Though there are many incredible restaurants throughout Illinois, some of them have a setting that has a certain “X factor.” You may look around the place and feel as if something is just a bit different about it. Well, at these Illinois restaurants, there is certainly something different – they used to serve an entirely different purpose! From gas stations to mansions, the following dining establishments were previously not meant for dining at all.

1. Sherry's Cafe (Galva)
jac088/Trip Advisor
This lovely former church has been transformed into a quaint restaurant.

100 N. Center Avenue, Galva
2. Flossmoor Station Restaurant & Brewery (Flossmoor)
Flossmoor Station Restaurant & Brewery/Facebook
Built in 1906, the building that houses this restaurant used to serve as the town's train station.

1035 Sterling Avenue, Flossmoor
3. The Rafters (Lena)
The Rafters Restaurant and Catering/Facebook
Once a barn doomed for tear down, the owner of this restaurant scooped it up and turned it into a culinary destination.

9426 W. Wagner Road, Lena
4. Big Star (Chicago)
Big Star Chicago/Facebook
This defunct gas station has been reimagined into one of the most popular taco spots in Chicago.

1531 N. Damen Avenue, Chicago

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5. Fifth Alarm Firehouse Pub (Byron)
Fifth Alarm Firehouse Pub
The first firehouse in Byron and the original City Hall have been combined to create this popular pub.

120 N. Union Street, Byron
6. Bull Moose Bar & Grille (Sandwich)
Bull Moose Bar & Grille
Long before this restaurant existed, a portion of it was an 1893 Pullman Palace Car Company dining car.

202 S. Main Street, Sandwich
7. Old Bank Restaurant & Bar (LeRoy)
Old Bank Restaurant & Bar/Facebook
Formerly the LeRoy State Bank, this beautiful building is now home to a farmer-owned restaurant.

201 E. Center Street, LeRoy
8. The Grille at the Mansion (O'Fallon)
The Grille at the Mansion
A stunning mansion built in 1857 has become a top place to go for seafood and steaks in southern Illinois.

1680 Mansion Way, O'Fallon

Have you visited any of these interesting restaurants? Are there any that you think we missed? Let us know in the comments.

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