I love this place and agree with the previous positive reviews. My son is happily playing with the trains right now while I sit with a full belly from my spicy chicken pasta. Yum! The staff here rocks!
(5)
Aimee M.
This isn't our first train restaurant rodeo and certainly wont be our last. After an afternoon on the Polar...ahem excuse me, the Santa Express out of River Forest (they can't use "Polar Express" anymore due to licensure or copyright or whatever blah de blah de blah) The Junction Diner was the perfect place to keep the train theme going. Sunday at about 4pm the place was pretty empty except for a birthday party in their party room. But by 5pm more and more families started coming in. My 3 yr old son, MIL and I were greeted immediately when we entered and we easily found seats along the counter. Our server was very enthusiastic and made sure we were aware of all the specials, pointed out the kids menu and pointed out the craft soda and beer/wine options. Among the train restaurants I've visited in Bartlett and Downers Grove, this one has the best menu. It comes pretty close to DG, but JD's specials menu and craft soda selection sets them apart. My MIL and I couldn't decide between two sandwiches so we ordered each and split them. The Pot Roast sandwich and the Reuben (which was on the specials board). I upgraded my fries to sweet potato fries and opted for the Birch Beer Soda. My son ordered the cheese quesadilla. We also split an order of their home made doughnuts for dessert. The food was excellent. I loved how they served the sauces for the sammies on the side (horseradish for the pot roast and russian for the Reuben). The food came out piping hot and everything was delicious. The pot roast was very tender and the horseradish sauce def added a nice element of flavor. The Reuben was also very good too. Nice helping of corned beef too. The sweet potato fries were excellent, made well and very tasty. The dessert was wonderful. It's 5 dounut puffs, sitting on top of some honey, dusted with cinnamon and comes with a chocolate dipping sauce. It really didn't need the chocolate as it was pretty tasty on its own but who are we kidding, it's chocolate and it's always welcome! The space is nice, seems like an older building as it's very tall and spacious inside...it could use more train decor the walls. But there are some fun things about the space. The train that delivers your food--but it only runs on the counter so if you're seated at one of the tables, the train still brings your food, it's just one of the servers has to deliver it to your table. There's a train table for tykes to play with. There's also a mechanical train ride and a stationary train ride. Also a little village of trains and buildings that light up/move at a push of a button. Wonderful and friendly service. We'll be back.
(4)
Cheryl R.
I love everything about the Junction. The staff is friendly, the food is great, the train motif is amazing and they even have an old fashioned photo booth in the back of the restaurant!! My five year old and I try to come once a month and she always leaves with a smile! The prices are very reasonable and I love the this is the type of place where kids are encouraged to get up and be kids! Definitely an A+++in my book.
(5)
Nektaria R.
I love getting my food brought out to me with the train. I enjoy it more than my 2 year old nephew though. I kept telling him to look at the train. He really didn't seem to care at all. Food is pretty good. I've had their burgers, wraps and veggie patties when I was fasting from meat. We've had most of their deserts. Everything is really good and tasty. We had a one off once, but the owner quickly corrected it for us. I will continue coming here cause my nephew likes riding the little rocking train/car in the window and cause I love the sweet potato fries. They also serve funky beers. Check them out.
(4)
Nick R.
Came here with my wife and daughter. Really cool place to take kids for lunch. The food is really good. I thought it would be mostly frozen burgers and pizza but they actually take a lot of pride in their menu and ingredients. I had the Reuben which was really good. My wife had the juicy Lucy burger which was also very good. Made fresh stuffed with giardenerra on a super soft pretzel roll. The sweet potato fries were also great. Of course what the restaurant is known for is all the food is delivered on a model train which circles around the large counter. The kids love it! Word of advice you will need some quarters for the kids games in front. The decor is kind of blah. Seems like the room could be beautiful but they cut a lot of corners with the decor. But not bad for a kids place. Overall I'd definitely recommend coming here. Being the kids and come hungry.
(4)
Sarah R.
Came here for my grandson's birthday. He loved the choo choo train and the photo booth. And the food was good. Great destination for the little ones.
(3)
Claudia M.
Such a fun place for the kiddos! My son loves trains and a friend of mine had been telling us how fun this place was. We took my 3 y.o. daughter and 18 month old son and they had a blast. There is a coin operated train that you sit on and my daughter just could not get enough of it. They also have a miniature train station /town and all the kids get on a step to look in on it. There are buttons that you can press to turn the store lights on. And of course the choo choo train that brings your food the table was a hit. They also have an old photo booth in the back and you can get a token for 3 bucks. The kids loved that as well. The food was standard. I had a spicy chicken sandwich with fries and a beer. The kiddos had nuggets and fries. My husband had the corn beef sandwich. The food was tasty, I would come back again. I was afraid there would be a wait but when we got there it was 5:00 on a Tuesday night (during Christmas vacation) and there was almost no one there but slowly they started coming in and by the time we left the place was packed. WE got lucky with parking but you may have to drive around the block a couple of time. We will definitely bring the kids back.
(5)
Dave C.
We happened upon this diner just trying to get out of the cold and were met with great atmosphere, better food & superb service. The food is brought to you on this little train that runs on a track around the counter, there is a 1960s photo booth that has been restored and a chalkboard wall to while away the time until your food arrives. If you are looking for friendly, helpful staff along with great classic diner food at reasonable prices & a laid back atmosphere, you will find it here. My 14 year old niece and her 16 year old cousin drew some art on the chalkboard wall, hammed it up in the photo booth & enjoyed butterscotch root beer & sarsaparilla until our food arrived. The kids got adventurous will a couple of specials and i stayed classic with a turkey club. Their sandwiches were spot on & my fries were hand cut with the peel on...we all left happier then we were when we went in. Highly recommended, I know we will be back.
(5)
Nyassa B.
Lots of fun, great fun and great food. Kids love it. The food is pretty tasty and the staff is wonderful, especially with my Bugga. I highly recommend everyone with kids bring them here for a Saturday night out on the town experience for your little ones.
(4)
Steven P.
Terrible service. The people who work here are totally clueless. They forget orders, are slow, and can't handle more than a few customers at a time. Too bad since it's a nice place and is fun for the kids. Don't come here unless you have at least 90 minutes!
(3)
Stephanie R.
Wow, I'm really disappointed. We tried to eat here tonight, but sat around for nearly 20 minutes (with a grumpy toddler) without getting drinks or even being acknowledged. That's pretty unacceptable. I didn't recognize anyone working tonight so maybe they were new, but the restaurant wasn't even that busy. With so many restaurants on Madison St., your service really needs to be better than that.
(2)
April J.
We love this local business! We are quite pleased with the food every time we go here. Service is good and the owner is often there ensuring things are running smoothly. It has a simple no nonsense diner feel, but with what I would consider better food and drinks than many diners offer. Our kids of course love the diner counter and the food train that delivers the food. They have a good selection of food on the menu, and the food has good flavor and seems fresh. There is even a selection of great beer. they also serve limited breakfast items anytime they are open...with good coffee I might add. After our kids finish their meals we let them play in the children's play area in the front of the restaurant (there are some toys and train displays). There is also a chalkboard wall where kids can draw. Despite the kid focus, the clientele is courteous and conscientious of their children, so I've never been annoyed by chaos or bad behavior. This place is a perfect casual lunch or dinner spot in forest park, especially for families with young children.
(5)
Karen C.
This place is adorable (if you have kids or a really childish like me). I went for a walk with a girlfriend of mine and we stumbled upon this place. It was a weekday early evening and the place was empty so I can't say how it is on the weekends when it's full of little ones playing with the trains and running around. My guess is that unless I was there with my nephew's, I'd avoid the place like the plague on the weekends as I have very little patience dealing with screaming kids while I am trying to eat. The food is reasonably priced, the soup I had was yummy, and they deliver the food on a train that goes around the counter. Yea, that was my favorite part. Apparently I'm just a giant child. There's nothing special about the menu. You can tell they are trying to cater to kids and keeping it simple seems the safe bet. It's a neat idea for families in the area, especially since there are so many bars and adult driven restaurants around. I'd return with my nephews...and some earplugs...on a weekend just to see how it is.
(3)
Rebecca V.
I feel bad complaining because the staff is certainly friendly, but seem very under-skilled. We've been there twice now and both times, they messed up our orders. (The first time they got my side wrong, then this last time they got grandma's order wrong and mine was completely whacked out - and believe me, when the 5 year old gets fries and the 3 year old doesn't - that's fighting time. They were both supposed to get fruit BTW...) The food is decent, but nothing that I would rave about, and so that makes it harder to overlook the shortcomings of the poor service and really, the not very appealing atmosphere. It's quite cold and blank - I am not sure what they are going for - a kids' restaurant should be much more colorful, interactive, and playful. This is tasteful and more adult, but really rather sterile. It doesn't have to be tacky (there is a train restaurant further west where it feels like Thomas threw up on the place...) but it's not super-appealing to little kids. It takes more than a train bringing the food to make a train-themed restaurant!! Living in Forest Park and having 2 boys who love trains, we'd like this place to succeed, but they really need to step it up. It feels like they've only been open for 2 weeks rather than 4 months.
(1)
Jonathan P.
My wife & I had a great meal, but more importantly our kids had a blast. Everything about this place met expectations. Owner was super nice and made sure the meal/experience was great. I'm really pulling for this place because I live in Chicago and it is a quick commute for a nice place with the kids. Restaurants like this provide a service to the community when adults can eat good food while entertaining children for an hour!
(5)
Michael-Colin R.
The common problem with concept restaurants is that when all is said and done, either the concept or the food quality suffers in the end. In The Junction's case, the food is perfectly fine but the concept is pathetically almost laughably realized in this vacuous space which was formerly a much loved stained glass studio and retail space. The idea of your lunch arriving on a train is hardly and novel concept for anyone over 10 years old and the rest of the concept is executed strictly by the restaurant's name and a few small pictures of trains sporadically scattered on the otherwise massively empty gray walls. The menu is neither original nor inventive in any way. We've all seen burgers on pretzel buns, cheese fries and buffalo chicken sandwiches before and The Junction delivers these with no twist of any kind other than the boxcar it rolls in on. Standard diner dishes, nicely prepared for sure, but nothing special here. The Junction's main marketing point is that it's a family friendly joint. My partner and I are two gay men in our 40's with no kids so this is a plus we could care less about, in fact, the less we have to deal with people's children the better. If the food were better or the menu more interesting, we'd be more than willing to deal with everyone's rug rats for the sake of a great lunch but such is not the case here. Now, if you DO have children, FINALLY you have a place where you can take them where they can run and scream to their hearts content and people like me and my partner won't be at the next table rolling our eyes and wishing they'd shut the hell up and eat their chicken nuggets. The little angels have plenty to keep them occupied including a chalk wall they can draw on and a working model train they can control. My partner ordered the cheeseburger with fries and I had the pot roast sandwich with sweet potato fries. His burger was nicely cooked and the fries were hot and had a nice crunch. My pot roast sandwich was tender and nicely seasoned and my sweet potato fries were crispy and hot. Our sandwiches and 2 drinks came to just over $22 for our lunch. They did not take credit cards at the time, luckily my bank is right across the street so I had to hit the cash machine and come back. The staff was friendly enough but when we went it was not a busy night and they could hardly handle the few patrons they had with any sense of efficiency, I can only imagine how much of a hot mess the service must be on a busy Saturday afternoon. Concept C Execution D Menu C Service C Quality B+ Value B Grade C
(3)
Kari G.
We went for the first time last night and loved it. It's such a great concept, and the kids loved the play area (although, if I'm going to be picky, I'll say the train table could use some more trains & tracks) and the train on which the food was delivered was really cool. The food actually exceeded my expectations, too! It was really fresh and all homemade. The soup & veggie burger and handcut fries were delicious! A few more vegetarian options on the menu would be nice, though. It's also nice that they serve beer & wine for the adults. The servers were all super-friendly and the owner came and spoke with us, too, and was so nice. We will definitely be back.
(4)
Bree L.
Waited about 40 min for food with three hungry boys. No one gave an update unless I asked.
(1)
Josh C.
While it's definitely great that we have another restaurant well designed for kids in the near west suburbs, this place is unfortunately one to avoid until they can get a proper management team in place. We walked in this evening and weren't acknowledged or greeted by a single employee until we walked up to the counter and asked to be seated. While I was keeping tabs on the kids, my wife was told that they were cleaning up and they would seat us shortly. Several other patrons walked in after us and were seated by one of the wait staff right in front of us (at the seats they were cleaning up for us). We then complained and were offered 3 seats (for a party of 4). Given no satisfactory resolution, we promptly left after waiting nearly 20 minutes in a restaurant which was maybe 60% occupied. We are now glad we did not dine here in hindsight. Given they've obviously cut some significant corners in the front of the restaurant, we're wondering what kinds of corners they are cutting in the preparation of the food. Very basic misses - like a complete and total lack of a greeter or host(ess) lead one to believe that they don't know what they're doing. Are they skimping on cleaning in the kitchen? Are they skimping on disposal of spoilage? Are the "overworked" wait staff too busy to wash their hands or too busy to ensure dishes are properly cleaned and sanitized? Until this place can demonstrate some basic restaurant management skills, I would highly recommend avoiding it. At a minimum to you'll save yourself the inconvenience of having to explain to your 3 and 5 year old boys why we're not eating at the Train restaurant tonight.
(1)
Allison V.
Pros: -The concept of a train-themed restaurant would be a big hit with the Oak Park/Forest Park crowd if it ever gets fully realized. It's part-way there. -The food is really good. My french fries were the best I've had in awhile. Cons: -There isn't enough waitstaff to handle the crowd. -There's no host, hoststand or any signs to let you know if you should seat yourself or flag down one of the completely overwhelmed staff. I've been to The Junction Diner twice and the first time, our order was lost and it took more than 40 minutes to get our food. When the food came, it was wrong, but we just ate- with a starving two-year-old it was just easier to have something to eat! We chalked it up to new-restaurant kinks and gave it another chance yesterday. Yesterday, two months after they've opened, we stood for 20 MINUTES at the front of the restaurant with no acknowledgement from any staff. We finally just took a table, but it only had two chairs. My 70-year-old mother-in-law carried additional chairs across the entire restaurant with not even a busboy stopping to help her. We sat for another 15 minutes waiting for anyone to come by- but no one did! So we went across the street to Louie's and ate within minutes of our arrival. Junction Diner, you could be very successful, but you need to hire more waitstaff, a food runner, a host and install some real train tables or activities for kids before everyone realizes this place isn't worth it.
(1)
Ed P.
Great place for the whole family. Just had the Tacos, they're better than any Mexican restaurant in the Forest Park area.
(5)
Janine F.
Initially i expected trains to be all in my face but when i got there it looked pretty empty just a train that delivers your food and a small wooden set for toddlers. I got the juicy lucy.. wasn't all that juicy actually kind of dry. I had to drown my burger in ketchup and hot sauce to get it down but maybe it was just my meal because my roommate seemed to really enjoy their mushroom burger.
(2)
Sil A.
I have a three year old that loves trains and we live so close. I would be here at least every other week if the had for entertaining. More train things for the kids. Also the bathrooms are not very clean. The owner walks around looking like he just finished fixing something. Service is ok. The menu is ok. I see they added a few more things. I like there juicy Lucy and my boy the cheeseburgers. I think a better desert menu will be good to. And again more train things it is a train restaurant.
(3)
LuCretia T.
Great atmosphere and great food. Reminds me of the joys of being a kid. My daughter is always overjoyed when she hears the train coming to deliver her food. I absolutely love that I can order a beer and watch her play in close vicinity. It's so convenient and exactly what Forest park needed.
(5)
Windy C.
I feel it's only fair to update my review once more to reflect our recent experiences. They seem to have worked through some staffing issues and now have both enough staff to cover busier times AND friendly servers who are kind to children and families. I've also managed to find several new menu items that I enjoy, and my son still loves this place, so we will continue to return. The owner is a genuinely nice guy who seems to be working hard to make this a fun option for families in the area.
(4)
Bee P.
My husband and I are expecting our first little one. We walked past this diner and noted it had a good pub food variety with a beer and wine list. We ventured in and were happy to notice a very child friendly environment with a play area, photo booth, train set delivering your food, oversized chalkboard to draw on, and wooden authentic changing tables in the restrooms. The place was full of families with the kids of all ages. Parents were mingling and enjoying their meals while children ate and found plenty to do while at the diner. The owner was super friendly and attentive even during a busy evening. He spoke of his family and made us feel welcome and ready to come back after our baby is born. The menu is perfect, has great things for adults and a kid friendly section with a variety of food and healthy alternatives (yogurt/veggies, etc). We will definitely return.
(5)
Tara M.
I took my son here for a birthday dinner. It was very cute. The food was pretty good, I'd say better than most of the train restaurants we've been to. I agree with previous reviews that they could have more trains there but the place is fricken huge so I understand how hard it must be to fill such a large space. I think the thing that stands out the most is how friendly the wait staff and owners are. Even if the place was lame or the food sucked (which neither apply here) the people there made my son's birthday special and treated my family like their own.
(5)
Windy C.
I feel it's only fair to update my review once more to reflect our recent experiences. They seem to have worked through some staffing issues and now have both enough staff to cover busier times AND friendly servers who are kind to children and families. I've also managed to find several new menu items that I enjoy, and my son still loves this place, so we will continue to return. The owner is a genuinely nice guy who seems to be working hard to make this a fun option for families in the area.
(4)
Sil A.
I have a three year old that loves trains and we live so close. I would be here at least every other week if the had for entertaining. More train things for the kids. Also the bathrooms are not very clean. The owner walks around looking like he just finished fixing something. Service is ok. The menu is ok. I see they added a few more things. I like there juicy Lucy and my boy the cheeseburgers. I think a better desert menu will be good to. And again more train things it is a train restaurant.
(3)
LuCretia T.
Great atmosphere and great food. Reminds me of the joys of being a kid. My daughter is always overjoyed when she hears the train coming to deliver her food. I absolutely love that I can order a beer and watch her play in close vicinity. It's so convenient and exactly what Forest park needed.
(5)
Natalie S.
This is now our second trip to a train themed restaurant and in comparison, Junction Diner comes up a little short. The kids had a good time and that was good enough for me but there's definitely room for improvement. For starters, there seems to be a lack of trains in the train themed restaurant. There was a cute train set up but only three of the many buttons seemed to be working. There was a train table but only a handful of trains for it. There's a couple train posters but that's really it. On the TV was some crappy CW show. The place wasn't very busy at 6pm on a Saturday night so we only saw the trains go out with food a few times. The space is large but a little cold. The food was just ok. My husband and I each ordered the Juicy Lucy and there wasn't really anything juicy about it. It was pretty dry. The fries were good. The kids orders of mac and cheese were ok. But when I ordered I asked the waitress if we were to skip the fries and drink (because I could tell my kids just weren't going to eat because they were too busy playing) if the price went from the advertised $5.99 to $3 for an entree, as specified on the menu. She said yes... then charged us the $5.99 anyways. By the time we got the bill, we were just ready to go and I didn't want to make a big deal over $3 (which is actually $6 because we had two meals) but I did specifically ask her and she charged us anyways. The location is convenient for us because its on our way home from Brookfield Zoo so it could make a nice day with lunch. But it just wasn't that great. We might be in if my 4 year old begs but for train themed restaurants, its done elsewhere much better.
(3)
Carol C.
Great place for kids' parties! The staff was friendly and helpful, and made sure the birthday girl had everything she wanted. Kids had a wonderful time!
(5)
Nichole F.
We tool my son here for the first time today and it was great! We got there right at 11 when they open because we wanted to sit where the train delivers the food to you and we didn't know how popular this place was. Even though, we got there at 11, it did fill up quickly. I think by 11:30, the counter was full. While we waited for our food, we looked at the train/downtown model which had buttons you could press that could move cars and lights. We played with a car with a steering wheel and a chance for an awesome photo op and ride the train of course (25 cents). There is also a train table and a school bus with a lot of different play stations so it is easy for several children to play independently on it. It was fun to have our food delivered on a train. We split a soft pretzel and cheese which was great. I had a burger and fries, my son had mini burgers and fruit and my husband had a turkey club and fries. The fries were awesome! We also ordered the little one a cupcake since it was a special occasion. All in all, we will absolutely go back there. It is a quick trip from the city and plenty of parking. They also have a Yelp deal that we bought while we were there. $20 for $12. Winning!
(5)
Robert F.
Waited 25 minutes for scrambled eggs and a cheeseburger, although the place was nearly empty. When the food arrived, the eggs were cold. They made me another plate, but the eggs tasted very strange and the toast had so much butter a huge pool soaked through the center of both pieces of toast. Dirty plates sat all around, and the place looked messy overall. I like the concept and the train around the counter, and I hope they do well, but the food, service, and cleanliness all were a problem.
(1)
Rahil R.
They really nail the train motif. A train brings out the food, they have a couple of play train sets and they also have one for the kids to ride. Some other nice touches are the full wall chalkboard, wine and beer, and the free wifi. That all came first because the food is pretty standard. Burgers, pasta and the regular kids menu filled with cheese with mac or grilled. Overall a great place to take a kid to keep them busy in between bites of food, but not a place to come for just for the food.
(4)
Elizabeth K.
We went with friends during a visit back to Chicagoland. Our 19 month old son LOVED it! The modified highchairs were great, very sturdy! The food was so so. I think for what is offered it's a little pricey. For 2 adults & 1 child our bill was close to $50. We had 1 app, 1 beer, 1 pop, 1 kids meal, & 2 sandwiches. The service could also use some help. It was slow. The only waiter was overwhelmed I feel like. So drinks never really got refilled. Our son loved all the train stuff to play with. So much so when our food came he didn't want to sit back down. The owner was amazing! He pulled out a top and a small train to soothe his howls. He also seemed to sense when all the kids were getting restless and would send the train by. We will return because our son now loves trains, but will wait for a groupon for a better deal on the food.
(4)
Brian T.
I would normally give this place 4 stars but my son loved it so much, I had to give it 5. The food was surprisingly better than I thought it was going to be. The sweet potatoe fries were delicious. the juicy lucy was just ok, probably could have had more cheese but it was still good. They only had two waitresses and a packed house but the food came out fairly quickly. Only suggestion, get some milk shakes in their. That would totally kill it with the burgers and fries
(5)
Jason F.
Not impressed at all. Food was nothing special, and the service was terrible. We had a long wait, and there were only two other customers there. The waitress seemed really disinterested, as though she dreaded being there. With Louie's (which has excellent food and service) being right across the street, there is really no reason for my wife and I to go back there.
(1)
Thomas C.
i didn't know what to expect, other than what I had read, about this place. I knew it was kid-centric, but also knew they had beer and wine offerings ... presumably for the adults to consume, not use as bedtime aids :) Will definitely go back, even without the kids. Owner is from Indianapolis (turns out a classmate of my wife's) but that's not the reason for the four stars, that's all about the menu and the space. Still, both, works in progress, but good offerings for anybody's palate, food is delivered by locomotive and the food's good. I had the juicy lucy style burger which did justice to it's Minn. namesake/roots, wife had the chicken wrap which was also very good. Kids had chicken nuggets and they were good enough to keep their attention, and bottoms in seats, despite the appealing kid-centric playthings which were available. This is a great concept and I really hope it works because what a great place to grab a bite and entertain the children and maybe make some new friends in the process.
(4)
Patty R.
We took our grandson there today at 12:45 for lunch, and it was really crowded. We had to wait 15 minutes for stools at the counter to open up, but there are a lot of toys to play with, so waiting was not hard to do. They have a train layout with buttons to make things work, a train ride for 25 cents, a toy car table, and other things. A wall is a huge blackboard which the kids may scribble on. There is a photo booth at the back, too. When we got seated, the food was delivered on a train that runs on a track all the way around the counter. Our hamburgers were delicious, and the sodas and beers were great. You could get juice or milk for the kids, too. And they give the kids crayons and a picture to color while they are waiting for their food. The bathroom had a changing table, and a step stool so kids can wash their hands. Very kid friendly place. It emptied out a bunch by 2, so that would be a good time to go have a late lunch. This is a really fun place to take little kids, although there were older ones that were having fun too. And more than a few adults loved the train layout with the tiny people and accessories.
(5)
Matt W.
Great place to bring the kids, and they have craft beer and good food for the adults as well! Their chili is exceptional and somewhat spicy if you like that kind of thing (i do). They have a great train setup with lots for the kids to do while you wait for the food. They even have a cool old vintage photo-booth machine.
(5)
Janine F.
Initially i expected trains to be all in my face but when i got there it looked pretty empty just a train that delivers your food and a small wooden set for toddlers. I got the juicy lucy.. wasn't all that juicy actually kind of dry. I had to drown my burger in ketchup and hot sauce to get it down but maybe it was just my meal because my roommate seemed to really enjoy their mushroom burger.
(2)
Kayla A.
The Junction Diner 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.
(4)
Carlos G.
The kids love this place and all the cool trains and train tables they have. The food is actually pretty good and tasty, I had the turkey burger with fries, kids had hot dogs and the missus had the wrap. She said the wrap was good but burped it up all day. My burger was right on and the chipotle mayo was great. Of course the big attraction is that they bring the food in a train so the kids love it!
(4)
Suz C.
My 3 year old son is crazy about trains. CRAZY. INSANE. So, we've been to 2Toots and we've been to All Aboard Diner. I heard about The Junction Diner and we decided to give it a try on a Saturday around lunch time. I thought it was ok, but needs a little bit of work to keep up with their other train diner mainstays in the western suburbs. The place looks nice and fairly new - high ceilings, train photos, a modern train food server that runs around the counter, a couple of train rides in front (which seemed to have operational issues that day), and a model train display. I also appreciated the chalkboard towards the back where kids can draw with chalk. There is a small party room in the back, too. It was fairly busy when we went. There was never an empty table the entire time we were there, and we felt lucky to have found a table as soon as we got there. But we did see some families waiting. Now, the servers were very nice and friendly...but I think there weren't enough servers because there were long waits. Long wait to find someone to even seat us, long wait for the menu, long wait for the food, long wait for drinks, long wait to get the check. But our server was hustling, so I really do think it was because they didn't have enough people working. It seemed like one person worked the train counter and one person worked all the outside tables. For a Saturday lunch, I think you need a few more hands, and it's just good business to warmly greet all new guests who step in the door. Food was decent. I enjoyed my salad, my husband had a veggie burger, and my son gobbled enjoyed his kids meal. If I had to rank them, I'd say All Aboard is tops, 2Toots second, and Junction Diner is third. I think Junction Diner needs to increase staffing or better manage customers walking in. I also think they may need more train-themed items...whether it's train movies on tv's (they had sports on television), train hats, or more train tchotchkes to purchase. I was thinking about having my son's birthday party there, but I felt like there wasn't enough to keep the kids entertained. Parking was a little bit of a challenge on a Saturday afternoon, too. Took awhile to find a spot.
(3)
Vanessa B.
We've been to a few different train restaurants, some awesome some just ok. The junction diner was definitely just ok. They had really nice staff, and good food (we were pleasantly surprised, the veggie burger was delicious!) , but the space itself lacked, well, trains. And let's be honest, we come here for the trains! There were a couple pics on the wall, a train table, and a train that the kids could ride for a quarter, but then that was it. The train on the counter is always a favorite at these kind of places, but the kids lose interest as soon as their food has been delivered. Other places have more games, moving trains on the wall, decorations, even bathrooms decorated with trains!
(3)
Jane C.
Perfect for my son's 2nd birthday. Any child who loves trains will love this place. Any parent who enjoys watching their kids have fun, this is it! For the adults, they serve beer & wine and the casual atmosphere makes it easy for everyone to enjoy themselves. I thought the food was kid friendly but the adults also didn't seem to have a problem putting it down. Cute little street to wander around post dinner too. The owner was very accommodating and so was our waitress Betty!
(5)
Ethan C.
Stopped in here with my lady and the little one a few weeks ago. For anyone who is looking to take children somewhere they'll enjoy without having to sacrifice the quality of their meal, this is the place to go! The decor is still a little sparse, but that didn't bother my 3 year old. The really impressive train set, coin-op train ride, full chalkboard wall and open space for her to run around in were all a big hit. And did I mention the food? The food here was so good, I would go back without a little one. I had the mushroom burger on pretzel bun, the little one had the Mac and Cheese and my wife had some kind of salad. We also shared some mozzarella sticks. Everything was delicious, with really high quality ingredients, the Mac and Cheese was made with whole wheat pasta and my kid ate every bite. The burger was juicy and prepared just right. The mozzarella sticks were excellent, not too greasy, but very flavorful. The place wasn't very crowded when we went on a Thursday night. I could see the need for a larger staff if things were busier, but overall our experience was very positive and I hope the Junction Diner is around for a long time to come.
(4)
sarah s.
Food is probably 2.5 - 3 stars but an extra star for having a kiddie play area! Taco basket was decent- only $1 each! Kids at least had a choice of fresh fruit and beer/wine was available. My husband ordered a pot roast sandwich on a pretzel bun which was pretty huge and tasty. I'd recommend that over the tacos. Our family enjoyed it there and service was friendly.
(4)
Tanya S.
Great for toddlers! I still think the food for adults could be better,but the kids meal options are great and yummy!
(4)
Julie R.
This is a cute little place. We just found them and have been there twice. First time the waiter asked us if we had been there before and when we said no, offered some recommendations for us. Decor is simple, but they have a train table with buttons that my daughter just loved. Service staff are all friendly and don't rush you. When it was quiet they ran the train a bunch of times for my daughter. Second time was way busier, but we still had decent service. Burgers were great both times. My daughter loved the macaroni and hummus.
(4)
kevin s.
The food is good, but that's not why you come here. Its for the kids, and they love it. The food comes out on trains, and there's no much for kids to do. Chalk board wall, ride on trains, play train sets. It's great
(4)
Jennifer W.
I LOVE THIS PLACE! 1st **The Staff** Nicest people on the planet earth. Especially the early afternoon waitress. On more than one occasion she has taken quarters out of her tip cup and given them to my children so they can ride the train. Of the many times my family and I have eaten there my order has only been wrong once. The waitress figured it out right away and promptly fixed it. Its also nice seeing the owner walking around talking to other customers and children making sure everyone is enjoying there visit. 2nd ** the food** I've personally only had the burgers and fries and they are delish. Burgers are cooked to the right temperature you specify, and the fries are homemade and yet still crispy and well seasoned. I would go back for the food alone regardless if I had my kids. 3rd **atmosphere** I love the fact that my kids can run around and play until the food is ready. There are many activities that keep them occupied from writing on the chalk board, to playing with the different train stations. My only complaint is I wish there was more trains for them to ride or play with. Not to make excuses for this place, but I get the feel that this is a fairly new business and they are still working out the kinks. If you didn't have a pleasant experience I would go back and try it again before you write them off completely. Read my other reviews I don't say that EVER.
(4)
W S.
I was shocked at how good the food was. We took my daughter here on her birthday for dinner during the week, as we thought it would be more fun for her than a normal restaurant. She had fun, and my wife and I were very pleasantly surprised to be eating great food. No offense to this place, but I think most parents will agree that when you go somewhere "kid-centric" you don't have high culinary expectations. Homemade fries and chips, and a pot roast sandwich on a pretzel roll. Great stuff.
(4)
Scott A.
Brought my son here for his 4th birthday. We took him to All-Aboard diner in Downers Grove last year and while the food isn't great there we enjoyed the experience. We decided on this place cause it's much closer to our house and the menu seemed to be a little more unique. When you first walk in there us no sign to tell you to seat yourself and none of the staff even looked at us. We decided to take a sign at the end of the bar so my son could see the train deliver the food. There was still plates and trash from the prior diner that they just left there. We basically had to tell them to clean it up. We then sat for another 5 minutes and we had to ask for menus. Really? If you want to ignore people just leave the menus on the counter. The food took almost 35 minutes, they said it was the Jucy Lucy I had ordered, wish they would have told me before I ordered. My son stayed occupied with their train sets for about 15 minutes before he got bored, there was not much variety to play with. The food was decent, fries were not seasoned well. Had to ask for utensils and she gave us one set for 3 people. Their customer service skills are horrtheres, the waitress didn't smile at my son once. We felt like we were bothering them for simple requests, like refilling our drinks. Not recommended at all.
(2)
Mary Ann C.
What a great treat! We joined some friends here for Valentine's Day-five adults and four kids. The staff was friendly, food delicious, and atmosphere was fun! I loved that the train delivered our food (I have two kids under four, so this is my idea of excitement). Anyhow, the burgers were well prepared and flavorful, and my buffalo chicken wrap was so perfectly constructed that I might even enjoy it during my lunch break someday (without the kids!). The owner is hands-on and super friendly. As a small business owner, I appreciate his attention to detail and focus on customer service. Great job! We will be back....soon!
(5)
Aimee W.
Color me surprised - and happy! We stopped in for lunch while we had family in town. I warned them before we got in to have low expectations. I've been to many a train-themed restaurant before and food quality is typically not the draw. Most places like this know that your kids are going to beg to go there even if the food sucks. The Junction figured it out though - our food was fabulous and there was a great selection for the kids *and* the grown ups (wine! wraps! soup!) .... sorry, I'm just used to seeing bad chicken nuggets and grilled cheese. I had the buffalo wrap and sweet potato fries - excellent food and great value. We'll be back!
(5)
Kevin W.
Unbelievable went here with the kids thinking it would be just another kid friendly restaurant but boy were we surprised, first off the burger I had was as good or better than any I've had in recent memory, my wife had a wrap and said it was equally delicious. The kids both had Mac and cheese and devoured it, the wait staff was friendly and quick but I could definitely see them getting over burdened if the place fills up to fast. We went at 430 on a Saturday and it was absolutely perfect a small crowd with enough room for us and a few other families, in other words if your kids are hungry go early if you don't want to wait, I see this already popular place getting better and busier.
(5)
Jason G.
I believe that they had only been open for a week or so at the time of my visit. The decor is still a work in progress, large blank walls. However they have a neat interactive train table, a coin-op train ride, and a huge black board wall with chalk. The waitstaff are friendly and helpful though a little overwhelmed. The service was quick. The food was excellent. I had the mushroom burger on a pretzel bun with regular fries. The fries are tasty and crispy. My wife had the sweet potato fries and said they were equally delicious. My boys had grilled cheese (nearly impossible to screw up) and mac and cheese with whole wheat pasta. The mac and cheese was great, next time I'm there I may have it for myself. Considering they just opened, the The Junction Diner is off to a great start.
(4)
M Z.
We want this restaurant to survive, since it is a nice addition to the neighborhood and my son loves trains so it is fun for the kids. BUT we had a pretty bad experience here this week. We arrived and the place was obviously swamped. The waitresses seemed unable to function they were so slammed. So we were never really told where to sit or how to order so we had to flag someone down finally for water and ordering food. We ordered simple burgers and it must have taken 45 minutes for the food to come. The waitress kept apologizing and everything but when you have starving kids, no apology is going to stop them from melting down. Either they ran out of food and had to go buy more or the chef walked out or something. Anyway, when the food did arrive, it was not even good. My burger was undercooked and the fried were soaked in grease. My stomach was not happy afterwards. As I said, we want new places to do well but this place needs to get their act together. It takes more than a train delivering your food to get people to want to return. We may try it again someday if we hear from others that they have had better experiences. I agree with another reviewer--get a hostess, more wait staff, and more cooks in the kitchen.
(2)
Jen P.
My son at age 4 is a train restaurant aficionado. Any Choo choo is good in his book, but I must say that this place just doesn't have what it takes. The restaurant management needs to hire someone that's managed a restaurant before and get some more experienced staff. I went right when it opened, and it was clearly not ready to open yet. We waited a few months and went back, but haven't seen much of an update. The train table is typically only half working. The owner spends most of his time socializing, but will leave you to sit next to dirty dishes for an hour even when you're practically the only person there. The food is promising and the fries are delicious, even though both times I went, something on my order got screwed up. I think they made the right choice by hiring more cooks because the speed of service for food delivery was MUCH better than our first visit. When you go to a train themed restaurant, you really want there to be a lot of trains going on. Thomas on the TV etc, but both times I went, I stared at a screen that had a Comcast message on it and ate in complete silence except for the echo of a large, empty restaurant. It's obvious that the owners mean well, but they need to start getting their hands dirty and be a lot more attentive to the details.
(2)
Cisco C.
I loved the sweet potato fries. The regular fries tasted a bit burned with the skins left on them. The best thing about this restaurant is they are extremely kid friendly. Not only do they have toys for the kids to play with, but the staff has a kind attitude toward kids. Some restaurants say they are kid friendly, but then have a negative attitude toward children. The staff here is great!
(4)
Sunil D.
I was in the mood for a Bacon Cheeseburger and a Beer yesterday after the Bears loss and I decided to check this place out. I was initially hesitant since I knew it was geared towards families but my neighbors had really hyped up the food and said the chef used to own Briejo in Oak Park. I was pleasantly surprised. I would say this was one of the best Cheeseburgers I've had and rivals the food of any place on Madison St. The fries were also great and the waitstaff was polite, courteous, and attentive. Although I'm adult, I was also amused to have my food brought out on the train. I can see how this place would appeal to kids (who love trains and being around other kids) and adults and I hope they do well.
(5)
Rob T.
Its a great place for kids and the adults that come with them. The train, toys and chalk board are entertaining for kids and the burgers and sweet potato fries are very good.
(5)
jen f.
This place was great for the whole family. Our 2 year old was entertained, and mom and dad could enjoy their food. (bonus: beer and wine is served). My husband had the Juicy Lucy burger and it was delicious. I had a turkey club, which was great as well. But, the whole family was able to enjoy a meal. The servers were super nice and the model train was fun to watch. My son also loved the train table and chalkboard wall to draw on.
(5)
Josh L.
We've been there twice, it's awesome! We have three small kids five and under. They can play and we can eat! The owner is really a good guy and sounds like he is planning a bunch of great additions to the place. I highly recommend. We NEED places like this around this area!
(5)
Parul D.
We looked at a few of the train themed restaurants to take our two toddler boys and decided to try this new place. The space is very large and beautiful. We were greeted warmly and it was great because the kids loved the freedom of the space. The seats are ingenious! You can put a highchair right over a stool so a little one is right at the counter. The food is very good diner food. I had the turkey club which was large and all the items on it were very fresh. My husband's burger was delicious too. The kids enjoyed everything. I loved that there were healthy side options for the kid's meals. The best part was there was beer and wine available! One thing I would suggest is to add more train themed items and decor. A train table with trains that kids could play at would be a great addition. A commenter below criticized the place for it's concept that it is not novel for anyone over 10 years. No kidding. This is a FAMILY friendly place that is specifically looking to cater to families who want a good meal AND have fun with and for their kids. The website is very clear about the concept and even if you didn't look at the website before stepping in, it becomes pretty clear within a few seconds of entering the place. If someone wants to check out this place without kids, the food stands up and the space is quite charming. For families, this is a wonderful option. It was fun for all of us and a great value.
(4)
Melissa C.
We had a great experience at lunch today. Staff were a little overwhelmed, but they got the job done. My children had a great time and my spicy chicken salad was delicious!
(5)
Jenny B.
Good place for kids, so-so for adults (which is to be expected for a train diner). My 8 and 3 year old really enjoyed The Junction Diner. It's a bit awkward of a space, it's huge and underutilized in terms of set up. The nice thing is that they have tall highchairs that go over the bar stools for kids to sit at the counter. The stools are set so far apart though, that it's hard to have a conversation with the someone. The food was average, burgers, hot dogs and fries. I thought a bit pricey for the kids menu. I like that they have play areas for the kids while they are waiting for the food. The wait staff was friendly, and this might sound odd, but a bit overly friendly for my taste. I like friendliness, but I don't like the staff awkwardly hanging around constantly trying to chit-chat and make conversation. Leave me be, check in, be friendly and then leave me alone! :) We would go back, for some kind of fun "special" dinner for my kids because it's a treat for them, but wouldn't frequent for an average dinner.
(3)
Elizabeth K.
We had a great time here with the kids. The food was good and the kids could run around and play the whole time. The best part was the food being delivered by a train!
(4)
Anne T.
Came to this restaurant today for a birthday party and I have no idea what happened in the kitchen of this place. When we got there the kids orders went right in because we had told the mom what we'd order prior to arriving and their food orders came out in a reasonable amount of time. Then she gave the adults menus and we placed our order a little later. An hour and a half later, this is not an exaggeration, we still did not have any food. We placed our order at 12:15 and left at 1:45, canceling our order on the way out. We were not the only ones either. We overheard another family saying they had been waiting an hour and were done and to cancel their order as well. Luckily for us we were at a party and the kids had friends to play with and we had adults to talk to. Also luckily for us our kids didn't finish their plates so we had some left over fries to tide us over. I have no idea how this could possibly happened. The worst part was that the owner was present and never once came to apologize or explain what was going on. He never even glanced at us. Our server came to tell us she was sorry and our food should be coming out a number of times but never offered any explanation. I really think this was unprofessional of the owner though. Take some responsibility and face your customers when something is wrong. Don't make your employees cover you. The lack of integrity in this situation is just as aggravating as the fact that we never got our food. The space is nice and not as cramped as the other diner in Downer's Grove, although I wish the trains and stuff were in the back of the restaurant and not right next to the front door. It would give a little more piece of mind knowing that a child couldn't get outside easily. Also, the cold french fries we got to eat were good. I imagine they probably have pretty good food, unfortunately we never got to find out.
(1)
Nektaria R.
I love getting my food brought out to me with the train. I enjoy it more than my 2 year old nephew though. I kept telling him to look at the train. He really didn't seem to care at all. Food is pretty good. I've had their burgers, wraps and veggie patties when I was fasting from meat. We've had most of their deserts. Everything is really good and tasty. We had a one off once, but the owner quickly corrected it for us. I will continue coming here cause my nephew likes riding the little rocking train/car in the window and cause I love the sweet potato fries. They also serve funky beers. Check them out.
(4)
Nick R.
Came here with my wife and daughter. Really cool place to take kids for lunch. The food is really good. I thought it would be mostly frozen burgers and pizza but they actually take a lot of pride in their menu and ingredients. I had the Reuben which was really good. My wife had the juicy Lucy burger which was also very good. Made fresh stuffed with giardenerra on a super soft pretzel roll. The sweet potato fries were also great. Of course what the restaurant is known for is all the food is delivered on a model train which circles around the large counter. The kids love it! Word of advice you will need some quarters for the kids games in front. The decor is kind of blah. Seems like the room could be beautiful but they cut a lot of corners with the decor. But not bad for a kids place. Overall I'd definitely recommend coming here. Being the kids and come hungry.
(4)
Sarah R.
Came here for my grandson's birthday. He loved the choo choo train and the photo booth. And the food was good. Great destination for the little ones.
(3)
Claudia M.
Such a fun place for the kiddos! My son loves trains and a friend of mine had been telling us how fun this place was. We took my 3 y.o. daughter and 18 month old son and they had a blast. There is a coin operated train that you sit on and my daughter just could not get enough of it. They also have a miniature train station /town and all the kids get on a step to look in on it. There are buttons that you can press to turn the store lights on. And of course the choo choo train that brings your food the table was a hit. They also have an old photo booth in the back and you can get a token for 3 bucks. The kids loved that as well. The food was standard. I had a spicy chicken sandwich with fries and a beer. The kiddos had nuggets and fries. My husband had the corn beef sandwich. The food was tasty, I would come back again. I was afraid there would be a wait but when we got there it was 5:00 on a Tuesday night (during Christmas vacation) and there was almost no one there but slowly they started coming in and by the time we left the place was packed. WE got lucky with parking but you may have to drive around the block a couple of time. We will definitely bring the kids back.
(5)
Bernadette S.
I love this place and agree with the previous positive reviews. My son is happily playing with the trains right now while I sit with a full belly from my spicy chicken pasta. Yum! The staff here rocks!
(5)
Cheryl R.
I love everything about the Junction. The staff is friendly, the food is great, the train motif is amazing and they even have an old fashioned photo booth in the back of the restaurant!! My five year old and I try to come once a month and she always leaves with a smile! The prices are very reasonable and I love the this is the type of place where kids are encouraged to get up and be kids! Definitely an A+++in my book.
(5)
Aimee M.
This isn't our first train restaurant rodeo and certainly wont be our last. After an afternoon on the Polar...ahem excuse me, the Santa Express out of River Forest (they can't use "Polar Express" anymore due to licensure or copyright or whatever blah de blah de blah) The Junction Diner was the perfect place to keep the train theme going. Sunday at about 4pm the place was pretty empty except for a birthday party in their party room. But by 5pm more and more families started coming in. My 3 yr old son, MIL and I were greeted immediately when we entered and we easily found seats along the counter. Our server was very enthusiastic and made sure we were aware of all the specials, pointed out the kids menu and pointed out the craft soda and beer/wine options. Among the train restaurants I've visited in Bartlett and Downers Grove, this one has the best menu. It comes pretty close to DG, but JD's specials menu and craft soda selection sets them apart. My MIL and I couldn't decide between two sandwiches so we ordered each and split them. The Pot Roast sandwich and the Reuben (which was on the specials board). I upgraded my fries to sweet potato fries and opted for the Birch Beer Soda. My son ordered the cheese quesadilla. We also split an order of their home made doughnuts for dessert. The food was excellent. I loved how they served the sauces for the sammies on the side (horseradish for the pot roast and russian for the Reuben). The food came out piping hot and everything was delicious. The pot roast was very tender and the horseradish sauce def added a nice element of flavor. The Reuben was also very good too. Nice helping of corned beef too. The sweet potato fries were excellent, made well and very tasty. The dessert was wonderful. It's 5 dounut puffs, sitting on top of some honey, dusted with cinnamon and comes with a chocolate dipping sauce. It really didn't need the chocolate as it was pretty tasty on its own but who are we kidding, it's chocolate and it's always welcome! The space is nice, seems like an older building as it's very tall and spacious inside...it could use more train decor the walls. But there are some fun things about the space. The train that delivers your food--but it only runs on the counter so if you're seated at one of the tables, the train still brings your food, it's just one of the servers has to deliver it to your table. There's a train table for tykes to play with. There's also a mechanical train ride and a stationary train ride. Also a little village of trains and buildings that light up/move at a push of a button. Wonderful and friendly service. We'll be back.
(4)
Kayla A.
The Junction Diner 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.
(4)
Natalie S.
This is now our second trip to a train themed restaurant and in comparison, Junction Diner comes up a little short. The kids had a good time and that was good enough for me but there's definitely room for improvement. For starters, there seems to be a lack of trains in the train themed restaurant. There was a cute train set up but only three of the many buttons seemed to be working. There was a train table but only a handful of trains for it. There's a couple train posters but that's really it. On the TV was some crappy CW show. The place wasn't very busy at 6pm on a Saturday night so we only saw the trains go out with food a few times. The space is large but a little cold. The food was just ok. My husband and I each ordered the Juicy Lucy and there wasn't really anything juicy about it. It was pretty dry. The fries were good. The kids orders of mac and cheese were ok. But when I ordered I asked the waitress if we were to skip the fries and drink (because I could tell my kids just weren't going to eat because they were too busy playing) if the price went from the advertised $5.99 to $3 for an entree, as specified on the menu. She said yes... then charged us the $5.99 anyways. By the time we got the bill, we were just ready to go and I didn't want to make a big deal over $3 (which is actually $6 because we had two meals) but I did specifically ask her and she charged us anyways. The location is convenient for us because its on our way home from Brookfield Zoo so it could make a nice day with lunch. But it just wasn't that great. We might be in if my 4 year old begs but for train themed restaurants, its done elsewhere much better.
(3)
Carol C.
Great place for kids' parties! The staff was friendly and helpful, and made sure the birthday girl had everything she wanted. Kids had a wonderful time!
(5)
Bee P.
My husband and I are expecting our first little one. We walked past this diner and noted it had a good pub food variety with a beer and wine list. We ventured in and were happy to notice a very child friendly environment with a play area, photo booth, train set delivering your food, oversized chalkboard to draw on, and wooden authentic changing tables in the restrooms. The place was full of families with the kids of all ages. Parents were mingling and enjoying their meals while children ate and found plenty to do while at the diner. The owner was super friendly and attentive even during a busy evening. He spoke of his family and made us feel welcome and ready to come back after our baby is born. The menu is perfect, has great things for adults and a kid friendly section with a variety of food and healthy alternatives (yogurt/veggies, etc). We will definitely return.
(5)
Tara M.
I took my son here for a birthday dinner. It was very cute. The food was pretty good, I'd say better than most of the train restaurants we've been to. I agree with previous reviews that they could have more trains there but the place is fricken huge so I understand how hard it must be to fill such a large space. I think the thing that stands out the most is how friendly the wait staff and owners are. Even if the place was lame or the food sucked (which neither apply here) the people there made my son's birthday special and treated my family like their own.
(5)
Matt W.
Great place to bring the kids, and they have craft beer and good food for the adults as well! Their chili is exceptional and somewhat spicy if you like that kind of thing (i do). They have a great train setup with lots for the kids to do while you wait for the food. They even have a cool old vintage photo-booth machine.
(5)
Jane C.
Perfect for my son's 2nd birthday. Any child who loves trains will love this place. Any parent who enjoys watching their kids have fun, this is it! For the adults, they serve beer & wine and the casual atmosphere makes it easy for everyone to enjoy themselves. I thought the food was kid friendly but the adults also didn't seem to have a problem putting it down. Cute little street to wander around post dinner too. The owner was very accommodating and so was our waitress Betty!
(5)
Carlos G.
The kids love this place and all the cool trains and train tables they have. The food is actually pretty good and tasty, I had the turkey burger with fries, kids had hot dogs and the missus had the wrap. She said the wrap was good but burped it up all day. My burger was right on and the chipotle mayo was great. Of course the big attraction is that they bring the food in a train so the kids love it!
(4)
Brian T.
I would normally give this place 4 stars but my son loved it so much, I had to give it 5. The food was surprisingly better than I thought it was going to be. The sweet potatoe fries were delicious. the juicy lucy was just ok, probably could have had more cheese but it was still good. They only had two waitresses and a packed house but the food came out fairly quickly. Only suggestion, get some milk shakes in their. That would totally kill it with the burgers and fries
(5)
Nichole F.
We tool my son here for the first time today and it was great! We got there right at 11 when they open because we wanted to sit where the train delivers the food to you and we didn't know how popular this place was. Even though, we got there at 11, it did fill up quickly. I think by 11:30, the counter was full. While we waited for our food, we looked at the train/downtown model which had buttons you could press that could move cars and lights. We played with a car with a steering wheel and a chance for an awesome photo op and ride the train of course (25 cents). There is also a train table and a school bus with a lot of different play stations so it is easy for several children to play independently on it. It was fun to have our food delivered on a train. We split a soft pretzel and cheese which was great. I had a burger and fries, my son had mini burgers and fruit and my husband had a turkey club and fries. The fries were awesome! We also ordered the little one a cupcake since it was a special occasion. All in all, we will absolutely go back there. It is a quick trip from the city and plenty of parking. They also have a Yelp deal that we bought while we were there. $20 for $12. Winning!
(5)
Robert F.
Waited 25 minutes for scrambled eggs and a cheeseburger, although the place was nearly empty. When the food arrived, the eggs were cold. They made me another plate, but the eggs tasted very strange and the toast had so much butter a huge pool soaked through the center of both pieces of toast. Dirty plates sat all around, and the place looked messy overall. I like the concept and the train around the counter, and I hope they do well, but the food, service, and cleanliness all were a problem.
(1)
Rahil R.
They really nail the train motif. A train brings out the food, they have a couple of play train sets and they also have one for the kids to ride. Some other nice touches are the full wall chalkboard, wine and beer, and the free wifi. That all came first because the food is pretty standard. Burgers, pasta and the regular kids menu filled with cheese with mac or grilled. Overall a great place to take a kid to keep them busy in between bites of food, but not a place to come for just for the food.
(4)
Elizabeth K.
We went with friends during a visit back to Chicagoland. Our 19 month old son LOVED it! The modified highchairs were great, very sturdy! The food was so so. I think for what is offered it's a little pricey. For 2 adults & 1 child our bill was close to $50. We had 1 app, 1 beer, 1 pop, 1 kids meal, & 2 sandwiches. The service could also use some help. It was slow. The only waiter was overwhelmed I feel like. So drinks never really got refilled. Our son loved all the train stuff to play with. So much so when our food came he didn't want to sit back down. The owner was amazing! He pulled out a top and a small train to soothe his howls. He also seemed to sense when all the kids were getting restless and would send the train by. We will return because our son now loves trains, but will wait for a groupon for a better deal on the food.
(4)
Suz C.
My 3 year old son is crazy about trains. CRAZY. INSANE. So, we've been to 2Toots and we've been to All Aboard Diner. I heard about The Junction Diner and we decided to give it a try on a Saturday around lunch time. I thought it was ok, but needs a little bit of work to keep up with their other train diner mainstays in the western suburbs. The place looks nice and fairly new - high ceilings, train photos, a modern train food server that runs around the counter, a couple of train rides in front (which seemed to have operational issues that day), and a model train display. I also appreciated the chalkboard towards the back where kids can draw with chalk. There is a small party room in the back, too. It was fairly busy when we went. There was never an empty table the entire time we were there, and we felt lucky to have found a table as soon as we got there. But we did see some families waiting. Now, the servers were very nice and friendly...but I think there weren't enough servers because there were long waits. Long wait to find someone to even seat us, long wait for the menu, long wait for the food, long wait for drinks, long wait to get the check. But our server was hustling, so I really do think it was because they didn't have enough people working. It seemed like one person worked the train counter and one person worked all the outside tables. For a Saturday lunch, I think you need a few more hands, and it's just good business to warmly greet all new guests who step in the door. Food was decent. I enjoyed my salad, my husband had a veggie burger, and my son gobbled enjoyed his kids meal. If I had to rank them, I'd say All Aboard is tops, 2Toots second, and Junction Diner is third. I think Junction Diner needs to increase staffing or better manage customers walking in. I also think they may need more train-themed items...whether it's train movies on tv's (they had sports on television), train hats, or more train tchotchkes to purchase. I was thinking about having my son's birthday party there, but I felt like there wasn't enough to keep the kids entertained. Parking was a little bit of a challenge on a Saturday afternoon, too. Took awhile to find a spot.
(3)
Vanessa B.
We've been to a few different train restaurants, some awesome some just ok. The junction diner was definitely just ok. They had really nice staff, and good food (we were pleasantly surprised, the veggie burger was delicious!) , but the space itself lacked, well, trains. And let's be honest, we come here for the trains! There were a couple pics on the wall, a train table, and a train that the kids could ride for a quarter, but then that was it. The train on the counter is always a favorite at these kind of places, but the kids lose interest as soon as their food has been delivered. Other places have more games, moving trains on the wall, decorations, even bathrooms decorated with trains!
(3)
Jason F.
Not impressed at all. Food was nothing special, and the service was terrible. We had a long wait, and there were only two other customers there. The waitress seemed really disinterested, as though she dreaded being there. With Louie's (which has excellent food and service) being right across the street, there is really no reason for my wife and I to go back there.
(1)
Thomas C.
i didn't know what to expect, other than what I had read, about this place. I knew it was kid-centric, but also knew they had beer and wine offerings ... presumably for the adults to consume, not use as bedtime aids :) Will definitely go back, even without the kids. Owner is from Indianapolis (turns out a classmate of my wife's) but that's not the reason for the four stars, that's all about the menu and the space. Still, both, works in progress, but good offerings for anybody's palate, food is delivered by locomotive and the food's good. I had the juicy lucy style burger which did justice to it's Minn. namesake/roots, wife had the chicken wrap which was also very good. Kids had chicken nuggets and they were good enough to keep their attention, and bottoms in seats, despite the appealing kid-centric playthings which were available. This is a great concept and I really hope it works because what a great place to grab a bite and entertain the children and maybe make some new friends in the process.
(4)
Patty R.
We took our grandson there today at 12:45 for lunch, and it was really crowded. We had to wait 15 minutes for stools at the counter to open up, but there are a lot of toys to play with, so waiting was not hard to do. They have a train layout with buttons to make things work, a train ride for 25 cents, a toy car table, and other things. A wall is a huge blackboard which the kids may scribble on. There is a photo booth at the back, too. When we got seated, the food was delivered on a train that runs on a track all the way around the counter. Our hamburgers were delicious, and the sodas and beers were great. You could get juice or milk for the kids, too. And they give the kids crayons and a picture to color while they are waiting for their food. The bathroom had a changing table, and a step stool so kids can wash their hands. Very kid friendly place. It emptied out a bunch by 2, so that would be a good time to go have a late lunch. This is a really fun place to take little kids, although there were older ones that were having fun too. And more than a few adults loved the train layout with the tiny people and accessories.
(5)
Dave C.
We happened upon this diner just trying to get out of the cold and were met with great atmosphere, better food & superb service. The food is brought to you on this little train that runs on a track around the counter, there is a 1960s photo booth that has been restored and a chalkboard wall to while away the time until your food arrives. If you are looking for friendly, helpful staff along with great classic diner food at reasonable prices & a laid back atmosphere, you will find it here. My 14 year old niece and her 16 year old cousin drew some art on the chalkboard wall, hammed it up in the photo booth & enjoyed butterscotch root beer & sarsaparilla until our food arrived. The kids got adventurous will a couple of specials and i stayed classic with a turkey club. Their sandwiches were spot on & my fries were hand cut with the peel on...we all left happier then we were when we went in. Highly recommended, I know we will be back.
(5)
Nyassa B.
Lots of fun, great fun and great food. Kids love it. The food is pretty tasty and the staff is wonderful, especially with my Bugga. I highly recommend everyone with kids bring them here for a Saturday night out on the town experience for your little ones.
(4)
Steven P.
Terrible service. The people who work here are totally clueless. They forget orders, are slow, and can't handle more than a few customers at a time. Too bad since it's a nice place and is fun for the kids. Don't come here unless you have at least 90 minutes!
(3)
Stephanie R.
Wow, I'm really disappointed. We tried to eat here tonight, but sat around for nearly 20 minutes (with a grumpy toddler) without getting drinks or even being acknowledged. That's pretty unacceptable. I didn't recognize anyone working tonight so maybe they were new, but the restaurant wasn't even that busy. With so many restaurants on Madison St., your service really needs to be better than that.
(2)
April J.
We love this local business! We are quite pleased with the food every time we go here. Service is good and the owner is often there ensuring things are running smoothly. It has a simple no nonsense diner feel, but with what I would consider better food and drinks than many diners offer. Our kids of course love the diner counter and the food train that delivers the food. They have a good selection of food on the menu, and the food has good flavor and seems fresh. There is even a selection of great beer. they also serve limited breakfast items anytime they are open...with good coffee I might add. After our kids finish their meals we let them play in the children's play area in the front of the restaurant (there are some toys and train displays). There is also a chalkboard wall where kids can draw. Despite the kid focus, the clientele is courteous and conscientious of their children, so I've never been annoyed by chaos or bad behavior. This place is a perfect casual lunch or dinner spot in forest park, especially for families with young children.
(5)
Karen C.
This place is adorable (if you have kids or a really childish like me). I went for a walk with a girlfriend of mine and we stumbled upon this place. It was a weekday early evening and the place was empty so I can't say how it is on the weekends when it's full of little ones playing with the trains and running around. My guess is that unless I was there with my nephew's, I'd avoid the place like the plague on the weekends as I have very little patience dealing with screaming kids while I am trying to eat. The food is reasonably priced, the soup I had was yummy, and they deliver the food on a train that goes around the counter. Yea, that was my favorite part. Apparently I'm just a giant child. There's nothing special about the menu. You can tell they are trying to cater to kids and keeping it simple seems the safe bet. It's a neat idea for families in the area, especially since there are so many bars and adult driven restaurants around. I'd return with my nephews...and some earplugs...on a weekend just to see how it is.
(3)
Jen P.
My son at age 4 is a train restaurant aficionado. Any Choo choo is good in his book, but I must say that this place just doesn't have what it takes. The restaurant management needs to hire someone that's managed a restaurant before and get some more experienced staff. I went right when it opened, and it was clearly not ready to open yet. We waited a few months and went back, but haven't seen much of an update. The train table is typically only half working. The owner spends most of his time socializing, but will leave you to sit next to dirty dishes for an hour even when you're practically the only person there. The food is promising and the fries are delicious, even though both times I went, something on my order got screwed up. I think they made the right choice by hiring more cooks because the speed of service for food delivery was MUCH better than our first visit. When you go to a train themed restaurant, you really want there to be a lot of trains going on. Thomas on the TV etc, but both times I went, I stared at a screen that had a Comcast message on it and ate in complete silence except for the echo of a large, empty restaurant. It's obvious that the owners mean well, but they need to start getting their hands dirty and be a lot more attentive to the details.
(2)
Cisco C.
I loved the sweet potato fries. The regular fries tasted a bit burned with the skins left on them. The best thing about this restaurant is they are extremely kid friendly. Not only do they have toys for the kids to play with, but the staff has a kind attitude toward kids. Some restaurants say they are kid friendly, but then have a negative attitude toward children. The staff here is great!
(4)
Sunil D.
I was in the mood for a Bacon Cheeseburger and a Beer yesterday after the Bears loss and I decided to check this place out. I was initially hesitant since I knew it was geared towards families but my neighbors had really hyped up the food and said the chef used to own Briejo in Oak Park. I was pleasantly surprised. I would say this was one of the best Cheeseburgers I've had and rivals the food of any place on Madison St. The fries were also great and the waitstaff was polite, courteous, and attentive. Although I'm adult, I was also amused to have my food brought out on the train. I can see how this place would appeal to kids (who love trains and being around other kids) and adults and I hope they do well.
(5)
Rob T.
Its a great place for kids and the adults that come with them. The train, toys and chalk board are entertaining for kids and the burgers and sweet potato fries are very good.
(5)
jen f.
This place was great for the whole family. Our 2 year old was entertained, and mom and dad could enjoy their food. (bonus: beer and wine is served). My husband had the Juicy Lucy burger and it was delicious. I had a turkey club, which was great as well. But, the whole family was able to enjoy a meal. The servers were super nice and the model train was fun to watch. My son also loved the train table and chalkboard wall to draw on.
(5)
Jenny B.
Good place for kids, so-so for adults (which is to be expected for a train diner). My 8 and 3 year old really enjoyed The Junction Diner. It's a bit awkward of a space, it's huge and underutilized in terms of set up. The nice thing is that they have tall highchairs that go over the bar stools for kids to sit at the counter. The stools are set so far apart though, that it's hard to have a conversation with the someone. The food was average, burgers, hot dogs and fries. I thought a bit pricey for the kids menu. I like that they have play areas for the kids while they are waiting for the food. The wait staff was friendly, and this might sound odd, but a bit overly friendly for my taste. I like friendliness, but I don't like the staff awkwardly hanging around constantly trying to chit-chat and make conversation. Leave me be, check in, be friendly and then leave me alone! :) We would go back, for some kind of fun "special" dinner for my kids because it's a treat for them, but wouldn't frequent for an average dinner.
(3)
Elizabeth K.
We had a great time here with the kids. The food was good and the kids could run around and play the whole time. The best part was the food being delivered by a train!
(4)
Anne T.
Came to this restaurant today for a birthday party and I have no idea what happened in the kitchen of this place. When we got there the kids orders went right in because we had told the mom what we'd order prior to arriving and their food orders came out in a reasonable amount of time. Then she gave the adults menus and we placed our order a little later. An hour and a half later, this is not an exaggeration, we still did not have any food. We placed our order at 12:15 and left at 1:45, canceling our order on the way out. We were not the only ones either. We overheard another family saying they had been waiting an hour and were done and to cancel their order as well. Luckily for us we were at a party and the kids had friends to play with and we had adults to talk to. Also luckily for us our kids didn't finish their plates so we had some left over fries to tide us over. I have no idea how this could possibly happened. The worst part was that the owner was present and never once came to apologize or explain what was going on. He never even glanced at us. Our server came to tell us she was sorry and our food should be coming out a number of times but never offered any explanation. I really think this was unprofessional of the owner though. Take some responsibility and face your customers when something is wrong. Don't make your employees cover you. The lack of integrity in this situation is just as aggravating as the fact that we never got our food. The space is nice and not as cramped as the other diner in Downer's Grove, although I wish the trains and stuff were in the back of the restaurant and not right next to the front door. It would give a little more piece of mind knowing that a child couldn't get outside easily. Also, the cold french fries we got to eat were good. I imagine they probably have pretty good food, unfortunately we never got to find out.
(1)
Ethan C.
Stopped in here with my lady and the little one a few weeks ago. For anyone who is looking to take children somewhere they'll enjoy without having to sacrifice the quality of their meal, this is the place to go! The decor is still a little sparse, but that didn't bother my 3 year old. The really impressive train set, coin-op train ride, full chalkboard wall and open space for her to run around in were all a big hit. And did I mention the food? The food here was so good, I would go back without a little one. I had the mushroom burger on pretzel bun, the little one had the Mac and Cheese and my wife had some kind of salad. We also shared some mozzarella sticks. Everything was delicious, with really high quality ingredients, the Mac and Cheese was made with whole wheat pasta and my kid ate every bite. The burger was juicy and prepared just right. The mozzarella sticks were excellent, not too greasy, but very flavorful. The place wasn't very crowded when we went on a Thursday night. I could see the need for a larger staff if things were busier, but overall our experience was very positive and I hope the Junction Diner is around for a long time to come.
(4)
sarah s.
Food is probably 2.5 - 3 stars but an extra star for having a kiddie play area! Taco basket was decent- only $1 each! Kids at least had a choice of fresh fruit and beer/wine was available. My husband ordered a pot roast sandwich on a pretzel bun which was pretty huge and tasty. I'd recommend that over the tacos. Our family enjoyed it there and service was friendly.
(4)
Tanya S.
Great for toddlers! I still think the food for adults could be better,but the kids meal options are great and yummy!
(4)
Julie R.
This is a cute little place. We just found them and have been there twice. First time the waiter asked us if we had been there before and when we said no, offered some recommendations for us. Decor is simple, but they have a train table with buttons that my daughter just loved. Service staff are all friendly and don't rush you. When it was quiet they ran the train a bunch of times for my daughter. Second time was way busier, but we still had decent service. Burgers were great both times. My daughter loved the macaroni and hummus.
(4)
kevin s.
The food is good, but that's not why you come here. Its for the kids, and they love it. The food comes out on trains, and there's no much for kids to do. Chalk board wall, ride on trains, play train sets. It's great
(4)
W S.
I was shocked at how good the food was. We took my daughter here on her birthday for dinner during the week, as we thought it would be more fun for her than a normal restaurant. She had fun, and my wife and I were very pleasantly surprised to be eating great food. No offense to this place, but I think most parents will agree that when you go somewhere "kid-centric" you don't have high culinary expectations. Homemade fries and chips, and a pot roast sandwich on a pretzel roll. Great stuff.
(4)
Jennifer W.
I LOVE THIS PLACE! 1st **The Staff** Nicest people on the planet earth. Especially the early afternoon waitress. On more than one occasion she has taken quarters out of her tip cup and given them to my children so they can ride the train. Of the many times my family and I have eaten there my order has only been wrong once. The waitress figured it out right away and promptly fixed it. Its also nice seeing the owner walking around talking to other customers and children making sure everyone is enjoying there visit. 2nd ** the food** I've personally only had the burgers and fries and they are delish. Burgers are cooked to the right temperature you specify, and the fries are homemade and yet still crispy and well seasoned. I would go back for the food alone regardless if I had my kids. 3rd **atmosphere** I love the fact that my kids can run around and play until the food is ready. There are many activities that keep them occupied from writing on the chalk board, to playing with the different train stations. My only complaint is I wish there was more trains for them to ride or play with. Not to make excuses for this place, but I get the feel that this is a fairly new business and they are still working out the kinks. If you didn't have a pleasant experience I would go back and try it again before you write them off completely. Read my other reviews I don't say that EVER.
(4)
Mary Ann C.
What a great treat! We joined some friends here for Valentine's Day-five adults and four kids. The staff was friendly, food delicious, and atmosphere was fun! I loved that the train delivered our food (I have two kids under four, so this is my idea of excitement). Anyhow, the burgers were well prepared and flavorful, and my buffalo chicken wrap was so perfectly constructed that I might even enjoy it during my lunch break someday (without the kids!). The owner is hands-on and super friendly. As a small business owner, I appreciate his attention to detail and focus on customer service. Great job! We will be back....soon!
(5)
Aimee W.
Color me surprised - and happy! We stopped in for lunch while we had family in town. I warned them before we got in to have low expectations. I've been to many a train-themed restaurant before and food quality is typically not the draw. Most places like this know that your kids are going to beg to go there even if the food sucks. The Junction figured it out though - our food was fabulous and there was a great selection for the kids *and* the grown ups (wine! wraps! soup!) .... sorry, I'm just used to seeing bad chicken nuggets and grilled cheese. I had the buffalo wrap and sweet potato fries - excellent food and great value. We'll be back!
(5)
Kevin W.
Unbelievable went here with the kids thinking it would be just another kid friendly restaurant but boy were we surprised, first off the burger I had was as good or better than any I've had in recent memory, my wife had a wrap and said it was equally delicious. The kids both had Mac and cheese and devoured it, the wait staff was friendly and quick but I could definitely see them getting over burdened if the place fills up to fast. We went at 430 on a Saturday and it was absolutely perfect a small crowd with enough room for us and a few other families, in other words if your kids are hungry go early if you don't want to wait, I see this already popular place getting better and busier.
(5)
Jason G.
I believe that they had only been open for a week or so at the time of my visit. The decor is still a work in progress, large blank walls. However they have a neat interactive train table, a coin-op train ride, and a huge black board wall with chalk. The waitstaff are friendly and helpful though a little overwhelmed. The service was quick. The food was excellent. I had the mushroom burger on a pretzel bun with regular fries. The fries are tasty and crispy. My wife had the sweet potato fries and said they were equally delicious. My boys had grilled cheese (nearly impossible to screw up) and mac and cheese with whole wheat pasta. The mac and cheese was great, next time I'm there I may have it for myself. Considering they just opened, the The Junction Diner is off to a great start.
(4)
M Z.
We want this restaurant to survive, since it is a nice addition to the neighborhood and my son loves trains so it is fun for the kids. BUT we had a pretty bad experience here this week. We arrived and the place was obviously swamped. The waitresses seemed unable to function they were so slammed. So we were never really told where to sit or how to order so we had to flag someone down finally for water and ordering food. We ordered simple burgers and it must have taken 45 minutes for the food to come. The waitress kept apologizing and everything but when you have starving kids, no apology is going to stop them from melting down. Either they ran out of food and had to go buy more or the chef walked out or something. Anyway, when the food did arrive, it was not even good. My burger was undercooked and the fried were soaked in grease. My stomach was not happy afterwards. As I said, we want new places to do well but this place needs to get their act together. It takes more than a train delivering your food to get people to want to return. We may try it again someday if we hear from others that they have had better experiences. I agree with another reviewer--get a hostess, more wait staff, and more cooks in the kitchen.
(2)
Josh L.
We've been there twice, it's awesome! We have three small kids five and under. They can play and we can eat! The owner is really a good guy and sounds like he is planning a bunch of great additions to the place. I highly recommend. We NEED places like this around this area!
(5)
Rebecca V.
I feel bad complaining because the staff is certainly friendly, but seem very under-skilled. We've been there twice now and both times, they messed up our orders. (The first time they got my side wrong, then this last time they got grandma's order wrong and mine was completely whacked out - and believe me, when the 5 year old gets fries and the 3 year old doesn't - that's fighting time. They were both supposed to get fruit BTW...) The food is decent, but nothing that I would rave about, and so that makes it harder to overlook the shortcomings of the poor service and really, the not very appealing atmosphere. It's quite cold and blank - I am not sure what they are going for - a kids' restaurant should be much more colorful, interactive, and playful. This is tasteful and more adult, but really rather sterile. It doesn't have to be tacky (there is a train restaurant further west where it feels like Thomas threw up on the place...) but it's not super-appealing to little kids. It takes more than a train bringing the food to make a train-themed restaurant!! Living in Forest Park and having 2 boys who love trains, we'd like this place to succeed, but they really need to step it up. It feels like they've only been open for 2 weeks rather than 4 months.
(1)
Jonathan P.
My wife & I had a great meal, but more importantly our kids had a blast. Everything about this place met expectations. Owner was super nice and made sure the meal/experience was great. I'm really pulling for this place because I live in Chicago and it is a quick commute for a nice place with the kids. Restaurants like this provide a service to the community when adults can eat good food while entertaining children for an hour!
(5)
Michael-Colin R.
The common problem with concept restaurants is that when all is said and done, either the concept or the food quality suffers in the end. In The Junction's case, the food is perfectly fine but the concept is pathetically almost laughably realized in this vacuous space which was formerly a much loved stained glass studio and retail space. The idea of your lunch arriving on a train is hardly and novel concept for anyone over 10 years old and the rest of the concept is executed strictly by the restaurant's name and a few small pictures of trains sporadically scattered on the otherwise massively empty gray walls. The menu is neither original nor inventive in any way. We've all seen burgers on pretzel buns, cheese fries and buffalo chicken sandwiches before and The Junction delivers these with no twist of any kind other than the boxcar it rolls in on. Standard diner dishes, nicely prepared for sure, but nothing special here. The Junction's main marketing point is that it's a family friendly joint. My partner and I are two gay men in our 40's with no kids so this is a plus we could care less about, in fact, the less we have to deal with people's children the better. If the food were better or the menu more interesting, we'd be more than willing to deal with everyone's rug rats for the sake of a great lunch but such is not the case here. Now, if you DO have children, FINALLY you have a place where you can take them where they can run and scream to their hearts content and people like me and my partner won't be at the next table rolling our eyes and wishing they'd shut the hell up and eat their chicken nuggets. The little angels have plenty to keep them occupied including a chalk wall they can draw on and a working model train they can control. My partner ordered the cheeseburger with fries and I had the pot roast sandwich with sweet potato fries. His burger was nicely cooked and the fries were hot and had a nice crunch. My pot roast sandwich was tender and nicely seasoned and my sweet potato fries were crispy and hot. Our sandwiches and 2 drinks came to just over $22 for our lunch. They did not take credit cards at the time, luckily my bank is right across the street so I had to hit the cash machine and come back. The staff was friendly enough but when we went it was not a busy night and they could hardly handle the few patrons they had with any sense of efficiency, I can only imagine how much of a hot mess the service must be on a busy Saturday afternoon. Concept C Execution D Menu C Service C Quality B+ Value B Grade C
(3)
Kari G.
We went for the first time last night and loved it. It's such a great concept, and the kids loved the play area (although, if I'm going to be picky, I'll say the train table could use some more trains & tracks) and the train on which the food was delivered was really cool. The food actually exceeded my expectations, too! It was really fresh and all homemade. The soup & veggie burger and handcut fries were delicious! A few more vegetarian options on the menu would be nice, though. It's also nice that they serve beer & wine for the adults. The servers were all super-friendly and the owner came and spoke with us, too, and was so nice. We will definitely be back.
(4)
Bree L.
Waited about 40 min for food with three hungry boys. No one gave an update unless I asked.
(1)
Josh C.
While it's definitely great that we have another restaurant well designed for kids in the near west suburbs, this place is unfortunately one to avoid until they can get a proper management team in place. We walked in this evening and weren't acknowledged or greeted by a single employee until we walked up to the counter and asked to be seated. While I was keeping tabs on the kids, my wife was told that they were cleaning up and they would seat us shortly. Several other patrons walked in after us and were seated by one of the wait staff right in front of us (at the seats they were cleaning up for us). We then complained and were offered 3 seats (for a party of 4). Given no satisfactory resolution, we promptly left after waiting nearly 20 minutes in a restaurant which was maybe 60% occupied. We are now glad we did not dine here in hindsight. Given they've obviously cut some significant corners in the front of the restaurant, we're wondering what kinds of corners they are cutting in the preparation of the food. Very basic misses - like a complete and total lack of a greeter or host(ess) lead one to believe that they don't know what they're doing. Are they skimping on cleaning in the kitchen? Are they skimping on disposal of spoilage? Are the "overworked" wait staff too busy to wash their hands or too busy to ensure dishes are properly cleaned and sanitized? Until this place can demonstrate some basic restaurant management skills, I would highly recommend avoiding it. At a minimum to you'll save yourself the inconvenience of having to explain to your 3 and 5 year old boys why we're not eating at the Train restaurant tonight.
(1)
Allison V.
Pros: -The concept of a train-themed restaurant would be a big hit with the Oak Park/Forest Park crowd if it ever gets fully realized. It's part-way there. -The food is really good. My french fries were the best I've had in awhile. Cons: -There isn't enough waitstaff to handle the crowd. -There's no host, hoststand or any signs to let you know if you should seat yourself or flag down one of the completely overwhelmed staff. I've been to The Junction Diner twice and the first time, our order was lost and it took more than 40 minutes to get our food. When the food came, it was wrong, but we just ate- with a starving two-year-old it was just easier to have something to eat! We chalked it up to new-restaurant kinks and gave it another chance yesterday. Yesterday, two months after they've opened, we stood for 20 MINUTES at the front of the restaurant with no acknowledgement from any staff. We finally just took a table, but it only had two chairs. My 70-year-old mother-in-law carried additional chairs across the entire restaurant with not even a busboy stopping to help her. We sat for another 15 minutes waiting for anyone to come by- but no one did! So we went across the street to Louie's and ate within minutes of our arrival. Junction Diner, you could be very successful, but you need to hire more waitstaff, a food runner, a host and install some real train tables or activities for kids before everyone realizes this place isn't worth it.
(1)
Ed P.
Great place for the whole family. Just had the Tacos, they're better than any Mexican restaurant in the Forest Park area.
(5)
Scott A.
Brought my son here for his 4th birthday. We took him to All-Aboard diner in Downers Grove last year and while the food isn't great there we enjoyed the experience. We decided on this place cause it's much closer to our house and the menu seemed to be a little more unique. When you first walk in there us no sign to tell you to seat yourself and none of the staff even looked at us. We decided to take a sign at the end of the bar so my son could see the train deliver the food. There was still plates and trash from the prior diner that they just left there. We basically had to tell them to clean it up. We then sat for another 5 minutes and we had to ask for menus. Really? If you want to ignore people just leave the menus on the counter. The food took almost 35 minutes, they said it was the Jucy Lucy I had ordered, wish they would have told me before I ordered. My son stayed occupied with their train sets for about 15 minutes before he got bored, there was not much variety to play with. The food was decent, fries were not seasoned well. Had to ask for utensils and she gave us one set for 3 people. Their customer service skills are horrtheres, the waitress didn't smile at my son once. We felt like we were bothering them for simple requests, like refilling our drinks. Not recommended at all.
(2)
Parul D.
We looked at a few of the train themed restaurants to take our two toddler boys and decided to try this new place. The space is very large and beautiful. We were greeted warmly and it was great because the kids loved the freedom of the space. The seats are ingenious! You can put a highchair right over a stool so a little one is right at the counter. The food is very good diner food. I had the turkey club which was large and all the items on it were very fresh. My husband's burger was delicious too. The kids enjoyed everything. I loved that there were healthy side options for the kid's meals. The best part was there was beer and wine available! One thing I would suggest is to add more train themed items and decor. A train table with trains that kids could play at would be a great addition. A commenter below criticized the place for it's concept that it is not novel for anyone over 10 years. No kidding. This is a FAMILY friendly place that is specifically looking to cater to families who want a good meal AND have fun with and for their kids. The website is very clear about the concept and even if you didn't look at the website before stepping in, it becomes pretty clear within a few seconds of entering the place. If someone wants to check out this place without kids, the food stands up and the space is quite charming. For families, this is a wonderful option. It was fun for all of us and a great value.
(4)
Melissa C.
We had a great experience at lunch today. Staff were a little overwhelmed, but they got the job done. My children had a great time and my spicy chicken salad was delicious!
(5)
Josh C.
While it's definitely great that we have another restaurant well designed for kids in the near west suburbs, this place is unfortunately one to avoid until they can get a proper management team in place. We walked in this evening and weren't acknowledged or greeted by a single employee until we walked up to the counter and asked to be seated. While I was keeping tabs on the kids, my wife was told that they were cleaning up and they would seat us shortly. Several other patrons walked in after us and were seated by one of the wait staff right in front of us (at the seats they were cleaning up for us). We then complained and were offered 3 seats (for a party of 4). Given no satisfactory resolution, we promptly left after waiting nearly 20 minutes in a restaurant which was maybe 60% occupied. We are now glad we did not dine here in hindsight. Given they've obviously cut some significant corners in the front of the restaurant, we're wondering what kinds of corners they are cutting in the preparation of the food. Very basic misses - like a complete and total lack of a greeter or host(ess) lead one to believe that they don't know what they're doing. Are they skimping on cleaning in the kitchen? Are they skimping on disposal of spoilage? Are the "overworked" wait staff too busy to wash their hands or too busy to ensure dishes are properly cleaned and sanitized? Until this place can demonstrate some basic restaurant management skills, I would highly recommend avoiding it. At a minimum to you'll save yourself the inconvenience of having to explain to your 3 and 5 year old boys why we're not eating at the Train restaurant tonight.
(1)
Allison V.
Pros: -The concept of a train-themed restaurant would be a big hit with the Oak Park/Forest Park crowd if it ever gets fully realized. It's part-way there. -The food is really good. My french fries were the best I've had in awhile. Cons: -There isn't enough waitstaff to handle the crowd. -There's no host, hoststand or any signs to let you know if you should seat yourself or flag down one of the completely overwhelmed staff. I've been to The Junction Diner twice and the first time, our order was lost and it took more than 40 minutes to get our food. When the food came, it was wrong, but we just ate- with a starving two-year-old it was just easier to have something to eat! We chalked it up to new-restaurant kinks and gave it another chance yesterday. Yesterday, two months after they've opened, we stood for 20 MINUTES at the front of the restaurant with no acknowledgement from any staff. We finally just took a table, but it only had two chairs. My 70-year-old mother-in-law carried additional chairs across the entire restaurant with not even a busboy stopping to help her. We sat for another 15 minutes waiting for anyone to come by- but no one did! So we went across the street to Louie's and ate within minutes of our arrival. Junction Diner, you could be very successful, but you need to hire more waitstaff, a food runner, a host and install some real train tables or activities for kids before everyone realizes this place isn't worth it.
(1)
Ed P.
Great place for the whole family. Just had the Tacos, they're better than any Mexican restaurant in the Forest Park area.
(5)
Kari G.
We went for the first time last night and loved it. It's such a great concept, and the kids loved the play area (although, if I'm going to be picky, I'll say the train table could use some more trains & tracks) and the train on which the food was delivered was really cool. The food actually exceeded my expectations, too! It was really fresh and all homemade. The soup & veggie burger and handcut fries were delicious! A few more vegetarian options on the menu would be nice, though. It's also nice that they serve beer & wine for the adults. The servers were all super-friendly and the owner came and spoke with us, too, and was so nice. We will definitely be back.
(4)
Bree L.
Waited about 40 min for food with three hungry boys. No one gave an update unless I asked.
(1)
Jonathan P.
My wife & I had a great meal, but more importantly our kids had a blast. Everything about this place met expectations. Owner was super nice and made sure the meal/experience was great. I'm really pulling for this place because I live in Chicago and it is a quick commute for a nice place with the kids. Restaurants like this provide a service to the community when adults can eat good food while entertaining children for an hour!
(5)
Jen P.
My son at age 4 is a train restaurant aficionado. Any Choo choo is good in his book, but I must say that this place just doesn't have what it takes. The restaurant management needs to hire someone that's managed a restaurant before and get some more experienced staff. I went right when it opened, and it was clearly not ready to open yet. We waited a few months and went back, but haven't seen much of an update. The train table is typically only half working. The owner spends most of his time socializing, but will leave you to sit next to dirty dishes for an hour even when you're practically the only person there. The food is promising and the fries are delicious, even though both times I went, something on my order got screwed up. I think they made the right choice by hiring more cooks because the speed of service for food delivery was MUCH better than our first visit. When you go to a train themed restaurant, you really want there to be a lot of trains going on. Thomas on the TV etc, but both times I went, I stared at a screen that had a Comcast message on it and ate in complete silence except for the echo of a large, empty restaurant. It's obvious that the owners mean well, but they need to start getting their hands dirty and be a lot more attentive to the details.
(2)
Cisco C.
I loved the sweet potato fries. The regular fries tasted a bit burned with the skins left on them. The best thing about this restaurant is they are extremely kid friendly. Not only do they have toys for the kids to play with, but the staff has a kind attitude toward kids. Some restaurants say they are kid friendly, but then have a negative attitude toward children. The staff here is great!
(4)
Sunil D.
I was in the mood for a Bacon Cheeseburger and a Beer yesterday after the Bears loss and I decided to check this place out. I was initially hesitant since I knew it was geared towards families but my neighbors had really hyped up the food and said the chef used to own Briejo in Oak Park. I was pleasantly surprised. I would say this was one of the best Cheeseburgers I've had and rivals the food of any place on Madison St. The fries were also great and the waitstaff was polite, courteous, and attentive. Although I'm adult, I was also amused to have my food brought out on the train. I can see how this place would appeal to kids (who love trains and being around other kids) and adults and I hope they do well.
(5)
Rob T.
Its a great place for kids and the adults that come with them. The train, toys and chalk board are entertaining for kids and the burgers and sweet potato fries are very good.
(5)
jen f.
This place was great for the whole family. Our 2 year old was entertained, and mom and dad could enjoy their food. (bonus: beer and wine is served). My husband had the Juicy Lucy burger and it was delicious. I had a turkey club, which was great as well. But, the whole family was able to enjoy a meal. The servers were super nice and the model train was fun to watch. My son also loved the train table and chalkboard wall to draw on.
(5)
Jenny B.
Good place for kids, so-so for adults (which is to be expected for a train diner). My 8 and 3 year old really enjoyed The Junction Diner. It's a bit awkward of a space, it's huge and underutilized in terms of set up. The nice thing is that they have tall highchairs that go over the bar stools for kids to sit at the counter. The stools are set so far apart though, that it's hard to have a conversation with the someone. The food was average, burgers, hot dogs and fries. I thought a bit pricey for the kids menu. I like that they have play areas for the kids while they are waiting for the food. The wait staff was friendly, and this might sound odd, but a bit overly friendly for my taste. I like friendliness, but I don't like the staff awkwardly hanging around constantly trying to chit-chat and make conversation. Leave me be, check in, be friendly and then leave me alone! :) We would go back, for some kind of fun "special" dinner for my kids because it's a treat for them, but wouldn't frequent for an average dinner.
(3)
Elizabeth K.
We had a great time here with the kids. The food was good and the kids could run around and play the whole time. The best part was the food being delivered by a train!
(4)
Ethan C.
Stopped in here with my lady and the little one a few weeks ago. For anyone who is looking to take children somewhere they'll enjoy without having to sacrifice the quality of their meal, this is the place to go! The decor is still a little sparse, but that didn't bother my 3 year old. The really impressive train set, coin-op train ride, full chalkboard wall and open space for her to run around in were all a big hit. And did I mention the food? The food here was so good, I would go back without a little one. I had the mushroom burger on pretzel bun, the little one had the Mac and Cheese and my wife had some kind of salad. We also shared some mozzarella sticks. Everything was delicious, with really high quality ingredients, the Mac and Cheese was made with whole wheat pasta and my kid ate every bite. The burger was juicy and prepared just right. The mozzarella sticks were excellent, not too greasy, but very flavorful. The place wasn't very crowded when we went on a Thursday night. I could see the need for a larger staff if things were busier, but overall our experience was very positive and I hope the Junction Diner is around for a long time to come.
(4)
sarah s.
Food is probably 2.5 - 3 stars but an extra star for having a kiddie play area! Taco basket was decent- only $1 each! Kids at least had a choice of fresh fruit and beer/wine was available. My husband ordered a pot roast sandwich on a pretzel bun which was pretty huge and tasty. I'd recommend that over the tacos. Our family enjoyed it there and service was friendly.
(4)
Tanya S.
Great for toddlers! I still think the food for adults could be better,but the kids meal options are great and yummy!
(4)
Julie R.
This is a cute little place. We just found them and have been there twice. First time the waiter asked us if we had been there before and when we said no, offered some recommendations for us. Decor is simple, but they have a train table with buttons that my daughter just loved. Service staff are all friendly and don't rush you. When it was quiet they ran the train a bunch of times for my daughter. Second time was way busier, but we still had decent service. Burgers were great both times. My daughter loved the macaroni and hummus.
(4)
kevin s.
The food is good, but that's not why you come here. Its for the kids, and they love it. The food comes out on trains, and there's no much for kids to do. Chalk board wall, ride on trains, play train sets. It's great
(4)
Jennifer W.
I LOVE THIS PLACE! 1st **The Staff** Nicest people on the planet earth. Especially the early afternoon waitress. On more than one occasion she has taken quarters out of her tip cup and given them to my children so they can ride the train. Of the many times my family and I have eaten there my order has only been wrong once. The waitress figured it out right away and promptly fixed it. Its also nice seeing the owner walking around talking to other customers and children making sure everyone is enjoying there visit. 2nd ** the food** I've personally only had the burgers and fries and they are delish. Burgers are cooked to the right temperature you specify, and the fries are homemade and yet still crispy and well seasoned. I would go back for the food alone regardless if I had my kids. 3rd **atmosphere** I love the fact that my kids can run around and play until the food is ready. There are many activities that keep them occupied from writing on the chalk board, to playing with the different train stations. My only complaint is I wish there was more trains for them to ride or play with. Not to make excuses for this place, but I get the feel that this is a fairly new business and they are still working out the kinks. If you didn't have a pleasant experience I would go back and try it again before you write them off completely. Read my other reviews I don't say that EVER.
(4)
Mary Ann C.
What a great treat! We joined some friends here for Valentine's Day-five adults and four kids. The staff was friendly, food delicious, and atmosphere was fun! I loved that the train delivered our food (I have two kids under four, so this is my idea of excitement). Anyhow, the burgers were well prepared and flavorful, and my buffalo chicken wrap was so perfectly constructed that I might even enjoy it during my lunch break someday (without the kids!). The owner is hands-on and super friendly. As a small business owner, I appreciate his attention to detail and focus on customer service. Great job! We will be back....soon!
(5)
Aimee W.
Color me surprised - and happy! We stopped in for lunch while we had family in town. I warned them before we got in to have low expectations. I've been to many a train-themed restaurant before and food quality is typically not the draw. Most places like this know that your kids are going to beg to go there even if the food sucks. The Junction figured it out though - our food was fabulous and there was a great selection for the kids *and* the grown ups (wine! wraps! soup!) .... sorry, I'm just used to seeing bad chicken nuggets and grilled cheese. I had the buffalo wrap and sweet potato fries - excellent food and great value. We'll be back!
(5)
Kevin W.
Unbelievable went here with the kids thinking it would be just another kid friendly restaurant but boy were we surprised, first off the burger I had was as good or better than any I've had in recent memory, my wife had a wrap and said it was equally delicious. The kids both had Mac and cheese and devoured it, the wait staff was friendly and quick but I could definitely see them getting over burdened if the place fills up to fast. We went at 430 on a Saturday and it was absolutely perfect a small crowd with enough room for us and a few other families, in other words if your kids are hungry go early if you don't want to wait, I see this already popular place getting better and busier.
(5)
Jason G.
I believe that they had only been open for a week or so at the time of my visit. The decor is still a work in progress, large blank walls. However they have a neat interactive train table, a coin-op train ride, and a huge black board wall with chalk. The waitstaff are friendly and helpful though a little overwhelmed. The service was quick. The food was excellent. I had the mushroom burger on a pretzel bun with regular fries. The fries are tasty and crispy. My wife had the sweet potato fries and said they were equally delicious. My boys had grilled cheese (nearly impossible to screw up) and mac and cheese with whole wheat pasta. The mac and cheese was great, next time I'm there I may have it for myself. Considering they just opened, the The Junction Diner is off to a great start.
(4)
M Z.
We want this restaurant to survive, since it is a nice addition to the neighborhood and my son loves trains so it is fun for the kids. BUT we had a pretty bad experience here this week. We arrived and the place was obviously swamped. The waitresses seemed unable to function they were so slammed. So we were never really told where to sit or how to order so we had to flag someone down finally for water and ordering food. We ordered simple burgers and it must have taken 45 minutes for the food to come. The waitress kept apologizing and everything but when you have starving kids, no apology is going to stop them from melting down. Either they ran out of food and had to go buy more or the chef walked out or something. Anyway, when the food did arrive, it was not even good. My burger was undercooked and the fried were soaked in grease. My stomach was not happy afterwards. As I said, we want new places to do well but this place needs to get their act together. It takes more than a train delivering your food to get people to want to return. We may try it again someday if we hear from others that they have had better experiences. I agree with another reviewer--get a hostess, more wait staff, and more cooks in the kitchen.
(2)
Josh L.
We've been there twice, it's awesome! We have three small kids five and under. They can play and we can eat! The owner is really a good guy and sounds like he is planning a bunch of great additions to the place. I highly recommend. We NEED places like this around this area!
(5)
W S.
I was shocked at how good the food was. We took my daughter here on her birthday for dinner during the week, as we thought it would be more fun for her than a normal restaurant. She had fun, and my wife and I were very pleasantly surprised to be eating great food. No offense to this place, but I think most parents will agree that when you go somewhere "kid-centric" you don't have high culinary expectations. Homemade fries and chips, and a pot roast sandwich on a pretzel roll. Great stuff.
(4)
Scott A.
Brought my son here for his 4th birthday. We took him to All-Aboard diner in Downers Grove last year and while the food isn't great there we enjoyed the experience. We decided on this place cause it's much closer to our house and the menu seemed to be a little more unique. When you first walk in there us no sign to tell you to seat yourself and none of the staff even looked at us. We decided to take a sign at the end of the bar so my son could see the train deliver the food. There was still plates and trash from the prior diner that they just left there. We basically had to tell them to clean it up. We then sat for another 5 minutes and we had to ask for menus. Really? If you want to ignore people just leave the menus on the counter. The food took almost 35 minutes, they said it was the Jucy Lucy I had ordered, wish they would have told me before I ordered. My son stayed occupied with their train sets for about 15 minutes before he got bored, there was not much variety to play with. The food was decent, fries were not seasoned well. Had to ask for utensils and she gave us one set for 3 people. Their customer service skills are horrtheres, the waitress didn't smile at my son once. We felt like we were bothering them for simple requests, like refilling our drinks. Not recommended at all.
(2)
Parul D.
We looked at a few of the train themed restaurants to take our two toddler boys and decided to try this new place. The space is very large and beautiful. We were greeted warmly and it was great because the kids loved the freedom of the space. The seats are ingenious! You can put a highchair right over a stool so a little one is right at the counter. The food is very good diner food. I had the turkey club which was large and all the items on it were very fresh. My husband's burger was delicious too. The kids enjoyed everything. I loved that there were healthy side options for the kid's meals. The best part was there was beer and wine available! One thing I would suggest is to add more train themed items and decor. A train table with trains that kids could play at would be a great addition. A commenter below criticized the place for it's concept that it is not novel for anyone over 10 years. No kidding. This is a FAMILY friendly place that is specifically looking to cater to families who want a good meal AND have fun with and for their kids. The website is very clear about the concept and even if you didn't look at the website before stepping in, it becomes pretty clear within a few seconds of entering the place. If someone wants to check out this place without kids, the food stands up and the space is quite charming. For families, this is a wonderful option. It was fun for all of us and a great value.
(4)
Melissa C.
We had a great experience at lunch today. Staff were a little overwhelmed, but they got the job done. My children had a great time and my spicy chicken salad was delicious!
(5)
Anne T.
Came to this restaurant today for a birthday party and I have no idea what happened in the kitchen of this place. When we got there the kids orders went right in because we had told the mom what we'd order prior to arriving and their food orders came out in a reasonable amount of time. Then she gave the adults menus and we placed our order a little later. An hour and a half later, this is not an exaggeration, we still did not have any food. We placed our order at 12:15 and left at 1:45, canceling our order on the way out. We were not the only ones either. We overheard another family saying they had been waiting an hour and were done and to cancel their order as well. Luckily for us we were at a party and the kids had friends to play with and we had adults to talk to. Also luckily for us our kids didn't finish their plates so we had some left over fries to tide us over. I have no idea how this could possibly happened. The worst part was that the owner was present and never once came to apologize or explain what was going on. He never even glanced at us. Our server came to tell us she was sorry and our food should be coming out a number of times but never offered any explanation. I really think this was unprofessional of the owner though. Take some responsibility and face your customers when something is wrong. Don't make your employees cover you. The lack of integrity in this situation is just as aggravating as the fact that we never got our food. The space is nice and not as cramped as the other diner in Downer's Grove, although I wish the trains and stuff were in the back of the restaurant and not right next to the front door. It would give a little more piece of mind knowing that a child couldn't get outside easily. Also, the cold french fries we got to eat were good. I imagine they probably have pretty good food, unfortunately we never got to find out.
(1)
Michael-Colin R.
The common problem with concept restaurants is that when all is said and done, either the concept or the food quality suffers in the end. In The Junction's case, the food is perfectly fine but the concept is pathetically almost laughably realized in this vacuous space which was formerly a much loved stained glass studio and retail space. The idea of your lunch arriving on a train is hardly and novel concept for anyone over 10 years old and the rest of the concept is executed strictly by the restaurant's name and a few small pictures of trains sporadically scattered on the otherwise massively empty gray walls. The menu is neither original nor inventive in any way. We've all seen burgers on pretzel buns, cheese fries and buffalo chicken sandwiches before and The Junction delivers these with no twist of any kind other than the boxcar it rolls in on. Standard diner dishes, nicely prepared for sure, but nothing special here. The Junction's main marketing point is that it's a family friendly joint. My partner and I are two gay men in our 40's with no kids so this is a plus we could care less about, in fact, the less we have to deal with people's children the better. If the food were better or the menu more interesting, we'd be more than willing to deal with everyone's rug rats for the sake of a great lunch but such is not the case here. Now, if you DO have children, FINALLY you have a place where you can take them where they can run and scream to their hearts content and people like me and my partner won't be at the next table rolling our eyes and wishing they'd shut the hell up and eat their chicken nuggets. The little angels have plenty to keep them occupied including a chalk wall they can draw on and a working model train they can control. My partner ordered the cheeseburger with fries and I had the pot roast sandwich with sweet potato fries. His burger was nicely cooked and the fries were hot and had a nice crunch. My pot roast sandwich was tender and nicely seasoned and my sweet potato fries were crispy and hot. Our sandwiches and 2 drinks came to just over $22 for our lunch. They did not take credit cards at the time, luckily my bank is right across the street so I had to hit the cash machine and come back. The staff was friendly enough but when we went it was not a busy night and they could hardly handle the few patrons they had with any sense of efficiency, I can only imagine how much of a hot mess the service must be on a busy Saturday afternoon. Concept C Execution D Menu C Service C Quality B+ Value B Grade C
(3)
Nick R.
Came here with my wife and daughter. Really cool place to take kids for lunch. The food is really good. I thought it would be mostly frozen burgers and pizza but they actually take a lot of pride in their menu and ingredients. I had the Reuben which was really good. My wife had the juicy Lucy burger which was also very good. Made fresh stuffed with giardenerra on a super soft pretzel roll. The sweet potato fries were also great. Of course what the restaurant is known for is all the food is delivered on a model train which circles around the large counter. The kids love it! Word of advice you will need some quarters for the kids games in front. The decor is kind of blah. Seems like the room could be beautiful but they cut a lot of corners with the decor. But not bad for a kids place. Overall I'd definitely recommend coming here. Being the kids and come hungry.
(4)
Sarah R.
Came here for my grandson's birthday. He loved the choo choo train and the photo booth. And the food was good. Great destination for the little ones.
(3)
Claudia M.
Such a fun place for the kiddos! My son loves trains and a friend of mine had been telling us how fun this place was. We took my 3 y.o. daughter and 18 month old son and they had a blast. There is a coin operated train that you sit on and my daughter just could not get enough of it. They also have a miniature train station /town and all the kids get on a step to look in on it. There are buttons that you can press to turn the store lights on. And of course the choo choo train that brings your food the table was a hit. They also have an old photo booth in the back and you can get a token for 3 bucks. The kids loved that as well. The food was standard. I had a spicy chicken sandwich with fries and a beer. The kiddos had nuggets and fries. My husband had the corn beef sandwich. The food was tasty, I would come back again. I was afraid there would be a wait but when we got there it was 5:00 on a Tuesday night (during Christmas vacation) and there was almost no one there but slowly they started coming in and by the time we left the place was packed. WE got lucky with parking but you may have to drive around the block a couple of time. We will definitely bring the kids back.
(5)
Bernadette S.
I love this place and agree with the previous positive reviews. My son is happily playing with the trains right now while I sit with a full belly from my spicy chicken pasta. Yum! The staff here rocks!
(5)
Sil A.
I have a three year old that loves trains and we live so close. I would be here at least every other week if the had for entertaining. More train things for the kids. Also the bathrooms are not very clean. The owner walks around looking like he just finished fixing something. Service is ok. The menu is ok. I see they added a few more things. I like there juicy Lucy and my boy the cheeseburgers. I think a better desert menu will be good to. And again more train things it is a train restaurant.
(3)
LuCretia T.
Great atmosphere and great food. Reminds me of the joys of being a kid. My daughter is always overjoyed when she hears the train coming to deliver her food. I absolutely love that I can order a beer and watch her play in close vicinity. It's so convenient and exactly what Forest park needed.
(5)
Steven P.
Terrible service. The people who work here are totally clueless. They forget orders, are slow, and can't handle more than a few customers at a time. Too bad since it's a nice place and is fun for the kids. Don't come here unless you have at least 90 minutes!
(3)
Stephanie R.
Wow, I'm really disappointed. We tried to eat here tonight, but sat around for nearly 20 minutes (with a grumpy toddler) without getting drinks or even being acknowledged. That's pretty unacceptable. I didn't recognize anyone working tonight so maybe they were new, but the restaurant wasn't even that busy. With so many restaurants on Madison St., your service really needs to be better than that.
(2)
Thomas C.
i didn't know what to expect, other than what I had read, about this place. I knew it was kid-centric, but also knew they had beer and wine offerings ... presumably for the adults to consume, not use as bedtime aids :) Will definitely go back, even without the kids. Owner is from Indianapolis (turns out a classmate of my wife's) but that's not the reason for the four stars, that's all about the menu and the space. Still, both, works in progress, but good offerings for anybody's palate, food is delivered by locomotive and the food's good. I had the juicy lucy style burger which did justice to it's Minn. namesake/roots, wife had the chicken wrap which was also very good. Kids had chicken nuggets and they were good enough to keep their attention, and bottoms in seats, despite the appealing kid-centric playthings which were available. This is a great concept and I really hope it works because what a great place to grab a bite and entertain the children and maybe make some new friends in the process.
(4)
Patty R.
We took our grandson there today at 12:45 for lunch, and it was really crowded. We had to wait 15 minutes for stools at the counter to open up, but there are a lot of toys to play with, so waiting was not hard to do. They have a train layout with buttons to make things work, a train ride for 25 cents, a toy car table, and other things. A wall is a huge blackboard which the kids may scribble on. There is a photo booth at the back, too. When we got seated, the food was delivered on a train that runs on a track all the way around the counter. Our hamburgers were delicious, and the sodas and beers were great. You could get juice or milk for the kids, too. And they give the kids crayons and a picture to color while they are waiting for their food. The bathroom had a changing table, and a step stool so kids can wash their hands. Very kid friendly place. It emptied out a bunch by 2, so that would be a good time to go have a late lunch. This is a really fun place to take little kids, although there were older ones that were having fun too. And more than a few adults loved the train layout with the tiny people and accessories.
(5)
Nektaria R.
I love getting my food brought out to me with the train. I enjoy it more than my 2 year old nephew though. I kept telling him to look at the train. He really didn't seem to care at all. Food is pretty good. I've had their burgers, wraps and veggie patties when I was fasting from meat. We've had most of their deserts. Everything is really good and tasty. We had a one off once, but the owner quickly corrected it for us. I will continue coming here cause my nephew likes riding the little rocking train/car in the window and cause I love the sweet potato fries. They also serve funky beers. Check them out.
(4)
Aimee M.
This isn't our first train restaurant rodeo and certainly wont be our last. After an afternoon on the Polar...ahem excuse me, the Santa Express out of River Forest (they can't use "Polar Express" anymore due to licensure or copyright or whatever blah de blah de blah) The Junction Diner was the perfect place to keep the train theme going. Sunday at about 4pm the place was pretty empty except for a birthday party in their party room. But by 5pm more and more families started coming in. My 3 yr old son, MIL and I were greeted immediately when we entered and we easily found seats along the counter. Our server was very enthusiastic and made sure we were aware of all the specials, pointed out the kids menu and pointed out the craft soda and beer/wine options. Among the train restaurants I've visited in Bartlett and Downers Grove, this one has the best menu. It comes pretty close to DG, but JD's specials menu and craft soda selection sets them apart. My MIL and I couldn't decide between two sandwiches so we ordered each and split them. The Pot Roast sandwich and the Reuben (which was on the specials board). I upgraded my fries to sweet potato fries and opted for the Birch Beer Soda. My son ordered the cheese quesadilla. We also split an order of their home made doughnuts for dessert. The food was excellent. I loved how they served the sauces for the sammies on the side (horseradish for the pot roast and russian for the Reuben). The food came out piping hot and everything was delicious. The pot roast was very tender and the horseradish sauce def added a nice element of flavor. The Reuben was also very good too. Nice helping of corned beef too. The sweet potato fries were excellent, made well and very tasty. The dessert was wonderful. It's 5 dounut puffs, sitting on top of some honey, dusted with cinnamon and comes with a chocolate dipping sauce. It really didn't need the chocolate as it was pretty tasty on its own but who are we kidding, it's chocolate and it's always welcome! The space is nice, seems like an older building as it's very tall and spacious inside...it could use more train decor the walls. But there are some fun things about the space. The train that delivers your food--but it only runs on the counter so if you're seated at one of the tables, the train still brings your food, it's just one of the servers has to deliver it to your table. There's a train table for tykes to play with. There's also a mechanical train ride and a stationary train ride. Also a little village of trains and buildings that light up/move at a push of a button. Wonderful and friendly service. We'll be back.
(4)
Cheryl R.
I love everything about the Junction. The staff is friendly, the food is great, the train motif is amazing and they even have an old fashioned photo booth in the back of the restaurant!! My five year old and I try to come once a month and she always leaves with a smile! The prices are very reasonable and I love the this is the type of place where kids are encouraged to get up and be kids! Definitely an A+++in my book.
(5)
Windy C.
I feel it's only fair to update my review once more to reflect our recent experiences. They seem to have worked through some staffing issues and now have both enough staff to cover busier times AND friendly servers who are kind to children and families. I've also managed to find several new menu items that I enjoy, and my son still loves this place, so we will continue to return. The owner is a genuinely nice guy who seems to be working hard to make this a fun option for families in the area.
(4)
Carol C.
Great place for kids' parties! The staff was friendly and helpful, and made sure the birthday girl had everything she wanted. Kids had a wonderful time!
(5)
Bee P.
My husband and I are expecting our first little one. We walked past this diner and noted it had a good pub food variety with a beer and wine list. We ventured in and were happy to notice a very child friendly environment with a play area, photo booth, train set delivering your food, oversized chalkboard to draw on, and wooden authentic changing tables in the restrooms. The place was full of families with the kids of all ages. Parents were mingling and enjoying their meals while children ate and found plenty to do while at the diner. The owner was super friendly and attentive even during a busy evening. He spoke of his family and made us feel welcome and ready to come back after our baby is born. The menu is perfect, has great things for adults and a kid friendly section with a variety of food and healthy alternatives (yogurt/veggies, etc). We will definitely return.
(5)
Tara M.
I took my son here for a birthday dinner. It was very cute. The food was pretty good, I'd say better than most of the train restaurants we've been to. I agree with previous reviews that they could have more trains there but the place is fricken huge so I understand how hard it must be to fill such a large space. I think the thing that stands out the most is how friendly the wait staff and owners are. Even if the place was lame or the food sucked (which neither apply here) the people there made my son's birthday special and treated my family like their own.
(5)
Nichole F.
We tool my son here for the first time today and it was great! We got there right at 11 when they open because we wanted to sit where the train delivers the food to you and we didn't know how popular this place was. Even though, we got there at 11, it did fill up quickly. I think by 11:30, the counter was full. While we waited for our food, we looked at the train/downtown model which had buttons you could press that could move cars and lights. We played with a car with a steering wheel and a chance for an awesome photo op and ride the train of course (25 cents). There is also a train table and a school bus with a lot of different play stations so it is easy for several children to play independently on it. It was fun to have our food delivered on a train. We split a soft pretzel and cheese which was great. I had a burger and fries, my son had mini burgers and fruit and my husband had a turkey club and fries. The fries were awesome! We also ordered the little one a cupcake since it was a special occasion. All in all, we will absolutely go back there. It is a quick trip from the city and plenty of parking. They also have a Yelp deal that we bought while we were there. $20 for $12. Winning!
(5)
Suz C.
My 3 year old son is crazy about trains. CRAZY. INSANE. So, we've been to 2Toots and we've been to All Aboard Diner. I heard about The Junction Diner and we decided to give it a try on a Saturday around lunch time. I thought it was ok, but needs a little bit of work to keep up with their other train diner mainstays in the western suburbs. The place looks nice and fairly new - high ceilings, train photos, a modern train food server that runs around the counter, a couple of train rides in front (which seemed to have operational issues that day), and a model train display. I also appreciated the chalkboard towards the back where kids can draw with chalk. There is a small party room in the back, too. It was fairly busy when we went. There was never an empty table the entire time we were there, and we felt lucky to have found a table as soon as we got there. But we did see some families waiting. Now, the servers were very nice and friendly...but I think there weren't enough servers because there were long waits. Long wait to find someone to even seat us, long wait for the menu, long wait for the food, long wait for drinks, long wait to get the check. But our server was hustling, so I really do think it was because they didn't have enough people working. It seemed like one person worked the train counter and one person worked all the outside tables. For a Saturday lunch, I think you need a few more hands, and it's just good business to warmly greet all new guests who step in the door. Food was decent. I enjoyed my salad, my husband had a veggie burger, and my son gobbled enjoyed his kids meal. If I had to rank them, I'd say All Aboard is tops, 2Toots second, and Junction Diner is third. I think Junction Diner needs to increase staffing or better manage customers walking in. I also think they may need more train-themed items...whether it's train movies on tv's (they had sports on television), train hats, or more train tchotchkes to purchase. I was thinking about having my son's birthday party there, but I felt like there wasn't enough to keep the kids entertained. Parking was a little bit of a challenge on a Saturday afternoon, too. Took awhile to find a spot.
(3)
Vanessa B.
We've been to a few different train restaurants, some awesome some just ok. The junction diner was definitely just ok. They had really nice staff, and good food (we were pleasantly surprised, the veggie burger was delicious!) , but the space itself lacked, well, trains. And let's be honest, we come here for the trains! There were a couple pics on the wall, a train table, and a train that the kids could ride for a quarter, but then that was it. The train on the counter is always a favorite at these kind of places, but the kids lose interest as soon as their food has been delivered. Other places have more games, moving trains on the wall, decorations, even bathrooms decorated with trains!
(3)
Jane C.
Perfect for my son's 2nd birthday. Any child who loves trains will love this place. Any parent who enjoys watching their kids have fun, this is it! For the adults, they serve beer & wine and the casual atmosphere makes it easy for everyone to enjoy themselves. I thought the food was kid friendly but the adults also didn't seem to have a problem putting it down. Cute little street to wander around post dinner too. The owner was very accommodating and so was our waitress Betty!
(5)
Natalie S.
This is now our second trip to a train themed restaurant and in comparison, Junction Diner comes up a little short. The kids had a good time and that was good enough for me but there's definitely room for improvement. For starters, there seems to be a lack of trains in the train themed restaurant. There was a cute train set up but only three of the many buttons seemed to be working. There was a train table but only a handful of trains for it. There's a couple train posters but that's really it. On the TV was some crappy CW show. The place wasn't very busy at 6pm on a Saturday night so we only saw the trains go out with food a few times. The space is large but a little cold. The food was just ok. My husband and I each ordered the Juicy Lucy and there wasn't really anything juicy about it. It was pretty dry. The fries were good. The kids orders of mac and cheese were ok. But when I ordered I asked the waitress if we were to skip the fries and drink (because I could tell my kids just weren't going to eat because they were too busy playing) if the price went from the advertised $5.99 to $3 for an entree, as specified on the menu. She said yes... then charged us the $5.99 anyways. By the time we got the bill, we were just ready to go and I didn't want to make a big deal over $3 (which is actually $6 because we had two meals) but I did specifically ask her and she charged us anyways. The location is convenient for us because its on our way home from Brookfield Zoo so it could make a nice day with lunch. But it just wasn't that great. We might be in if my 4 year old begs but for train themed restaurants, its done elsewhere much better.
(3)
Robert F.
Waited 25 minutes for scrambled eggs and a cheeseburger, although the place was nearly empty. When the food arrived, the eggs were cold. They made me another plate, but the eggs tasted very strange and the toast had so much butter a huge pool soaked through the center of both pieces of toast. Dirty plates sat all around, and the place looked messy overall. I like the concept and the train around the counter, and I hope they do well, but the food, service, and cleanliness all were a problem.
(1)
Rahil R.
They really nail the train motif. A train brings out the food, they have a couple of play train sets and they also have one for the kids to ride. Some other nice touches are the full wall chalkboard, wine and beer, and the free wifi. That all came first because the food is pretty standard. Burgers, pasta and the regular kids menu filled with cheese with mac or grilled. Overall a great place to take a kid to keep them busy in between bites of food, but not a place to come for just for the food.
(4)
Elizabeth K.
We went with friends during a visit back to Chicagoland. Our 19 month old son LOVED it! The modified highchairs were great, very sturdy! The food was so so. I think for what is offered it's a little pricey. For 2 adults & 1 child our bill was close to $50. We had 1 app, 1 beer, 1 pop, 1 kids meal, & 2 sandwiches. The service could also use some help. It was slow. The only waiter was overwhelmed I feel like. So drinks never really got refilled. Our son loved all the train stuff to play with. So much so when our food came he didn't want to sit back down. The owner was amazing! He pulled out a top and a small train to soothe his howls. He also seemed to sense when all the kids were getting restless and would send the train by. We will return because our son now loves trains, but will wait for a groupon for a better deal on the food.
(4)
Matt W.
Great place to bring the kids, and they have craft beer and good food for the adults as well! Their chili is exceptional and somewhat spicy if you like that kind of thing (i do). They have a great train setup with lots for the kids to do while you wait for the food. They even have a cool old vintage photo-booth machine.
(5)
Janine F.
Initially i expected trains to be all in my face but when i got there it looked pretty empty just a train that delivers your food and a small wooden set for toddlers. I got the juicy lucy.. wasn't all that juicy actually kind of dry. I had to drown my burger in ketchup and hot sauce to get it down but maybe it was just my meal because my roommate seemed to really enjoy their mushroom burger.
(2)
Kayla A.
The Junction Diner 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.
(4)
Carlos G.
The kids love this place and all the cool trains and train tables they have. The food is actually pretty good and tasty, I had the turkey burger with fries, kids had hot dogs and the missus had the wrap. She said the wrap was good but burped it up all day. My burger was right on and the chipotle mayo was great. Of course the big attraction is that they bring the food in a train so the kids love it!
(4)
Brian T.
I would normally give this place 4 stars but my son loved it so much, I had to give it 5. The food was surprisingly better than I thought it was going to be. The sweet potatoe fries were delicious. the juicy lucy was just ok, probably could have had more cheese but it was still good. They only had two waitresses and a packed house but the food came out fairly quickly. Only suggestion, get some milk shakes in their. That would totally kill it with the burgers and fries
(5)
Jason F.
Not impressed at all. Food was nothing special, and the service was terrible. We had a long wait, and there were only two other customers there. The waitress seemed really disinterested, as though she dreaded being there. With Louie's (which has excellent food and service) being right across the street, there is really no reason for my wife and I to go back there.
(1)
Rebecca V.
I feel bad complaining because the staff is certainly friendly, but seem very under-skilled. We've been there twice now and both times, they messed up our orders. (The first time they got my side wrong, then this last time they got grandma's order wrong and mine was completely whacked out - and believe me, when the 5 year old gets fries and the 3 year old doesn't - that's fighting time. They were both supposed to get fruit BTW...) The food is decent, but nothing that I would rave about, and so that makes it harder to overlook the shortcomings of the poor service and really, the not very appealing atmosphere. It's quite cold and blank - I am not sure what they are going for - a kids' restaurant should be much more colorful, interactive, and playful. This is tasteful and more adult, but really rather sterile. It doesn't have to be tacky (there is a train restaurant further west where it feels like Thomas threw up on the place...) but it's not super-appealing to little kids. It takes more than a train bringing the food to make a train-themed restaurant!! Living in Forest Park and having 2 boys who love trains, we'd like this place to succeed, but they really need to step it up. It feels like they've only been open for 2 weeks rather than 4 months.
(1)
Dave C.
We happened upon this diner just trying to get out of the cold and were met with great atmosphere, better food & superb service. The food is brought to you on this little train that runs on a track around the counter, there is a 1960s photo booth that has been restored and a chalkboard wall to while away the time until your food arrives. If you are looking for friendly, helpful staff along with great classic diner food at reasonable prices & a laid back atmosphere, you will find it here. My 14 year old niece and her 16 year old cousin drew some art on the chalkboard wall, hammed it up in the photo booth & enjoyed butterscotch root beer & sarsaparilla until our food arrived. The kids got adventurous will a couple of specials and i stayed classic with a turkey club. Their sandwiches were spot on & my fries were hand cut with the peel on...we all left happier then we were when we went in. Highly recommended, I know we will be back.
(5)
Nyassa B.
Lots of fun, great fun and great food. Kids love it. The food is pretty tasty and the staff is wonderful, especially with my Bugga. I highly recommend everyone with kids bring them here for a Saturday night out on the town experience for your little ones.
(4)
April J.
We love this local business! We are quite pleased with the food every time we go here. Service is good and the owner is often there ensuring things are running smoothly. It has a simple no nonsense diner feel, but with what I would consider better food and drinks than many diners offer. Our kids of course love the diner counter and the food train that delivers the food. They have a good selection of food on the menu, and the food has good flavor and seems fresh. There is even a selection of great beer. they also serve limited breakfast items anytime they are open...with good coffee I might add. After our kids finish their meals we let them play in the children's play area in the front of the restaurant (there are some toys and train displays). There is also a chalkboard wall where kids can draw. Despite the kid focus, the clientele is courteous and conscientious of their children, so I've never been annoyed by chaos or bad behavior. This place is a perfect casual lunch or dinner spot in forest park, especially for families with young children.
(5)
Karen C.
This place is adorable (if you have kids or a really childish like me). I went for a walk with a girlfriend of mine and we stumbled upon this place. It was a weekday early evening and the place was empty so I can't say how it is on the weekends when it's full of little ones playing with the trains and running around. My guess is that unless I was there with my nephew's, I'd avoid the place like the plague on the weekends as I have very little patience dealing with screaming kids while I am trying to eat. The food is reasonably priced, the soup I had was yummy, and they deliver the food on a train that goes around the counter. Yea, that was my favorite part. Apparently I'm just a giant child. There's nothing special about the menu. You can tell they are trying to cater to kids and keeping it simple seems the safe bet. It's a neat idea for families in the area, especially since there are so many bars and adult driven restaurants around. I'd return with my nephews...and some earplugs...on a weekend just to see how it is.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Loud Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Drive-Thru : No Caters : Yes
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Bernadette S.
I love this place and agree with the previous positive reviews. My son is happily playing with the trains right now while I sit with a full belly from my spicy chicken pasta. Yum! The staff here rocks!
(5)Aimee M.
This isn't our first train restaurant rodeo and certainly wont be our last. After an afternoon on the Polar...ahem excuse me, the Santa Express out of River Forest (they can't use "Polar Express" anymore due to licensure or copyright or whatever blah de blah de blah) The Junction Diner was the perfect place to keep the train theme going. Sunday at about 4pm the place was pretty empty except for a birthday party in their party room. But by 5pm more and more families started coming in. My 3 yr old son, MIL and I were greeted immediately when we entered and we easily found seats along the counter. Our server was very enthusiastic and made sure we were aware of all the specials, pointed out the kids menu and pointed out the craft soda and beer/wine options. Among the train restaurants I've visited in Bartlett and Downers Grove, this one has the best menu. It comes pretty close to DG, but JD's specials menu and craft soda selection sets them apart. My MIL and I couldn't decide between two sandwiches so we ordered each and split them. The Pot Roast sandwich and the Reuben (which was on the specials board). I upgraded my fries to sweet potato fries and opted for the Birch Beer Soda. My son ordered the cheese quesadilla. We also split an order of their home made doughnuts for dessert. The food was excellent. I loved how they served the sauces for the sammies on the side (horseradish for the pot roast and russian for the Reuben). The food came out piping hot and everything was delicious. The pot roast was very tender and the horseradish sauce def added a nice element of flavor. The Reuben was also very good too. Nice helping of corned beef too. The sweet potato fries were excellent, made well and very tasty. The dessert was wonderful. It's 5 dounut puffs, sitting on top of some honey, dusted with cinnamon and comes with a chocolate dipping sauce. It really didn't need the chocolate as it was pretty tasty on its own but who are we kidding, it's chocolate and it's always welcome! The space is nice, seems like an older building as it's very tall and spacious inside...it could use more train decor the walls. But there are some fun things about the space. The train that delivers your food--but it only runs on the counter so if you're seated at one of the tables, the train still brings your food, it's just one of the servers has to deliver it to your table. There's a train table for tykes to play with. There's also a mechanical train ride and a stationary train ride. Also a little village of trains and buildings that light up/move at a push of a button. Wonderful and friendly service. We'll be back.
(4)Cheryl R.
I love everything about the Junction. The staff is friendly, the food is great, the train motif is amazing and they even have an old fashioned photo booth in the back of the restaurant!! My five year old and I try to come once a month and she always leaves with a smile! The prices are very reasonable and I love the this is the type of place where kids are encouraged to get up and be kids! Definitely an A+++in my book.
(5)Nektaria R.
I love getting my food brought out to me with the train. I enjoy it more than my 2 year old nephew though. I kept telling him to look at the train. He really didn't seem to care at all. Food is pretty good. I've had their burgers, wraps and veggie patties when I was fasting from meat. We've had most of their deserts. Everything is really good and tasty. We had a one off once, but the owner quickly corrected it for us. I will continue coming here cause my nephew likes riding the little rocking train/car in the window and cause I love the sweet potato fries. They also serve funky beers. Check them out.
(4)Nick R.
Came here with my wife and daughter. Really cool place to take kids for lunch. The food is really good. I thought it would be mostly frozen burgers and pizza but they actually take a lot of pride in their menu and ingredients. I had the Reuben which was really good. My wife had the juicy Lucy burger which was also very good. Made fresh stuffed with giardenerra on a super soft pretzel roll. The sweet potato fries were also great. Of course what the restaurant is known for is all the food is delivered on a model train which circles around the large counter. The kids love it! Word of advice you will need some quarters for the kids games in front. The decor is kind of blah. Seems like the room could be beautiful but they cut a lot of corners with the decor. But not bad for a kids place. Overall I'd definitely recommend coming here. Being the kids and come hungry.
(4)Sarah R.
Came here for my grandson's birthday. He loved the choo choo train and the photo booth. And the food was good. Great destination for the little ones.
(3)Claudia M.
Such a fun place for the kiddos! My son loves trains and a friend of mine had been telling us how fun this place was. We took my 3 y.o. daughter and 18 month old son and they had a blast. There is a coin operated train that you sit on and my daughter just could not get enough of it. They also have a miniature train station /town and all the kids get on a step to look in on it. There are buttons that you can press to turn the store lights on. And of course the choo choo train that brings your food the table was a hit. They also have an old photo booth in the back and you can get a token for 3 bucks. The kids loved that as well. The food was standard. I had a spicy chicken sandwich with fries and a beer. The kiddos had nuggets and fries. My husband had the corn beef sandwich. The food was tasty, I would come back again. I was afraid there would be a wait but when we got there it was 5:00 on a Tuesday night (during Christmas vacation) and there was almost no one there but slowly they started coming in and by the time we left the place was packed. WE got lucky with parking but you may have to drive around the block a couple of time. We will definitely bring the kids back.
(5)Dave C.
We happened upon this diner just trying to get out of the cold and were met with great atmosphere, better food & superb service. The food is brought to you on this little train that runs on a track around the counter, there is a 1960s photo booth that has been restored and a chalkboard wall to while away the time until your food arrives. If you are looking for friendly, helpful staff along with great classic diner food at reasonable prices & a laid back atmosphere, you will find it here. My 14 year old niece and her 16 year old cousin drew some art on the chalkboard wall, hammed it up in the photo booth & enjoyed butterscotch root beer & sarsaparilla until our food arrived. The kids got adventurous will a couple of specials and i stayed classic with a turkey club. Their sandwiches were spot on & my fries were hand cut with the peel on...we all left happier then we were when we went in. Highly recommended, I know we will be back.
(5)Nyassa B.
Lots of fun, great fun and great food. Kids love it. The food is pretty tasty and the staff is wonderful, especially with my Bugga. I highly recommend everyone with kids bring them here for a Saturday night out on the town experience for your little ones.
(4)Steven P.
Terrible service. The people who work here are totally clueless. They forget orders, are slow, and can't handle more than a few customers at a time. Too bad since it's a nice place and is fun for the kids. Don't come here unless you have at least 90 minutes!
(3)Stephanie R.
Wow, I'm really disappointed. We tried to eat here tonight, but sat around for nearly 20 minutes (with a grumpy toddler) without getting drinks or even being acknowledged. That's pretty unacceptable. I didn't recognize anyone working tonight so maybe they were new, but the restaurant wasn't even that busy. With so many restaurants on Madison St., your service really needs to be better than that.
(2)April J.
We love this local business! We are quite pleased with the food every time we go here. Service is good and the owner is often there ensuring things are running smoothly. It has a simple no nonsense diner feel, but with what I would consider better food and drinks than many diners offer. Our kids of course love the diner counter and the food train that delivers the food. They have a good selection of food on the menu, and the food has good flavor and seems fresh. There is even a selection of great beer. they also serve limited breakfast items anytime they are open...with good coffee I might add. After our kids finish their meals we let them play in the children's play area in the front of the restaurant (there are some toys and train displays). There is also a chalkboard wall where kids can draw. Despite the kid focus, the clientele is courteous and conscientious of their children, so I've never been annoyed by chaos or bad behavior. This place is a perfect casual lunch or dinner spot in forest park, especially for families with young children.
(5)Karen C.
This place is adorable (if you have kids or a really childish like me). I went for a walk with a girlfriend of mine and we stumbled upon this place. It was a weekday early evening and the place was empty so I can't say how it is on the weekends when it's full of little ones playing with the trains and running around. My guess is that unless I was there with my nephew's, I'd avoid the place like the plague on the weekends as I have very little patience dealing with screaming kids while I am trying to eat. The food is reasonably priced, the soup I had was yummy, and they deliver the food on a train that goes around the counter. Yea, that was my favorite part. Apparently I'm just a giant child. There's nothing special about the menu. You can tell they are trying to cater to kids and keeping it simple seems the safe bet. It's a neat idea for families in the area, especially since there are so many bars and adult driven restaurants around. I'd return with my nephews...and some earplugs...on a weekend just to see how it is.
(3)Rebecca V.
I feel bad complaining because the staff is certainly friendly, but seem very under-skilled. We've been there twice now and both times, they messed up our orders. (The first time they got my side wrong, then this last time they got grandma's order wrong and mine was completely whacked out - and believe me, when the 5 year old gets fries and the 3 year old doesn't - that's fighting time. They were both supposed to get fruit BTW...) The food is decent, but nothing that I would rave about, and so that makes it harder to overlook the shortcomings of the poor service and really, the not very appealing atmosphere. It's quite cold and blank - I am not sure what they are going for - a kids' restaurant should be much more colorful, interactive, and playful. This is tasteful and more adult, but really rather sterile. It doesn't have to be tacky (there is a train restaurant further west where it feels like Thomas threw up on the place...) but it's not super-appealing to little kids. It takes more than a train bringing the food to make a train-themed restaurant!! Living in Forest Park and having 2 boys who love trains, we'd like this place to succeed, but they really need to step it up. It feels like they've only been open for 2 weeks rather than 4 months.
(1)Jonathan P.
My wife & I had a great meal, but more importantly our kids had a blast. Everything about this place met expectations. Owner was super nice and made sure the meal/experience was great. I'm really pulling for this place because I live in Chicago and it is a quick commute for a nice place with the kids. Restaurants like this provide a service to the community when adults can eat good food while entertaining children for an hour!
(5)Michael-Colin R.
The common problem with concept restaurants is that when all is said and done, either the concept or the food quality suffers in the end. In The Junction's case, the food is perfectly fine but the concept is pathetically almost laughably realized in this vacuous space which was formerly a much loved stained glass studio and retail space. The idea of your lunch arriving on a train is hardly and novel concept for anyone over 10 years old and the rest of the concept is executed strictly by the restaurant's name and a few small pictures of trains sporadically scattered on the otherwise massively empty gray walls. The menu is neither original nor inventive in any way. We've all seen burgers on pretzel buns, cheese fries and buffalo chicken sandwiches before and The Junction delivers these with no twist of any kind other than the boxcar it rolls in on. Standard diner dishes, nicely prepared for sure, but nothing special here. The Junction's main marketing point is that it's a family friendly joint. My partner and I are two gay men in our 40's with no kids so this is a plus we could care less about, in fact, the less we have to deal with people's children the better. If the food were better or the menu more interesting, we'd be more than willing to deal with everyone's rug rats for the sake of a great lunch but such is not the case here. Now, if you DO have children, FINALLY you have a place where you can take them where they can run and scream to their hearts content and people like me and my partner won't be at the next table rolling our eyes and wishing they'd shut the hell up and eat their chicken nuggets. The little angels have plenty to keep them occupied including a chalk wall they can draw on and a working model train they can control. My partner ordered the cheeseburger with fries and I had the pot roast sandwich with sweet potato fries. His burger was nicely cooked and the fries were hot and had a nice crunch. My pot roast sandwich was tender and nicely seasoned and my sweet potato fries were crispy and hot. Our sandwiches and 2 drinks came to just over $22 for our lunch. They did not take credit cards at the time, luckily my bank is right across the street so I had to hit the cash machine and come back. The staff was friendly enough but when we went it was not a busy night and they could hardly handle the few patrons they had with any sense of efficiency, I can only imagine how much of a hot mess the service must be on a busy Saturday afternoon. Concept C Execution D Menu C Service C Quality B+ Value B Grade C
(3)Kari G.
We went for the first time last night and loved it. It's such a great concept, and the kids loved the play area (although, if I'm going to be picky, I'll say the train table could use some more trains & tracks) and the train on which the food was delivered was really cool. The food actually exceeded my expectations, too! It was really fresh and all homemade. The soup & veggie burger and handcut fries were delicious! A few more vegetarian options on the menu would be nice, though. It's also nice that they serve beer & wine for the adults. The servers were all super-friendly and the owner came and spoke with us, too, and was so nice. We will definitely be back.
(4)Bree L.
Waited about 40 min for food with three hungry boys. No one gave an update unless I asked.
(1)Josh C.
While it's definitely great that we have another restaurant well designed for kids in the near west suburbs, this place is unfortunately one to avoid until they can get a proper management team in place. We walked in this evening and weren't acknowledged or greeted by a single employee until we walked up to the counter and asked to be seated. While I was keeping tabs on the kids, my wife was told that they were cleaning up and they would seat us shortly. Several other patrons walked in after us and were seated by one of the wait staff right in front of us (at the seats they were cleaning up for us). We then complained and were offered 3 seats (for a party of 4). Given no satisfactory resolution, we promptly left after waiting nearly 20 minutes in a restaurant which was maybe 60% occupied. We are now glad we did not dine here in hindsight. Given they've obviously cut some significant corners in the front of the restaurant, we're wondering what kinds of corners they are cutting in the preparation of the food. Very basic misses - like a complete and total lack of a greeter or host(ess) lead one to believe that they don't know what they're doing. Are they skimping on cleaning in the kitchen? Are they skimping on disposal of spoilage? Are the "overworked" wait staff too busy to wash their hands or too busy to ensure dishes are properly cleaned and sanitized? Until this place can demonstrate some basic restaurant management skills, I would highly recommend avoiding it. At a minimum to you'll save yourself the inconvenience of having to explain to your 3 and 5 year old boys why we're not eating at the Train restaurant tonight.
(1)Allison V.
Pros: -The concept of a train-themed restaurant would be a big hit with the Oak Park/Forest Park crowd if it ever gets fully realized. It's part-way there. -The food is really good. My french fries were the best I've had in awhile. Cons: -There isn't enough waitstaff to handle the crowd. -There's no host, hoststand or any signs to let you know if you should seat yourself or flag down one of the completely overwhelmed staff. I've been to The Junction Diner twice and the first time, our order was lost and it took more than 40 minutes to get our food. When the food came, it was wrong, but we just ate- with a starving two-year-old it was just easier to have something to eat! We chalked it up to new-restaurant kinks and gave it another chance yesterday. Yesterday, two months after they've opened, we stood for 20 MINUTES at the front of the restaurant with no acknowledgement from any staff. We finally just took a table, but it only had two chairs. My 70-year-old mother-in-law carried additional chairs across the entire restaurant with not even a busboy stopping to help her. We sat for another 15 minutes waiting for anyone to come by- but no one did! So we went across the street to Louie's and ate within minutes of our arrival. Junction Diner, you could be very successful, but you need to hire more waitstaff, a food runner, a host and install some real train tables or activities for kids before everyone realizes this place isn't worth it.
(1)Ed P.
Great place for the whole family. Just had the Tacos, they're better than any Mexican restaurant in the Forest Park area.
(5)Janine F.
Initially i expected trains to be all in my face but when i got there it looked pretty empty just a train that delivers your food and a small wooden set for toddlers. I got the juicy lucy.. wasn't all that juicy actually kind of dry. I had to drown my burger in ketchup and hot sauce to get it down but maybe it was just my meal because my roommate seemed to really enjoy their mushroom burger.
(2)Sil A.
I have a three year old that loves trains and we live so close. I would be here at least every other week if the had for entertaining. More train things for the kids. Also the bathrooms are not very clean. The owner walks around looking like he just finished fixing something. Service is ok. The menu is ok. I see they added a few more things. I like there juicy Lucy and my boy the cheeseburgers. I think a better desert menu will be good to. And again more train things it is a train restaurant.
(3)LuCretia T.
Great atmosphere and great food. Reminds me of the joys of being a kid. My daughter is always overjoyed when she hears the train coming to deliver her food. I absolutely love that I can order a beer and watch her play in close vicinity. It's so convenient and exactly what Forest park needed.
(5)Windy C.
I feel it's only fair to update my review once more to reflect our recent experiences. They seem to have worked through some staffing issues and now have both enough staff to cover busier times AND friendly servers who are kind to children and families. I've also managed to find several new menu items that I enjoy, and my son still loves this place, so we will continue to return. The owner is a genuinely nice guy who seems to be working hard to make this a fun option for families in the area.
(4)Bee P.
My husband and I are expecting our first little one. We walked past this diner and noted it had a good pub food variety with a beer and wine list. We ventured in and were happy to notice a very child friendly environment with a play area, photo booth, train set delivering your food, oversized chalkboard to draw on, and wooden authentic changing tables in the restrooms. The place was full of families with the kids of all ages. Parents were mingling and enjoying their meals while children ate and found plenty to do while at the diner. The owner was super friendly and attentive even during a busy evening. He spoke of his family and made us feel welcome and ready to come back after our baby is born. The menu is perfect, has great things for adults and a kid friendly section with a variety of food and healthy alternatives (yogurt/veggies, etc). We will definitely return.
(5)Tara M.
I took my son here for a birthday dinner. It was very cute. The food was pretty good, I'd say better than most of the train restaurants we've been to. I agree with previous reviews that they could have more trains there but the place is fricken huge so I understand how hard it must be to fill such a large space. I think the thing that stands out the most is how friendly the wait staff and owners are. Even if the place was lame or the food sucked (which neither apply here) the people there made my son's birthday special and treated my family like their own.
(5)Windy C.
I feel it's only fair to update my review once more to reflect our recent experiences. They seem to have worked through some staffing issues and now have both enough staff to cover busier times AND friendly servers who are kind to children and families. I've also managed to find several new menu items that I enjoy, and my son still loves this place, so we will continue to return. The owner is a genuinely nice guy who seems to be working hard to make this a fun option for families in the area.
(4)Sil A.
I have a three year old that loves trains and we live so close. I would be here at least every other week if the had for entertaining. More train things for the kids. Also the bathrooms are not very clean. The owner walks around looking like he just finished fixing something. Service is ok. The menu is ok. I see they added a few more things. I like there juicy Lucy and my boy the cheeseburgers. I think a better desert menu will be good to. And again more train things it is a train restaurant.
(3)LuCretia T.
Great atmosphere and great food. Reminds me of the joys of being a kid. My daughter is always overjoyed when she hears the train coming to deliver her food. I absolutely love that I can order a beer and watch her play in close vicinity. It's so convenient and exactly what Forest park needed.
(5)Natalie S.
This is now our second trip to a train themed restaurant and in comparison, Junction Diner comes up a little short. The kids had a good time and that was good enough for me but there's definitely room for improvement. For starters, there seems to be a lack of trains in the train themed restaurant. There was a cute train set up but only three of the many buttons seemed to be working. There was a train table but only a handful of trains for it. There's a couple train posters but that's really it. On the TV was some crappy CW show. The place wasn't very busy at 6pm on a Saturday night so we only saw the trains go out with food a few times. The space is large but a little cold. The food was just ok. My husband and I each ordered the Juicy Lucy and there wasn't really anything juicy about it. It was pretty dry. The fries were good. The kids orders of mac and cheese were ok. But when I ordered I asked the waitress if we were to skip the fries and drink (because I could tell my kids just weren't going to eat because they were too busy playing) if the price went from the advertised $5.99 to $3 for an entree, as specified on the menu. She said yes... then charged us the $5.99 anyways. By the time we got the bill, we were just ready to go and I didn't want to make a big deal over $3 (which is actually $6 because we had two meals) but I did specifically ask her and she charged us anyways. The location is convenient for us because its on our way home from Brookfield Zoo so it could make a nice day with lunch. But it just wasn't that great. We might be in if my 4 year old begs but for train themed restaurants, its done elsewhere much better.
(3)Carol C.
Great place for kids' parties! The staff was friendly and helpful, and made sure the birthday girl had everything she wanted. Kids had a wonderful time!
(5)Nichole F.
We tool my son here for the first time today and it was great! We got there right at 11 when they open because we wanted to sit where the train delivers the food to you and we didn't know how popular this place was. Even though, we got there at 11, it did fill up quickly. I think by 11:30, the counter was full. While we waited for our food, we looked at the train/downtown model which had buttons you could press that could move cars and lights. We played with a car with a steering wheel and a chance for an awesome photo op and ride the train of course (25 cents). There is also a train table and a school bus with a lot of different play stations so it is easy for several children to play independently on it. It was fun to have our food delivered on a train. We split a soft pretzel and cheese which was great. I had a burger and fries, my son had mini burgers and fruit and my husband had a turkey club and fries. The fries were awesome! We also ordered the little one a cupcake since it was a special occasion. All in all, we will absolutely go back there. It is a quick trip from the city and plenty of parking. They also have a Yelp deal that we bought while we were there. $20 for $12. Winning!
(5)Robert F.
Waited 25 minutes for scrambled eggs and a cheeseburger, although the place was nearly empty. When the food arrived, the eggs were cold. They made me another plate, but the eggs tasted very strange and the toast had so much butter a huge pool soaked through the center of both pieces of toast. Dirty plates sat all around, and the place looked messy overall. I like the concept and the train around the counter, and I hope they do well, but the food, service, and cleanliness all were a problem.
(1)Rahil R.
They really nail the train motif. A train brings out the food, they have a couple of play train sets and they also have one for the kids to ride. Some other nice touches are the full wall chalkboard, wine and beer, and the free wifi. That all came first because the food is pretty standard. Burgers, pasta and the regular kids menu filled with cheese with mac or grilled. Overall a great place to take a kid to keep them busy in between bites of food, but not a place to come for just for the food.
(4)Elizabeth K.
We went with friends during a visit back to Chicagoland. Our 19 month old son LOVED it! The modified highchairs were great, very sturdy! The food was so so. I think for what is offered it's a little pricey. For 2 adults & 1 child our bill was close to $50. We had 1 app, 1 beer, 1 pop, 1 kids meal, & 2 sandwiches. The service could also use some help. It was slow. The only waiter was overwhelmed I feel like. So drinks never really got refilled. Our son loved all the train stuff to play with. So much so when our food came he didn't want to sit back down. The owner was amazing! He pulled out a top and a small train to soothe his howls. He also seemed to sense when all the kids were getting restless and would send the train by. We will return because our son now loves trains, but will wait for a groupon for a better deal on the food.
(4)Brian T.
I would normally give this place 4 stars but my son loved it so much, I had to give it 5. The food was surprisingly better than I thought it was going to be. The sweet potatoe fries were delicious. the juicy lucy was just ok, probably could have had more cheese but it was still good. They only had two waitresses and a packed house but the food came out fairly quickly. Only suggestion, get some milk shakes in their. That would totally kill it with the burgers and fries
(5)Jason F.
Not impressed at all. Food was nothing special, and the service was terrible. We had a long wait, and there were only two other customers there. The waitress seemed really disinterested, as though she dreaded being there. With Louie's (which has excellent food and service) being right across the street, there is really no reason for my wife and I to go back there.
(1)Thomas C.
i didn't know what to expect, other than what I had read, about this place. I knew it was kid-centric, but also knew they had beer and wine offerings ... presumably for the adults to consume, not use as bedtime aids :) Will definitely go back, even without the kids. Owner is from Indianapolis (turns out a classmate of my wife's) but that's not the reason for the four stars, that's all about the menu and the space. Still, both, works in progress, but good offerings for anybody's palate, food is delivered by locomotive and the food's good. I had the juicy lucy style burger which did justice to it's Minn. namesake/roots, wife had the chicken wrap which was also very good. Kids had chicken nuggets and they were good enough to keep their attention, and bottoms in seats, despite the appealing kid-centric playthings which were available. This is a great concept and I really hope it works because what a great place to grab a bite and entertain the children and maybe make some new friends in the process.
(4)Patty R.
We took our grandson there today at 12:45 for lunch, and it was really crowded. We had to wait 15 minutes for stools at the counter to open up, but there are a lot of toys to play with, so waiting was not hard to do. They have a train layout with buttons to make things work, a train ride for 25 cents, a toy car table, and other things. A wall is a huge blackboard which the kids may scribble on. There is a photo booth at the back, too. When we got seated, the food was delivered on a train that runs on a track all the way around the counter. Our hamburgers were delicious, and the sodas and beers were great. You could get juice or milk for the kids, too. And they give the kids crayons and a picture to color while they are waiting for their food. The bathroom had a changing table, and a step stool so kids can wash their hands. Very kid friendly place. It emptied out a bunch by 2, so that would be a good time to go have a late lunch. This is a really fun place to take little kids, although there were older ones that were having fun too. And more than a few adults loved the train layout with the tiny people and accessories.
(5)Matt W.
Great place to bring the kids, and they have craft beer and good food for the adults as well! Their chili is exceptional and somewhat spicy if you like that kind of thing (i do). They have a great train setup with lots for the kids to do while you wait for the food. They even have a cool old vintage photo-booth machine.
(5)Janine F.
Initially i expected trains to be all in my face but when i got there it looked pretty empty just a train that delivers your food and a small wooden set for toddlers. I got the juicy lucy.. wasn't all that juicy actually kind of dry. I had to drown my burger in ketchup and hot sauce to get it down but maybe it was just my meal because my roommate seemed to really enjoy their mushroom burger.
(2)Kayla A.
The Junction Diner 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.
(4)Carlos G.
The kids love this place and all the cool trains and train tables they have. The food is actually pretty good and tasty, I had the turkey burger with fries, kids had hot dogs and the missus had the wrap. She said the wrap was good but burped it up all day. My burger was right on and the chipotle mayo was great. Of course the big attraction is that they bring the food in a train so the kids love it!
(4)Suz C.
My 3 year old son is crazy about trains. CRAZY. INSANE. So, we've been to 2Toots and we've been to All Aboard Diner. I heard about The Junction Diner and we decided to give it a try on a Saturday around lunch time. I thought it was ok, but needs a little bit of work to keep up with their other train diner mainstays in the western suburbs. The place looks nice and fairly new - high ceilings, train photos, a modern train food server that runs around the counter, a couple of train rides in front (which seemed to have operational issues that day), and a model train display. I also appreciated the chalkboard towards the back where kids can draw with chalk. There is a small party room in the back, too. It was fairly busy when we went. There was never an empty table the entire time we were there, and we felt lucky to have found a table as soon as we got there. But we did see some families waiting. Now, the servers were very nice and friendly...but I think there weren't enough servers because there were long waits. Long wait to find someone to even seat us, long wait for the menu, long wait for the food, long wait for drinks, long wait to get the check. But our server was hustling, so I really do think it was because they didn't have enough people working. It seemed like one person worked the train counter and one person worked all the outside tables. For a Saturday lunch, I think you need a few more hands, and it's just good business to warmly greet all new guests who step in the door. Food was decent. I enjoyed my salad, my husband had a veggie burger, and my son gobbled enjoyed his kids meal. If I had to rank them, I'd say All Aboard is tops, 2Toots second, and Junction Diner is third. I think Junction Diner needs to increase staffing or better manage customers walking in. I also think they may need more train-themed items...whether it's train movies on tv's (they had sports on television), train hats, or more train tchotchkes to purchase. I was thinking about having my son's birthday party there, but I felt like there wasn't enough to keep the kids entertained. Parking was a little bit of a challenge on a Saturday afternoon, too. Took awhile to find a spot.
(3)Vanessa B.
We've been to a few different train restaurants, some awesome some just ok. The junction diner was definitely just ok. They had really nice staff, and good food (we were pleasantly surprised, the veggie burger was delicious!) , but the space itself lacked, well, trains. And let's be honest, we come here for the trains! There were a couple pics on the wall, a train table, and a train that the kids could ride for a quarter, but then that was it. The train on the counter is always a favorite at these kind of places, but the kids lose interest as soon as their food has been delivered. Other places have more games, moving trains on the wall, decorations, even bathrooms decorated with trains!
(3)Jane C.
Perfect for my son's 2nd birthday. Any child who loves trains will love this place. Any parent who enjoys watching their kids have fun, this is it! For the adults, they serve beer & wine and the casual atmosphere makes it easy for everyone to enjoy themselves. I thought the food was kid friendly but the adults also didn't seem to have a problem putting it down. Cute little street to wander around post dinner too. The owner was very accommodating and so was our waitress Betty!
(5)Ethan C.
Stopped in here with my lady and the little one a few weeks ago. For anyone who is looking to take children somewhere they'll enjoy without having to sacrifice the quality of their meal, this is the place to go! The decor is still a little sparse, but that didn't bother my 3 year old. The really impressive train set, coin-op train ride, full chalkboard wall and open space for her to run around in were all a big hit. And did I mention the food? The food here was so good, I would go back without a little one. I had the mushroom burger on pretzel bun, the little one had the Mac and Cheese and my wife had some kind of salad. We also shared some mozzarella sticks. Everything was delicious, with really high quality ingredients, the Mac and Cheese was made with whole wheat pasta and my kid ate every bite. The burger was juicy and prepared just right. The mozzarella sticks were excellent, not too greasy, but very flavorful. The place wasn't very crowded when we went on a Thursday night. I could see the need for a larger staff if things were busier, but overall our experience was very positive and I hope the Junction Diner is around for a long time to come.
(4)sarah s.
Food is probably 2.5 - 3 stars but an extra star for having a kiddie play area! Taco basket was decent- only $1 each! Kids at least had a choice of fresh fruit and beer/wine was available. My husband ordered a pot roast sandwich on a pretzel bun which was pretty huge and tasty. I'd recommend that over the tacos. Our family enjoyed it there and service was friendly.
(4)Tanya S.
Great for toddlers! I still think the food for adults could be better,but the kids meal options are great and yummy!
(4)Julie R.
This is a cute little place. We just found them and have been there twice. First time the waiter asked us if we had been there before and when we said no, offered some recommendations for us. Decor is simple, but they have a train table with buttons that my daughter just loved. Service staff are all friendly and don't rush you. When it was quiet they ran the train a bunch of times for my daughter. Second time was way busier, but we still had decent service. Burgers were great both times. My daughter loved the macaroni and hummus.
(4)kevin s.
The food is good, but that's not why you come here. Its for the kids, and they love it. The food comes out on trains, and there's no much for kids to do. Chalk board wall, ride on trains, play train sets. It's great
(4)Jennifer W.
I LOVE THIS PLACE! 1st **The Staff** Nicest people on the planet earth. Especially the early afternoon waitress. On more than one occasion she has taken quarters out of her tip cup and given them to my children so they can ride the train. Of the many times my family and I have eaten there my order has only been wrong once. The waitress figured it out right away and promptly fixed it. Its also nice seeing the owner walking around talking to other customers and children making sure everyone is enjoying there visit. 2nd ** the food** I've personally only had the burgers and fries and they are delish. Burgers are cooked to the right temperature you specify, and the fries are homemade and yet still crispy and well seasoned. I would go back for the food alone regardless if I had my kids. 3rd **atmosphere** I love the fact that my kids can run around and play until the food is ready. There are many activities that keep them occupied from writing on the chalk board, to playing with the different train stations. My only complaint is I wish there was more trains for them to ride or play with. Not to make excuses for this place, but I get the feel that this is a fairly new business and they are still working out the kinks. If you didn't have a pleasant experience I would go back and try it again before you write them off completely. Read my other reviews I don't say that EVER.
(4)W S.
I was shocked at how good the food was. We took my daughter here on her birthday for dinner during the week, as we thought it would be more fun for her than a normal restaurant. She had fun, and my wife and I were very pleasantly surprised to be eating great food. No offense to this place, but I think most parents will agree that when you go somewhere "kid-centric" you don't have high culinary expectations. Homemade fries and chips, and a pot roast sandwich on a pretzel roll. Great stuff.
(4)Scott A.
Brought my son here for his 4th birthday. We took him to All-Aboard diner in Downers Grove last year and while the food isn't great there we enjoyed the experience. We decided on this place cause it's much closer to our house and the menu seemed to be a little more unique. When you first walk in there us no sign to tell you to seat yourself and none of the staff even looked at us. We decided to take a sign at the end of the bar so my son could see the train deliver the food. There was still plates and trash from the prior diner that they just left there. We basically had to tell them to clean it up. We then sat for another 5 minutes and we had to ask for menus. Really? If you want to ignore people just leave the menus on the counter. The food took almost 35 minutes, they said it was the Jucy Lucy I had ordered, wish they would have told me before I ordered. My son stayed occupied with their train sets for about 15 minutes before he got bored, there was not much variety to play with. The food was decent, fries were not seasoned well. Had to ask for utensils and she gave us one set for 3 people. Their customer service skills are horrtheres, the waitress didn't smile at my son once. We felt like we were bothering them for simple requests, like refilling our drinks. Not recommended at all.
(2)Mary Ann C.
What a great treat! We joined some friends here for Valentine's Day-five adults and four kids. The staff was friendly, food delicious, and atmosphere was fun! I loved that the train delivered our food (I have two kids under four, so this is my idea of excitement). Anyhow, the burgers were well prepared and flavorful, and my buffalo chicken wrap was so perfectly constructed that I might even enjoy it during my lunch break someday (without the kids!). The owner is hands-on and super friendly. As a small business owner, I appreciate his attention to detail and focus on customer service. Great job! We will be back....soon!
(5)Aimee W.
Color me surprised - and happy! We stopped in for lunch while we had family in town. I warned them before we got in to have low expectations. I've been to many a train-themed restaurant before and food quality is typically not the draw. Most places like this know that your kids are going to beg to go there even if the food sucks. The Junction figured it out though - our food was fabulous and there was a great selection for the kids *and* the grown ups (wine! wraps! soup!) .... sorry, I'm just used to seeing bad chicken nuggets and grilled cheese. I had the buffalo wrap and sweet potato fries - excellent food and great value. We'll be back!
(5)Kevin W.
Unbelievable went here with the kids thinking it would be just another kid friendly restaurant but boy were we surprised, first off the burger I had was as good or better than any I've had in recent memory, my wife had a wrap and said it was equally delicious. The kids both had Mac and cheese and devoured it, the wait staff was friendly and quick but I could definitely see them getting over burdened if the place fills up to fast. We went at 430 on a Saturday and it was absolutely perfect a small crowd with enough room for us and a few other families, in other words if your kids are hungry go early if you don't want to wait, I see this already popular place getting better and busier.
(5)Jason G.
I believe that they had only been open for a week or so at the time of my visit. The decor is still a work in progress, large blank walls. However they have a neat interactive train table, a coin-op train ride, and a huge black board wall with chalk. The waitstaff are friendly and helpful though a little overwhelmed. The service was quick. The food was excellent. I had the mushroom burger on a pretzel bun with regular fries. The fries are tasty and crispy. My wife had the sweet potato fries and said they were equally delicious. My boys had grilled cheese (nearly impossible to screw up) and mac and cheese with whole wheat pasta. The mac and cheese was great, next time I'm there I may have it for myself. Considering they just opened, the The Junction Diner is off to a great start.
(4)M Z.
We want this restaurant to survive, since it is a nice addition to the neighborhood and my son loves trains so it is fun for the kids. BUT we had a pretty bad experience here this week. We arrived and the place was obviously swamped. The waitresses seemed unable to function they were so slammed. So we were never really told where to sit or how to order so we had to flag someone down finally for water and ordering food. We ordered simple burgers and it must have taken 45 minutes for the food to come. The waitress kept apologizing and everything but when you have starving kids, no apology is going to stop them from melting down. Either they ran out of food and had to go buy more or the chef walked out or something. Anyway, when the food did arrive, it was not even good. My burger was undercooked and the fried were soaked in grease. My stomach was not happy afterwards. As I said, we want new places to do well but this place needs to get their act together. It takes more than a train delivering your food to get people to want to return. We may try it again someday if we hear from others that they have had better experiences. I agree with another reviewer--get a hostess, more wait staff, and more cooks in the kitchen.
(2)Jen P.
My son at age 4 is a train restaurant aficionado. Any Choo choo is good in his book, but I must say that this place just doesn't have what it takes. The restaurant management needs to hire someone that's managed a restaurant before and get some more experienced staff. I went right when it opened, and it was clearly not ready to open yet. We waited a few months and went back, but haven't seen much of an update. The train table is typically only half working. The owner spends most of his time socializing, but will leave you to sit next to dirty dishes for an hour even when you're practically the only person there. The food is promising and the fries are delicious, even though both times I went, something on my order got screwed up. I think they made the right choice by hiring more cooks because the speed of service for food delivery was MUCH better than our first visit. When you go to a train themed restaurant, you really want there to be a lot of trains going on. Thomas on the TV etc, but both times I went, I stared at a screen that had a Comcast message on it and ate in complete silence except for the echo of a large, empty restaurant. It's obvious that the owners mean well, but they need to start getting their hands dirty and be a lot more attentive to the details.
(2)Cisco C.
I loved the sweet potato fries. The regular fries tasted a bit burned with the skins left on them. The best thing about this restaurant is they are extremely kid friendly. Not only do they have toys for the kids to play with, but the staff has a kind attitude toward kids. Some restaurants say they are kid friendly, but then have a negative attitude toward children. The staff here is great!
(4)Sunil D.
I was in the mood for a Bacon Cheeseburger and a Beer yesterday after the Bears loss and I decided to check this place out. I was initially hesitant since I knew it was geared towards families but my neighbors had really hyped up the food and said the chef used to own Briejo in Oak Park. I was pleasantly surprised. I would say this was one of the best Cheeseburgers I've had and rivals the food of any place on Madison St. The fries were also great and the waitstaff was polite, courteous, and attentive. Although I'm adult, I was also amused to have my food brought out on the train. I can see how this place would appeal to kids (who love trains and being around other kids) and adults and I hope they do well.
(5)Rob T.
Its a great place for kids and the adults that come with them. The train, toys and chalk board are entertaining for kids and the burgers and sweet potato fries are very good.
(5)jen f.
This place was great for the whole family. Our 2 year old was entertained, and mom and dad could enjoy their food. (bonus: beer and wine is served). My husband had the Juicy Lucy burger and it was delicious. I had a turkey club, which was great as well. But, the whole family was able to enjoy a meal. The servers were super nice and the model train was fun to watch. My son also loved the train table and chalkboard wall to draw on.
(5)Josh L.
We've been there twice, it's awesome! We have three small kids five and under. They can play and we can eat! The owner is really a good guy and sounds like he is planning a bunch of great additions to the place. I highly recommend. We NEED places like this around this area!
(5)Parul D.
We looked at a few of the train themed restaurants to take our two toddler boys and decided to try this new place. The space is very large and beautiful. We were greeted warmly and it was great because the kids loved the freedom of the space. The seats are ingenious! You can put a highchair right over a stool so a little one is right at the counter. The food is very good diner food. I had the turkey club which was large and all the items on it were very fresh. My husband's burger was delicious too. The kids enjoyed everything. I loved that there were healthy side options for the kid's meals. The best part was there was beer and wine available! One thing I would suggest is to add more train themed items and decor. A train table with trains that kids could play at would be a great addition. A commenter below criticized the place for it's concept that it is not novel for anyone over 10 years. No kidding. This is a FAMILY friendly place that is specifically looking to cater to families who want a good meal AND have fun with and for their kids. The website is very clear about the concept and even if you didn't look at the website before stepping in, it becomes pretty clear within a few seconds of entering the place. If someone wants to check out this place without kids, the food stands up and the space is quite charming. For families, this is a wonderful option. It was fun for all of us and a great value.
(4)Melissa C.
We had a great experience at lunch today. Staff were a little overwhelmed, but they got the job done. My children had a great time and my spicy chicken salad was delicious!
(5)Jenny B.
Good place for kids, so-so for adults (which is to be expected for a train diner). My 8 and 3 year old really enjoyed The Junction Diner. It's a bit awkward of a space, it's huge and underutilized in terms of set up. The nice thing is that they have tall highchairs that go over the bar stools for kids to sit at the counter. The stools are set so far apart though, that it's hard to have a conversation with the someone. The food was average, burgers, hot dogs and fries. I thought a bit pricey for the kids menu. I like that they have play areas for the kids while they are waiting for the food. The wait staff was friendly, and this might sound odd, but a bit overly friendly for my taste. I like friendliness, but I don't like the staff awkwardly hanging around constantly trying to chit-chat and make conversation. Leave me be, check in, be friendly and then leave me alone! :) We would go back, for some kind of fun "special" dinner for my kids because it's a treat for them, but wouldn't frequent for an average dinner.
(3)Elizabeth K.
We had a great time here with the kids. The food was good and the kids could run around and play the whole time. The best part was the food being delivered by a train!
(4)Anne T.
Came to this restaurant today for a birthday party and I have no idea what happened in the kitchen of this place. When we got there the kids orders went right in because we had told the mom what we'd order prior to arriving and their food orders came out in a reasonable amount of time. Then she gave the adults menus and we placed our order a little later. An hour and a half later, this is not an exaggeration, we still did not have any food. We placed our order at 12:15 and left at 1:45, canceling our order on the way out. We were not the only ones either. We overheard another family saying they had been waiting an hour and were done and to cancel their order as well. Luckily for us we were at a party and the kids had friends to play with and we had adults to talk to. Also luckily for us our kids didn't finish their plates so we had some left over fries to tide us over. I have no idea how this could possibly happened. The worst part was that the owner was present and never once came to apologize or explain what was going on. He never even glanced at us. Our server came to tell us she was sorry and our food should be coming out a number of times but never offered any explanation. I really think this was unprofessional of the owner though. Take some responsibility and face your customers when something is wrong. Don't make your employees cover you. The lack of integrity in this situation is just as aggravating as the fact that we never got our food. The space is nice and not as cramped as the other diner in Downer's Grove, although I wish the trains and stuff were in the back of the restaurant and not right next to the front door. It would give a little more piece of mind knowing that a child couldn't get outside easily. Also, the cold french fries we got to eat were good. I imagine they probably have pretty good food, unfortunately we never got to find out.
(1)Nektaria R.
I love getting my food brought out to me with the train. I enjoy it more than my 2 year old nephew though. I kept telling him to look at the train. He really didn't seem to care at all. Food is pretty good. I've had their burgers, wraps and veggie patties when I was fasting from meat. We've had most of their deserts. Everything is really good and tasty. We had a one off once, but the owner quickly corrected it for us. I will continue coming here cause my nephew likes riding the little rocking train/car in the window and cause I love the sweet potato fries. They also serve funky beers. Check them out.
(4)Nick R.
Came here with my wife and daughter. Really cool place to take kids for lunch. The food is really good. I thought it would be mostly frozen burgers and pizza but they actually take a lot of pride in their menu and ingredients. I had the Reuben which was really good. My wife had the juicy Lucy burger which was also very good. Made fresh stuffed with giardenerra on a super soft pretzel roll. The sweet potato fries were also great. Of course what the restaurant is known for is all the food is delivered on a model train which circles around the large counter. The kids love it! Word of advice you will need some quarters for the kids games in front. The decor is kind of blah. Seems like the room could be beautiful but they cut a lot of corners with the decor. But not bad for a kids place. Overall I'd definitely recommend coming here. Being the kids and come hungry.
(4)Sarah R.
Came here for my grandson's birthday. He loved the choo choo train and the photo booth. And the food was good. Great destination for the little ones.
(3)Claudia M.
Such a fun place for the kiddos! My son loves trains and a friend of mine had been telling us how fun this place was. We took my 3 y.o. daughter and 18 month old son and they had a blast. There is a coin operated train that you sit on and my daughter just could not get enough of it. They also have a miniature train station /town and all the kids get on a step to look in on it. There are buttons that you can press to turn the store lights on. And of course the choo choo train that brings your food the table was a hit. They also have an old photo booth in the back and you can get a token for 3 bucks. The kids loved that as well. The food was standard. I had a spicy chicken sandwich with fries and a beer. The kiddos had nuggets and fries. My husband had the corn beef sandwich. The food was tasty, I would come back again. I was afraid there would be a wait but when we got there it was 5:00 on a Tuesday night (during Christmas vacation) and there was almost no one there but slowly they started coming in and by the time we left the place was packed. WE got lucky with parking but you may have to drive around the block a couple of time. We will definitely bring the kids back.
(5)Bernadette S.
I love this place and agree with the previous positive reviews. My son is happily playing with the trains right now while I sit with a full belly from my spicy chicken pasta. Yum! The staff here rocks!
(5)Cheryl R.
I love everything about the Junction. The staff is friendly, the food is great, the train motif is amazing and they even have an old fashioned photo booth in the back of the restaurant!! My five year old and I try to come once a month and she always leaves with a smile! The prices are very reasonable and I love the this is the type of place where kids are encouraged to get up and be kids! Definitely an A+++in my book.
(5)Aimee M.
This isn't our first train restaurant rodeo and certainly wont be our last. After an afternoon on the Polar...ahem excuse me, the Santa Express out of River Forest (they can't use "Polar Express" anymore due to licensure or copyright or whatever blah de blah de blah) The Junction Diner was the perfect place to keep the train theme going. Sunday at about 4pm the place was pretty empty except for a birthday party in their party room. But by 5pm more and more families started coming in. My 3 yr old son, MIL and I were greeted immediately when we entered and we easily found seats along the counter. Our server was very enthusiastic and made sure we were aware of all the specials, pointed out the kids menu and pointed out the craft soda and beer/wine options. Among the train restaurants I've visited in Bartlett and Downers Grove, this one has the best menu. It comes pretty close to DG, but JD's specials menu and craft soda selection sets them apart. My MIL and I couldn't decide between two sandwiches so we ordered each and split them. The Pot Roast sandwich and the Reuben (which was on the specials board). I upgraded my fries to sweet potato fries and opted for the Birch Beer Soda. My son ordered the cheese quesadilla. We also split an order of their home made doughnuts for dessert. The food was excellent. I loved how they served the sauces for the sammies on the side (horseradish for the pot roast and russian for the Reuben). The food came out piping hot and everything was delicious. The pot roast was very tender and the horseradish sauce def added a nice element of flavor. The Reuben was also very good too. Nice helping of corned beef too. The sweet potato fries were excellent, made well and very tasty. The dessert was wonderful. It's 5 dounut puffs, sitting on top of some honey, dusted with cinnamon and comes with a chocolate dipping sauce. It really didn't need the chocolate as it was pretty tasty on its own but who are we kidding, it's chocolate and it's always welcome! The space is nice, seems like an older building as it's very tall and spacious inside...it could use more train decor the walls. But there are some fun things about the space. The train that delivers your food--but it only runs on the counter so if you're seated at one of the tables, the train still brings your food, it's just one of the servers has to deliver it to your table. There's a train table for tykes to play with. There's also a mechanical train ride and a stationary train ride. Also a little village of trains and buildings that light up/move at a push of a button. Wonderful and friendly service. We'll be back.
(4)Kayla A.
The Junction Diner 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.
(4)Natalie S.
This is now our second trip to a train themed restaurant and in comparison, Junction Diner comes up a little short. The kids had a good time and that was good enough for me but there's definitely room for improvement. For starters, there seems to be a lack of trains in the train themed restaurant. There was a cute train set up but only three of the many buttons seemed to be working. There was a train table but only a handful of trains for it. There's a couple train posters but that's really it. On the TV was some crappy CW show. The place wasn't very busy at 6pm on a Saturday night so we only saw the trains go out with food a few times. The space is large but a little cold. The food was just ok. My husband and I each ordered the Juicy Lucy and there wasn't really anything juicy about it. It was pretty dry. The fries were good. The kids orders of mac and cheese were ok. But when I ordered I asked the waitress if we were to skip the fries and drink (because I could tell my kids just weren't going to eat because they were too busy playing) if the price went from the advertised $5.99 to $3 for an entree, as specified on the menu. She said yes... then charged us the $5.99 anyways. By the time we got the bill, we were just ready to go and I didn't want to make a big deal over $3 (which is actually $6 because we had two meals) but I did specifically ask her and she charged us anyways. The location is convenient for us because its on our way home from Brookfield Zoo so it could make a nice day with lunch. But it just wasn't that great. We might be in if my 4 year old begs but for train themed restaurants, its done elsewhere much better.
(3)Carol C.
Great place for kids' parties! The staff was friendly and helpful, and made sure the birthday girl had everything she wanted. Kids had a wonderful time!
(5)Bee P.
My husband and I are expecting our first little one. We walked past this diner and noted it had a good pub food variety with a beer and wine list. We ventured in and were happy to notice a very child friendly environment with a play area, photo booth, train set delivering your food, oversized chalkboard to draw on, and wooden authentic changing tables in the restrooms. The place was full of families with the kids of all ages. Parents were mingling and enjoying their meals while children ate and found plenty to do while at the diner. The owner was super friendly and attentive even during a busy evening. He spoke of his family and made us feel welcome and ready to come back after our baby is born. The menu is perfect, has great things for adults and a kid friendly section with a variety of food and healthy alternatives (yogurt/veggies, etc). We will definitely return.
(5)Tara M.
I took my son here for a birthday dinner. It was very cute. The food was pretty good, I'd say better than most of the train restaurants we've been to. I agree with previous reviews that they could have more trains there but the place is fricken huge so I understand how hard it must be to fill such a large space. I think the thing that stands out the most is how friendly the wait staff and owners are. Even if the place was lame or the food sucked (which neither apply here) the people there made my son's birthday special and treated my family like their own.
(5)Matt W.
Great place to bring the kids, and they have craft beer and good food for the adults as well! Their chili is exceptional and somewhat spicy if you like that kind of thing (i do). They have a great train setup with lots for the kids to do while you wait for the food. They even have a cool old vintage photo-booth machine.
(5)Jane C.
Perfect for my son's 2nd birthday. Any child who loves trains will love this place. Any parent who enjoys watching their kids have fun, this is it! For the adults, they serve beer & wine and the casual atmosphere makes it easy for everyone to enjoy themselves. I thought the food was kid friendly but the adults also didn't seem to have a problem putting it down. Cute little street to wander around post dinner too. The owner was very accommodating and so was our waitress Betty!
(5)Carlos G.
The kids love this place and all the cool trains and train tables they have. The food is actually pretty good and tasty, I had the turkey burger with fries, kids had hot dogs and the missus had the wrap. She said the wrap was good but burped it up all day. My burger was right on and the chipotle mayo was great. Of course the big attraction is that they bring the food in a train so the kids love it!
(4)Brian T.
I would normally give this place 4 stars but my son loved it so much, I had to give it 5. The food was surprisingly better than I thought it was going to be. The sweet potatoe fries were delicious. the juicy lucy was just ok, probably could have had more cheese but it was still good. They only had two waitresses and a packed house but the food came out fairly quickly. Only suggestion, get some milk shakes in their. That would totally kill it with the burgers and fries
(5)Nichole F.
We tool my son here for the first time today and it was great! We got there right at 11 when they open because we wanted to sit where the train delivers the food to you and we didn't know how popular this place was. Even though, we got there at 11, it did fill up quickly. I think by 11:30, the counter was full. While we waited for our food, we looked at the train/downtown model which had buttons you could press that could move cars and lights. We played with a car with a steering wheel and a chance for an awesome photo op and ride the train of course (25 cents). There is also a train table and a school bus with a lot of different play stations so it is easy for several children to play independently on it. It was fun to have our food delivered on a train. We split a soft pretzel and cheese which was great. I had a burger and fries, my son had mini burgers and fruit and my husband had a turkey club and fries. The fries were awesome! We also ordered the little one a cupcake since it was a special occasion. All in all, we will absolutely go back there. It is a quick trip from the city and plenty of parking. They also have a Yelp deal that we bought while we were there. $20 for $12. Winning!
(5)Robert F.
Waited 25 minutes for scrambled eggs and a cheeseburger, although the place was nearly empty. When the food arrived, the eggs were cold. They made me another plate, but the eggs tasted very strange and the toast had so much butter a huge pool soaked through the center of both pieces of toast. Dirty plates sat all around, and the place looked messy overall. I like the concept and the train around the counter, and I hope they do well, but the food, service, and cleanliness all were a problem.
(1)Rahil R.
They really nail the train motif. A train brings out the food, they have a couple of play train sets and they also have one for the kids to ride. Some other nice touches are the full wall chalkboard, wine and beer, and the free wifi. That all came first because the food is pretty standard. Burgers, pasta and the regular kids menu filled with cheese with mac or grilled. Overall a great place to take a kid to keep them busy in between bites of food, but not a place to come for just for the food.
(4)Elizabeth K.
We went with friends during a visit back to Chicagoland. Our 19 month old son LOVED it! The modified highchairs were great, very sturdy! The food was so so. I think for what is offered it's a little pricey. For 2 adults & 1 child our bill was close to $50. We had 1 app, 1 beer, 1 pop, 1 kids meal, & 2 sandwiches. The service could also use some help. It was slow. The only waiter was overwhelmed I feel like. So drinks never really got refilled. Our son loved all the train stuff to play with. So much so when our food came he didn't want to sit back down. The owner was amazing! He pulled out a top and a small train to soothe his howls. He also seemed to sense when all the kids were getting restless and would send the train by. We will return because our son now loves trains, but will wait for a groupon for a better deal on the food.
(4)Suz C.
My 3 year old son is crazy about trains. CRAZY. INSANE. So, we've been to 2Toots and we've been to All Aboard Diner. I heard about The Junction Diner and we decided to give it a try on a Saturday around lunch time. I thought it was ok, but needs a little bit of work to keep up with their other train diner mainstays in the western suburbs. The place looks nice and fairly new - high ceilings, train photos, a modern train food server that runs around the counter, a couple of train rides in front (which seemed to have operational issues that day), and a model train display. I also appreciated the chalkboard towards the back where kids can draw with chalk. There is a small party room in the back, too. It was fairly busy when we went. There was never an empty table the entire time we were there, and we felt lucky to have found a table as soon as we got there. But we did see some families waiting. Now, the servers were very nice and friendly...but I think there weren't enough servers because there were long waits. Long wait to find someone to even seat us, long wait for the menu, long wait for the food, long wait for drinks, long wait to get the check. But our server was hustling, so I really do think it was because they didn't have enough people working. It seemed like one person worked the train counter and one person worked all the outside tables. For a Saturday lunch, I think you need a few more hands, and it's just good business to warmly greet all new guests who step in the door. Food was decent. I enjoyed my salad, my husband had a veggie burger, and my son gobbled enjoyed his kids meal. If I had to rank them, I'd say All Aboard is tops, 2Toots second, and Junction Diner is third. I think Junction Diner needs to increase staffing or better manage customers walking in. I also think they may need more train-themed items...whether it's train movies on tv's (they had sports on television), train hats, or more train tchotchkes to purchase. I was thinking about having my son's birthday party there, but I felt like there wasn't enough to keep the kids entertained. Parking was a little bit of a challenge on a Saturday afternoon, too. Took awhile to find a spot.
(3)Vanessa B.
We've been to a few different train restaurants, some awesome some just ok. The junction diner was definitely just ok. They had really nice staff, and good food (we were pleasantly surprised, the veggie burger was delicious!) , but the space itself lacked, well, trains. And let's be honest, we come here for the trains! There were a couple pics on the wall, a train table, and a train that the kids could ride for a quarter, but then that was it. The train on the counter is always a favorite at these kind of places, but the kids lose interest as soon as their food has been delivered. Other places have more games, moving trains on the wall, decorations, even bathrooms decorated with trains!
(3)Jason F.
Not impressed at all. Food was nothing special, and the service was terrible. We had a long wait, and there were only two other customers there. The waitress seemed really disinterested, as though she dreaded being there. With Louie's (which has excellent food and service) being right across the street, there is really no reason for my wife and I to go back there.
(1)Thomas C.
i didn't know what to expect, other than what I had read, about this place. I knew it was kid-centric, but also knew they had beer and wine offerings ... presumably for the adults to consume, not use as bedtime aids :) Will definitely go back, even without the kids. Owner is from Indianapolis (turns out a classmate of my wife's) but that's not the reason for the four stars, that's all about the menu and the space. Still, both, works in progress, but good offerings for anybody's palate, food is delivered by locomotive and the food's good. I had the juicy lucy style burger which did justice to it's Minn. namesake/roots, wife had the chicken wrap which was also very good. Kids had chicken nuggets and they were good enough to keep their attention, and bottoms in seats, despite the appealing kid-centric playthings which were available. This is a great concept and I really hope it works because what a great place to grab a bite and entertain the children and maybe make some new friends in the process.
(4)Patty R.
We took our grandson there today at 12:45 for lunch, and it was really crowded. We had to wait 15 minutes for stools at the counter to open up, but there are a lot of toys to play with, so waiting was not hard to do. They have a train layout with buttons to make things work, a train ride for 25 cents, a toy car table, and other things. A wall is a huge blackboard which the kids may scribble on. There is a photo booth at the back, too. When we got seated, the food was delivered on a train that runs on a track all the way around the counter. Our hamburgers were delicious, and the sodas and beers were great. You could get juice or milk for the kids, too. And they give the kids crayons and a picture to color while they are waiting for their food. The bathroom had a changing table, and a step stool so kids can wash their hands. Very kid friendly place. It emptied out a bunch by 2, so that would be a good time to go have a late lunch. This is a really fun place to take little kids, although there were older ones that were having fun too. And more than a few adults loved the train layout with the tiny people and accessories.
(5)Dave C.
We happened upon this diner just trying to get out of the cold and were met with great atmosphere, better food & superb service. The food is brought to you on this little train that runs on a track around the counter, there is a 1960s photo booth that has been restored and a chalkboard wall to while away the time until your food arrives. If you are looking for friendly, helpful staff along with great classic diner food at reasonable prices & a laid back atmosphere, you will find it here. My 14 year old niece and her 16 year old cousin drew some art on the chalkboard wall, hammed it up in the photo booth & enjoyed butterscotch root beer & sarsaparilla until our food arrived. The kids got adventurous will a couple of specials and i stayed classic with a turkey club. Their sandwiches were spot on & my fries were hand cut with the peel on...we all left happier then we were when we went in. Highly recommended, I know we will be back.
(5)Nyassa B.
Lots of fun, great fun and great food. Kids love it. The food is pretty tasty and the staff is wonderful, especially with my Bugga. I highly recommend everyone with kids bring them here for a Saturday night out on the town experience for your little ones.
(4)Steven P.
Terrible service. The people who work here are totally clueless. They forget orders, are slow, and can't handle more than a few customers at a time. Too bad since it's a nice place and is fun for the kids. Don't come here unless you have at least 90 minutes!
(3)Stephanie R.
Wow, I'm really disappointed. We tried to eat here tonight, but sat around for nearly 20 minutes (with a grumpy toddler) without getting drinks or even being acknowledged. That's pretty unacceptable. I didn't recognize anyone working tonight so maybe they were new, but the restaurant wasn't even that busy. With so many restaurants on Madison St., your service really needs to be better than that.
(2)April J.
We love this local business! We are quite pleased with the food every time we go here. Service is good and the owner is often there ensuring things are running smoothly. It has a simple no nonsense diner feel, but with what I would consider better food and drinks than many diners offer. Our kids of course love the diner counter and the food train that delivers the food. They have a good selection of food on the menu, and the food has good flavor and seems fresh. There is even a selection of great beer. they also serve limited breakfast items anytime they are open...with good coffee I might add. After our kids finish their meals we let them play in the children's play area in the front of the restaurant (there are some toys and train displays). There is also a chalkboard wall where kids can draw. Despite the kid focus, the clientele is courteous and conscientious of their children, so I've never been annoyed by chaos or bad behavior. This place is a perfect casual lunch or dinner spot in forest park, especially for families with young children.
(5)Karen C.
This place is adorable (if you have kids or a really childish like me). I went for a walk with a girlfriend of mine and we stumbled upon this place. It was a weekday early evening and the place was empty so I can't say how it is on the weekends when it's full of little ones playing with the trains and running around. My guess is that unless I was there with my nephew's, I'd avoid the place like the plague on the weekends as I have very little patience dealing with screaming kids while I am trying to eat. The food is reasonably priced, the soup I had was yummy, and they deliver the food on a train that goes around the counter. Yea, that was my favorite part. Apparently I'm just a giant child. There's nothing special about the menu. You can tell they are trying to cater to kids and keeping it simple seems the safe bet. It's a neat idea for families in the area, especially since there are so many bars and adult driven restaurants around. I'd return with my nephews...and some earplugs...on a weekend just to see how it is.
(3)Jen P.
My son at age 4 is a train restaurant aficionado. Any Choo choo is good in his book, but I must say that this place just doesn't have what it takes. The restaurant management needs to hire someone that's managed a restaurant before and get some more experienced staff. I went right when it opened, and it was clearly not ready to open yet. We waited a few months and went back, but haven't seen much of an update. The train table is typically only half working. The owner spends most of his time socializing, but will leave you to sit next to dirty dishes for an hour even when you're practically the only person there. The food is promising and the fries are delicious, even though both times I went, something on my order got screwed up. I think they made the right choice by hiring more cooks because the speed of service for food delivery was MUCH better than our first visit. When you go to a train themed restaurant, you really want there to be a lot of trains going on. Thomas on the TV etc, but both times I went, I stared at a screen that had a Comcast message on it and ate in complete silence except for the echo of a large, empty restaurant. It's obvious that the owners mean well, but they need to start getting their hands dirty and be a lot more attentive to the details.
(2)Cisco C.
I loved the sweet potato fries. The regular fries tasted a bit burned with the skins left on them. The best thing about this restaurant is they are extremely kid friendly. Not only do they have toys for the kids to play with, but the staff has a kind attitude toward kids. Some restaurants say they are kid friendly, but then have a negative attitude toward children. The staff here is great!
(4)Sunil D.
I was in the mood for a Bacon Cheeseburger and a Beer yesterday after the Bears loss and I decided to check this place out. I was initially hesitant since I knew it was geared towards families but my neighbors had really hyped up the food and said the chef used to own Briejo in Oak Park. I was pleasantly surprised. I would say this was one of the best Cheeseburgers I've had and rivals the food of any place on Madison St. The fries were also great and the waitstaff was polite, courteous, and attentive. Although I'm adult, I was also amused to have my food brought out on the train. I can see how this place would appeal to kids (who love trains and being around other kids) and adults and I hope they do well.
(5)Rob T.
Its a great place for kids and the adults that come with them. The train, toys and chalk board are entertaining for kids and the burgers and sweet potato fries are very good.
(5)jen f.
This place was great for the whole family. Our 2 year old was entertained, and mom and dad could enjoy their food. (bonus: beer and wine is served). My husband had the Juicy Lucy burger and it was delicious. I had a turkey club, which was great as well. But, the whole family was able to enjoy a meal. The servers were super nice and the model train was fun to watch. My son also loved the train table and chalkboard wall to draw on.
(5)Jenny B.
Good place for kids, so-so for adults (which is to be expected for a train diner). My 8 and 3 year old really enjoyed The Junction Diner. It's a bit awkward of a space, it's huge and underutilized in terms of set up. The nice thing is that they have tall highchairs that go over the bar stools for kids to sit at the counter. The stools are set so far apart though, that it's hard to have a conversation with the someone. The food was average, burgers, hot dogs and fries. I thought a bit pricey for the kids menu. I like that they have play areas for the kids while they are waiting for the food. The wait staff was friendly, and this might sound odd, but a bit overly friendly for my taste. I like friendliness, but I don't like the staff awkwardly hanging around constantly trying to chit-chat and make conversation. Leave me be, check in, be friendly and then leave me alone! :) We would go back, for some kind of fun "special" dinner for my kids because it's a treat for them, but wouldn't frequent for an average dinner.
(3)Elizabeth K.
We had a great time here with the kids. The food was good and the kids could run around and play the whole time. The best part was the food being delivered by a train!
(4)Anne T.
Came to this restaurant today for a birthday party and I have no idea what happened in the kitchen of this place. When we got there the kids orders went right in because we had told the mom what we'd order prior to arriving and their food orders came out in a reasonable amount of time. Then she gave the adults menus and we placed our order a little later. An hour and a half later, this is not an exaggeration, we still did not have any food. We placed our order at 12:15 and left at 1:45, canceling our order on the way out. We were not the only ones either. We overheard another family saying they had been waiting an hour and were done and to cancel their order as well. Luckily for us we were at a party and the kids had friends to play with and we had adults to talk to. Also luckily for us our kids didn't finish their plates so we had some left over fries to tide us over. I have no idea how this could possibly happened. The worst part was that the owner was present and never once came to apologize or explain what was going on. He never even glanced at us. Our server came to tell us she was sorry and our food should be coming out a number of times but never offered any explanation. I really think this was unprofessional of the owner though. Take some responsibility and face your customers when something is wrong. Don't make your employees cover you. The lack of integrity in this situation is just as aggravating as the fact that we never got our food. The space is nice and not as cramped as the other diner in Downer's Grove, although I wish the trains and stuff were in the back of the restaurant and not right next to the front door. It would give a little more piece of mind knowing that a child couldn't get outside easily. Also, the cold french fries we got to eat were good. I imagine they probably have pretty good food, unfortunately we never got to find out.
(1)Ethan C.
Stopped in here with my lady and the little one a few weeks ago. For anyone who is looking to take children somewhere they'll enjoy without having to sacrifice the quality of their meal, this is the place to go! The decor is still a little sparse, but that didn't bother my 3 year old. The really impressive train set, coin-op train ride, full chalkboard wall and open space for her to run around in were all a big hit. And did I mention the food? The food here was so good, I would go back without a little one. I had the mushroom burger on pretzel bun, the little one had the Mac and Cheese and my wife had some kind of salad. We also shared some mozzarella sticks. Everything was delicious, with really high quality ingredients, the Mac and Cheese was made with whole wheat pasta and my kid ate every bite. The burger was juicy and prepared just right. The mozzarella sticks were excellent, not too greasy, but very flavorful. The place wasn't very crowded when we went on a Thursday night. I could see the need for a larger staff if things were busier, but overall our experience was very positive and I hope the Junction Diner is around for a long time to come.
(4)sarah s.
Food is probably 2.5 - 3 stars but an extra star for having a kiddie play area! Taco basket was decent- only $1 each! Kids at least had a choice of fresh fruit and beer/wine was available. My husband ordered a pot roast sandwich on a pretzel bun which was pretty huge and tasty. I'd recommend that over the tacos. Our family enjoyed it there and service was friendly.
(4)Tanya S.
Great for toddlers! I still think the food for adults could be better,but the kids meal options are great and yummy!
(4)Julie R.
This is a cute little place. We just found them and have been there twice. First time the waiter asked us if we had been there before and when we said no, offered some recommendations for us. Decor is simple, but they have a train table with buttons that my daughter just loved. Service staff are all friendly and don't rush you. When it was quiet they ran the train a bunch of times for my daughter. Second time was way busier, but we still had decent service. Burgers were great both times. My daughter loved the macaroni and hummus.
(4)kevin s.
The food is good, but that's not why you come here. Its for the kids, and they love it. The food comes out on trains, and there's no much for kids to do. Chalk board wall, ride on trains, play train sets. It's great
(4)W S.
I was shocked at how good the food was. We took my daughter here on her birthday for dinner during the week, as we thought it would be more fun for her than a normal restaurant. She had fun, and my wife and I were very pleasantly surprised to be eating great food. No offense to this place, but I think most parents will agree that when you go somewhere "kid-centric" you don't have high culinary expectations. Homemade fries and chips, and a pot roast sandwich on a pretzel roll. Great stuff.
(4)Jennifer W.
I LOVE THIS PLACE! 1st **The Staff** Nicest people on the planet earth. Especially the early afternoon waitress. On more than one occasion she has taken quarters out of her tip cup and given them to my children so they can ride the train. Of the many times my family and I have eaten there my order has only been wrong once. The waitress figured it out right away and promptly fixed it. Its also nice seeing the owner walking around talking to other customers and children making sure everyone is enjoying there visit. 2nd ** the food** I've personally only had the burgers and fries and they are delish. Burgers are cooked to the right temperature you specify, and the fries are homemade and yet still crispy and well seasoned. I would go back for the food alone regardless if I had my kids. 3rd **atmosphere** I love the fact that my kids can run around and play until the food is ready. There are many activities that keep them occupied from writing on the chalk board, to playing with the different train stations. My only complaint is I wish there was more trains for them to ride or play with. Not to make excuses for this place, but I get the feel that this is a fairly new business and they are still working out the kinks. If you didn't have a pleasant experience I would go back and try it again before you write them off completely. Read my other reviews I don't say that EVER.
(4)Mary Ann C.
What a great treat! We joined some friends here for Valentine's Day-five adults and four kids. The staff was friendly, food delicious, and atmosphere was fun! I loved that the train delivered our food (I have two kids under four, so this is my idea of excitement). Anyhow, the burgers were well prepared and flavorful, and my buffalo chicken wrap was so perfectly constructed that I might even enjoy it during my lunch break someday (without the kids!). The owner is hands-on and super friendly. As a small business owner, I appreciate his attention to detail and focus on customer service. Great job! We will be back....soon!
(5)Aimee W.
Color me surprised - and happy! We stopped in for lunch while we had family in town. I warned them before we got in to have low expectations. I've been to many a train-themed restaurant before and food quality is typically not the draw. Most places like this know that your kids are going to beg to go there even if the food sucks. The Junction figured it out though - our food was fabulous and there was a great selection for the kids *and* the grown ups (wine! wraps! soup!) .... sorry, I'm just used to seeing bad chicken nuggets and grilled cheese. I had the buffalo wrap and sweet potato fries - excellent food and great value. We'll be back!
(5)Kevin W.
Unbelievable went here with the kids thinking it would be just another kid friendly restaurant but boy were we surprised, first off the burger I had was as good or better than any I've had in recent memory, my wife had a wrap and said it was equally delicious. The kids both had Mac and cheese and devoured it, the wait staff was friendly and quick but I could definitely see them getting over burdened if the place fills up to fast. We went at 430 on a Saturday and it was absolutely perfect a small crowd with enough room for us and a few other families, in other words if your kids are hungry go early if you don't want to wait, I see this already popular place getting better and busier.
(5)Jason G.
I believe that they had only been open for a week or so at the time of my visit. The decor is still a work in progress, large blank walls. However they have a neat interactive train table, a coin-op train ride, and a huge black board wall with chalk. The waitstaff are friendly and helpful though a little overwhelmed. The service was quick. The food was excellent. I had the mushroom burger on a pretzel bun with regular fries. The fries are tasty and crispy. My wife had the sweet potato fries and said they were equally delicious. My boys had grilled cheese (nearly impossible to screw up) and mac and cheese with whole wheat pasta. The mac and cheese was great, next time I'm there I may have it for myself. Considering they just opened, the The Junction Diner is off to a great start.
(4)M Z.
We want this restaurant to survive, since it is a nice addition to the neighborhood and my son loves trains so it is fun for the kids. BUT we had a pretty bad experience here this week. We arrived and the place was obviously swamped. The waitresses seemed unable to function they were so slammed. So we were never really told where to sit or how to order so we had to flag someone down finally for water and ordering food. We ordered simple burgers and it must have taken 45 minutes for the food to come. The waitress kept apologizing and everything but when you have starving kids, no apology is going to stop them from melting down. Either they ran out of food and had to go buy more or the chef walked out or something. Anyway, when the food did arrive, it was not even good. My burger was undercooked and the fried were soaked in grease. My stomach was not happy afterwards. As I said, we want new places to do well but this place needs to get their act together. It takes more than a train delivering your food to get people to want to return. We may try it again someday if we hear from others that they have had better experiences. I agree with another reviewer--get a hostess, more wait staff, and more cooks in the kitchen.
(2)Josh L.
We've been there twice, it's awesome! We have three small kids five and under. They can play and we can eat! The owner is really a good guy and sounds like he is planning a bunch of great additions to the place. I highly recommend. We NEED places like this around this area!
(5)Rebecca V.
I feel bad complaining because the staff is certainly friendly, but seem very under-skilled. We've been there twice now and both times, they messed up our orders. (The first time they got my side wrong, then this last time they got grandma's order wrong and mine was completely whacked out - and believe me, when the 5 year old gets fries and the 3 year old doesn't - that's fighting time. They were both supposed to get fruit BTW...) The food is decent, but nothing that I would rave about, and so that makes it harder to overlook the shortcomings of the poor service and really, the not very appealing atmosphere. It's quite cold and blank - I am not sure what they are going for - a kids' restaurant should be much more colorful, interactive, and playful. This is tasteful and more adult, but really rather sterile. It doesn't have to be tacky (there is a train restaurant further west where it feels like Thomas threw up on the place...) but it's not super-appealing to little kids. It takes more than a train bringing the food to make a train-themed restaurant!! Living in Forest Park and having 2 boys who love trains, we'd like this place to succeed, but they really need to step it up. It feels like they've only been open for 2 weeks rather than 4 months.
(1)Jonathan P.
My wife & I had a great meal, but more importantly our kids had a blast. Everything about this place met expectations. Owner was super nice and made sure the meal/experience was great. I'm really pulling for this place because I live in Chicago and it is a quick commute for a nice place with the kids. Restaurants like this provide a service to the community when adults can eat good food while entertaining children for an hour!
(5)Michael-Colin R.
The common problem with concept restaurants is that when all is said and done, either the concept or the food quality suffers in the end. In The Junction's case, the food is perfectly fine but the concept is pathetically almost laughably realized in this vacuous space which was formerly a much loved stained glass studio and retail space. The idea of your lunch arriving on a train is hardly and novel concept for anyone over 10 years old and the rest of the concept is executed strictly by the restaurant's name and a few small pictures of trains sporadically scattered on the otherwise massively empty gray walls. The menu is neither original nor inventive in any way. We've all seen burgers on pretzel buns, cheese fries and buffalo chicken sandwiches before and The Junction delivers these with no twist of any kind other than the boxcar it rolls in on. Standard diner dishes, nicely prepared for sure, but nothing special here. The Junction's main marketing point is that it's a family friendly joint. My partner and I are two gay men in our 40's with no kids so this is a plus we could care less about, in fact, the less we have to deal with people's children the better. If the food were better or the menu more interesting, we'd be more than willing to deal with everyone's rug rats for the sake of a great lunch but such is not the case here. Now, if you DO have children, FINALLY you have a place where you can take them where they can run and scream to their hearts content and people like me and my partner won't be at the next table rolling our eyes and wishing they'd shut the hell up and eat their chicken nuggets. The little angels have plenty to keep them occupied including a chalk wall they can draw on and a working model train they can control. My partner ordered the cheeseburger with fries and I had the pot roast sandwich with sweet potato fries. His burger was nicely cooked and the fries were hot and had a nice crunch. My pot roast sandwich was tender and nicely seasoned and my sweet potato fries were crispy and hot. Our sandwiches and 2 drinks came to just over $22 for our lunch. They did not take credit cards at the time, luckily my bank is right across the street so I had to hit the cash machine and come back. The staff was friendly enough but when we went it was not a busy night and they could hardly handle the few patrons they had with any sense of efficiency, I can only imagine how much of a hot mess the service must be on a busy Saturday afternoon. Concept C Execution D Menu C Service C Quality B+ Value B Grade C
(3)Kari G.
We went for the first time last night and loved it. It's such a great concept, and the kids loved the play area (although, if I'm going to be picky, I'll say the train table could use some more trains & tracks) and the train on which the food was delivered was really cool. The food actually exceeded my expectations, too! It was really fresh and all homemade. The soup & veggie burger and handcut fries were delicious! A few more vegetarian options on the menu would be nice, though. It's also nice that they serve beer & wine for the adults. The servers were all super-friendly and the owner came and spoke with us, too, and was so nice. We will definitely be back.
(4)Bree L.
Waited about 40 min for food with three hungry boys. No one gave an update unless I asked.
(1)Josh C.
While it's definitely great that we have another restaurant well designed for kids in the near west suburbs, this place is unfortunately one to avoid until they can get a proper management team in place. We walked in this evening and weren't acknowledged or greeted by a single employee until we walked up to the counter and asked to be seated. While I was keeping tabs on the kids, my wife was told that they were cleaning up and they would seat us shortly. Several other patrons walked in after us and were seated by one of the wait staff right in front of us (at the seats they were cleaning up for us). We then complained and were offered 3 seats (for a party of 4). Given no satisfactory resolution, we promptly left after waiting nearly 20 minutes in a restaurant which was maybe 60% occupied. We are now glad we did not dine here in hindsight. Given they've obviously cut some significant corners in the front of the restaurant, we're wondering what kinds of corners they are cutting in the preparation of the food. Very basic misses - like a complete and total lack of a greeter or host(ess) lead one to believe that they don't know what they're doing. Are they skimping on cleaning in the kitchen? Are they skimping on disposal of spoilage? Are the "overworked" wait staff too busy to wash their hands or too busy to ensure dishes are properly cleaned and sanitized? Until this place can demonstrate some basic restaurant management skills, I would highly recommend avoiding it. At a minimum to you'll save yourself the inconvenience of having to explain to your 3 and 5 year old boys why we're not eating at the Train restaurant tonight.
(1)Allison V.
Pros: -The concept of a train-themed restaurant would be a big hit with the Oak Park/Forest Park crowd if it ever gets fully realized. It's part-way there. -The food is really good. My french fries were the best I've had in awhile. Cons: -There isn't enough waitstaff to handle the crowd. -There's no host, hoststand or any signs to let you know if you should seat yourself or flag down one of the completely overwhelmed staff. I've been to The Junction Diner twice and the first time, our order was lost and it took more than 40 minutes to get our food. When the food came, it was wrong, but we just ate- with a starving two-year-old it was just easier to have something to eat! We chalked it up to new-restaurant kinks and gave it another chance yesterday. Yesterday, two months after they've opened, we stood for 20 MINUTES at the front of the restaurant with no acknowledgement from any staff. We finally just took a table, but it only had two chairs. My 70-year-old mother-in-law carried additional chairs across the entire restaurant with not even a busboy stopping to help her. We sat for another 15 minutes waiting for anyone to come by- but no one did! So we went across the street to Louie's and ate within minutes of our arrival. Junction Diner, you could be very successful, but you need to hire more waitstaff, a food runner, a host and install some real train tables or activities for kids before everyone realizes this place isn't worth it.
(1)Ed P.
Great place for the whole family. Just had the Tacos, they're better than any Mexican restaurant in the Forest Park area.
(5)Scott A.
Brought my son here for his 4th birthday. We took him to All-Aboard diner in Downers Grove last year and while the food isn't great there we enjoyed the experience. We decided on this place cause it's much closer to our house and the menu seemed to be a little more unique. When you first walk in there us no sign to tell you to seat yourself and none of the staff even looked at us. We decided to take a sign at the end of the bar so my son could see the train deliver the food. There was still plates and trash from the prior diner that they just left there. We basically had to tell them to clean it up. We then sat for another 5 minutes and we had to ask for menus. Really? If you want to ignore people just leave the menus on the counter. The food took almost 35 minutes, they said it was the Jucy Lucy I had ordered, wish they would have told me before I ordered. My son stayed occupied with their train sets for about 15 minutes before he got bored, there was not much variety to play with. The food was decent, fries were not seasoned well. Had to ask for utensils and she gave us one set for 3 people. Their customer service skills are horrtheres, the waitress didn't smile at my son once. We felt like we were bothering them for simple requests, like refilling our drinks. Not recommended at all.
(2)Parul D.
We looked at a few of the train themed restaurants to take our two toddler boys and decided to try this new place. The space is very large and beautiful. We were greeted warmly and it was great because the kids loved the freedom of the space. The seats are ingenious! You can put a highchair right over a stool so a little one is right at the counter. The food is very good diner food. I had the turkey club which was large and all the items on it were very fresh. My husband's burger was delicious too. The kids enjoyed everything. I loved that there were healthy side options for the kid's meals. The best part was there was beer and wine available! One thing I would suggest is to add more train themed items and decor. A train table with trains that kids could play at would be a great addition. A commenter below criticized the place for it's concept that it is not novel for anyone over 10 years. No kidding. This is a FAMILY friendly place that is specifically looking to cater to families who want a good meal AND have fun with and for their kids. The website is very clear about the concept and even if you didn't look at the website before stepping in, it becomes pretty clear within a few seconds of entering the place. If someone wants to check out this place without kids, the food stands up and the space is quite charming. For families, this is a wonderful option. It was fun for all of us and a great value.
(4)Melissa C.
We had a great experience at lunch today. Staff were a little overwhelmed, but they got the job done. My children had a great time and my spicy chicken salad was delicious!
(5)Josh C.
While it's definitely great that we have another restaurant well designed for kids in the near west suburbs, this place is unfortunately one to avoid until they can get a proper management team in place. We walked in this evening and weren't acknowledged or greeted by a single employee until we walked up to the counter and asked to be seated. While I was keeping tabs on the kids, my wife was told that they were cleaning up and they would seat us shortly. Several other patrons walked in after us and were seated by one of the wait staff right in front of us (at the seats they were cleaning up for us). We then complained and were offered 3 seats (for a party of 4). Given no satisfactory resolution, we promptly left after waiting nearly 20 minutes in a restaurant which was maybe 60% occupied. We are now glad we did not dine here in hindsight. Given they've obviously cut some significant corners in the front of the restaurant, we're wondering what kinds of corners they are cutting in the preparation of the food. Very basic misses - like a complete and total lack of a greeter or host(ess) lead one to believe that they don't know what they're doing. Are they skimping on cleaning in the kitchen? Are they skimping on disposal of spoilage? Are the "overworked" wait staff too busy to wash their hands or too busy to ensure dishes are properly cleaned and sanitized? Until this place can demonstrate some basic restaurant management skills, I would highly recommend avoiding it. At a minimum to you'll save yourself the inconvenience of having to explain to your 3 and 5 year old boys why we're not eating at the Train restaurant tonight.
(1)Allison V.
Pros: -The concept of a train-themed restaurant would be a big hit with the Oak Park/Forest Park crowd if it ever gets fully realized. It's part-way there. -The food is really good. My french fries were the best I've had in awhile. Cons: -There isn't enough waitstaff to handle the crowd. -There's no host, hoststand or any signs to let you know if you should seat yourself or flag down one of the completely overwhelmed staff. I've been to The Junction Diner twice and the first time, our order was lost and it took more than 40 minutes to get our food. When the food came, it was wrong, but we just ate- with a starving two-year-old it was just easier to have something to eat! We chalked it up to new-restaurant kinks and gave it another chance yesterday. Yesterday, two months after they've opened, we stood for 20 MINUTES at the front of the restaurant with no acknowledgement from any staff. We finally just took a table, but it only had two chairs. My 70-year-old mother-in-law carried additional chairs across the entire restaurant with not even a busboy stopping to help her. We sat for another 15 minutes waiting for anyone to come by- but no one did! So we went across the street to Louie's and ate within minutes of our arrival. Junction Diner, you could be very successful, but you need to hire more waitstaff, a food runner, a host and install some real train tables or activities for kids before everyone realizes this place isn't worth it.
(1)Ed P.
Great place for the whole family. Just had the Tacos, they're better than any Mexican restaurant in the Forest Park area.
(5)Kari G.
We went for the first time last night and loved it. It's such a great concept, and the kids loved the play area (although, if I'm going to be picky, I'll say the train table could use some more trains & tracks) and the train on which the food was delivered was really cool. The food actually exceeded my expectations, too! It was really fresh and all homemade. The soup & veggie burger and handcut fries were delicious! A few more vegetarian options on the menu would be nice, though. It's also nice that they serve beer & wine for the adults. The servers were all super-friendly and the owner came and spoke with us, too, and was so nice. We will definitely be back.
(4)Bree L.
Waited about 40 min for food with three hungry boys. No one gave an update unless I asked.
(1)Jonathan P.
My wife & I had a great meal, but more importantly our kids had a blast. Everything about this place met expectations. Owner was super nice and made sure the meal/experience was great. I'm really pulling for this place because I live in Chicago and it is a quick commute for a nice place with the kids. Restaurants like this provide a service to the community when adults can eat good food while entertaining children for an hour!
(5)Jen P.
My son at age 4 is a train restaurant aficionado. Any Choo choo is good in his book, but I must say that this place just doesn't have what it takes. The restaurant management needs to hire someone that's managed a restaurant before and get some more experienced staff. I went right when it opened, and it was clearly not ready to open yet. We waited a few months and went back, but haven't seen much of an update. The train table is typically only half working. The owner spends most of his time socializing, but will leave you to sit next to dirty dishes for an hour even when you're practically the only person there. The food is promising and the fries are delicious, even though both times I went, something on my order got screwed up. I think they made the right choice by hiring more cooks because the speed of service for food delivery was MUCH better than our first visit. When you go to a train themed restaurant, you really want there to be a lot of trains going on. Thomas on the TV etc, but both times I went, I stared at a screen that had a Comcast message on it and ate in complete silence except for the echo of a large, empty restaurant. It's obvious that the owners mean well, but they need to start getting their hands dirty and be a lot more attentive to the details.
(2)Cisco C.
I loved the sweet potato fries. The regular fries tasted a bit burned with the skins left on them. The best thing about this restaurant is they are extremely kid friendly. Not only do they have toys for the kids to play with, but the staff has a kind attitude toward kids. Some restaurants say they are kid friendly, but then have a negative attitude toward children. The staff here is great!
(4)Sunil D.
I was in the mood for a Bacon Cheeseburger and a Beer yesterday after the Bears loss and I decided to check this place out. I was initially hesitant since I knew it was geared towards families but my neighbors had really hyped up the food and said the chef used to own Briejo in Oak Park. I was pleasantly surprised. I would say this was one of the best Cheeseburgers I've had and rivals the food of any place on Madison St. The fries were also great and the waitstaff was polite, courteous, and attentive. Although I'm adult, I was also amused to have my food brought out on the train. I can see how this place would appeal to kids (who love trains and being around other kids) and adults and I hope they do well.
(5)Rob T.
Its a great place for kids and the adults that come with them. The train, toys and chalk board are entertaining for kids and the burgers and sweet potato fries are very good.
(5)jen f.
This place was great for the whole family. Our 2 year old was entertained, and mom and dad could enjoy their food. (bonus: beer and wine is served). My husband had the Juicy Lucy burger and it was delicious. I had a turkey club, which was great as well. But, the whole family was able to enjoy a meal. The servers were super nice and the model train was fun to watch. My son also loved the train table and chalkboard wall to draw on.
(5)Jenny B.
Good place for kids, so-so for adults (which is to be expected for a train diner). My 8 and 3 year old really enjoyed The Junction Diner. It's a bit awkward of a space, it's huge and underutilized in terms of set up. The nice thing is that they have tall highchairs that go over the bar stools for kids to sit at the counter. The stools are set so far apart though, that it's hard to have a conversation with the someone. The food was average, burgers, hot dogs and fries. I thought a bit pricey for the kids menu. I like that they have play areas for the kids while they are waiting for the food. The wait staff was friendly, and this might sound odd, but a bit overly friendly for my taste. I like friendliness, but I don't like the staff awkwardly hanging around constantly trying to chit-chat and make conversation. Leave me be, check in, be friendly and then leave me alone! :) We would go back, for some kind of fun "special" dinner for my kids because it's a treat for them, but wouldn't frequent for an average dinner.
(3)Elizabeth K.
We had a great time here with the kids. The food was good and the kids could run around and play the whole time. The best part was the food being delivered by a train!
(4)Ethan C.
Stopped in here with my lady and the little one a few weeks ago. For anyone who is looking to take children somewhere they'll enjoy without having to sacrifice the quality of their meal, this is the place to go! The decor is still a little sparse, but that didn't bother my 3 year old. The really impressive train set, coin-op train ride, full chalkboard wall and open space for her to run around in were all a big hit. And did I mention the food? The food here was so good, I would go back without a little one. I had the mushroom burger on pretzel bun, the little one had the Mac and Cheese and my wife had some kind of salad. We also shared some mozzarella sticks. Everything was delicious, with really high quality ingredients, the Mac and Cheese was made with whole wheat pasta and my kid ate every bite. The burger was juicy and prepared just right. The mozzarella sticks were excellent, not too greasy, but very flavorful. The place wasn't very crowded when we went on a Thursday night. I could see the need for a larger staff if things were busier, but overall our experience was very positive and I hope the Junction Diner is around for a long time to come.
(4)sarah s.
Food is probably 2.5 - 3 stars but an extra star for having a kiddie play area! Taco basket was decent- only $1 each! Kids at least had a choice of fresh fruit and beer/wine was available. My husband ordered a pot roast sandwich on a pretzel bun which was pretty huge and tasty. I'd recommend that over the tacos. Our family enjoyed it there and service was friendly.
(4)Tanya S.
Great for toddlers! I still think the food for adults could be better,but the kids meal options are great and yummy!
(4)Julie R.
This is a cute little place. We just found them and have been there twice. First time the waiter asked us if we had been there before and when we said no, offered some recommendations for us. Decor is simple, but they have a train table with buttons that my daughter just loved. Service staff are all friendly and don't rush you. When it was quiet they ran the train a bunch of times for my daughter. Second time was way busier, but we still had decent service. Burgers were great both times. My daughter loved the macaroni and hummus.
(4)kevin s.
The food is good, but that's not why you come here. Its for the kids, and they love it. The food comes out on trains, and there's no much for kids to do. Chalk board wall, ride on trains, play train sets. It's great
(4)Jennifer W.
I LOVE THIS PLACE! 1st **The Staff** Nicest people on the planet earth. Especially the early afternoon waitress. On more than one occasion she has taken quarters out of her tip cup and given them to my children so they can ride the train. Of the many times my family and I have eaten there my order has only been wrong once. The waitress figured it out right away and promptly fixed it. Its also nice seeing the owner walking around talking to other customers and children making sure everyone is enjoying there visit. 2nd ** the food** I've personally only had the burgers and fries and they are delish. Burgers are cooked to the right temperature you specify, and the fries are homemade and yet still crispy and well seasoned. I would go back for the food alone regardless if I had my kids. 3rd **atmosphere** I love the fact that my kids can run around and play until the food is ready. There are many activities that keep them occupied from writing on the chalk board, to playing with the different train stations. My only complaint is I wish there was more trains for them to ride or play with. Not to make excuses for this place, but I get the feel that this is a fairly new business and they are still working out the kinks. If you didn't have a pleasant experience I would go back and try it again before you write them off completely. Read my other reviews I don't say that EVER.
(4)Mary Ann C.
What a great treat! We joined some friends here for Valentine's Day-five adults and four kids. The staff was friendly, food delicious, and atmosphere was fun! I loved that the train delivered our food (I have two kids under four, so this is my idea of excitement). Anyhow, the burgers were well prepared and flavorful, and my buffalo chicken wrap was so perfectly constructed that I might even enjoy it during my lunch break someday (without the kids!). The owner is hands-on and super friendly. As a small business owner, I appreciate his attention to detail and focus on customer service. Great job! We will be back....soon!
(5)Aimee W.
Color me surprised - and happy! We stopped in for lunch while we had family in town. I warned them before we got in to have low expectations. I've been to many a train-themed restaurant before and food quality is typically not the draw. Most places like this know that your kids are going to beg to go there even if the food sucks. The Junction figured it out though - our food was fabulous and there was a great selection for the kids *and* the grown ups (wine! wraps! soup!) .... sorry, I'm just used to seeing bad chicken nuggets and grilled cheese. I had the buffalo wrap and sweet potato fries - excellent food and great value. We'll be back!
(5)Kevin W.
Unbelievable went here with the kids thinking it would be just another kid friendly restaurant but boy were we surprised, first off the burger I had was as good or better than any I've had in recent memory, my wife had a wrap and said it was equally delicious. The kids both had Mac and cheese and devoured it, the wait staff was friendly and quick but I could definitely see them getting over burdened if the place fills up to fast. We went at 430 on a Saturday and it was absolutely perfect a small crowd with enough room for us and a few other families, in other words if your kids are hungry go early if you don't want to wait, I see this already popular place getting better and busier.
(5)Jason G.
I believe that they had only been open for a week or so at the time of my visit. The decor is still a work in progress, large blank walls. However they have a neat interactive train table, a coin-op train ride, and a huge black board wall with chalk. The waitstaff are friendly and helpful though a little overwhelmed. The service was quick. The food was excellent. I had the mushroom burger on a pretzel bun with regular fries. The fries are tasty and crispy. My wife had the sweet potato fries and said they were equally delicious. My boys had grilled cheese (nearly impossible to screw up) and mac and cheese with whole wheat pasta. The mac and cheese was great, next time I'm there I may have it for myself. Considering they just opened, the The Junction Diner is off to a great start.
(4)M Z.
We want this restaurant to survive, since it is a nice addition to the neighborhood and my son loves trains so it is fun for the kids. BUT we had a pretty bad experience here this week. We arrived and the place was obviously swamped. The waitresses seemed unable to function they were so slammed. So we were never really told where to sit or how to order so we had to flag someone down finally for water and ordering food. We ordered simple burgers and it must have taken 45 minutes for the food to come. The waitress kept apologizing and everything but when you have starving kids, no apology is going to stop them from melting down. Either they ran out of food and had to go buy more or the chef walked out or something. Anyway, when the food did arrive, it was not even good. My burger was undercooked and the fried were soaked in grease. My stomach was not happy afterwards. As I said, we want new places to do well but this place needs to get their act together. It takes more than a train delivering your food to get people to want to return. We may try it again someday if we hear from others that they have had better experiences. I agree with another reviewer--get a hostess, more wait staff, and more cooks in the kitchen.
(2)Josh L.
We've been there twice, it's awesome! We have three small kids five and under. They can play and we can eat! The owner is really a good guy and sounds like he is planning a bunch of great additions to the place. I highly recommend. We NEED places like this around this area!
(5)W S.
I was shocked at how good the food was. We took my daughter here on her birthday for dinner during the week, as we thought it would be more fun for her than a normal restaurant. She had fun, and my wife and I were very pleasantly surprised to be eating great food. No offense to this place, but I think most parents will agree that when you go somewhere "kid-centric" you don't have high culinary expectations. Homemade fries and chips, and a pot roast sandwich on a pretzel roll. Great stuff.
(4)Scott A.
Brought my son here for his 4th birthday. We took him to All-Aboard diner in Downers Grove last year and while the food isn't great there we enjoyed the experience. We decided on this place cause it's much closer to our house and the menu seemed to be a little more unique. When you first walk in there us no sign to tell you to seat yourself and none of the staff even looked at us. We decided to take a sign at the end of the bar so my son could see the train deliver the food. There was still plates and trash from the prior diner that they just left there. We basically had to tell them to clean it up. We then sat for another 5 minutes and we had to ask for menus. Really? If you want to ignore people just leave the menus on the counter. The food took almost 35 minutes, they said it was the Jucy Lucy I had ordered, wish they would have told me before I ordered. My son stayed occupied with their train sets for about 15 minutes before he got bored, there was not much variety to play with. The food was decent, fries were not seasoned well. Had to ask for utensils and she gave us one set for 3 people. Their customer service skills are horrtheres, the waitress didn't smile at my son once. We felt like we were bothering them for simple requests, like refilling our drinks. Not recommended at all.
(2)Parul D.
We looked at a few of the train themed restaurants to take our two toddler boys and decided to try this new place. The space is very large and beautiful. We were greeted warmly and it was great because the kids loved the freedom of the space. The seats are ingenious! You can put a highchair right over a stool so a little one is right at the counter. The food is very good diner food. I had the turkey club which was large and all the items on it were very fresh. My husband's burger was delicious too. The kids enjoyed everything. I loved that there were healthy side options for the kid's meals. The best part was there was beer and wine available! One thing I would suggest is to add more train themed items and decor. A train table with trains that kids could play at would be a great addition. A commenter below criticized the place for it's concept that it is not novel for anyone over 10 years. No kidding. This is a FAMILY friendly place that is specifically looking to cater to families who want a good meal AND have fun with and for their kids. The website is very clear about the concept and even if you didn't look at the website before stepping in, it becomes pretty clear within a few seconds of entering the place. If someone wants to check out this place without kids, the food stands up and the space is quite charming. For families, this is a wonderful option. It was fun for all of us and a great value.
(4)Melissa C.
We had a great experience at lunch today. Staff were a little overwhelmed, but they got the job done. My children had a great time and my spicy chicken salad was delicious!
(5)Anne T.
Came to this restaurant today for a birthday party and I have no idea what happened in the kitchen of this place. When we got there the kids orders went right in because we had told the mom what we'd order prior to arriving and their food orders came out in a reasonable amount of time. Then she gave the adults menus and we placed our order a little later. An hour and a half later, this is not an exaggeration, we still did not have any food. We placed our order at 12:15 and left at 1:45, canceling our order on the way out. We were not the only ones either. We overheard another family saying they had been waiting an hour and were done and to cancel their order as well. Luckily for us we were at a party and the kids had friends to play with and we had adults to talk to. Also luckily for us our kids didn't finish their plates so we had some left over fries to tide us over. I have no idea how this could possibly happened. The worst part was that the owner was present and never once came to apologize or explain what was going on. He never even glanced at us. Our server came to tell us she was sorry and our food should be coming out a number of times but never offered any explanation. I really think this was unprofessional of the owner though. Take some responsibility and face your customers when something is wrong. Don't make your employees cover you. The lack of integrity in this situation is just as aggravating as the fact that we never got our food. The space is nice and not as cramped as the other diner in Downer's Grove, although I wish the trains and stuff were in the back of the restaurant and not right next to the front door. It would give a little more piece of mind knowing that a child couldn't get outside easily. Also, the cold french fries we got to eat were good. I imagine they probably have pretty good food, unfortunately we never got to find out.
(1)Michael-Colin R.
The common problem with concept restaurants is that when all is said and done, either the concept or the food quality suffers in the end. In The Junction's case, the food is perfectly fine but the concept is pathetically almost laughably realized in this vacuous space which was formerly a much loved stained glass studio and retail space. The idea of your lunch arriving on a train is hardly and novel concept for anyone over 10 years old and the rest of the concept is executed strictly by the restaurant's name and a few small pictures of trains sporadically scattered on the otherwise massively empty gray walls. The menu is neither original nor inventive in any way. We've all seen burgers on pretzel buns, cheese fries and buffalo chicken sandwiches before and The Junction delivers these with no twist of any kind other than the boxcar it rolls in on. Standard diner dishes, nicely prepared for sure, but nothing special here. The Junction's main marketing point is that it's a family friendly joint. My partner and I are two gay men in our 40's with no kids so this is a plus we could care less about, in fact, the less we have to deal with people's children the better. If the food were better or the menu more interesting, we'd be more than willing to deal with everyone's rug rats for the sake of a great lunch but such is not the case here. Now, if you DO have children, FINALLY you have a place where you can take them where they can run and scream to their hearts content and people like me and my partner won't be at the next table rolling our eyes and wishing they'd shut the hell up and eat their chicken nuggets. The little angels have plenty to keep them occupied including a chalk wall they can draw on and a working model train they can control. My partner ordered the cheeseburger with fries and I had the pot roast sandwich with sweet potato fries. His burger was nicely cooked and the fries were hot and had a nice crunch. My pot roast sandwich was tender and nicely seasoned and my sweet potato fries were crispy and hot. Our sandwiches and 2 drinks came to just over $22 for our lunch. They did not take credit cards at the time, luckily my bank is right across the street so I had to hit the cash machine and come back. The staff was friendly enough but when we went it was not a busy night and they could hardly handle the few patrons they had with any sense of efficiency, I can only imagine how much of a hot mess the service must be on a busy Saturday afternoon. Concept C Execution D Menu C Service C Quality B+ Value B Grade C
(3)Nick R.
Came here with my wife and daughter. Really cool place to take kids for lunch. The food is really good. I thought it would be mostly frozen burgers and pizza but they actually take a lot of pride in their menu and ingredients. I had the Reuben which was really good. My wife had the juicy Lucy burger which was also very good. Made fresh stuffed with giardenerra on a super soft pretzel roll. The sweet potato fries were also great. Of course what the restaurant is known for is all the food is delivered on a model train which circles around the large counter. The kids love it! Word of advice you will need some quarters for the kids games in front. The decor is kind of blah. Seems like the room could be beautiful but they cut a lot of corners with the decor. But not bad for a kids place. Overall I'd definitely recommend coming here. Being the kids and come hungry.
(4)Sarah R.
Came here for my grandson's birthday. He loved the choo choo train and the photo booth. And the food was good. Great destination for the little ones.
(3)Claudia M.
Such a fun place for the kiddos! My son loves trains and a friend of mine had been telling us how fun this place was. We took my 3 y.o. daughter and 18 month old son and they had a blast. There is a coin operated train that you sit on and my daughter just could not get enough of it. They also have a miniature train station /town and all the kids get on a step to look in on it. There are buttons that you can press to turn the store lights on. And of course the choo choo train that brings your food the table was a hit. They also have an old photo booth in the back and you can get a token for 3 bucks. The kids loved that as well. The food was standard. I had a spicy chicken sandwich with fries and a beer. The kiddos had nuggets and fries. My husband had the corn beef sandwich. The food was tasty, I would come back again. I was afraid there would be a wait but when we got there it was 5:00 on a Tuesday night (during Christmas vacation) and there was almost no one there but slowly they started coming in and by the time we left the place was packed. WE got lucky with parking but you may have to drive around the block a couple of time. We will definitely bring the kids back.
(5)Bernadette S.
I love this place and agree with the previous positive reviews. My son is happily playing with the trains right now while I sit with a full belly from my spicy chicken pasta. Yum! The staff here rocks!
(5)Sil A.
I have a three year old that loves trains and we live so close. I would be here at least every other week if the had for entertaining. More train things for the kids. Also the bathrooms are not very clean. The owner walks around looking like he just finished fixing something. Service is ok. The menu is ok. I see they added a few more things. I like there juicy Lucy and my boy the cheeseburgers. I think a better desert menu will be good to. And again more train things it is a train restaurant.
(3)LuCretia T.
Great atmosphere and great food. Reminds me of the joys of being a kid. My daughter is always overjoyed when she hears the train coming to deliver her food. I absolutely love that I can order a beer and watch her play in close vicinity. It's so convenient and exactly what Forest park needed.
(5)Steven P.
Terrible service. The people who work here are totally clueless. They forget orders, are slow, and can't handle more than a few customers at a time. Too bad since it's a nice place and is fun for the kids. Don't come here unless you have at least 90 minutes!
(3)Stephanie R.
Wow, I'm really disappointed. We tried to eat here tonight, but sat around for nearly 20 minutes (with a grumpy toddler) without getting drinks or even being acknowledged. That's pretty unacceptable. I didn't recognize anyone working tonight so maybe they were new, but the restaurant wasn't even that busy. With so many restaurants on Madison St., your service really needs to be better than that.
(2)Thomas C.
i didn't know what to expect, other than what I had read, about this place. I knew it was kid-centric, but also knew they had beer and wine offerings ... presumably for the adults to consume, not use as bedtime aids :) Will definitely go back, even without the kids. Owner is from Indianapolis (turns out a classmate of my wife's) but that's not the reason for the four stars, that's all about the menu and the space. Still, both, works in progress, but good offerings for anybody's palate, food is delivered by locomotive and the food's good. I had the juicy lucy style burger which did justice to it's Minn. namesake/roots, wife had the chicken wrap which was also very good. Kids had chicken nuggets and they were good enough to keep their attention, and bottoms in seats, despite the appealing kid-centric playthings which were available. This is a great concept and I really hope it works because what a great place to grab a bite and entertain the children and maybe make some new friends in the process.
(4)Patty R.
We took our grandson there today at 12:45 for lunch, and it was really crowded. We had to wait 15 minutes for stools at the counter to open up, but there are a lot of toys to play with, so waiting was not hard to do. They have a train layout with buttons to make things work, a train ride for 25 cents, a toy car table, and other things. A wall is a huge blackboard which the kids may scribble on. There is a photo booth at the back, too. When we got seated, the food was delivered on a train that runs on a track all the way around the counter. Our hamburgers were delicious, and the sodas and beers were great. You could get juice or milk for the kids, too. And they give the kids crayons and a picture to color while they are waiting for their food. The bathroom had a changing table, and a step stool so kids can wash their hands. Very kid friendly place. It emptied out a bunch by 2, so that would be a good time to go have a late lunch. This is a really fun place to take little kids, although there were older ones that were having fun too. And more than a few adults loved the train layout with the tiny people and accessories.
(5)Nektaria R.
I love getting my food brought out to me with the train. I enjoy it more than my 2 year old nephew though. I kept telling him to look at the train. He really didn't seem to care at all. Food is pretty good. I've had their burgers, wraps and veggie patties when I was fasting from meat. We've had most of their deserts. Everything is really good and tasty. We had a one off once, but the owner quickly corrected it for us. I will continue coming here cause my nephew likes riding the little rocking train/car in the window and cause I love the sweet potato fries. They also serve funky beers. Check them out.
(4)Aimee M.
This isn't our first train restaurant rodeo and certainly wont be our last. After an afternoon on the Polar...ahem excuse me, the Santa Express out of River Forest (they can't use "Polar Express" anymore due to licensure or copyright or whatever blah de blah de blah) The Junction Diner was the perfect place to keep the train theme going. Sunday at about 4pm the place was pretty empty except for a birthday party in their party room. But by 5pm more and more families started coming in. My 3 yr old son, MIL and I were greeted immediately when we entered and we easily found seats along the counter. Our server was very enthusiastic and made sure we were aware of all the specials, pointed out the kids menu and pointed out the craft soda and beer/wine options. Among the train restaurants I've visited in Bartlett and Downers Grove, this one has the best menu. It comes pretty close to DG, but JD's specials menu and craft soda selection sets them apart. My MIL and I couldn't decide between two sandwiches so we ordered each and split them. The Pot Roast sandwich and the Reuben (which was on the specials board). I upgraded my fries to sweet potato fries and opted for the Birch Beer Soda. My son ordered the cheese quesadilla. We also split an order of their home made doughnuts for dessert. The food was excellent. I loved how they served the sauces for the sammies on the side (horseradish for the pot roast and russian for the Reuben). The food came out piping hot and everything was delicious. The pot roast was very tender and the horseradish sauce def added a nice element of flavor. The Reuben was also very good too. Nice helping of corned beef too. The sweet potato fries were excellent, made well and very tasty. The dessert was wonderful. It's 5 dounut puffs, sitting on top of some honey, dusted with cinnamon and comes with a chocolate dipping sauce. It really didn't need the chocolate as it was pretty tasty on its own but who are we kidding, it's chocolate and it's always welcome! The space is nice, seems like an older building as it's very tall and spacious inside...it could use more train decor the walls. But there are some fun things about the space. The train that delivers your food--but it only runs on the counter so if you're seated at one of the tables, the train still brings your food, it's just one of the servers has to deliver it to your table. There's a train table for tykes to play with. There's also a mechanical train ride and a stationary train ride. Also a little village of trains and buildings that light up/move at a push of a button. Wonderful and friendly service. We'll be back.
(4)Cheryl R.
I love everything about the Junction. The staff is friendly, the food is great, the train motif is amazing and they even have an old fashioned photo booth in the back of the restaurant!! My five year old and I try to come once a month and she always leaves with a smile! The prices are very reasonable and I love the this is the type of place where kids are encouraged to get up and be kids! Definitely an A+++in my book.
(5)Windy C.
I feel it's only fair to update my review once more to reflect our recent experiences. They seem to have worked through some staffing issues and now have both enough staff to cover busier times AND friendly servers who are kind to children and families. I've also managed to find several new menu items that I enjoy, and my son still loves this place, so we will continue to return. The owner is a genuinely nice guy who seems to be working hard to make this a fun option for families in the area.
(4)Carol C.
Great place for kids' parties! The staff was friendly and helpful, and made sure the birthday girl had everything she wanted. Kids had a wonderful time!
(5)Bee P.
My husband and I are expecting our first little one. We walked past this diner and noted it had a good pub food variety with a beer and wine list. We ventured in and were happy to notice a very child friendly environment with a play area, photo booth, train set delivering your food, oversized chalkboard to draw on, and wooden authentic changing tables in the restrooms. The place was full of families with the kids of all ages. Parents were mingling and enjoying their meals while children ate and found plenty to do while at the diner. The owner was super friendly and attentive even during a busy evening. He spoke of his family and made us feel welcome and ready to come back after our baby is born. The menu is perfect, has great things for adults and a kid friendly section with a variety of food and healthy alternatives (yogurt/veggies, etc). We will definitely return.
(5)Tara M.
I took my son here for a birthday dinner. It was very cute. The food was pretty good, I'd say better than most of the train restaurants we've been to. I agree with previous reviews that they could have more trains there but the place is fricken huge so I understand how hard it must be to fill such a large space. I think the thing that stands out the most is how friendly the wait staff and owners are. Even if the place was lame or the food sucked (which neither apply here) the people there made my son's birthday special and treated my family like their own.
(5)Nichole F.
We tool my son here for the first time today and it was great! We got there right at 11 when they open because we wanted to sit where the train delivers the food to you and we didn't know how popular this place was. Even though, we got there at 11, it did fill up quickly. I think by 11:30, the counter was full. While we waited for our food, we looked at the train/downtown model which had buttons you could press that could move cars and lights. We played with a car with a steering wheel and a chance for an awesome photo op and ride the train of course (25 cents). There is also a train table and a school bus with a lot of different play stations so it is easy for several children to play independently on it. It was fun to have our food delivered on a train. We split a soft pretzel and cheese which was great. I had a burger and fries, my son had mini burgers and fruit and my husband had a turkey club and fries. The fries were awesome! We also ordered the little one a cupcake since it was a special occasion. All in all, we will absolutely go back there. It is a quick trip from the city and plenty of parking. They also have a Yelp deal that we bought while we were there. $20 for $12. Winning!
(5)Suz C.
My 3 year old son is crazy about trains. CRAZY. INSANE. So, we've been to 2Toots and we've been to All Aboard Diner. I heard about The Junction Diner and we decided to give it a try on a Saturday around lunch time. I thought it was ok, but needs a little bit of work to keep up with their other train diner mainstays in the western suburbs. The place looks nice and fairly new - high ceilings, train photos, a modern train food server that runs around the counter, a couple of train rides in front (which seemed to have operational issues that day), and a model train display. I also appreciated the chalkboard towards the back where kids can draw with chalk. There is a small party room in the back, too. It was fairly busy when we went. There was never an empty table the entire time we were there, and we felt lucky to have found a table as soon as we got there. But we did see some families waiting. Now, the servers were very nice and friendly...but I think there weren't enough servers because there were long waits. Long wait to find someone to even seat us, long wait for the menu, long wait for the food, long wait for drinks, long wait to get the check. But our server was hustling, so I really do think it was because they didn't have enough people working. It seemed like one person worked the train counter and one person worked all the outside tables. For a Saturday lunch, I think you need a few more hands, and it's just good business to warmly greet all new guests who step in the door. Food was decent. I enjoyed my salad, my husband had a veggie burger, and my son gobbled enjoyed his kids meal. If I had to rank them, I'd say All Aboard is tops, 2Toots second, and Junction Diner is third. I think Junction Diner needs to increase staffing or better manage customers walking in. I also think they may need more train-themed items...whether it's train movies on tv's (they had sports on television), train hats, or more train tchotchkes to purchase. I was thinking about having my son's birthday party there, but I felt like there wasn't enough to keep the kids entertained. Parking was a little bit of a challenge on a Saturday afternoon, too. Took awhile to find a spot.
(3)Vanessa B.
We've been to a few different train restaurants, some awesome some just ok. The junction diner was definitely just ok. They had really nice staff, and good food (we were pleasantly surprised, the veggie burger was delicious!) , but the space itself lacked, well, trains. And let's be honest, we come here for the trains! There were a couple pics on the wall, a train table, and a train that the kids could ride for a quarter, but then that was it. The train on the counter is always a favorite at these kind of places, but the kids lose interest as soon as their food has been delivered. Other places have more games, moving trains on the wall, decorations, even bathrooms decorated with trains!
(3)Jane C.
Perfect for my son's 2nd birthday. Any child who loves trains will love this place. Any parent who enjoys watching their kids have fun, this is it! For the adults, they serve beer & wine and the casual atmosphere makes it easy for everyone to enjoy themselves. I thought the food was kid friendly but the adults also didn't seem to have a problem putting it down. Cute little street to wander around post dinner too. The owner was very accommodating and so was our waitress Betty!
(5)Natalie S.
This is now our second trip to a train themed restaurant and in comparison, Junction Diner comes up a little short. The kids had a good time and that was good enough for me but there's definitely room for improvement. For starters, there seems to be a lack of trains in the train themed restaurant. There was a cute train set up but only three of the many buttons seemed to be working. There was a train table but only a handful of trains for it. There's a couple train posters but that's really it. On the TV was some crappy CW show. The place wasn't very busy at 6pm on a Saturday night so we only saw the trains go out with food a few times. The space is large but a little cold. The food was just ok. My husband and I each ordered the Juicy Lucy and there wasn't really anything juicy about it. It was pretty dry. The fries were good. The kids orders of mac and cheese were ok. But when I ordered I asked the waitress if we were to skip the fries and drink (because I could tell my kids just weren't going to eat because they were too busy playing) if the price went from the advertised $5.99 to $3 for an entree, as specified on the menu. She said yes... then charged us the $5.99 anyways. By the time we got the bill, we were just ready to go and I didn't want to make a big deal over $3 (which is actually $6 because we had two meals) but I did specifically ask her and she charged us anyways. The location is convenient for us because its on our way home from Brookfield Zoo so it could make a nice day with lunch. But it just wasn't that great. We might be in if my 4 year old begs but for train themed restaurants, its done elsewhere much better.
(3)Robert F.
Waited 25 minutes for scrambled eggs and a cheeseburger, although the place was nearly empty. When the food arrived, the eggs were cold. They made me another plate, but the eggs tasted very strange and the toast had so much butter a huge pool soaked through the center of both pieces of toast. Dirty plates sat all around, and the place looked messy overall. I like the concept and the train around the counter, and I hope they do well, but the food, service, and cleanliness all were a problem.
(1)Rahil R.
They really nail the train motif. A train brings out the food, they have a couple of play train sets and they also have one for the kids to ride. Some other nice touches are the full wall chalkboard, wine and beer, and the free wifi. That all came first because the food is pretty standard. Burgers, pasta and the regular kids menu filled with cheese with mac or grilled. Overall a great place to take a kid to keep them busy in between bites of food, but not a place to come for just for the food.
(4)Elizabeth K.
We went with friends during a visit back to Chicagoland. Our 19 month old son LOVED it! The modified highchairs were great, very sturdy! The food was so so. I think for what is offered it's a little pricey. For 2 adults & 1 child our bill was close to $50. We had 1 app, 1 beer, 1 pop, 1 kids meal, & 2 sandwiches. The service could also use some help. It was slow. The only waiter was overwhelmed I feel like. So drinks never really got refilled. Our son loved all the train stuff to play with. So much so when our food came he didn't want to sit back down. The owner was amazing! He pulled out a top and a small train to soothe his howls. He also seemed to sense when all the kids were getting restless and would send the train by. We will return because our son now loves trains, but will wait for a groupon for a better deal on the food.
(4)Matt W.
Great place to bring the kids, and they have craft beer and good food for the adults as well! Their chili is exceptional and somewhat spicy if you like that kind of thing (i do). They have a great train setup with lots for the kids to do while you wait for the food. They even have a cool old vintage photo-booth machine.
(5)Janine F.
Initially i expected trains to be all in my face but when i got there it looked pretty empty just a train that delivers your food and a small wooden set for toddlers. I got the juicy lucy.. wasn't all that juicy actually kind of dry. I had to drown my burger in ketchup and hot sauce to get it down but maybe it was just my meal because my roommate seemed to really enjoy their mushroom burger.
(2)Kayla A.
The Junction Diner 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.
(4)Carlos G.
The kids love this place and all the cool trains and train tables they have. The food is actually pretty good and tasty, I had the turkey burger with fries, kids had hot dogs and the missus had the wrap. She said the wrap was good but burped it up all day. My burger was right on and the chipotle mayo was great. Of course the big attraction is that they bring the food in a train so the kids love it!
(4)Brian T.
I would normally give this place 4 stars but my son loved it so much, I had to give it 5. The food was surprisingly better than I thought it was going to be. The sweet potatoe fries were delicious. the juicy lucy was just ok, probably could have had more cheese but it was still good. They only had two waitresses and a packed house but the food came out fairly quickly. Only suggestion, get some milk shakes in their. That would totally kill it with the burgers and fries
(5)Jason F.
Not impressed at all. Food was nothing special, and the service was terrible. We had a long wait, and there were only two other customers there. The waitress seemed really disinterested, as though she dreaded being there. With Louie's (which has excellent food and service) being right across the street, there is really no reason for my wife and I to go back there.
(1)Rebecca V.
I feel bad complaining because the staff is certainly friendly, but seem very under-skilled. We've been there twice now and both times, they messed up our orders. (The first time they got my side wrong, then this last time they got grandma's order wrong and mine was completely whacked out - and believe me, when the 5 year old gets fries and the 3 year old doesn't - that's fighting time. They were both supposed to get fruit BTW...) The food is decent, but nothing that I would rave about, and so that makes it harder to overlook the shortcomings of the poor service and really, the not very appealing atmosphere. It's quite cold and blank - I am not sure what they are going for - a kids' restaurant should be much more colorful, interactive, and playful. This is tasteful and more adult, but really rather sterile. It doesn't have to be tacky (there is a train restaurant further west where it feels like Thomas threw up on the place...) but it's not super-appealing to little kids. It takes more than a train bringing the food to make a train-themed restaurant!! Living in Forest Park and having 2 boys who love trains, we'd like this place to succeed, but they really need to step it up. It feels like they've only been open for 2 weeks rather than 4 months.
(1)Dave C.
We happened upon this diner just trying to get out of the cold and were met with great atmosphere, better food & superb service. The food is brought to you on this little train that runs on a track around the counter, there is a 1960s photo booth that has been restored and a chalkboard wall to while away the time until your food arrives. If you are looking for friendly, helpful staff along with great classic diner food at reasonable prices & a laid back atmosphere, you will find it here. My 14 year old niece and her 16 year old cousin drew some art on the chalkboard wall, hammed it up in the photo booth & enjoyed butterscotch root beer & sarsaparilla until our food arrived. The kids got adventurous will a couple of specials and i stayed classic with a turkey club. Their sandwiches were spot on & my fries were hand cut with the peel on...we all left happier then we were when we went in. Highly recommended, I know we will be back.
(5)Nyassa B.
Lots of fun, great fun and great food. Kids love it. The food is pretty tasty and the staff is wonderful, especially with my Bugga. I highly recommend everyone with kids bring them here for a Saturday night out on the town experience for your little ones.
(4)April J.
We love this local business! We are quite pleased with the food every time we go here. Service is good and the owner is often there ensuring things are running smoothly. It has a simple no nonsense diner feel, but with what I would consider better food and drinks than many diners offer. Our kids of course love the diner counter and the food train that delivers the food. They have a good selection of food on the menu, and the food has good flavor and seems fresh. There is even a selection of great beer. they also serve limited breakfast items anytime they are open...with good coffee I might add. After our kids finish their meals we let them play in the children's play area in the front of the restaurant (there are some toys and train displays). There is also a chalkboard wall where kids can draw. Despite the kid focus, the clientele is courteous and conscientious of their children, so I've never been annoyed by chaos or bad behavior. This place is a perfect casual lunch or dinner spot in forest park, especially for families with young children.
(5)Karen C.
This place is adorable (if you have kids or a really childish like me). I went for a walk with a girlfriend of mine and we stumbled upon this place. It was a weekday early evening and the place was empty so I can't say how it is on the weekends when it's full of little ones playing with the trains and running around. My guess is that unless I was there with my nephew's, I'd avoid the place like the plague on the weekends as I have very little patience dealing with screaming kids while I am trying to eat. The food is reasonably priced, the soup I had was yummy, and they deliver the food on a train that goes around the counter. Yea, that was my favorite part. Apparently I'm just a giant child. There's nothing special about the menu. You can tell they are trying to cater to kids and keeping it simple seems the safe bet. It's a neat idea for families in the area, especially since there are so many bars and adult driven restaurants around. I'd return with my nephews...and some earplugs...on a weekend just to see how it is.
(3)