Garden Restaurant is a newer establishment to Decatur that focuses on a diner-style menu and atmosphere. With breakfast served all day, a wide variety of lunch and dinner options, and daily specials, hungry Millikin students are sure to find something to their liking at this low-key restaurant.

Garden’s dinner menu is perhaps the most robust, with options including all-you-can-eat ribs, fish and fried chicken. For those in the mood for something less heavy, pasta dishes, nachos and various salads are also available. All of the dinner entrees are served with multiple sides and a soup or salad, with portions that well exceed your average meal.

This tradition of massive portions extends to their even better breakfast menu, which includes options like the ribeye steak and eggs, served with pancakes and hash browns for under $10, and that is their most expensive breakfast meal. Most options come in at under $6 before drinks, and are equally filling.

Particularly tasty options include their omelets and skillets, which are provided with a number of various ingredients, including the traditional Denver, meat-lovers and healthier vegetarian options. Their country fried steaks, on the other hand, leave something to be desired with their lack of seasoning and poor gravy accompaniment.

Those looking for a sweet treat might consider their pies, which vary daily and are best served a-la-mode. The Garden restaurant located near Millikin also serves alcohol, although their options are quite limited. The location on Pershing, much further from campus, does not serve any liquor at all.

Atmospherically, the restaurant is unassuming. Both locations in Decatur are replacements for previous restaurants that have closed down, with some renovations; while not as comfortable or elegant as other restaurants, the affordable prices more than make up for the lack of décor.

In traditional diner fashion, Garden provides the option of sitting at the counter and overlooking the kitchen and wait staff as they work. Even hungry students that are alone will not find themselves confined awkwardly to a booth with just one person.

With some of the largest portions in Decatur, Garden offers an excellent solution to students seeking a quick, filling meal at a reasonable price. Located at 696 E. Pershing Rd. under the name Family Garden Restaurant, and closer to campus at 1044 West Eldorado, students even have the option of walking two blocks to enjoy a meal. Visit them online at Gardenfamilyrestaurant.net to learn more, or call 422-3927 to call a to-go order.