New train-themed restaurant opens in Geneva

GENEVA – The cheeseburger and fries came out on a little train, chugging down a track next to the booths, where it was served to customers of Boxcar Train Restaurant, 500 S. Third St., Geneva, a new family-friendly eatery.

The train-themed restaurant – with a second set of tracks near the ceiling, with a train constantly encircling the dining area – has four owners, said Matt Dieter of Naperville, one of the four.

The others are Marc Lewan of Yorkville, Nick Casiello of St. Charles and Jeremy Casiello of Warrenville.

Dieter owns Ray’s Evergreen Tavern in St. Charles. The Casiello brothers and their sister own Alley 64 in St. Charles, and Lewan and the Casiello brothers own The Dam Bar and Grill in Geneva.

“[They] are similar style restaurants … the difference is we are trying to do an upscale version of it. We wanted to step it up a notch – make the quality of food better,” Dieter said. “When you have younger kids, it’s hard to go out as a group and entertain and eat as a family.”

Dieter said the train theme is attractive and entertaining to children, while the food is generally better so adults will want to eat there.

“I wanted to bring a different level of service and quality of food,” Dieter said. “Two things rarely happen where you take the kids out to dinner and the parents enjoy it also.”

The Boxcar Train Restaurant is open from 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day. The phone number is 331-248-0907.