May 16, 2024
Shaw Local
NewsSubscribePrep SportsObituariesFriday Night DriveeNewspaperLocal EventsShaw Local RadioStarved Rock Country

Mystery Diner in Marseilles: Ryan’s Eatery a treasure worth discovering

Atmosphere and menu are ideal for both casual dining and special occasions

By Mystery Diner
The shrimp bianca is a special at Ryan's Eatery in Marseilles that features shrimp, spinach and tomatoes in a creamy sauce over angel hair pasta.

The shrimp bianca is a special at Ryan's Eatery in Marseilles that features shrimp, spinach and tomatoes in a creamy sauce over angel hair pasta. (Mystery Diner)

Imagine opening a plain cardboard box and finding a 2-carat diamond inside.

That’s how I describe my first experience with Ryan’s Eatery.

I’ve passed the conventional brick facade a dozen times when traveling along Main Street in downtown Marseilles. On the outside, the restaurant maintains a low profile with its brown screen door and twin logos (a chef’s hat with crossed knives, akin to a Jolly Roger emblem) on the windows.

Ryan's Eatery is open six days a week at 442 Main St., Marseilles.

Ryan's Eatery is open for lunch and dinner six days a week in Marseilles. (Mystery Diner)

The business doesn’t shout its presence. I might have continued to pass its front door a dozen more times, but I chanced upon a Facebook post showing the restaurant’s beautifully plated meals, and suddenly I was intrigued to know what lay beyond that brown screen door.

I made plans to meet a friend for dinner on a recent Friday night. Judging by the comfortable crowd that filled the dining room, many locals already have discovered that amazing things can come in inconspicuous packages.

And boy howdy, let me tell you. Ryan’s Eatery is a gem worth discovering.

Dirty fries are one of the handful of appetizers on the menu at Ryan's Eater in Marseilles. The thick fries are topped with pulled pork, cheese sauce and jalapeños.

Dirty fries are one of the handful of appetizers on the menu at Ryan's Eatery in Marseilles. The thick fries are topped with pulled pork, cheese sauce and jalapeños. (Mystery Diner)

I had two immediate impressions when I crossed the threshold. First, the dining room is a snug space, although a wall of mirrors behind countertop seating makes the space feel wider. Second, the room has an understated elegance with its checkerboard of black and white chairs, a pressed tin ceiling and hardwood floors. Even before sampling the food, I made a mental note that this could double as a casual lunch/dinner spot and a special occasion destination.

Both the atmosphere and the food make Ryan’s a weighty contender for dining out. The menu has a variety of salad, chicken, pork, seafood, pasta, burger and sandwich options.

We split an appetizer of dirty fries (thick fries topped with pulled pork, cheese sauce and jalapeños). These aren’t finger-food fries – it’s worth using a fork to get a bite with all four ingredients, especially the tender pork.

Chicken piccata is a menu staple at Ryan's Eatery in downtown Marseilles. The sauteed chicken breast is served in a lemon, caper and garlic butter sauce.

Chicken piccata is a menu staple at Ryan's Eatery in downtown Marseilles. The sauteed chicken breast is served in a lemon, caper and garlic butter sauce. (Mystery Diner)

For entrees, I ordered a menu staple of chicken piccata, while my companion selected one of the night’s specials: shrimp bianca. Originally, he had his eye on the Cajun sea bass, but the server apologetically informed us they were out of sea bass for the day, leading us to speculate that it’s a popular order. My fellow diner vowed to order that on our next outing to Ryan’s.

After the first bite of shrimp bianca, he seemed to forget he had considered any other menu item.

All of the food arrived at the table looking Instagram-worthy and tasting twice as good as its appearance. If I were a social media savant, I would have shouted to my followers in caps lock, “YOU HAVE TO TRY THE FOOD AT RYAN’S EATERY!” Alas, I don’t think I count as an influencer with fewer than 500 followers, so I focused on eating and not on tweeting.

Cakes by Baking Spirit Bright in Seneca headline the dessert menu at Ryan's Eatery in downtown Marseilles. This slice of vanilla raspberry cream cake included strong fruit-flavored layers with moist cake and velvety icing.

Cakes by Baking Spirits Bright in Seneca headline the dessert menu at Ryan's Eatery in downtown Marseilles. This slice of vanilla raspberry cream cake combines richly fruit-flavored layers with moist cake and velvety icing. (Shaw Local News Network)

If you dine at Ryan’s Eatery, I have an important piece of advice: Don’t skip dessert.

Baking Spirits Bright, a baking business based in Seneca, partners with the restaurant to provide cakes baked in the Ryan’s Eatery kitchen. The flavor options during our visit were lemon, vanilla raspberry cream, chocolate latte and chocolate peanut butter. We decided to split a slice of vanilla raspberry cream – after the first bite, I was second-guessing my decision to share. I have a selfish inner child who wanted to hoard the whole slice for myself.

One special aspect worth noting is Ryan’s Eatery is a BYOB establishment. Soft drinks and water are sold with meals, but guests are welcome to bring their own beverages. “Bring your favorite beer or wine, and we will supply the glassware,” Ryan’s states on the restaurant’s Facebook page.

Ryan’s Eatery is open for lunch and dinner Thursday through Tuesday; the restaurant is closed Wednesdays.

Ryan's Eatery stands on Main Street in downtown Marseilles.

Ryan's Eatery stands on Main Street in downtown Marseilles. (File )

• The Mystery Diner is an employee at Shaw Media. The diner’s identity is not revealed to the restaurant staff before or during the meal. The Mystery Diner visits a different restaurant and then reports on the experience. If the Mystery Diner cannot recommend the establishment, we will not publish a story.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Ryan’s Eatery

WHERE: 442 Main St., Marseilles

PHONE: 815-795-4006

INFORMATION: Facebook at tinyurl.com/5n869uny