My in-box is overflowing with recommendations from readers! Here’s a rundown of comments I’ve received recently via email, Facebook and the Best Bites blog:

From a reader named Nick: “I just wanted to recommend Paul’s Place on Washington Avenue in Kankakee for breakfast.  I went there last Sunday and it was great!  They also have $5.50 breakfast specials, so it’s a great deal.  The biscuits and gravy are particularly good.”

From Rosemary: “I went to Fran’s on 17 (in Kankakee) on Friday, and yes, the garlic wrap was great!  The other person in the party had the walleye and was very pleased.”

Two readers shared their opinions on MiMi’s Maxwell Street (178 E. North St.) in Bradley. Stephen wrote, “Just wanted to recommend them to all of the readers of The Daily-Journal and whoever is in the mood for great food at a very cheap price. Total cost for two polish sausages, one hot dog, three bags of chips and two bottled waters was $8! The food is outstanding! To top it all off, they have two of the nicest owners I have ever met!” A reader named Rosie wrote, “I stopped by and had a Maxwell polish and a burger and I must say, they are the closest to the “real” Maxwell as you can get around here. I was surprised because I have visited other places in the area that have the polish, but they don’t come close to the taste. The burger was darn good, too. I would recommend this place in a heartbeat.”

Several readers agreed with last week’s recommendation of Rondinella’s Italian Deli and Imports (189 N. Kinzie) in Bradley. “Love it there,” wrote a reader named Rob. From Mary: “I’m a cookie lover and their kitchen sink cookie is to die for; absolutely scrumptious and big enough to share.” From Gary: “”BEST Italian beef ever! We LOVE their real Prosciutto di Parma and Parmaggiano Reggiano. Rondinella’s is a real treasure!” From Cheryl: “Rondinella’s is a wonderful place with all kinds of good things, including the sandwiches.  The owners are so friendly & helpful. It is one of my favorite stores.  I love seeing them at the Kankakee Farmer’s Market as well.”

From a reader named John: “Mi Ranchito in Lowell, Ind., has a shrimp dish (Camarones Cancun) that is simply great. The shrimp is prepared on the grill and is spiced perfectly. … Nice people there as well.”

A reader named Frank emailed me to recommend Rondinella’s Italian Imports & Deli (189 N. Kinzie) in Bradley. “Hope you get a chance to try one of (their) sandwiches,” he wrote. “They are awesome!”

What makes them so good is that they’re made with specialty meats and cheeses and served on fresh bread or rolls.  The menu features both cold and hot sandwiches, including paninis and Italian beef. In addition to deli meats, cheeses and bread, Rondinella’s also sells specialty salads, olives, lasagna, tiramisu, pizza kits, and imported pasta, sauces, cookies and other pantry items.

Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. Call (815) 933-0080 for more information.

The Daily Journal recently published a local restaurant directory that featured ads for nearly two dozen area eateries, including Fran’s on 17. On Friday, I received this note via email:

“We took Fran’s on 17 at their word in their ad, which says “best ribs in Illinois” (that’s quite a comment to make, I think) and went there for ribs for lunch yesterday. They were delicious! If you like tender, fall-off-the-bone, don’t have to pick them up and chew them, you will like these ribs.  It was our first time there and we definitely will go back.”

I can also recommend the garlic beef wrap at Fran’s. They stuff a tortilla with super-tender slices of beef, add a special garlic-mayonnaise sauce and some mozzarella cheese, and then grill it. The result is a warm, delicious sandwich that’s juicy and a little gooey on the inside and perfectly crisp on the outside.

Fran’s is at 7096 W. State Route 17 in Kankakee. The kitchen is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily and the bar is open until 2 a.m. There are daily lunch specials, and every Thursday is Mexican food day. For more information, call (815) 932-6986.

A reader named Jane called recently to recommend Big Fella’s Eatery (116 Depot St.)  in Gardner.

“The pizza is really awesome,” she said of their specialty, which can be ordered with a thin, hand tossed and deep dish crust. The dough is home-made and the vegetables are cut fresh. Jane also likes the bread, olive oil and Parmesan cheese that are complimentary with dinner orders.

In addition to pizza, the Big Fella’s menu features stromboli and sandwiches. They offer several daily specials, including all-you-can-eat fish on Fridays for $10, prime rib on Saturday, 2-topping medium pizzas for $5 on Mondays and a half-dozen jumbo wings for $5 on Wednesdays.

The restaurant is open for dinner daily except Tuesday. Hours are 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday; and 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

Delivery is available to most areas within 10 miles of Gardner for $2. Within Gardner, delivery is free.

Call (815) 237-8335 to order.

Two readers have called me recently to recommend Johnny Angel’s (119 W. Washington) in Momence.

“Wow is all I can say,” said a reader named Dick. He tried the 48-oz porterhouse and said, “The filet part was the best steak I’ve ever had in my life, period,” even better than excellent steaks he had had at Mr. Benny’s in Chicago and Ceasar’s Palace in Las Vegas.

If you want to give this monster piece of beef a try, please be prepared to wait. It takes at least 30 minutes to cook.

Dick also has become a regular at the all-you-can-eat frog legs dinners, held on Sundays after 4 p.m. On a recent visit his group included four or five diners who ordered the frog legs and “we never had to ask” for more, he said. Dick said the frog legs were medium to large in size, with a light breading and very tender. “They’re the best I’ve had around here in a while,” he said. “I think everyone will go back.”

Another reader said Johnny Angel’s “was very, very good.” In her voicemail message, the anonymous caller went on to say, “The food was delicious. The Italian beef was really, really good. The chef and everybody was just so nice, it was just a comfortable feeling and it’s a great place to eat.”

Johnny Angel’s is open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily. The phone is (815) 472-6801.

A reader named Russell called recently to tell me that Stage Door Sweet Shoppe (110 E. Washington) in Momence “has absolutely the best ice cream I’ve ever had.”

“I go there every single day,” he said. “They have some great black raspberry sorbet. … I’m just giving it thumb’s up, four stars.”

Stage Door serves more than two dozen flavors of Ashby’s Ice Cream, plus specialty sodas. They also have weekly meal specials, such as a hot dog, soda and chips for $2.75.

Stage Door is open from 1 to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. They’re closed on Monday.

Call ahead to order pints or quarts. The phone is (815) 472-4280.

A reader named Larry called me recently to recommend Denny’s (1303 N. state Route 50) in Bourbonnais.

“I think they’re doing a great job over there,” he told me. Larry said they have “changed quite a bit” and have a nice menu and staff. He takes advantage of their frequency card discount, which earns the diner a free entree after the purchase of five entrees. Denny’s also offers a free build-your-own Grand Slam breakfast on your birthday.

Denny’s is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The phone is (815) 937-9304.

A reader named Susette emailed me to recommend Amoré Restorante in Crown Point. “I ate there last week and it was beyond awesome,” she wrote. “I had the scallops. … It is right on the downtown Crown Point Square, which is  very quaint.  They also have outside dining.”

Amore is at 109 W. Joliet St. in Crown Point, Ind. The phone is (219) 663-7377.

Last month, I asked for your help gathering information on vegetarian-friendly dining options in the area. Here’s some of the feedback I received:

A reader named Andrew wrote, “I would highly recommend the falafel at Niro’s Gyros on Kennedy Drive. … As far as I know, (it’s) the only real falafel this side of Chicago, and it’s reeeeeally good.” Call ahead if you don’t want to wait, though, as they make them fresh each time.

Andrew and a reader named Allan both recommend La Villetta Restaurant on Broadway Street in Bradley. “La Villetta has some of the best dinner items around at very fair prices,” Allan wrote. “The service is always top notch as well! Reliable and delicious!” The restaurant offers a number of vegetarian options, including three-cheese lasagna, cannelloni Rossini, eggplant Parmesan, Little Italy (bow-tie pasta with creamy Parmesan sauce, broccoli, carrots and cauliflower) and Pasta Armandy (linguini with sautéed mushrooms, tomatoes, garlic and fresh basil in a light marinara sauce). The owner also says almost any dish can be prepared without meat upon request.

For fast food, Andrew recommends the Taco Bravo at Taco John’s, substituting refried beans for the meat. “Inexpensive and yummy, even for you omnivores and meat-atarians,” he wrote.

A reader named Jesse wrote, “El Burrito Loco’s refried beans are cooked without lard, and their rice is vegetarian, as well.” I recommend their chile relleno burritos, which are delicious.

Jesse also said Ruby Tuesday and Denny’s offer a veggie burger.

Two readers, Gary and Patrick, both recommended the goat cheese veggie sandwich at Brickstone Restaurant & Brewery in Bourbonnais. It’s “very good,” according to a comment Patrick left on my Best Bites blog.

Patrick also wrote that “The Allspice Cafe at Riverside Medical Center has a rotation of vegetarian items through their menu, such as a black bean chipotle burger with bruschetta, wild mushroom flatbread and tomato bread on Fridays.”

One Sixty Four North in Kankakee has a vegetarian pasta on their summer menu, and it’s available all year long for lunch or dinner by request. They also have a veggie wrap on their summer menu.

A reader named Willeum mentioned French Toast in Bourbonnais, which offers a caprese panini and roasted portabella ciabatta, as well as a number of meat-free breakfast items.

If you’re planning a vegetarian meal a few days in advance, try Carmen’s Bakery & Deli in Herscher. “I understand their hummus and eggplant wraps are excellent,” wrote a reader named Hank. The wraps aren’t on the menu, though, and need to be ordered ahead of time so they can marinate the eggplant and make the homemade hummus.

I recently discovered that Higher Grounds on Kennedy Drive in Bradley offers a hummus wrap that’s very good. They have other vegetarian options on their menu, too.

A few weeks ago a reader named Frank called me to recommend Miss Karol’s in Watseka. “It’s one of my favorite places,” he said.

According to Frank, all the food is homemade and the prices are very reasonable. The buffalo burger and the steaks are excellent, he said, and the fried chicken and fish are very good, too. “It’s one of those places I’ll travel to from Chebanse any night of the week,” he told me when we talked.

I tried the buffalo burger for myself and can confirm that it’s very good. It might be because owner Karol Behrens gets the meat locally. Buffalo is a good choice for the health conscious because it has less cholesterol and fat than beef.

Karol says Greg’s Stuffed Shrimp is another popular dish, as is their prime rib and barbecue ribs. Other seafood dinners on the menu include scallops, catfish, salmon and lobster. The menu also features sandwiches, salads, pasta and steaks.

Miss Karol’s (1140 E. Walnut St.) is open for lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday. Dinner hours are 5 to 9 p.m. on Monday, and 5 to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. On Sundays, the restaurant is only open for private parties.

A private banquet room is also available during regular hours.

To get there from Kankakee, take your favorite road south toward Watseka, then head east on U.S. Route 24, aka Illinois Route 1 and Walnut Street as it goes through town. The restaurant is on the north side of the road, past the Dralle’s of Watseka car dealership but before Walmart.

Carry-out is available. The phone is (815) 432-2875.