The Copper Penny Bar

I stopped here on a whim after an appointment and I will say I was NOT disappointed! It was late afternoon when I arrived and the dinner crowd was just starting to arrive. After seeing the various historical signs downtown, walking in here felt like stepping back in time: the rich wooden plank floor with well worn paths, the warm wood walls, the unique local and historical decor throughout AND the building seems to be built on a hill because the building has a slight angle to it! At first I thought my chair was a little off balance, but I realized it was not my chair after all, but the floor. I don't know if the building is old, but it sure has an old, inviting and welcoming ambiance! My server greeted me immediately and took my order quickly. I had a burger-don't get me wrong it was good, but hands-down the pretzel bites with Monterey Jack cheese sauce stole the show! The cheese sauce was melty goodness and the pretzels were a perfect combination of crispy on the outside while still being soft on the inside. This stop was a winning combination of great food, great service and great atmosphere...I will definitely be back at some point to try something else off the menu...along with pretzel bites!

We stopped in while staying in town for the night and were pleasantly surprised. Our service was great, answered all of our questions and everything came out quickly. We enjoyed our food - it's great bar food for a good price. The ladies had a fantastic playlist going which helped us unwind and enjoy ourselves. Worth a stop if you're passing through, would definitely come again next time we are in town!

Pretty much everything you'd want in a small Midwestern town bar / bistro. The service was excellent, the atmosphere fun but not too boisterous, and the food and cocktails ($4 specials utilizing spirits from the distillery across the street) were great. One star off because the croissant on the chicken salad sandwich was clearly way past it's expiration date. Basically, a fun and comfortable place to hang out for a while.

LOVED this place! Drove up from Texas for our family reunion in Vandalia, and we wanted somewhere unique to eat after being on the road for 10 hours and eating the usual road trip fast foods on the way. The Copper Penny did not disappoint! The staff were so friendly and attentive, the atmosphere was wonderful, and the Pony shoe that I had was AMAZING! Had never eaten anything like it! And last, but not least, the decor was outstanding! I am a chihuahua lover and was so tickled to see all the chihuahua art on the walls! A+++++ HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

Stopped in for a few drinks with friends...nice atmosphere...service was good..would go there again!

Great slots! Bartender let us play as long as possible, even after she kicked everyone else out she let us play.

Bartender was great! They weren't serving on the patio yet, but you could get food and drinks to go and enjoy that area.

Nice small town bar with great food and good service!

The food is good. The beer is cold. The service is quick. The atmosphere is laid back. Randi and Heather are fantastic servers. I recommend the crab ragoon and smash burger.

Great food!! Much needed rest stop after a long day of driving.

The food was perfect along with very well priced.

Love the food ,and live bands on charters patio next door on weekends in the summer.gets real busy and the servers and cooks do a great job keeping up with the crowds needs.the fried pickles and parmesan fries are amazing.

This was my first time going here. Food was great! Really enjoyed it. I will definitely be back. I like the menu options. I had the carnitas wrap....yummy! Everything sounded good. I can't wait to try the rest

My son took me in for a after lunch drink. Absolutely loved it. We were greeted like family. Never been there before, so very nice. Owner and I have the same name, spelled different, we had a really nice time. Really good drink she made me. Hahaha, want another. Thanks Em.

We were directed over to the copper penny when blind society was full up with reservations ( we didn't realize they had reservations, but we weren't upset. Bummed, but not upset) the copper penny had plenty of room. Food was excellent. We even got an extra burger because our waitress misheard our order. She corrected it and we enjoyed the food. She was super sweet and very polite and just a doll. Oh and the alcohol beverages...I don't remember what my son had (other than it was good!) But my Peach Sangria.... oh my lanta..... that is something that will bring me BACK. That drink was amazing. The food was amazing. Definitely one of my top 5 places to go. Worth every COPPER PENNY (I had to, you know I had to😁)

Very attentive waitresses, excellent food. Beautiful building

Great place to stop for lunch with the kids. They practiced pool skills while we waited on our food. I had the Old Mule and my husband and son had the Smashburger and kid's burgers and other kids had chicken strips. Good solid lunch stop after taking in the Statehouse.

Great food, friendly staff. Food came fast and fresh!

Delicious food and we were able to sit on the patio next door because we had a big crowd. Peach Sangria was delicious and the atmosphere was very nice.

We are here in Illinois from Massachusetts!! What a jewel great food amazing service!! RANDY AND EMILY are amazing made our trip feel like home