Princess Cafe in Beecher IL

Hi first time post!

I took my dad to the Princess Cafe in Beecher IL, probably about 45 miles south of downtown this weekend for his 70th birthday. The restaurant has been there forever from what the website and the locals say. I have heard about it for years but have never visited. My dad has been there in the past and suggested it when I told him to pick a destination.

Overall the experience was pretty good. The staff was pretty clueless, the specials (which I believe there were somewhere between 5 and 10) were rattled off quickly, read from a card, with no explanations. I glance at the wine by the glass menu and it read Zinfandel. Since I wasn’t sure of the name I tried to confirm that it was a red (it was placed near other reds in the list) the waiter retorted with “yeah it’s like a Zinfandel” I ordered a glass and luckily it was red. It also tasted like the last one to order a glass was a couple of days ago. The taste improved as I drank the second and third glass

We had one appetizer- Oysters Florentine which was very good.

Dinner is served with a relish tray of veggies, soup, and salad. I had a bowl of French onion soup (which I found out later costs more to get the cheese on top). The salad was forgettable, we all had blue cheese dressing (which I think also cost more but I can’t find the receipt)

My wife had the ½ order of king crab legs which was a lot of food, nice big legs, cut down the middle for easy access. I thought they tasted a bit fishy but I didn’t tell her. I would bet that they were frozen. The plate cost $42 I believe.

I had rack of lamb. Pretty good but I have better. I only order Lamb once in a blue moon. The place is a big meat and potato joint so I figured I better go with some kind of charred flesh. There was a lot of meat and generous portions of veggies on the side. $34

My dad had a ribeye steak; he seemed to like it and took some home. $34

We went early but as we were leaving the place was packed with people waiting that had reservations. I heard that it gets this way, they also just started taking credit cards recently. It was also weird being in a restaurant where the entire place allows smoking. It is definitely a different scene dining in a small farm town.

For what it is, the Princess Café gets the job done and the old school patrons seem to love it. I spent about $230 (pre tip) for three of us to eat dinner. My dad and I each had 3 glasses of house wine and my wife had iced tea (she’s pregnant)
For that kind of money I will drive to the city any day of the week. Service was average at best, and I actually considered applying for a job as a waiter (not really but I could have done a way better job and the tips must be nice judging by the price of the food)

Anyway that’s my first restaurant review…

Welcome to LTHForum. Thanks for the post.

Princess Cafe
(708) 946-3141
502 Dixie Hwy
Beecher, IL 60401
http://www.theprincesscafe.com/

And of course don't forget its old reliable nickname the Beecher Meat Company.I guess I will never get the Calumet City out of me.

We have eaten at the Princess Cafe, although we haven't been there in a couple of years now. The big draw used to be the prime rib special, which I think they offered on Fridays and Saturdays. It's very old school, and I agree that the salads are nothing to write home about.

Thanks for posting on this restaurant. My younger daughter has developed an aversion to meat, and she will be out of town this weekend. Perhaps we should take the older daughter out to the Princess so she can satisfy her carnivorous cravings.

Suzy