The Rail Splitter — Restaurant in Peoria

Review Date: 08/19/2023

We were split on where to eat after a hike…

My friend Mary and I needed some food after an almost 4 mile hike at Detweiller Park but couldn’t decide where to go due to there not being a ton to choose from in the area. But we put our foot down and picked The Rail Splitter since it was right up the road.

As we pulled up, I thought we were at the wrong place due to it being a house… but nope, it was indeed The Rail Splitter. I asked Mary if she was cool with eating there and she said sure! So, we made our way in and basically bypassed everything inside to head out the back to the outside eating area. It wasn’t… the most appealing place to eat but we wanted to take advantage of the nice weather.

Our waitress was super great on getting us what we needed despite us being the only ones out there and down off the porch area. Mary was eyeing the mushroom swiss melt burger that was on their special of the day menu as we walked in. I opted for the classic bacon cheeseburger with homemade french fries.

We waited maybe 15 minutes for our food to come out, which wasn’t bad at all. We devoured it in about the same time. My burger was decently thick and the fry portion was rather generous. I was a bit thrown off due to my cheese looking like it was laid on the burger right before being put in front of me but as I assembled it with all the toppings on the side, it slowly melted to a gooey consistency.

Mary said she really enjoyed her mushroom swiss melt but felt her tator tots were on the plain side. I felt the same about my fries but the burger itself hit home after an afternoon of hiking. It wasn’t seasoned or anything like but it paired well with the tasty bacon and juicy toppings.

I know we were split on where to get grub but I am glad that we picked here, and weren’t turned away by the view from the front. The interior looked cool but since we spent less than a minute inside and walked around the side to get to our cars, I didn’t get to snap some photos. I can say the inside was really nice and felt like it was wood decor throughout.

So yeah, if you find yourself at Detweiller Park and need a decent tasting and decently priced meal, The Rail Splitter won’t...

Edit... I returned to try the biscuits and gravy. It was very good. I did feel it needed a little extra salt, but that was just my opinion. Luckily, there was a salt shaker presence. A pinch of salt made it to my liking. I have also been back and tried the homemade tenderloin. It was one of the best ones I've had. Thin but still very juicy and flavorful. The Rail Splitter has become one of my favorite place to eat.

The Rail Splitter is a true hidden gem. Food is always excellent! Breakfast is served until 2pm. Homemade tenderloin and hand cut fries. Philly steak sandwich is excellent. Onion rings are the thick variety and are very tasty. Tacos are great as well. Service is great as well. I'm looking forward to trying homemade biscuits and gravy. Prices are very reasonable as well....

It was my first time visiting the rail splitter and I have to say that it was really nice atmosphere. It wasn't very crowded at all when my husband and I went on a Saturday morning around 11 a.m. there was only one family sitting next to us and then there were a few people in the bar. The waitress was very friendly and was able to answer all the questions that I ask her and she was very friendly. I ordered the country fried steak and I have to say it's probably the best I've ever tasted in the Peoria area, more flavor than any other country fried steak I've had! The prices were really great also! They had it decorated for Halloween so it was nice to see all the decorations. I would return here...