6 stars if I could! Absolutely PLEASE do yourself a favor. If you are in town you have to have a Skoog's Burger. I tried for the longest time to find an amazing pub burger. This one hit all the checkboxes. Let me spell it out for you and you decide! Grilled. Actually grilled! Bun nice and dry, not soggy. Get what you want on it. I got Blue Cheese, Bacon, Mushrooms. Sweet potato fries and home made coleslaw. The 'slaw was awesome by the way. A little pricey, but not to worry. This will create a delicious memory for you to come back to.

Great LARGE wing and the pork tenderloin was HUGe too. Service and waitress very helpfull and the ambiance is great too.

Review Visit: August 26th, 2015 Skoog's. Swedish for 'jumbo tenderloin'. The first thing you'll notice (or not) is that the bar signage for Skoog's is overlaid on a Swedish flag. This had me wondering if we were going to experience some kind of Swedish/European eatery on the inside. Sadly, that wasn't 100% the case. Inside Skoog's was a pretty typical pub. It had a dining area and a bar area. It had this feeling of aged wood that has seen enough stories to last a lifetime. It had a small level of coziness and welcoming to it that seems to be hard to capture in words or replicated by other places. The decor on the walls was sparse but effective in making the walls feel full without being cluttered. But, I don't remember there being much of a Swedish theme to the place. That really isn't concerning as I was more curious if it would based on the signage out front. My girlfriend and I needed some grub and needed it fast. We spent the afternoon hiking at Matthiessen State Park, getting lost, and then hiking some more once we got ourselves re-orientated with where we were. Who knew getting lost could build up such an appetite. As we sat there, looking over the pretty standard bar menu, I noticed they served tenderloins. I was on a tenderloin addiction around this time of my life so it was only natural that I would get one here. My girlfriend got something different than her usual burger. She ordered some chicken tenders. If you aren't familiar with tenderloins, let me fill you in. They are a big piece of deep-fried pork and is about 4x the size of the bun it's served on. It is a sandwich that requires you to eat half of the pork patty before you get to the bun and toppings. It's a big pain in the butt to eat and I love every second of it. The size of the tenderloin did not disappoint. It looked and smelled amazing. As I nibbled on the tenderloin, I knew it was just what I needed after a long day of hiking. The tenderloin was a bit juicy, which is how I like them. The toppings complimented the 'loin perfectly. It was easily the best tenderloin I had in all of 2015. The fries on the other hand, were just okay. They looked great but only tasted so-so. My girlfriend agreed but said her chicken tenders were the bomb. Her words, not mine. After a long day, Skoog's was perfect. Not a perfect score in my books but a perfect way to start the winding down for a relaxing evening. We did stop for ice cream at the Country Cupboard Ice Cream Shoppe, but that is another story for another day. P.S. - Skoog's is actually Swedish for the word 'forest', not 'jumbo tenderloin'.

I had a chicken sandwich that was great and I was able to sit outside with shade. It was a good break from riding Starved Rock.

For $13 I was able to get a fried fish sandwich with fries. So so delicious and feeling the fish was huge. I was able to eat the rest when I got home my friend got the chicken wings with the side of fries and she also enjoyed her food too.. since it was hot we opted for a table inside and were able to be seated right off. Good place to go for food and without breaking the bank too .

On our journey around the US we often times find these wonderful little gems and Skoog's in Utica was one of them. Our original intention was to go to another place in this nicely-restored little town but we walked past Skoog's and saw the menu and the outdoor dining and this is where we ended up. Sitting out in the middle of what was once the street there is a pergola overhead with nice garden lighting and it's a neat setting. We love finding these towns where new life has been breathed into them and this is a fine example of just that. Skoog's had a nice selection of local craft beers and I got an IPA and, doggone it, I don't remember the name of it but I did enjoy it. My partner in crime got a pineapple wheat and, this being May, it was the perfect compliment to the newly-emerging good weather. On special was a combination of ribs and fried chicken. I love ribs. I love fried chicken. But I am apprehensive is this isn't the specialty of the house. With a name like Skoogs you expect something like pickled herring or something like that. But, when the food came and our taste buds got a sample, I realized I had made a good choice. The ribs were just what you'd want - meaty and cooked so that they fall right off the bone. The fried chicken was seasoned perfectly and had a nice crunch but the chicken under that crunch remained juicy and flavorful. There was enough food on the plate for lunch the next day and I had a second local IPA and it ended-up in my photo so I can tell you that it was a Tangled Roots Honest Hazy IPA. This was a good compliment to the barbecue. This being the start of the season I suspect the machinery and people that make things works are just getting their groove on so things were a bit slow but with the great weather and, ultimately, the great results who cares? Besides we weren't really in a hurry and it was all fine. I'd definitely go back if I find myself in the area again.

Staying at Starved Rock and wanted a bite on the way out of town. Nothing fantastic, but fish sandwich and fries were really good and my daughter liked the chicken tenders. Staff was really friendly and attentive, good menu too. I'd definitely go back. My only complaint is the jarred tartar sauce, but it was good enough and we left happy :)

After a long hike at Starved Rock, I decided to replace the calories that I burned. This place was just the place to do so. They were quite busy but I got a seat quickly. The staff was all very friendly, helpful, and clearly enjoyed their job here. The place feels very close knit and inviting which is a fresh change of pace from the city. The Cheeseburger I ordered was AMAZING. Sometimes, a LARGE burger like this can be overwhelming and not seasoned correctly. But this one was PERFECT. It's been a long time since I had a burger that was as perfectly balanced as this one. Serving the cold ingredients on the side was a great touch as well. Once added, they provided the perfect balance and snap to a terrific burger. Typically a burger this size also just falls apart as soon as you take it off the plate but again, somehow they have the ratios down to a perfect balance. The burger remained intact the entire time. The fries were perfectly battered, cooked, and seasoned as well and provided a nice addition to the plate. Overall this was a great experience. This is a SOLID choice if you are in the area. I can't wait to stop by again and try more of their options!