Coleman's Crystal Lake And Grill

Great service! Delicious food! The ambiance is perfect. Cool location—I love everything about it. Freddy provided excellent service!

For those who might not know, bluegill is a freshwater panfish, also known as sunnies, bream, or simply perch in Texas. They can grow up to 12.4 pounds, though I've never encountered one over a pound. They're flavorful without being too fishy and are perfect for frying, typically with a light breading rather than batter, like the style here. Regardless, it was delicious! I paired it with fries and coleslaw, along with Chicago's favorite beer in a tallboy. The server and bartender were friendly and attentive, and I enjoyed watching the regulars come in and settle into their bar stools on a Friday afternoon. They offer an all-you-can-eat cod option, as well as ocean perch and fried shrimp. I would love to see them add lake perch and catfish to the menu, but either way, I’ll definitely be back. They also have daily specials and serve breakfast on weekends.

This is a cozy, albeit somewhat cramped, neighborhood bar in Crystal Lake. It offers a selection of beers and appears to have a kitchen as well. It embodies the typical vibe of a small community gathering spot, complete with some television sets and seating at the bar and tables. There's nothing to complain about here—the place looks very clean, and the clientele seems to be mostly middle-aged or older.

Hubby and I came here tonight for the fish fry (AYCE beer battered cod, he had the smelt dinner and the Hawks game. I don 't know what those other people encountered, but the place looked and SMELLED clean, Alex (our server was polite and friendly, though she was quite busy. Yeah, this is a local hole in the wall now, but I 've been patronizing Coleman 's since they were located on Rt 31 then Rt 14 (good pizza and burgers then too when they were a true restaurant. Laid back and simple :

Our waitress was amazing!!! The cod fish fry was ok...a bit chewy. The beer batter was well done, but the oil might have been old? The fries were also average. There are only 6 tables, the rest is bar.