Gruchala's

Reviews & Tips

• 0

  Horrible service during lunch.  I walked in and they told me to sit upstairs and it was filled with about 40 old women wearing purple.  It was load and the food was like eating cardboard and the Mac and cheese was just e-z-mac.  When we walked down to pay our bill the entire bottom section was empty.  I will never step foot in there again!

  Review Source:

  Posted on 11.14.12 Jonathan H.

  • Report
• 0

  We love Gruchala's. Their breakfast,  fish Fridays and chicken Sundays are the best! You're in for a real treat when they have german potato salad - homade and oh so good!! On top of that, cold, cheap beer, laid back/homey atmosphere,  extremely friendly staff and great service.

  Review Source:

  Posted on 08.15.12 Susan S.

  • Report
• 0

  The fried chicken and german potato salad are excellent!  Call ahead to check availability if this is what you're coming for.

  Review Source:

  Posted on 07.14.12 Dieter K.

  • Report
• 0

  Gruchala's is a bar with a restaurant attached.  G's is the real deal for breakfast.  I didn't ask but the meats had a locally sourced taste about them.  The ham was salty, toothsome and wonderful without the watery production line taste found in many places.  From  a distance the sausage too, looked to have a different consistency.
  
  G's stuffs their waffles with bacon, sausage or ham and per the table that alone is worth the trip.  The hash browns were on the underdone side for me but the consensus was they had perfect amount of crunch.
  
  Service was a problem.  It was faster to retrieve refills than wait for someone to stop by.  Per a local they have had some trouble with their schedule.
  
  If Denny's or any corporate restaurant is your usual destination avoid Gruchala's.  You will find it seven kinds of hell but if rustic local cooking is an interest go and enjoy.
  
  Even though the food is quite good, a lack of service and the chance the restaurant could be closed makes a good time more serendipitous than a sure thing.  So if you're in the neighborhood try it but don't make a pilgrimage.

  Review Source:

  Posted on 10.25.11 Mike H.

  • Report
• 0

  Friday night is fish special . . . catfish or walleye. We opted for the walleye and for three of us, got 1-1/2 pounds. Great way to order. Get your fish poundage, then order sides.
  
  I got . . . cottage cheese . . . YEA! We also got fried okra and fried mushrooms.
  
  The fish was -- whaddaya think? -- deep-fried. Very flaky and flavorful. Nice breading. Came with lots of bread, onions, lettuce for sandwich-making.
  
  The mushrooms were great, okra OK. It's just not my favorite.
  
  It's a small place, and it was jam-packed when we arrived a little after 5 p.m. Waited in the bar -- two beer's worth of time. But the draft beer is served in 6-ounce glasses, so it wasn't that long of a wait.
  
  Service was fine and dandy. We had a to-go vessel for our meager leftovers, but our server insisted we take all the bread, onions and lettuce, so we dutifully did!
  
  I want to go back for the Sunday fried chicken.

  Review Source:

  Posted on 07.26.11 Patt C.

  • Report
• 0

  If you want to get away to a small town, but don't want to drive a long way, get over to the heart of Columbia, IL.   If you've never been, you'll be surprised how much it has retained it's old farming community charm.   It's only maybe 10 minutes from the Jefferson Barracks Bridge.  
  
  Gruchala's, for me, is part of the whole small-town experience.  We hadn't been in 7 or 8 years.  There is no hostess - seat yourself.   Wallpaper and decor maybe 15 years behind the times.  You have to walk through the vintage 60's bar featuring tacky Clydesdale decorations.  The menu selection is country/tradtional and cheap.  If the waitress is chatting with some friends at another table, she might not rush over with your check, but if you leave your big city expectations on the other side of the river you'll be fine.  Honestly, though, she did hustle pretty well up until the end.   They do a pretty brisk business on Sat and Sunday mornings, so securing a table could be a challenge.
  
  We went kind of light with a couple of pancakes and a bacon/egg/cheese on toast sandwich.  If I would have made these at home, I would have been pretty proud.  If you like home cooking, I'm sure you'll enjoy it.  Since we got there late, we got to see a couple eating fried chicken at the next table and it looked great.  I believe the chicken is served weekends only.

  Review Source:

  Posted on 08.16.10 Tom J.

  • Report
• 0

  Best fried chicken in St. Louis on Sundays, great fried cod on Fridays (when else?), and a breakfast mainstay in Columbia, Illinois.

  Review Source:

  Posted on 05.26.09 Todd B.

  • Report