I'm honestly surprised this place is sitting at a 3.5. Our experience was easily 5 stars. We came in around 6pm on a Saturday for our first visit, and everything from start to finish was impressive. The hostess was friendly right away and set a great tone. Our waitress was fantastic. She was super nice, attentive, and always on top of drink refills without us even having to ask. Even the other staff we saw seemed engaged and happy to be there, which says a lot about the overall management. For food, we started with the brussel sprouts and bacon-wrapped dates. Both were outstanding. The flavors were on point and a great way to kick off the meal. I ordered the BBQ glazed chicken for my entrée, and it did not disappoint. It was cooked perfectly and packed with flavor. The atmosphere hits a really nice balance. It feels slightly upscale and polished, but still comfortable and down to earth. It wasn't too loud, which made it easy to enjoy conversation. All around, this was a great experience and we will definitely be back. If you are on the fence because of the rating, don't be. This place deserves a lot more credit. read more

We always sit at the bar here. We always love when there is a band under someone playing the piano. We always get one of the same bartenders and she is amazing! read more

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This is food served at a for-profit prison. I've been here twice, and both times the food was remarkably bad. I went the first time for a work event and ordered a ribeye, however I believe I was served a griddle-seared opossum spleen. It was quite literally one of those steaks you find a guy selling out of a travel trailer at the quik-n-easy for $2 a piece. My coworker stressed that he was lactose intolerant and wanted a plain hamburger. When they brought him a burger with deliciously melty cheese, he asked to have it replaced. 10 minutes later they brought back the same burger with little bits of cheese still stuck to the patty. Second time I visited was for Father's day breakfast. These jokers wanted $9 for two sausage links and $15 for ACTUAL HORMEL CORNED BEEF HASH. I swear to god and holy Jesus, these people pulled corned beef hash from a can, warmed it up, and served it to me on Father's day for the cost of 4 gallons of gas. I politely pulled a waitress aside to let her know I was quietly seething and wanted to see a manager. She looked at me like I was from another dimension before telling me she'll talk to someone. No manager could possibly be bothered, but she did make sure to come back to the table and loudly announce how trash they were and that my warmed up dog food would be free. She then stood around for an uncomfortable amount of time talking to my kids while I was trying to horf down my slop without letting it touch my tastebuds. This place serves hospital cafeteria food, but the atmosphere is nice so dumb people think it's top notch. The worst part is, the owners know exactly what they're doing. This is intentionally a culinary Ponzi scheme. Also, if you're lucky enough to get a good seat, there's a Marilyn Monroe statue in there with nipples so big you can hang your yourself from them after you're done crying over your last meal. read more

We went to Rob DOB for an I S U graduation lunch. It was a great experience. They served us fast and the waitress was right on top of things. Thank you for wanting to do a good job. read more

The staff was welcoming, knowledgeable and attentive. The food was delicious. I had a filet mignon that melted in my mouth. My husband had blackened catfish with shrimp and crabmeat. The creamy sauce tied the dish together. Don't sleep on the roasted Brussels Sprouts appetizer. We were seated in a both near the fireplace, which was very cozy. The decor was kitschy and elegant at the same time. Will be our go to dinner for special occasions read more

Have been here previously and met the owners which was a great experience and felt welcomed. Last night was a disappointment with both the service and food. Ordered a martini and received it with ice cubes in a cocktail glass. Should have sent it back. Ordered the Cajun ribeye steak which I expected to be bold in taste but was quite ordinary with onion rings on top. My steak didn't include a salad, but my friend's steak did but a wedge was not a choice. I ordered a wedge salad to be split between us, but the server forgot to bring it, therefore no salad for either one of us. Since eating out has become more expensive each time, this restaurant is now on my NGB (Never going back) list read more

Food is very bland and overpriced. Also, I got sick on the food last time I went. I like the ambiance, though. It is nice inside. Seems like one of those places that has been around forever that local people remember as maybe being good at one time but now isn't and now they're in denial? read more

What a disaster. We had an 11AM reservation today, did not get seated for 30 minutes and our food came to the table almost an hour later. I had to park behind Martins furniture. You clearly over booked and you should have had a limited menu. We will never come back and plan to share our experience online. The server was great but we should have been comp'd for something. I read more

Delicious food and excellent service. More expensive but so worth it! Hint: the entry driveway is narrow, so enter through the Culver's side. read more

Went based upon recommendation from a friend. The staff was very friendly, the service was excellent and the food was incredible. Immaculately clean,which is huge plus for me. I can't wait to return. read more

Good service. Great food. Nice ambiance. A menu with a variety of choices. It was very busy but still service was very professional. I've always thought a good restaurant always shares good bread...and they do. read more

My partner and I enjoyed dinner the night before Valentine's Day 2026. He made a reservation a few weeks in advance. When we arrived, we were warmly greeted by the hostess and escorted to our table near the bar and a stage. The seats swivelled, which was fun for me, but they sat a little low compared to the table. Our server, Emily, was kind and attentive. I ordered the filet mignon, and my partner ordered the prime rib. Both dishes came out fantastic. The filet was cooked exactly as ordered and even had delicious grill marks. The prime rib was so tender it seemed to melt like butter. Additionally, the busser was quick to remove our finished plates. The highlight of the meal was a delicious cocktail on the Valentine's Day menu -- Emily's Chocolate Kiss, which was a perfect dessert cocktail. Overall, we enjoyed the lovely pianist and the staff's friendliness. We've added Rob Dob's to our rotation of favorite restaurants in Bloomington and look forward to dining there again. read more

This place is the best restaurant in town. We go every weekend because of the amazing food and live entertainment. Just a beautiful restaurant and staff is warm and friendly Also I love their breakfast on the weekend it's delicious and I love going especially after church, weezie the bartender is wonderful. All the bartenders here are the best in town! read more

Love Rob Dob's one of our favorite places for a special date night. The seafood is the best in Bloomington Normal, and I love their spinach salad. Their desserts are so delicious too. read more

The service was fine, waitress was helpful. My strawberry salad was pretty mediocre for the price. The waitress hyped it pretty hard said everyone loved it! Would not eat there again. read more

We had been recommended to come here and we are so glad we tried it out! We came here on a weekend for lunch and had great service and wonderful food. There were a few hiccups in what we ordered versus what we received but the staff was very quick and kind to fix it. Overall the food was very good and there was a great variety of menu items. We tried the Brussel sprouts and cheese curds for appetizers which we both SO tasty! For our main course we split the buffalo chicken sandwich and the bacon and fried egg burger. Both were very good. We would definitely visit again and would recommend this restaurant to others as well! read more

Rob Dob's Restaurant & Bar - Buffalo chicken sandwich with fries - Steakhouses Near Me - Bloomington, Illinois

My respect for this place climbs as we slowly make RDs a go-to when looking to impress out of town guests with a BloNo 'white linen' experience. As I think about it though, it could also be due to the emergence of the Seafood Cobb Salad as one of my new favorite local dishes. Either way our most recent experiences have been quite good - one with a larger crowd, one with a smaller crowd and one for date night. All have been clean, well-serviced, polite and tasty, save for a minor delay waiting for a busy bartender once. Even the younger staff we've encountered of late have been thoughtful and personable, kudos to those doing the hiring. The better half and I have thus far enjoyed the aforementioned (and filling) seafood salad, an apparently discontinued 'steak and blue' salad, the calamari, the meatloaf, a couple of filets, and the sea bass...and nothing disappointed. The authenticity, the flavors and even the plating all pass big city steakhouse muster. Typically classy live music on the weekends/holidays, otherwise the Sinatra channel, and the owner(s) wandering about checking on things, lends to the ambiance. I suppose it's the consistency of the food, the quality service AND the classic comfortable downtown chop house feel that combine to keep RDs in the front of our mind. To know that we have this so close on the east side, seals the deal for us! read more

Service, Excellent. Ambiance, Excellent. Food, Meh. Got bacon wrapped dates, steak sandwich and scallops entree. Bacon wrapped dates were good and there were a bunch of them, but a bit expensive at $17. Steak sandwich was a steak, on a sandwich roll. Uncut so it was very unwieldy to eat. If it had been sliced and placed on the sandwich it would have been much better. Steak was tender and tasted good though. Scallops were somehow not flavorful and way too salty at the same time. A little overcooked. Went on Veterans day so sandwich was comped but was still $80. Not worth it. Especially at full price. read more

We ordered a Reuben sandwich to split and asked if we could get onion rings as a substitute for the fries. When the server brought out our order we each had 2 onion rings on our plates! The sandwich and the service were great, but seriously, 2 onion rings each? We almost started laughing when we saw it. I would think a restaurant that considers itself upscale could spare a few more onion rings! read more

Great place to go! Love the half and half lunch specials. My go to is the spinach salad and Ruben. But we have trued other items. Service is always good, and atmosphere is as well. here are items we have had. Their warm rolls with soft sipped butter is a hit! read more

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Awesome place had the shrimp stuffed catfish, was quite delightful Excellent bourbon selection as well read more

Not sure where to begin. My husband made reservations for Friday evening of Valentine's weekend and was told the only time available was 5pm. We arrived to a half empty restaurant and were seated in the back banquet room despite tons of open tables in the actual dining room. The tables were like conference room tables with metal and vinyl stacking chairs, full lights up with no background music and zero ambiance. No decor on the tables, not a candle or flower, just cheap diner salt and pepper shakers. I had the fried shrimp dinner with baked potato and coleslaw slaw. The coleslaw was AWFUL. It is obviously not homemade, but probably bought in bulk at Sam's or GFS food service. Just minced cabbage swimming in watery, vinegar dressing. The rolls are the same rolls I have bought at Sam's as well. The shrimp was fine, 6 on the plate. My husband had the walleye. Fries were soggy and not hot. Same coleslaw slaw. He also had a watered down martini that was not dry at all. The service was strange. Our server, Gibson, was fantastic. Very polite, attentive young man. But everyone else seemed clueless about where to bring the meals they were delivering. Probably because we were seated in the banquet room where tables aren't typically numbered. They just seemed lost the whole evening. Another couple next to us was also frustrated about being seated in the banquet room instead of the dining room. The decor is generally mismatched, trying to be an upscale steakhouse/supper club type place, but everything just looks cheap and thrown together. The only thing that wasn't cheap was the menu. Holy Cow! I cannot believe what we paid for a mediocre, at best, meal. Cannot believe the prices. $55 for a steak??? The couple next to us had steaks with a salad and potato. No vegetable, no pretty saucing. My meal $25 and honestly, I've had that same meal at Cracker Barrel. The only difference was Cracker Barrel has a clear vision for the style of decor and ambiance they want to present. When we left, it was 6:30pm and the restaurant was still half empty so I'm not really sure why we couldn't have had reservations then instead of 5pm. We will not be back. I know that people have raved about this place, but it really is a restaurant for people who think they know what a fine dining restaurant is. It's not. If you want a fine dining experience go to Jim's or Jack's or Biaggis. WAY better food, better experience and much cheaper! read more

We went to Rob Dob's for Valentine's Day. It was a wonderful experience. Our meal was delicious. Drinks were great. However, the best part was the service. Brianna was our server and she was spectacular. She was so pleasant and positive. When we return, I hope she is our server again. Rob Dob's should consider themselves lucky to have such a great server. Thanks Brianna for making our Valentine's Day so special!!!! read more

Rob Dob's is a nice place to gather with groups to celebrate special occasions. They have a variety on their menu so everyone can find what suits their mood and tastes. The service was attentive and did a nice job of keeping everyone's order straight for our group. read more

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Came here with a very good friend for lunch. The place is BEAUTIFUL! Very sophisticated, classy and modern in decor. The entire place was obviously well thought out to draw you in. Love it! We got there shortly after they opened so I was able to grab some pics without a crowd. The prices were great! The food was delicious. The service was friendly and attentive. I was thoroughly impressed. I'm definitely putting this place on my regular rotation. read more

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It was the perfect place for the second annual dinner of ExtraOrdinary Women Honorees. We were assigned the last banquet room that has its own entrance and privacy. The staff had arranged the room according to our needs that enabled us to display printed information of ExtraOrdinary Women Project (EOW) and accessible checking-in of guests including the availability of a TV screen for our PowerPoint presentation. The food was of right temperature and was plenty; everyone went home with a take home box! The wine was a good ending to our dinner. The servers, Kimberly and Colin, were exceptionally courteous and sensitive to our needs. They went out of their way for everyone to have a lovely evening experience. Kudos, too to Betty, Doris, and Lexi for their smooth coordination of our event. We look forward to our EOW third annual dinner in 2026! Sincerely, Feli Sebastian ExtraOrdinary Women Project BN (EOW) May 14, 2025 read more

Fantastic GLUTEN FREE options!!! Note: I'm not celiac but gluten gives me a horrible stomach ache. I had the RD Smoked Burger on a gf bun & the wedge salad. It was so delicious!!! Can't wait to go back!!! read more

Went on first public opening day for lunch. Very impressed - from the VERY NICE iced tea (had a little floral note) to the gorgeous bathroom and main space decor! Lol We started with onion rings. They were not greasy at all, super crispy and come with a mild horseradish sauce (not spicy at all, great flavor). For my meal, I chose the Half & Half where you get 1/2 sandwich and salad or soup. Cuban and French onion were my picks. Rockstar Cuban and really good soup. My only teensy quibble is the bread on top of the soup soaked up all the broth- but that made it extra tasty too. Server was sweet, great and had everything under control. We'll be back! read more

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We've been here a couple times. Last time was a very nice New Year's Eve dinner. Both experiences were excellent! Live music and our filet and lobster was very good! Filets were very tender and lean. My Caesar salad was prepared just right! Our dessert was a strawberry cheesecake with an excellent presentation. We will be back again! read more

Rob Dob's Restaurant & Bar - Strawberry Cheesecake - Steakhouses Near Me - Bloomington, Illinois

A great addition to the selection of wide variety of restaurants in Bloomington. This establishment permeates old school steakhouse feel with a laid-back vibe. Live music on the weekends is worth reserving a spot in the bar. Our party pretty much ordered everything on the appetizer menu. Everything was terrific. Worth noting are the fried oysters Rockefeller, the steak and lobster and those brussels sprouts though!! Don't forget to ask for Lianna in the bar. She was terrific. Hope to be back soon!! read more

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Not only is this establishment beautifully laid out inside and outside but our Server was wonderful as well! The food was delicious and the presentation was lovely! Highly recommended this establishment!! read more

We met our Northern Illinois relatives at Rob Dob's for a late lunch. We live in Jacksonville, Il and the two other couples live in suburban Chicago. They didn't rush us to order or complete our visit. The atmosphere was casual and welcoming. We will probably meet their again. read more

We made dinner reservations for NYE, wanting a nice meal in a nice restaurant. Sadly, that was not to be. First, we were seated in the bar. If we had wanted to go to a bar, we would have done so. The fun of being in a very loud environment with bodies everywhere was bad enough, but the worst was yet to come in the form of their "band." I put that in quotes because "Jim & Tommy" are not a band. They are two guys in need of singing lessons, playing guitars (I think) with a drum machine. We could not hear ourselves think, being assaulted by horrible versions of songs being yelled off key. The food was fine and our server was great, but the environment ruined our whole night. My resolution for 2024 is No Rob Dobs with Jim & Tommy. We couldn't leave fast enough. read more

Over-priced and over-valued meal. Atmosphere was uncomfortable and will not be going back there again.

What a great experience! enjoyed a wonderful meal in the Tiffany room! such a beautiful room. Food was great! and so was the bread pudding dessert ! thanks again for such a great experience, look forward to coming back! I also liked that I could reserve online. really nice atmosphere, really sharp looking inside. read more

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It is a joke compared to any better quality restaurant in a large city. The decor is outdated midwestern. My food was horribly salty and smothered in butter. Won't be back. read more

Just had a wonderful birthday dinner at Rob Dob's; my first time there. The charred brussels sprouts were delightful, the spinach salad excellent, the prime rib outstanding, and the flourless chocolate cake decadent. The price was high, but it's fine for special occasions or just dessert with drinks. It's a tribute to the couple who ran local franchises for many years and then built their own place. Our waiter was attentive, courteous and competent. The dark wood atmosphere is very comfortable. read more

We came here at lunchtime on a Sunday for a nice meal after a busy weekend at a workshop, before heading two different ways for our work week. The food was good (I had the corn and andouille chowder and the chicken fried steak), the cocktails were good (I had the Bombardier), and the dessert was even better (I had the bread pudding, but asked for cinnamon ice cream instead of the usual vanilla bean, just because I love cinnamon -- vanilla bean would have been great, too). Our server, Micah, was fabulous. He was appropriately attentive, described everything well when asked, and when he accidentally delivered some kind of lemony aioli instead of the gravy for my country fried steak, we all laughed about it after we figured it out. He was a pleasure. The visit wasn't quite perfect, though -- when they were seating us, there was much room in both dining rooms, yet the younger hostess started to take us into the bar after being told to take us in there by a women who appeared to be another hostess, but may have been the manager or owner. I objected -- they should have asked first if we were okay with this. I wanted a nicer atmosphere, so stopped her, explained this, and we were seated in a nice dining room instead. The woman seemed surprised, did not apologize, and instead responded that the bar was "just another seating area to us." Um, no, it isn't, especially when you have plenty of room elsewhere. If we wanted to sit in a bar, we would have gone to one. It was also a bit odd later when we had our drinks and clinked our glasses, she appeared at our table, kind of invaded my personal space, and gushed at me, asking if we were celebrating something special. (We weren't.) This was really uncomfortable, especially after the bit about the seating. It was like she was trying too hard to overcompensate, and it completely missed the mark. Overall, we liked this place. We can forgive the couple of odd things because the meal and service were wonderful. Next time we're in Bloomington, this will be high on our list for a return visit. read more

Very new. Bob has built a nice, unique restaurant and lounge with a touch of upscale....but still friendly and quaint. Plenty of room between you and your neighboring diner...unlike the cramped dining areas of some Italian places on Veterans Parkway-but not overly loud here. Good food both times I went, and good cocktails. Worth your time to give it a try. Staff is pleasant and attentive. Food was good and fresh. Decor is very nice! Christmas decorations out now! 3/2020. Back again for a birthday. Gets better each time. Give it a try! read more

Excellent food and service!! This was our first visit and we will definitely be returning!! My husband is hard to please when it comes to ribs and he said they were so tender that the meat just fell off the bones!! I had the salmon special and it was very delicious!! read more