Jim and Nancy do not disclose the fact that they will review a restaurant before they attend, ensuring their reviews are unbiased and uninfluenced by their position with the Sun Day.
Nothing says Father’s Day like cowboys and steak. We visited Donley’s Old West Steakhouse in Union with our own Wild West expert, Dr. Jim and his wife. He provided us with interesting historical snippets throughout the evening.
When we drove up, it looked just like something out of the old west, but in our backyard. You entered through doors with cowhide panels to a restaurant right out of a âGunsmokeâ set complete with western antiques and buffalo heads on the walls.
Our friends both had the âOld West Road Killâ which is an 8 oz. chopped steak covered with onions, mushrooms, and pepperjack cheese for $10.99, which they told us was very good.
Since it was my husband’s âspecial day,â I gave him carte blanche to order anything he wanted, and boy did he! He started off our meal with the âRattlesnake Bites,â which were beer-battered jalapeno slices. They were delicious, and ouch, did they ever have a bite to them. Then he had a cup of loaded potato soup for $1.99 extra. He followed that with the 12 oz. Cowboy Ribeye for $21.99 and a baked potato with all the trimmings (sour cream, bacon, butter, and cheese). For dessert, a fudge brownie sundae. I had a portable defibrillator standing by, just in case…
Nancy, who is not into steak as much as I am, had the âHigh Chop’arral Saladâ for $9.99, which had fried chicken tenders with shredded cheese, cucumber, tomatoes, black olives, and croutons.
The service was questionable. Why, you ask? I don’t know about you, but when sharing an appetizer, it’s nice to have your own plate. Jim had to ask for them. Nancy asked if bread came with the meal and the waitress brought us the most moist and delicious corn bread with cinnamon butter, but again, we had to ask.
Our total bill for the two of us was $53.43. All in all, if you like a western atmosphere, fun for the family, and a decent steak, then Donley’s Old West Steakhouse is the place for you. Ya Hoo!
He said/she said:
Jim’s take: I usually don’t expect much from a restaurant associated with an attraction, but the steak was surprisingly good and grilled to perfection. The loaded potato soup could have been thicker and hotter. And for the money, soup or salad should have been included. I really enjoyed the Rattlesnake Bites, but it was a very small portion for the price.
Nancy’s take: I enjoyed the atmosphere, since I saw a cowboy or two walking around. I love men in chaps and spurs! Oh, sorry, back to my meal. My salad was good; however, it was supposed to have black olives in it, which I love, and there were none. The Rattlesnake Bites were to be served with ranch salsa, which turned out to be ordinary ranch.
Donleyâs Old West Steakhouse
Directions: Take Sun City Boulevard to Hemmer Road â Turn Left, Go to S. Union Road â Turn Right and itâs on the right side of the street. Approximate Travel Time: 15 minutes. Reservations not required.
8512 S. Union Road
Union, IL 60180
(815)923-9000
www.wildwesttown.com
