What looks to be a plain old Quonset hut is disguising a really cool little diner. We were greeted and sat immediately, which was surprising for a Saturday morning. There were only a couple of empty tables in there, but that changed quickly and within 5 minutes there was a wait of 20-30 mins. Our server "TT" took our orders right away and the entire time we were there no one's beverage got even close to empty. Considering how many tables she had, the amount of attention she dedicated to us was impressive. The food was great! Biscuits and gravy, hash browns and bacon were yummy as were the waffles. For 4 adults the tab came to $52 with drinks, before tip. Not a bad value especially since 3 of us took half of our food to go because the portions are so large. We will be back next time we're in town! read more

At a time when the concept of "value" is flying away at warp speed, this lovely relic is going the other direction in the absolute BEST way! We stopped in on a day's drive from Kansas City to Chicago, due to the quantity and quality of reviews all over the internets, very much including Yelp! We were hungry and in need of some energy for lunch, and Charlie Parker's delivered on both! The place looks like a small military airplane hangar, but don't be fooled: inside is some of the best greasy spoon food you could wish for in the Midwest! The dining room is bright, tight, and fun, decorated to the inch by fun, colorful and humorous memorabilia! We ordered, and were served just a few quick minutes later. Each platter (correct word!) was stuffed with awesome, tasty food! Amongst the four of us, we had some sweet and some savory options, and we all tried each others! We all agreed - the food was delicious! When the bill came and printed at the bottom was a number less than $100, less than $50, I almost lost my mind! We were STUFFED to the gills with awesome diner fare, and our bill was barely $40! How did this happen? I pray this place is somehow eeking out a profit, as I seriously can't remember getting so much awesome food for so little cost in a sit-down restaurant. If it IS making money, then MAJOR kudos to the owner - this business model should be copied throughout the land. Food = 4/5 Facility = 4/5 Service = 4/5 Ambiance = 4/5 Value = 6/5 read more

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So much ever. Interesting cast of characters working at the place, but it was worth the stop for brunch while driving through Springfield. Order a Shoe. Just be prepared to eat a lot of potatoes. So many tots and hash browns. read more

We were told this was wonderful but found it only average. Service was amazing despite very busy and food came out quickly but hash browns were crispy. Chicken sandwich was large and fresh and juicy but lacked seasoning. Fries were not crispy. read more

Charlie Parkers - Diners Near Me - Springfield, Illinois

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This place in an old airplane hanger - serving up what? Horseshoes! Just think of a horseshoe being some base of potatoes...fries or gator tots. Then maybe a gravy, a chicken fried steak, pork chop etc...then a cheese sauce. And there you go! Not all separated in a plate...but on top of each other! Yeah, crazy, I know. Side note: The best horseshoes in this town I've had: D'Arcy's. Their product is the absolute best. I think it's a blend of 5 cheeses - DArcy's cheese sauce is. And it's a real difference maker. I like D'Arcy's better. read more

Great food from one of the restaurants featured on Diner, Drive-Ins, and Dives. Service is great and everyone is friendly. This is also located in an old Quonset Hit, so it an interesting building with lots of '50s memorabilia. I would stop in if I'm ever in Springfield again. read more

Charlie Parkers - Open Faced Hot Beef - Diners Near Me - Springfield, Illinois

My late husband and I came here about 15 years ago and he always wanted to bring our kids back to Springfield and here. So today I am making that a reality with my 13 year old. Our waitress was great, she understood my son's braces issue and helped us find things he could eat. He got the ham and cheese omelet with hash browns lightly browned. He loved it. He said he couldn't eat the toast but everything else he devoured. I ordered a half order of the banana bread French toast and a couple eggs. I had wanted a stuffed pancake but they were out of the stuffing. The bread was ok but I think I would choose something else next time. The place has not changed on the inside and is just a fun dinner vibe. It looks like it hasn't been updated in the 15 years but we will probably go again if we come back. read more

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Old School diner with a fab breakfast and lunch menu. Love the vinyl and old advertisements on the walls. Amber L. Waited on us and provided excellent, quick service. We ordered the senior omelet with cheese and meat (ham) for mamacita, and I got the regular veggie and cheese omelet (no tomato) Our food came out super fast and hot. Very generous portion of potatoes. The music is upbeat and the decor is adorable. Love the Vibe here. The menu is extensive and has something for everyone. Breakfast all day long. A very cute place and comfortable booths. read more

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Breakfast Shoe breakfast was amazing !!! Highly recommended coming here for breakfast!!! Definitely 10 stars !!! read more

Charlie Parkers - Awards !!! - Diners Near Me - Springfield, Illinois

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I went I tried I conquered!!! Old school gathering place. Good servers, sat at the bar area. No nonsense. Good recommendation. The pancakes ARE HUGE!!!! OHMYGOODNESS!!! That said. I enjoyed the hash more! Fresh. Really corned beef. My server was excellent! Would I go back. Prolly. Wasn't expensive. Worth the food, where I was. read more

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Good food. TT Is always wonderful. Always a great experience here. Never miss it if we're in the area! read more

Charlie Parkers - TT - Diners Near Me - Springfield, Illinois

Charlie Parkers is a must-stop if you are in Springfield, Illinois. This is a diner off the beaten path, but well worth the trip. My husband and I went on a Sunday afternoon and it was very crowded. It is the home to the famous horseshoe, a magical combination of breakfast foods. I had a folded chocolate chip pancake. The food was amazing, even if the atmosphere left something to be desired. read more

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Cute little diner spot! Super friendly service. Typical diner offerings and they also have giant pancakes, and it's Springfield so also a shoe. Good prices and they serve Pepsi products. read more

I've driven by here many times but this is my first time stopping for lunch but it definitely won't be the last! Food is excellent and great service that's a combination you rarely find anywhere now days! I ordered the Hamburger Pony Shoe, a smaller version of their famous Hamburger Horse Shoe. The fries were delicious and cooked perfectly and the cheese sauce was unique and tasty. My Dad order the open face roast beef and he said it was great! There were a lot of people ordering a late breakfast and it looked amazing. If you're looking for a great meal this is the place. read more

Charlie Parkers - Hamburger Pony Shoe - Diners Near Me - Springfield, Illinois

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Well this was an experience! People told me to come here for a horseshoe... I went with a pony with scrambled egg, ham and fries with both sauces! Great, except still so much I could not eat it all! Excellent service. Definitely locals are here too! read more

Charlie Parkers - A full pony! - Diners Near Me - Springfield, Illinois

This place is a must! Staff is awesome. So friendly and welcoming. They treat you like family. Great prices and too much food! The food is so yummy and reminiscent of an old time diner! Every time I am in Springfield this is where I eat breakfast! read more

The bathroom could be smelled thru closed doors. Worse ever. Very popular resturant. It definitely not because its clean read more

I had high hopes so I think they were having an off day. The horseshoe was alright, I had been told the best. It was not the best. I had the burger one. Service last was great and attentive. Ambiance is excellent and old timer classic rock and roll dinner. read more

Charlie Parkers - Hamburger Horseshoe - Diners Near Me - Springfield, Illinois

Nostalgia on steroids! Had the legendary breakfast horseshoe which was awesome! I love the history of places like this and people that can appreciate both the locals who are greeted by their name and those that have worked there for years. Service was excellent and the atmosphere is like walking back in time. Would definitely go back and are looking forward to! read more

Excellent omelets, tater tots and gravy. Coffee is the best around. Specials every day. Excellent, friendly fast service. Ambiance is legendary. Old signs, posters, pictures, and records adorn the walls of this quaint little hut. read more

Fun spot to stop in for great food. We had breakfast. Western omelet, has browns, and a pancake. Pamcake was the size of the 33 records on the walls. Never had an omelet with such fresh tasting veggies in it. Hash browns were so good. Handmade in house read more

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Food, service, ambiance. Love the employees. They could do something with the parking lot though. It's rough and has way too many holes, needs repaired big time! read more

The food in this place just is not good. I ordered a popular Midwestern breakfast dish that I've enjoyed in the past. I ordered my eggs over medium and when they arrived at my table and I cut into them a gush of clear liquid poured out of the eggs and that totally ruined my appetite. They were way way undercooked and inedible. I also ordered a pancake that was just dry and flavorless. It was very huge but it was also a huge disappointment and I just hate when restaurants give you ice cold syrup to put on your hot pancake. It's a shame that this place missed the mark because they have really good service the restaurant is really cool looking and the decor is a unique old school diner vibe. They have great coffee and the waitresses are really attentive and kind. Shan't be returning read more

Yum! Needed to stop here as Guy Fieri featured Charlie Parkers on Diners Drive Ins and Dives in 2007. Springfield IL has a specialty sandwich called the Horseshoe or smaller size Pony. I literally had yogurt for breakfast and we ate here after going to Lincoln Museum and home. I had Ham, 2 eggs and hashbrown horseshoe with cheese and sausage gravy. Normally, I'm not a big eater. I ate a bite of bread and removed them. Everything was really good. Waitress asked where we were from and offered some ideas. Super friendly. Only open until 2 pm so get there soon. read more

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We had just finished the tour at Ace Sign Museum and when we learned Charlie Parker's, which was on our to eat list while in town, was just down the street so we drove over, less than 5 minutes away. When we pulled into the parking lot, which by the way could use a truckload of stone to fill all the potholes, the building looked like a tiny airplane hanger. It's actually a vintage Quonset Hut from WWII which were used to house people and supplies back then. More info is on their website and the menu. We were lucky to get one of the last tables avail as it was the busy lunch rush. The waitress quickly took our drink orders and gave us the menu, which is Big! My spouse ordered the BLT with potato salad and I got the Slim Kim, which is anything but, also with potato salad. We both enjoyed our meals, the decor, the music, and the service was great! read more

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I wasn't going to get a horseshoe. It was my plan to get something normal and watch someone else get a horseshoe. And then the waitress suggested that they have boxes and so I got a horseshoe. Yes, I was completely swayed by the DDD. It's the only one in Illinois that isn't in the Chicagoland area. I arrived just as they opened and was the second customer through the door at 7am. Greeted and welcomed to the diner, I was seated immediately and presented a menu. A moment later, my waitress was by with coffee and she took my order. A very few minutes later, my breakfast horseshoe arrived. On a base of two pieces of toast, two eggs (I chose mine basted), topped with ham and then smothered in hash browns and topped with half gravy and have cheese sauce. This is a LOT of food and about three quarters of it got scraped into that box and ended up as both lunch later and then breakfast the next day. Not a fancy place but it's interesting and the food is fresh and the service is warm. Thanks, Guy Fieri! [Review 19704 overall - 156 in Illinois - 676 of 2023.] read more

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This place is coasting on their reputation. Not much concern for customer's experience starting in the parking lot. Unpaved gravel with many holes - a real mess when it rains. Inside, almost no place for waiting customers. They recommend waiting in your car and text you when the table is ready. I ordered the Chicken and Waffle. On the menu, it explicitly states bacon bits. The waitress looked perplexed and came back to tell me the manager (owner?) said bacon bits would be an extra $2.99 because the menu was wrong. Why didn't they mark it off? They could buy a roll of correction tape and just cover it up. Wouldn't that be better than making you customer feel bad for expecting what is listed on the menu? Food was ok. Tater tots were nicely crisp. Friend's toast looked like a piece of bread on a plate - no browning. My English muffin had an odd yellow-colored blob of what may have been butter. Service was good - we had a great waitress. There are better places to go. Disappointing. read more

This is the go to for brocation, if you know you know . Always busy but always fast friendly service . I will continue to come smash a giant pancake every brocation . The gravy is legit , cool place read more

Charlie Parkers - That big big - Diners Near Me - Springfield, Illinois

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It is what it is here. Place full of locals, ok service and the food is nothing special. Yes, there is a breakfast horseshoe and yes, the menu has plenty of options but it's nothing worth coming in for. I had the pony sized breakfast shoe with ham, tater tots and half cheese sauce half biscuit gravy but meh. The atmosphere is okay and in an old army hut but again, nothing special. If I wasn't passing through, I wouldn't have made a special trip. read more

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Great breakfast spot! It's a small busy place but the service and food are great! We were here at about 9.30 on a Sunday morning and they were packed. I had to try the breakfast pony since it's a local dish. I had sausage with hashbrowns with the gravy sausage over biscuits with an over easy egg. Um...yum. It's a lot of food even the pony size dish. I guess if you really want to go big get the horseshoe. My husband had the fisherman breakfast with catfish. He loved it. read more

Charlie Parkers - The menu- breakfast shoe - Diners Near Me - Springfield, Illinois

The biscuits and gravy half order was large like a full order, it was good. The chocolate chip pancake was very chocolatey and huge! Only complaint is the water tastes weird. Cute inside and fast service read more

Charlie Parkers - Chocolate chip pancake & half order biscuits and gravy - Diners Near Me - Springfield, Illinois

very popular eatery and I believe has been on "Diners, Drive-ins & Dives". all the customers, around us seemed to always have smiles on their faces. The food servings are ample and many choices. We came for lunch, but, they serve breakfast all day, i believe. The parking is a bit odd....looks like a mine-field with potholes and gravel...so be careful while parking. There is limited seating, so be prepared to wait. The service is excellent and fun to watch running around keeping everybody happy. read more

Charlie Parkers - Patty Melt with a side of house-made Cole Slaw - Diners Near Me - Springfield, Illinois

We visited for the first time on a Thursday for lunch. It was pretty full and most people seemed to be having breakfast. The special was sloppy Joe's and we tried that. They were the dlopirst sloppy Joe's I've ever had. No way to pick it up and eat as a sandwich. I used a spoon. The meat was very sweet. It did have a good flavor but I don't think I'd try it again. My wife had fries with hers and liked them. They were hot and fresh. I'd definitely recommend this place, probably stick either breakfast or some type of shoe. read more

Charlie Parkers - Sloppy Joe was the special the day we visited - Diners Near Me - Springfield, Illinois

It was so buss I would 100% recommend going here I got some of them pancakes that are massive and it was very scrumptious. The service was pretty fast ngl but it will always be packed asf in there so just beware of that. Also the ambiance of the restaurant was dope it had some cool ahh decorations. read more

Fun diner. Was super busy but food came out quickly. Staff worked efficiently. Grandsons enjoyed everything. Food was good. Staff friendly. read more

Hard to find but worth the trouble. Speedy service and great hole I. The wall type place.

My buddy bragged about this place for years. I'm so happy we had the opportunity to have breakfast @ Charlie Parker's. I wanted to try everything on the menu but on knowledgeable waitress Ti-Ti was so helpful. The best service I've had in a long time. read more

Charlie Parkers - Giant pancake - Diners Near Me - Springfield, Illinois

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We've eaten here before and the food is good. Cool atmosphere. We tried to go today about lunch time. The guy said the wait would be 5-15 minutes so we decided to wait -- table for 2. I understand they are popular -- I understand having to wait. That's OK, provided everybody has the same rules! We had been waiting about 10 minutes outside (no place to wait inside!), when a couple pulled in the lot, parked, and walked inside. Figured they were waiting inside somewhere. In a few minutes, we went to check and see how much longer the wait would be. There they sat at a table and the guy tells me there's still 3 parties ahead of us! Huh, guess it's all who you know and not really wait in "line". We left and it will be a really, really long time until we go back....not that they care, I'm sure as there's obviously no shortage of business. read more

Unfortunately I do not live in Springfield but occasionally when I do drive-through,I love to stop at this place that is well known to the locals. This place does have the provenance of being one of Guy Fieri's triple D spots. I kept my breakfast order fairly simple, but they are quite well known for a few of their dishes which you can read from other reviewer's. If you're going to have breakfast or lunch anywhere in Springfield as a visitor, this is a must visit spot. The bottomless cup of coffee is decent and the food is exceptional in it's own way. Charlie Parkers 700 North St, Springfield, IL 62704 (217) 241-2104 I found it on the Find Diners & Dives App! https://bit.ly/finddinersdives read more

Charlie Parkers - Inside the hanger - Diners Near Me - Springfield, Illinois

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This restaurant is one of my all-time childhood favorites. The decoration is fabulous and the ambience is great. The service is top-notch. The food is delicious. I haven't even tried it yet and I just know my mouth will be watering. 10/10 10. read more