I want to start this review by saying I really enjoy the food at gallagher's. I do wish they would change things up a bit it can get boring the same menue. This review is about the lunch I had today sadly not the best I have been served here. I ordered the tuna wrap, hard to find the tuna in it mostly lettuce and they forgot the avocado and bbq chips just a tad too bbqed! I will go back for sure and I encourage you to go too just keep a eye out at lunch!
(3)
Tawnya S.
Worth the drive! This is a three level old home with an elevator. The selection of craft beers was extensive and included a little bit of everything. We had the fried chicken and pork chops, both were excellent. Service was great as well. We will be back!
(5)
Mallarry D.
Happened upon this place last week with some friends from Waterloo...I had the Popeye burger...and I'm usually not a burger kind a gal..but this was to die for. The burger was awesome and the spinach on WOW. Service was great...So we decided to drive from STL..15-.20 min drive from Sunset Hills for their Tues night steak special.(20 bucksfor salad, steak and a side) It was AWESOME. I had the tenderloin and family had the rib eye. Cooked to perfection, I had the spinach (again) and it was great and the rest had the baked potatoe that was the size of Idaho. Also..the salad was great. Once again, good attentive service Great atmosphere...kind of fun bar downstairs and then an elevator to the 2nd floor..kind of like Citzen Kanes but with an elevator and not so pricey or dressy...plus you can get bar food if you want. I would recommend anyone from STL taking the time to drive over..can't wait to try the fried chicken. We usually drive 15-20 minutes to go to the hill... If you live nearby...no brainer. Get to Gallagher's!
(4)
Jennifer C.
Worth the 40 mins drive and the 10 lbs I've gained! Went there on Sunday for their family style all you can eat fried chicken and it was one delicious feast! The fried chicken was perfect and all the sides were fantastic! The biscuits were extra good when you add some honey. I love their corn custard and my boyfriend couldn't get enough of their mash potatoes and creamy gravy. Service was excellent. Great atmosphere.
(5)
William M.
Food was great again and well worth the drive here, however the bartender / waiter seemed put out that he had to do his job, later a waitress helped him out and was very personable and pleasant to have serving us. Still love this place just make sure you get a waitress instead of the bartender.
(4)
Johnny C.
Always a GREAT dinner. Awesome steaks. Family style chicken is a feast!
(5)
Aaron B.
Great place to go with the family. Very LARGE amounts of food! Great down home cooking.
(4)
MB V.
This place is pretty decent considering there isn't much around this area. Their floor set up is sort of strange. I enjoy coming here once a year (during Christmas) visiting family! One of my favorite item on the menu is their Fried Chicken! Yummy!!!.
(4)
Tami G.
Fried Chicken Sunday. Arrived here just as the doors opened, so it wasn't too bad. We had a big party. Myself, my parents, my sister and her husband, their two kids, and my 6 year old nephew. They took us upstairs and placed us in a room that was facing the street. Nice to see downtown Waterloo. The room had a Christmas tree, even though it wasn't Christmas, but it was cool nonetheless. I do like how they converted an old house into a restaurant! They even had an elevator that my niece, nephew, and I took downstairs because we can. So much food. You get: family recipe fried chicken, mashed potatoes, biscuits, cream gravy, corn custard & slow-cooked green beans with ham & a complimentary dessert served family style. The corn custard was so good! The chicken was just right. For dessert, we had various cake options. My tummy was so full from all the food, I had no room for dessert, but stuffed my face anyway. Great food, great atmosphere, fun times had by all. Make your way over the bridge to Waterloo and see what all Gallagher's has to offer. You won't be disappointed.
(4)
Steve N.
Gallagher's is an incredible restaurant located in Downtown Waterloo. Sunday chicken dinner is one of the finest all-u-can eat family style meal that you may ever eat. However, if chicken isn't your dinner choice, their burgers and steaks are the best in the region.
(5)
Glenn L.
What an awesome dinner! I was really wanting some fried chicken tonight and after reading all the reviews, we decided to go try the chicken at Gallagher's. We we got there it was going to be a 45 minute wait and now, I can definitely understand why. We sat at the bar as it was open and we could eat there. The only option on Sunday is the family style chicken dinner. fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn casserole, green beans slow cooked with ham and biscuits. Everything was outstanding. The chicken was just what I was wanting and the sides were exceptional. Their mashed potatoes and gravy are probably some of the best I've had at any restaurant. To make this even better, our meals came with a piece of a toffee cake for dessert. This was also great. James, one of the managers, was tending bar and waiting on us. We had a great conversation about their beer list and several other topics. By the way, they have some very good beers on draft and in the bottle. We will definitely be returning, but not until I recuperate from the food coma I'm experiencing while I finish this review.
(5)
Patrick B.
My family and I enjoyed the Sunday chicken dinner served family style. The chicken was crunchy and perfectly seasoned. The potatoes were smashed and delicious. Instant potatoes are an insult and these were fresh and magnificent. All the sides are perfect and the desserts are made by Mama Gallagher and are award winning. Treat your family to a great drive and meal this Sunday. A family run restaurant that is clean, nicely remodeled and comfortable. I cannot recommend a restaurant more highly.
(5)
charlee c.
We came here on a Thursday night and sat at the bar. They were very busy, which I considered a good sign on a week night in a little town) so we had a short wait before we were assisted, but once the bartender got to us she was very courteous and professional. Apparently each night has a different special, and thursday is hamburger night. I'm not really a hamburger connoisseur but my boyfriend got the jalapeno burger. They had a lot of interesting choices such as a prime rib burger, and alligator burger, and a brisket burger. I tried a bite of his jalapeno burger and it was delicious. We had bloody Mary's to drink. I loved them. They were really good and spicy. I like beer in my bloody Mary's and I noticed that the bartender put Guinness in them. We had the barbecued shrimp for an appetizer. It was in a barbecue sauce wrapped in bacon and asparagus. Served with bread. It was very good. Ialso had a house salad and the chicken modiga. we tried the fried chicken too. all were very good. Iwanted to post pictures of them because I noticed that most of the pictures on here were of the fried chicken so there are pictures below. We will definitely be back.
(5)
Ram K.
They have great food specials for dinner. Lots of drink selections. Not a vegetarian friendly place.
(4)
Aspin H.
Sunday 3/10th- we arrived at Gallaghers 30 minutes before they closed- we were turned away at the door because "they had a wait longer than they were open". We had drove all the way to Gallaghers-and we saw about 10 other people walk out too who were all extremely pi$$Ed- with good reason and said they would never go back. I didnt even see any one waiting--- So note to Gallaghers- DONT TURN AWAY PAYING CUSTOMERS!! but we went to Farmers Inn in Millstadt and had delicious fried chicken, so if you get there and they turn you away too, keep Farmers Inn in mind! :)
(1)
M G.
First time and we will definitely be back. It is a beautiful day, we are taking a drive in the convertible, we stopped at Dear Divas in Columbia, Il for yummy treats then kept driving. While driving through Waterloo we spotted Gallagher's. I had the prime rib burger, it was perfect! My husband had their friend chicken which was great. One of the best burgers I've had. Service was very good.
(5)
James S.
Unfortunately we will need to return for the dinner menu, however the lunch menu is great. I had the chicken salad with homemade BBQ chips, my wife had the entry size crab cakes and my daughter had the grill cheese sandwich. Each plate was outstanding. Service was great. And I had two Bloody Mary's which were perfect. I will certainly return.
(4)
Caitie D.
A little pricy for the location, but definitely worth it. The bar selection would give any hipster an orgasm. Seriously. Locally distilled vodkas and craft beer. Although the bartenders were not that friendly-- scowls and all-- the drinks were good so I can't complain about bitchy bartenders too much. The steaks are great. The service tonight was PHENOMENAL. Kaitlyn Jarvis was knowledgable, yet not annoying. Perfect. The only reason this place didn't get five stars.... Corner booth with zero lighting. I had to use my cell phone flashlight to see the menu.. I'm 23--not blind, just really dark. Will definitely return and suggest to friends.
(4)
Jim G.
Drove 40 minutes to eat here for the first time yesterday and it was a HUGE waste of time and money. Fist off I will say that we liked the design and decoration but you don't eat in a restaurant because it looks nice. We were brought out somewhat stale bread and I had a not cold Blue Moon on draft. The only part of the meal that was good was the cup of gumbo I had. It was a tomato based gumbo which is not my favorite but I really liked it. My girlfriend had the prime rib special which we both sampled and was tough, fatty (way way way too fatty) and tasted wrong! Her side of asparagus was pretty good. I had their "famous award-winning" fried chicken. It was below average. Burnt breading and tasted ok at best. The fries were ok. The waitress didn't bring out our food and we didn't see her again for 10 minutes when we flagged down a bus person to go get her. All in all a wasted trip. I'll stick with Malone's, Piccadilly or Hodak's for fried chicken.
(2)
Emily R.
Well, this was a pleasant surprise. When my parents told me they were taking me to Waterloo for dinner, I didn't have high hopes, but this place is great. We came on Sunday for family style fried chicken, and there was a bit of a wait for a table, but luckily we found open seats at the bar. I was blown away by the craft beer and bourbon selection. The bloody mary was pretty amazing too. The bartender knew his stuff, and our waitress was on point. I didn't like the corn custard as much as I thought I would, but the chicken and biscuits were really good. I enjoyed the ambience and decor as well. I look forward to returning and trying different menu items.
(5)
Karen D.
Cute place, nicely varied menu. But I can't believe they won best chicken as that was what we ordered. I got white meant and she got dark. The thigh she got was really greasy with grease running out when she pulled the skin off. Neither of us cared for the seasoning used in the batter -- some kind of spice. The lunch special was $7.95 and only comes with fries & apparently not even a slice of bread. We're from St. Louis and wouldn't drive back over there for chicken again when we can get better closer to home.
(3)
Andrew G.
Ya know, my wife and I been here a few times now, we like it, but can't get past the owner. Not a welcoming guy in the least at all, just sits at the bar and sneers and stares at you when you come in, never says a word, no Hi there, welcome... nothing, not even a smile. I almost want to engage in a staring contest with him and ask, is that how you greet your costumers? Nice! This is very offensive to me. If he wasn't the owner, I might expect to engage in an altercation. (If it wasn't for him, we'd probably frequent more often.) Anyway, if you can get past that, the food, service and decor are right on.
(2)
Stuart K.
You have probably heard about the Sunday family style dinner that this beautiful restaurant serves. Located in Downtown Waterloo, IL. they know how to make a wonderful fried chicken and average sides. My wife and I went on Father's Day for our first visit, and to be honest were afraid we would not get in. No problem, groups of 5 or more can make reservations, and the place was fairly empty when we arrived apparently between waves of diners. The dinner is $13.00 but includes a nice desert. The service was prompt and courteous, and the staff very young and friendly. The biscuits were great, and the smashed potatoes, done really well. I can suggest that they use something other than flour and water for their gravy, like salt and pepper. The veg. was canned string beans that were way overcooked. My wife enjoyed a corn custard that was also served..
(4)
Matt W.
I knew when I saw the Smithwicks signs outside that this could be a good time! We had to sit at the bar and wait for a table but that turned out to be fun. The bartender really knew his stuff! Gave me samples of some of the beers from local breweries, 4 Hand was one I remember. They also had Red Breast 12 year old whiskey! I had the Seafood pasta which was excellent and my girlfriend had Chicken Modiga which were excellent. Good times, good food and reasonably priced!
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
S D.
I want to start this review by saying I really enjoy the food at gallagher's. I do wish they would change things up a bit it can get boring the same menue. This review is about the lunch I had today sadly not the best I have been served here. I ordered the tuna wrap, hard to find the tuna in it mostly lettuce and they forgot the avocado and bbq chips just a tad too bbqed! I will go back for sure and I encourage you to go too just keep a eye out at lunch!
(3)Tawnya S.
Worth the drive! This is a three level old home with an elevator. The selection of craft beers was extensive and included a little bit of everything. We had the fried chicken and pork chops, both were excellent. Service was great as well. We will be back!
(5)Mallarry D.
Happened upon this place last week with some friends from Waterloo...I had the Popeye burger...and I'm usually not a burger kind a gal..but this was to die for. The burger was awesome and the spinach on WOW. Service was great...So we decided to drive from STL..15-.20 min drive from Sunset Hills for their Tues night steak special.(20 bucksfor salad, steak and a side) It was AWESOME. I had the tenderloin and family had the rib eye. Cooked to perfection, I had the spinach (again) and it was great and the rest had the baked potatoe that was the size of Idaho. Also..the salad was great. Once again, good attentive service Great atmosphere...kind of fun bar downstairs and then an elevator to the 2nd floor..kind of like Citzen Kanes but with an elevator and not so pricey or dressy...plus you can get bar food if you want. I would recommend anyone from STL taking the time to drive over..can't wait to try the fried chicken. We usually drive 15-20 minutes to go to the hill... If you live nearby...no brainer. Get to Gallagher's!
(4)Jennifer C.
Worth the 40 mins drive and the 10 lbs I've gained! Went there on Sunday for their family style all you can eat fried chicken and it was one delicious feast! The fried chicken was perfect and all the sides were fantastic! The biscuits were extra good when you add some honey. I love their corn custard and my boyfriend couldn't get enough of their mash potatoes and creamy gravy. Service was excellent. Great atmosphere.
(5)William M.
Food was great again and well worth the drive here, however the bartender / waiter seemed put out that he had to do his job, later a waitress helped him out and was very personable and pleasant to have serving us. Still love this place just make sure you get a waitress instead of the bartender.
(4)Johnny C.
Always a GREAT dinner. Awesome steaks. Family style chicken is a feast!
(5)Aaron B.
Great place to go with the family. Very LARGE amounts of food! Great down home cooking.
(4)MB V.
This place is pretty decent considering there isn't much around this area. Their floor set up is sort of strange. I enjoy coming here once a year (during Christmas) visiting family! One of my favorite item on the menu is their Fried Chicken! Yummy!!!.
(4)Tami G.
Fried Chicken Sunday. Arrived here just as the doors opened, so it wasn't too bad. We had a big party. Myself, my parents, my sister and her husband, their two kids, and my 6 year old nephew. They took us upstairs and placed us in a room that was facing the street. Nice to see downtown Waterloo. The room had a Christmas tree, even though it wasn't Christmas, but it was cool nonetheless. I do like how they converted an old house into a restaurant! They even had an elevator that my niece, nephew, and I took downstairs because we can. So much food. You get: family recipe fried chicken, mashed potatoes, biscuits, cream gravy, corn custard & slow-cooked green beans with ham & a complimentary dessert served family style. The corn custard was so good! The chicken was just right. For dessert, we had various cake options. My tummy was so full from all the food, I had no room for dessert, but stuffed my face anyway. Great food, great atmosphere, fun times had by all. Make your way over the bridge to Waterloo and see what all Gallagher's has to offer. You won't be disappointed.
(4)Steve N.
Gallagher's is an incredible restaurant located in Downtown Waterloo. Sunday chicken dinner is one of the finest all-u-can eat family style meal that you may ever eat. However, if chicken isn't your dinner choice, their burgers and steaks are the best in the region.
(5)Glenn L.
What an awesome dinner! I was really wanting some fried chicken tonight and after reading all the reviews, we decided to go try the chicken at Gallagher's. We we got there it was going to be a 45 minute wait and now, I can definitely understand why. We sat at the bar as it was open and we could eat there. The only option on Sunday is the family style chicken dinner. fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn casserole, green beans slow cooked with ham and biscuits. Everything was outstanding. The chicken was just what I was wanting and the sides were exceptional. Their mashed potatoes and gravy are probably some of the best I've had at any restaurant. To make this even better, our meals came with a piece of a toffee cake for dessert. This was also great. James, one of the managers, was tending bar and waiting on us. We had a great conversation about their beer list and several other topics. By the way, they have some very good beers on draft and in the bottle. We will definitely be returning, but not until I recuperate from the food coma I'm experiencing while I finish this review.
(5)Patrick B.
My family and I enjoyed the Sunday chicken dinner served family style. The chicken was crunchy and perfectly seasoned. The potatoes were smashed and delicious. Instant potatoes are an insult and these were fresh and magnificent. All the sides are perfect and the desserts are made by Mama Gallagher and are award winning. Treat your family to a great drive and meal this Sunday. A family run restaurant that is clean, nicely remodeled and comfortable. I cannot recommend a restaurant more highly.
(5)charlee c.
We came here on a Thursday night and sat at the bar. They were very busy, which I considered a good sign on a week night in a little town) so we had a short wait before we were assisted, but once the bartender got to us she was very courteous and professional. Apparently each night has a different special, and thursday is hamburger night. I'm not really a hamburger connoisseur but my boyfriend got the jalapeno burger. They had a lot of interesting choices such as a prime rib burger, and alligator burger, and a brisket burger. I tried a bite of his jalapeno burger and it was delicious. We had bloody Mary's to drink. I loved them. They were really good and spicy. I like beer in my bloody Mary's and I noticed that the bartender put Guinness in them. We had the barbecued shrimp for an appetizer. It was in a barbecue sauce wrapped in bacon and asparagus. Served with bread. It was very good. Ialso had a house salad and the chicken modiga. we tried the fried chicken too. all were very good. Iwanted to post pictures of them because I noticed that most of the pictures on here were of the fried chicken so there are pictures below. We will definitely be back.
(5)Ram K.
They have great food specials for dinner. Lots of drink selections. Not a vegetarian friendly place.
(4)Aspin H.
Sunday 3/10th- we arrived at Gallaghers 30 minutes before they closed- we were turned away at the door because "they had a wait longer than they were open". We had drove all the way to Gallaghers-and we saw about 10 other people walk out too who were all extremely pi$$Ed- with good reason and said they would never go back. I didnt even see any one waiting--- So note to Gallaghers- DONT TURN AWAY PAYING CUSTOMERS!! but we went to Farmers Inn in Millstadt and had delicious fried chicken, so if you get there and they turn you away too, keep Farmers Inn in mind! :)
(1)M G.
First time and we will definitely be back. It is a beautiful day, we are taking a drive in the convertible, we stopped at Dear Divas in Columbia, Il for yummy treats then kept driving. While driving through Waterloo we spotted Gallagher's. I had the prime rib burger, it was perfect! My husband had their friend chicken which was great. One of the best burgers I've had. Service was very good.
(5)James S.
Unfortunately we will need to return for the dinner menu, however the lunch menu is great. I had the chicken salad with homemade BBQ chips, my wife had the entry size crab cakes and my daughter had the grill cheese sandwich. Each plate was outstanding. Service was great. And I had two Bloody Mary's which were perfect. I will certainly return.
(4)Caitie D.
A little pricy for the location, but definitely worth it. The bar selection would give any hipster an orgasm. Seriously. Locally distilled vodkas and craft beer. Although the bartenders were not that friendly-- scowls and all-- the drinks were good so I can't complain about bitchy bartenders too much. The steaks are great. The service tonight was PHENOMENAL. Kaitlyn Jarvis was knowledgable, yet not annoying. Perfect. The only reason this place didn't get five stars.... Corner booth with zero lighting. I had to use my cell phone flashlight to see the menu.. I'm 23--not blind, just really dark. Will definitely return and suggest to friends.
(4)Jim G.
Drove 40 minutes to eat here for the first time yesterday and it was a HUGE waste of time and money. Fist off I will say that we liked the design and decoration but you don't eat in a restaurant because it looks nice. We were brought out somewhat stale bread and I had a not cold Blue Moon on draft. The only part of the meal that was good was the cup of gumbo I had. It was a tomato based gumbo which is not my favorite but I really liked it. My girlfriend had the prime rib special which we both sampled and was tough, fatty (way way way too fatty) and tasted wrong! Her side of asparagus was pretty good. I had their "famous award-winning" fried chicken. It was below average. Burnt breading and tasted ok at best. The fries were ok. The waitress didn't bring out our food and we didn't see her again for 10 minutes when we flagged down a bus person to go get her. All in all a wasted trip. I'll stick with Malone's, Piccadilly or Hodak's for fried chicken.
(2)Emily R.
Well, this was a pleasant surprise. When my parents told me they were taking me to Waterloo for dinner, I didn't have high hopes, but this place is great. We came on Sunday for family style fried chicken, and there was a bit of a wait for a table, but luckily we found open seats at the bar. I was blown away by the craft beer and bourbon selection. The bloody mary was pretty amazing too. The bartender knew his stuff, and our waitress was on point. I didn't like the corn custard as much as I thought I would, but the chicken and biscuits were really good. I enjoyed the ambience and decor as well. I look forward to returning and trying different menu items.
(5)Karen D.
Cute place, nicely varied menu. But I can't believe they won best chicken as that was what we ordered. I got white meant and she got dark. The thigh she got was really greasy with grease running out when she pulled the skin off. Neither of us cared for the seasoning used in the batter -- some kind of spice. The lunch special was $7.95 and only comes with fries & apparently not even a slice of bread. We're from St. Louis and wouldn't drive back over there for chicken again when we can get better closer to home.
(3)Andrew G.
Ya know, my wife and I been here a few times now, we like it, but can't get past the owner. Not a welcoming guy in the least at all, just sits at the bar and sneers and stares at you when you come in, never says a word, no Hi there, welcome... nothing, not even a smile. I almost want to engage in a staring contest with him and ask, is that how you greet your costumers? Nice! This is very offensive to me. If he wasn't the owner, I might expect to engage in an altercation. (If it wasn't for him, we'd probably frequent more often.) Anyway, if you can get past that, the food, service and decor are right on.
(2)Stuart K.
You have probably heard about the Sunday family style dinner that this beautiful restaurant serves. Located in Downtown Waterloo, IL. they know how to make a wonderful fried chicken and average sides. My wife and I went on Father's Day for our first visit, and to be honest were afraid we would not get in. No problem, groups of 5 or more can make reservations, and the place was fairly empty when we arrived apparently between waves of diners. The dinner is $13.00 but includes a nice desert. The service was prompt and courteous, and the staff very young and friendly. The biscuits were great, and the smashed potatoes, done really well. I can suggest that they use something other than flour and water for their gravy, like salt and pepper. The veg. was canned string beans that were way overcooked. My wife enjoyed a corn custard that was also served..
(4)Matt W.
I knew when I saw the Smithwicks signs outside that this could be a good time! We had to sit at the bar and wait for a table but that turned out to be fun. The bartender really knew his stuff! Gave me samples of some of the beers from local breweries, 4 Hand was one I remember. They also had Red Breast 12 year old whiskey! I had the Seafood pasta which was excellent and my girlfriend had Chicken Modiga which were excellent. Good times, good food and reasonably priced!
(5)