Maldaner's Restaurant

Absolute perfection and a wonderful gem! This charming classic restaurant has candlelit tables with crisp white linens and a cozy and very tasteful ambiance. I sat in a comfortable booth table by the bar and loved the ambiance. Dinner was phenomenal and the server was a young gentleman with great recommendations. I had the risotto which was dreamy and winter food perfection. The salad with beets and goat cheese was a symphony of balanced and complimentary flavors. I cannot wait to bring others here and have finally found “my go-to place” in Springfield. Also, I was very casually dressed and worried I shouldn’t have changed out of my work suit before coming. Despite being comfortably and casually dressed, the staff were too notch and treated me wonderfully. Please don’t change a thing and I can’t wait to come back!!

My goodness… my finacé & I came here for Valentine’s Day. While it was extremely busy with everyone wanting to celebrate with their partners, the staff here went genuinely above & beyond to make it work seamlessly. The hostess, TT, in between seating people spent time asking us in the lobby about our days. Our server, Lontreal, was the sweetest, most hospitable servers I have ever had. He is certainly someone who cares about people! The server to neighboring tables as well did a beautiful job. Our food was exceptional & I finished every single bit of it (unusual for me personally, so you know it’s delicious!) I want to thank the staff & kitchen for making our evening exceptional & not showing a single drop of sweat with how busy it was. You all are amazing! Thank you! We’ll certainly be back soon.

This place was fabulous. I had the pork belly starter, and duck confit. They were so yummy. It server Dillion was great. Everyone enjoyed their food. The steak and salmon were cooked perfectly. The lemon cheesecake was so creamy and perfect. We are so glad we chose to eat here, It did not disappoint!

I visited Maldaner's for lunch twice during a recent trip to Illinois, and had terrific food both times. The service was helpful, professional and attentive. My sister told me to try the horseshoe sandwich, which originated in the area. It was humongous (even the smaller version, "ponyshoe" was huge), but delicious. The vegetarian version had loads of fresh, grilled veggies, topped with welsh rarebit, topped with several inches of French fries. The second time, I wisely ordered the Vegetable Stir Fry with green tea rice as recommended by my server. It was absolutely delicious. There were also several other tempting vegetarian options.

An iconic Springfield eatery.The food was actually better than expected.The specialty of the house ,Beef Wellington was well prepared and served with fresh vegetables. What brought the experience down was the attitude and indifference of an uncaring young dishwater blonde waiter. Food good.Decor very interesting.Pricing Reflective of quality ingredients.Off street parking.

Fine dining. Good service. Prices are reasonable for what you get. The chef/owner gets produce from the Farmer's Market which makes the dishes exceptional. I highly recommend it. It is a Springfield historical establishment.

My partner and I both had diner here. It was a great atmosphere, we sat at the bar, waiter forgot to put our food in...both had the beef Wellington, my mashed and steamed veggies were ice cold, partners Luke warm. We wanted to like it. Spending over $100 on a sub par meal was very disappointing.

Nice quaint setting with an upscale feel. Enjoyed the Duck Confit which was cooked very nicely, juicy, tender, perfectly rendered fat. The chicken two ways was also delicious and full of flavor. The outdoor seating was very nice, especially tonight for the 100th Anniversary Route 66 car show. Worth the stop. No reservations required.

Had a really wonderful visit here. The chef, Michael Higgins, was very personable and spoke with multiple patrons while I was there. He was kind enough to explain to me what Beef Wellington is, and that is what I had. The cook on the steak was perfect and it was really delicious. I started with the French Onion soup, which was also quite tasty. As great as the beginning of the meal was, the dessert was the Chef's kiss! The bread putting was hands down the best I have ever had. It was warm and melted in your mouth in the best possible way! He stopped by my table to see how everything was, and this is a rare example of a very high customer service experience. The staff were all friendly and helpful. I would highly recommend a visit when you are in town!

Just started our Chicken and Beef Wellington. It will be delicious so a long time tradition since 1886 - it was good and really enjoyed their tradition 120 plus years lemon sherbet. I would come back and just ask for that and leave :)

We showed up in jeans and t-shirts a bit worried we'd be turned away. Nope! Our server was super nice and thorough! I didn't catch his name but he was great. I had never had a rack of lamb before and I came here specifically for that and omg! It was delicious! With everything that came with it, including a red wine reduction, it may be the most perfect bite I have ever tasted. The fillet had a beautiful crust and was cooked perfectly! Highly recommend and when they say "for everyone", they truly mean it.

For our one special evening while visiting Springfield, IL, we chose Maldaner's for our meal. In fairness, the prices were a bit high for the area and that may have to do more with their history than their food or service. We had reservations for the dining room but they sat us at the bar. No seats were available where we reserved. The hostess left us with menus but no one acknowledged us for about 15 more minutes. We ordered drinks, a Pinot Grigio and their house Old Fashioned. These were fine. For our meals, we ordered their Filet (which was also one of their specials) and the Pork Chops. The same comments go for both so I won't split them out. While the meals were of high quality, they arrived barely Luke warm. The asparagus was very good. Also, they make their mashed potatoes with oil rather than butter to avoid problems with allergies. I honestly couldn't tell the difference. If the food arrived hot and if we were not made to wait, this review may have been better. I am not saying this was a bad experience. but there were a few things (mentioned) that I don't expect from a restaurant of this caliber.

Classic menu, classic ambience. Some of the paint is pealing off the ceiling, could use a touch-up but otherwise, nice setting with excellent food!

The best meal we had in Springfield. Great service and the bar tender knew what she was doing. I highly recommend this place.

I simply stole a picture of a horseshoe from another review as it is literally pick a meat (chicken, Turkey, hamburger) place it on Texas toast, top with French fries and smother in cheese. I was hungry- This is a local delicacy of Springfield IL I went with the recommendation. I am glad I tried it and can say I did it but I would never order this again. I imagine maybe the cheese might switch from place to place but the concept remains. This is pub food no more and at a fine Italian restaurant like this there are simply better choices for my pallet. I am just as tough and have the same thoughts on 5 way chili in Cincinnati... ok you grew up with it. Let's mash up spaghetti and chili and make a 5 way monstrosity. The horseshoe is a Springfield mash up that is just meh. As for the ambiance and drinks (home made lemonade is 5 star) desserts and more this is a 4.5 restaurant just no luck on the horseshoe!

I LOVE eating at Maldaner's restaurant! Everything on the menu is a gastronomical delight! My personal favorite is the salmon dish, but everything is delicious.

The Beef Wellington was perfectly prepared and absolutely delicious! Our server was so attentive, filling water, bringing bread, clearing dishes and bringing drinks! Great place for a leisurely dinner for a date night or catching up with friends!

Celebrated my friend's rehearsal dinner here and it was amazing! We had the whole upstairs for our party. We probably had 50 guests and sat upstairs comfortably. The staff was very friendly. We had a preset menu and I chose the ribeye as my entree. It was phenomenal! One of the best rehearsal dinner meals I've had. Bonus we opened up the bar area for welcome drinks and the space worked incredibly! Plenty of room and drinks were great. I would recommend planning your next party here!

Solid place. I like old restaurants in old buildings. It's not a particular interesting or attractive building or room - but I like it anyway. I got the filet and it was good - well prepared and thick. Wife wasn't very hungry and just got a salad. Dessert was SUPERB - simple apple crisp, but truly delightful. The ice cream on top (I think made in house) was really great too. I forget what wine I got, but the markup wasn't bad and they got me my bucket of ice to chill it slightly, so I was content. Recommended if you are downtown in Springfield and want a good sit-down meal.

We had a terrific dinner here. We had the Beef Wellington. It was delicious. Loved the bread also. The service was great and the restaurant was very cozy. . I would highly recommend it.

Best Caesar salad I think I've ever had. My filet of beef was cooked perfectly. My daughter had the halibut special and said it was delicious. My hubby had duck and enjoyed it plus it was a good portion size. My other daughter loved her lamb chops. Fresh warm bread was also lovely. Ambiance and service was great. Our reservation was at 7:30 and we finished just around 9pm. I had the posset for dessert and it was delicious. My daughter and hubby shared the Savannah cake I think it was called. They enjoyed it. Our waitress was terrific. The only downside was the dirty martini. It was just ok. They did have a nice selection or Oregon Pinot noir.

While in town for work, I found myself hungry and happy to spend some company money on a good meal. I asked the hotel employees what they would recommend in the area, and they pointed me in this direction. It's an older establishment, which to me is usually a good sign. If they can survive this tumultuous industry's twists and turns, they must be great, right?! It's dark and has an old speakeasy feel to it. You almost have to order a martini when you're here. And maybe I should take my own advice because I went with my tried and true Old Fashioned and wow, was I disappointed. I could barely drink it. Honestly, I don't know what was used in it, but it tasted so bitter. Okay, live and learn...now onto the food. My coworker and I each ordered a French Onion Soup; very yummy! But I don't know if any form of French onion soup could be anything but yummy. So that was a win. Then, my coworker ordered a filet minion rare, and I ordered the Beef Wellington, which was advertised everywhere in and around the restaurant as the house specialty. My companion's steak came out and it was far from rare - more like well done. I'm not one to send things back so I tried to talk him out of it, but the table next to us witnessed the whole thing and interjected, stating that he needed to bring the server over and show her. So he did and she was very nice about it, took it back and apologized. Meanwhile, I didn't want to start eating with him just staring at me as he waited for his food. So I waited too, and waited, and waited until I was like, "my food is getting cold and if they are cooking this steak to rare, why is it taking so darn long?" I don't know if it was the time that it sat while I waited for him to get his food back, but the Beef Wellington was dry and completely lacking in flavor. The puff pastry was mushy. It just was not nearly as good as any other Beef Wellingtons I've ever had. My mashed potatoes tasted like they were from a box or some form of instant potato. I hope I'm wrong here because that would be completely disheartening; however, whatever they were, they weren't great in my opinion. Overall, our bill was what you would expect from a nice steakhouse with drinks, appetizers and entrees. However, my experience did not live up to the price tag. Complements to the server, she was very nice and accommodating and that might be my biggest compliment of the place unfortunately.

One of the top restaurants in town. Food is always perfectly cooked with layers of flavor. Leave room for Dessert.

What a cool restaurant! I love the atmosphere! It's timeless with great dark wood everywhere. Just beautiful! And a beautiful bar as well! The food was delicious! We had a rack of lamb and the Beef Wellington. Both very good! The service was really good too! Save room for the dessert; that bread pudding was awesome!

Beautifully authentic, amazing food, great service. Definitely a one-of-a-kind experience. I've gone alone and sat at the bar with a book and I've taken business associates out for a nice working dinner.

I really enjoyed my experience here. I'm only in town for two days for a business trip, but I felt as if it were the only restaurant with above 3 stars. The main reason why this place gets 5 stars is the service. Upon entry, the hostess was very gracious. The bartender Freddy provided a hospitable, attentive service. I was the only person at the bar and he effortlessly made conversation with me, I couldn't believe I'd spent almost two hours there. I ordered the French onion soup, CHEFS KISS. I also ordered the mesculin salad with chicken because I was so full from the soup. That was a subpar salad. Could have used more acidity and a whole chicken breast instead of diced chicken. Their other menu items looked incredible, I definitely should have ordered one of the entrees. Definitely not a "young" vibe, which is totally fine. Would return again for the soup and the service :)

The atmosphere here is great. Nice jazz playing over the speakers, lots of wood paneling, leather banquettes and a beautiful bar, makes for a club feel, just what you would expect for a restaurant that has been here since the late 1800s. The bread and glasses of water showed up promptly and our waitress wasn't far behind. She was a little 'rough' but ended up doing a nice job giving us the nightly specials and taking our drink orders. Neither of us waves a heavy meal. RRR got their lobster risotto special, a small plate, and said it was wonderful. I got the warm goat cheese salad that i really loved although the beets should have been sliced instead of cubed. Golden beets would have been even better, just sayin'! I also got the crab cake small plate, and it was also very good. Will still had a bit of space not filled so we had to have dessert. Their homemade vanilla ice cream for me, the Queen of Sheba for him (flourless chocolate cake with raspberry coulis and chocolate sauce).

This was our first time. Very pricey but a fabulous experience. They are known for their beef Wellington. I had that with roasted veggies and mashed potatoes. It was all very very good. The potatoes could use a bit more flavor. Warm bread with olive oil and fresh parmigiana are served to the table. The bread pudding is some of the best I have ever had. My husband's steak was cooked to perfection

I have had really good meals here. It can be really crowded but their upstairs is awesome if you are looking to rent a place out.

We enjoyed our food and the service was nice also. The appetizers were portioned nicely and the meals were well balanced. I enjoyed the environment and this place made a great date night spot. Very romantic

Maldaner's is a decent, cozy place that is on the pricier side. Food options are limited and it is a good place to go for on a date. If you are looking for a quiet place for dinner that is a little more intimate, this place is for you. The tables are also on the smaller side, so be prepared to be packed tightly if you go in a big group of more than 4 people. Our waitress was okay at best. While she did a good job recommending some dishes, she did have a bit of attitude and seemed a little standoff-ish. We never got water refills and she seemed to be visibly upset when we decided to not get any dessert. Food-wise, I would argue that it is good, but pricey, depending on what you get. The French Onion soup is delicious! So is the porkchop dinner that comes with mashed potatoes and mini green beans, with an apple gravy. I would NOT recommend that crab cakes. While those were cooked perfectly, the sauce they were served with was not all that. Overall, this place is a bit overhyped for a regular sit-down dinner.

Had a spectacular dinner here this weekend. Steaks and fish special were amazing and their pasta with bolognese sauce was super good (not a huge serving, but just right for me!). Service was very good - very attentive but never pushy. We thoroughly enjoyed our meal, the cocktails, the service and the vibe. Great historic venue with excellent food!

The place looks nice and old traditional. The food was under seasoned and done OK. I had the French onion soup, which was nicely flavored with sherry and the cheese was gooey and good. The lamb was surprisingly under seasoned and a bit too cheesy from the parmesan crust. The mashed potatoes tasted like they came out of a box - and the side of arugula -who thinks that just a mound of plain arugula is an acceptable side dish? Nothing wrong with arugula but no dressing or other seasoning. My husband had the pork chop which was very good, however, the vegetable sides were again unseasoned and underdone. The Tuscan bean soup wasn't much better. To make matters worse, the salt and pepper shakers on the table didn't work because both of them were caked solid and blocked. I kept looking for the waiter to stop by the table to ask for working S&P shakers but they didn't show. So I just kept hitting the salt shaker on the side of the table to try and free up the salt. You would think an attentive staff might have noticed this. The top opening was too narrow to try and stick a utensil in to try and free up the salt. I was going to get up and try other shakers on other tables but thought - this isn't my job. The kitchen needs to rethink the seasoning especially for the side vegetables, they also could remind the waiters to pay attention to the tables in the first 10 minutes of when the food comes out. Our waiter was pleasant enough but obviously was working other areas. A white tablecloth place like this should be able to do better. I can't recommend it based on this visit given the price point we expected much better.

Came here for lunch. Food was lackluster for the price. I get that it's a Springfield "staple" but I wouldn't go back.

Maldaner's is by far the best restaurant in Springfield. They use only the best quality fresh and local ingredients. The menu is unique and exceptional. The seasonal specials are amazing and dependable, and draw diners like myself year after year for items like morel pie, cucumber shrimp soup and fall risottos. The morel pie is the most delicious thing I have ever tasted and I have eaten at some of the best restaurants in the US. There are also classic dishes like Beef Wellington that are delight to indulge in and you cannot get a better steak anywhere. Highly recommend is an understatement.

Wonderful I got crab cakes that were just perfect. Cocktails are scrumptious too! And the decor is old and classy. Nice...

Oh wow. Honestly, I was not expecting much, here in the middle of nowhere Illinois, but this was an egregiously terrible experience. Let's go through it! They had two seafood specials which sounded great but tasted like trash. Soft shell crab is delicious unto itself, just asking for a lightly (tempura-style) fry with some seasoning and a light sauce. Instead, you could go for thick taste-less breading, "cajun" butter that has never met spices, and mashed potatoes that haven't met salt. Salt is essentially free, why are we being stingy with it?? Overall, it was edible enough I didn't want to send it back. The halibut cheeks. No. Hard no. Overcooked like it was blitzed in the microwave to FDA-SAFE levels. And the lentils it came with were under cooked and tough at the same time. Genuine terrible combo. I "wised" up and went with something more in their wheelhouse, a ribeye with veggies. If your thick steak has hash marks, it means you are cooking it poorly, and the lack of salt was obvious again. Those green beans had never met salt. Thankfully they weren't cooked to oblivion. But back to the steak, a medium rare steak should have its fat perfectly rendered, instead, we had tough meat and chewy fat. Bleak. I was also asked if I wanted a drink WHILE waiting for a sample of two wines to decide which one I wanted for dinner. That's not good, if anybody is keeping track. So. With dessert, I requested a single malt. The bartender had to come out to clarify which one I wanted (embarrassing). Then they brought it out on the rocks, when I wanted it neat. Then, my neat whiskey was cool & diluted. The bartender claimed twice they poured it neat (to the server and manager), but honestly that makes me wonder who's diluting their Scotch because something was awry. Oh! And I asked for my bill to be split, $X on one card and the rest on another. Instead, the waitress charged $X on one card and the WHOLE amount on the rest. While I waited for the manager (sorry, had to pull that card at some point), I noticed that at every other table, the waiter(ess) poured a portion of their carafe, but I got to do that for myself. Fun? Is the food & drink & service always this terrible? I can't say. What I can say, is that, I would never, ever, step through these doors while anybody currently involved worked here. I still tipped 40% because I know that it might be difficult to hire competent staff during this difficult economic climate. But seriously. Salt is (practically) free. Use it! But also, this wine list is actual trash. Jeez. Edit: I bet the reused the same glass for the Scotch. That would explain the temp & slight dilution.

We were in town, traveling last summer, and decided to stop at this restaurant for lunch as typically an older "staple" restaurant is a good bet. But we were wrong. Although there weren't a lot of people in the restaurant, the service was practically non-existent which included the long wait for a server to take our order, the long wait for the order to arrive and I had to ask three times for the check (once of the maitre d' and twice of the server). The food was lackluster in flavor and appearance but what really surprised us was the dirtiness and how unkempt the restaurant was. There was food on the booth we sat at, food on the floor both under the table and out between the tables, a fork under the table and the table across from us was not bussed the entire time we were there. I sent a letter to the owner when we got home and have not received a reply, now, six months later. We were very disappointed and do not recommend this restaurant.

In from out of town and really enjoyed this place. Highly recommend for drinks and food and service

Great food selections and creative cuisine. Try the seasonal specials for an excellent dining experience. Save room for desserts like the Queen of Sheba flourless chocolate cake. Chef will create vegan dishes on request. Spend time exploring Specialty dishes and enjoy the new ones.

Ive been to a few of springfields upscale places and this is one of my new favorites. I loved the dessert, apple crisp with ice cream and my steak was cooked properly which i dont always see at a restaurant. They could of hit the steamed vegetables with some seasoning and i wouldnt of minded

Read the menu and reviews and decided to try this restaurant for carry out while I was traveling through Springfield. I have to say sadly disappointed. Portions were small for the money I paid. Although the food seemed to be fresh. I told the gal on the phone no beets in the warm goat cheese salad and there were tons of beet chunks in there. They were nice to give me 6 slices of bread but there was no butter or oil included.

The service was good. My Manhattan was fine. The bread was good. The beef Wellington was terrible. Over cooked, under seasoned, soggy crust. Disappointed and my meal was expensive

Michael Higgins Knows what he is doing! His cold shrimp dill soup is OVER the top. In addition to that, my wife & I had the salmon salad - pistachio encrusted salmon filet on top of spicy noodles and mixed greens. Salmon done perfectly. Everything we have ever had there is excellent - service is top notch. Highly recommend.

Yum. Go there for the sea bass! Good old classic Springfield building. Great service and ambiance .I'll be back!

Decor and food is like a place I would have gone to on a prom date in the 1980s. Historic for sure.

Beef Wellington... average at best. I think a little overrated. Staff ok. I really prefer less involved staff. quiet, but there when you need them.

I really wanted to give this place five stars. The wait staff was great and we were seated right away Came here to celebrate my daughter's MCAT Exams. Ordered a martini which was right on spot. We both ordered the Beef Wellington and the French onion soup. Horrible tasting soup... had way too much sweetness to it, like sherry or something. I sent it back. The Beef Wellington although cooked correctly had no flavor at all. We decided to skip dessert . Wasn't impressed even though I left a 20% tip. Don't think I will return. Too bad since everyone local was raving about this place.

Delicious food and great service! Atmosphere was quiet and charming, perfect for date night.

Decided to try this place out with a friend today. As soon as we entered, the hostess was very rude and told us that she had no tables. When my friend and I looked, we both saw 6 available tables. We were also told very rudely to leave, as we did not have a reservation. I will never try to support this business ever again.

The ambiance was awesome, the food fabulous (salmon and halibut) the drinks too good:) and the service (Samantha) excellent. Extremely nice experience

We thoroughly enjoyed our first experience at Maldaner's. The atmosphere includes historical art along with dark wood and etched glass. We enjoyed prompt seating and interaction with the wait staff. Tasty bread came quickly to the table along with our drinks. We heard great reviews in regards to the morel pie and ordered a piece as an appetizer. We enjoyed it. Our entrees included scallops for me and salmon for my wife. We've eaten in many restaurants around the US and both dishes beat any we've experienced anywhere. We may have been lucky getting seated as they asked if we made reservations, which we hadn't on a Wednesday night. If you plan to dine at Maldener's you might want to make one.

Summary: This has to be one of the best restaurants I've ever had. The French onion soup & Duck Confit we're absolutely to die for. One of the best meals I have ever had! Parking: na -we walked from the double tree hotel Service: 10/10 - from calling and allowing us to make a phone reservation from the airport and the hostess being so kind & understanding to our amazing waitress crystal!! Pricing: $$ great prices here with quality ingredients and flavors. All local grown food and made in the best way possible Trend level: so authentic and quaint here. Simply one of the best restaurants Springfield has to offer Waitress: Crystal - 100% spot on with recommendations & service

I really like Maldaner's. Old school interior and nightly specials. It's quiet and is a good place to go if you want to conduct a business discussion. My favorite dish is the lamb chops on lentils. They had a great pork shoulder in a green sauce a couple of years ago. It was a special. I keep hoping they'll bring it back. So good.

it is the best of the best. a Springfield institution that NEVER disappoints. from Chef Michael to our server Shyla. of course we will be back when we retuRn in August.

We held a work dinner here on 3/5/19. The room is directly upstairs, above the restaurant- nothing fancy! There were a few party rooms, however note that not all were sound-proof. Our room was set to specification (U-shape). They served beer and wine and then we ordered off of a menu we had identified ahead of time. I chose the salmon which was served with polenta and asparagus which was accompanied by a mixed green salad prior. The presentation was very nice and it was quite tasty. The service for our party was well done and the food came out in a very timely fashion, even when we had one late legislator who got caught up in meetings.My only complaint would be the sound of the other parties. Additionally, we had music being pumped into the room. About the time I realized the music wasn't from the other group and was in our room (as I was trying to focus on our president presenting) the server asked if he should cut the music, not only that, but he closed a door on the partition that I didn't even realize was there-- or I'd had him address both of these issues from the beginning and turn it off right away. The very next day our president suggested stopping here for lunch on our way back from the Capitol (we were walking back) to our hotel the Doubletree which is pretty much kitty korner from Maldaner's. Our lunch was simple- we both ordered soup and salad - but it took forevvvver, and there were not that many people in the dining room. Additionally, it took some time to get our bill. When we did get it, it took her forever to come back and run the card!

A really fine meal. A great place to meet friends. The ambience was very nice, and the service was impeccable.