hamburger; my dad got the black bean burger. I have to say my burger was tasty, though it was a) not medium as ordered and b) *not* spicy at all. Must be the midwestern version of Cajun. But it was flavorful and the fries were solid. Service was good, our waiter was friendly and available. The atmosphere is mildly chaotic. BTW, for directions' sake, it's a HUGE shopping center on the NW side of Lemont & 75th -- there are several turn-ins off Lemont Rd so feel free to turn there instead of going all the way down to 75th.

    (4)

  • Meg T.

    AMAZING FOR KIDS! Our twin 14 month olds loved it! The service was great and the food was Americana diner food. They pulled two high chairs right up to the main bar for us so we could enjoy the train passing as it delivered the food. Will definitely go back and next time invite friends.

    (5)

  • mick j.

    Nice place, food we had was good and they have a big menu. We came for the trains since snackville junction closed and it made my nephew happy.

    (4)

  • Melanie O.

    I have been dreading taking my 2 year old here for, well, 2 years. I hate the whole train phenomenon. Don't know why. But we were looking for something fun to do indoors today so we went. The owners (I'm assuming) were so nice and had 3 seats ready for us as we walked in the door. They serve beer and wine (great idea) and there was a lot on the menu. The food was really good, and I plan on going back to try some more. I also like how they serve Kraft mac and cheese (and note it on the menu so you know that it is) because 95% of the time, it's the only mac and cheese kids will eat. They are smart to have good food because it's the parents that take their kids back! I also expected angry teenagers to be working but the waitstaff was great - smiles all around on their faces! The only reason why I only gave 4 stars was because you can't move the chairs at the "bar." I felt like I had to yell for my husband to hear me when I was trying to talk to him. Will definitely go back!

    (4)

  • Becky S.

    I passed this place and just had to walk in! It's a train themed diner that delivers food to you from a electric toy train. I stuck around to check out all the thrills, then i left because i had already eaten lunch. I ended up planning a day to come back for dinner. I couldnt find any little cousins or friends kids to bring, so i went with my boyfriend. It was kind of strange eating around so many children, but it was fun. They do serve beer and really yummy birthday cake ice cream. I didnt like the music of the kids singing, but i guess thats something you have to deal with being in such a kid friendly place.

    (4)

  • Effie B.

    Our first visit to All Aboard was today. My 5 yr old daughter loves trains. We got there before Noon and were seated at the counter. The bar stools are really low, but they come right off and the staff placed a regular chair with a booster so the little one could reach the counter. It was a blast watching the choo-choo train deliver food! My daughter had a smile on her face the entire time. I ordered the All Aboard Chicken, which tasted just fine - I ate the whole thing. My husband ordered a grilled chicken wrap off the specials menu, and he ate the whole thing. My daughter had a cheeseburger and she ate the whole thing. The fresh fruit cup was really fresh and delicious. There is a binder behind the counter that lists all ingredients in each item, which is helpful for those with food allergies or intolerance. No, this is not a fancy-schmancy restaurant, but the ambiance was great, the prices were reasonable, the food was good, and the staff were friendly. The restaurant was clean, as was the ladies' room. We definitely will be back.

    (4)

  • Andrew C.

    My family and I absolutely loved the All Aboard Diner. What a business model: combining two things that kids love - food and trains. Our server, Wendy, was extremely courteous and attentive to our every need. I had a chance to speak with Nick, the owner of the diner, who shared with me the story of how he started the place. The restaurant is kid friendly and very clean. An electric train was mounted high along the wall and wrapped around the entire restaurant. Booths were lined along the wall on the left and right sides of the restaurant and there was a looooong counter in the center of the place with seating. The highlight for the kids (and adults) was that along the inside edge of the counter was a train track that ran to and from the kitchen. When our food, which was served in baskets, was ready, it was loaded on cars on the back of the train and the waitress would use a remote to have the train deliver our food from the kitchen right to our end of the counter. All of us walked out with fully satisfied bellies and the kids walked out with Thomas the Tank Engine rings too! The next time we visit Chicago, we will be making a run back to the All Aboard Diner for sure!

    (5)

  • Christine C.

    As far as kids and trains are concerned, this place is great. My son loves this restaurant for its train car food delivery system. He also loves to toot the train whistle on our way out. Everything is fresh every time we visit.

    (5)

  • Jason S.

    You go for the kids. Food is fine and not obnoxiously priced. Service is fine; you can tell all of the people working there minus the kitchen are the family. Owner seems like a nice and friendly guy and so are his kids. Bathrooms are clean and overall the restaurant is too.

    (4)

  • Joanna S.

    We brought our very active toddler boys here, ages 4 and 2. They love trains at this age and really enjoyed looking at the interactive train display and fun decor. It's hard for us to go out to eat because our boys don't like to sit still for long and get antsy but they were perfect here, with lots to look at to keep their attention. The most entertaining part of our visit was when the train brought the food out to us. The food was good, decent prices, and our waitress was awesome :) will definitely go back!

    (5)

  • Sara M.

    SO CUTE! Just visited All Aboard Diner on Friday as a last-hoorah for the 15 month old I had been nannying for. I wanted a special activity for our last day together (I got a big girl job unexpectedly and we had to part ways). I knew she goes cuckoo for the the little Thomas trains at the public library so I thought this might just be the place to be! We rolled in about 12:45 on a Friday and the place was surprisingly not packed. Busy, but not packed. Cute decor all over the restaurant, a train that runs the length of the restaurant while you eat and TVs playing Thomas the Tank Engine all over the place. Awesome sensory overload! To top it all off- a train brings you your food and always runs the length of the seating area so there is a train before your eyes once about every 20 minutes. Long story short- girly loved it! All I heard was "wooooooooow" as she alternated pointing to either train as it drove by. It was hard to get her to pay attention to her food! Staff was super polite, the owners were there working and they made sure everyone was well taken care of. Didn't even bat an eye when girly stole my cup of water and promptly dumped all over herself and the floor; they actually brought her her own cup with a lid! Then why the 4 stars? Here's the big difference between this location and the downtown train diner. The price. Downtown doesn't have all the frills that this place has but their food is priced significantly lower. This location has prices more like you're eating out at a diner restaurant. $5.99 for a kids meal- a cup of macaroni and cheese and a fruit cup. I had I believe about $6.95+ for a veggie burger and fries. That in itself was not bad but I couldn't get over the $5.99 for girly's food. Oh, well, it was definitely nice for a once in a while treat!

    (4)

  • Yu H.

    I had heard about this place once so I figured if was near it, would stop in and check it out. That happened today. Keep in mind this is a family establishment, emphasis on family. There are toy trains everywhere rolling around including the main toy train that actually brings you your meal. DO NOT COME BY YOURSELF if you are an adult. You'll feel the same way I did when I sat by a train carrying chicken fingers to some little kid. Its just like going to chuck e cheeses without a child: completely awkward. The food is pretty generic diner food you can find in a steak and shake. Fries, sandwiches, hot dogs...etc. The quality isn't that much better. I had: "Homemade" chicken noodle soup: Pretty bad, the broth was bland and flavorless and the noodles and vegetables were either over cooked or undercooked. (See picture) A complete ripoff at 3.95. "All Aboard Dog": A basic chili dog with crappy chili that had more beans and sauce than meat, onions, and melted cheese. Worth the price seeing as it was only 4.95 and came with a lot of fries which were fine. (See picture) To my surprise they actually serve beer and wine here which is pretty amusing to imagine drinking beers while a little train drives by you. Bring the kids, I'm sure they'll like this place. I certainly cant go back....

    (2)

  • Kelley S.

    What an adorable place. Clean, spacious with attentive staff and lots to look at while you wait. We wanted to have diner here, but after driving all the way down only had time to order a few appetizers so we could run out to the meeting we had scheduled. This was on a Tuesday night and the place was empty. We had our choice of places to sit and our son could explore without worrying about bothering anyone. of course we sat at the bar so we could have our food delivered by train. We got fries and onion rings and both were quite good. Not fabulous, but definitely much better than you would expect at a normal place themed for kids. The specials they had on their boards... mango chicken sandwich and fried ravioli among them, sounded fabulous. Perhaps we will drive down again to have a proper meal here.

    (4)

  • Courtney O.

    LOVE LOVE LOVE All Aboard! We've done lunch, dinner, and one of our kids birthday parties here. Clean. Entertaining. AMAZING food (which you wouldn't expect from a kids place). We are here at least once a month!

    (5)

  • Carrie S.

    I love this place! We took our 4 year old boo here last week, and I was just expecting some hokey train themed restaurant with okay food. What I got was a hokey train themed restaurant, really good "bar" food, and warm heart feelings that I will carry with me for the rest of my life (or maybe like a week). We sat at the counter in the center of the restaurant versus the booths. This is vital bc if you sit at the bar, you get to have a model train bring the food to you!!!!! What. I ordered the buffalo ranch chicken sandwich. It was like Portillo's good. The fries were decent too. My babydaddy ordered the Big Boy burger. It was so good, I dare say almost better than the original Big Boy (of which we sadly don't have any locations in the western burbs). So delicious. Plus they serve beer. Here is the heart warming part: A 2 year old boy across the counter from us was having his bday at All Aboard. It was so cute to see the train bring him and his sis each a blue frosting covered cupcake. His eyes were wide with amazement and the staff also sang him a bday song. I clapped along like a huge dweeb, it was a magical moment. There is a fantastic mural on the wall back by the bathrooms. If you want to see a glamorous giraffe and a lion in a beret, I highly suggest checking it out. There is also a bunch of claw games in the restaurant. They are each $0.50 to play. If you want to waste $0.50, let a 4 year old play a claw game without any help. Because 4 year olds totally sucks at claw games.

    (5)

  • Erin O.

    My kinds and I LOVE this place for lunch. I take them here for celebrations as well as just a lunch anyday. I love their food for myself, they have a great KC's chopped salad that I swear I dream about. It is so good. My kids love the train decor and the kids menu. The games they have are fun...but I'd like it if they had a few more.

    (5)

  • Brad C.

    Is All Aboard a little more expensive than you would like, yes, because you are expecting 'kid fare' and for the most part you are right, but... Atomic Fries were one of my favorite here, they aren't on the menu but they will still make them, the new alternative was good though, buffalo fries. They offer two veggie burgers that really BLOW AWAY most any restaurant I have been to. Seriously, they know how to prepare a no meat burger so well we deconstructed it for recreation back at the home lab. Finally, a frequent visitor card is available, ask for it if you have kids! Spend $20, get a punch, 10 punches, get a $20 gift card. That is a 10% discount people just for eating... and they have coupons in the local mailers too. Pricey, ehhh, above average food for a diner, good veggie options and the kids like it. Combine that with the discount card and I would say it isn't bad pricing.

    (4)

  • Maggie R.

    This place needs some renovation done as the booths look like they are going to fall apart but then again their target audience is children so that would be a waste. Food is ok. Typical dinner food. Train: super cute if the kids are into moving objects. Service: pretty good, nothing special. I sort of expected more "perkiness" from the waitresses as they are there for the kids. Con: the parking lot is terrible.

    (4)

  • Melanie T.

    They have a separate small birthday room, a few arcade games, a little train that you can ride and tvs all over that play Thomas the Train or train related movies. We brought my two kids here early this year and LOVE it! My two year old son is a huge fan of trains, so he probably thought he was in heaven. We came at lunch time on a weekday and it wasn't crowded or busy. We actually were the only customers for the first hour we were there. We spent about close to two hours at the restaurant. There's nothing my family and I don't love about this place. I only wish they offered a little bit more on their menu but I do understand that they cater to kids. We've recommended this place to a few of our friends who have gone and said that their families have loved it as well!

    (4)

  • Christina K.

    I took my nephew there and he was awestruck with awe with all the trains! There is a train running on a track near the ceiling, a model train operated by kid friendly buttons, and your food is even served on a train. Thomas is playing on the television, and the incredibly friendly and helpful wait staff even wore conductor hats. The food was decently priced and average greasy spoon fare. This will definitely be a go-to location with my nephew. They do serve beer, which is great for adults coming here, but I wouldn't recommend this place without a child- unless you REALLY love trains.

    (5)

  • Jessica V.

    All Aboard Diner is our favorite restaurant in Downers Grove, mainly because our one-year-old son loves it. But they also have good food and great service. Their menu is mostly sandwiches, but they have a big variety and they're pretty good. The quality here is better than at most low-priced restaurants in the area. The service is very friendly and attentive too. My son loves to watch the trains go by, and everyone seems to have a good time.

    (5)

  • Amaliya L.

    Hands down, this was the most memorable, most excellent adventure that we have had dining out with our little one. This is the feel good restaurant of the year. Cool, friendly staff and amazing owners. I had first heard about the All Aboard Diner from our friend Ellen M. I was in the mood for something exciting to do on a Friday night and suggested it to my husband. I did a quick search on Yelp and on their website; Yelped directions and we were good to go. And this is where I failed as a wife and a mother. I fully admit that I am a scatter brain. I have absolutely no concept of time. I did not take into account that it was a Friday night and that we would be driving right at the tail end of rush hour, and smack in the middle of Friday night traffic. We also ran into several stretches of construction along the way. The drive time posted on the directions did not account for construction or traffic. What was stated as 40 minutes was in actuality 1 hour and 15. I also did not check their hours of operation. We arrived 30 minutes before closing. A quick cursory glance around the stores flanking All Aboard made me curse myself that we arrived so late. This is definitely a place that I will want to make a day trip out of. There is a Toys R' US, Marshall's, Grants, Michael's, Salvation Army, Barnes and Noble, Ulta, and the Hobby & Toy store all within the Grove Shopping Center. We didn't have time to dilly dally; the hideous drive time already threw us off schedule. The restaurant was still booming when we entered. All of our senses went into high over drive. There is so much to take in, from the train whistles blowing, the overhead train that circles the entire restaurant, the train table in front, the kid friendly arcade games, and the big screen featuring Thomas The Engine. The owners put a lot of attention to detail into designing this restaurant. We had originally planned this trip as an adventure for our son, but it ended up being an incredible flashback for both my husband and I. This restaurant totally made me feel as if I were a kid again. The Cheshire grin and delight on my son's face was totally worth the trek. What could have become a really bad situation was thankfully averted by their fantastic staff and owners. They welcomed my family with open arms. We were invited to stay as long as we wanted and did not feel a bit rushed. We were seated around the U-shaped counter so that our food could be brought to us via train. The Owner suggested placing a booster on a chair to bring our little one closer to the counter. Absolutely brilliant! The menu is huge and prices are incredibly cheap. We ordered a strawberry shake, fish & chips, popcorn shrimp, Black & Tan Onion Rings, triple decker BLT, fruit cup, juice box, coffee, and iced tea. While waiting for our food to arrive, my son was able to ride the Caboose, and try his hand at a few of the arcade games. I love the fact that they have a play till you win Claw game. My son was beaming from ear to ear every time that he won. The food here is delicious. Our bill was only $30 and our waiter even presented us with a $2 off coupon to redeem at checkout. Our son truly enjoyed operating the train table. We got a kick out of it too. While he was playing, we had the opportunity to chit chat with the owners. We learned that the restaurant only opened 2 years ago. We also learned that we had a lot in common from music taste to The Nightmare Before Christmas. My son was overjoyed to receive a Spiderman sticker in their vending machine. He was even more ecstatic when they presented him with train whistles, 2 Spiderman rings, and several Thomas rings. They were so good to us. We have never felt so welcomed in a restaurant. Strange as this may seem, it felt like family here, and despite that this is a kid's restaurant, there wasn't any annoying screaming, whining, or kid's crying. If there was, I was completely oblivious to it. One of the owners presented my son with a cup of Superhero ice cream for the road. She was even thoughtful enough to give us a lid for the road. Incredible. I love these people. Upon leaving, my son had a million questions. How did they know that he was into Spiderman? Was the ice cream going to give him more powers? How did they know all the songs from Nightmare Before Christmas? He sincerely thought that All Aboard was All About him. Before going to bed, he asked when we would go visit his new friends again. As a side note I'd like to add that they do have a party room. The restaurant is very spacious, bright and extremely clean. They also are a nut-free restaurant and serve many foods and desserts that address other allergy issues. Vegans will also appreciate that they do have a vegan friendly menu and will cook these foods in non meat contaminated fryers, etc. Do not let the distance scare you. It is every bit worth the time.

    (5)

  • Steph J.

    We came here after going to the International Motorcycle Show in Rosemont. Having never been here before, I thought it would be a bit like most kid-oriented places -- fun for the kids but torture for the adults. I was more than pleasantly surprised. Good food, great decor (it's a mixture of a 50's diner and a train depot restaurant) and pretty interactive for both age sets; even the adults find the train that brings out the food neat. We ordered the Rueben, turkey club, BLT club, corndog, pizza and burger and all of them were good, and arrived quickly, which was surprising because we were a party of 7 with small children. The only detraction was wait time, but isn't a deal-breaker; we were told that no matter when we came there'd be a wait. All in all, we'll definitely be returning.

    (4)

  • Howard L.

    We came here for a kid's (of a friend) birthday party. It's a fun place for the kids for sure. The food is decent with pub selections like burgers, tacos, chicken sandwiches, chicken tenders, etc. They also have a few domestic beers. I didn't track how long it might take to get a food order to a kid sitting at the stools by the train, and delivered by the train, but if you're a kid watching the trains, the longer the better probably. It seemed a bit chaotic for the servers handling the food orders, but I'm sure they were keeping up somehow. We (er, the adults, that is) had our food delivered to us at tables off to the side, and it was a decent time for all.

    (4)

  • Abhay S.

    We brought our son here and he absolutely loved All Aboard Diner. We were seated at the counter and the waitstaff was excellent. They gave us 2 high chairs stacked on top of each other so our son could watch the trains as the roll the food by. He couldn't control himself each time the train went by. He also loved the overhead train that went around the restuarant. Service was excellent. They made sure you were taken care of and the food was delivered quickly. We'll be returning. Often.

    (4)

  • Corin C.

    Pros: Train themed diner that keeps the kids' attention through an entire meal. Friendly staff, clean, decent decor, a nice alternative to the disgusting Chuck E. Cheese establishment. Beer for the parents to wash down the fact that you're in a train diner with kids everywhere. Cons: Food is mediocre. Turkey reuben was ultra greasy and soggy, salad was wilted and just ok. Prices were a little high for the quality but you're paying for the whole theme experience.

    (2)

  • Jeff G.

    the food is only 3 stars, but this is a great place for kids so i gave it 4. took my 3 y.o nephew there the other day. he was not in a good mood when we left my brother's house, he did not want to leave the house. but then we pulled up and he started running to the door as soon as he saw the train in the front window. he was all of a sudden in a better mood. sat at the counter and had the train deliver our lunch.

    (4)

  • Scott C.

    The food here is actually REALLY good, and trains, trains, trains. My kids love it, and it's not a rip off. Lots of things for kids to do and i get a good meal. Win/Win.

    (4)

  • Irene Z.

    What a great time!! So much fun! First time this weekend and the kids LOVED it. Our two little ones were enthralled from the moment we stepped in. They are 3 and 5 but there was an array of kids here ranging in age and all of them seemed to be having a great time. The hostess greeted us right away and asked if we would like to sit at the counter or the booth. There is a U-shaped counter space with bar stools that take up the middle of the restaurant...around/on top of that U are train tracks where the food is delivered via train stops. On either side of the U, there are booths and tables. At the open end of the U is the kitchen and a huge flat-screen monitor showing cartoons (Thomas the Train on this day, of course). Our son loves sitting in booths so I initially said 'booth' but the hostess was great, asked if we were in a hurry, and then convinced us to take a seat at the counter. It was full at the time, but she had a party leaving, and sure enough, we were seated within 2-3 minutes after that. I really appreciate that she wanted us to enjoy our time here. I'd told her it was our first time and she wanted us to get the most of it. Food orders included hot dogs, cheese pizza and egg salad sandwich. Good food for a great price. I was tempted to order beer or wine, but didn't. We're french fry fanatics and the ones here were really good too. The egg salad had cut-up pickles in it. Tasted better to me than the usual relish mix. Service was quick but they didn't rush us after the meal...giving the kids a little more time to enjoy the train delivering meals to others at the counter. The rest of the diner has games and gum-ball machines. Most games are 50 cents each (they also have the 'claw' game with candy...play till you win). Another train runs along the top of the restaurant just under the ceiling. In the front is a train display where the kids can press buttons to make the train (and other things) go. They also have a separate bday party room off to the right once you first step in. Bathrooms and coat hooks in the back of the restaurant. Staff here is all wonderfully friendly and efficient. When we left and paid the bill, they asked if we had a good time and was happy to hear we did. They also gave us a frequent visitor's punch card I have a feeling we'll be using it a lot. The kids also got to take home train whistles. Overall, a terrific experience. Kids have been asking when we can go back. We'll have to be back soon. And I highly recommend sitting by the counter whether it's your first visit or not.

    (4)

  • Nessie V.

    Went here today for lunch. With a co-worker. We didn't have a kid. We just wanted our food to be delivered by train. I mean, if I can get my sushi to arrive on a boat, why not my fries on a train? Despite about 3 birthday parties, kids were pretty well-behaved. I heard only one annoying scream the whole time and that was short-lived. This place is train-overload. Trains zooming around, train art, Thomas the Tank Engine on the TV and The Locomotion playing on the speakers. There was another childless group that came in, but one was on the way so I guess they just were in training (get it?) for later. The father looked like he was getting a kick out of the place though. They have a Boca veggie burger, one of the larger-sized ones, and it came with fries. I think it was like 7$ so not to bad considering entertainment was free.

    (4)

  • Alvina C.

    Beep, Beep, yeah, Toot, Toot! My girls love this place. There is a larger counter area for the train than other places that we have been to. They also have a large variety of foods for both the kiddy menu and the adult menu. I had the philly cheese steak and it was delicious. Don't get sucked into all the random little games on the side though. They give out train whistles and rings for the kids--some hooray for random little toys that I end up stubbing my toe on in the middle of the night--but at least the kiddies like it. Our server was nice but probably starting to lose steam--since it was nice outside and a little later in the afternoon. It happens--I think I would but a little nutty too if all I heard all day was train sounds and the obnoxious birthday song. Again I'm not a fan of visiting places during the peak of their lunch/dinner rush--but when we did visit there was a birthday party going on--we received out items hot and fresh with no delay. In terms of pricing I thought it was average--not too expensive but too cheap either---for the novelty of it--it was a nice visit.

    (4)

  • Nicole V.

    I didn't know my son liked trains until we had lunch here! He wouldn't stop oohing, "wow!"'ing and pointing as the trains went around the room! The food was decent. The atmosphere is a little weird - but totally fine for a lunch with the kiddos. I had a turkey wrap that was tasty, although something was "off" flavor-wise. The fries were delish. My son ate his ENTIRE burger, which is unheard of for him. My daughter ate her entire hot dog and was raving about the place :-) Definitely something to try, at least once.

    (4)

  • Andres D.

    Definitely a great diner for children's party. My nephew had his 3rd birthday party at All Aboard. There is always something going on whether trains passing overhead, arcade machines being played your child will be amused and entertained. We had about 15 adults with us and a handful of kids. The menu is extensive ranging from 14 unique burgers, 7 different style salads and beer. They even have jumbo fried shrimp, chopped steak and beer battered Cod. Our server was outgoing, friendly and on point, my soda was always filled, our table never had to ask for anything. ( I wish I got her name, blonde hair with dark glasses). In the end its the kids faces that really makes this place wonderful, its something new they've never seen.The kids reactions of a train bringing your food out is priceless.

    (4)

  • Danny Y.

    Yea... this rating is purely for the food, which is average. But I really wouldn't recommend coming here unless you have a kid. Since it's my mistake for being lazy and not reading the reviews first, I will give the place 4 stars... although, I will probably never go back. Until I have kids, that is.

    (4)

  • Dee W.

    This place was great! We threw our son's 3rd birthday party here and I placed the order with the owner's mom and worked with him, as well. They were really fabulous and easy to work with. Decor: Trains galore! My son and his friends loved the machines and the train model up front. The parents got a kick out of the buttons, especially the Strong Man one to 'test your strength'. The party room was filled with balloons and mylar balloons of Thomas the Train and Happy Birthday! I love the flat screen tvs around playing Thomas, as well. Party: Each kid got to pick out his own meal and got a cool cotton hat, as well. After we sang Happy Birthday to my son, the kids all lined up to get their own scoop of ice-cream. The private room is nice for parents to leave their coats and the gift table was nice, too. Food: This is probably the best train diner around Chicagoland with their food! They had 7-8 different options for the kids, including a gluten free chicken one! My son loved being able to pick something he would eat and even got to pick out his sides. The adults had apps and sandwiches/burgers in quarters which we enjoyed, as well. The chopped salad was delicious - bacon and chicken - yum! We had ordered several of the turkey club sandwiches and burgers which were well made, as well. Some of the parents also enjoyed a beer, as well. Suggestions: Next time, it would be nice to maybe get a name tag or something to identify the kids that were with our birthday party. Overall, service was fabulous - our server was very accommodating and helpful with our group of kids. THANK YOU AGAIN!!

    (5)

  • Ann B.

    This place is incredible. Not only is is ADORABLE for children, but adults can actually enjoy the food too! My child has life threatening nut allergies and this is one of the only restaurants I can taker her too and not have the constant worry. The staff is friendly and the management is outstanding. I highly recommend this place to families, those young at heart or really ANYONE that likes good food!

    (5)

  • Patricia E.

    Not that great, Pricey for the quality food you get and my kids werent too excited. We expected alot more than what we got. We have been to other train themed restaurants and this one doesn't come close.

    (1)

  • Mike P.

    While the food may not be the best in the world it certainly is not bad for the price. That and if you bring your kids you can actually relax and enjoy eating out because this is one restaurant they will not mind being at. Nothing like a big o'l Hot Dog, 6or7 beers, and tons of trains all around. J/K I never get a Hot Dog. Oh and the service is surprisingly good!

    (4)

  • Meghan G.

    My 3 year old along with my 60+ year old father n law love this place! Clearly, it entertains all ages. Wait for a seat at the bar as that makes the experience for the little ones. Believe it or not, the food is very good with lots if variety for both kiddos and adults. Nothing fancy, but great burgers, wraps, etc. Owners and servers are exceptionally wonderful.

    (4)

  • Ellen M.

    I don't know what it is about little boys and vehicles, but there's something encoded in their DNA that causes a riot in their brains when a train goes by, especially when it's hauling a grilled cheese sandwich. My son is three, so I expect we'll be back a couple hundred more times before he moves out. If you have kids and live in the west burbs, check out this very cool little choo-choo themed diner. It opened a couple weeks ago, so it's clean and sparkling but still has a lot of character. If it isn't too busy you can sit at the big U-shaped counter with the train track and the train will bring you your meals. Standard diner fare - burgers, hot dogs, fries, chicken sandwiches and ice cream. My kids were ecstatic. While they wait, they'll be entertained by the train circling the room from the track suspended from the ceiling, or the model train/town set up. There are also televisions showing Thomas the Tank Engine videos (no sound when I was there) but it was the last thing my kids paid attention to. If Yelp had half star ratings, I might be tempted to dock another fussy, parental half star for giving each kid a free whistle as they leave (don't worry - no shrill blasts in the restaurant). They serve beer too, so it's all good. It's a few doors from the Toys R Us.

    (4)

  • Melissa M.

    What a cute place! Definitely bigger and brighter than the train-themed diner in Des Plaines. There's a hug U-shaped counter in the center and the train rides all the way around delivering meals to all seated there. There's also another train up near the ceiling that's constanstly circling the perimeter of the diner. Needless to say pretty much everything is related to trains. There are two large TVs... one is playing train-themed movies (of course!) for the kids (or kids-at-heart) and the other has sports on. The music being played follows along the train-theme (bet you didn't guess that!). The diner has a little private party room in front, but it seems like it can only hold about 15 people. The food was good and the kiddies had fun.

    (4)

  • Courtney O.

    We have tried three "train-themed" restaurants in the past three years (i.e., since our son was born): 2 Toots, Choo Choo Johnny's, and All Aboard. All Aboard is the best, hands down. Let me start with self-indulgence and squee over a veggie burger option: fabulous! The restaurant is clean, service impeccable, quick seating even with a wait, Thomas on big screen televisions, delicious food, reasonably priced (all things being equal). We are in the DG quite a bit, and the kids (3 and 2 y/o) lap this place up. Highly recommended! A great family restaurant and everyone there is so nice and ultra kid-friendly. Keep a sharp eye out when heading there--it's tucked in a bit in a shopping plaza but definitely worth the turn around if you pass it up. Awesome!

    (5)

  • Jessica M.

    Heh. So yeah, I'm 28 years old and went here for dinner. But it was with my 2 little nephews and their mommy and daddy. As an auntie it's cute to watch the kiddos get excited about their food (read- hotdogs, grilled cheese and fries) bein' delivered on a train. The video games and other interactive train set is a nice touch. I had a burger and fries and it was all just ok. A cool concept for the kids! It's nothing fancy, a bit loud and crowded with kids (even a party room) but it delivers for sure.

    (3)

  • Joe G.

    All Aboard is one of the numerous "train themed" restaurants in the Chicago area. A nicely designed location, it sports plenty of seating, good service, a LARGE menu, and a good experience. Sometimes the smallest detail can give you a good insight into a business. Here, I'd have to say, it's the fact that they've chosen to use large baskets on the train for their food. They're not chintzy with the food; the baskets come full, and the food is very good. It might sound strange, but we kind of measure most of these places in comparison to The Choo Choo in Des Plaines. The Choo Choo is a virtual madhouse of kids, activity, and radiates an underlying sense of joy by the owner. It's small and cramped, though we allow for that due to the historical nature, and so, given the great atmosphere, The Choo Choo gets high marks in the end. All Aboard is a little more sedate, and is a much larger, nicer, and modern place. It is different from The Choo Choo, but is every bit as nice an experience in a different way. Anyone contemplating a train restaurant would be well-advised to note: 1) Great selection of food on the menu, including the way it has been executed - nice to get a basket that doesn't look skimpy, 2) Nice decor, very enjoyable for both the kids and the adults. The overhead train, train layout in front, etc. all keep it a bit more exciting for the kids, 3) Good call on having a (small) party room and an ice cream station Things that aren't so hot: Seating during peak times. Cheating by sticking chairs between stools is kind of crummy. Probably okay if it's just for kids, but two adults and a kid - that just doesn't cut it. (The toddler highchairs over a stool thing is way cool, however, and definite bonus points for having the best highchair-to-seating ratio I've ever seen.) Location, location, location... the first time we went, it was hard to find, until we figured out it was way in the back of a strip mall area. 2Toots DG definitely has the gold medal for location. Overall, though, I'd have to put this at the top of the list - probably alongside The Choo Choo - for excellence in train-themed restaurants in Chicago.

    (4)

  • Brady H.

    If you are a young boy who loves trains, well, you are going to love this restaurant. Get your parents to take you, even if you live downtown. The food is decent - its better than I expected and the price was decent. I'd stick with the basics like a burger or a corndog, but the woman next to me ordered a tamale and said it was good. Try and get a place on the counter - they can stack two highchairs or a booster seat to the counter stools so your little one can watch the train action. Food is delivered on a train - awesome. Service was very friendly and the waitresses seemed to actually like kids. Good tip - there are hooks underneath the counter for your diaper bag or jacket.

    (4)

  • Bleu W.

    Great place for kids and excellent with food allergy concerns. We love this place and look forward to many returns. This place has a binder with all of the ingredients of every menu item for food allergy concerns- what a wonderful concept! This place is really fantastic for food allergies and for families- the kids love the ambience (a train continuously courses the perimeter of the restaurant near the ceiling. Another train delivers food at the huge counter- soooo cool!)

    (5)

  • Jesse W.

    It was a Friday night, and it was packed. My family and I came out exclusively for the enjoyment for a couple of my little cousins. The boy was enamored, while the girl was barely interested. Imagine a less tasty Johnny Rockets with a sh*tload of trains and rambunctious kids all over the place. We overheard birthday parties throughout our entire dinner. It was cute, especially since my nephew was so excited about the whole ordeal. But I was definitely ready to go. I blamed our server for my under-enthusiasm, as he looked like he was in pure hell the entire time lol. The food came on a train, but it was about the quality and price of something I could have ordered at a movie theater. So there you have it: food is meh, value is low, and enjoyment for boys is high. RECOMMENDED for little males in the family; NOT RECOMMENDED for date night not just because it closes at 8 or 9 on a Friday night.

    (3)

  • Lauren T.

    This place was suggested last night as a quick cheap place to eat and I am so glad it was. You wouldn't think it was much being a strip mall diner, but going in you realize how special it is. There is train stuff everywhere. There is a train that runs along the ceiling, a big train set you can control, a train kids can ride, train pictures, Thomas on the tv and a train even delivers the food! My son was so excited, and there was absolutely no need to entertain him. It was wonderful. You wouldn't expect much at a place like this food-wise either, but the food was good. My Reuben was great, the fries perfect and my son's burger was better than anything you could get at a fast food place. We ordered him a scoop of ice cream and it came with a cute little train whistle on top of it. For three of us to eat was only 25 dollars and the food was for sure better than Crapplebees. This is a great little family run place with a super friendly staff. Our server, Melissa was so nice to my son and was right on top of everything we needed. They have a birthday party room too, and if it was just a little bigger we would have my son's there. We will be back on his actual birthday though for a fun dinner and ice cream!

    (5)

  • Kristee B.

    Food was good, fast and hot. Service was lousy. We waited over half an hour for a table (which we were fine with) but then our waitress complained the whole time to another waitress about how they were closing in half an hour and they were still seating people. She was too busy doing her closing duties to bring us refills on our drinks, a to go box, or ask if we wanted dessert. We finally had to flag another waitress for these things who then yelled our dessert order halfway across the restaurant to her. Would have given it 5 stars if the service had been good.

    (3)

  • Kris B.

    Fun kids place. Our daughter loves going here. When you can get a seat at the center table it makes the whole experience. I have had the burgers a couple of times and they are pretty descent, and the fried dill pickles were excellent. My father-in-law had the pizza burger which was not very good, but if you stick to the basics you will be happy.

    (4)

  • Angela P.

    We went here last night with the kids and my sister and brother-in-law for dinner. I was surprised to see how busy it was on a Thursday night but it's obviously one of the top restaurants in the area to bring kids, especially little boys! When you walk in, it is definitely set up like an old diner but with a massive train theme! =] Everything from the wall decor to the music playing had something to do with trains and my kids loved it! We were asked if we wanted to sit in a booth or wait a few minutes to sit at the counter where your food is delivered by the train...so of course we waited! That was the whole point! (I said there has to be some way that they could have made it so every table was served this way...but who knows!) When we sat down we were greeted promptly and ordered our drinks and shortly after, our food. Everything we ordered was really good, we had the Cajun chicken sandwich, Buffalo chicken wraps and a Gorgonzola burger and I substituted my fries for onion rings for a small charge. Again, everything was very good, juicy and flavorful and the onion rings are a Black and Tan onion ring and you can really taste the beer! Yum! We all ate for under $50 for four adults and a toddler, so not bad at all! We will definitely be back!

    (4)

  • Jeremy P.

    My son loved it and the food was good. Great double decker sandwich. Great place for taking your kids.. don't go as adults alone!!

    (4)

  • Jason P.

    Of the two train-themed restaurants we've been to with our 2 1/2 year-old daughter, this is definitely the better of the two (the other being Two Toots in downtown Downers Grove). The menu here is much larger than Two Toots, and the restaurant is much larger as well. It is also a bit cleaner here, and the service is definitely far less surly than the high school or community-college kids who work at Two Toots. Let's call it like it is, this is a restaurant for toddlers and little kids. In that aspect, it excels. My daughter had an absolute blast here. You know the concept, so I won't repeat it. Train that brings the food? Check. Train decor? Check. The main counter, on which the train runs that brings the food, is huge. The seats are a little low compared with the height of the counter, so it is a little awkward sitting there. Also, the stools are placed pretty far apart. This is good from the standpoint of not being crowded up against your neighbor, but bad from the standpoint of, if you are coming here with a kid, who will most likely sit between you and the other adult in your party, forget about trying to hold a conversation with them because they will be a good 6 feet away. The food was pretty decent. My wife got the BBQ Pork Sandwich, and I got the French Dip. Both were really tasty, although it would have been nice to have a bit more dip, and in a little wider-mouthed container. Our daughter got the chicken nuggets and potato chips, and she actually ate a bunch of the nuggets (she's notoriously picky, and either loves or hates chicken nuggets depending upon the day or the position of the planets). As an appetizer, we ordered the Sweet & Spicy Asian Boneless Wings (yeah, that right there will tell you this is a step up from Two Toots), and they were really good. Presentation was a little dull, but come on, you're here for the trains and food that is decent enough to make you refrain from toddler-overload-induced thoughts of suicide. Overall, while not the height of gastronomic excellence or originality, this place is the best of the train restaurants I've been to, yet.

    (5)

  • Alexis C.

    Our sons, ages 18 months and 3 years, ADORED this place. We were looking for someplace cool to take them for dinner while visiting the Chicago area, and came across the All Aboard while browsing reviews on Yelp. Since both boys are total train fanatics, we thought they'd love All Aboard ... and we were right! The All Aboard is in a large shopping plaza, which had plenty of parking. (We drove from Rosemont, which was a hike, but at least it wasn't downtown traffic!) We went on a Saturday evening, and were pleasantly surprised to find that they weren't terribly busy. The boys were immediately transfixed by the train chugging around the wall and the one delivering food to diners. There were also several games, a small train to ride in, a very cool miniature train set-up, and a train whistle kids can pull on when they leave. (My sons could have done that all day!) The diner looked clean and tidy. The restaurant had both high chairs and booster seats available to fit over the bar stools at the counter, which was nice for the boys. There was a good selection of kids' items, with some healthy options (milk and a fruit cup instead of pop and fries, for example). Most of the food was fairly typical diner food (hot dogs, sandwiches, etc.), but what we had was very tasty. The prices seemed reasonable to me -- I think we spent $36 for four people. We don't have food allergies in our family, but I did notice there were several menu options (including desserts) for kids who do have them, which was a nice touch. I was afraid getting the kids to leave would result in tears, but the lure of the train whistle convinced them to head for the door so they could try it out. We had a great time, and next time we're in the Chicago area, we'll certainly be back!

    (5)

  • Heather L.

    Take your toddlers here! My 4, 2 & 11 month olds loved it and so did me and my husband. Food was good, the trains we're mesmerizing to the kids and we can't wait to go back. Totally worth it! Service was outstanding! Not a drink went dry, special orders were a breeze and they have patience for the kids and the parents. My son who has tons of allergies was actually able to have dessert here because they have delicious allergy free cupcakes. Loved this place!

    (5)

  • Gary F.

    I've been to this place today and 2Toots in Glen Ellyn last month. All Aboard is hands down the winner between the two. The menu must be at least double, if not triple the2Toots menu. 2Toots just has a horse to ride on. This place has a train, plus another 6 games to play after eating. We'll be coming back here, not 2Toots. Parking is much easier, too.

    (5)

  • Loreli P.

    This restaurant has good food (for adults too) and I've had my sons birthday party there 2 years in a row. He loves it. The private room is nice to have cake and open presents while the counter is the place to go for the real fun!

    (4)

  • Christine R.

    I've been here twice and both times were great. My kids can't get enough of the train delivering food. Even if the food isn't being delivered to them. My son is a huge Thomas the Tank fan, so he just loves this place. Not to mention the huge TV screen playing episodes of Thomas the Tank Engine. (But they also have another less obvious TV playing stuff for the adults). The looks on my children's faces both times make All Aboard well worth it. I tried another train themed restaurant (Choo Choo Diner in Des Plaines), at there was absolutely no comparing. All Aboard is definitely much better. When I went to the place in Des Plaines is when I realized how very clean All Aboard is (Choo Choo Diner was not as well kept and I noticed it the moment I walked thru the door.) The food is great. They have a pretty large menu for the size of the operation. It's very impressive. Between food, drink, and dessert, you can spend an easy $10+ per person. But the quality of the food is great and well worth it. I love the pizza burger. Service is always very friendly. I have never had a wait time the times we've gone. However, I have pinpointed a non-peak time (which I'm not sharing with you or you'll all be showing up at my secret day and time). Location wise - I think it's great that's it's located in a plaza/mall with more than ample parking. Heads up, the first time I went I recieved some odd directions from either my GPS or Mapquest. I can't remember which. So just in case, taking I-355 to 75th is the easiest way to get there. When you exit on 75th you would want to go eastbound, and the diner would be on the left side right by the Toy R Us. All in all, this is a great place, great food, family oriented, and I could be here an eternity typing every detail about how wonderful it is. You definitely need to check it out.

    (5)

  • Kirk W.

    Can restaurants that specialize in delivering your food via train be considered it own genre? It could very well be because just about everyone who goes to these places has a child under 7. The really funny thing about All Aboard Diner is that food is actually .... pretty good! I had the Reuben and my wife had a burger and they were both quite good. My son had a hot dog - and well that's pretty hard to screw up. Also try one of their shakes. Be careful when you go - as on school holidays (President's Day, etc.) this place gets packed and you'll be waiting for a table. You may not appreciate this place if you don't have a little kid in tow ... I can understand the reviews of people w/o kids who can't wait to get back out the door.

    (4)

  • mary ann m.

    My almost one year old and I went here with two girlfriends, one with a 3 year old girl. Really cool concept for a diner. Staff was extremely friendly, accomodating, and understanding. My baby loved the train delivering the food and the three year old loved the games and rides. They even had a cupcake with a candle delievered on the train to my almost one year old which I thought was adorable. The cupcake was yummy too! Had a grilled chicken sandwich which was good but not great. Was appreciative that they had some healthier alternatives like fruit instead of fries. Very cute, kid-centered place to eat.

    (4)

  • Sara B.

    Found this place on Yelp when looking for a place to meet some old friends who now have one and two year old boys. The food was great, the staff was just amazing and the boys had a blast! This place place makes me smile...

    (5)

  • Chuck D.

    Let me explain my ignorance first. My mom and sister were coming to visit and I was doing the usual last minute panicked Yelp search for new vegan places to try. For once, and I mean this never happens, they actually arrived early, leaving me little time to fully research my lunch choices. I had read that there was a vegan choice here and that it also served great burgers (hey, I don't always have to give up my meat!!). It was fairly close, and seemed fast. ...How the name "All Aboard Diner" escaped my attention, or "my kids love this place!" - is far beyond me. But I had absolutely no inkling that this place was a train themed cafe made mostly for kids (although, I think they are missing a business opportunity by not making this 21+ after 10 pm on the weekends and using that train to deliver shots...). That being said... this. place. was. awesome! How fun!! Short little stools sitting around a railroad track that had trains delivering your food to you! There were exactly three seats left at the bar area that they offered to us, but we didn't feel right stealing those last seats from the kids that would inevitably arrive just after us being seated. We opted for a more comfortable booth. I was content to be here just to be somewhere so different and fun, but the burning question is - can the food have any choice of being good here?... and how many vegan options are there ACTUALLY at a place like this? As far as the vegan options, I was disappointed. I don't think I'd recommend this for vegans, even though there are vegan "options". I put options in quotes because I asked the waiter what their options were and he was like "oh! we have a boca burger..." ...I waited for the "and...." but it didn't come. That being said, if you enjoy Boca burgers, come on in, vegans! My mom and sister were not sad about this. They said that it was as good as any boca burger they have ever had, and it really hit the spot after a long morning of driving! (Phew!) As far as the food for the rest of us, I was definitely pleased. I got the Cajun spiced burger. I have to admit, I was a little worried that it would be tasteless. I guess I just don't expect a place like this to have good food because they don't have to. Kids will force their parents to come here anyway. The burger was very good. You could definitely taste the spices and it was juicy and cooked to order. The fries were just good fries. I really enjoyed my lunch, as did my mom and sister. I guess this place isn't for everyone. But definitely if you have a family, bring the kids here, they will love it for sure! If you are looking for a cute place to go out to a quick lunch or dinner, I would say to give it a try. How often can you have your food delivered to you on a model train? I mean really....

    (4)

  • Sara D.

    We went there at little-kid dinner time on a Saturday. Probably not the smartest idea, but we were seated quicker than we expected and had a fun interactive train display for my daughter to play with while we waited. The staff is friendly, the atmosphere is super toddler-friendly, and the food was pretty good. The food is typical diner food, but good diner food. My 22 month-old daughter sat in her seat for almost the entire time we were there, which is extremely rare. I'm sure this won't be our last visit.

    (4)

  • Rene P.

    We just drove here all the way from the South Loop to have dinner with my parents because our son is 15 months old and obsessed with trains. He was IN HEAVEN! This place is so cute, it's unbelievable. They have not missed a detail...everything revolves around trains from the big train track set up, the train whistle over the door, Thomas and Friends playing on Flat Screens, pictures of trains, gates, conductors, everything everywhere was trains! Thomas cupcakes, a Thomas party room, train whistles for the kids, games - it's awesome! The menu is massive too with a lot of sandwiches and appetizers and desserts. The kids menu is great. We had burgers and shakes and they were delicious old fashioned diner style - fabulous! We are probably having his 2nd birthday here since he was in love and it's too cute for words! There was a birthday party while we were there and they all had conductor hats and played a special song, etc. I can't wait to take our son back there and to try other things on the menu!

    (5)

  • Mike D.

    The kids absolutely love this place! The atmosphere is great! The service is great! The prices are great! The food, well, you're not really coming here for the food, are you? The food is typical Sysco food service fare, nothing special, but defiantly edible. But the atmosphere and the service are extraordinary! Super neat and plenty of things for the kids to do! Watch the food be delivered by train, play the games, ride the rides, play with the giant train set at the front, order ice cream from the ice cream mini bar. Spectacular! Bring Your Kids!!!

    (5)

  • Maribel L.

    We happened to be in the strip mall where this little diner is located and we decided to walk up and take a peek inside. Of course, once my daughter (7yrs old) saw the trains, she wanted to go in and eat. The concept is really neat. The train brings your food out to you. The food was a little better than I had expected. Nothing fancy. We might come again, if we happen to be in the area. If I had little boys that were really into trains, I can see us coming here more often.

    (4)

  • Tiffany K.

    I went here with my 2 year of nephew. He had a great time. I think its cute that the food comes out on a train. The place itself is definitely for kids. If you don't have kids or like them, I suggest going somewhere else ha. However, if you are going there with kids, its a nice place. Although, it is kind of cramped. I would not suggest to going with a big group. Due to the number of kids there, it can get a little loud. As far as the food, it was only ok. Guess you wouldn't have gourmet chefs for kids lol. They seemed to enjoy it though.

    (3)

  • John V.

    When some friends came to visit me in DG with their 2 year old son, we went to All Aboard Diner. This place is nuts! You can get you food delivered by train if you sit at the counter and there's also trains all over the place. My friends son loved it. The food was pretty good, with a decent selection for both the kids and adults. Highly recommended if you have little ones or like trains a lot.

    (4)

  • H O.

    We went to "All Aboard Diner" today for lunch with my husband and 2 year old son. Any child or adult that loves trains, this is the place to go. Everything is train related. The modeled train even delivers your food on a track, how cute is that? I seriously loved how entertaining it was for my son. This was just as much fun as going to the "Day Out With Thomas Event" last month at the Railway Museum. Thank you Melissa for making our stay fun for my child. He literally broke down in the parking lot crying after he realized we were leaving. He didn't want to go, ha-ha! They offer a wide variety of sandwiches, burgers and other kid foods. The burger was average and the fries were good. We didn't try anything else so I can't offer any other tips on what to eat. It was worth a half hour drive from our house! Fun place! Thank you!

    (5)

  • Ty S.

    Some of the best burgers you'll find if you ask me. The place is very friendly and outside of a sometimes long wait you can't find a better place to take kids for a meal. As a family of four we usually end up spending another forty to fifty bucks including tip. Be an the lookout for coupons in local mailers. The place is very clean and the staff attentive. But the great burgers make it for me.

    (5)

  • Maria S.

    If you have boys you have to come here. Fun place. Best for probably 6-and-under (our 3 year old was enthralled with the place); but the 7 and 8 year old played some games and were happy to eat here too. There is a Pokemon game, Pac Man, and a train ride to keep them entertained when there is a wait. We went on a Sunday at 12:30 and had to wait about 15 minutes for a seat at the counter. It was worth the wait time for the counter seats - the train brought our lunch - and that's the appeal. Fun place. Standard food. All in all a fun time. You have to take the kids at least once if you live in the western .burbs.

    (4)

  • William V.

    If you have kids this is a great place to go. Fun atmosphere, nice staff and the owners are present and active. Food delivered on a train - what could be better. Sure it's not the best burger I've ever had but the trains and happiness makes up for it. Plus the beers help.

    (5)

  • Liza P.

    Took the kids here after a day at the DuPage Children's Museum, and it was a hit! We got to sit at the counter, and the train brought us our food, which really delighted my kids! There was a train that ran around the whole restaurant, lots of train pics, games, and Thomas the Train playing on the tv. So, plenty of stuff to look at while we waited for our food. The food itself was typical fried fare, nothing to write home about. Priced decently. The boys had a hot dog and chicken nuggets meals, and I had a double burger with thousand island dressing. The dressing was kinda gross, the burger was okay. Each of my kids got a free train whistle and a novelty ring before we left. And there was a plexiglass enclosed train set with 2 trains, and some rides, etc that the kids could operate by pressing various buttons on the side of the display. That was a huge hit! The boys loved it. And they had a cool train whistle that you pull on your way out. I would definitely come here again.

    (4)

  • Sarah C.

    Woo woo! We just love this place. I am sad to say that with two boys under three, this is about my favorite night out with the kids. We have braved several other restaurants with the little ones, but it's just not worth the effort. I'm always worried that they are disturbing someone and the one-year-old is still dropping food on the floor like crazy, but at All Abroad, this is par for the course. It is a little troubling how I can just relax and enjoy a beer with all the kid noise and the choo choos making their rounds. The food is mostly sandwiches but pretty darn good and the kids menu is pretty extensive, as you might expect from a kids restaurant. The service is great - not sure how they can be so nice dealing with kids all day, but God bless 'em. There is enough going on with the TV's, trains, and games, that the kids never get fussy. The whistles and rings they hand out as you are leaving distract the kids as you are dragging them out, so it all just kind of works. And for the nights that I just don't want a sandwich for dinner, I worked out a compromise. We'll go next door for sushi or somewhere else local and then go to "Choo Choo Restaurant" for cupcakes for dessert. Either way it's a win-win-win scenario.

    (5)

  • Barbara S.

    Hi, it's Barbara S. from Glen Ellyn again. I am here to recant my earlier positive review. I went back to the All Aboard Diner on Sat 7/25 with my 3 children (6y,4y, 15 months). We arrived at 4:15 on a Sat and it was pretty empty. They seated us at the diner counter so the train could deliver our food. Fine. We ate. Fine. When my 2 boys (6 and 4) finished eating, they wanted dessert, so I ordered them each cupcakes and shakes. This was around 5:00. My daughter and I were not going to have dessert. The owner came over and asked me to stand with my daughter while my boys ate their dessert, so he could seat others at the counter. I have never heard of a restaurant that ejects members of a party who are finished eating ! I Needless to say, we won't be back.

    (2)

  • Ken H.

    Kid Friendly, Allergy Friendly, Wallet Friendly! This inviting little spot nestled in a sprawling suburban shopping center has won our hearts. I have a train-loving 4 year old son who can name all the Thomas trains by rote. So there was an instant connection with him when we were 20 feet from the door and he saw the model trains running in the window. He grabbed my hand and off we ran for the door. Inside the place is a kid's dream. An interactive model train runs at the store window. A larger scale train run alond a suspended track along the ceiling. An old fashioned soda fountain dominated the entrance. and the diner's counter has a model train the delivers your food on freight cars. Two flat screens run Thomas videos and along one wall are a series of little kid friendly coin operated machines and mini-rides. For the parents, it is clean, the staff is friendly, and the prices are very reasonable. The kicker for me is their willingness to accomodate customer's with allergies. My son has dairy, egg, and nut allergies, so eating out can be a real problem. First off, All Aboard is a nut-free environment - a great start. Secondly, they have a book which lists the ingredients of every item they serve. They were happy to show it to us and answer any questions we had. They have dedicated fryers to avoid cross contamination of foods. Finally, they carry Divvies (a wonderful online supplier of Nut, Milk, and Egg free sweets, including cupcakes and chocolate bars) dessert items so even allergic children can enjoy dessert out. Now that is a rarity! We drove almost an hour to get there and it is well worth the trip.

    (5)

  • Jo F.

    Best of all the diners that deliver food via train. Hands Down...best food at any diner. In fact, great food. The owner is always on-site and he makes sure you have the best customer service. You can have your child's Birthday Party at this location. If you are just visiting for a meal, your kid will get to enjoy the Birthday party too! The customer service here is the best. No apathetic teenagers serving you meat inside bread + ketchup. Grown-Ups that want you to have a great time and meal. The menu here goes beyond your expectations. Soup is fantastic and there's more than just your average diner menu. This is a family owned and proud restaurant. It's a great experience. If you have kids or just want a great meal, visit this location! I can't imagine you'd have a bad visit- but if you did, the owner would be heart-broken. He'd run out and make it right because this is a fantastic dining establishment. This is how a restaurant should be run. No, I'm not related to the owner, I just admire his well-run joint.

    (5)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Mon :11:00 am - 8:00pm

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : No
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Lunch
    Parking : Private Lot
    Bike Parking : No
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : Yes
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Casual
    Noise Level : Loud
    Outdoor Seating : No
    Wi-Fi : No
    Has TV : Yes
    Waiter Service : Yes
    Caters : No

All Aboard Diner

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