Hidden Gem: Filling Station Pub and Grill in St. Charles

Antique stores littered downtown St. Charles more than 20 years ago, and the owners of The Filling Station Pub and Grill found a way to capitalize on it.

“The goal was to get (collectors) in here for a sandwich,” says Peter Milligan, who co-owns the restaurant with his older brother, Casey Milligan. Looking to attract antique lovers to the restaurant, the brothers found themselves becoming collectors. Today, hundreds of old photos and beverage signs – that are no longer produced – decorate the walls and ceilings of The Filling Station. An antique gas pump, which is probably from the 1920s and donated by a customer, sits in a corner of the restaurant.

The Filling Station server Julia Clements brings a Packard Caribbean Melt to a table. STAFF PHOTOS BY STEVE BITTINGER

“Everything in here is antique from the walls to the tin ceiling,” Peter Milligan says.

The Filling Station building was a 1920s gas station before the brothers turned it into their business venture 22 years ago.

“When we moved in ... you could see behind the drywall these filling station windows,” Peter Milligan says.

Starting with 50 seats, the restaurant has more than quadrupled its seating area by adding on a room, as well as an outdoor beer garden and bar. The restaurant’s specialty are their fajitas made from beef that is smoked on the premises, Peter Milligan says. The restaurant is also popular for its flame-broiled burgers, Friday’s all-you-can-eat fish fry and hand-cut fries made fresh daily. Healthier options on the menu are veggie burgers, salads and a vegetable plate with dip.

“We’re fortunate to have both a family restaurant ... and quite a good night life,” he says, adding that live musical entertainment is a regular at the restaurant.

With its longevity, The Filling Station could be considered an antique in itself. It’s certainly a nostalgic experience for customer John Curtin of St. Charles. The 66-year-old man has dined at the restaurant on and off since it opened.

“It’s got the food and the style from when I was a youngster,” he says. “The fries, the chili, the potato salad are all hand made and fresh.”

The atmosphere and friendly staff also draws Curtin back year after year. “It’s so eclectic,” he says of the decor. “They’ve collected so much stuff over the years. It’s like a museum.”
 

The '58 Edsel Dog from The Filling Station in St. Charles.

The Filling Station Pub and Grill
WHERE 300 W. Main St., St. Charles
PHONE (630) 584-4414
WEB SITE: www.filling-station.com
WHY YOU SHOULD GO Fuel your appetite with half-pound burgers and hand-cut fries, as the restaurant takes on a different meaning to “filling station.”
CLAIM TO FAME The Filling Station Pub and Grill is decked with antique signs and photographs, many from the era when the restaurant was a 1920’s gas station.