The Vault Bar and Grill

Love the healthy grilled chicken sandwich! Nice ambience, personality, and history.

Sat at the counter on a Saturday afternoon. Service was friendly and burger fine. I will go back next chance I get. Glad to see they are doing better than the bank that was there, that closed during the Depression (not the recent Great Recession) and never reopened. Glad they are there and hope the community supports them!
It had been a long time since I was inside this space 50 YEARS or so on Halloween night late 1950’s when my brother and I as 8 and 10 year olds trick-​or-​treated the place (a bar with glazed over windows so no one could see in. We got laughs from those at the bar (what crazy kids would trick or treat a bar?) — but they did scrape together a couple of nickels (5 cents was the price of a regular candy bar at the time at either Imhoff’s or Brown’s grocery on the block across the street.)

Bring your cash! This is a cash only establishment!
I recently went to this place as it’s my in-​laws’ new fav place to eat. It’s delicious American fried bar food (deep fried or on the skillet). As with any bar they have a plethora of beers and liquor, although with this extremely small town bar, the options are surprising.
My favorite hands down food item is their horseshoe (or smaller portioned ponyshoe) sandwich. A Springfield Illinois original consisting of a layer of toast, then hamburger patty, covered in french fries, and smothered in cheese… Mmmmm. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it since eating it! This is my first experience and I have no idea where else serves it in the central IL area. I’ve never had one from Springfield which is the horseshoe sandwich mecca of the world, but I am happy to support this local small town establishment’s take.
They have a lot of deep fried foods here including: pickle spears, mushrooms, cheese, jalapenos (called «bottle caps» that are super hot), peppers, et cetera. My mother-​in-​law loves their super grilled cheese (although I’m not positive about the name).