Later Alligator — Restaurant in Wheeling

A delightful, quaint restaurant with an eclectic mix of sweet and savory wraps and sandwiches with clever, humorous names (like Salmon-Ella and a Charlie tuna sandwich!) The food included multiple items with unusual combinations of fruits and vegetables and even a grilled panini filled with Mac 'n cheese and pulled pork! If you're tired of the same old, same old, this is the place to go! The restaurant is divided into multiple small rooms decorated with antiques, gators and local memorabilia. They also have outdoor seating with a few tables on the sidewalk in front of the restaurant and a beautiful garden on a lower level behind the restaurant, which we did not see (unfortunately, as it turned out) until already seated. The only suggestion that I would make, especially for a restaurant with so many healthy options (not counting the Mac 'n cheese with pulled pork panini) would be a choice of sides other than store bought kettle chips. A small fruit or veggie salad or cole slaw (which they had as a delicious separate item but not as an optional side dish) would have been a great alternative.

Unfortunately, our visit was marred by being seated in a small room with 3 tables, one of which was occupied by parents with an infant who screeched at the top of their lungs from before we were seated until after we finished our meal and left the restaurant! Not sure why a hostess would seat four older adults (or anyone without a screeching child of their own) in a tiny room with a screaming child. (For the record, my wife and I raised two children of our own who were taken out of the diningroom when fussy as babies and infants and were taught proper behavior in restaurants when they were old enough to understand.) Also not sure why the party with the screaming infant made no effort to quiet the child or were there from before we arrived until after we left. In the future, I guess we will have to be rude and request a table in the non-screeching...

We always make Later Alligator our stop when visiting with friends from out of town. Today we went for lunch and were greeted by a hostess who informed us - we can sit you now but you have to be out in an hour due to a reservation. We agreed and sat at our table. A half an hour later, our order was just taken. 10 minutes until the hour our food arrives. As our table is sitting and eating our lunch that was just delivered, our waitress informed us the reservation had arrived and we would need to leave. Instead of accommodating us and finding new seating, we were asked if we wanted boxes for our remaining food. I address is issue at hand, being that we had less than 10 minutes to eat our lunch and we would gladly move to another table. I was told that it would "be awhile" before there would be another table. So at this point, we still don't have checks handed to us but are expected to stand in the door way to eat our food? The hostess confirms they will push another table together for their reservation, great. We continue with our lunch, order coffee and dessert and continue with our conversation. After about a half an hour the owner of the restaurant comes to our table, asking us to leave because "it is a busy time of year and they need the space". Our party explains the issue we had and it was quickly shut down with her "not being happy". We will never return to this local eatery due to lack of empathy and respect toward all of...

First impressions are worth gold. I was not a bit impressed with our first visit here. Prices are ... Pricey. I was charged $8.99 for a very small bit of over-cooked, dry chicken that was added to my salad. By the way ... my salad was not anything special for the price charged. I asked for a couple more slices of lemon for our waters ... this restaurant was out of lemons. There was no soups available -- we were told that they had not made any soup for 2 weeks. ??? They advertised a shrimp sandwich for the day's special; had a picture (that was not a bit clear/descriptive) on every table of this sandwich. Our server had no idea about this sandwich and had to go in the back and ask for details!! In addition, our table was not steady on the floor. It rattled back and forth!! Really -- where's the staff to ensure this does not happen??? Certainly someone noticed this when wiping the table top. I am disappointed that I wasted my hard-earned money on this place. I will not consider going back here. I will definitely look forward to going to all of the wonderful restaurants in and around Wheeling. There's a lot of competition out there Later Alligator ... there will not be a later visit back here from me!! In closing, please -- everyone reading my review ... please do not make the same mistake that I did...