Took the family here last weekend. This place has always had great food. This time was exceptionally good. The breakfast burrito was delicious. I added a few things to it and a side of their sausage gray to give it more of a punch. My kiddos loved their hot cakes, and my fiancé enjoyed her breakfast shoe. I tried the shoe and it was very good and made me realize I need to come back and get that next time. We will be back for sure! The place was very clean especially for a diner. The staff gets the food out quick and the tables turned. Even if packed it appeared there would never be much of a wait. Great job! read more

D&J Cafe - a family sitting at a table with food - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Springfield, Illinois

Hearty, fresh American breakfast with fresh coffee & your mon-pop charm. Can't have enough of it's friendly staff, kids-loving atmosphere and neighborhood vibe. read more

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Good, solid diner breakfast. Good service and well cooked food. Hometown feel for sure.

Wish I'd checked out the recent reviews before we came. We had been here a few years ago and enjoyed it. Not today! Pretty disappointing. Service was just ok. Not overly friendly, and didn't get the order right. I know that was the cook, but the server didn't notice. The veggies in my omelet had an " off" taste, so I scraped them off. Nobody asked if there was a problem. The place looks dirty, too. The staff scrape off plates right next to the bathroom. Gross. a final clue as to the lack of class in this place is the typed narrative by the cash register about someone who threw a brick through the window. Why would they think that referring to anyone as a "stupid little ...." is a good thing. We won't be back. read more

Staff are friendly, short on servers unfortunately. I got food poisoning from this place. Coworker had egg shells in their pancakes. Other coworker had melted plastic in their food from when their gravy was heated in the microwave. read more

DIRTY. That was my first impression, and I should have listened to my gut and walked out. After placing my order with the less than friendly "Pam" who had disgusting long dirty nails and kept playing with her nose while taking our order, I proceeded to watch the man in the kitchen run his hands through his hair, touch food, scratch his face, touch food, I asked "Pam" if he was washing his hands at all or maybe wearing gloves and she rolled her eyes and said "I wish". (WHAT!?!?!?) The food was either over cooked and/or undercooked. My bacon tasted OLD, the pancakes had RAW batter in the middle still, the Grits are clearly instant. It was my first and last visit. read more

I genuinely don't understand how this place has such great reviews. Maybe their lunch is better than their breakfast? The coffee was decent and the servers were busy but nice. However, this restaurant needs to invest in some fresh produce. Everything is packaged and cooked up and it's evident. I ordered a fruit bowl for our two year old thinking it would be the usual mix of fruit like strawberries, blueberries, pineapple or some other tropical fruit. Nope. It was canned peaches. They didn't even take the time to drain the syrup off the peaches. His cinnamon roll? A packaged Big Texas cinnamon roll. Microwaved. I had the western omelet with rye toast (which came burnt). The cheese that comes with this? Strips of American cheese singles melted across the top. My boyfriend ordered their bacon breakfast horseshoe and the melted yellow cheese that came with this "horseshoe" was clumpy and tasteless. I really love diners/cafes but I would not come back to this one again. read more

D&J Cafe - Canned peaches aka fruit bowl - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Springfield, Illinois

Perfect diner experience. Staff was nice. Prices were good. Got the chicken biscuit - so good. Heads up - the pancakes are VERY sweet.

Went to Springfield for the Lincoln History and needed to grab some breakfast before heading to the museum. This is definitely a local spot and everyone knows each other. Our waitress was new but very friendly even though she was covering almost all the tables on a busy Sunday morning. We ordered a regular 2 egg breakfast with bacon and pancakes and The Horeshoe with gravy not cheese and hash browns not fries. The pancakes were okay, but I would choose something else next time. The Horseshoe was great though. Worth a stop if you are in town. read more

Great service and the food was better than ever. The owner came over and talked to us about our meal.

Super good food would highly recommend it waitresses at the place seem to be very very friendly and I think yeah I'll give it a try we we did and we thought it was great read more

Very happy to see them this morning, especially with the employee pandemic going on. This was the 3 place I went to and the first that was open. Walked in and grabbed a seat. Waitress was passing by and asked if I wanted a coffee and a menu. Naturally I said yes. There was a bone in ham steak and two eggs special, but I chose the Western omelette and half order of biscuits and gravy. Everything was served promptly and was very good. Sorry I didn't get pictures. I was hungry. read more

D&J Cafe - My food and I - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Springfield, Illinois

I needed to pick up food for a hospital patient who could finally eat whatever he wanted and he wanted breakfast at 3pm. Happily Google was able to send me to this spot that serves breakfast all day. I was happy to find good parking, prompt friendly service and the patient and his wife were able to eat full meals, which they both enjoyed very much, off of my order of scrambled eggs, bacon, hash browns and 2 pancakes. So happy they were available with comfort food when I needed them. read more

The is an old style restaurant. No frills. Coffee is quick to you and hot!!! Very busy. This is the local hang out for sure. That in my eyes is a very good thing. Servers very polite. Cash only no plastic here, but you will find an ATM next to the register so you can print your own money. Just got the horseshoe. Wow wow wow. Toast scrambled eggs sausage sausage gravy over it all and hash browns mounded on top. Amazing for sure. $7. A must restaurant in springfield. read more

D&J Cafe - The horseshoe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Springfield, Illinois

I come to Springfield once every 4 years or so, last time I had breakfast in town was at Charlie Parkers, and it was pretty good. So, This seemed to be the best next thing on Yelp. The place was half full, but we still had to wait for coffee and water (which you have to request). The server was nice enough, I tried the "HorseShoe" . It was awful. The cheese wiz or whatever that was, over powered the eggs, the hash browns, and made the toast buried under all this soggy and disgusting. There was some bacon in there too, that was nothing outstanding. My wife had an omelet that was nothing special. Her side order of American Fries, did not come till we asked for it. When it did arrive they were good. I would try it again, I can see why the "Horseshoe" never took off anywhere else. It was bad. read more

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Enjoyed my breakfast shoe!! Half gravy and cheese!! The service was very quick! I would highly recommend this for anyone visiting Springfield to stop on through! read more

D&J Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Springfield, Illinois

This place has the best steak and eggs I ever had. I like the feel of the place and the staff was very nice. If you like good breakfast food I recommend this place.. There steak and eggs are a must go check them out read more

This place is a small town diner. Breakfast was just okay. No hash browns came with my western omelette. Just toast. And the cheese was put on top of the omelette, not inside. Sat at the counter and listened to the waitress gossip and complain as the were grabbing plates from the kitchen. Have had better breakfast in Springfield. read more

The waitress dropped the bun of my sandwich and served me a slice of turkey between two buns. I had ordered turkey sandwich!!!

If I can get up early enough when I'm visiting in Springfield and if we can actually get a table, this is hands down my favorite place to get breakfast in Springfield. Friendly waitresses, good coffee, great breakfasts, totally cheap. These qualities alone set it above all other diners in Springfield. That being said, there are two words to explain why I'm giving this humble diner 5 stars - "Breakfast Horseshoe." Yeah, don't ask questions, order it and thank me later. read more

My grandparents have been going to DJ's for years. Perhaps 80 years. When my grandma gets there, she picks her own seat and the manager has hot coffee on her table before she even sits down. If she doesn't order enough food, the waitress brings an extra (free) sandwich, which Grandma dutifully eats. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner is hot, well salted, and cheap. I always look forward to going to DJ's when we visit Springfield. Also, horseshoes are gross no matter where you go. read more

There are new owners and higher prices than their competitors. I had a cheeseburger that was not much bigger than a slider and they had no lettuce. Never understand being out of basics when all they have to do is go to any store or wholesaler. read more

Huzzah! No, I'm not a Harlequin, I'm just a man that was satisfied by an extremely wonderful breakfast horshoes with bacon. They were even awesome enough to let me have half covered with cheese sauce and half with gravy. Oh, man. People love coming here after church on Sunday (it gets really packed). In my opinion, I think they should eat here first, then go to church... cus this food is sinfully delicious. The staff is very, very friendly. I am really glad my friends took me here. However, I think I'll thank them by forwarding them the bill for my gym membership. It couldn't have been healthy to eat that much of a good thing. I have no regrets. Cash only. read more

Quite simply we get what we ask for every time without any odd looks or hassle and the food is consistent and good. We go for breakfast about once a week. We get egg and veggie scrambles without cheese. I get a side of a double order of oatmeal. Ronda has become "our" waitress and she now remembers what we want every time. She keeps the coffee topped and the water full. It's a mom and pop place. We go in sweaty after a workout and feel quite comfortable alongside the after-church group on Sundays. read more

My family was in Springfield for the weekend and we wanted to get breakfast. This wasn't our first choice but we had to settle. We tried it because it was a family owned restaurant and typically those are the best places to eat. Today that view changed. The coffee tasted like dirty water and the tea was literally water. I ordered the country steak and egg. The steak wasn't too bad itself but the gravy smelt fishy and it was too pasty. I'm usually a big hash brown guy and like them but for here I added tons of salt to the hash browns to give it flavor but it still wasn't good enough. My little brother ordered the BLT and the sandwich looked like someone put zero effort in it. The bacon was mediocre at best. The sandwich came with fries but those were kind of stale and needed salt like the hash browns. My mom ordered the Ham. The ham was fairly good but the hash browns were stopping it's potential. The fellow diners at the restaurant gave my family a disgust look considering we're Hispanic. I don't know if it was because of my shirt and tie from the meeting that I came out of or it was the color of my skin. All eyes were on us and the eyes mostly came from Caucasians The plus side to this restaurant is that it is family owned and has its history. The service was great and it did not take long for the food to come out. The prices were great as well. The speed and the price of the food matches the quality of the food. If you're in town and in a rush to get a quick and cheap meal this is a good place to go. read more

I have often frequented this cafe. Of late, there was some controversy which led me to explore Charlie Parker's. Last weekends returned to D-J for a carry out order. I ordered the eeekend special, and was told it would be ready in 30 minutes. I arrived at the appointed times for found a very long line at check out. I waited patiently, as the cashier painstakingly reviewed each checkout slip and chatted with customers. A customer with a styrofoam sandwich carry out container entered and leaned over the counter, quietly advising the cashier there was a dog in a car parked outside who was looking out the window; it was hot out, she added. After she left, the cashier said she didn't know what she was supposed to do about it. After taking her time to check out the person before her, she left her station to stop at several tables, seemingly asking if they had a dog in their car. Then, she turned to a general announcement intended to inquire of everyone. My arm shot up, and I said I needed my order to leave. She said she'd get to me, but right now she was dealing with a dog in a car. Again, my arm shot up. She gave me a steely, hard look and repeated her inquiry. Several customers pointed to me with my raised arm. I did eventually make it out of the restaurant and my dog is fine, thanks. In giving me change, she didn't subtract the 3 cents, but my order also did not include the coffee that was part of the weekend special or the orange marmalade I'd requested. I wanted American fries; got hash browns that really weren't so great. D-J is more convenient, but I think I'll be patronizing Charlie Parker's from here on out. read more

My favorite breakfast place in Springfield. Friendly staff, prices you can't argue with, and they just make the perfect hashbrowns. In fact, D&J is what began my love for local breakfast dives. You should try the haystack - it's like a breakfast horseshoe. I try to make it in here every time I come back to Springfield! Hope it sticks around forever! read more

Incredible food at an awesome price! Good portions too! Breakfast lunch and dinner served all day. read more

D&J Cafe - Open faced beef sandwich with mashed potatoes and green beans. $6.75 - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Springfield, Illinois

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I tried the cheeseburger. The burger was thin like a Steak & Shake burger (which I don't care for) but had a good flavor. I will go back and try one of the homestyle meals offered on the menu. Usual diner atmosphere, $8 average price per meal. read more

Good place for hangover food!! Lots of good memories here, cute spot, plus you get a lot of food for the money

In town for a family reunion and our uber driver suggested his favorite breakfast spot DJ's Cafe when Charlie Parker's was packed. DJ's was packed, but we were seated right away. Service was quick and on point, including timely refills of hot coffee. Amazing breakfast - breakfast burrito, corned beef hash with basted eggs and wheat toast, and chicken fried steak with hash browns. Each of us was beyond pleased. Frank's Red Hot on the table made it even better. Would definitely come back. read more

Nothing is better on a sleepy weekend morning than wedging your car into a parking spot at D&J's and getting a breakfast ponyshoe. Seriously. This is such a friendly little diner, very humble, with good old-fashioned griddle food, that I would say it is the quintessential family restaurant experience. I always go for the ponyshoe with scrambled eggs, bacon, and cheese sauce. I haven't tried many of their lunch items, but from what I've had it is average diner food and nothing else. No surprises here, just the local family restaurant experience we had as children and still enjoy as adults. read more

We called ahead to see how long the wait would be. I asked a few different ways, but the person who answered the phone kept asking what I wanted to order. We came in and I got the pancakes and a side of bacon. The server asked me how I wanted my eggs; I said "scrambled"; then she said my meal doesn't come with eggs. huh? Food finally comes: reasonable pancakes, no real butter in the whole place, and fake syrup. The bacon was obviously a bulk purchase from the local Sam's Club/ Costco. The coffee was some of the worst brown water I've had in a long time. The interior is a bunch of mismatched tables, dirty ceiling tiles, and terrible fluorescent lighting. I can't conceive how anyone gives this place a good rating, so I felt compelled to write this review so no one else gets suckered into trying this awful place by relying on the existing yelp reviews. read more

DJ's is a great place to eat... breakfast lunch or dinner can't go wrong. Horseshoes are phenomenal as is everything else...Staff friendly and warm.! I would definitely suggest eating at DJ'S CAFE!! read more

Great breakfast place. Got our breakfast within 10 minutes of our order (4 people). Got the 1/2 order biscuits and gravy 2 eggs plus meat choice for $4.95 read more

GREAT food! Good "mom & "pop" place with cheap prices. We love breakfast there... especially after a night out! My husband loves the breakfast horseshoe. read more

My wife and I ate at D & J yesterday and the meal was great, good food, fast, very reasonable in price. Parking lot was full...great deal for the price. Matt from California didn't like it but...it's the Midwest...this is how we live and eat....5 Stars for D&J!!!! read more

A good, cheap, local place (for breakfast). It's been a long standing restaurant and I understand why. Lots of regulars; attentive servers; we were seated quickly; and good coffee - you really can't go wrong for breakfast. I've only had breakfast here, but I would definitely return. read more

Had lunch, super fast service. We had cheeseburger and tenderloin sandwiches. They were good but nothing that would scream best ever. Restaurant is very casual, not your place if your looking for a theme. Jeans/ t shirt type of place. read more

Local family owned business since 1974. Until recently they didn't take credit or debit cards but,... THEY DO NOW! The locals eat here. American Diner style food. The waffle and special were fantastic! Great cheeseburger too. Reasonably priced. I will definitely keep coming back. Clean and quick. But usually a line weekend mornings but the wait isn't long. They also have all you can eat walleye on Fridays for dinner. read more