I'm really not sure where to start with this review. It wasn't a pleasant experience at all. I saw photos of the food on Yelp and thought this might be a good dive or greasy spoon style diner to have lunch at with my husband, since I was in the area. We met there and the outside aesthetic alone should've warned us off. To start, the exterior of the building was quite worn down, the windows were dark and dirty, and the sign was broken. If it weren't for the cars parked outside and for the fact that I called ahead to ensure they were open, we would've thought they were closed for business, permanently. We enter the building lobby, for lack of a better word, and proceed into the dining room. The first step into the dining room was me stepping into a literal hole that is covered with a rubber mat. That's a definite hazard. I couldn't believe that they'd just cover it with a mat. That's really dangerous. At that point, I was really starting to rethink staying. We walk further in and there is this atrocious, sour, vomit-inducing stench that billows throughout the room. It slaps you in the face and takes your breath away, and it's covered by a very strong pine smell. Again, I'm contemplating leaving but my husband didn't want to make a scene. The place is FILTHY! And I don't mean filthy as in someone spilled food and didn't clean it up. I'm talking decades of grease, dirt, bacteria, etc. covering the floor and furniture. You could take a putty knife and chisel up layers of gunk from the floor. There was even a sign that said something like- "Wipe tables down each night- Alli". I'm paraphrasing, but that was the gist. If you have to tell your staff that.... ugh... We get to the table and I didn't even want to touch the chair to sit, let alone stay there and eat, but I didn't want to leave right after we entered the place. I was hoping (praying) the food would be worth it... The waitress comes over to take our drink order and brings the drinks back pretty quickly. The cup felt like it hadn't been washed, ever... It had a layer of grime on the outside. Say you cooked something greasy at home and let the greasy dish soak in the sink for a day, but a cup fell into the pan and soaked with it overnight. When you pick it up the next day and the grease is stuck to the side of it- that's what it felt like. I would've asked for a new cup, but I knew in my gut that the next one wouldn't be any better. It's like they run their dishes through a dishwasher that only has cold water and no hot water. Bleh. They take our food order and I'm quite literally praying that we don't get sick from eating here. Why I stayed, I have no idea. I guess I didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings. The waitresses seemed like they had their own issues and I didn't want to add to it. The food comes out and and it's time to eat. My burger was ok at first, clearly a frozen patty but I'm giving it a shot. Then I taste something off and stop eating it. My fries... I just can't even... a few of them were ok, but then I got to some that tasted like they had been fried in a deep fryer that had been used for years without being cleaned or having the grease replaced. My burger also tasted like it was cooked on a filthy grill. My husband couldn't stomach the place and only ate the things on his plate that he thought couldn't make him sick. We got the ticket, paid, and left as quickly as we could without being too obvious or rude. It's a little restaurant that is clearly struggling. This place was beyond 'dive' or 'greasy spoon' status. There's no possible way that this restaurant is safe to eat at. I honestly don't know how they ever pass the health inspection. The level of dirty here is not something that can be cleaned up the day before inspection day, just to get this dirty again between inspections. It must never, ever, be cleaned, or the inspector is blind, literally. As you can guess, we will never be eating here again and I don't recommend that you do either. read more

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Again third year in a row they did not disappoint food was fresh, fast service. Not bad for a small off the beaten path home grown diner. My recommendation is to give it a try and you won't be disappointed. read more

Alli's Family Restaurant - Alli's Omelett - New American Near Me - Springfield, Missouri

Food is average diner fare. Think late 70's diner. Large menu. The staff are very nice. The tops of the tables seem clean. However, this place has been here a very long time and is in need of major renovation. There is an underlying odor that is covered by pine scented cleaner so heavy you can almost taste the cleaner in the air. The restroom and parts of the kitchen area are covered in years of grime that it would take a miracle to remove. The cook came out to grab himself a cup of coffee and let either some regulars or his buddies know that he wasn't feeling well. That being said, I'm giving one star for the friendliness of the staff and one star for the edible and timely served food. read more

Well what they lack in ambiance they make for with the food. Warning! They really heap the food on your plate. So make sure you are real hungry going in or you will waste alot of it. read more

I would recommend coming here for some good food. The location and atmosphere is a little rough. Everything we ordered for Breakfast was good. Service was a little slower, but was good. read more

Service and food was great family traditional cooking and J would definitely go back The ambience is what we would refer to as a good ole hole in the wall country kitchen. I had a cinnamon roll French toast platter that included bacon, ham, sausage, eggs and hashbrowns all for $16 my whole family of 5 adults $80 we could not beat it. The service was spectacular they provided unlimited coffee, great beverage sizes, and everything delivered in a timely manner with a smile. I will definitely go ba read more

We landed in Springfield at 7 am and wanted breakfast. I always support local so I whipped out yelp and found this place pretty close to the airport. I was concerned by the outside appearance but decided to give it a shot. It's dirty. Really dirty. But the people are friendly and so welcoming. We ordered the a veggie omelet and some biscuits with gravy. The food came out quickly and hot. They brought an extra plate for my wife to share. That's where it went a little sideways. The blue colored plate they brought had dried food in it. I don't mean the spec of food that might be residual from after running it through the dish washer. I mean the kind of food left after the last meal was wiped and the plate was left to dry. There were crumbs and egg yolk dried all over the plate. The owner was so sweet I really did not want to say anything as it would have been heard throughout the restaurant. So a little context on my 3 star rating. Having traveled the globe and eaten in 100s of diners like this, it is a faithful replication of what one will find throughout mid America. This is the grist of American diner experiences: hardworking owner-operators eking out a living, serving their community, and providing jobs and a genuine sense of belonging. That said, I am also surprised this outlet passes inspections. The food was actually average to better than average (but it was only breakfast) and the regular crowd appears to be a faithful crew! My hats off to these guys and good luck in the future. read more

Alli's Family Restaurant - All is dilapidated sign - New American Near Me - Springfield, Missouri

This is the kind of place that exists in every town, often in industrial areas, near truck stops and blue-collar companies. It's the kind of place that regular folks come in for years and they know each other, know the staff, and know the owners. It's not fancy, it's not new, it's not trendy or hip. It's mostly simple straightforward service, hard working under-paid staff doing their best. Long menus with lots ot items that cross over so many themes, regions, and nationalities that there really is something for everyone's tastes. As I say a lot I try to write about places within their genre and what they claim to be. I don't compare them against fancier places and then give them a lousy review or 1-2 stars because they don't stand up against some expensive fancy place. So did we have a quick, attentive, and friendly service? Yes. Was our table clean and ready when they sat us? Yes. Was the food we ordered good? Yes. Was it fancy, pretty, stylized? No. You don't come to a place like this for that. I ordered the chicken dumpling soup and the seafood platter. The soup came out hot which was perfect on this cold wet night. It also came out fast. It was not fancy and I might even say it did not have the best color. But I could also tell it did not come out of a can or shipped in from some regional Cisco factory food or chain headquarters. They made it right there. It was actually great soup and reminded me of something people would make at home. And maybe that's the point of restaurants like this, they are a bit of home with friends and neighbors. Where you stop in to hang out, get off your feet, and have a good meal where you don't have to put on aires or pretense. The fish was all good and generous. My wife enjoyed her email too. Not fancy, not something to get excited about. Just a complete, meal we might have made at home on a Wednesday after work. Now the fun stuff, at least to me. The cook may have had another name but the waitress called her princess. She yelled in orders into a little window, complimented the food as it came out, and teased her with the way she called her princess. Our waitress was ripped right out of a stereotypical tv show. She was older, clearly been doing this for years, working the whole room alone, hustling around, not time for indecisions, not rude, but on point. She was light-hearted and not overly friendly, just enough to get us what we needed. In the back, there were a couple of shifty guys who kept looking around like they were up to something. Everything about them made them look like they were plotting a crime or looking out for the cops. They were not speaking English but when I gave them a smile and a nod, they smiled and nodded back. Leaning into each other closer than most men do, it was clear they were up to something. They left without ordering any food and the waitress did not skip a beat having them leave. Not stressed not relieved. They were just part of the scenery in a place like this. And they did not change the mood of the dining room when they left, no one cared including all the locals. Conversations drifted across multiple tables, clearly, these people knew each other, for a long time and come here often. Occasionally the waitress gives someone a friendly scolding for not ordering already and stops chatting. It was clearly in a familiar way and later seemed to be a relative or close friend. I counted at least five languages being spoken. People who the media like to manipulate into being hateful or fearful of each other and who constantly berate us for our racism or prejudice. Only more often in the real world do people from many walks of life know we have far more in common than not. Everyone got along just fine, no one cared who spoke which language and several people jumped across several depending on who they were talking to. There were people from various walks of life, road-weary travelers like us, truckers, construction workers, people that looked like low-level office workers. I hear Greek, Italian, Pakistan, Hebrew, and Spanish. Perhaps some others I missed. An ethnic group that TV keeps saying all hate and mistreat or are prejudiced against each other. Laughing and eating together as normal people do despite how much the politicians try and make us hate and fear each other. So it's not a fancy place, it might not even be suited to people who have a chip on their shoulder and think they are too good for some places. This is a salt of the earth restaurant where you can relax, come in sweats or a suit and tie. Have a good home-style meal for a reasonable price. If we lived nearby maybe we would be regulars too. But since we don't it's not the kind of place we go looking for. But I respect the hardworking honest people who worked here, eat here, and the owners who provide a place where good people can all just relax and get along. However, use the restrooms at the truck stop. They only have one, its tiny, unventilated and worn. read more

Alli's Family Restaurant - Fish platter with catfish, shrimp and walleye green beans on the side - New American Near Me - Springfield, Missouri

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Stopped here before a flight and it was a great decision. The prices were unreal for now days and very large portions. We got the cheese sticks for an app and they were hot and came with a yummy meat sauce. I had the fish sandwich with fries and it was also came out hot and flavorful. With very thick steak fries as well. My friends got the French toast and the chicken quesadilla were both as tasty. read more

Alli's Family Restaurant - Fish Sandwich with fries - New American Near Me - Springfield, Missouri

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We stopped during a marathon drive from Chicago to Austin. Tired, cold and very hungry. Hearty midwestern fare was called for and we got it! Sweet and helpful serving staff, generous portions and very reasonable prices. The menu is highly varied and the servers are informative and very happy to make recommendations. We needed up getting some mid American classics: country-fried steak and eggs, and open faced hot turkey sandwich. Steak and eggs came with perfectly cooked *everything*: eggs to order (over medium), hash browns (huge portion), wheat toast and honestly - and I'm saying this as a Texan- one if the best chicken fried steaks I've had anywhere. Gravy perfectly placed on top and delicious. The open faced turkey sandwich was also delicious, served with classic brown gravy (a midwestern staple I gather), a top slices of white bread and served with mashed potatoes. And a heap of sliced turkey, perfectly seasoned. We chose the spot because it's just off the highway, easy on/off, and the promise of simple but filling fare. Expectations were exceeded in all categories- taste, value, and friendliness. If you're passing through, and hungry, stop in! If you're local, lucky you! read more

The place is run down and very dirty. I didn't like the food either, however my husband said his chicken fried steak was good.

cleanliness. bath room was terrible. food was okay will not visit again. server was fine but still would not go back.

For one, this place needs to be cleaned. The menus were greasy, the floors are greasy and the table tops are greasy. I went to the bathroom and it looked like I was in a 3rd world country. I did not use the bathroom but felt like I needed to take a shower after being in there the brief 3 seconds...I told my husband waiting for me at the table. Let's go....he quickly said..."I'm glad you said that." GROSS read more

We came here based on positive reviews and we loved it. My husband says it was the best skillet he's ever had. Very generous portions. Oh! For me, the baby beef liver is something I highly recommend. The waitress sweet. If we are ever in the area again this will be a place we will definitely come back to. read more

Alli's Family Restaurant - Liver and onions, sirloin tips skillet - New American Near Me - Springfield, Missouri

Very good. Hot food made fresh. Clean table. Kind service. read more

Alli's Family Restaurant - Chicken Fried Chicken & Two Piece Fish - New American Near Me - Springfield, Missouri

Very good breakfast. HUGE portions. Be prepared to share. The atmosphere is rough don't be shocked old and rugged But has that country charm. We will come back. read more

I got the catfish & 21 fried shrimp with coleslaw & beans. The catfish was perfectly fried, thick & juicy. It was damn good & I ate every single shrimp too. Also if you are staying at the best western next door, let them know for a discount ( the front desk recommended the restaurant). Make sure to thank Momma with her Magic in the kitchen too! read more

i ordered grub hub.. didn't get parts of my order now i have paid money for food never received

The food here is super good. We're from California and we went there to visit a love one.We stopped there to have dinner. The fish, steak, prawns, veggies, everything was super good. The staff was so friendly and welcoming. We felt at home. Definitely eat here if you can read more

Always a good visit here, I've never been disappointed. Full, and extremely varied, menu all day with fresh food. The staff is super nice, they stick true to a dinner atmosphere by calling you hon, sweety, etc. The dated decor fits well. All that's missing is for the waitresses to yell orders to the kitchen, "CUT A BEEF PINK WITH A SIDE OF MASH HOLD THE SLOP, THE MORNING SPECIAL, WRECK IT, PIG STRIPS, AND SPUD SHREDS, BURN 'EM" Don't expect to have fancy date night here, but if you're in the mood for a nice casual experience give this place a try, you won't be disappointed. read more

Alli's Family Restaurant - Ham melt with a side of fries, crispy - New American Near Me - Springfield, Missouri

Despite the 5-star reviews this isn't a 5-star place. Worn and dated describe the aesthetics. Plentiful and meh describe the food. Service was friendly and expedient. To call it a dive isn't a knock. It is a knock to say the food quality is akin to DIY boxed foods you make at home. The normal menu of this old school diner is American comfort foods. Stopping on Christmas the menu was limited to pork chop, ham, and turkey entrees. Each included mashed potatoes, bread dressing, green beans, and pumpkin pie. And gravy. Lots of it. The food portions were HUGE. The full pork chop was at least two inches thick and lightly smoked. Turkey breast slices were okay but deluged in yellow gravy. So-so dressing was also bathed in gravy as were the mashed potatoes. Green beans, thankfully, were gravy-less and flavorful. The first bite of pumpkin pie was unimpressive. The second startled with a mouthful of nutmeg. Obviously, a bit more batter mixing was necessary. At $9.99 the lunch special was a good value if you divide it by 2 diners or 2-3 leftover meals. Otherwise, there will be considerable food waste. read more

Alli's Family Restaurant - The pork chop lunch special. Pumpkin pie was included. - New American Near Me - Springfield, Missouri

If you're looking for good home cooking, this is my recommendation large portions. Very reasonably priced great hospitality. I definitely recommend eating here and wow is all I can say! read more

I would say, just keep on driving. The only reason I stopped was because my girlfriend wouldn't make a decision earlier on our trip about where she wanted to eat. So I picked Ali's and I think next time see will speak up and have some input on our choice of eating establishments. The menu covers hasn't been wiped down in years, the food was served on discolored and chipped plates. The waitress was friendly, the omelette was good, the prices were cheap and we received a lot of food. Even with that said, the place was not clean or well kept. So keep on driving! read more

I love this place my dad started taken me when I was young and I just moved back and I'm not gonna lie first thing I got from them was one of my favorites is their biscuits and gravy which is my husband's favorite. But we also have order their whole made hamburgers and fries and salads and other food they make and so good . read more

Good food, friendly people and a large menu! Breakfast is available all day. Hash browns are fresh, not from frozen. Save room for pie! read more

Best food since moving to Springfield area!! When everything was your favorite? You know it's good!! AMAZING EVERYTHING!

This is the place the snooty would call dated. The sign is 60s, the interior is dark 70s, the diners older than all that. But you know something? My palate is dated too. And the fried fish, fried okra, and chicken fried chicken I attempted to finish (unsuccessfully) were all pretty darn good (if unoriginal). Portions are monstrous. The waitress calls you hon, and calls the cook "Princess". US 66 boasts many retro diners that try to recall the good old days of travel. This isn't trying and is the real deal. Ymmv on whether you like that or not. read more

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The ham & beans with fried potatoes & onions was great! It's the kind of country cooking that I grew up on. Makes me happy. read more

Alli's Family Restaurant - Ham & beans with fried potatoes & onions - New American Near Me - Springfield, Missouri

Hey. It's worn out and old. The place is full of character but let me tell you that the food and prices are unbelievable. Saw the sign by the truck stop. Truck parking. Plus. The portions are huge. The pancakes are epic!!! Size of a hubcap and they keep the syrup heated. Plus plus plus. Don't be discouraged. The prices are so reasonable and the menu is huge. The owner is so nice. ILL BE BACK!!!!! read more

Alli's Family Restaurant - New American Near Me - Springfield, Missouri

This place is one of those little hole in the wall looking juke joints that serves pretty good foods and service is good and kind . Breakfast was good ... I would eat here again read more

I was looking forward to food from this place after seeing the reviews but I was very disappointed. We ordered food from DoorDash. I doubt I'll try again. I got mashed potatoes (very very bland with no flavor), French fries (again no flavor and seemed like frozen steak fries) and chicken tenders (rubber!). My husband got a burger and the same gross fries. read more

Not visually appealing place but has wonderful food. Took us a while to go to this place because of the outside appearance and where it's located. As soon as we walked in we were welcome by Theresa (our super server), she was patiently explain every questions we had. I wasn't sure about the soup of the day. Theresa went and got me half of a bowl to sample. Great selection (a bit overwhelming) &great price for these days economy. Fired catfish was lightly breaded with seasoning cornbread, steak fries were so crunchy!! Country fried steak was huge portion with with great flavor. Side of hash brown were massive. 8oz steak were so so. Our left over we're enough for 2 meals. The only thing holding this place back is the lack of up keep of the building. Inside was dated, light above our heads kept flicking. Overall great food and service. read more

Please house the country home home breakfast feel and the prices perfect $8.99 chicken fried steak biscuits hashbrowns two eggs. read more

Alli's Family Restaurant - It has the Country home feel - New American Near Me - Springfield, Missouri

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We stopped here on a road trip and even the coffee was bad. Would not return even if in the area. All 5 of us disliked our orders.

Great place to eat after a long drive from Texas. Fast service and great tasting food!

OH MY GRAVY! Such a nice selection of food with Specials for every day of the week. Really AWESOME! Waitress and hostess were so accommodating and friendly. We enjoyed every item we ordered and took home enough food to feed all of us again. One 8 oz. sirloin, two pork chops 3" thick (tender/flavorful) plus four sides (all very good) for $12.99. REALLY? Definitely worth a trip read more

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Server: Tara. She adorable. Very funny. She clearly knows the menu and how each item is prepared. Its nice to have a knowledgeable server. Ambiance: its a family affair. Kinda quaint kinda greasy spoon meets everything is a special place. Food: the menu is quite vast. You're presented with a several page regular menu and a several page specials book. The food itself is pretty good. The beans and cornbread is very good. The Salisbury steak is juicy and has a very good flavor. The potatoes had no flavor. The German chocolate cake looked good. Bit was clearly not a typical German chocolate cake. It was okay. Overall: Military: no. No discounts read more

Absolutely the most friendly service! They didn't have a kids coloring page but our waitress procured a basket of crayons and some white paper bags for the kids to make hand puppets with. My father ordered a chicken special which was grilled chicken topped with ham and cheese and 2 sides. He eats a lot of food and was not able to finish it. I ordered the 2 Can Dine Dinner with Chicken Fried Steak and mashed potatoes and green beans for me and the 2 kids. I was thinking it would just be a large Chicken Fried steak that you could split but it was actually 2 entirely separate meals! Great food and nice service. read more

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The waitress that I've had both times I've been there has been wonderful, the menu has ample on it for what you would expect and the food is quite scrumptious read more

I had extreme reservations about coming to this place when I read all of the reviews about owners and employees calling African Americans the "N" word like it was the early 1900's and acceptable. Can't say I got that vibe at all from the two ladies I encountered were very pleasant. My fish and shrimp were seasoned on the money they were delicious, but that thing they call a salad oh no y'all have to do better on that one. It's straight iceburg lettuce out of the bag didn't even try to dress it up. read more

Alli's Family Restaurant - So called salad - New American Near Me - Springfield, Missouri

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