The Longbranch in downtown L'Erable
I have to preface this by saying, I might be a little biased. My mom has worked as a waitress at the Longbranch for many years and I eat there almost every time I go home. My aunt is a hostess and my sister-in-law waits tables a few times a month as well. The Longbranch is located in the middle of the country in an unincorporated section of Iroquois County locals call L’Erbale (pronounced La- Rab). L’Erable is comprised of pretty much only a downtown. There is one street that runs through this old French Canadian settlement that has a few houses, the tavern, and the oldest frame church in Illinois. The tavern is an old building itself. From the outside, it would seem this building has seen better days. Once you get inside, you might still think that, but once you sit down and the waitress puts your food in front of you, you know you’ve found one of those hidden treasures that not everyone knows about.
The Longbranch serves a dual purpose. During the day, the bar is open and they serve lunch Tuesday thru Saturday for farmers in the area. There’s only a few tables out front and the space is pretty tight. At night, the Longbranch only serves it’s full menu on Friday and Saturday night. Wednesday is Taco night, the first Thursday of the month is smelt night and there’s been talk of adding a BBQ night during the week. At first glance, you would think this is a small restaurant and you could walk in on a Friday night and be seated right away. You’d be wrong. Reservations are suggested for peak meal times both nights. As amazing as it may seem, people still travel from all over the region and as far away as Chicago to eat dinner in this tiny community. Read the rest of this entry »
Mid-Michigan Dining 
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