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* Let’s get this thing started. Your nominations, please…
* Best political bar in Springfield
* Best political restaurant in Springfield
Make sure to explain your answers. Remember, this is far more about intensity than raw numbers. Also, please nominate in both categories. Thanks much and have fun.
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Dec 6, 11 @ 9:27 am
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The Sangamo bar you just never know who you will see .
Comment by Anon3 Tuesday, Dec 6, 11 @ 9:38 am
Sorry rich typing on the road I mean the Sangmo Club both Grillroom and main dinning room.
Comment by Anon3 Tuesday, Dec 6, 11 @ 9:41 am
DH Browns. Classic, long-time watering hole that has served politicians and staff for years. It’s like Cheers - everybody knows your name and the owners are known to buy drinks for the regular customers.
Comment by 1776 Tuesday, Dec 6, 11 @ 9:42 am
Please nominate in both categories. Thanks.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Dec 6, 11 @ 9:42 am
The No Name after 11pm is the best place to advance your agenda. Plus you can be carried to the elevator and get to bed safe and sound.
Gotta go with the Lux for deep fried losbter, pun intended.
Comment by Bill Tuesday, Dec 6, 11 @ 9:44 am
Bar: Globe because almost everyone shows up there sometime
Restaurant: Augie’s, for deals away from the gaze of the eminence grise in the corner of Saputo’s.
Comment by walkinfool Tuesday, Dec 6, 11 @ 9:44 am
Bar - The Globe. The place is hot.
Restaurant - Sangamo Club. Unlike others, there has ALWAYS - even during the day - been a meeting taking place at Sangamo.
Comment by Dirty Red Tuesday, Dec 6, 11 @ 9:50 am
Bar/Resaurant: Gabatoni’s. Without a doubt the best hideout for legislative leaders. The bartender is in the know.
Comment by k3_Spfld_Chi Tuesday, Dec 6, 11 @ 10:00 am
Best Political Bar, D.H. Brown, Lively discussions, becoming a hangout for both sides of the aisle. Good drinks, reasonable prices, open debates.
Restaurant, Saputo’s, great food, and almost always interesting political clientele during session.
Comment by downstate hack Tuesday, Dec 6, 11 @ 10:02 am
The Globe is dead. The geniuses at the Abe decided to move it back to a conference room. Very sad.
Best Bar: Basement at Sebastians. Feels more like a political hangout than anywhere in Springfield and a lot of work gets done there.
Best Restaurant: Three nominations. All places people in the know go when they want to get away from downtown.
1) Old Lux: Something charming about getting a steak from a place where the waiters where tuxes with neon signs on the wall. And I’m not sure if I feel more or less safe due to the security guard stationed in the parking lot.
2) Sam’s Pizza- Has a number of pictures of Nancy Sinatra and Joe Piscopo on the wall, but what really makes it authentic is that there are 4 campaign posters on the wall: Jimmy DeLeo, Skip Saviano, John D’Amico, and former mob attorney and Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman.
3) Sportsman Lounge- Come for the fried chicken, stay to lobby members of the General Assembly.
Comment by WizzardOfOzzie Tuesday, Dec 6, 11 @ 10:07 am
Bar: D.H. Browns because it’s old school and everyone knows it.
Restaurant: Sangamo Club—sooner or later you’ll run into everyone there—and how about Fight Night—is that weird or what!
Comment by Way Way Down Here Tuesday, Dec 6, 11 @ 10:14 am
Bar - Rich’s basement
Restaurant - Rich’s kitchen
Comment by Cincinnatus Tuesday, Dec 6, 11 @ 10:18 am
Best political bar-still the GLOBE…but if they don’t finish the remodeling by the time Spring session starts, its going to crash and burn pretty quick!
Best political restaurant-try AUGIES…always people there to talk to
Comment by Lou Tuesday, Dec 6, 11 @ 10:20 am
bar; DH Brown’s, no food- just drinks and conversations! (and new home of White Sox Caucus!)
restaurant; Saputo’s-where else does the Speaker have a standing reservation? nuff said!
Comment by Sine Die Tuesday, Dec 6, 11 @ 10:25 am
Bar: Bob’s Butternut Hut (where reality rules) BTW this could Bob’s last year for competing for this honor. Second choice is any where Capt. Fax’s wallet land
Restaurant: Hard to go wrong with Saputos. But it is tough to ignore Gabbatoni’s as another place featuring reality
Comment by CircularFiringSquad Tuesday, Dec 6, 11 @ 10:41 am
When I lived in Springfield, I lived on and at Gabotonis. Only decent pizza in town at the time.
Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Dec 6, 11 @ 10:55 am
Bar- no name bar. Convenient, always legislators and lobbyists there, best bar tender in town, cheap drinks
Restaurant- Augies- best food in town, though they have a new chef now, so we’ll see. And never a night without multiple legislators there. And half price wine on Tuesday nights.
Comment by dave Tuesday, Dec 6, 11 @ 10:56 am
WizzardOfOzzie, Sam’s changed their gravy recipe. I’m afraid they’re out of the running.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Dec 6, 11 @ 10:58 am
I think the Globe for the reasons above but I have to say for restaurant, I give it to Ross Isaac’s. The food is great and I don’t think I’ve ever been there on a session night where the restaurant isn’t literally packed with legislators and lobbyists, past and present. Its a little further out, but the food is really really good.
Comment by Toi Hutchinson Tuesday, Dec 6, 11 @ 11:10 am
Best Bar - JP Kelly’s - a good Irish bar that’s close to the Capitol. And there are a ton of old school pictures of Springfield famous people who visited over the years (i.e. Kennedy at the Springfield Airport)
Best Resturant - Maldaners - Some of the best food in Springfield. Chef Higgins has a great place and great food.
Comment by Springfield Dem Tuesday, Dec 6, 11 @ 11:11 am
Word: IMHO still the only decent pizza in town.
Comment by Way Way Down Here Tuesday, Dec 6, 11 @ 11:15 am
The bar is THE GLOBE …stay at the Hilton, … but work at the GLOBE.
You can make the case for the Rail being the number one place to get work done, THEN the GLOBE second. You hit both places, you are doing ok.
Restaurant…
For me, by default is Saputo’s for your day-today dinner, but Sangamo Club for dinner “with a purpose”.
You can casually eat, drink and work at Saputo’s and that is great, but if I am talking restaurant and I want to work, it’s Sangamo Club.
Bar- The Globe
Restaurant - Saputo’s (Hon. Mention - Sangamo Club)
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Dec 6, 11 @ 11:19 am
D H Brown’s is the best. The owner is as colorful as they come. He is not afraid to tell you his opinion of everything, and then buy you a drink. If you’re a regular, your drink is usually waiting for you as you approach the bar. Used to be the best Republican bar in town, but as downstate hack mentioned, both sides frequent these days.
Lot’s of places I like to eat but it is hard not to argue for Saputo’s for the “political” restaurant. The owner ran for mayor last year, and the place is filled with legislators and lobbyists every session night. Food is legendary.
Comment by Jaded Tuesday, Dec 6, 11 @ 11:20 am
Bar - JP Kelly’s. The place is packed seemingly every night during session. Mostly lobbyists and staff, but a few legislators too. I think most members probably prefer the more reserved grill room at the Sangamo Club or the Hideout at Sebastians. My vote is for JP Kelly’s though for top notch service and stiff cocktails.
Restaurant - Saputos. THE place to go. Packed with lobbyists, legislators, consultants, insiders…where you want to go on session night. Not necessarily my favorite food, but there are a few standouts on the menu.
Comment by Jimmy87 Tuesday, Dec 6, 11 @ 11:29 am
Bar: JP Kelly’s. Even on non-session days and weekends there are always politicians or politically connected people there.
Restaurant: Cafe Moxo. It may just be a small cafe but the breakfast, lunch and atmosphere is always amazing and I know it is a favorite of legislators when they are in town. It is used a lot by Springfield politicians for meetings as well.
Comment by Soooo... Tuesday, Dec 6, 11 @ 11:32 am
best bar — which ever one Skip is at.
Best restaurant - Sebastians — bring back the duck enchaladas.
Comment by Todd Tuesday, Dec 6, 11 @ 11:33 am
C’mon, Toddy, don’t cop our on us.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Dec 6, 11 @ 11:38 am
Restaurant - Skip’s house - great food and unbelievable stories. It’s old school fun.
Bar - don’t stay out late enough to know for sure but I like Celtic Mist even if it doesn’t have clout
Comment by siriusly Tuesday, Dec 6, 11 @ 11:44 am
Best Bar- Totally agree on Bob’s Butternut Hut. Several reasons:
1) Best name
2) Bob himself
3) The weird nick knacks
Best Restaurant:
Osaka. Martinis. Sushi. Or watching a legislator light their eye brows on fire.
Comment by LilLebowski Tuesday, Dec 6, 11 @ 11:58 am
Hate to seem negative, but those picking The Globe don’t have a good understanding of what makes a good bar —- which could explain why Springfield is not what it once was…
A good bar does not feature a design that pins half the customers against a window or shoves them into the hallway or divides the less congested space with too many barriers
One might argue the Globe should be disqualified on design/style points
Comment by CircularFiringSquad Tuesday, Dec 6, 11 @ 12:07 pm
Bar: Sangamo Club, where the elite meet to greet. Restaurant: the old Southernaire (now the Chesapeake), still the place for those illicit assignations!
Comment by Ace Matson Tuesday, Dec 6, 11 @ 12:10 pm
Best Bar - I have a conflict of interest. Can’t vote.
Best Restaurant - There is no doubt that Ross Issaac is the best Restaurant in town. PERIOD. But since it doesn’t seem to be getting the support it deserves, I will vote for Saputos. The best bad Italian there is and you can assuredly get some work/networking done there. It is the place to be on a Mon/Tues/Wed night.
Comment by AdidasBoy Tuesday, Dec 6, 11 @ 12:15 pm
Rich, it should change each year, browns is for guys that have been around since the Thompson era and aren’t really in the know anymore in my opinion and saputos is good but it’s not really the hot spot. For the previous session, it was JP Kelly’s and Ross Isaacs. You know who I am and u know I know the bars and restaurants.
Comment by MC Tuesday, Dec 6, 11 @ 12:16 pm
===But since it doesn’t seem to be getting the support it deserves===
Don’t go wimpy on us.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Dec 6, 11 @ 12:25 pm
Bar: Globe. The reason….Kathleen Hunter. She’s the best
Restaurant: lunch at Maldaners: cheap (unlike dinner) and awesome food
Comment by eddy Tuesday, Dec 6, 11 @ 12:27 pm
===You know who I am===
No, I don’t.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Dec 6, 11 @ 12:41 pm
Browns is the best by far. When the amateurs come to town that might have other ideas. Those of u
s who play the home game know the best bars. Hint they are not in hotels. Moxo is a great place.for lunch. The wannabes can get excited by a glimpse of the speaker at another restaurant but the pros go where the food is good
Comment by ozzy Tuesday, Dec 6, 11 @ 12:52 pm
Bar: Old Globe since it was in exitence for all of the regualr session
Resteraunt: Ross Isaac
Comment by Obamas Puppy Tuesday, Dec 6, 11 @ 1:02 pm
Ozzy, not sure what you mean by “amateurs come to town” but Springfield would be a backwater hole without the out of towners doing business there. So your remark about hotel bars not not being the best is wrong. That’s usually the last stop before..whatever. Anyway, i endorse No Name bar because a ton of legislators stay at StateHouse so its easy to find/work them there before and after dinner– and I agree that the staff is the best there as well.
And I have to heartily endorse Ross Isaac’s, not only for being the best food in town but fo also attracting a slew of legislators every night. If you get a table at the back, working your way through that place saluting and shaking hands is like a scene out of Goodfellas (without the mobsters, of course).
Comment by KGB Tuesday, Dec 6, 11 @ 1:55 pm
Part of my answer is prospective:
Best Political Bar: Boone’s Saloon. Sure, it’s not there yet but, after a long hiatus, she’s once again open for business. Location: can’t get any better. Beer garden: great. When the warm weather comes back around in the spring, I predict this will become the place where everyone goes to breathe some fresh air, quaff a few, and discuss the day’s happenings under the Dome.
Best Political Restaurant: Ross Isaac. People are there, food is great, and they make a fantastic dirty martini.
Comment by TwoFeetThick Tuesday, Dec 6, 11 @ 1:58 pm
===(without the mobsters, of course). ===
Usually.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Dec 6, 11 @ 1:59 pm
Even though Boone’s doesn’t have a lot of votes it’s going to win this for three reasons:
1) I’m always right
2) It’s open again
3) We want it to remain open so we’re going to be nice to Boones. Stay open this time.
Restaurant, I’ve always preferred Sebastians but I don’t feel that strongly about it.
Comment by The Captain Tuesday, Dec 6, 11 @ 2:45 pm
I don’t go out much to drink anymore because I’m getting older and have kids now, but I always enjoy going to D.H. Brown’s. You can always find lots of plugged in types during session, the State Fair and most regular weekends.
This may sound like an off-the-wall restaurant for this list, but I have found D’Arcy’s Pint to be frequented by plenty of political types - especially visitors who love grabbing that once a year or once a session horseshoe.
Comment by Team Sleep Tuesday, Dec 6, 11 @ 4:16 pm
Brown’s does have the best name, too many GOPies
Comment by CicularFiringSquad Tuesday, Dec 6, 11 @ 4:48 pm
Ross Isaac by far is the best restaurant in town. Food is always good and they don’t serve horseshoes. Best bar is a toss up…… Sportsman or Boones
Comment by Garbage Collector Tuesday, Dec 6, 11 @ 5:10 pm
This won’t be counted but I’ll say it anyway. Yhe best political bar and restaurant of ALL TIME:
Bar: The Caucus Room
Restaurant: Bauer’s
Comment by Casual Observer Tuesday, Dec 6, 11 @ 5:20 pm
My own personal faves…
Bar: A certain cubby hole on the 6th floor Sorry, can’t say more than that. But Schnorf will back me up on this one.
Restaurant: Sangamo. You can see the Speaker (and Senate President) and have a decent meal. Plus, they keep the riff-raff out. Yeah, I’m getting old.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Dec 6, 11 @ 6:19 pm
Bar: Scandals, not everyone goes there but the people who do are the people you want to lobby.
Restaurant: Room service. I prefer to do my lobbying in private.
Comment by Old School Tuesday, Dec 6, 11 @ 6:40 pm
You are riff raff
Looks like Butternut Hut wins
Comment by CicularFiringSquad Tuesday, Dec 6, 11 @ 6:49 pm
Best Bar D. H. Brown. the place has been there for decades and outlasted everybody. Decent drink prices along with good service (most of the time) Best Restaurant Saputos no contest there either
Comment by uncle jed Tuesday, Dec 6, 11 @ 7:30 pm
===You are riff raff===
And proud of it.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Dec 6, 11 @ 7:38 pm
—Yeah, I’m getting old.—
Amen brother.
Comment by Way Way Down Here Tuesday, Dec 6, 11 @ 7:40 pm
Rich, your own personal faves…………
Also a great location.
Comment by Garbage Collector Tuesday, Dec 6, 11 @ 7:40 pm
Bar - No Name gets a great mix of legislators and lobbyists and other hangers-on. Second choice would be Sebastian’s basement - there’s always someone there.
Restaurant - Maldaners always has a bunch of heavy hitters having dinners there. And the food is great. Second choice is Augie’s, for the same reasons.
Comment by Don't Worry, Be Happy Tuesday, Dec 6, 11 @ 9:21 pm
–I don’t go out much to drink anymore because I’m getting older and have kids now,–
Dude, you’re confused. Those are reasons TO go out and drink.
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 7:49 am