Explore where your meal is delivered on a train
The Junction Diner in Forest Park is a concept that appeals to families with young children…and many more.
A train-themed restaurant, the central feature is a track that runs around the counter and through the kitchen where cooks place food in baskets on flat cars for delivery to customers.
To keep the kiddies amused, there’s a play area with a fascinating little train town, a coin-operated train ride, a classic wooden rail set and arcade games.
Don't let the kid-themed vibes fool you, there are plenty of menu items for adults including pasta dishes, salads, wraps plus adult beverages.
The Junction Diner opens at 11am. Expect crowds and a bit of a wait on weekends or head there right when they open. Closed on Mondays.
Most menu items start at $10.
Shortly after their son Connor turned 1 Brad and Kate Whal bought him an inexpensive wooden train set. They sat him down on the floor and this new toy entertained him for well over an hour. At that point they felt like they had hit the jackpot, they then found something that would hold Connors attention for more than 5 minutes. As they talked to other parents we realized that many kids had the same fascination with trains.
Fast forward a couple years and after many visits to train themed places around the Chicagoland area Brad and Kate decided that what downtown Forest Park needed was a train themed family restaurant. Madison Street in Forest Park is full of great restaurants and many are family friendly but none of them offered entertainment for the kids. As parents of 3 young kids they regularly ate out in Forest Park and recognized that a restaurant for kids would complement the other restaurants in this area. Stop in and say hi!
Junction Diner is on Madison Street in Forest Park. Just over a half-mile walk from both the CTA Blue Line stop called Harlem and the CTA Green Line stop called Harlem/Lake.
