Castle’s Patio Inn is a classic Peoria neighborhood pub that has been serving drinks, sandwiches and their legendary cheese spread since the mid ’60’s, when Ray Eskridge opened up Ray’s Patio Inn at the corner of Loucks Avenue, just off of Sheridan Road.
In the early ’90’s, Chuck and Barb Castle bought the tavern and re-christened it, Castle’s Patio Inn. Five years ago in 2015, Chuck Castle died and Barb became the sole owner of the popular Peoria pub.
Then the foul year of 2020 happened.
The Coronavirus has hit Castle’s Patio Inn and like so many small businesses, it’s hurting the neighborhood tavern. You can read all about that in this feature article by Phil Luciano in the PJ Star.
Castle’s has reduced their hours and Barb Castle now just opens up on Wednesday and Friday’s to sell their homemade cheese spread and rumor has it that you might be able to have a drink while purchasing the cheese.
Castle’s Patio Inn is one of my favorite Peoria places and I’ve missed going there ever since this rotten pandemic happened. So I decided to go and get some cheese to help keep it alive until this is all over!
Here we are at the corner spot on Loucks Avenue, just off of Sheridan Road. I’m rarely here in the daytime hours, so it’s kind of odd to see the pub in the cruel sunshine!
As the sign says, this is the cheesiest place in town! Let’s go inside and prove that statement to be true!
Here we are inside of Castle’s Patio Inn, there’s owner and operator of the place, Barb Castle behind the bar.
I went and said hi and she told me that it’s been rough for the last few months, but the cheese sales are helping to keep the neighborhood pub afloat.
And then, as if on cue, some people stopped by to purchase some cheese, so I let Barb handle business as I roamed around and took some rare daytime photos in here.
There’s the quartet of beers on tap and the mark of a classic Peoria pub hangs overhead: The Budweiser trolley!
I took a longshot from the end of the bar and gaming tables line the opposite wall that have windows looking out to Loucks Avenue.
Hey check out the Budweiser sign, how did they know I was coming here?
I’ve never been in here when the dining room was empty. I’m anxious to come back when it’s bustling in here again!
There’s lots of interesting and vintage signs and art on the walls and there’s Spuds MacKenzie on the back wall, all lit up in all of his neon glory!
Wow, look at the size of this cell phone! That would be rough to get into your pocket!
Meanwhile, back at the bar…
Barb has a delicious crock of cheese for me
It was great to see her and I’m looking back to coming here for a Saturday night dinner when this whole pandemic is history.
Castle’s Patio Inn is open today from 3pm to 6pm, you should stop by and buy some cheese to keep this Peoria classic pub in business! It’s a tasty way to help a local business stay alive!
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802 W. Loucks Avenue
Peoria
309-685-9570
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