Palms Grill Cafe

Reviews

• David A.

  star star star star star 9 June 2026

  Great little diner right on old Route 66 across from a big Paul Bunyon statue. Good diner food and great homemade pie!    Seems popular with the locals.

• Rachel H.

  star star_border star_border star_border star_border 2 June 2026

  Lots of good reviews so we thought we'd try it out. Got there about 11:40 am looking for breakfast. We seated ourselves near the door. We were immediately told by the waitress that it would be a few minutes because they were busy. Our order was placed at noon. The food came 30 minutes later. I had scrambled eggs, didn't get the cheese on them that I ordered. No hash browns, they were out so I got home fries. Bacon, coffee and sour dough toast. Small portions, which was fine, the toast made up for it. Everything edible was fine, just not stellar.
  It was the service from our waitress that ruined our first time experience.
  She will bring this restaurant down. The place had maybe a dozen people in the front. She tried turning customers away and finally flipped the sign in the door to closed. She kept saying how busy they were and was telling customers it was going to be at least 20 to 30 minutes to even get their order in! None of the silverware was ready, so she pulled it out of her apron pockets. Is that kosher? Oh, but they were busy. Maybe a staffing issue? Part of eating out is the experience, the atmosphere, the staff and good food. The waitress was all around, not nice. We will never go to this restaurant again.
  Go to Lincoln and eat at the Grandma's Arcade Cafe.

• Gary R.

  star star star star star_border 31 May 2026

  Rachel and Nicole were great, as was the holy smokes burger and holy smokes dog. What a treat in hot Atlanta, IL. Or at least hot to the locals!!

• Peter T.

  star star star star star 28 May 2026

  Perfect on every level. One of the original U.S. highways, Route 66 (US Highway 66), was established on November 11, 1926.
  
  A few years later, the Palms Grill Cafe opened on the "Mother Road" in Atlanta, IL, about equidistant between St. Louis and Chicago (now just off I-55).
  
  Not much has changed since then, in Atlanta, or at the Palms. The restaurant still whips up most everything from scratch on a daily basis (closed Tuesday, tho), serves breakfast all day, and offers an ever changing menu of daily specials.  This is the epitome of American home cooking.
  
  Taking advantage of that "breakfast all day thing" meant a fried pork chop and eggs for my navigator, and for me? A central Illinois specialty, served nowhere else that I know of.  It's called the "Horseshoe" and was created in/around Springfield, IL.
  
  This beauty starts with two pieces of toast on the plate, your choice of protein (burger, ham, bacon, pork chop, sausage, chicken), then topped with fries, and your choice of sausage gravy or cheese sauce....or both! And sure, they'll throw a fried egg or two on top if you want.  That makes it a "breakfast shoe."
  
  I went with country ham. Delish.  As were the fresh cut, twice fried fries. Not many places do that anymore.
  
  Didn't have room for dessert, wish I did, each day they have a selection of house made pies and cakes. This lemon cake pictured was right in front of me during lunch. Torture.
  
  There's a big room for events or tour buses, and the walls are chock-a-block with old time area photos.  Some vintage machines (pinball, cash register, payphone, refrigerator) dot the main room and are all in excellent working condition.

• Korki D.

  star star star star star 24 May 2026

  Ate here on Saturday. I had a hamburger pony and my friend had the BLT.  Both are great and the homemade fries....wonderful!! The atmosphere of place is so fun. Very retro and meant to be that way. I opted for the creamsicle cake and my dining partner had the sour cream chocolate chip cake as a dessert. Both were incredibly delicious!!
  
  If you're traveling old  Route 66, this is a must stop!! Very cool museum upstairs too.