Emo's Dairy Mart — Restaurant in Peoria

Review Date: June 23rd, 2013

The popularity of this place no joke, despite the mascot being a clown.

If you are no stranger to Peoria, you will also be no stranger to the myths and legends that surround Emo’s Dairy Mart. If you are not from the area, you might be asking yourself: “What is Emo’s and why is it so popular?”

I can answer the first part of that but not the second. Emo’s is a seasonal staple that dishes out ice cream cone after ice cream cone after ice cream cone from their first day open until the final day of the season. Every time I drive by during their open season, there is always a giant crowd of people gathered for some sugary delights and simple yet tasty food.

On this particular day, after having a grand ol’ time after reliving the medieval times at the Olde English Faire in Hanna City at Wildlife Prairie Park, we needed food. One gets a hankering for food after jousting, axe throwing, dragon slaying, princess saving, and various other daily activities one did back in those days.

Luckily we missed the lunch rush and got there before the dinner rush as there weren’t a terribly large amount of people to wade through to speak to the clown. We were able to browse the menu without much issue and placed an order at our leisure.

As with most places like this, your food is made-to-order and that means you have to wait awhile. Not only that, but the staffing level is usually just 2-3 people at a time. So, after waiting a bit longer than we anticipated, our food and shakes were ready.

Matt, Erin and I took over a table with an umbrella to escape the mighty sun after spending a good few hours in it. Without hesitation, we demolished our food in a quick order. I ordered a tenderloin, french fry and a strawberry shake/wizard/blizzard. Erin got a soda and a chili cheese dog while Matt got a hot dog. I think we ate the bulk of our food quicker than we waited.

The food and drink was a home run. Maybe it was the empty stomach. Maybe it was the sunburn setting in. Maybe it was just delicious food. I can see why people flock here for their lunch or dinner or afternoon treat. I do say that with a caveat. While the food was great, I don’t think it’s tons better than most food you can get at other ice cream shacks. Maybe a bit better but not one to go out of your way for if you have closer places to visit.

If you do happen to visit Peoria and want to try Emo’s, you won’t be disappointed. One thing to note is that it is on the corner of a busy intersection and the parking lot is small and very awkward. If memory serves me right, the parking lot is mostly white rock and gravel without any real defining lines on where to park. I haven’t been back since this visit, so this may have changed as the...

06/10/2018 - Total Fail..No pride in service or making a simple traditional EMOS coney dog. The Dunlap High School girl seemed bothered to take my order. I wonder if the guy who owned this place last year sold the place because the young ladies working seem to be more interested in eating product, laughing and joking around then making the traditional EMOS hot dog that were the best ever...This is not the EMOS of the 70's, 80's, 90's and 00's.

03/25/2017 - The coney dog is very, very, very, close to the tasty 70's, 80's and 90's style coney dog of the past GREAT Emo's. I did ask for the original Emo's coney dog when I ordered. I gave it a four star rating based on the current coney dog being compared to the past coney dog. I ordered 4 coney dogs and one out of the four was perfect. The three that were not perfect were very very close just a little to much mustard. The girls working at counter were friendly and helpful. I will be back for more coney dogs...They are still the best I have ever had in my world travels. 04/26/2017 - I asked for four Original Emo's coney dog and they gave me four PERFECT Emo's coney dogs....They were tantalizingly delicious. My mother is smiling up in...

This place is ridiculous trying to get waited on and getting your food. So you order and pick up at the same little dinky window. Employee is calling out the food order while people are walking up grabbing ( other people food) and calling out what it is. I don't want strangers handling my food. Then the napkins are on a pole right where everyone is standing " trying" to get order placed and order picked up. This place doesn't have frozen yogurt like most places. When kids cones slip out of their hands ,they don't replace them. Parents buy another one. Then I ordered a large cookie dough blizzard. The employee calls out ,2 large cookie dough blizzard. I said, I ordered one, not 2. Did you make me pay for 2. She rudely says " I don't know,I didn't wait on you". She looks at a piece of paper where orders are wrote down and said NO. But who really knows. I won't be back here...