Whatever you do, don't go underdressed. You'll ruin your own night being self-conscious.
Went in late May of last year (yes, I know I'm late) for our anniversary dinner. Most definitely did not dress up quite enough. Everyone was very suit & tie/dress...khaki pants felt so out of place. Don't make the same mistake.
That being said, our waitstaff was professional and superb. Not only because she never made us feel awkward for being clearly underdressed, but because I didn't feel like I was in a Springfield restaurant anymore. I felt like I was in a real restaurant, in a bigger city. Good work, Maldaner's.
We shared a bisque with caviar, which had great flavor. Olive appetizer was nice, though they weren't pitted. I get that whole olives are more "upscale" but there's something weird about picking olive pits out of your mouth in a nice restaurant that feels wrong.
I had the beef wellington, as is so often suggested. The reason was clear as soon as I took my first bite. They clearly know what they're doing.
Girlfriend had salmon and it was cooked perfectly, which has been difficult to get in Springfield.
No complaints from either one of us re: service or food. The only drawback in my opinion is that it could really use a facelift inside.
Terrific lunch here, in our first visit to the state capital since a grade school field trip. Â The Horseshoe (with turkey) nearly had me in tears of joy. Â The havarti dill sandwich really pleased the wifey. Â Portions were generous and prices were very reasonable, especially for food of this quality and so well prepared.
Service was excellent -- friendly and professional. Â My iced tea was never less than half full. Â Even though they were getting ready to close at 2:30. Â
The atmosphere is old time and a little bare bones. Â It may give a newcomer pause, but we left really happy.
It was our first visit to Springfield this Labor Day weekend, on a cloudy yet comfortable Saturday evening we sauntered into Maldaner's Restaurant sans reservation. Â We read a few Yelp reviews while the maitre d' looked for 'non-reserved' seating. Â The rich dark wood finish, and candlelit dining area set the stage for an upscale dining experience. Â We felt rather under-dressed as we were in shorts and sandals (the standard vacation dress code). Initially the waitress seemed a bit uneasy with the fact we had a toddler with us, but then she seemed more at ease when we proceeded to order a bottle of Caramel Road vintage 2010 Pinot Noir, the Prime Rib, Pork Medallions, and Steak. Â
The Prime Rib, served with string beans and mashed potato, Â was a perfect medium-rare (warm, pink in the middle no blood), the meat was tender and melted in my mouth. Â My friend stated that his steak medium well (per his request) was perfect as well, and my wife raved about the tender, succulent pork medallions. Â Our Caramel Road Pinot Noir complemented all three dishes.
I have to forewarn all parents with babies and young toddlers, this is not a child friendly establishment. Â Our little one was bored of the food and the environment in less than 20 minutes.
I suggest this as a pre or post-opera/theater date option, or maybe just a date night option without the kids. Make a reservation. The food deserves a 5 star rating, the service a bit lackluster, an accommodating 3 stars (in my book), hence my 4 star overall rating. Cheers!!
Fact is this is the best restaurant in Springfield. This is the only chef in town who could survive in a big city atmosphere. his ingredients are fresh. His staff is solid and loyal. his menu is uique and original. I have eaten everything on the menu and have yet to have a bad meal there. BTW...if you're ever fortunate enough to be there during morel mushroom season get the morel mushroom pie. I generally don't enjoy mushrooms. This pie is so good I don't care what's in it. I've had two other friends who feel the same way I do about mushrooms and I converted them into morel mushroom pie believers as well. I was even there one night when they lost electricity...but the the gas still worked so they lit candles kept rolling. One of the funnest dining experiences I've ever had.
Review Source:I am in the industry of serving and decided to head here after hearing decent reviews with my girlfriends (also in the industry). Â The service was sub-par. Â Our server was definitely dated and energy was gone roughly 20 years ago.
As for food...we tasted a variety off the menu including minestrone soup, warm goat cheese salad, and mix greens with balsamic. Â The goat cheese (which I normally love) was tasteless and the pairing of the red peppers with the dressing was a huge miss.
The minestrone soup tasted like pureed beans.
The mix greens with balsamic was bland.
At best..the bread was tasty.
As for entress...we had chicken 2 ways (not impressed except with roasted veggies), the pesto penne pasta (bland and by no means a true pesto) and the Ribeye.
As for the Ribeye...the meat was good..a bit Pittsburg style which is good but a bit overdone. Â The veggies were al dente but to a point where I didn't know if i was eating a carrot or a sweet potato. Â No Seasoning at all. Â The pototoes were nothing special. For $27, I felt like this dish left a lot to be desired.
For a total cost of $65 with 20% tip and wine...I will not be going back. The service was not up to my expectations; nor was the food.
I'm pretty impressed. Springfield isn't really a restaurant town (in my opinion) and this place is an easy stand-out. We ordered the potato crusted walleye, pistachio crusted salmon and for our kids we had them split a dish called lasagna noodles but had them make it with penne pasta instead. Everything was excellent with the exception of our appetizer. It was supposed to be fresh artichoke hearts with a garlic aoli but the artichokes tasted like refrigerator and the aoli was way too bland. We had a bite and didn't finish it.
Review Source:Stepping into Maldaner's is like stepping back in time. In fact, most of downtown Springfield is from time long gone. In that time, a stop at Maldaner's must have been much like it is today.
Housed in an old building with an awning above the door, Maldaner's is just a block away from other historical attractions. Upon stepping inside, you turn left through an old wood and glass door and are greeted by an old timey wood bar, a dimly lit dining room, and even old pressed tin ceilings.
Service was solid, but not fast. Years ago meal time must have been a sojourn in the midst of a long day. Likewise, there is no reason to rush once you step across the threshold of Maldaner's.
I don't often see Beef Wellington on the menu, so I chose to indulge. It arrived played comfortably atop a homey pile of mashed potatoes. The filet, encased in its blanket of pastry, was halved and ready for me. While this wasn't the best steak of my trip, this was a proper and lovely Wellington. I dove in and had no trouble finishing it off. Washing it down with a glass of cab made it that much better.
Dining alone, even in a time warp, can be tiresome. In the interest of heading back for the hotel but also indulging, I asked for the bread pudding to go. What a surprise I had when I got to my room. This was a simple yet elegant, old style bread pudding with actual slice of bread laying gently on the top. There were no nuts or fruit. None revere needed. The simple bread, custard-like texture, and warm spices made this a treat worth the splurge.
As I write this, I am sitting in an airport, very much grounded in today. However, memories of relaxing in a time past, sitting and enjoying a comfortable meal at Maldaner's, will follow me home.
Ate at Maldaner's this weekend on our first ever visit to Springfield. Â Luckily we had made a reservation 'cause this place was packed with plenty of people willing to wait. Â Pretty impressive considering it has been in business since 1886.
The atmosphere at Maldaner's feels deep and rich. Â Just the sort of place you could easily imagine that statesmen and lobbyists would sit over a long dinner with drinks and debate the issues of the day. Â I don't think that they even make places like this anymore.
The menu also reads like it is from another era, with items like beef wellington and seared calves liver. Â But don't let that fool you, the classic items on the menu are made to perfection and up to date in their flavor profiles. Â We had one order of the beef wellington and one order of rack of lamb. Â My husband and I split the orders. Â I can happily report that both items were fantastic. Â The homemade lamb sausage served with the rack of lamb was a great addition to the dish and delicious and a bit spicy. Â For dessert we spit an order of the chocolate banana cream pie, a house specialty, I think. Â What a surprise! Â It did not come in the form a pie but a neat round form, all banany and creamy with chocolate center. Â The second best I have ever had!
The service good and we have no complaints what so ever.
This is a place I feel I need to share with friends! Â Hope I have the opportunity to go back sometime.
Our server was arrogant and pretentious from beginning to end. Â He was more of an order taker with an inflated opinion of himself. Â He never asked us how our meal was, in fact did not say much of anything on the few occasions he walked by. Â On the whole the meal was very good in spite of the fact my husbands lamb came out medium well instead of medium rare as was ordered. Â This was our first visit here. Â The atmosphere was just O.K sort of like an 80's steak house, lots of fake plants... Â Hopefully it was just our bad luck to have this horrible server and he is not a reflection of the other wait staff.
Review Source:We are visiting from out of town and were happy to dine here. However, I don't agree that this is a destination place. The atmosphere is average and the wine selection is not extensive. The menu and service are just fine. We were delighted that the restaurant was happy to seat us in our shorts and t-shirts, as we had just arrived in town. You can't go wrong here, but it is not exceptional.
Review Source:By far the best restaurant in Springfield. We were lucky enough to grab the last outdoor table on a Friday night without reservation. The service was impeccable without being overwhelming. The place is not cheap: $16 to $30 for an entree but it's absolutely worth it based on the quality of food being served. Wines by the glass are in the $7 to $14 but portions are generous: a quartino or 250 mL or 8 fl. Oz if I'm not mistaken.
This was my lucky night: fish special was halibut and it was really outstanding. Well cooked, flaky, flavorful served on a bed of ratatouille and mashed potatoes that were also excellent. To top it all the dessert of the night was pana cotta, another one of my favorites served with raspberries. Absolutely not deceiving.
Overall experience: perfect!
My mother and I ate dinner here tonight and loved it! My only two complaints are 1) I only had time to eat here once this trip, and 2) I don't live close enough to be a regular!
The food was amazing, the atmosphere classy but relaxed, the waitstaff was extremely friendly and attentive, and the portions and quality of the food was outstanding.
We got there around 6pm (on a Saturday); not too many people at that time but it was packed by 7.
The experience started out well with our waiter (tall guy). He was great; one concern I had was that the place would be snobby (given the prices...) but he was very attentive and his recommendations were execelt. We stayed for two hours total and never once did I feel like we were being push to level to free up the table.
We started out with the special appetizer: Duck Confit ($10) - it was served with sweet potatoes and a cranberry reduction; very tasty and creative.
My mom ordered the Seared Tuna Loin - outstanding! The plate was covered in tuna and it was cooked perfectly. The tartare was nice, not overly spicy but it added a great flavor; the seaweed and greens were also a great compliment to the tuna. I took a few bites - I definitely want to come back for this dish!
I ordered the Beef Wellington and it was melt in your mouth tender. Â The veggies were nice -simple- and the mashed potatoes were very flavorful without overpowering the meat. Overall really great dinner choice - I understand why it's their specialty!
For desert we were between several choices and asked the waiter what the most popular choice was, without hesitation he said the Queen of Sheba. Seriously, they need should have an option to purchase a Queen of Sheba cake. If you love chocolate - get this! If you think you might be too full to order desert after dinner, get this before! It's outstanding! Rich, velvety, delicious.
I also ordered a glass of wine; reasonably priced and a large serving. Nice.
The bread was also amazing and endless -we devoured three and a half baskets.... the olive oil and cheese were also wonderful.
Overall, a wonderful relaxed dining experience. Attire can be casual (many people were in jeans but you won't be uncomfortable in more formal clothing). Prices are also very reasonable given the quality and quantity of the food. The only real downside is that they are closed on Sundays (is there a law in Springfield which prevents restaurants from operating on Sunday?!?!). I'm looking forward to visiting Springfield again and coming back for dinner and stopping in for lunch.
Maldaner's is my in-laws' go-to dinner spot. Â The husband and I were in town visiting this week so of course we went for dinner. Â I had only been once before for a wedding rehearsal dinner and I don't really remember that experience. Â
All the way through, this was a really good meal. Â We were seated promptly (this is a big deal for me - I don't know why but it is) and our server, whose name was Jesse, I believe, was very helpful and attentive. Â He also really knew his stuff, down my in-laws' request for their "usual" bottle of wine. Â Very timely with everything and very polite and pleasant, as well. Â
Our food was really quite good, too. Â I'm used to the Chicago idea of fine dining and I would say my meal was pretty close to what we can get at home. Â I started with a mixed green salad that had a nice vinaigrette with it - good croutons and cheese on top. Â The bread that came to the table was warm and both soft and crusty at the same time - some of the best I've had pretty much anywhere. Â I hear it comes from a local baker - whoever it is, it's phenomenal. Â I chose one of the small plates for my meal - smoked trout with pumpernickel bread and a really tasty horseradish sauce. Â It also came with a small green salad and tomatoes and sliced cucumber. Â I think smoked fish - the non-salmon stuff - is very underrated. Â Nice flavor, my kind of texture and very satisfying. Â I could have eaten a couple more plates of that! Â And then, rather than ignore the dessert menu like a good girl, I took one look at the Meyer lemon cheesecake and knew we had to try it. Â It was also quite good though I wish the crust was a little thicker and a little less moist. Â Good lemon flavor on the finish. Â Overall, quite tasty food. Â
My husband had the halibut special that was served over black rice and with strawberries and balsamic reduction. Â You would think those things shouldn't go together but you would be quite mistaken. Â A very interesting and good-tasting combination though to my palate, it tasted a bit like French toast. He enjoyed it, though!
So. Â That said, if you are in Springfield, this is the place to go for an elegant and delicious meal that may have some some tasty surprises AND good service. Â Highly recommended!
Go get this Beef Wellington right now....I'll wait for you so we can compare this mouthwatering treat they do so well :-)
I've been patronizing Maldaner's for years.
A few things keep bringing me back...
1. A well know Springfield restaurant that is locally owned.
2. Pretty good service.
3. Nice menu w/ different choices than you find from the "normal". I appreciate that.
I like the environment, locally owned, good service, unique menu, and food has been very good. Give it a try!
After being turned away from Caitie Girl's, the bf and I frantically called Maldaners the Saturday before Valentine's to see if they could find room for us. Â They said we could come on down and they would get us in. Â The place was bustling. Â They still had Christmas decorations up, which we found slightly alarming, but it belied the quality experience that was to come.
We ordered mussels that were swimming in a green-onion goat cheese bath that were truly as good as anything I've had in New Orleans. Â The mussels were perfectly cooked - large and tender- not at all overdone or chewy. Â We also had the Carpaccio, which was out of this world divine. Â As my mother's late best friend would say, "this is so good I want to take my britches off and sit in it."
The bf ordered the Beef Wellington. Â I swooned when I tasted it, I'm pretty sure. I had the Seared Tuna Loin, rare sashimi-grade tuna that came served over a freaking phenomenal Shiitake mushroom salad with a mildly spicy tuna tartare (YUM), dressed with a Blood Orange and Ginger Vinaigrette. Â
The presentation of all our dishes was beautiful, the service incredibly friendly, accommodating, and quick but not rushed. Â This is a fantastic place, and I can't wait to go back!
Had lunch here with a colleague of mine. Â Ordered the vegetable soup and club sandwich. Â The vegetable soup was filled with veggies but lacked flavor.
The club sandwich is served on thick French toast. Â But the meat was pretty much what you get from the Hillshire Farm section of the grocery store.
Service was friendly and prompt.
Had dinner here with clients on a recent Wednesday night. Â Loved my walnut bacon mesclun salad and rack of lamb with spinach and beans. My clients mentioned their pork was tough but flavor good. Â Service was excellent and decor very old school. Â Bill came to just over $100 for three people with only one cocktail and includes tip. Â I would definitely go back.
Review Source:Springfield, IL is the culinary gem of Illinois........is what I would like to say. Â Unfortunately it is not. Â Â However, Â Maldaner's is the exception. Â
The atmosphere is standard, but charming. Â White table cloths (rare in Springfield), decent wine selection, Â and friendly service. Â I had the beef wellington, which was well prepared and flavorful, as well as the chocolate sundae which was the perfect dessert.
In downtown Springfield you will not find a restaurant that pays more attention to detail when it comes to delivering delicious food. Â I can see this place getting a B on its midterms in Chicago, but thankfully its in Springfield, among the underachieving restaurants, where it will forever be on the honor roll.....(?)
We wanted a nice lunch - We noticed white tablecloths and figured that it would be a good spot. Â The decor is nice - that old vibe feeling - and it was neat that the restaurant has been opened more than 100 years in the same spot.
The service was excellent - always bringing refills of diet coke. Â For the adventurous you can try Springfield's horseshoe (or the smaller ponyshoe) sandwhich - it is open faced burger (or any meat choice), topped with french fries, and then their beer-cheddar sauce. Â Just hearing the description, my Heart was pleading with me not to do it to myself. Â
Instead, I ordered their cheeseburger and my boyfriend got the club sandwich (which was HUGE and the veggies were fresh). Â Both were very good and I was impressed with the homemade chips. Â Plus, it was a cheap lunch (under $30 w/ a very good tip) but SO tasty.
Walking into the dining room at Maldaner's, you'll feel like you're in a cross between a Chicago steakhouse and a farm house kitchen. Â The leather booths and etched glass partitions combine with the Americana kitsch to create something uniquely Springfield. Â The food is the same: somewhere in between haute cuisine and midwest comfort-food staples.
We were directed to Maldaner's by a ranger at the nearby Lincoln national monument. Â I was looking for one of Springfield's famous horseshoe sandwiches, and boy did I find it here. Â Maldaner's horseshoe is a pile of french fries, on top of a hamburger patty, on top of texas toast, all smothered in cheese sauce. Â Sounds disgusting to many, but it's actually incredible. Â The fries were fresh and crispy, the hamburger tender and tasty, the toast buttery, and the cheese sauce tangy without being fake-cheesy. Â All together, it was great.
The other thing we ordered was a french dip, which was also great. Â There are also fancier, more traditional entrees on the menu that I wouldn't hesitate to try on a return trip, given the quality of the horseshoe.
A hidden gem in the heart of downtown Springfield. The food here is elegant of a level unexpected for a southern Illinois destination.
The meals were cooked well, including the soft shell crab, but there was something lacking when it came to tenderness.
The waitstaff is pretty attentive but seemingly disappeared when it came to check time, and did not ask whether they could remove a plate or get a refill on a drink, they just did it. This means my dinner companion didn't actually get to finish her meal to her satisfaction, and I was charged for an extra drink I didn't want.
The atmosphere is nice and meshes well with the history of the area. Parking is abundant. And reservations didn't seem to be needed on a friday night.
Good place with a lot of class, only minor slip ups.
Only a short walk from the Abraham Lincoln Museum, this is one of Springfield's best  linen table cloth establishments for dinner downtown.  You can eat in the historic building or outdoors.  All the offerings on the menu seemed to use fresh ingredients creatively prepared and presented.  I enjoyed the salmon. The staff was unusually attentive.
Review Source:My husband and I first visited Maldaner's in early 2007 on the suggestion from the wonderful people at the Inn at 835. Each time we return to Springfield we make a point of being able to eat at Maldaners. They have limited hours so check their website.
Actually our last trip to Springfield was because my husband wanted to go to Maldaners, a restaurant four hours away- one way, for his birthday :)
From the moment we first walked through their doorway they have treated us (tattoos and all) like we were their invited guests. On our second visit (almost a year later) we were remembered and warmly welcomed and each time since.
I have always enjoyed whatever I have ordered at this place but I have to say I love their beef wellington the most. The quality and freshness in everything here is so evident. You really feel like, from the chefs to the wait staff, everyone wants to deliver something special. Some of the menu items change with the seasons. The serving staff is always helpful and informed when/if you have questions.
My husband and I prefer to sit in the smaller dining room/bar. It's a bit more quiet and intimate than the larger dining area. The large dining room can get quite loud when crowded. It is an old building with little to no soundproofing but lots of character.
P.S. The Long Island Ice Teas are quite potent, pleasingly so :)
I had high expectations for this restaurant, but it fell short. This restaurant is supposed to be fine dinning. I'm not so sure about that. They may have table cloths covering their tables, but in my opinion it's far from fine dinning. First of all, the waiter service was no better than McDonald's. Â They pride their self's in using locally grown veggies, but the portions don't let you experience what the Springfield farmers have to offer. I ordered the PISTACHIO CRUSTED SALMON, which was more like salmon sprinkled with pistachio crumbs. The salmon was good, but not anything special. And not worth $22. It came with asparagus and mashed potatoes. The potatoes lacked flavor and tasted like the stuff from a box. The menu in the restaurant stated that it also had peppers. I don't care for pepper so I requested mine with none. The waiter seemed confused, but insisted it would have no peppers when I made sure he knew what I was requesting. When I received my dish it had green peppers. I told the waiter and he said "no it doesn't." I responded by saying "yes it does, there are green peppers on here." He said " no, I picked the off myself." Â Me. WHAT "did you just say you "picked them off yourself" why didn't you order it without the pepper like I asked." Â He said "well it's pre-made." I was in total shock!!!! My friend offered to eat them for me and we laughed it off, but I was still couldn't believe what just happened. I did eat the meal and paid full price for it, but I will never go back.
Review Source:After a sub-par dining experience the night before, when we were looking for lunch we checked the menu here and liked what we saw. Â I ordered the veggie soup and a Caesar salad. Â The soup needed salt and pepper and was a little oily, but otherwise the veggies were very good, cooked perfectly not over cooked. Â The salad, well that was a bit over dressed, and was missing the parmesean cheese, but otherwise it was good. Â My husband ordered a curry turkey sandwich, which was SO good and the homemade chips were wonderful!
Review Source:I had dinner at Maldaner's Restaurant and it was very good. Â Springfield has a limited number of good restaurants and this is one of the best in town. Â I started with the french onion soup, which was a bit disappointing, I liked the cheese, but the soup was rather bland. Â For my entree I tried the beef wellington which is a "Maldaner's Specialty". Â The beef was cooked very well, it was tender and juicy, but I'm not sure I would order this again.
The service was good and attentive, I never had to ask for a refill of my drink. Â I would eat here again when in town.
What a wonderful find in a town with, shall we say, limited fine-dining options. Maldaner's prides itself on excellent food from excellent sources (Can you say "locally grown"? Maldaner's can!). The lobster bisque is heartily recommended as is the asparagus with blue-cheese foam. It's a shame we couldn't patronize this Land of Lincoln gem on our last trip home. We'll make a reservation before flying out of Atlanta next time.
Review Source:
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