Highest-rated Restaurants in Springfield, Illinois by Diners

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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 say they rarely or never try a new restaurant they haven't been to before, according to a from TouchBistro.

But those numbers look quite different when you focus on younger generations—67% of Gen Zers and 40% 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 social media or online restaurant reviews, through sites like Yelp or Google. The TouchBistro survey found that 52% of Gen Zers have opted to try a new restaurant due to positive feedback on social media, and 67% of millennials have gone to a new dining spot solely because of favorable reviews online.

New restaurants in particular tend to garner a lot of online attention. About 50,000 new restaurants open each year in the U.S., and that number continues to rise. An analysis by Yelp published in June 2024 found that from May 2023 to April 2024. But some of the best restaurants in your neck of the woods might be those established eateries that customers have been visiting for decades.

To help you determine which spots—both new and long-standing—to try out, compiled a list of the highest-rated restaurants in Springfield, according to reviews from diners as of January 2025. Only restaurants with at least 20 reviews and a 3.0 rating were considered. Read on to find some inspiration for the next time you dine out.

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#30. Mekong Cafe

- Rating: 4.2/5 (94 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1308 South 2nd St. Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Vietnamese, Laotian, Thai
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#29. Toasty-Subs

- Rating: 4.3/5 (32 reviews)
- Address: 2020 South MacArthur Blvd. Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Sandwiches
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#28. Ritz's Lil Fryer

- Rating: 4.3/5 (50 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2148 North Grand Ave. East Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, American
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#27. Sapori Pizzeria & Italian Market

- Rating: 4.3/5 (48 reviews)
- Address: 1941 West Iles Ave. Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Pasta Shops, Pizza, Italian
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#26. Joseph's Fine Cuisine

- Rating: 4.3/5 (73 reviews)
- Address: 3153 Hedley Road Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: New American, Tapas Bars
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#25. Lulu's Diner

- Rating: 4.3/5 (163 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 608 South 9th St. Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: American, Breakfast & Brunch, Diners
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#24. Maryflor

- Rating: 4.4/5 (40 reviews)
- Address: 2 West Old State Capitol Plz Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Mexican
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#23. Taqueria el POLLO

- Rating: 4.4/5 (25 reviews)
- Address: 635 West Jefferson St. Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Tex-Mex
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#22. Loukinens' on 4th

- Rating: 4.4/5 (144 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 517 South 4th St. Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: American, Seafood, Steakhouses
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#21. Los Rancheros Taco Joint

- Rating: 4.4/5 (27 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 230 South Grand Ave. East Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Food Trucks, Tacos
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#20. Star 66 Cafe

- Rating: 4.4/5 (145 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3752 Camp Butler Road Ste- 100A Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Cafes, Seafood, Burgers
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#19. VELE

- Rating: 4.4/5 (166 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 3241 West Iles Ave. Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Seafood, Steakhouses, Italian
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#18. Mission BBQ

- Rating: 4.4/5 (65 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2401 Wabash Ave. Ste B Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Barbecue, Sandwiches, Smokehouse
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#17. Luminary Kitchen & Provisions

- Rating: 4.5/5 (77 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3121 Hedley Road Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: American, Desserts
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#16. Hibachi Madness

- Rating: 4.5/5 (37 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4318 Wabash Ave. Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Sushi Bars, Japanese
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#15. Yannis Gyros

- Rating: 4.5/5 (120 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1814 Adlai Stevenson Drive Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Greek
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#14. Gyros Stop

- Rating: 4.5/5 (26 reviews)
- Address: 2345 West Monroe St. Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Fast food
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#13. Jaalsa

- Rating: 4.5/5 (21 reviews)
- Address: 3114 South 6th St. Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Indian, Cocktail Bars
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#12. Rancho chico

- Rating: 4.5/5 (22 reviews)
- Address: 3028 Stanford Ave. Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Mexican, Breakfast & Brunch, Caterers
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#11. La Piazza

- Rating: 4.6/5 (163 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 218 South 6th St. Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
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#10. Happy Sushi

- Rating: 4.6/5 (221 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 846 South Grand Ave. East Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Sushi Bars, Japanese
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#9. Ugly Restaurant and Bar

- Rating: 4.6/5 (68 reviews)
- Address: 2312 Wabash Ave. Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Turkish, Mediterranean, Kebab
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#8. Empire Korean Steakhouse & Bar

- Rating: 4.6/5 (53 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 2100 West White Oaks Drive Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Korean, Steakhouses, Sushi Bars
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#7. James Home Kitchen

- Rating: 4.6/5 (112 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2901 Chatham Road Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Barbecue, Asian Fusion
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#6. Curate

- Rating: 4.6/5 (115 reviews)
- Address: 2930 Plaza Drive Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Tapas/Small Plates, Wine Bars, Cocktail Bars
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#5. Legacy Pointe Eatery

- Rating: 4.6/5 (37 reviews)
- Address: 1130 Legacy Pointe Drive Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Sandwiches, Burgers, Beer, Wine & Spirits
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#4. Yummy Bowl

- Rating: 4.7/5 (42 reviews)
- Address: 3434 Freedom Drive Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Mongolian, Sushi Bars, Asian Fusion
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#3. Jerk Shop Go

- Rating: 4.7/5 (71 reviews)
- Address: 213 South 5th St. Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Caribbean
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#2. Pita or Bowl

- Rating: 4.7/5 (47 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 848 South Grand Ave. East Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, fast food
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