Overview:

At the corner of Madison Ave and Spaulding Ave right off of the riverfront stands a large, churchlike structure that towers over the surrounding neighborhood. This seems like the place to go to on Sunday mornings with your family for mass and then go on with the rest of your day, and this was the case for a while, as this restaurant was built in 1889 as a church and opened as a restaurant in 2016. The structure of the church is in tact and the design is centered around this, as the stained-glass windows shine virtuously around the entire building.

When walking into the main concourse, the tall ceiling is accentuated by the hanging lights and countless tables and booths. Right at the center of the dining area is a full circular bar with many drinks and barstools available and TV’s for viewing opportunities.

Attached to the marvelous church structure is a microbrewery that allows fresh beer and other spirits to be made there for a refreshing drinking experience. Obed & Isaac’s also offers many private events, which include hosting between 20-40 guests for dining, a private room for eating known as the ‘Altar Table’, and an outdoor private area known as the ‘Bocce Beer Garden’ where guests may reserve the space to play games of bocce ball. This incredible structure is one that is highly attractive just off of the viewing experience itself.

My Experience:

As a six month anniversary date, my girlfriend and I decided to eat here for dinner, as we had it on our horizon for a good while. Upon arrival, we were greeted generously and kindly and did not have to wait long for our table. Once seated, we were asked for our drink orders, in which we ordered water. When the waitress brought the water for us in a refillable glass bottle, she labeled it as ‘holy water’, which I thought was a great touch because of the history of the restaurant. The menu had a wide variety of options, from pizzas to burgers to wraps, and had very European influences on each of the dishes, with items such as ‘Fish & Chips’ and a ‘Beer Brat Burger’.

My meal was called the ‘Piggyback Mac Burger’ which featured a pub burger topped with mac and cheddar cheese, smoked pulled pork, and drizzled with BBQ sauce on a pretzel roll, and an order of fries on the side. This burger was one of the messiest burgers I have ever had, but in the best way possible. The BBQ sauce was a great addition to the burger, as well as the mac and cheese on top adding a creamy and salty flavor. The burger itself was cooked exactly how I wanted it and was prepared well, the pulled pork on top was heavenly. By the end of it, I probably needed about five wet wipes. This place is one that I definitely have to go back to and will be at the top of my list of restaurants to recommend in Peoria.

Overall Rating: 9/10