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Life in Hell, or When I have to go to Springfield....
Places I hit in Springfield, IL on the rare occasions I'm forced to return to this hell hole.
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19 Places
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Jenny’s 5-star review: I cried tears of joy (well, almost) when I was in Springfield visiting and learned that a Sonic had opened here as we do not have any in Chicago or the greater Chicagoland area. Best fast food chain ever - cherry lemonades, onion rings, tater tots, breakfast toaster sandwiches, burgers, chili dogs - I have yet to have something that wasn't fantastic. They will custom prepare anything and they do it with a smile. No one laughs at me or tells me no when I get a breakfast sandwich with egg, onion, mayo, pickle, tomato and cheese - they make it right up, unlike other fast food joints where they look at you like you are nuts or refuse outright to customize. Oh, yes, the food seems to have some magical hangover curing properties that you should investigate should you ever wake up on the wrong side of the bottle. -
Jenny’s 4-star review: Total dive, but with my favorite Horseshoe cheese sauce in town - I know those are bold words, but I stand by 'em. So many places have a thick sauce that gets gummy within 5 minutes of getting your food, but theirs is flavorful with a bit of a kick that holds up well 5 or 20 minutes after you get your sandwich. I especially like the canadian bacon horseshoe here - for some reason, their meat is really superior to any place else in town. Friendly staff, inexpensive, great place to grab a horse shoe and a beer. -
Jenny’s 5-star review: If I can get up early enough when I'm visiting in Springfield and if we can actually get a table, this is hands down my favorite place to get breakfast in Springfield. Friendly waitresses, good coffee, great breakfasts, totally cheap. These qualities alone set it above all other diners in Springfield. That being said, there are two words to explain why I'm giving this humble diner 5 stars - "Breakfast Horseshoe." Yeah, don't ask questions, order it and thank me later. -
Jenny’s 3-star review: Ok, I'll admit upfront that this place was massively hyped to me and that I had very high expectations going in. Also, I've only been there once and you really should hit a barbecue place 3 times before judging, but I think I can fairly call this a three star based on some things that aren't likely to change no matter how many times I visit. As Ted noted, this place is in a little trailer tucked in front of the overpass at 5th and Stanford. It can be a bit tricky to get into, but not impossible. You can see from the road actual wood piled up by the trailer, which is a GREAT sign. Wood smoked meat? Yes, yes, and yes. Barbecue in Springfield is ridiculously dismal, so the fact that the good Doctor uses actual wood automatically puts this place far ahead of every other joint in town. Menu is pretty limited, but my father and I were determined to try as much of the meat as possible. We asked the young fellow manning the trailer (the Doctor was, sadly, not in) if they could provide us with a sampler platter of the meats. Nope. Really? REALLY? You aren't proud enough of your meats to showcase them in a sampler platter? Strike #1, Doc. Fine, we'll get some ribs and accept our brisket and pork in sandwich form, sez us. We ordered a half slab, a pulled pork sandwich and then I inquired about the brisket that is advertised on their sign. Keep in mind, I love brisket. Really, really love brisket. "Oh, the barbecue beef sandwich is the brisket" the young fellow tells us. Huh. So, asks I, "is it sliced or chopped?" "Oh, no," young fellow replies, "it is pulled." Say what? You go to the trouble to make brisket and then you shred it into an unrecognizable paste drenched in sauce? You don't even offer it chopped into tasty little bits? Does this mean no burnt ends? Yes, yes, and yes. Strike #2, Doc. If you make a brisket, you should offer it in an identifiable form. I ordered it anyway based on the high praise that had been heaped upon it, asking for the sauce on the side, natch. For our sides, we tried the basics, cole slaw and baked beans. Pork? A bit on the dry side, no bark (sob), no discernible smoke flavor, overly drenched in sauce, but still pretty good nonetheless. I'd order this again, especially if the Doc would be kind enough to offer it on a plate and give me some barky pieces. Ribs? The Doctor leaves the membrane on, not necessarily a bad thing, just pitmasters preference. Meat was good and a very pretty pink color, but it was hard to see as the ribs were DRENCHED, absolutely soaked in an overly sweet sauce. Ugh, ugh, ugh, ugh. I'd get these ribs again, but sauce on the side, por favor. There was a good chew to the ribs, not the dreaded meat jello variety, but again, no noticeable smoke ring or flavor. I may have caught these on an off day and will definitely order them again as they showed some real promise. Beef? Sob. Really. Even if they offered this to me for free, I would NOT take it. This was the sorriest excuse for a brisket sandwich I've encountered since my grade school cafeteria. I don't think anything could save this, unless they stop calling it brisket and just call it a barbecue beef sandwich, thus removing your briskety expectations. Brisket does not have the consistency of a roast that has been put through a blender. Ever. Because it had been so thoroughly and finely shredded, the meat was pretty much tasteless. Even the sauce that I sparingly applied couldn't help it. Repeat after me - brisket should be sliced or chopped, brisket should be sliced or chopped. Bah!!! Brisket should be juicy, tender, redolent with fat and flavor. This was the opposite. EPIC fail on the brisket, freaking heartbreaking. Strike #3, Doctor. Sides? Slaw, the sweet creamy kind, nothing special. Baked beans were pretty good and studded with pork, but a little too sweet for my tastes, much like the sauce in which everything was drenched. Be sure to order the sauce on the side, a little goes a long way. Overall, the best barbecue I've ever had in Springfield but not quite up even to my "adjusted for not being in Texas standards." Next time, I'd stick with the pork (ribs and pulled) and order the sauce on the side. I'll be back, hoping to bump this place up to a 4 star as I really want to love it. -
Jenny’s 3-star review: I like D'Arcys, but I think I liked the old location better, so -1 star for that. The new place just feels like a Shoney's, despite the efforts they have made to make it feel like an Irish Pub. Maybe it's the crowd, I dunno, but there ya go. Horseshoes are pretty good here, but the sauce is a little on the thick side and has a tendency to congeal quickly. I like the fries, good selection of toppings (almost too many - you can't make a silk purse out of sow's ear - horseshoes are best kept simple), and the portions are more than generous. They only serve Pepsi, no coke, so I take another star off for that and the tasty yet gummy cheese sauce. -
Jenny’s 5-star review: I love it all. Friendly service, great food, inexpensive, and many of them are 24 hours now. I always get the same thing, shame on me, but the Steakburger platter with chili, fries and a side of cheese sauce rocks my world. I love their chili, full of meat and a great gravy, and the cheese sauce is incredibly tasty and doesn't congeal on you. The fries are thin, crisp, and just salty enough. I love the way the edges of the Steakburger are thin an a bit crisp and the fact that they cook them in front of you. Bonus points for the hot peppers in juice on the table for spicing things up. Food always arrives hot, and they are always happy to accommodate special orders. Shakes and other frozen beverages are always good, and they bring the extras to your table. I know this is technically fast food, but it sure doesn't feel like it. It's probably good I can only eat here when I'm traveling or I'd weigh about 300 pounds. -
Jenny’s 5-star review: My favorite pizza by the slice place in the world. When it moved out of White Oaks, I had a scary moment where I thought it was gone forever, but they just opened up across the street. Phew - one less reason to go into that mall. Anywhoo....Huge, cheap, thin slices made to order. The sauce is fantastic, just a little zip to it, and they have some kind of a volcanic rock oven or something that makes the crust SO crisp and yummy. All the sides are good, especially the fries. Garlic, parm & crushed red pepper on the tables if you want to spice things up. Luca himself is usually there to take your order and is incredibly nice. This is a family run operation all the way. Very casual, inexpensive and everything is home made - you can't go wrong. -
Jenny’s 5-star review: Mmmm...greasy good eats. Corn dogs are fantastic, as are the pork sandwiches. Get a big basket of home made fries to share. I miss the old location with the attached Dairy Queen, but it's still cheap as hell. One of my favorite places to stop when I'm in the Springpatch. -
Jenny’s 5-star review: I love this place, it just screams "1936." I say that as I don't think anything has changed since the day it opened, very old timey and charming. Sitting off of a busy corporate strip stands a neat and unassuming little building hiding a very tasty secret - the "Maid Rite." You order from a tiny little window, and lo, a few minutes later, your taste bombs - aka Maid Rites- come out of the window, wrapped in waxed paper and accompanied by gum drops, also wrapped in waxed paper. The Maid Rite itself is DELICIOUS, some kind of a loose meat, White Castle sized concoction w/chopped dill pickle and onions. Sides (french fries and such) are seemingly home made and fantastic. The staff is friendly, the food is ridiculously cheap and delicious, and it's a family run business - what's not to love? In a world of fast food restaurants, Maid Rite is an absolute prize. -
Jenny’s 4-star review: On the rare nights when I was a kid that my father would let us sit in front of the tv all night and order food in, we almost always got Gabatoni's - it was as much of a treat as actually being allowed to watch tv. Very good pastas (I've always been partial to their lasagna, my sister, the ravioli) and thin crust pizzas. The standout feature of the pizza is the crust - cracker thin and very tasty. It is really hard to stop eating it, as it is rather light for pizza. Of special note - while I generally don't enjoy sausage on pizza, the sausage at Gabatoni's is very, very good and, my stepmother tells me, home made. Ask my pants how much I like this pizza, go ahead... they'll tell you what I'm too embarrassed to - that I like it so much I generally have to unbutton them before I'm done. I think my pants are laughing at me. -
Jenny’s 5-star review: I eat a LOT of Thai food and this place is still my favorite by far. Grab some booze,get there early, reserve a slice of your favorite pie upon walking in the door, and start eating. Eggrolls are the best I've ever had, as is the peanut sauce that goes with them. Bume noodle soup (dry or as a soup) is also a standout. Frankly, I don't think I've ever had anything bad here. BTW, they are not kidding about the heat ratings - in high school when we couldn't get beer, we'd come out here, order our food extra hot and practically get high off of the food. INCREDIBLE. Oh yeah, and it's cheap as hell too.....It just can't be beat. -
Jenny’s 5-star review: Sure, they have Thai food good enough to give Magic Kitchen a serious run for its money, but why bother when they have such incredible Vietnamese food? Went in with the family over Christmas (feeling like I was cheating on the Magic Kitchen the whole time) and the bill for 6 people with multiple appetizers and drinks was about $80.00. We pretty much ate everything in sight, I'm astonished at how affordable it is. The menu is so large as to be intimidating (btw, I love menus with photos), so we tried some of everything. We had dumplings, eggrolls, crab rangoon, all fantastic. My fella had the Chicken Pho, my brother in law had the sampler platter, several others ordered Thai dishes and I had the pork dish with the fried egg on top - I can't remember what it was called, but trust me, everything is better with a fried egg on top. In any case, I could care less what it was called - it was incredible. Everything we had was mind-numbingly delicious, but the great Vietnamese was really a surprise and, for me, is the real draw. With food this great and such a friendly staff, I'll be back every time I find myself back in the Springpatch. The portions are so enormous that a single entree could feed 3 people, it is astonishing! Go with a group and plan to share. An extra star for being locally owned in a town overrun with TGI McFunster type chain restaurants and for bringing (fantastic) Vietnamese food to town. -
Jenny’s 5-star review: I'm a little bit disgusted with myself for not reviewing this place sooner, it's a long time Springfield favorite. Don't be put off by the shiny Ye Olde Irish Pubbe atmosphere, the original building was destroyed by a tornado recently and, frankly, I'm just happy they rebuilt. Normally, I'm allergic to any place that reeks of faux anything, but the food here is so damned good that I forgive them the over the top decor and have given them the 5th star I normally would have withheld for the obnoxious interior. BEST burgers in Springfield. They cook them to order and they do it properly. Medium rare is, in fact, medium rare. They use great beef that seems to be freshly ground. You could eat one of these babies with nothing on it at all and it would still be delicious. Sides are great too - steak fries, tater tots, yes, yes, yes. Anything is better fried, but they do everything well across the board. Something I did not realize they excelled at until recent years is the Horseshoe. Any jerk in Springfield can claim to serve a horseshoe, but the Barrelhead has NAILED it. Their cheese sauce is so good that I'd have to say it rivals the Track Shack for excellence. Forget D'Arcys, come in here instead. Yes, they have the sacrilegious option of tater tots instead of the traditional fries, but it doesn't hurt anyone. I've never ventured outside of burgers and Horseshoes as that seems to me to be asking for trouble - you're at a burger joint, eat a burger, it's what made them famous - so I can't attest to the pizzas and such. Just order a burger already, ok? Beer, lots of it, heavy on the imports. Service, friendly. Bonus points for a heated smoking porch. In a town full of mediocre TGI McFunsteresque troughs, the Barrelhead is an absolute local treasure. -
Jenny’s 1-star review: Avoid, avoid, avoid, avoid, avoid. I'll never set foot in this place again after the experience my family had here over Christmas. I'd like to note that I'd normally feel bad about writing such an unpleasant review, but then I recall our evening here and remorselessly press on. Horrible decor, I think they robbed a bus or the backstage area at Lillith Fair circa 1996 to furnish the place. I had a hard time sitting still it was so...unnerving. I wanted to be someplace else. ANYPLACE else. Strike 1. Servers wandered off like they were lost for prolonged periods of time, leading us to - several times - get up from our table to seek basic items such as water and utensils. Our waitress was friendly but not *really* there, and I'm not just talking about her physical presence. The gentleman serving as the host was very nice, but also strangely absent. His friendly manner was the highlight of the evening, by far. That being said, it would have been nice to see more of him. Rule number one of opening a restaurant - first, you need to STAFF it. Preferably with people that are willing to, you know, take orders, serve the food, check on their tables, stuff like that. Strike 2. Schizophrenic menu, the restaurant is trying to revive a dozen different dead dining cliches, just embarrassing and unfocused. This place has no identity. Instead of concentrating on something they do well, they try to be a little of this and a little of that, thus failing miserably at everything they set out to do. It isn't a cafe, it isn't a fine dining establishment, it isn't upscale casual. It's a mess. Strike 3. Unbelievable delays in getting the food and attendant beverages, I almost went to the kitchen to see if anyone was actually in there but managed to restrain myself. I went outside and smoked instead to calm myself. In fact, everyone in our party that smoked went outside to calm themselves several times throughout the evening, I pitied the non-smokers in our group. All of us were embarrassed for our parents who had brought us here for a nice meal and instead found our party subjected to bad restaurant theater. The food was the finale. Inedible. All of us picked through our dishes trying to find edible morsels to salvage the evening and soothe our screaming tummies and savaged nerves. No cigar. Soups, terrible. Salads, terrible. The entrees, they just redefined terrible. Our party was sizable and we had a chance to sample most of the menu. Not one of us enjoyed our meal. Things were overcooked, overdressed, not as described, etc. Just savage. Dessert - an exercise in sheer folly. Unless you want to risk 3rd degree burns, do NOT order the S'mores. A heretofore unseen busboy appeared with, no joke, a hot plate, and our S'mores ingredients. A hotplate that he proceeded to plug in, via an EXTENSION cord (stretching across the room) and plunk down on our table. It occurred to us that we were meant to use the hotplate to "toast" our marshmallows. If you are wondering why it had "occurred" to us, it is because our waitress was MIA. In any case, using a hot plate to toast marshmallows is a VERY bad idea. Not novel. Not fun. Not "cute." Dangerous. If I wanted to set myself or my immediate surroundings on fire, I could go to Target and spend the 4.99 for my own hotplate and do it from the comfort of my own home. On the plus side, the entire affair was so ludicrous that we left laughing. Laughing, but wiser. NEVER again. -
Jenny’s 4-star review: For a town that once declared itself to be the "Chilli Capitol" of the US, the pickings are pretty freaking slim here these days. Since the demise of the beloved and dearly missed Dew and the transformation of the legendary Den into the extraordinarily bleh Joe Rogers, the state of Chilli in Springfield is a sad one indeed. Therefore, I approached Joe's Chili Bowl with a certain amount of trepidation. Located in the old Town and Country shopping center and tucked away into a back corner by the Dublin Pub, about the only way you'd spot it is if, say, you were constantly on the prowl for a decent bowl 'o red. It's a tiny space, with counter service only, but is very clean and bright. With a few more years and a bit more grease, it should begin to feel very Chilli-Parlorish. I ordered up my gold standard for a chilli place in Springfield - 1 tamale, 1 bowl (in this case, I tried their spicy) and a glass of milk. Yes, a glass of milk. Who wants a soda with their Chilli? Ugh. In any case, service was prompt and very friendly and I soon had my meal. The chilli, I was pleased to see, had enough oil to add flavor, but not enough to require immediate administration of Lipitor. Finely ground beef, a reasonable amount of beans and some perceptible bits of onion loomed beneath the surface. I like the beef to be a bit chunkier and the chilli a bit thicker, but overall, it looked pretty good. Hello, tasty! Let me just say for the record that I'm a raging bitch when it comes to chilli. I'm not nice about it, ever, as I don't think there's any excuse for mediocre chilli, it offends me to no end. This chilli passed my test with flying colors. Very nice flavor, just enough spice to remind you that you ordered the hot with each ingredient still standing out on it's own. What particularly pleased me was that I didn't have an oil slick around my mouth after a few bits, as 8 inches of grease floating on the surface seems to be the norm these days in Springfield. Pretty impressive overall, and the locally made (Art's) tamale was rather good as well. In fact, the chilli was good enough that I brought a cup home to my father who also gave it his stamp of approval. Joe's also has hotdogs (eek, skinless Farmland dogs, I didn't dare try them although I suspect even those dogs would be good with chilli on them), chilli sandwiches, bbq sandwiches, ice cream and even some salads. As far as I'm concerned, a great chilli parlor should only serve chilli, tamales, and homemade pie, but I realize that's probably asking too much. They keep their menu simple enough so the chilli really is the star. If you love chilli but had given up on it in Springfield, take heart - there's a new player in town, making a proper bowl of Central Illinois style chilli. -
Jenny’s 4-star review: Dear Yelp Gods, What the hell did you remove my review of the Feed Store for? It was rather flattering and did not use offensive language. Thanks for making me waste my time and write another one, grrrrr, it will not be even remotely as Useful, Funny or Cool as the first one. I'm making an unhappy face at you Yelp, yes I am!!!!!! :( With that being said, the Feed Store is a loooong time Springfield family favorite. We ate there often when I was a kid and every holiday when we come home, my father orders out several pints of soup that we basically exist on until it's gone. Soup again? No complaints here! I'm particularly fond of their cream based soups (Wisconsin cheese, potato, cream of broccoli, anything seafood), but am also a giant fan of their beef barley. We even mix different flavors together (in the privacy of our own home, of course)....love, love, love the soup. I don't think we've ever had a clunker. So why not a 5 star? Sandwiches are kind of meh and overpriced. They aren't bad, per se, just not that interesting. You could easily make the same sandwiches at home with better results and for far less money. The soups, on the other hand, are quite good across the board and make this place worth a stop when in town. What I'm saying here is skip the sandwiches. Really. Why waste your precious eating out dollars/stomach space on a standard sammie when you can pig out on some fantastic soup? I'll never understand. Lines are fairly savage at lunchtime, so be forewarned if you head over there during the day. -
Jenny’s 3-star review: My thing in thrift shops is glassware, vintage kitchen stuff and furniture. I'm completely serious when I say that I have a disease when it comes to old Pyrex and Fire King and wacky glasses - I just cannot leave that stuff behind. On that front, this Sally A's is pretty lame. Supes picked over, lots of things missing lids, gorgeous old cast iron dutch oven that smelled like human bones had been boiled in it kind of Sally A's. OMG, they have Jeffrey Dahmer's pots and pans! Not so much on the kitchenware, then. On the other hand, there were TONS of clothes (which I did not have time to go through) and some pretty good furniture finds. Wednesdays are a good day to go as anything with an orange tag is half priced, so I got a gorgeous Thonet of New York mid century desk in pretty minty condition for a mere $20. I'm such a good friend that I'm hauling this behemoth up to Chicago for Trent M. since he collects that brand. Hi, good friend, right? I was also very tempted by a nice Steel Case office credenza set (even though I already own one) that was going for nothing, but someone beat me too it. Sob. Good thing, I guess, as if I put any more furniture in my father's garage he's going to kill me. Onwards... Friendly staff, fair prices, large selection of clothes and furniture and some killer sales. Worth a stop if you happen to be in Springfield and you feel like thrifting.
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Jenny’s 5-star review: A bit hit and miss on the pricing, but overall, a really excellent place to shop for furniture. Everything in the place is pretty high quality, with some of it being new and other items having been donated. Rugs, dining room tables, paintings, bedframes, you name it, they have it and it's all in excellent condition. I lusted over a very attractive mid-century dresser set that would have perfectly matched my bed, but took a pass as it was grossly overpriced at $200. On the other hand, I picked up a nifty vintage Herman Miller lamp for a mere $5.00 and a super minty Steel Case desk chair in two tones of blue and steel for an incredibly reasonable $10. The pricing is widely varied, but they are open to offers, so if you like something, give it a shot. Very clean store, really high quality items, amazingly friendly and helpful staff, this is a great stop on any thrifting trip in Springfield. A bonus star as all proceeds go to helping the homeless, pretty cool. -
Jenny’s 5-star review: I grew up not far from the Carillon in Washington Park and loved hearing the bells playing from the comfort of my porch. It was also a nice place to walk our dogs, being set in an absolutely beautiful garden. On a sentimental note, this is where the John Lennon memorial was held after he was shot. I remember sitting outside, freezing my tush off, and crying my eyes out while listening to Lennon tunes. Whether it spontaneous or planned, I have no idea, but it was a very peaceful setting. At one point, I believe it was the largest Carillon in the world, but I don't think it holds that title any longer. No matter, these are some crazy huge bells! It's especially fun to come during the International Carillon Festival when performers from around the world come to Springfield to play, it is rather lovely. I mean, seriously, how many times in your life are you going to get to go to a Carillon festival in the United States? Also, kind of a great place to have a picnic on a Sunday afternoon, what with the music and all playing in the background. It's like a private concert. Check it out, tours available.
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