June Bugs Diner

Mon Dec 11, 2023 5:30 pm

I noticed a sign on June Bug's Diner on Meadow Ave.. in East Peoria is for sale. To my knowledge, that restaurant has probably been then longer than any other that has occupied that space. However, I know a few years ago the whole building was for sale for $175K. Don't know if the sign relates to the building or to the business known as June Bugs.
That section has lost two other restaurants: CheeseNuts and Burger Barge.

Mon Dec 11, 2023 5:30 pm

I think it's been for sale for a year or two. It's a VERY popular breakfast spot. We don't even try to go Friday through Sunday. The food is basic, but really good, and the staff is great.
The Burger Barge closed because it was just bad food. I think enough has been said about Cheesenuts.

Meadows Avenue Tap has the best burger in East Peoria, but it's mostly a bar. At the top of the hill, near the Morton limits, TnT's is great. About a block up from that, is the Country Saloon. They have a great rib eye sandwich. But it too, is mostly a bar.

Mon Dec 11, 2023 5:30 pm

"The Burger Barge closed because it was just bad food." - Oscar Leroy

The two times I went there it wasn't the food that was bad as much as the "service" which I gave a zero. I wonder how much it cost to heat and air condition that place? I bet mid summer and mid winter, that Ameren bill was five figures. That is a lot of buckets of bait to sell.

Mon Dec 11, 2023 5:30 pm

The burgers and home made chips were good. But they put the burgers on the cheapest buns they could buy and din't even bother to toast them (A Cardinal sin IMO) Everything else they had seemed to come out of the freezer. Usually when we went, the nice bar and dining room was closed, and the only place to sit was that bright and hot tiki bar.

Mon Dec 11, 2023 5:30 pm

I had breakfast at June Bug last week. Even though servers wore masks, some tables weren't blocked off for social distancing. I sat at a table with my back to others sitting at the table behind mine. Any other empty table setup was designed for 4 or more people.

I do think I remember seeing a for sale sign outside.

Mon Dec 11, 2023 5:30 pm

DennisinMH wrote: ↑Thu Aug 13, 2020 6:42 am I had breakfast at June Bug last week. Even though servers wore masks, some tables weren't blocked off for social distancing. I sat at a table with my back to others sitting at the table behind mine. Any other empty table setup was designed for 4 or more people.

I do think I remember seeing a for sale sign outside.

And yesterday I saw a sign they were closed for cleaning.

Mon Dec 11, 2023 5:30 pm

Closed for cleaning. Supposed to reopen on Monday.

Mon Dec 11, 2023 5:30 pm

My wife and younger daughter, after shopping at Kohl's yesterday, stopped at the Drive-thru of Culver's to pick up dinner. They saw a sign that their indoor dining was closed. No reason given.

I don't like to speculate, but wondering in all Culver's in this area are doing this, because they're not getting that much indoor business to support extra staff? I know at Jason's, our indoor dining business is hit and miss. Some days very slow; other days, we have a line from the register to the door.

Or is Culver's dining room undergoing a deep cleaning?

Mon Dec 11, 2023 5:30 pm

Culvers indoor dining has been closed since the covid closing started.

Mon Dec 11, 2023 5:30 pm

We've been by there a few times and they have a pretty good setup going for their drive through. Kudos to them for making the adjustment and being able to efficiently serve their customers, as well as keep their employees working. Same for Chick-fil-A.