Okay, tonight we’re headed over to a familiar stop here at MBIP, Castle’s Patio Inn! This is one of my favorite places in Peoria and tonight there’s a big birthday celebration going on there. And do you know what that means? Cheese! Kitty Cake! And Happy Birthday Pills! So let’s get over there already!
There’s Castle’s Patio Inn, I’ve been coming here since it was Ray’s Patio Inn back in the ‘70’s. The name is the only thing that’s really changed here and that’s why I love it in here. So let’s go inside and see what’s going on in the self-proclaimed, “Cheesiest Place in Town!”
Wow, there’s a big crowd here for the birthday celebration and we’ll talk more about that in a minute. First let’s say hi to one of my favorite bartenders in Peoria, Alex! Alex always has on a cool t-shirt and tonight is no exception! And there’s Castle’s head chef, Kevin at the end of the bar! Now before we join the party, it’s time for...
An Obligatory Look Around In Here!
There’s the back of the bar and the quartet of taps in front of it. Above the bar is the classic Budweiser Trolley and at the end are the wooden refrigerators that house the famous Castle’s Patio Inn Cheese! Over on the wall is Michelob neon and the Spuds MacKenzie neon sign is all lit up! You know it’s a special night when that happens!
Okay, time to go mix it up in the birthday party! And we’ll specify exactly who is celebrating a birthday in a little bit, hang on to your socks and let’s see who’s over there. First up is Jon, who’s the unofficial host of the party and there he is with his wife Mae! And there there’s Mae with Marcus up at the bar, things move quickly in here! Chip and Jenny were close by and at the other end of the bar Shannon was enjoying some wine and cheese. There’s Brandi with Shannon, Brandi was an early guest on the blog, she was first pictured here when she was bartending at Castaways. Check out this post from, December of 2012 to see the first photo of Brandi on MBIP! Last but not least, there’s Tammy and Kayla. We’ll hear more about Kayla soon, so keep on scrolling! (And there was lots more people there, but hey, I’m only one guy and one MBIP Camera! Give me a break over here will ya?)
Now we’re up to the trifecta of main events for the evening and the first event is...
Cheese!
Castle’s Patio Inn has the best cheese spread in Peoria and beyond. It’s homemade and the recipe is a well-guarded secret! I’ve been eating it since the ‘70’s and it’s the best cheese in the world! If you’ve never tried it, get over there now...well, finish reading the blog first and then get over there and try it out!
Kitty Cake!
I got to the birthday party a little late and the cake had already been cut and sliced up, but at least I got a shot of the last corner of it! It’s all sparkly and there’s a part of two of the mystery names of the birthday duo for tonight. In addition to cake, there was little edible frosting/sugar kitty cats that you could put on top of your slice of cake! How cool is that? Who made this cake? Well, the answer is right below...
Kayla made the cake! I told you that you’d hear more about her and here it is! She’s one of the master bakers at Trefzger’s and she made the cake and the little sugar cats! In addition to being a master baker at Trefzger’s, Kayla also is a member of the band, Thetah and they’re going to be playing a show at the end of May at the Red Barn, so I’m hoping to make that show and you should too! Check out their facecrack page for upcoming shows and dates!
And now time to reveal the mystery Birthday identity, It’s Mae’s birthday! And here’s my present I brought for her, it’s a little box of pills! Happy birthday, Mae! But wait, that’s not all on this birthday evening...
Its also Sarah’s birthday! I didn’t get a picture of Sarah earlier because I think she was lurking in the shadows! Not that there’s anything wrong with lurking in the shadows, I’ve spent my whole life doing that! Anyhoo, Happy Birthday Sarah and Mae! And now time for the final event of the evening...
Happy Birthday Pills!
There’s Sarah and Mae with a birthday pill apiece on their tongues. And don’t worry, these are just fun little placebo pills that won’t cause any harm to anyone!
I just hope they don’t have to go to work tomorrow! Happy Birthday to Sarah and Mae and we’ll see you all tomorrow!
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802 W. Loucks Avenue
Peoria
309-685-9570
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Related Posts: Thursday Night @ Jimmy’s Bar, The Getaway and The Red Barn.