The Ariston Cafe

Driving to Oklahoma from Chicago and I was needing to find a place to get a bite. I exited off the highway and found this little gem. I was really glad I did, reminds me of grandmas good home meals. The place I found is full of history, service is great also. Would recommend and will stop in if I’m nearby again.

Our only regret was driving through on Monday when they were closed. The restaurant history was sufficient to still make the stop worthwhile, however. Peeking in through the window, the interior was reminiscent of a Wisconsin supper club.

I had a delicious turkey club sandwich here and it was excellent. I added the soup and salad bar which was outstanding. I topped it off with the lemon berry mascarpone cake, there are no words to describe how amazing it was. Our waitress did an amazing job and made us feel like we were right at home. If you have an opportunity to experience this amazing place it is well worth your time IMO.

Stopped for lunch while riding Route 66 from Chicago to LA. What a treat. Great food and service. Loved the atmosphere!

According to Google search, this place was highly recommended, AND BOY WE'RE SO GLAD IT WAS!! From start to finish, everything was wonderful!! Erica was our waitress and a great one at that!! The salad bar...WOW!!! I could have stopped there..with so many options, my salad was a meal in itself! The appetizer was delish..( potato skins ) Before I could finish that, the Entre came out!! Whew!! No way could I eat all that!! The portions or NOT SLIM!! At this point... I'm stuffed and haven't even started on the main meal!! ( country fried steak ) Let's not even think of all those tempting desserts in the showcase!! With saying all that... we highly recommend this gem 💎
You won't leave hungry or disappointed! We ate on a Sunday, but I didn't get pics of the buffett... again.....highly recommended!! Go and treat yourself. You deserve it!!!

The Ariston Cafe is a stop you will repeat. History, great food, attentive service and clean, comfortable surroundings all combine for a wonderful dining experience. Homemade soups, large high quality salad bar and an extensive menu (including prime house-made desserts) await your palate and sure to please your palate! The staff was well trained and attentive. It is plain that the ownership takes pride in providing a well above average dining experience. The food was clearly homemade, served hot and seasoned properly. A Route 66 gem. Not to be missed. If you are just passing by on I-55, this is well worth the minor detour for a great meal. Well done to the staff & ownership at 'The Ariston Cafe', KUDOS!!!

Classic restaurant from Route 66 days. Have eaten here for over 60 years. (My parents and grandparents ate here before me.) Staff is always friendly and helpful. Food is good. Greek salad and Chicken sandwich (fried chicken served on toast) are classics at the Ariston.

Historic (and possibly oldest) restaurant on Route 66. Don’t need to say much more. The food was tasty, service was timely and cordial, atmosphere was warm and inviting. Very enjoyable dining experience.

I love when I get to meet someone at the Ariston Cafe because the food is always good and the service staff members are sharp, courteous and professional. Whether you're meeting for a simple lunch or elegant dinner, you're in for a treat. This place built in 1935 is one of the quintessential "Route 66" diners that local, national and global travelers will want to stop in to experience. Think about it...folks were downing coffee and pie just a few years after the Great Depression and several years before the U.S. entered WWII.

Having been denied dinner reservations that were in fact made 3 weeks prior to New Years Eve by another local establishment, Ariston Cafe remained open on our behalf. The result was better service, a much better meal and vastly superior service by Ariston staff. Our night out was better in everyway. The Ariston Cafe is our new go to restraunt for a night out and a terrific meal! I highly recommend them!

The service was fantastic. Our waitress, Ariel, was wonderful and friendly. She recommended the blackened salmon and it was fantastic. The soup and salad bar is well rounded as well.

This is a delightful old fashion diner that we accidentally happened into when we were traveling. The greeter was very welcoming, the staff kind and efficient, the food delicious, the coffee particularly good. What could make it better? Nothing. It was simply wonderful!

Food was perfect! Awesome hospitality as expected! Our server was outstanding with the best personality to ever exist! For real tho..... That banana cream pie!!! Omgsh it's amazing!!

Excellent food and service! Highly recommend :) Nice clean salad bar and tasty homemade food! Food comes out fast. Ask for Cyndi…she was our waitress and she made the experience fantastic! Great stop while traveling!

Older building (original drug store soda fountain?) Elegant, white table cloth kinda place, wait staff with uniforms and ties. Open short hours, so watch the clock. And.... It's right across the street from the Route 66 museum! Free admission too.

We stopped in Litchfield for a wedding from St Louis.

Prior to coming here, I researched and read google reviews on Aristons which were 98% 4☆ or higher, 5☆ being the most. More on reviews later. Hotel clerk also highly recommended Aristons.

Arrived and wait time was 0min, we got there at 6pm. Right away you notice white tableclothes, folded napkins and waitstaff in smart white shirt/blouses and black pants.

We were lucky enough to get Lizzie as our server in which she was prompt on our table to take and deliver drink order and explain the specials of the day in detail. She was extremely polite, friendly, ready to answer any question because she knew everything like the back of her hand.

I'm from St. Louis and to get this type of service would be in $200 a meal restaraunts.

She took our food order, delivered within normal time and once served she did not pester us relentless. She watched and only came around if we looked like we needed anything or plate was empty. Outstanding!!

Both of us got prime rib special (Fri and Sat only) and again Outstanding!! Must be fresh horseradish.

Getting back to reviews, I noticed 95% of the few bad reviews 3☆ or under were all written by women. Our experience was nothing close to what they wrote and by the looks and comments I heard from other patrons I'm writing their reviews off as the Karen Club.

Fred S

Even though we had a lengthy wait for our sandwiches, 40 minutes, the food was good and the atmosphere fun. It was unfortunate for us that we ordered right after a big group. A great old 66 location. Don't let the white tablecloths in the photo deter you, this place IS casual. Server very friendly, food good (especially the fresh potato chips...yummy), and prices reasonable.

After sitting in a bridge construction tie up on the I270 bridge for over an hour, we were willing to settle for escaping the car briefly and having anything to eat, when we decided to take a chance on Litchfield, IL. We were delighted with the charming Aniston Cafe! It was spotlessly clean and fresh looking with white tablecloths and folded white linen napkins. The employees were all very friendly and and well versed on the menu, as well as the history of the cafe. Our food was delicious and even the prices were great. We both went for Mexican food and it was wonderful.

Attended a dinner party over the weekend and the food was amazing. Friendly service.

Great lunch experience, waitress was super nice and attentive. Save room for dessert because they will come around with an irresistible tray of all sorts of things to tempt you.