Giant City State Park Lodge & Restaurant

American restaurant · Cobden District 1

Giant City State Park Lodge & Restaurant

American restaurant · Cobden District 1

1

460 Giant City Lodge Rd, Makanda, IL 62958

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Giant City State Park Lodge & Restaurant by null
Giant City State Park Lodge & Restaurant by null
Giant City State Park Lodge & Restaurant by null
Giant City State Park Lodge & Restaurant by null
Giant City State Park Lodge & Restaurant by null
Giant City State Park Lodge & Restaurant by null
Giant City State Park Lodge & Restaurant by null
Giant City State Park Lodge & Restaurant by null
Giant City State Park Lodge & Restaurant by null
Giant City State Park Lodge & Restaurant by null
Giant City State Park Lodge & Restaurant by null
Giant City State Park Lodge & Restaurant by null
Giant City State Park Lodge & Restaurant by null
Giant City State Park Lodge & Restaurant by null
Giant City State Park Lodge & Restaurant by null
Giant City State Park Lodge & Restaurant by null
Giant City State Park Lodge & Restaurant by null
Giant City State Park Lodge & Restaurant by null
Giant City State Park Lodge & Restaurant by null
Giant City State Park Lodge & Restaurant by null
Giant City State Park Lodge & Restaurant by null
Giant City State Park Lodge & Restaurant by null
Giant City State Park Lodge & Restaurant by null
Giant City State Park Lodge & Restaurant by null
Giant City State Park Lodge & Restaurant by null
Giant City State Park Lodge & Restaurant by null
Giant City State Park Lodge & Restaurant by null
Giant City State Park Lodge & Restaurant by null
Giant City State Park Lodge & Restaurant by null
Giant City State Park Lodge & Restaurant by null
Giant City State Park Lodge & Restaurant by null
Giant City State Park Lodge & Restaurant by null
Giant City State Park Lodge & Restaurant by null
Giant City State Park Lodge & Restaurant by null
Giant City State Park Lodge & Restaurant by null
Giant City State Park Lodge & Restaurant by null
Giant City State Park Lodge & Restaurant by null
Giant City State Park Lodge & Restaurant by null
Giant City State Park Lodge & Restaurant by null
Giant City State Park Lodge & Restaurant by null
Giant City State Park Lodge & Restaurant by null
Giant City State Park Lodge & Restaurant by null
Giant City State Park Lodge & Restaurant by null
Giant City State Park Lodge & Restaurant by null

Highlights

Nestled in the woods of Giant City State Park, this charming 1930s lodge boasts cozy cabins, a rustic restaurant, and a lively bar perfect for seasonal escapes.  

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460 Giant City Lodge Rd, Makanda, IL 62958 Get directions

giantcitylodge.com

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460 Giant City Lodge Rd, Makanda, IL 62958 Get directions

+1 618 457 4921
giantcitylodge.com

$$

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Last updated

Jul 21, 2025

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Known for their fried chicken and family style dinners. The location is fun though — in the state park and a WPA era lodge.

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Janelle Swann

Google
We ate at the restaurant after hiking a couple of the trails. Food was exceptionally good. We noticed the array of awards for the fried chicken and were favorably impressed. The blackberry cobbler was also very good. Service was also very good. It definitely deserves all of the awards it has received.

Michael Chipman

Google
We went for lunch. They have an all you can eat fried chicken family meal, but we got sandwiches instead. Each came with a side. They like to use blue cheese, so pay attention to the description. I liked their BBQ sandwich with home made white bread. My friend liked the chicken salad on toast. We liked the environment.

Marc Hightower

Google
Really nice atmosphere and decor, but the food was absolutely terrible. I went because I was told that they had all you cam eat chicken. Unfortunately it's fried and I try to stay away from fried foods. I was hoping that they would have hadgrilled. They did have smoked chicken, so I ordered that. The chicken had to have been cooked earlier and reheated. It was overcooked and extremely dry. Some parts of the chicken were the kind of hard you get from overcooking. Even the baked potato was burned and the green beans seemed like they came from a can.

Paul Robinson

Google
Stopped in to have some lunch. We came at a great time. Was the lull between lunch and dinner. Everyone was very friendly was seated right away. I ordered the Seafood Sampler and my partner the Country Fried Steak. Our food came out very quickly

Patty Miller

Google
Went for chicken dinner. Everything was very good, with the exception of the gravy. I wouldn't recommend it. After tasting it, I couldn't eat my potatoes because of the gravy. It was nasty, and I could still taste it the next day.

Melvin C

Google
Giant City Lodge Restaurant: Scenic Beauty with Room for Improvement in Service Giant City Lodge remains an undeniably beautiful spot, offering a truly immersive experience with nature in all its glory. The setting itself is a major draw, and in years past, the restaurant has consistently matched this with excellent food, good service, and ample dining capacity. On a recent visit with a party of nine family members from out of town, we were seated quickly in the main dining room, which seemed unusually quiet with very few tables occupied. There was one fairly large group in the adjacent banquet room. Our server was friendly from the start, taking our drink orders promptly and returning with both drinks and menus. Our orders varied, with one choosing from the regular menu, two opting for the All-You-Can-Eat BBQ Chicken, and the remaining six of us going for the fried chicken served family-style. The food itself was good overall, with the fried chicken living up to its reputation. However, where the experience faltered was in its promptness. While our server was consistently friendly, drink refills were slow in coming, and getting refills on the fried chicken and other pass-arounds also took an extended amount of time. It appeared that the limited staff might have been heavily focused on the larger group in the banquet room, inadvertently leaving those of us in the main dining hall waiting longer than ideal. Ultimately, Giant City Lodge Restaurant still offers a pleasant dining experience with good food and friendly staff, but the service, particularly concerning attentiveness and speed, could use some refinement to match the exceptional natural beauty of its surroundings and its past standards.

Juan Svencionis

Google
I returned to this lodge restaurant after several years, eager to revisit their famous family fried chicken special. While the all-you-can-eat deal is still a great value, I was disappointed to find that the food quality has slipped somewhat. The fried chicken remains tasty, but the sides and biscuits, which were once homemade and exceptional, now seem mass-produced and lackluster. Specifically, the biscuits were a letdown - previously fluffy and freshly baked, they now taste like they came from a can. The mashed potatoes, too, were unimpressive. That being said, the prices are still very reasonable, especially for those with big appetites. Overall, it's an okay option for a casual, affordable meal, but not quite the standout it once was.

Unknown Odyssey

Google
Everything was great! When I first saw the room, I was astonished. Everything was neat, and smelled great. The service for the restaurant inside the lodge was awesome and the employees were so kind! We tried out one of the trails and the view was nice. The only thing I didn't like about it was that I got lost on a man-made split off.
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Shanna M.

Yelp
The food is always good, services is amazing and the views are strait out of Gods own hands. You can't beat a reservation with family and friends. The calendar applies, they close for winter season!
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Greg J.

Yelp
You have to stop here at least to see the main lodge building. It is spectacular. Just what you'd imagine a park lodge would look like. And they've carried the theme into the dining room with the stuffed animals. We'd eaten here before to have the chicken dinner. It's good, but maybe not as good as we had hoped given the reviews and awards it receives. Still, it's their specialty and I'd recommend it. You get a lot of food and get to try a lot of sides. I'm not sure how people finish it all, let alone getting refills. And it's only 14.99 weekdays so it's a great deal. We tried something different this time snd I regret doing that. I had meatloaf, dumplings and chili. All were very, very salty. I've never had chili that I thought was salty. I couldn't even eat the meatloaf it was so salty. I think it would have been good if not for that. When I told the server it was inedible she said she'd tell the kitchen but did offer to remedy the situation. My wife had fish and green beans and corn. The fish was very greasy. She put extra napkins under it and they were soaked in grease. She thought the veggies were good. The corn must be lightly creamed. So definitely stop here and if you do, order the chicken

Terry C.

Yelp
I had the worst dining experience at this restaurant. We had a reservation for 6:30 PM, and after our first plate of chicken was served, the server informed us that we would only receive one more plate because the kitchen was closing at 7:00 PM. We had a party of 11, and this was supposed to be an all-you-can-eat chicken meal. We were never informed that the kitchen closed at 7:00 PM when we made our reservation. When I called the owner the next day, I received a lot of runarounds from his family members. When the owner, Mike, finally returned my call, he showed no empathy or understanding. Instead, he tried to insist that the server was doing a good job for him. When I asked Mike why we weren't informed about the 7:00 PM kitchen closure at the time of our reservation, he said they take guests until 7:00 PM in the dining room, but the kitchen stays open until 8:00 or later. When I pointed out that the chairs were being put up, and a loud vacuum was running well before the closing of the dining room 8:00 closing, he again tried to downplay the situation, claiming that we weren't being pushed out. At one point, he asked about my occupation, and I mentioned that I work in retail. The last thing he said to me before hanging up (and I mean he hung up unprofessionally, and abruptly devoid of any manners) was that he didn't think I was in retail) because I wasn't very understanding. In my opinion, Mike is a poor businessman and should consider selling the restaurant to someone who cares about running a business effectively. I will let his words to me, at one point in the conversation, speak for mike manners. Mike words to me, and I quote, "were you fed". like I was some kind of livestock. Mike tried to tell me that there was a misunderstanding. I know there was no misunderstanding at all. The sever told us there would only be one more plate, due to the kitchen closing at 7:00 PM. There is also no misunderstanding that you are not wanted to stay, when all the chairs are put up on tables and the vacuum blasting away. At one point, Mike mentioned that he didn't recognize me phone number and told me that I wasn't even from the area. I'm not sure why Mike would bring that.
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Paige M.

Yelp
Food was beyond disgusting and service just as bad . Great state park , great cabins , worst restaurant . They make their money on selling boxed and frozen food to tourists. If you ate at the gas station on the way to the park you would get better food.
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Susan B.

Yelp
We were visiting the area and planned to dine at Giant City Lodge Restaurant. Drove out there (20 minutes) to be met with a sign "Restaurant Closed". It was decorated for a birthday party. Nothing on their website or Facebook page. Grrr!!

Tracy L.

Yelp
Restaurant: it would be nice if they would answer their phone or hire someone to answer it. I was told to call back on December 2nd to reserve a space for next year for a special event and they won't answer their phone! The message says to try to call Thursday - Saturday.
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Jill A.

Yelp
Great friendly staff and wondeful selection of delicious food! Definitely will come back.
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Lisa M.

Yelp
This place is where it's at for Sunday Dinner! Home cooking at its best, and family style! Everything was delicious and plentiful l. We did agree that the chicken was too salty but other than, two happy eaters. Our server was super friendly, too.
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Maggie A.

Yelp
Great chicken! Wonderful ambiance of old hunting lodge. Service was nice. Food, other than the chicken, was dull and prepackaged. Served family style on Sunday means only chicken and sides. It's reasonable but it would be better if it was homemade mashed potatoes not boxed, fresh green beans, not canned, and definitely NOT canned biscuits. So go for the scenery, not necessarily the food.
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A W.

Yelp
Wow this place is beautiful. We went for Father's Day and I didn't take pics. It was packed. We did have reservations but we ran late so had to wait maybe an extra ten minutes. No biggie. All the staff was super friendly. Our server was a bust her butt server! We did the family chicken and they were on top of refills. Worth every penny, worth the drive, worth an extra drive! We will be back again and again!

Tick R.

Yelp
The Lodge would be described as rustic and charming. Unless taxidermy disturbs you. If so, wear blindfold. A quick review of items purchased during my week long stay. Scale 1-10 with 1 being garbage and 10 being I would put a ring on its finger and introduce it to mom. Breakfast- Biscuits - 02 (canned) Coffee - 10 Eggs - Over-easy- 10 Scrambled- 07 Sunny-side up - 01 (burnt side down would be more appropriate) Hashbrowns 06 (called breakfast potatoes here) Gravy - 07 Pancakes - 05 Lunch - Burger [Park] - 08 Chili - 09 (solid nine, soft ten) Potato [baked] - 02 (presentation good but potato was barely warm) Tea [unsweet] - 06 Dinner - Country fried steak - 08 Green beans - 09 Manhattan [premium] - 08 Mashed potatoes - 09 Service/staff - 09

Mark B.

Yelp
Just two words for this place...Fried Chicken!!! Boom!! The building is really awesome built by the CCC.

Deborah M.

Yelp
Shame on your staff and management! We entered the dining area for breakfast and were told to seat ourselves. We picked a 4-top but there were only two place settings on the table. I asked my 6 year old granddaughter to grab a place setting from one of the MANY vacant tables that were completely set. The server approached our table and accused the child of STEALING! I tried to hand the silverware back to the server but she said, "not necessary, she's been told"! Told what, that she's a thief for trying to be helpful. We were all upset by the server's behavior so we didn't order breakfast. I then went to the manager and told him what happened. He defended the server and said it was just a joke. Well tell that to a 6 year old who has just had a stranger accuse her of stealing! I then attempted to speak with the server and she told me it was her pet peeve when guest remove place setting from tables! Then how about you set a four top with FOUR sets of silverware!! This woman had no remorse and neither did the manager. Shame on them for making a little girl (who was trying to be helpful) cry! No accountability for the server's actions. If she had said it in a joking manner or with laughter, that might have made a difference...or chosen a different word than STEALING! But she wasn't laughing. She was serious. The manager said, "We've apologized"...but every time he said he was sorry, he added a but to the end of the sentence. Like, "I'm sorry but it was just a joke", "I'm sorry but my server wouldn't do that" "I'm sorry but you're over reacting". How about "I'm sorry, that was inappropriate and I regret that your dining experience was ruined." No accountability whatsoever!
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Kelly C.

Yelp
My family of 6 came here for lunch on a Wednesday afternoon. There was a 15 minute wait to be seated but the host was very kind and kept us updated. The all you can eat chicken was a great deal at 14 for adults and 8 for kids. A new plate of chicken was delivered quickly after we finished the first, dumplings and potatoes were also great, green beans were bland. One daughter got BLT, which was great and wife got the pulled smoked chicken, also great. We ordered a local draft beer served in a cold glass, perfect for hot day. The waitress was very very nice and great with my 4 kids. Recommend this spot !
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Adrianne B.

Yelp
Great family style, comfort, food restaurant! As a picky eater myself, I enjoy being able to order off the menu without doing family style and love the fried chicken and biscuits!
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Micki S.

Yelp
Took my adult kids to the lodge for chicken. We made reservations ahead of time hoping to get a good table. Got seated just fine. Then spent the next 20 minutes watching the wait staff ignore my table. Asked to speak to a manager. He was worse then the service. He let me know this is just the way they do things. Didn't even apologize. After we did get service all the food they brought to the table was ice cold. We used to love going here for the all you can eat chicken. But wont be returning. We deserve better service then this
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William B.

Yelp
The kind of place where when you order a fried chicken dinner for lunch, you get a bunch of pieces of delicious fried chicken, a good biscuit with butter and apple butter, sautéed corn, mushy green beans, mashed potatoes with some tasty white gravy, and dumplings, which my wife called "like kreplach but so much better." The dumplings were a hot mess of tender dough tasting like nothing but salt, pepper, flour, and chicken fat, and maybe the best southern-style dumpling I can remember having. The chicken was even better. And the rest was unnecessary.

Haley K.

Yelp
Have driven down now twice only to find the dining room closed and nobody in sight! Brochure says open, Yelp says open yet, not the case! I'd advise calling ahead because apparently, they operate at will,not by posted hours
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Chris C.

Yelp
My wife and I came down for dinner while spending a couple of nights in Carbondale, IL. Our waiter was amazing, and he sounded exactly like Mikey Day from SNL. We started with deep fried chicken livers. The were excellent, and the portion size was substantial for two people. Next my wife had the beef vegetable soup. She loved it. She let me try it and she almost didn't get it back. She had the 8 ounce prime rib, which was cooked exactly like she asked and she reported was very good. I had the smoked chicken. The smoked flavor was not to my taste (which is certainly not there fault), but was a bit dry. The mashed potatoes and corn were good, and the slice of watermelon it also came with was perfect. We ended our meal with coffee. The coffee was fabulous. A perfect way to end the meal.
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Brian G.

Yelp
I have been coming to Giant City Lodge since I was a kid. We would always come here on Sundays for the family style fried chicken. It was my grandmother's favorite, and we would always come here on special events with her. My dad keeps up the tradition, and we always take him here for his birthday. I like the chicken and especially the dumplings. Honestly we have only ever eaten at the lodge on Sundays so I can't speak to the food during the rest of the week.The service has always been polite and very accommodating, and they can host large groups. It can be busy, so if you have a large group you should make a reservation in advance. The lodge and much of the surrounding structures in the park were built by the CCC during the depression. As a result there is a lot of wood and stonework that is typical of that period. I happen to find that a very enjoyable style. I have always liked playing checkers by the fire in the lodge during the fall or winter. I do know other people that are not a fan of that woodsy style. Many of the cabins have a similar feel. The cabins are a bit rustic and that is part of the appeal. That is just something you need to know going in. If you want a five star spa this isn't the place for you. If you want a place to rest and relax while spending your days hiking and enjoying nature, then it is a perfect spot.

Michael M.

Yelp
Charming old lodge building serving wonderful food at reasonable prices. All you can eat chicken was excellent.
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T. C.

Yelp
Never been here before, food was good. Service was definitely slow, alot of standing around. We sat there a good 10 minutes before anyone took our order. I'll go back and try again.
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Aaron K.

Yelp
Place is great. Rooms are comfortable. Owners are super accommodating for their guests' needs in the cabins. Food is always solid. Bummer that the thick cut bologna from the breakfast buffet isn't around during COVID, but it is what it is. I'm sure it'll be back. Stuck around at the bar one night after they closed. All the employees stayed around after close while owners bought everyone pizza. Like a legit family. Might have gotten a slice myself. When the employees are happy, you know it's a good place. I used to come here to eat back when I lived here, and I liked it plenty then. But now I'm 100% sold. This place is a gem. (Also, it's beautiful down here.)

Terri T.

Yelp
Chicken is some of the best in the area. Service is excellent. Side dishes leave something to be desired. Green beans would have been good if they had not been sweetened. Rolls would be better than poor quality biscuits. Very skimpy with butter for dry biscuits. Cole slaw is fine. Canned corn is canned corn. This was our second visit in a month. And both were the same.
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Lauren K.

Yelp
What a home style experience in the lodge. From the moment we were greeted by the owners at the front door, all the way until Katie brought us our bill, we experienced nothing but southern hospitality at its finest. Service was superb and very professional. With COVID occurring, all precautions were being taken (face masks worn by all staff, tables 6 ft apart, & frequent cleaning) while not taking away from the charm of the lodge. I recommend the following: -light, fluffy biscuits served with apple butter and homemade butter served as an appetizer -coleslaw also served as an appetizer -perfectly crisp and juicy southern style chicken -homemade dumplings -peppered to perfection green beans -thick gravy -sweet tea **Food was quickly being brought to us, even without us asking. We were never short of food** ADDITIONALLY, there is incredible sightseeing and wildlife around the lodge. There is a tower to climb with beautiful views of the sunset and a variety of hikes nearby. I can't wait to go back the next time I'm visiting Southern Illinois!
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Jennifer D.

Yelp
The all you can eat chicken dinner never disappoints. Went to college here so many years ago and nothing has changed. Quick, plentiful, and delicious.

Nikki And Dave T.

Yelp
I've only been here once with family and won't be back if I can help it. A lot of locals really like this place, but their lack of vegan options for being in/near a university is very disappointing. Basically, you're stuck with just hashbrowns/potatoes and fruit. It took at least fifteen minutes for someone to take our order and then longer for our food.
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Olivia B.

Yelp
This is true family cooking. Giant City Lodge is the place to go if you're feeling homesick while studying at SIU. Family style is the only option on Sundays, but it's the best option any day you go. The portions are appropriate. Service is typically quick, but you have to request more food if it looks like your table is running low. We came here to celebrate a birthday with a large party, and the food can run out quickly. The chicken and dumplings is some of the best I've ever had. The apple butter for the biscuits is exquisite, so you have to try it! You'll leave likely feeling pretty sick and full. You don't come to Giant City to have a healthy meal. Make sure to look around the rest of the lodge before or after dinner. Parts of the film Gone Girl were filmed in this location. If you can handle it after your big meal, take some time to climb the water town to get a great view of the Shawnee National Forest.
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Nancy S.

Yelp
We stayed in a cabin for a couple nights and had breakfast and dinner at the restaurant a couple times. Enjoyed our stay! The food is good, servers great, cabin is basic (but with AC). The lodge and surrounding park is a great place to stay when you love the outdoors and like to go hiking.

Fred W.

Yelp
Family style fried chicken is their specialty - and it's the best around. Great building , beautiful surroundings / not to be missed if you are in the area
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Mark W.

Yelp
My friends took me here today. We chose the family style lunch option, which includes delicious fried chicken, dumplings, slaw, corn, green beans, mashed potatoes and gravy, biscuits with butter and apple butter. The food, service and scenery were great!

Cheryl C.

Yelp
Came here to try the family style breakfast, unfortunately you need a party of 8 or more. Ordered the similar individual meal. The scrambled eggs were exceptionally fresh and delicious. The bacon was too crispy and the potatoes were in an oil slick ugh! Substituted toast for biscuits and it was too cold to melt butter. Not the best experience, just stick with the all you can eat chicken.
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Katie A.

Yelp
Had the fried chicken that was supposedly their specialty. It was a bit over fried and dry. It came with mashed potatoes, which are OK. It came with chicken and dumplings, which were a bit watery. Served with corn as well as green beans, both of which tasted like they came straight out of the can. It was all you can eat and cheap. If that's your main criteria I would say come here to eat. If you're looking for really good fried chicken-keep looking. Service was pretty good. Ate here another night and have The catfish dinner.. Oh my god-this was way better! Skip the chicken and eat the catfish. Also stayed in the lodge for several nights. The rooms were a bit thread worn. Bed a bit saggy. Looks like it had not been updated in 10 to 15 years. But it was clean.
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Norma O.

Yelp
My sister in law and I stayed here one night and rented one of the cabins. It was alittle hard to find as the numbers are hard to see from the rd, they were beside the door in small numbers and the door didn't face the rd . At night after dinner you had to get out and walk up to see the numbers, need large numbers on the side of the cabin so you can see them from the rd .Inside the cabin was disappointing. The front room was pretty sparse, no sofa and only one comfortable chair and three hard chairs . Nothing cozy about it at all. The tv didn't work and we had to call someone to come and fix it . This room had a Murphy bed which was fine and the bed room was nice and bathroom had plenty of room. The cabin door could of used a chain lock. The lodge was nice but no fire in the fire place and it was cool rainy eve and I was looking forward to a fire to have a drink and visit with other people. The ad that we seen in a magazine was showing this setting and I asked about a fire but never got one. When I think of a lodge I think of a nice fire place . The food was good

Doug P.

Yelp
Great location, look and food. If you are doing the Shawnee Wine trail, this is a must because it is in the center of the area where all of the wineries are. A long ride to anything else.

Thena B.

Yelp
We came here from Champaign IL. We have eaten here before and Loved it! This time around it was even more special because of Our Young Waiter Jake. He gave Us the ultimate in Customer Service. He attended to Our every need. I highly recommend Him... We ordered the All You can eat Fried Catfish & Chicken. It came with Slaw, Mashed Potatoes, Hush puppies, Green Beans, Creamed Corn, Homemade Dumplings, Biscuits, It was the Best! Then We had the Piece de resistance....Homemade Apple& Peach Cobbler with Vanilla Ice Cream... So Treat Yourself...You don't want to miss out!....

Vern C.

Yelp
Have been here many times and always had the fried chicken which is great. I will continue to go back for it. Recently went and saw they offered prime rib now so made a special trip to have prime rib. My friend and I ordered one medium rare and one rare. They arrived at our table and were not even close to how we ordered them. We sent them back and they tried the second time but sent 2 more back to our table pretty close to well done. No pink whatsoever. Asked the manager to come over and he suggested we eat them anyway. We said no, paid for our drinks and left. This obviously isn't a place to eat steakhouse quality meals. But the fried chicken is great!
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Argie M.

Yelp
Amazing place, beautiful views an the food is amazing and the prices even better, all I can eat fried chicken yes yes yes!
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La Keisha A.

Yelp
I was having a great time visiting local wineries in an attempt the support businesses in Southern Illinois. In doing so I sought to try out a local restaurant. This place came with good reviews and i figure if i didn't like the food at least i had the experience. The food was decent. However i was concerned when i was told that there was no wine flight on the menu. As u can see the menu states differently. The manager told me that he has never heard of that but was willing to accommodate me. Awesome Sauce!!!! However please be aware that if you order an endless portion meal and there is more than one person that orders it at the table you still only get one plate! They will charge you for two. I ordered the burger medium which came out well but i ate it with no complaint. My friend felt that she was being CHEATED because she was not served her the plate she paid for! Right or wrong, why does and employee feel he can knock my phone out of my hand to stop me from recording her?! What right did he have to touch my phone besides his white privilege? This is UNACCEPTABLE. Thanks for mistreating me and prompting me to start the Black Travelers Almanac. The Black Farmers Almanac will hight light businesses that appreciate people of all ethnicities that are willing to respect and patronize their business.

Paul B.

Yelp
Awesome atmosphere and food . Fried chicken is the bomb!. I would highly recommend the chicken all you can eat dinner.
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Jerika L.

Yelp
We came here with my brother and his family. For 8 of us, we walked right in. Food was hot, flavorful and so filling. It was a Sunday so family style fried chicken. We enjoyed the gift shop after and walking to the water tower and climbing it.
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Jerry W.

Yelp
You cannot be in the vicinity of this place and not stop in for lunch or dinner. The all you can eat family style chicken is awesome. They bring dumplings, mashed potatoes and gravy as well as several other family style sides. Delicious. Friendly staff and great atmosphere. Great place for a small group.
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Hang T.

Yelp
This place is literally a lodge out in the middle of nowhere next to a huge water tower where you can see everything around you. Logs, bears, and a big bison. You can see all that here and more. Their restaurant is something you would see in a Yogi Bear cartoon. :P When we got seated, I guess they didn't notify the waiter that we were there so he was a little tardy. The manager saw that we were waiting and immediately started the ball rolling by getting him. They continually apologized throughout the night. Great service. I tried their famous chicken and dumplings while my fiance got the bison burger. Something new, something different for him. Before the entrees, we ordered some chicken wings and now I can see why they are famous for their chicken. Beats BBDubs easily! Crispy, only slightly. Not rock hard like KFC or Popeyes. And so moist. Delicious! They do chicken right! I loved the flavor of the gravy/broth of my dish, but the dumplings had not soaked any of the flavors so it was basically like eating dough. Not that great, but the chicken was good. I wish it wasn't such a bland cream color too. When you see that, you automatically assume that it is flavorless. My fiance's bison burger was something different than what he's eaten before. The meat was really lean and you could taste it. I don't think that it was bad. It was just something he was unfamiliar with. Fatty meat is something we both like. If you like bison meat, then you will probably like this burger. It was tender and nicely cooked, just too lean of us.
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Nancy S.

Yelp
We came here for a family reunion, reserved over half the cabins. I called ahead after planning this for 3 months. Said I have a service dog and the manager said he is welcome to stay. We didn't have our cabin serviced yesterday as it was too hot outside for our dog. We left a note on the door not to service our cabin. This morning I went to get coffee and towels. Jim Pezowitz was at the front desk. He harrassed me about having a service animal, he harrassed me about needing towels and coffee. I told him we spent alot of money to be here and had a good time until his unprofessional interaction with me. I educated him on how service animals are allowed and I was given permission. Question, why would they have such a terrible person working at such a nice place? Pretty much ruined the stay for me. Won't be staying here again.

Sarah B.

Yelp
Stayed in a cabin and enjoyed the pool and a nice dinner at the lodge. The grounds there are so well kept and the park is beautiful. We had family style dinner at the lodge and it was great. The cabin was also really comfortable and the a/c worked great for July. The pool there is also really nice and my kids had a lot of fun. Great friendly service too. I love it there!
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Kristin P.

Yelp
Growing up here, my family used to go quite often, especially on holidays. You can always count on good food, especially with the family style meal!

LR G.

Yelp
The lodge is worth stopping to see and the food is quite good. We tried the country fried steak and chicken dinner, so good we didn't have room for dessert.
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Jill O.

Yelp
I made my way to Giant City Lodge & Restaurant when one of my family members graduated from SIU. I had never even heard of the place, but I have family who are alumni that were really nostalgic about the place, so here we came. We opted to do the family style dinner. This costs $11.99 for each adult, and $4.99 for each kid at the table. There were about 14 of us, so this was a really great deal, since the family style menu is all you can eat. With this family style option, you get fried chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, dumplings, green beans, corn, coleslaw, biscuits and butter. This is some of the best fried chicken I have ever had. It's a good thing it's all you can eat, because I couldn't even tell you how many pieces I ate, but it was a lot and each bit was delicious. The dumplings were really good too. They were light and fluffy and buttery, and just like mom used to make. Well, not my mother. You wouldn't want her dumplings. But just like somebody's mother used to make, at the least. I can't tell you much about anything else that was on that table. I know I didn't have anything bad, but almost everything was eclipsed by the awesomeness of the chicken, which was perfectly cooked, juicy, and well-seasoned. The atmosphere is really rustic and homey, and I feel this is brought out even more so when you dine in family style, and you have to pass around the dishes and things like that. It's a really nice tone to the place. Come for the chicken, and get the all you can eat. You won't be sorry.
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Mark K.

Yelp
Four stars for atmosphere quantity was amazing service was outstanding but food was hohum. Mac and cheese was bland very creamy but no cheese flavor the bbq sandwich was dry very dry the house bbq sauce is very vinegary and has a kick very unique. Had to drowned the sandwich with sauce to make it moist. The wedge salad was very good and tad small in portion for the meal size although it was enjoyed and the blue cheese was very good. Our friends got the fried chicken family meal which was eaten and several times asked for more. It was fried crisp and was flavorful the mashed potatoes were good but missing something. All in all pleasing but with a little change could become amazing!