Norb Andy’s

Went for lunch this week. Meatloaf special was tasty. Interesting menu with lots of choices. Cozy atmosphere. Great service.

Really fun place in the old days, 1990s heard it re opened but food a drinks were top notch then!

I don’t want to give this place any stars, but I’m forced to in order to rate itI We were in Springfield for pleasure and we drove to this place as the reviews were decent. This was the first time we had heard of a horseshoe so we asked the waitress what it was and after her description we thought we’d try even though it sounded like a heart attack on a plate, but felt like we needed to «try» the native food. We had the burger horseshoe. My husband ordered the one with the bleu cheese and I ordered the regular, both were with French fries. I believe this is the FIRST time my husband and I didn’t eat all of our food at ANY restaurant!!! My husband didn’t receive the bleu burger, his was with plain cheese sauce like mine. The cheese sauce had a chemical taste. We each picked out the burger from the bottom, tried to find some fries that weren’t encased in cheese and left a plate full of cheese fries when we left. When we got to the car, I opened a bag of M & Ms and my husband asked if I was trying to get the bad taste out of my mouth – he wanted some too for the same reason! For anyone reading this, I want you to understand that NOTHING stops my husband and I from eating, but THIS certainly did.
Positive? The waitress seemed very pleasant and nice.

Well, not sure if my fellow Unilocalers lead me the right way at this spot.
I really think I’ve had much better experiences than the one I had at Norb Andy’s on a Tuesday evening.
Walked in to the dive about 7ish and there were only 2 other patrons at the bar. Decided to give it a try since there was such good reviews. They had about 6 selections on tap and some from local breweries. The bartender’s description of the tap offerings were okay, kind of guessed his way through it… ultimately wasn’t 100% sure of the product.
It’s been described before by Mack M., the bar staff really aren’t there to provide an enjoyable experience, they are kind of just ‘ehh.’
For the food —
Ribeye horseshoe: Was asked how I’d like it cooked, asked for MR, guess what, it was WELL DONE. But what can you expect for a thin sliced ribeye about 2 cm thick and a 3 inch thick slice of bread, plate loaded with fries and their secret cheese sauce. Really wasn’t impressed. Taste was okay, just thick of country sliced loaf with a thin ribeye slice with plenty of A1 and topped with a mountain of fries… That’s all. Yes, that basic… oh and some cheese sauce.
Not the best experience overall…

We enjoyed the atmosphere. Old pub with lots of history. Perfect place to take a friend for a drink. Staff was super friendly. We ordered the walleye basket which was over cooked. We would go back and try something else!

I was extremely satisfied with this restaurant. It was impressively maintained. The building had lots of history, even being a speakeasy! The inside décor was comfortable and clean, and thematic.
The food itself did take a little while to come to our table, and the place was pretty empty. All the food tasted good, and proportions were adequate for the prices paid. I would definitely recommend if you are in the area.

I’ve lived in Springfield a while now and have been wanting to try this place. There is a decent selection of beer and the prices are reasonable. The food was okay. I had the brat burger. It was really decent. We also tried the buffalo chicken horseshoe. The cheese seemed like melted velveeta. It was disappointing.

Best place we found in downtown Springfield. Great bar food, great beer. fish tacos were excellent. Took family including two teens. Everyone had great time. Amanda was our server and did a great job.

Great niche bar. Great beer selection and food. Great little bar with exceptional staff. Had their tacos and was extremely impressed. Small but well detailed menu. All of their food was well thought through.

Neat atmosphere. Great service. Need more dinner entrees on the menu. Great lunch items.

Reviewing bars is a tricky business as they, more so than even restuarants, can often cater to specific niches very well. So the question is: do you review bars on a general objective standard, or a more subjective standard that accounts for what said bars aim to do?
Will you find a dance vibe at Norb Andy’s? No. Will you find a dimly lit place? No.
What do I love about Norb Andy’s? The staff, atmosphere, and patrons. They have a good beer selection for how small the establishment is, and the food ranges from above average to very good pubfare.
If you like trivia, the only place the rivals Norb Andy’s in town is Burger Bar. Burger Bar does food, while Nord Andy’s does bar. So as far as casual bars, the are first and primarily bars, that have trivia and friendly patrons and staff in Springfield, Nord Andy’s gets five stars.

How about some afternoon drinks since the day ended early.
Getting caught up in the history of old downtown Springfield, IL is easy to do for any Lincoln-​lover. After strolling through the old state Capitol and viewing Lincoln’s old law office, I decided to keep the historic vibe going and stop into this tavern.
The history of the site is rich and briefly outlined on the menu. The rest if the menu in he other hand, left me wanting; not impressed. I cannot comment on the quality of the food as nothing really seemed appealing and I wasn’t I the mood for a «horseshoe» or burger.
Given they are a local/​historic deal I was expecting to have a few options for local brews as well. To my surprise there was only one available.
The place was empty on this wary afternoon, however the bartender was less than interested in making conversation.
The service was certainly prompt I’ll give her that, but she was not warm and fuzzy. In other words, not «Cheers» today (that was the review that got me over O&B’s around the corner.
I May or may not revisit when passing through town next time. At any rate I’d be sure to mix it up and try the Norb Andy experience at a different time of day; it may help.

Being from Springfield I have had a lot of horseshoes and Norb Andy’s is the best. If you don’t know what a horseshoe is ask someone in the area and have one from here and see how it is done. Also, the chicken tacos are very good and you’ll never want to stop eating them. Everything is made fresh and the prices are good. The staff is friendly and helpful. You won’t reget eating here. Plus, they have a great craft beer and spirits selection.

Very surprised. Really good food and great service. I love the atmosphere. Basement cozy bar. Will was awesome and very friendly. Actually everyone was very friendly. They do trivia on Tuesdays and live music Fridays and Saturdays.

My husband and I go here weekly (or more) and always enjoy ourselves. The food is bar food but better than most places. The spicy chicken sandwich, chicken tacos and black bean burger (add the chipotle sauce) are a few of my favorites. We like to sit at the bar and the bartenders are always friendly. The place is slightly away from the rest of the downtown bars but definitely worth it.

Stopped in on Black Friday as I was craving a horseshoe and wanted to avoid the crowds. It has been years since I was in Norb Andy’s and the ownership had changed hands a couple of times since. But the horseshoe was delicious. The waitress/​bartender was very friendly and attentive. The only thing keeping me from giving five stars is the confusing nature of parking for the restaurant.
Oh and no matter what DO NOT discuss politics where the cook can hear you. Seems odd to say no discussing politics in a place that has fed and watered many of the movers and shakers in Illinois but trust me, do not do so in the presence of the cook.

We went to Norb Andy’s because we were visiting Springfield and wanted to try the local sandwich, the horseshoe. From the outside the bar/​restaurant looks really quaint, but then you walk in and it’s your average looking dive bar, which is fine with me, but was a little startling. We over-​ordered. My wife ordered the horseshoe with half fried walleye and half hamburger. I ordered the pork tenderloin sandwich. Both sandwiches were very good but next time I think we will just get one horseshoe and split it. You can park in the lot next door after 5pm.

Loved this place! Amazing food at a reasonable price with fantastic service in an adorably historic atmosphere. The chili cheese fries and burgers are phenomenal! Norb Andy’s is the best place we’ve found in Sprinfield yet! We would definitely go back!

This is, beyond compare, my favorite place in Springfield. The environment is just awesome, the staff are the coolest, nicest people, and everything I’ve tried on the menu is just awesome. It has a very personal «Cheers» vibe and I find that everyone in there seems to be really friendly and happy. Also, this isn’t really a place for kids, which is a huge plus in my book. Nowhere in Springfield I’d rather chow or get tipsy than Norb Andy’s.

Neat old place in downtown Springfield with tasty food and lots to drink! It’s in the basement of a building with tables and tvs. They have a great spicy steak sandwich and good onion rings. The patrons were also pretty friendly and chatty which is always a plus!