Pineapples Grill is now open in Bradley.

Located inside The Spot bar, the Hawaiian-themed restaurant is named after its owner, Rusty “Pineapple” Herring.

Among Rusty’s creations is the 420 Chicken, a sandwich that sounds more like an appetizer platter. Chicken fingers, cheese sticks, onion rings and French fries are all piled on bread and topped with cheese sauce, marinara sauce and ranch dressing. Other unusual offerings include deep-fried livers and gizzards, and The Fatty McFatterson, a fried bologna sandwich topped with coleslaw. I recommend The Harlem, aka chicken and waffles, a salty and sweet combination that’s popular in parts of the country. Two pieces of juicy, crispy chicken are sandwiched between two homemade waffles and served with a special glaze made with maple syrup and honey.

More traditional menu items include a pulled pork sandwich, a Chicken Philly, and several variations of burgers and hot dogs. Pineapple appears as an ingredient in many dishes, including the pineapple salsa appetizer; the Big Moku, a burger topped with grilled pineapple, cheese and homemade barbecue sauce; and the Pineapples dog, which is topped with pineapple relish.

Pineapples Grill is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 4 to 10 p.m. on Saturday. They’re closed on Sunday.

Delivery is available for $3. The phone is (815) 935-9971.

The Spot is at 1010 W. Broadway St. in Bradley. That’s on the south side of the street, one block east of Kennedy Drive.

For more details, including a downloadable menu and coupons, go to www.i57life.com/letseatout.

Thanks to an anonymous caller for this tip:

“You really need to check out the Manteno Sportsman’s Club on Wednesday nights at 6:30. The $2 cheeseburgers are great, and (they also have) $2 margaritas. And don’t forget Jerry the electrician selling hot dogs out there. It’s a great deal, great weather, great atmosphere. Can’t ask for anything better.”

The Manteno Sportsman’s Club is at 851 N. Main on Lake Manteno. The lounge, which is open to the public, opens daily at 11 a.m. to serve drinks. The burgers and hot dogs are only offered on Wednesday nights and only for a limited time. The club had burger night last summer also.

Lik ‘Yer Chops, which opened in May inside The Looney Bin bar, has closed.

The Looney Bin is at 201 S. Schuyler Ave. in Bradley.  The newly renovated kitchen space could be home to a new tenant in the future.

In the middle of winter I wrote about Clarke City Grill, which is near Essex on the far western edge of Kankakee County. The small, casual, beach-front restaurant is at the north end of Lake Shannon, a 190-acre lake that’s used for fishing, boating, skiing and swimming, and it’s therefore a great place to visit this time of the year.

They don’t serve dinner, but you can stop by for breakfast or lunch. Summer hours are 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 6 a.m. to noon on Sunday. They’re closed on Monday.

The phone is (815) 641-0840.

To get to Lake Shannon from the Kankakee area, take Illinois Route 17 past Essex Road to 19000W Road. Go north for 3 miles to 3000N Road and turn right. After passing the “Welcome to Lake Shannon” sign, keep looking to your right for a one-level yellow building that sits between the road and the beach. That’s the restaurant.

Grandma Kat’s is now open in Northfield Square Mall in Bradley.

Owners Shamika Johnson and fiance Terry Keigher specialize in homemade deli subs and soup, plus traditional Southern desserts.

Sandwiches on the menu include the meatball, made with homemade meatballs and topped with provolone or pepperjack cheese; the Trio, made with turkey, beef and ham; a veggie sub; and chicken salad, egg salad and tuna salad sandwiches. A soup is also offered daily, and I’m told the most popular are the Creamy Cheesy Broccoli and Chicken Enchilada. Side items available include fresh fruit, a salad and a giant pickle.

For dessert, options change depending on what Shamika has prepared. Staples of her baking repertoire include banana pudding, her signature dish, plus red velvet cake, cookies and cinnamon rolls. She also makes peach cobbler, a turtle brownie and Kool-Aid pies.

I had never heard of a Kool-aid pie before, but I’ll be ordering another slice on my next visit. The chilled filling was a refreshing blend of whipped cream and strawberry-flavored Kool-aid. Shamika also makes the pies in grape, orange, blueberry, lemon and lime flavors.

Other sweet treats on the menu include Sno Cones and funnel cakes, which are baked, not fried. For the ultimate sugar rush, get it topped with the works: raspberry, chocolate and caramel sauces, plus powdered sugar and whipped cream.

Most of Shamika’s recipes were handed down by her grandmother, Kathryn — thus the name of the restaurant. Kathryn, a Mississippi native, was a professional chef for over 20 years.

Grandma Kat’s is located at the south end of the mall, near Ruby Tuesday’s. The official hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, but the morning mall walkers are welcome to stop by earlier for coffee and a cinnamon roll.

Delivery is available on orders of $15 or more. The phone is (815) 935-1372.

The Freighthouse Pub will open Monday at 555 S. West Ave. in Kankakee.

The casual restaurant is located on the second floor of the old Sully’s building. A more formal restaurant, Kankakee River North, opened on the main floor last month.

Hours will be 11 a.m. to midnight daily.

AMMENDED MONDAY, JULY 18: The bar is now open after 4 p.m. daily, but with a limited menu of appetizers and burgers. Lunch hours and the full menu will be offered in the future.

The owner of Sonny’s Southern Style Barbeque plans to open a second location in Bradley.

Dallas “Sonny” Williams hopes to open Sept. 1 at 970 W. Broadway. The building is on the south side of Broadway, next to The Spot. Williams plans to keep the original location, at 178 E. North St. in Bradley, open.

The new restaurant will have some inside seating and also a drive-through window. It will be open for lunch and dinner. The menu will feature all the current offerings plus a few new items, including chicken, fish and salads.

An Arby’s is expected to open in late October at Exit 308 in Kankakee.

The new fast-food restaurant will be inside the Love Truck Stop that is being constructed at the southeast corner of the Interstate 57 interchange. Both Arby’s and the truck stop will be open 24 hours.

A second location of The Pizza Stone is expected to open next month.

The new family-friendly restaurant and bar will be at 183 N. Main St. in Manteno.  The target opening date is Aug. 1.

The menu will feature pizza, pasta, sandwiches and salads. There will be plenty of seating, plus the option for carry-out or delivery, including to Bradley and Bourbonnais.

The original Pizza Stone is at 422 S. Governors Highway in Peotone. For more information, you can follow them on Facebook.

I’ll post more details, including hours, a phone number and a firm opening date, as soon as the information is available.

A second Poor Boy location will be opening this fall in Kankakee.

Poor Boy Too will be at 1515 W. Court St. It will feature most of the menu items offered at the original location plus a few new items, such as deli sandwiches, including a Reuben. A kids menu and a few healthier menu options might also be added. There will be a drive-through, plus plans for a patio out front are awaiting city approval.

Poor Boy has been at 1514 E. Court St. for 26 years. The new location is expected to open sometime in mid or late September.

(Thanks to readers Rosemary and Mike for that tip.)