I've been to Al's Cafe many times. The food, although mediocre, was carried by the usually pleasant atmosphere and scenery of the Cafe. However, recently the quality of the restaurant as a whole has gone downhill. I feel as though things at Al's have been cheapened, corners have been cut, and that the Cafe (like many of Elgin's restaurants nowadays) has been resting on it's previous reputation as a nice eating establishment. Although I've noticed this, I've continued to stay loyal to Al's because I appreciate and respect small businesses, especially ones in my town. However a recent trip to Al's has made me reevaluate it as a restaurant. Eating with family and friends, one in our party mistakenly ordered a dish that had an ingredient that they could not eat. We got the attention of the waitress to remedy the situation, as we assumed that this must happen at restaurants every so often, but as soon as we had explained the error, the server's face immediately twisted and contorted into a snarl and she insisted that the dish was clearly labelled on the menu. We were all taken aback at this attack, because we had not attempted to say anything contrary to that. Reluctantly a new order was put in, though our server acted as if we had ordered a forty-dollar steak (it was grilled cheese). When the order came, it was served with dirty looks and almost angered tones. Due to this, the person who had mistakenly ordered the dish was worried that the food might have been tampered with! I do not think that things went that far but my acquaintance did not feel comfortable finishing their meal. I know that they definitely will not eat be eating there again, and I don't think I will be either. It is upsetting because I love the building and think it is a wonderful location in Elgin. I will be moving my business to the other restaurants in Elgin and will hope for better experiences. If you decide to eat at Al's, just know that the food is OK, but it is the atmosphere you are paying for (and you pay a little much considering what the food is!) Also know that if you upset the staff, even by a harmless accident, it may ruin your lunch. This experience, along with the downtrend in the food quality as of late, is why I rated Al's Cafe only two stars.