Highest-rated restaurants in Springfield, Illinois by diners
Highest-rated restaurants in Springfield, Illinois by diners
Humans are creatures of habit. We tend to stick to our morning routines, rewatch movies we've seen time and time again, and hit up the same tried-and-true restaurants when going out for a meal. In fact, 35% of Americans said they rarely, if ever, try a new restaurant they haven't been to before, and 5% say they never do, according to a survey of more than 2,600 diners from TouchBistro.
But those numbers look quite different when you focus on younger generations—56% of Gen Zers and 47% of millennials in the U.S. say they visit new restaurants once a month or more. When it comes to deciding which new restaurant to try, younger generations are also more likely to rely on online reviews, through sites like Yelp or Google or from social media. The TouchBistro survey found that 71% of Gen Zers and 72% of millennials have opted to try a new restaurant solely because of favorable reviews online.
Some of the best restaurants in your neck of the woods might be those established spots that customers have been visiting for decades, but some may be brand new. More than 10,000 new restaurants opened in 2023, up 5.7% from 2022, according to a report from BentoBox. The states that saw the most new restaurants open up in 2023 were Florida, Texas, California, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania, but new locales are popping up all over the U.S.
To help you determine which spots—both new and long-standing—to try out, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated restaurants in Springfield, according to Yelp reviews from diners as of January 2024. Only restaurants with at least 20 reviews were considered. Read on to find some inspiration for the next time you dine out.
Note: The photos in this article are stock images and do not necessarily reflect each restaurant listed.
#30. Taqueria El Dorado
- Rating: 4.0/5 (66 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1374 Toronto Road Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Tacos, New Mexican Cuisine
- Read more on Yelp
#29. Head West Sub Stop
- Rating: 4.0/5 (30 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 530 East Capitol Ave. Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Sandwiches, Salad, Soup
- Read more on Yelp
#28. Ritz's Lil Fryer
- Rating: 4.0/5 (43 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2148 North Grand Ave. East Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, American
- Read more on Yelp
#27. Mekong Cafe
- Rating: 4.0/5 (84 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1308 South 2nd St. Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Vietnamese, Laotian, Thai
- Read more on Yelp
#26. Head West Sub Stop
- Rating: 4.0/5 (66 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3311 Robbins Road Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Sandwiches, Salad, Soup
- Read more on Yelp
#25. Tacology 201
- Rating: 4.5/5 (26 reviews)
- Address: 3266 West Iles Ave. Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Tacos
- Read more on Yelp
#24. Los Rancheros Taco Joint
- Rating: 4.5/5 (26 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 230 South Grand Ave. East Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Food Trucks, Tacos
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Loukinens' on 4th
- Rating: 4.5/5 (125 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 517 South 4th St. Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: American, Lounges
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Lulu's Diner
- Rating: 4.5/5 (141 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 608 South 9th St. Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: American, Breakfast & Brunch, Diners
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Cafe Moxo
- Rating: 4.5/5 (327 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 411 East Adams St. Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Sandwiches, Cafes, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Taqueria el POLLO
- Rating: 4.5/5 (24 reviews)
- Address: 635 West Jefferson St. Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Tex-Mex
- Read more on Yelp
#19. VELE
- Rating: 4.5/5 (143 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 3241 West Iles Ave. Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Seafood, Steakhouses, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Taki Taco Ice Cream Shop
- Rating: 4.5/5 (20 reviews)
- Address: 2955 Lindbergh Blvd. Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Gelato, Waffles
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Ugly Restaurant and Bar
- Rating: 4.5/5 (41 reviews)
- Address: 2312 Wabash Ave. Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Turkish, Mediterranean, Kebab
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Hibachi Madness
- Rating: 4.5/5 (33 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4318 Wabash Ave. Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Sushi Bars, Japanese
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Legacy Pointe Eatery
- Rating: 4.5/5 (21 reviews)
- Address: 1130 Legacy Pointe Drive Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Sandwiches, Burgers, Beer, Wine & Spirits
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Mission BBQ
- Rating: 4.5/5 (54 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2401 Wabash Ave. Ste B Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Barbeque, Sandwiches, Smokehouse
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Empire Korean Steakhouse & Bar
- Rating: 4.5/5 (40 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 2100 West White Oaks Drive Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Korean, Steakhouses, Sushi Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Yannis Gyros
- Rating: 4.5/5 (112 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1814 Adlai Stevenson Drive Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Greek
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Maryflor
- Rating: 4.5/5 (27 reviews)
- Address: 2 West Old State Capitol Plz Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Star 66 Cafe
- Rating: 4.5/5 (116 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3752 Camp Butler Road Ste- 100A Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Cafes, Seafood, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Luminary Kitchen & Provisions
- Rating: 4.5/5 (62 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3121 Hedley Road Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: American, Desserts
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Happy Sushi
- Rating: 4.5/5 (187 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 846 South Grand Ave. East Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Sushi Bars, Japanese
- Read more on Yelp
#7. La Piazza
- Rating: 4.5/5 (143 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 218 South 6th St. Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Gyros Stop
- Rating: 4.5/5 (20 reviews)
- Address: 2345 West Monroe St. Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Fast food
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Curate
- Rating: 4.5/5 (79 reviews)
- Address: 2930 Plaza Drive Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Tapas/Small Plates, Wine Bars, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#4. James Home Kitchen
- Rating: 4.5/5 (102 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2901 Chatham Road Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Barbeque, Asian Fusion
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Pita or Bowl
- Rating: 4.5/5 (37 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 848 South Grand Ave. East Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, fast food
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Jerk Shop Go
- Rating: 5.0/5 (60 reviews)
- Address: 213 South 5th St. Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Caribbean
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Roots Latin Grill
- Rating: 5.0/5 (85 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4127 West Wabash Ave. Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Latin American
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 331 metros.
