Piasa Winery

First of all, the menu is completely different than what it says online. It’s much more limited bar food. We were the only people in the place at noon on a Sunday. I had a gnat in my water, but they were nice about getting me a new one. Then we got an appetizer and there was an eyelash in it. We paid for our drink and left immediately. Needless to say, now I understand why we were the only ones there.

This place is an unsung hero. Kyle and Chef Terry took care of us all night. They were attentive and fun!

I give the new Piasa Pub a 1-​star only because of the very friendly service. The menu has drastically changed under new management so be sure and check out the menu I posted. I thought the pretzel bites were very good but the rest of my party was not at all pleased with their food. I found a napkin in the drink end of my straw about half way through it which makes any meal more appetizing. I think we’re going to have to cross this one off our list of places to stop.

A nice river road stop. The view is great and the real focus is on the outstanding beer and wine selection. In addition to having a bar they offer a great variety of bottles at retail. The only thing missing is signature food — the menu is pretty standard fare.

This rating is based on the availability for food in this particular area.
I had the blackened catfish sandwich. The spices/​flavor was spot on. Fabulous flavor, cooked well. I took off the top bun (brioche bun) — it was just too much bread for that fish — they should think about something slightly thinner, but, with the population of the area, I’m guessing it’s just not feasible to have too many bread varieties.
My husband had a hot ham & cheese. Meh. Nothing notable. I wouldn’t recommend.
Considering this was a winery, the selections weren’t great. They had some pretty low end, mass produced items that were available by the glass. No decent sparkling wine by the glass. The artisan beer selection was fantastic!
Service. Friendly, but, dreadfully slow! Understaffed for this particular day that was unseasonably warm = everyone was out and about.
In short — this area isn’t known for destination dining. Enjoy it for what it is — roadside fun along the river road. (Grafton winery is across the street, but, when we were inside, it looked like a charmless warehouse with unfriendly staff).

Awesome food! Great beer! Lots of selections in tap!
Had the ultimate burger loaded with Mac n cheese! Everything tasted homemade! Definitely check it out!

Great craft beer selection on tap, knowledgeable and friendly staff, complemented with a nice patio view.

Oh, 6lb 9oz baby Jesus. What an amazing little hidden gem. The food is only second to the service. Order the Ultimate Bacon Cheese Burger and enjoy one of the brews from their top-​notch beer selection. Be careful to not get the burger on your forehead because your tongue may beat your face to death trying to get to it. Go in hungry and thirsty, don’t be rude, love life.

While having a Miller Lite down the street I was texting my cousins complaining that I couldn’t find Schlafly’s in Grafton. One of them immediately responded that we needed to go a few doors down to Piasa Winery. We finished major brewery canned beer and headed down the street to PW.
We arrived just as they were opening and seated ourselves on the back deck. Your immediate view is the gravel parking lot, but beyond that it is the good olé Mississippi River. It was relaxing to watch various boats and barges cruise up and down the river as we sipped our Pumpkin Ale.
Our server was friendly and brought us some samples of other Pumpkin Ale’s to compare to our hometown favorite. Schlafly’s definitely was the winner hands down. If you’re up in Grafton boating, or just having a day of adventure and need a good cold beer, this is the place to drink.

Small place, but plenty of seating. Awesome drinks. Seating indoors and out. Servers are all friendly. Reasonable prices.

This place was okay. We went for lunch one week day afternoon last week. The server told us we can sit wherever we wanted on the patio. I ordered the plain cheeseburger and asked for lettuce and tomato. The burgers were decent, but when I received my bill I was charged 50 cents for lettuce and 50 cents for a tomato slice. Really? My server never even mentioned there was going to be a charge, but to charge 50 cents for a piece of lettuce (that came from a $ 1 head of ice berg lettuce) is completely ridiculous. Even 50 cents for a tomato slice. Talk about being nickeled and dimed.
The food wasn’t impressive and because of the up charge on one slice of tomato and piece of lettuce I certainly won’t be back. Servers, please advise your customers if you’re going to charge them for items that normally come on a burger anyway.

I liked that Piasa had a nice outdoor area with a fire pit. I ordered wine and a beer. The drinks were priced reasonably and I was pleasantly surprised that the wine glass was near full. I’d go again when the weather is a little warmer.

I agree with the other reviewers. Piasa is a «hidden gem». It’s towered over by the Grafton Winery just across the street — which is silliness, because this place is great. Grafton doesn’t offer any on-​site vineyards but there is a collection of wines there in a very intimate setting that you probably can’t find anywhere else.
The last time I was there they had Galena Cellars wines… which are 6 hours north of here and are very hard to find as they only ship in small quantities. Service was good, the tastings were really tasty.
All in all a seemingly little intimate place run by locals with a nice selection of some obscure wines. :)

This is such a cute little place. We have enjoyed visiting several times now. The food was tasty and view is wonderful. The employees were friendly and eager to please. We will be back!

Very charming. Great employees, very friendly. Loved the outdoor seating and entertainment. Can’t wait to go back when it’s not a million degrees!

Love this little place. Great wines and good selection of beer, cider and other libations. Pretty good menu too. Service is always polite. Music on the weekends too. Nice place to stop after being on the motorcycle all day.

The people running this place are super nice and hospitable, which goes a long way in a place like Grafton, where strangers are continuously trudging through the door. I tried three of their dry and semi-​dry wines (not made on premises, but in Godfrey, I think). They were pretty awful, but they are in good company in this part of the country. What was really cool is they have a nice selection of beers and they’re happy to let you have a little taste of any one you want before you decide to invest your $ 4 or $ 5 [pretty cheap].
There is a nice view of the river and apparently a 1-​lb burger challenge where winners can write on the wall. Not sure of the details, you’ll have to check it out if you’re a glutton.
Both times we visited on a Sunday afternoon with only a handful of other customers. I’m guessing in nicer weather this place is hopping.

Piasa Winery is a gem! We were out there New Years Day and got a not so welcome welcome from the Rotten Apple so decided to go across the street to a little winery there. We actually were headed to Fast Eddie’s originally but it seemed everyone and their mother, brother, father and so on had the same idea… Best decision we could have made! We had a ball! It was small and intimate and the food was awesome. I didn’t realize until later how large they actually were– there is a dining room downstairs as well as a sizable deck and bar.
They have a small tasting area set up at one end of the dining room and are very accommodating and knowledgeable about their wines as well as other local wines.
It is also within walking distance to at least three other wineries, so plan to make a day of it.
I’m looking forward to visiting again once it warms up a bit.

Stopped off here for a glass of wine after a wedding in the area… stayed for hours! It was Saturday night in May, there was a folk duet (man and grandson?) playing on the back patio overlooking the Mississippi. Wine and drinks were yummy and relatively cheap. The fire pit was on… it was a perfect evening. Will never forget it…

Piasa Winery is another one of the many great little places you should visit along the Great River Road between Grafton and Alton IL. It’s scenic confluence of the Mississippi and Illinois rivers will give you the feeling that you are on vacation.
Piasa Winery does not have an on-​site vineyard, but you can sit on the deck and enjoy stunning views of the rivers and the palisades while sampling from a selection of award winning, signature wines made at the Piasa Vineyards, or choose from a huge selection of Illinois and International wines or imported beers. Last I heard they had over 80 beers to choose from and they have a beer sampling deal that you can’t afford to pass up.
This place is small inside with a big deck outside. It is family owned and the owners are warm and friendly. The atmosphere is great with a mix of cyclists, motorcycle groups, locals, tourists, etc. Everyone is there to have fun. It is open, clean and bright.
Most people hold out to have their food at Fast Eddies in Alton, which is usually one of the next stops. This road trip is always a good time. It’s the drive home that’s not so fun! Bring a DD.