2Toots Train Whistle Grill! in Glen Ellyn, Illinois

When I was a little kid, I used to love to go to a train-themed restaurant in a neighboring town. It featured a toy train that carried baskets of food to the people lucky enough to be seated around the counter! The problem with this place was, it was always very crowded, and you rarely got a chance to sit in one of the coveted counter seats to have your meal delivered by the train!

The people who started 2Toots Train Whistle Grill, in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, solved this problem for train enthusiasts. At 2Toots, everyone gets to sit around the counter! The counter is huge, and every single booth is along the counter. Every customer can easily watch the train go around and around the track as it delivers meals! To adults who bring children to this restaurant, this is a blessing. No longer do we have to tell children, "Remember, we might not get to sit by the counter and have our food delivered by the train!"

2Toots is also right across from the actual train tracks, and trains zoom by regularly. This is a bonus thrill to the children eating here, who can look out the window and see the real trains!

The prices are very reasonable. A kid's meal, which includes French fries or fruit and a small drink, is less than four dollars. You'll only pay a little more than that for an adult meal. I was relieved to discover this, since I had heard that a competing train-themed restaurant in our area had much higher prices!

The employees are also very friendly. They have a lot of chances to interact with the children, since they are right in the middle of all the action! While we were there, the employees chatted with the kids, and were very understanding when my 5-year-old tipped over her root beer float.

Oh yeah, and the root beer floats? Huge! And delicious! If you don't want to pay the four dollars for a root beer float, opt for the much less expensive ice cream sundae or train whistle cupcake. The sundae and cupcake each come with a toy train whistle, so the kids can bring some of the fun home with them!

This place is in downtown Glen Ellyn (they also have a location in Downer's Grove) so it can be hard to find a place to park. I recommend parking in the commuter lot across the street from the restaurant. Putting a quarter in the meter will get you three hours of parking, so you can take your time eating, and have time to walk around downtown Glen Ellyn afterwords if you'd like. We had an awesome time at 2Toots, and I'm certain that you will, too!