Mystery Diner: Beef sandwich, apple rings rock at Roost 59

LAKE VILLA – I had been meaning to stop in at Roost 59 for a number of months before finally doing so last week.

The outside walls of this Lake Villa eatery are adorned with a colorful and flashy mural, and the words “Chicago Style Grill” are painted boldly over the front door. It seemed like a fine place for a quick bite to eat.

Roost 59, which is located on Route 59 just one quarter mile south of Route 132, offers both takeout and dining room seating. (Tables also are available outside, but it might be wise to wait until the weather warms before taking your meal outdoors.)

The menu at Roost 59 contains all the items you would expect to find at a typical hot dog and hamburger joint, such as Italian beefs, gyros and a variety of sandwiches. In addition to some of the more standard fare, there also are some twists to the menu for diners looking for a change of pace.

I ordered up one of the diner’s specials – a “Roost” Beef Sandwich. With a side of fries and a fountain drink, my meal was $5.98.

The sandwich was served on an Italian-style bun, but unlike an Italian beef sandwich, the Roost Beef came with juicy pieces of ground beef. I recommend getting hot peppers and mozzarella cheese on top at 30 cents extra each in order to add some extra kick. The sweet potato fries I got with the sandwich made for a hearty side.

My co-diner elected to go with three pieces of Southern Fried Catfish. Her meal came with a biscuit for a price of $8.05.

In addition to her piping hot catfish, my co-diner also heaped praise on the honey-glazed biscuit that accompanied her fish.

“The biscuit was so good I could have eaten a meal of just those,” she said.

Although we didn’t get any during this visit, the Southern Fried Chicken looked to be a good bet at Roost 59. Four pieces of chicken, along with fries or a biscuit, can be had for $6.50. Larger, family-style chicken dinners with additional side dishes also are offered.

What we did try during our visit was an order of apple rings. We certainly were glad we gave this fruity special a try.

The rings were sliced thick with heaping portions of powdered sugar and cinnamon. Even though the apples were fried, we could still taste hot juice in every bite. It was almost like enjoying a hot glass of apple cider.

One final note on Roost 59. If you’re a fan of Chicago-style hot dogs, be sure to stop in on Sundays. Hot dogs normally sell for $1.95 at the restaurant, but on Sundays, the dogs are only 99 cents.

• The Lake County Journal Mystery Diner feature sends a staff reporter to local eateries of all kinds. The diner’s identity is not revealed to the restaurant staff before or during the meal. Diners visit a different restaurant each week and then report on the experience. Contact the diner at lcjedit@lakecountyjournal.com.

If you go ...

What: Roost 59, 37669 Route 59, in Lake Villa
Hours: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday
More info: Call 847-973-2446 or visit www.roost59.com