Old school gloss. Small town mediocrity. Let down. The dim lighting, drab panelling and "Hi, Hun, what can I get ya, doll?" greeting duped me into thinking Saputo's would live up to the raves of the locals who swore to me Saputo's has served first rate Italian fare - since 1948. I got here late, tired and hungry. I was amused that the menu says they actually accept Diner's Club!! I suppose I made the mistake of not listening to the bartender's recommendations. But I wasn't in the mood for steak or baked pasta. I ordered spaghetti-ravioli combo with meat balls. The pasta itself resembled that thick stuff we ate at summer camp, and the sauce was sort of thin and ketchupy. The meatballs were fair but small, and the ravioli was delicious. The overall portion sucked. I was surprised how skimpy it was. Highlight: Anchovie salad. That was excellent. Service: great, friendly, and fast. But you can't make a lion out of a barn cat, and in the scheme of things, even in the annals of first class, small town eateries (e.g., for comparison, see review above of St. Elmos, in Indianapolis,) Saputo's is a barn cat. read more

You know, forget about "pedestrian" presentation and decor. Who. Cares. I went to Saputo's last week for the first time in fifteen years. And guess what? It was just as good as I remember it. Is it like eating in a small Italian restaurant in Italy? Nah. But it's good. It's WAYYY better than Olive Garden (and about the same d**n price). Service was surprisingly good--we arrived 45 minutes before kitchen closing. Waitress was happy, funny, attentive, and all those things she's supposed to be. Bread? Gooood. Salad? A winner with that crazy good dressing. Baked mostacolli? The cheesiest and most delicious. My girlfriend had the chicken parm, which I obviously sampled. Verdict? Delicious. Is the interior up to date? Nope. Does your plate look like a work of art? Nope. Is the service good? Yep! Is the food good? Definitely. Stop waiting 45 minutes at The OG and go downtown. read more

Firstly, the dressing for the salad is one of the best Italian flavors I've ever had. Baked Lasagna was delicious and has such an enjoyable taste making everything compliment each other. read more

As you walk up from the outside, the first thing you notice is the old-school super club sign hanging outside. When you walk in, you realize it's no joke. This place is the epitome of old school Italian supper clubs, complete with wood paneling, dark lighting and people sitting at small tables all clustered together in a room that seems to be built around the bar. We made reservations for 7:30, but were not seated until 7:50. The bread is delicious with sesame seeds on the crust. The house salad is marginal because they use ice berg lettuce. Most restaurants worth their salt have switched to field greens, spring mix, arugula or Boston Bibb these days. Ice berg is something you get at a fast food joint, cafeteria or a truck stop diner, not a restaurant like this. The chicken parm was pretty decent with gooey globs of melted cheese and plenty of marinara to go around. Our server was adorable, friendly and good at being attentive to us. It wasn't a bad meal, just not what we had expected. For the old-school Italian theme to play out across the whole evening, we really would have expected more of a home-made taste, white table cloth, candles, Italian music playing in the background, olive oil and grated parmesan on the table, etc. read more

Look, it's not Chicago!!! If you want S&E (Sophisticated & Expensive), stay home. I don't expect The Big City in a town of 111,500. GET OVER YOUR BIG CITY SELVES! Soooo... you're looking for a bar and snack on a Monday in November in Springfield and you find Saputo's. We munched on soup and salad and cheese bread for an hour or two. Watched Dr. Phil with the entire wait staff and made bitchy comments about Dr. Phil, Oprah and Jerry. Fun, fun, fun! We returned for dinner. The food is... okay. Love the house dressing and it saves the iceberg salad from being... icebergey. Lasagna? Had better. Parmesan steak? I'm not a fan of goofing around with steak but gotta' say ... very nicely done. Staff - excellent! Honestly, the food and ambiance is mediocre. The staff makes Saputo's worth a visit. Two nights in Springfield and we are 'regulars'! LOL read more

Quick review.... Old school Italian joint. Delicious bread Try the red House salad dressing Expect big portions and lots of cheese on the baked entrees You won't save room for dessert If you're under 50 you will be one of the younger people there. Kicks ass. read more

Honestly out-of-towners, I am biased towards this restaurant as it has been a Springfield tradition for decades. They are well known for their baked pasta dishes which are very good and are considerably low in price when compared to Chicago. However, if you think you are going to get Chicago quality overall, think again. This is more of an old school Americanized version of Italian which I still hold a special place for in my stomach. The boiled pasta dishes are still quite good and they have very good meatballs as well. If you can handle iceberg lettuce, the house dressing is also quit good and unique. I'm not a big fan of their chops however. On weekends you may need a reservation so try and call an hour or more ahead. read more

I guess every city has a restaurant like this. 1970's style Italian food, dated decor, poor lighting inside, music that shouldn't be in an Italian restaurant unless it is hosted by a young John Travolta in a white suit, the smell glory days gone by- literally. Was the food tasty? It was average. Lots of cheese. The server was very kind and attentive. Would I go back? Highly unlikely. Would I recommend it? Again, highly unlikely. The prices were much higher than the food could accommodate. read more

1. They don't bring bread to the table until the meal is served (very odd and annoying, oh and no butter). 2. The house salad is great although it could use some feta cheese. 3. The baked rigatoni was so bland and tasteless. The meat balls were decent. 4. The filet mignon was very delicious. 5. The tiramisu pie/cake was delicious. 6. Alcohol: we purchased several drinks including shots...they were literally half shots in short glasses. Maybe the bartender should use regular shot glasses if they can't tell the difference between what a shot of liquor looks like. read more

I had dinner here on Wednesday October 26th. Big mistake on my part. If you are looking for a nice restaurant with good food then do not come to this place. After ordering the sausage and peppers here I had food poisoning for an entire week and still have not recovered. My friends had some chicken with capers and I've seen better looking dishes coming out of the frozen food section of your local supermarket. The only reason to come here is to drink and socialize with Springfield lobbyists and politicians. There are plenty of restaurants in the area that I'm sure have better food. Bottom line - STAY AWAY. read more

I read some of these reviews - most good, some OK. I think this place is quite good. I don't come to Springfield much - more of late for work. Saputo's isn't fancy. Neighborhood place. Packed standing after work. Bar. Just good Italian food. Service is great - very attentive. Relaxed atmosphere. The owners mingle and make sure things are good. I had chicken Parmesan. Large shrimp cocktail. Minestrone was very good. So was coffee. I will return for lunch too. Very enjoyable. read more

This place is nothing short of despicable. I am not easily dissatisfied as a customer, and after coming here I was insulted by the $30 bill given the terrible food they served. Let me elaborate... Setting: Cheap seating that is cramped between tables. Salad: Horrible iceberg lettuce that is soggy and luke warm as if it had been sitting out for hours. 2 tiny tomato pieces. Chicken Cacciatore: Mushrooms that obviously came from a can!! Pre-packaged breaded chicken mixed in this dish that was not appetizing at all. No peppers in the dish. Sauce was bland. $16.75!!!!! Minestrone: Tasteless, must have come from a can the quality was so poor. Service: The staff was rude and inattentive, not to mention poorly dressed consisting of inexperienced teenagers/young adults. Our waitress yelled at us to come to the table half way across the room when we entered the restaurant. Why not greet your customers respectfully at the door? I would encourage you to consider the alternatives before coming to this fine establishment. read more

Great food. Friendly atmosphere. The food is wonderful. I had the Shrimp Scampi. Their house salad dressing is tasty. All good here. Every time I am in town it is s must stop. PS: MJ is the best bartender in Central Illinois. read more

Saputo's - Italian Near Me - Springfield, Illinois

I ordered the fettuccini Alfredo and wasn't blown away. It's very "meh" and I don't find myself ordering it again. The portion was good if that matters to anyone. Each dinner special comes with a pair of meatballs In red sauce OR a big sausage. What pissed me off the most as well as what forced me to give a 5% tip wasn't their staff, but the horrendously mediocre red sauce that my meatballs and my girlfriend's tortellini was smothered in. If you're thinking of ordering anything on the menu that comes with this sauce, please drop your menu, go to a grocery store and buy acan of " chef boyardee ". You know, the stuff that you can get for a dollar? Enough about the sauce; The seating is cramped , but we went right at dinner time which is 5 on the dot. People were swarming in after us so expect this place to be sorta full all the time. I personally like a crowded feeling in an Italian place. There is a review I saw about the atmosphere being shabby or not pleasing. I find this to not be the case; I got a vibe of " local hidden Italian place". It's homey for sure. You will feel welcome if you don't mind dim lighting. I can't get over the chef boyardee sauce. The "la piazza" down the block had infinitely better sauce on their Italian cuisine. read more

Very disappointed...We were seven people with reservations-our table was set for six, it took a while to get a menu and again we only got 6 and those were just small things I noticed-not a big deal I guess. Waitress was OK. I ordered tortellini and they were pretty bad. They were those small dried noodles that taste like cardboard. The salad was iceberg lettuce and a few pieces of diced tomatoes.-not very tasty! The Italian house dressing was pretty good. I did call and talked to the Manager and ask him about the tortellini-well I should have saved myself the call. Mike was rude, yelled at me-at which point I let the conversation go... Maybe they were just off that night or it really isn't a great place for Italian food? I don't know, but this wasn't for me and after the reaction of the manager, I have no desire to go back there. read more

Outstanding old school Italian. Great food, Great atmosphere, great service. One of my spfld favs.

I love food, I did not love this place. Pasta is my all time favorite and I left thinking I wasted my $ and time. The Halibut was overcooked and flavor-less. The side of pasta was ok, but not what I expected. The house wine tasted bitter. Server was nice, décor is dated and location to Hilton Hotel was great. I would not return. read more

I read the mixed reviews and the bar tender at the hotel did not really endorse it, but we went anyway. Someone commented that there was too much cheese in the lasagna--you can never have too much cheese, IMO!!!!! That being said, it was just marginal lasagna. To me it was more like a mixture of pasta, sauce and cheese baked in a skillet. It tasted fine, but not what I would describe as a "traditional" lasagna. Bread and salad were good. I would come back--better than Olive Garden but I have had better italian. read more

Came here on a trip to Springfield. We were seated immediately, and our server showed up within a minute or two. Let's get a couple of things straight: I live in the Chicago area, where top-notch Italian restaurants are a dime a dozen. With years of client dinners under my belt, I have a pretty fair knowledge of upscale Italian. I used to work a few floors above Spiaggia, and most every other Italian place pales in comparison. Is Saputo's top-notch? No. Is it good, especially on a cold winter night, when all you crave is a nice, hot meal with a decent glass of wine to wash it down with? You bet. I had the lasagna. Another reviewer claimed the dishes are over-cheesed. I cannot possibly comprehend how anything can be over-cheesed, but I guess that's the glutton in me. The lasagna was covered in hot, chewy mozzarella. A bit scanty on the meat, but the sauce was decent, and the entree was satisfying. The salad was your basic iceberg lettuce with tomato. Obviously not earth-shattering, but at least the ingredients were fresh, and the house Italian dressing was piquant. Our server, Cassie, was lovely, and attentive throughout the meal. Prices were reasonable, considering the size of the portions. I would be happy to return. read more

I live in an area where there are many people of Italian heritage, and if you drive five miles in any direction, you will pass at least 2 Italian restaurants which make Saputo's fare look *very* lackluster. That being said, Saputo's has some good points and bad points. In the linguini, Alfredo, and broccoli dish, the Alfredo sauce lacked flavor, and the broccoli was limp and tasteless, giving the impression that it had been frozen and microwaved. The linguini was good! One companion thought the sausage was tasty. The meatballs and pasta dish lacked flavor. Our ten yo granddaughter enjoyed her cheese pizza. She also enjoyed the peppermint ice cream. I liked the spumoni, which was actually spumoni ice cream. It was rich and flavorful - very nicely done! The tiramisu was a slice of tiramisu pie - no ladyfingers in sight! The cannoli was pretty bland. Saputo's was comfortable, and the noise level was a quiet conversational buzz - easy to carry on a conversation. Service was excellent - friendly and attentive. If you are looking for a friendly and comfortable place for a meal, Saputo's will do you well. Keep you food quality expectations low, though. read more

I had a very nice dinner by myself here, on a weekday night. The server was very friendly and helpful, and I enjoyed talking with her. For an appetizer I got the hot peppers, which are sauteed and well-seasoned, and go great atop the house bread. Entrees come with a salad, and I got the caesar, which had a nice, pronounced anchovy flavor. For dinner I had the NY strip, medium-rare, and breaded. I have never had breaded steak before, and I enjoyed this very much. Each bite had a nice crunch, and the breading wasn't too thick. However, it did start to weigh on me a bit, and I found myself wishing I could have gotten the steak half breaded, half regular. They have half-bottles of wine, which is nice option when dining alone. I will enjoy returning if I'm back in Springfield. read more

Linguine w/ clams... Way over the top with garlic. Probably used powder not fresh. Service was good. I find it incredible that with three groups of people they ask me if I have reservations? LOL! Bakes lasagna was good. Lots of cheese. Been here several times. I'm from Chicago and I'd consider it very inexpensive - however for the quality of food it's over priced. read more

Very, very old school. The restaurant seems like it's frozen in time forty years hence. Stick to red sauce entrees and you'll be fine, steak is surprisingly good, salmon was just ok. No ambience or wine list to speak of. read more

I look forward to visiting every year while in town. Our seminar is within walking distance. It's our go to spot for dinner. I've never beer disappointed. I had the baked lasagna this time and it was outstanding. I make a killer lasagna from scratch but Saputo's is better hands down. read more

Saputo's - Baked lasagna with meatballs. It was fantastic. Better than my homemade recipe. - Italian Near Me - Springfield, Illinois

Not a bad option if you stick to the somewhat affordable baked pastas and if I were in Springfield often enough, I might go back eventually given the limited number of options in the price range, but not at the tip top of my list. The marinara was decent in the cheesy lasagna with sausage I had, which was good, so I was satisfied. I just don't get enough Italian these days so I think I was also biased by my craving. The salad was straight-up wack but it came with the dish so whatever I gues - aging iceberg lettuce swimming in vinagrette. Maybe the steaks are good but I'd probably be more inclined to spend that kind of cash at a steakhouse if I was going that route. - almost gave it a 3 but then remembered that salad, and figured no self-respecting Italian establishment would serve that mess. It's like wearing a pair of jacked up shoes with holes in them to a job interview - bad way to make a first impression no matter what your suite and resume look like. Nice folks, decent choices, but I'd probably be reluctant to buy any dish over $15 at most - the lasagna was good and cheesy and the portion respectable, but the salad to me pointed to a level of culinary talent and pride that wouldn't merit an order of a more expensive dish. The atmosphere and neon sign were cool, so I get that it's an establishment of some history - that's worth something. Overall I enjoyed it compared to a lot of the fake-ass Italian garbagio I've been served in more southern/southwestern states when travelling, so I make my peace with my 2-star rating on that basis and on the strength of the lasagna. Waitress was friendly and service was good - she gave me some recommendations and was helpful, steered me clear of a bad wine selection on my part and brought the food promtply, she offered to move me to a table with a better view of the TV at the bar when she spied me scoping for the NCAA tourney score, and brought the check out quickly . I have no beef with her or the other staff that I encountered. No espresso, so I turned down dessert. Eh. Like others have said, it's a step up from the Olive Garden and other wannabe Italian eateries (except the salad, again), but it wouldn't stand a chance on Arthur Avenue in the Bronx or even compete against a half-the-price no-name pizzeria / pasta spot anywhere in NYC or Chicago as my experience goes. But when in Springfield and especially within walking distance of the capitol area, there are few relatively affordable options in walking distance that don't totally suck. I know, I know, it's not Chicago or NYC, blah blah, but there's nothing special about the geography of Springfield that justifies not knowing how to make a fresh salad - Wendy's has a better house salad. Don't justify mediocrity on the basis that your hometown doesn't have many notable alternatives. There's great tex-mex where I'm from in TX, but that doesn't mean we don't have a Pancho's - it just doesn't cost $20 a plate, and doesn't try to hide behind the fact that it's been around for a long time, as if being old is somehow a perk. There just isn't any proximate competition of the same cuisine that would motivate them to improve - they're getting by on their history and location, because that apparently still fills the tables enough to keep them in business. I'd be curious to know whether it's still under it's original management or if it's just kept on life support by business travelers and lobbyists. Lobbyists - take your prospects to one of the nicer spots in town. The salad isn't going to help your political agenda, unless the politicians here just enjoy the old school Italian restaurant vibe so they can pretend their a '20's gangster. It's not cheap, which I think is basically by merit of the fact that they're next to a Hilton (and near the total of maybe 3 hotels in central downtown). Bennigan's probably doesn't serve you b.s. in a bowl and call it a salad though, to their credit. I feel bad trashing the joint, especially since everybody was so nice, but can't give it a 3 or better 'cuz that would imply I think you should go to some effort to check the place out, rather than what it was - an option that was worth exercising under the circumstances and that didn't totally disappoint. They could step it up a little and make this into a worthwhile attraction - I imagine they just need some competition and discerning customers to push them in that direction. read more

It was great. A homemade meal from a family run restaurant, very good food and it was busy even with that the food came out very quickly and was delicious. read more

Honestly, if this place was in Chicago, it would be 3 stars and I probably would not go back. BUT, it's not in Chicago, it's in Springfield, and that counts for something. It is right around the corner from the hotel we usually stay at and it has the cheesiest baked pasta I've ever sunk my teeth into. There is no such thing as too much cheese in my book! So we will continue to come to Saputo's when we are in town. The food is not the most inspired, but it is good, hot, cheesy comfort food. Give it a try, you might be surprised. read more

My mom and step-dad got engaged here about 20 years ago so for that I like this place-they are very much in love still after all those years. I also like the green olive salad because I lurve green olives. That.is.all. read more

I've just moved to the city from the Left coast and needed a place to treat my hard working parents to after they helped me unpack. The three of us made a choice to all order something different and share. From sampling the lasagna, ravioli, and mostaccioli we would definitely come here again. The service was courteous and friendly, and for being an institution we were pleasantly surprised by the final bill not being above $35 for three (we didn't order drinks). I can't bring myself to give it 5 stars, like I can El Maya, a restaurant I've been to about twice a week since I've moved here. You can fill up there for less and it's fantastic Mexican food. I've asked around the city of there is any Italian restaurant they like better and I've heard Sam's mentioned a few times, haven't tried it yet. read more

Stopped at Saputo's for the first time last night. All three of us enjoyed the quiet atmosphere and wonderful smells of great Italian food cooking! Our daughter asked for a light sauce and the server recommended the vodka sauce, a big hit with our daughter. Hubs and I had the clam linguini in white sauce - best I've ever had. This is a light, almost clear sauce with lots of broth and not a lot of fat. I also ordered the anchovy salad, basically the dinner salad with the best, freshest tasting brined anchovies I've ever had. The pasta dinners come with a salad and choice of 3 tasty meatballs or sausage on the side. We had the meatballs and liked them. The service we received was top-notch, prices were very reasonable, and the food was really good. To top it all off, On the way out we saw an enormous, delectable looking pizza being served - will definitely be back! read more

The service here was very disappointing. We had a large group reservation for 20 people. We were placed in a private room with 4 large tables that was closed off from other guest. When we entered the waitress said that we could use a 3rd table for our group. They took some of the groups orders. When the remaining couple people in our party showed up with a couple extra senior citizens, they said they couldn't serve them. We had seats available at each of our tables and they simply would not serve them. They ignored the table altogether. When myself and another adult politely asked what we could do to make it work the owner said nothing. We will not serve them. We offered multiple suggestions and solutions the owner eventually became verbally aggressive and abusive. He said, "Get the fuck out" multiple times. He then said, "I bet you voted for Biden you mother fucker!" I asked him what any of that had to do with the situation and why are you losing your mind! He continued calling the group mother fuckers and pointed at myself and the other gentlemen saying, "I will fuck those motherfuckers up!" We offered financial compensation to help accommodate our 2 over the reservation, but clearly that wasn't enough. Instead they ignored a table of 8. This was the most disrespect I have received in the service industry. It was like we were on a really bad episode of Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares. The owner seemed like he was on the verge of using racist comments, so I removed myself from the situation in order to prevent it from coming out. It was a painfully embarrassing situation for them and our group. Unfortunately I don't know that the owners were embarrassed. read more

This has become a favorite stop for our family when traveling out to Kansas. If your looking for an old school Italian restaurant that is not a chain and has wonderful authentic selections, I highly recommend this place. I always get the Lasagna which never disappoints. The wine list is decent and the prices overall are very reasonable. The house salad dressing is very good Italian dressing that taste like its made from scratch on site. Every time we visit, the wait staff is kind and on top of their job. read more

Very old school feel to this place which I think is cool. We had dinner and I had the baked lasagna. It was smothered in gooey cheese and I loved it! The house salad was disappointing but the warm bread was a hit. My other had a filet and reported that it was quite tasty. We will be back to try some more of their dishes soon! read more

I enjoyed shrimp, 2 soups and the food was so good I ordered a Large pizza to go! My server Payton was the best ensuring my visit to springfield was enjoyable. The food was great just a little pricey. read more

We made a reservation for a group of 10 adults and were seated at a round table which was comfortably large and in a smaller dining area. Made for a great experience for enjoying the companionship of everyone in our party. The food was excellent. We had at least 6 different entrees among us, and everyone enjoyed their choices. Professional wait staff gave great service. Food was served in a timely fashion. Conveniently located near the Lincoln Home national historic site. read more

Worst dining experience I've ever had. Tables are too close together and all the wait staff bumped me as they went back and forth to the kitchen. Coffee was luke warm, sprite tasted like a mixture of several other softdrinks. They forgot to bring bread and water and had to be reminded several times. Ordered a salad and it had so much dressing I thought they had brought soup. When we complained they said they did not need customers like " you people". My wife is Hispanic and I couldn't imagine that they were making a racist comment but having read other reviews that appears to be the case. We decided to leave at that point and pay for what they had served and they threatened to call the police on us. Needless to say we will never go back. Would have given no stars but 1 is the lowest allowed. Imagine the irony of a racist restaurant mere blocks from Lincoln's home. read more

The best lasagna I've ever eaten. Wow. It's definitely different than your usual dish but totally worth it! I highly recommend Saputo!!! read more

Recommended from my neighbor, Judy Bruce, to have a meal at Saputo's, when in Springfield. Our first night we (5) decided to give them a try. Considering the fact that I have eaten in many an Italian restaurant(s) as well as many a great home made meals; Tastebuds are definitely refined. Have to say Saputo's is definitely on the list. Hostess seated us immediately (made reservations). Our Waitress, Jessica, was professional, enjoyable & knowledgeable. Our children went for the Homemade Lemonade and were refilled as they finished them. The adults tried their house red. Quite enjoyable. Started out with some appetizers: Anchovy Bread, Soups: Chicken Noodle(3), Salads: Chef's Salad (2). Our Meals consisted of the following: Baked lasagna, Chicken Alfredo with Italian Sausage on the side, Spaghetti With Meatballs, and two orders of Veal Parmigiana (along time since I had some good veal). Portions were huge, (Like Nona used to make). We had to take some to go. Wish we could have tried their desserts, but alas, that will have to be for another time we visit Springfield. Saputo's, Keep up the good (work) meals! Ciao & Cheers! read more

Rolled into town for the night and was told by our hotel clerk that Saputo's was open for indoor service and had great Italian food. He wasn't kidding. At the suggestion of a passing waitress (not ours) when I thought out loud of the breaded steak, I ordered the filet. OMG!!! One of the best steaks ever (and I eat a lotta meat)!!! I did my "cut it with a fork" test and it passed with flying colors. GF had mostaccioli and it too was scrumptious. Michellem was our outstanding waitress and was the best. Can't say enough about everything and everyone!!! read more

I will NEVER patronize Saputos restaurant ever again. My daughter has celiac disease and they will not let us bring in her own gluten free pasta to eat. EVERY restaurant we've been to has been accommodating EXCEPT SAPUTOS. Very poor. Chau Saputos, we're done. Feel free to share this FB friends. read more