Restaurants in Joliet

Mementos decorating the dining-room walls of Wolfs Head Restaurant & Bar greet guests as they pass through entrance doors removed from a 1800s-era New England church. Stationed upon a historically rich property, the eatery hosts lunch and dinnertime patrons along with private parties of up to 70. The aroma of sizzling steaks and fresh seafood fills the air as waiters emerge from the kitchen with expertly executed Guinness beef stews and italian pastas. As they feast, diners can marvel at surrounding collectibles from famed Chicago hotels, such as booths from the Pump Room in the Ambassador East Hotel and 120-year-old bellhops.:

With 15 years of culinary experience, Sushi Train's chef feels equally comfortable pan-frying traditional Japanese entrees and crafting attractively assembled rolls draped in sauces and decorative toppings. In addition to drawing from a menu that features an extensive selection of familiar maki, the chef also crafts a number of signature sushi creations that incorporate such ingredients as salmon tempura, mango sauce, and Cajun-spiced king crab. Semicircular, high-backed booths line the dining room's gently lit walls, which feature large photographs of sushi entrees. For a distinctly transpacific ambiance, the room also boasts silk screens and bamboo shoots stolen from a panda's pantry.

Giovan's Restaurant & Pizzeria piles tables high with fish-, chicken-, and steak-infused entrees, house-made pastas, protein-packed sandwiches, and a 28-inch party pizza that feeds 10–15 people or 1.5 party units. The eatery's exposed-brick bar and neutral-hued walls surround lunch and dinner patrons, and those at home can peruse a catering menu.

As the casual arm of Capri Ristorante & Catering, Capri Express eschews the white tablecloths of its five sister eateries in favor of a sleek black lunch counter and speedy service. Though the atmosphere is laid-back, the chefs infuse dishes with full-service flavor, loading thin-crust, traditional, and Sicilian-style pizza pies with quality ingredients such as italian beef. Veal cutlet paninis and pepper-and-egg sandwiches attack noontime hunger, and dinner favorites include signatures such as eggplant parmigiana with fresh mozzarella. For a homey touch, the pasta alla mama tosses fresh tomatoes, basil, and sausage over linguini, much like real mothers do with the baseball cards they're tired of storing in the basement.

Over the past 50 or so years, Chicago’s Little Italy may have endured a wave of gentrification, but it still manages to maintain its original charm owing to establishments like Fontano’s Subs. Since 1960, Fontano’s has assembled top meats and cheeses into decadent, hefty sandwiches, including italian beef, italian sausage, and italian meatball. The team behind the counter sides these handheld meals with familiar deli sides including coleslaw, potato, and macaroni salads and Good Humor ice-cream bars harvested directly from the earth’s frozen core. The popularity of Fontano’s has spurred five additional storefronts across Illinois where customers can expect to find the same quality subs as those from its flagship location.

When Hounds Blue Moon began serving up inventive pub fare in 2008, the menu included a modest selection of eight signature stuffed burgers. That list has since expanded to offer diners 26 varieties of burger, each bedecked with elaborate ingredient combinations such as avocado and jalapeno jack cheese, chili and cheese sauce, bacon and cheddar, or roasted jalapeños and pico de gallo. During dinner hours, palates can further expand with Italian dinner specialties such as the chicken vesuvio roasted with potato wedges and peas. And on Sundays, staffers at a brunch buffet customize comfort fare by sizzling made-to order omelets and carving off slices of meat in the shape of each patron's favorite Aleutian Island.