My kid was in heaven here! In fact, he barely ate, LOL. This place is super cute and so fun for kids. The food is pretty good too. We had the pretzel appetizer, yum...buffalo wrap, and a panini. Everything was good! My guy had a blast watching the trains on display and 'driving them', watching the train deliver the food, and riding the train in the other room! He seriously had a blast. Fun place for a treat for sure. I might bring him back for an afternoon snack as he barely ate his lunch he was so distracted, but oh well, it was fun!
(4)
Donna K.
My grandson loves this place! The food is good and the potions are just right. The waitress we had on our last visit seemed confused. The silverware arrived 5 minutes after the food. We arrived about 4:30 and at 5:05, my daughter asked about the 1/2 price game tokens. She was told that it's after 5:00 so she can't receive the discount. The table next to us, received the discount and they arrived 5 minutes after we did and asked right after we did. When I mentioned to the waitress, she didn't seem to care. Make sure you ask for your tokens early. Next visit, I won't sit at her table.
(4)
Michelle M.
Such a cute place for the little ones. We used to go frequently when my son was much younger. Just went again the other night for family night. (They were donating 15% of profits to my son's school.) He's nine now and maybe a little too big for this place BUT they do have an arcade and really good food for a reasonable price. They also have Happy Hours... 2-5 Mondays - Milkshakes $1.00 Tuesdays - Appetizers 50% Off Wednesdays - Kid's Meals $3.99 Thursdays - 20 Arcade Tokens For $20.00 Fridays - Free Train Rides And seriously... the strawberry milkshakes are so YUM. =] Lucas loves to sit at the counter. They serve you food off an electrical train. I've always though that was pretty cool...
(5)
Christian K.
I like this place, it's fun, the food is A-OK and service is fast and friendly. Oh, and what's not to like about having your food delivered by a model train?! We sat at the counter where the model train delivers your food. The track was clean, far enough away that the munchkin couldn't reach them and possibly get hurt by moving trains or shocked - not 100% sure if the power to the train comes from the track or if it's battery powered - but, the tracks had a wire connecting to a rail, so better safe than sorry I guess. Ordering was easy and unhurried, which was really great since we were exploring the place and playing with the train set. It was really nice that we could do that without feeling rushed to order. We got Pretzel Sticks, the Chicken Tender Dinner (with Mashed Potatoes and Gravy) and The Double Bacon Cheddar Burger. The train brings out our order, each course on it's own little train car. The Chicken Tender Dinner was piping hot and fresh, tender and delicious. Pretzel Sticks looks awesome but, the munchkin ate them so fast I couldn't steal a bite :'( I had the Double Bacon Cheddar Burger. It's big, it's cheesy and pretty good over all. I think it could've had another slice of bacon or two on it but, overall I thought it was A-OK. Not the best I've had but not the worst either. I guess the best way to describe the food is that it's meant for the little ones, not so much for adults wanting a prime meal. For what it is, the food is great though, The whole concept is phenomenal for families that want to be able to sit and eat as well as let the munchkins have their fun too. We really enjoyed this place and we'll definitely be coming back from time to time.
(4)
D. S.
This is not my first time reviewing Tyler's Tender, I actually discovered I reviewed it once before on 11/29/2009. Apparently, in 2009, Tyler's Tender got my seal of approval. Here in 2015, I find Tyler's Tender, Meh. I did the math and I figured out that at the time of my previous review of this business I only had one child, a then 6 year old boy. In 2011 I found the concept of this place to be fresh, unique, and creative. Again, that was in 2011. In 2015 the Tyler's Tender reminds me of Dave Woderson, that character Matthew McConaughey played in Dazed and Confused. Like ole Wooderson, Tyler's Tender is still dressing and presenting itself the way it did when we first met. What was once endearing and lovable now just feels desperate and tired. Isn't it possible to change up the train set or add some new ones? How about adding an elevated train track, considering our proximately to Chicago. Bagger Dave's has one, Industrial Revolution Eatery and Grill has one. It could make it's rounds over top of the diners, no? In addition, the one dollar train ride is bogus. How about having the person running the the ride have a little enthusiasm or maybe just train hat. Let's act like we want to be there. Currently, the ride home to the dentist is more enjoyable. On our latest visit, out waitress was training a new person. Even with two extra hands our service was extremely slow. Our waitress and her trainee might have actually worked faster and more efficiently if one had positioned herself on the shoulders of the other, like a "Mega-waitress." The pizza in this place is god awful. I remember watching an old episode of Gordon Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmare's and hearing a cook at refer to food as fresh-frozen, meaning the food fresh when it was initially prepared, but because there was so much of it made at the time, they froze the rest, to be served at a later date. I guess it's possible that their pizza is fresh-frozen but it's more likely just frozen. Does anyone else find it insulting when they're expected to pay more money for a 3" frozen restaurant pizza than they would for a family size, grocery store frozen pizza. It's all about the experience right? Exactly. Step it up. I will concede that our was server was very nice and polite but It appeared that she was completely overworked. It looked as though she was responsible for all of the actual customers, with no help. I did spot another three employees standing behind the lunch counter commiserating, while we died of thirst. They even ignored my empty cup that continued to be waved in the air like I just didn't care. Maybe that's what confused them. I should have just filled my own drink like my son suggested. I'm confident they would have been thankful, putting a pin in their conversation for to provide service to their patron's didn't seem important. To be fair, last night was the season finale of EMPIRE. Is there a manager at this place or... All and all I won't return. It's a shame because I have no doubt this place could be so much better. The one Chicago feeling that Tyler's Tender seems to incoorporate is the one made most famous by the Cubs front office, "People will come, because they just will." If that's good enough for the owners then they've succeeded.
(1)
Vincent J.
Best Train themed restaurant for kids yet. I have a 3 year old son who loves trains and we have been to quite a few of these style restaurants, so its a huge compliment when I say this one might be the best for pure entertainment. Here's a short list of what they did a little different than the other places. -An interactive O-Scale train set that kids can make trains start and activate different features -A mini toilet built in the bathrooms for toddlers -a sperate game your for older kids who might be past the train stage -A Garden scale train that brings your food (its double the size of what every other place has). -A wall covered in stainless steel with oval windows that resembles the outside of a passenger train. -And to top it all off, a mini train that kids can actually ride in. The place is clean, well lit and there are quite a few option on the menu so adults won't get hot dogg'ed out by repeat visits. Add a cheery staff high school girls and you've got a great train restaurant for kids
(5)
Roland S.
A place for all ages. It's got a model train set under glass that kids can control, a ride-on train for kids, and an arcade. If you sit at the bar, your food gets delivered via train! The food was standard American fare: sandwiches, pizza, fries, burgers, etc. But they also had some upscale options. Everything we ordered was quite good, especially the fried pickles and fried mushrooms. The design of this place has kids in mind and the servers were so incredibly patient and understanding that you know they're selected and trained just for this. It's a great concept, incredibly well executed, and it stands as an example of how great independently owned restaurants can be.
(5)
Toni T.
We are always pleased when we go to Tylers Tender. They have great food (a little pricey at times, but not too bad). Then when you go to the back there is an arcade! It is a perfect sized arcade for just a little bit of fun, but not to the point where you are stuck there an entire day. Their fried pickles are my favorite. A couple of my friends (that don't even have kids) make sure we go there every time they come into town because they think their fried pickles are the best they ever tasted. It is a fun place to go if you have a couple kids with you. I have gone to birthday parties there and I would suggest it for 1-3 year old parties. Does not seem that much fun for the older kids. You get the back room (A/C does not seem to hit that room in the summer fyi), pizza, pop, train rides and coins for games. I don't know how much this costs but if you don't have the room for a party at your place and don't have the money for larger kid places this would be a nice option. I did Bellaboos once for a birthday and it cost about $400. It was a nice party, but damn that is a lot for a couple hours!
(5)
Jane D.
This place was amazing! I was visiting a friend out here from Arizona and I had my 3 year old and 1 year old with me and they LOVED it. The place had GREAT food and it was super clean! I wish we had one back home!
(5)
Trent B.
My mother suggested we go to this place, so she could see how her grandkids would enjoy it. Can't lie I was a little skeptical at first, but the staff was friendly and very respectful. My boys (3yr and 4yr) enjoyed riding the train, and playing in the arcade.The food was good and reasonably priced (it being brought out by train was pretty neat for them as well), I would definitely go back again.
(4)
Selina L.
First time today! Had lunch with my grandson and he loved it. For having an "us" day, I enjoyed it.
(5)
Jason C.
This is a cool place for kids. The train you can ride is cool and a fair price. The arcade has few games that little kids can play. The food is cafeteria grade at best and does not command the the prices you would pay at Applebee's. like I said, cool place for the kids. It was not very good eating.
(2)
Sarah H.
We took our 19 month old here and had a blast. The food tasted great, and the service was excellent. The train ride was great fun, and the arcade brought out a lot of giggles from our son. His favorite part was definitely the model train that runs in the middle of the restaurant. He was mesmerized! Kudos to the staff for being attentive and patient with all of the kids there! Great place! Definitely recommend!
(5)
Dyan R.
We went for the second time today and had a wonderful time. My grandson ate ALL of his hot dog and I ate the roast beef sandwich which was very good. The staff is amazing. They entertain the kids and still serve the food in a timely manner. My grandson loves the trains that deliver the food. The whole things was a great experience.
(5)
Karen G.
This is a great restaurant to for parents and adults! The train theme is great and the kids loved the ride on train and the big train in the center of the dining room. The kids knew we were going on Sunday and they were excited all week - and it did not disappoint when we got there! What we liked about it was that there was actually food on the menu that a adult would enjoy! It wasn't all frozen pizza and chicken nuggets like some other places. The sandwiches were really great and they have homemade potato chips which are really good. Staff is great as well - they really cater to the kids and all the little ones running around don't faze them at all. There is also an arcade in the back room for the older kids you bring. Just a great place for a family lunch or weekday dinner! We will be back!
(5)
antelia c.
My daughter loves this place. You can sit at the counter and have the train bring your food. The kids can ride the train, that they have. The also have an additonal arcade in the back. It is small, but its very nice for the little ones.
(4)
Mary K.
What a fun place. My niece (2) and nephews (1) are big train fans so I took them here to ride the train. They absolutely loved it! The staff were very sweet and attentive. The kids also enjoyed the chicken tenders...they are pickey eaters so the fact that they found the food tasty is a bonus!
(5)
Cathy S.
Our family went with our two grandkids (aged 8 and 2) and LOVED this place! We went on Sat. at about 1:30 and almost had the place to ourselves. It was our first time and I kind of assumed it would be crowded. The food is good and the prices are fair... but you don't go there for the cuisine. The atmosphere is so fun for kids and includes a train ride (for $1 each kid) and a model train set up that the kids can control with buttons. But of course the best part is that your food comes out on a train that follows the tracks around the front of he counter seats - kids were very excited. The restaurant is very clean and bright and our young waitress could not have been friendlier. The only caution I would say is - be careful of the game room. We wandered in there and came out an hour later having spent $20 on games - but they had some really great pinball tables. And there were even games that the 2-year-old enjoyed. This place must be a well-kept secret to not have lines out the door.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Private Lot Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : No Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Stephanie S.
My kid was in heaven here! In fact, he barely ate, LOL. This place is super cute and so fun for kids. The food is pretty good too. We had the pretzel appetizer, yum...buffalo wrap, and a panini. Everything was good! My guy had a blast watching the trains on display and 'driving them', watching the train deliver the food, and riding the train in the other room! He seriously had a blast. Fun place for a treat for sure. I might bring him back for an afternoon snack as he barely ate his lunch he was so distracted, but oh well, it was fun!
(4)Donna K.
My grandson loves this place! The food is good and the potions are just right. The waitress we had on our last visit seemed confused. The silverware arrived 5 minutes after the food. We arrived about 4:30 and at 5:05, my daughter asked about the 1/2 price game tokens. She was told that it's after 5:00 so she can't receive the discount. The table next to us, received the discount and they arrived 5 minutes after we did and asked right after we did. When I mentioned to the waitress, she didn't seem to care. Make sure you ask for your tokens early. Next visit, I won't sit at her table.
(4)Michelle M.
Such a cute place for the little ones. We used to go frequently when my son was much younger. Just went again the other night for family night. (They were donating 15% of profits to my son's school.) He's nine now and maybe a little too big for this place BUT they do have an arcade and really good food for a reasonable price. They also have Happy Hours... 2-5 Mondays - Milkshakes $1.00 Tuesdays - Appetizers 50% Off Wednesdays - Kid's Meals $3.99 Thursdays - 20 Arcade Tokens For $20.00 Fridays - Free Train Rides And seriously... the strawberry milkshakes are so YUM. =] Lucas loves to sit at the counter. They serve you food off an electrical train. I've always though that was pretty cool...
(5)Christian K.
I like this place, it's fun, the food is A-OK and service is fast and friendly. Oh, and what's not to like about having your food delivered by a model train?! We sat at the counter where the model train delivers your food. The track was clean, far enough away that the munchkin couldn't reach them and possibly get hurt by moving trains or shocked - not 100% sure if the power to the train comes from the track or if it's battery powered - but, the tracks had a wire connecting to a rail, so better safe than sorry I guess. Ordering was easy and unhurried, which was really great since we were exploring the place and playing with the train set. It was really nice that we could do that without feeling rushed to order. We got Pretzel Sticks, the Chicken Tender Dinner (with Mashed Potatoes and Gravy) and The Double Bacon Cheddar Burger. The train brings out our order, each course on it's own little train car. The Chicken Tender Dinner was piping hot and fresh, tender and delicious. Pretzel Sticks looks awesome but, the munchkin ate them so fast I couldn't steal a bite :'( I had the Double Bacon Cheddar Burger. It's big, it's cheesy and pretty good over all. I think it could've had another slice of bacon or two on it but, overall I thought it was A-OK. Not the best I've had but not the worst either. I guess the best way to describe the food is that it's meant for the little ones, not so much for adults wanting a prime meal. For what it is, the food is great though, The whole concept is phenomenal for families that want to be able to sit and eat as well as let the munchkins have their fun too. We really enjoyed this place and we'll definitely be coming back from time to time.
(4)D. S.
This is not my first time reviewing Tyler's Tender, I actually discovered I reviewed it once before on 11/29/2009. Apparently, in 2009, Tyler's Tender got my seal of approval. Here in 2015, I find Tyler's Tender, Meh. I did the math and I figured out that at the time of my previous review of this business I only had one child, a then 6 year old boy. In 2011 I found the concept of this place to be fresh, unique, and creative. Again, that was in 2011. In 2015 the Tyler's Tender reminds me of Dave Woderson, that character Matthew McConaughey played in Dazed and Confused. Like ole Wooderson, Tyler's Tender is still dressing and presenting itself the way it did when we first met. What was once endearing and lovable now just feels desperate and tired. Isn't it possible to change up the train set or add some new ones? How about adding an elevated train track, considering our proximately to Chicago. Bagger Dave's has one, Industrial Revolution Eatery and Grill has one. It could make it's rounds over top of the diners, no? In addition, the one dollar train ride is bogus. How about having the person running the the ride have a little enthusiasm or maybe just train hat. Let's act like we want to be there. Currently, the ride home to the dentist is more enjoyable. On our latest visit, out waitress was training a new person. Even with two extra hands our service was extremely slow. Our waitress and her trainee might have actually worked faster and more efficiently if one had positioned herself on the shoulders of the other, like a "Mega-waitress." The pizza in this place is god awful. I remember watching an old episode of Gordon Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmare's and hearing a cook at refer to food as fresh-frozen, meaning the food fresh when it was initially prepared, but because there was so much of it made at the time, they froze the rest, to be served at a later date. I guess it's possible that their pizza is fresh-frozen but it's more likely just frozen. Does anyone else find it insulting when they're expected to pay more money for a 3" frozen restaurant pizza than they would for a family size, grocery store frozen pizza. It's all about the experience right? Exactly. Step it up. I will concede that our was server was very nice and polite but It appeared that she was completely overworked. It looked as though she was responsible for all of the actual customers, with no help. I did spot another three employees standing behind the lunch counter commiserating, while we died of thirst. They even ignored my empty cup that continued to be waved in the air like I just didn't care. Maybe that's what confused them. I should have just filled my own drink like my son suggested. I'm confident they would have been thankful, putting a pin in their conversation for to provide service to their patron's didn't seem important. To be fair, last night was the season finale of EMPIRE. Is there a manager at this place or... All and all I won't return. It's a shame because I have no doubt this place could be so much better. The one Chicago feeling that Tyler's Tender seems to incoorporate is the one made most famous by the Cubs front office, "People will come, because they just will." If that's good enough for the owners then they've succeeded.
(1)Vincent J.
Best Train themed restaurant for kids yet. I have a 3 year old son who loves trains and we have been to quite a few of these style restaurants, so its a huge compliment when I say this one might be the best for pure entertainment. Here's a short list of what they did a little different than the other places. -An interactive O-Scale train set that kids can make trains start and activate different features -A mini toilet built in the bathrooms for toddlers -a sperate game your for older kids who might be past the train stage -A Garden scale train that brings your food (its double the size of what every other place has). -A wall covered in stainless steel with oval windows that resembles the outside of a passenger train. -And to top it all off, a mini train that kids can actually ride in. The place is clean, well lit and there are quite a few option on the menu so adults won't get hot dogg'ed out by repeat visits. Add a cheery staff high school girls and you've got a great train restaurant for kids
(5)Roland S.
A place for all ages. It's got a model train set under glass that kids can control, a ride-on train for kids, and an arcade. If you sit at the bar, your food gets delivered via train! The food was standard American fare: sandwiches, pizza, fries, burgers, etc. But they also had some upscale options. Everything we ordered was quite good, especially the fried pickles and fried mushrooms. The design of this place has kids in mind and the servers were so incredibly patient and understanding that you know they're selected and trained just for this. It's a great concept, incredibly well executed, and it stands as an example of how great independently owned restaurants can be.
(5)Toni T.
We are always pleased when we go to Tylers Tender. They have great food (a little pricey at times, but not too bad). Then when you go to the back there is an arcade! It is a perfect sized arcade for just a little bit of fun, but not to the point where you are stuck there an entire day. Their fried pickles are my favorite. A couple of my friends (that don't even have kids) make sure we go there every time they come into town because they think their fried pickles are the best they ever tasted. It is a fun place to go if you have a couple kids with you. I have gone to birthday parties there and I would suggest it for 1-3 year old parties. Does not seem that much fun for the older kids. You get the back room (A/C does not seem to hit that room in the summer fyi), pizza, pop, train rides and coins for games. I don't know how much this costs but if you don't have the room for a party at your place and don't have the money for larger kid places this would be a nice option. I did Bellaboos once for a birthday and it cost about $400. It was a nice party, but damn that is a lot for a couple hours!
(5)Jane D.
This place was amazing! I was visiting a friend out here from Arizona and I had my 3 year old and 1 year old with me and they LOVED it. The place had GREAT food and it was super clean! I wish we had one back home!
(5)Trent B.
My mother suggested we go to this place, so she could see how her grandkids would enjoy it. Can't lie I was a little skeptical at first, but the staff was friendly and very respectful. My boys (3yr and 4yr) enjoyed riding the train, and playing in the arcade.The food was good and reasonably priced (it being brought out by train was pretty neat for them as well), I would definitely go back again.
(4)Selina L.
First time today! Had lunch with my grandson and he loved it. For having an "us" day, I enjoyed it.
(5)Jason C.
This is a cool place for kids. The train you can ride is cool and a fair price. The arcade has few games that little kids can play. The food is cafeteria grade at best and does not command the the prices you would pay at Applebee's. like I said, cool place for the kids. It was not very good eating.
(2)Sarah H.
We took our 19 month old here and had a blast. The food tasted great, and the service was excellent. The train ride was great fun, and the arcade brought out a lot of giggles from our son. His favorite part was definitely the model train that runs in the middle of the restaurant. He was mesmerized! Kudos to the staff for being attentive and patient with all of the kids there! Great place! Definitely recommend!
(5)Dyan R.
We went for the second time today and had a wonderful time. My grandson ate ALL of his hot dog and I ate the roast beef sandwich which was very good. The staff is amazing. They entertain the kids and still serve the food in a timely manner. My grandson loves the trains that deliver the food. The whole things was a great experience.
(5)Karen G.
This is a great restaurant to for parents and adults! The train theme is great and the kids loved the ride on train and the big train in the center of the dining room. The kids knew we were going on Sunday and they were excited all week - and it did not disappoint when we got there! What we liked about it was that there was actually food on the menu that a adult would enjoy! It wasn't all frozen pizza and chicken nuggets like some other places. The sandwiches were really great and they have homemade potato chips which are really good. Staff is great as well - they really cater to the kids and all the little ones running around don't faze them at all. There is also an arcade in the back room for the older kids you bring. Just a great place for a family lunch or weekday dinner! We will be back!
(5)antelia c.
My daughter loves this place. You can sit at the counter and have the train bring your food. The kids can ride the train, that they have. The also have an additonal arcade in the back. It is small, but its very nice for the little ones.
(4)Mary K.
What a fun place. My niece (2) and nephews (1) are big train fans so I took them here to ride the train. They absolutely loved it! The staff were very sweet and attentive. The kids also enjoyed the chicken tenders...they are pickey eaters so the fact that they found the food tasty is a bonus!
(5)Cathy S.
Our family went with our two grandkids (aged 8 and 2) and LOVED this place! We went on Sat. at about 1:30 and almost had the place to ourselves. It was our first time and I kind of assumed it would be crowded. The food is good and the prices are fair... but you don't go there for the cuisine. The atmosphere is so fun for kids and includes a train ride (for $1 each kid) and a model train set up that the kids can control with buttons. But of course the best part is that your food comes out on a train that follows the tracks around the front of he counter seats - kids were very excited. The restaurant is very clean and bright and our young waitress could not have been friendlier. The only caution I would say is - be careful of the game room. We wandered in there and came out an hour later having spent $20 on games - but they had some really great pinball tables. And there were even games that the 2-year-old enjoyed. This place must be a well-kept secret to not have lines out the door.
(5)