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* Yes, it’s that time of the year again. I realize that many of you are grumpy as heck, but our annual awards are a Statehouse tradition and we’re not going to stop now.
As always, we’ll start off light. Your nominations, please, for best political bar and best political restaurant in Springfield?
Make sure to explain your nomination or it won’t count. These awards are about intensity rather than numerical supremacy. And please nominate in both categories.
Thanks!
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 11:06 am
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Bar: Boones - Great beer garden and prime location. Cheap happy hour drinks.
Restaurant: Sapatos- Best food in town. Great ownership and they host the best political events in the back room.
Comment by So_Ill Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 11:15 am
Bar: Butternut Hut. Why? Because there’s nothing getting done in town so you might as well hang out at the best dive bar around and hear decent music while doing so.
Restaurant: Arlington’s. Truly good food and a nice atmosphere.
Comment by Deft Wing Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 11:19 am
Let’s push the Globe so the really good places don’t get too clogged with the State House crowd. It is the worst spot in town with narrow areas. But it does produce a regular floor show from various “think tank” honchos who believe yelling louder make their ideas sound sensible.
Comment by Annonin' Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 11:22 am
Best political bar: Boone’s, hands down. It’s got the best location and the best drink prices. You can regularly catch all kinds of somebodys in there enjoying libations.
Comment by Jack Kemp Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 11:34 am
Bar- I got nothing. I don’t like socializing that way
Restaurant Saputos I feel safe there discussing political topics. Plus the waitresses there are just so wonderful. They treated my girls so well. Extra whipped cream for the cannoli!
Comment by Honeybear Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 11:39 am
Best Bar: Butternut Hut, because free pop corn, 2 dollar high life, stagg, PBR. heat lamps outside breeze flows through in the warmer months.
Comment by The Clamp Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 11:44 am
Bar: JP Kelly’s. You see many of the same faces you see at the other places, but you feel like your in a “normal” bar and real conversation, between people on both sides of the aisle, is easier than the old standbys.
Restaurant: Augies. Similar reasons as best bar.
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 11:49 am
Now that the President Abraham Lincoln Hotel does not offer legislators the state rate, I’m wondering if the Globe will be as relevant.
Comment by Indochine Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 11:53 am
Boones - Its location and tradition. Probably should just put a squawk box in the place. Even the bartenders could be considered quasi legislative staff.
Sangamo Club. Can’t count how many dinners and receptions are held there every session. Need to find someone? They’ll be through there at some point.
Comment by The 217 Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 12:01 pm
Bar: Boone’s because they kicked me out of there about thirty years ago. Probably not connected to why I don’t drink anymore.
Saputo’s: The place to meet those in the know and the food is superb.
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 12:03 pm
Boone’s is a great place to get drunk but Browns is where you find the heavy hitters.
Same with restaurants. The tourists run to Saputos hoping to get a glimpse of the Speaker and every once in a while he’s there but more often than not you find him at the Mo and no one’s gawking at his table. That’s where the real players are at.
I’d go with D.H. Browns and the Sangamo Club.
Comment by Postbot 6000 Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 12:29 pm
–Chuck E Cheese. So our “leaders” can learn how to play nice with others.–
This definitely does not include the Oak Lawn Chuck E Cheese.
Comment by Ron Burgundy Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 12:34 pm
I don’t go to bars or full service restaurants in Springfield, but I love Cafe Moxo for a unique and nutritious soup and/or sandwich. I like their proximity to the Capitol (within walking distance) and think they’re reasonably priced.
Comment by Dome Gnome Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 12:35 pm
best
best/
adjective
1.
of the most excellent, effective, or desirable type or quality.
With this definition in mind, I believe some consideration needs to be given to the quality of food and drink. I believe the spirit of this category is that there is a balance between seeing and being seen and the actual vittles and libations.
I vote Gabatoni’s for both. Solid pizza and drinks. My OR shows that there are some occasionally questionable sauce charges and non consensual pouring of doubles but overall the good outweighs the bad.
Comment by LizPhairTax Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 12:40 pm
Bar: Boone’s - it is close enough that you can sneak away for a quick drink and it is a good place to meetup with other folks.
Restaurant: Driftwood - I know it isn’t really on the “political map” yet but the food is great and it is downtown. I went to Saputos over the summer when lawmakers weren’t in town as was disappointed with the food and prices. Runner up would be Arlingtons as they have a great upstairs area for receptions and top notch service.
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 12:52 pm
12:52 was me, the frisbee. Sorry
Comment by frisbee Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 12:53 pm
Browns. What more do you need than Alex Preston and the reinvigorated bar.
Comment by 4 percent Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 1:08 pm
Restaurant: Augie’s is hands-down the best political restaurant. In addition to good food, you can always “get work done” while having dinner as there are always opportunities to “run into” someone you just happen to need to see on an issue (legislator or staffer). Also, it has become a regular haunt of Gov. Rauner and his wife, which makes Augie’s just that much better as a “political” restaurant.
Boone’s is the best political bar. Great drinks and, again, can get some work in when need to.
Comment by unclesam Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 1:11 pm
Boones Saloon for both. The location is perfect. The food is really good too. I went there for the first time early this year and have been back the 2 times I was in Springfield again.
Comment by Robert the 1st Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 1:14 pm
Gabs is the top notch bar/eatery. The food and drinks are what really makes the place BAR One but the people really rock it out too. It’s usually full of an older type but I’m kind of in that crowd now. I wonder if some of the youngest who read this have even been there. If the place was bigger, it would still always be full.
Comment by 8-million Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 1:41 pm
Andiamo coffee shop on 6th and Adams is a great morning stop where one can view a legislator or two on session days. Great pastries and several flavors of good coffee.
Comment by Cook street Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 3:46 pm
Sangamo is probably the best place to go right after daily session as multiple players will be somewhere in the building. The bar is usually “open” so your bound to get a fair number of legislators.
Auggie’s has good variety of food and another place your going to see the “right people” by accident.
Comment by DuPage Bard Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 3:54 pm
Sorry voting twice
Both my teen daughters insisted on having their birthday dinners at Augies. My youngster was lucky to get Austrian night! My God, Augie is an artist. As for politics there I have no idea. A thermonuclear weapon could detonate and I wouldn’t notice because of the exquisite food.
Comment by Cheating Honeybear Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 4:23 pm
Browns for best political bar…always has the most politicos
Restaurant is a toughie…lately I prefer one that has less parking problems. SO for the best pizza in town, I will go Gabby’s
Comment by IBE Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 4:24 pm
For “Bar” I’ll go outside the box and suggest Cafe Moxo. Best place to spot legislators that didn’t stay out late the night before.
For restaurant, I’ll go with Fritz’s Wagon Wheel. Those looking for capitol types trying to get away from the scene can find their prey there.
Comment by Comment Provider Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 4:32 pm
The deal is best at the Sangamo Club for quiet class,great food and drinks plus a staff that knows when,where,who,what and why you are there
Comment by bear3 Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 4:36 pm
===I’ll go with Fritz’s Wagon Wheel===
Shhhh. It’s my new fave.
Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 4:46 pm
Browns - great beer, fun jukebox, bipartisan non uptight crowd
Comment by NotMe Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 4:53 pm
I’m gonna split bar and bartender this year. So for Bar, I nominate Brown’s. Once a republican hangout, Alex Preston has done a really good job of making it friendly for both dems and repubs. While repub staffers hang there more, you can’t get a beter crew of lobsters than K-mart, Joe, Dirty, Ed Joe Berrios, Sam and a few others.
Its simple popcorn, beer whiskey and politics. Toss in the occiasions fundraiser and whats not to like.
Depending on the Mrs Scroog mood of Kelly Cassidy and the hour, you can even get into a jukebox war with her via your phone.
Its just simple old hardwood floors and poltics. I’ve shared many a drink there with friend and foe alike. It just reeks of old school. Not the trendy Sammys of the day or the newest hipster trend, altho they have upscaled the beer selwction. It’s just cool that you can find all kinds of lobsters there in the afternoon, and legislators make it a pit stop through out the night.
Not many places you can run into Bill Brady and Kelly Casisidy in the same hour
Comment by Todd Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 5:10 pm
Another vote for DH Brown’s. Diverse enjoyable crowd - even with Todd there!
It’s what a political bar should be like.
Comment by JoeMaddon Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 5:44 pm
Saputos hands down- there is a reason it has been packed for years. Food is great and on any night you will find a myriad of legislators and lobbyists.
While Boonez and JP Kelly’s are nice joints - Browns is the Granddad of the all. The place is right out of central casting and they treat staff like gold!
Comment by Corn cob Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 6:46 pm
The bar would have to be DH Browns for aLways having good customers, good music, good atmosphere, great drinks, and with Terri filling the glasses you can’t go wrong.
The restaurant would have to be Augies where you can always find the right person at the right time.
Comment by Bar Stool Pro Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 11:46 pm
Bar, D H Browns A traditional Republican Bar, now both parties represented and always cordial but lively discussions.
Restuarant. Still Saputos. Yearsof meals and deals.
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Dec 6, 16 @ 9:09 am