Midland Inn

A must stop for us whenever we’re in town. Same owner and bartender from when my bf went to college nearby. Food and margaritas are great. I had the catfish and bf had grilled quail — we recommend both. Took a star off because there was confusion as to how to get on the list for a table. You need to tell the bartender and he will yell your name when your table is ready — he will then point and give you directions to where you need to go. Guess it’s part of the charm of the place, the place is always packed. Also, had to go to the bar to get drinks even though there were waitresses in the bar area.

Fast, friendly and always consistent food and service. They have it down to a science.

We are from the Chicago area down visiting family and doin the wine trail. Let me start by saying I don’t know why this is listed as a dive bar. The food is awesome the people are friendly, if this bar was up by us I would be here every week. I had a cup of chili and the smoked turkey sand. Both were very good. My husband had the catfish dinner, now I’m not big on fish but thought I would sample. Let me say this is some of the most perfectly cooked fried catfish I have had. Not to much breading perfectly fried really good. He had homemade baked beans with it which were also very good. I don’t eat coleslaw but he said that was very good also. Do yourself a favor and check this place out.

Don’t worry about the décor. The wait staff are friendly. The food is great. The portions are plenty. We had fried chicken and the pulled pork sandwich. All of it was delicious. Prices were great. If I lived here I’d eat there as often as I could.

OK if you’re starving or just have the munchies. Some entries are good. Mixed drinks lack. Interior needs updating & cleaning! A/​C really bad when it’s hot. Mostly a beer bar & meeting place w/​food on the side, I’d say.

I love stopping in on the weekends The Mexican platter with a Margarita is awesome. I highly recommend Midland Inn.

Stopped in with friends on a Monday at 5 pm, and the outdoor patio and tables inside were 80%occupied – on a random Monday! They have their own smokehouse! Best kept secret between Carbondale and Murphysboro on country club road. Long-​time owners have ratcheted this up from a dive bar open after the others closed to an affordable delicious dining destination. They have their own smokehouse on the property.
Two friends got the «all you can eat ribs» for $ 13 (special today). I just had the outstanding pulled-​pork with a baked potato and coleslaw. This slaw was a little yellow-​looking! But it was fresh cabbage tossed with a great tangy tart sauce (was it paprika in the color?). Not mayonaise-​drowned excuse for a vegetable. My other friend’s quesadilla came with fresh guacamole and pico de gallo.
I paid less than $ 20 for my my pulled-​pork dinner and her quesadilla, and that included her draft beer while i enjoyed fresh lemonade in the open air! The others enjoyed their pinot noir and margaritas.

Too many people would go as short as to label this a «hidden gem», but instead it’s more of a secret cove of treasures. Tucked away off of Old Route 13, Midland Inn is perhaps on of the best places to place an order for a jumbo margarita and enjoy a country feeling with a plethora of friendly locals.
Waitstaff will always share a genuine smile that provides a relaxing mood for enjoying one of the best BBQ places in the area. It’s worthy to note: if you’re looking for fall off the bone ribs, that yield notes of tender-​loving care, then this is the place.
Although the prices are low, they are in no way indicative of the portion sizes nor quality. Either inside or outside, both are great environments to meet up with friends and enjoy the hospitality that Southern Illinois has to offer.
Personal favorite aside from the ribs and a fair-​priced old fashioned is their pulled pork sandwich with a side of baked beans and fries. Sweet and savory only to be washed down with a great cocktail. Worth every minute and penny.

My husband and I came here for our anniversary dinner after recommendation from my brother and his wife. Needless to say, the steak was amazing. The fact that there is no steak sauce on the table is a direct indication that it will NOT be needed. The margarita I ordered was a jumbo on the rocks and it came with two straws, as is that was a hint that one person should not drink this alone. As a self-​proclaimed margarita connoisseur, it was fantastic and I enjoyed all by myself. We highly recommend this place. It’s a casual atmosphere with great food. The only reason for 4 stars is that strangeness of being a newbie and the paper sign on the wall that says to check-​in with the bartender for seating. Other than that… it’s a 5.

I love this place! We live about 30 seconds down the street, so it’s super convenient as well. The food was good, extremely inexpensive, and comes out super fast. I would have given 5 stars, however the service hasn’t been all that great the last few times we’ve been in there. The bartender who took our order over the phone was a bit short and quick to cut me off, but I get it… you’re busy! When we picked up our order I asked for extra sauces, and he was once again short and annoyed with me. I’ve been in the service industry my entire life so I always try to give people the benefit of the doubt. He still got a tip from me on a to-​go order… maybe he was just having an off night? The next time I went in there, the server was a bit short… but again… it’s a busy place, so it’s sometimes expected. All in all, I’ll be back… just wish the servers there weren’t so snappy.

Great relaxed friendly ambiance with fantastic service, quality food. Don’t miss it. 6 stars

Love the food, margaritas, and service, only negative thing is that it’s always busy, but it’s that way for a good reason. I recommend the catfish, beef filet, and the nachos grande (chicken). Out of the way, but well worth the drive!!!

I have been eating at Midlands for twenty plus years. I don’t get there as much as my college days. Last week my wife and I found ourselves in Carbondale during the day and hungry. After thinking of the typical lousy places, I suggested a reliable location. Midlands was welcoming and the beer was cold. We both had the smoked barbecue, and the sandwiches were excellent. For anyone that has not been there, the pizza and Mexican food is as good as the smoked foods. I highly recommend the quant Midlands Inn located away from everything.

The locals will probably kill me for this, but if you’re looking for a fun restaurant with great food and good prices, take the time to find this place! Don’t let them keep it hidden all for themselves! I was lucky enough to be taken there by some family, and it was beyond my expectations! It was packed on the night we went, even though it was the middle of the week! A short wait and there we were, sipping excellent margaritas and being served. Most of our party had the special, half a fried chicken, but I went for the Mexican food. I lived in Texas 8 years, and I lived with a Mexican family, so I KNOW good, authentic Mexican food. This was it. I was sooooo happy! So were the folks who ordered the chicken. The chicken was tasty & crispy and there was so much that everyone had a «to go» carton. What a super night it was!
And the place was FULL of local flavor… right up to the guy who rode up on horseback and tied up to the outside dining area. That’s right! We thought we were seeing things at first, until our most engaging waitress explained that he rides up because of «too many DUIs.» ;-)
GO! Find it! Don’t be afraid… it’s SO worth the hunt!

Midland Inn is the hidden gem of the Carbondale area. I’ve been here many times, and never order from the written menu. The daily specials are all you need. Friendly staff, great atmosphere, and plenty of locals. Make this a regular eating spot.

A great place to go out with friends. The food is inexpensive, decent (not spectacular) and satisfying. Their fried green beans are delicious!
And– their margaritas are hands-​down the BEST I’ve ever had.

When you try to find this place, you will seriously have to look really hard or you will miss it.
The name is pretty deceiving. It’s called Midland Inn so I thought it was like a restaurant within a hotel. WRONG! From the outside, it looks like an old bar. If you are driving at night, you will not see the name of the restaurant. The main distinguishing feature is a bright, Budweiser sign.
The food is very well priced, cheap to be exact. You can get just a steak sandwich for 6 bucks. What I like about their menu is that for certain items, you can choose whether or not you want sides (for an extra fee). You can also get just the main item for the light eater.
The quality of the food is not as high as I would have liked. The ribs were dry.
Wednesday is their crab night. It’s like two pounds of crab for some price (under 20 bucks). It’s hard to find seafood in this area.
The service is friendly and the place has a quiet bar so you can hang out with friends after your meal.