One of our favorite special occasion places for dinner, the Uptown is also open for breakfast and…read morelunch. From cocktails to dessert, food and drinks are excellent, and the ambiance and service match that quality. Try the Louisiana Hot Pepper Chicken. Just the perfect tease of heat! Tip: Ask to substitute mashed potatoes for the rice. More in the mood for comfort food? Try the pot roast. Pescatarian? The crab cakes can't be beat! Want to really indulge? Gorgonzola filet mignon. It's not necessarily the best choice for vegans, but if you eat flesh, fish, or fowl, there's probably something you'll love.

Two words: burnt roux…read more I had at least somewhat high expectations seeing as Uptown is a regular destination for folks on IU expense accounts. Going on a Tuesday provided the opportunity to order a weekly special of crawfish etouffee. To their credit, the crawfish themselves were cooked perfectly and flavorful. However, the first red flag was that it was far too dark (with a gumbo-like color, rather than the blond-brown of a proper etouffee), and when I tasted it, I was shocked that it simply tasted burnt. That they'd overdo a roux like this and then serve it (especially on a special that they could've just taken off the menu) is genuinely shocking.

Cute place. It may be slightly run down but not yet to the point where it's concerning. I liked the…read morecolourful atmosphere with the painted walls and stained glass decoration in the windows, and I thought my seat was very cozy. The food is diner-style but very good so far. I visited twice for a breakfast and a lunch. Lunch: I had a Black Russian sandwich and a pot of Emperor's Pride tea. The sandwich, which is a vegetarian version of a Reuben with roasted veggies instead of meat, was delicious. They really piled on the veggies. Some fell out of the sandwich, but I just ate them with the home fries. The home fries also were nicely seasoned. The tea was a little off. It's possible it was the tea itself that didn't taste how I expected, but it kind of tasted like I was getting the flavour of a different tea in the pot. Breakfast: Apple pancake and bouquet latte (seasonal special - lavender Ceylon tea latte with honey and rose syrup). The bouquet latte was wonderful and had this beautiful red swirl latte art. The pancake was nice and fluffy. One pancake is something like $5, but one is enough for a complete meal, maybe with a protein side if you're especially hungry. The staff is very friendly and makes you feel welcome. The food didn't take very long even though they seemed busy.

I'm not sure why we don't go to the Runcible Spoon more often, but honestly think we kind of forget…read moreit. Son decided he wanted to go as he was craving breakfast for dinner, so off we went. Again, as always, was impressed and enjoy the quirky nature of the Spoon. RS is in an old house just off Kirkwood. A bunch of smaller rooms, plus a large outdoor dining patio out front. We got lucky with parking on the street pretty close to the restaurant (no real parking lot) and I would have preferred to eat outside but daughter got to the hostess first and we ended up indoors. Everyone ended up with breakfast choices. Wife had an omelette, said it was great. I had banana+granola pancakes (two) which was plenty. The flavor was great. Also eggs and toast. Son had the Kevin which is basically what I ordered but with French Toast. Daughter had a chocolate chip pancake which she enjoyed. Overall, great food and very reasonable. Service was on point and again the atmosphere is fun and quirky. Need to add to our regular rotation.

One of my favorite coffee shops in Bloomington…read more Couple of things that make it stand out: 1. The ambience is great. It's easy to go there and work if you like the noise to keep you focused. 2. Drinks AND food - and both are great. All day breakfast - need I say more?? 3. The staff is incredibly friendly. I've never had a bad experience with the staff. Highly recommend you pop in for a drink to go, or sit and enjoy the atmosphere.

So good! We were on our way out of town going to a post wedding celebration. Knew the food at the…read moreparty would be late so we gave it a try. I am so glad We did. My son had the hummus toast and I had the Broken Yolk. My son liked his and said mine was better. I can't agree or disagree as he ate all of his before I could try it. Coffee was fine. They had lots of food and coffee choices. Recommend it.

We spent a couple of days in the Bloomington/Nashville, Indiana, area and were thrilled to find a…read morehip GF and vegan friendly place a short walk from our hotel. The wait staff was very friendly and accommodating. The menu was packed with delicious sounding healthy items we could eat. I chose a bowl and my wife picked out sweet potato fries and veggies with hummus dip. All were very enjoyable, and the portion sizes were huge. Highly recommend for diets of all types.

Small eatery serving vegetarian and vegan dishes. The Owlery offers outdoor seating in the heart of…read morea food and shopping district. I ordered the pesto portobello sandwich which was amazing! The slaw was unique and savory. The server was pleasant and food came out fast and fresh.

I love this place! We like to order the charcuterie every time we go there in addition to our…read moremeals. And the desserts!!! So good!!!

Absolute Garbage !!…read more Feast Marker and Cellar *USED* to be amazing with genuinely unique flavors found nowhere else . But under new ownership , it's not even Waffle House level , and they still charge prices like it was unique . I had the eggs your way, which used to be amazing , but now it's just fried eggs, warm potatoes and cold toast , and was charges $18. The waiter was clueless, coffee was cold and place was justifiably barren . The display case used to have all sorts of amazing pastries , but now it's random shrink wrapped garbage . Really the worst experience every and were charged $50 (two of us) for cold coffee, cold toast , stale potatoes and Waffle House eggs . At least Waffle House coffee is hot .

Love this place so far. I've just gotten lunch a few times but they have a bit of everything on the…read moremenu with options for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Plenty of vegan and gluten free options! I've tried the vegan banh mi, vegan reuben, vegan brown sugar cookie, blondie, and Italian soda in lavender and vanilla. The marinated tofu used on both the banh mi sandwich and reuben is delicious. Lots of veggies on both of the sandwiches. The banh mi wasn't traditional - the mint and cilantro were more like a pesto instead of whole fresh herbs and the marinated tofu is a little different - but I really liked their take on it. Both desserts were really good, but in particular the gooey blondie with the flaked salt topping. I'm also grateful for the option to add cream to the Italian soda here - I love Italian cream soda but this is the first place I've been in a while that makes it. The atmosphere is very casual as you can place your order and pay at the counter and then seat yourself, but it's still nice and comfortable, and kept clean.

I've been to Hive a few times and it's a solid option for breakfast and lunch. Hive is a stand to…read moreorder type of place/counter-service, immediately upon entry. The chicken pot pie was a bit too sweet for my liking. Baked goods are pretty good. Their matcha (notoriously bitter) was surprisingly done well. Service is usually timely. We came at an intense Sunday brunch rush hour and they were good about letting us know that we were close to their max capacity so that we were more prepared for ordering. They have comfortable seating both indoor and outdoor.

I met three friends for lunch at Farm Bloomington. Two of us ordered the fish tacos, one ordered a…read moreburger, and the other a salad. The food was delicious and the service was prompt. I'll go back for dinner.

I've been to farm a few times and I think there are some highlights that do deserve 5 stars:…read more 1. Their garlic fries - hands down some of the best fries I have EVER had. They're incredibly unique and their appetizer portion is HUGE and great for a group of people. 2. Their drinks - also unique, and really good. If you're looking for a good cocktail this is a great option. 3. Vibes - the space is cute, the vibes are fun - great for a dinner with friends or a date night. (Or a girlie brunch!) I give 4 stars because sometimes their menu feels boring - not much changes and it's a pretty small menu. I have to be in a very specific mood if I'm going here, and there's usually only 2 things I'll order. Id love more seasonal menus or just more options. Their service can also be hit or miss. I've been and had wonderful service, and I've been and felt like they forgot I existed. No one wants to be waiting around to order a drink, or to get the check. Overall - I'd definitely go. Make a reservation because they do get busy.

Sunday morning breakfast. We got there pretty early, so they weren't slammed yet. The host and…read morewaiters were all very friendly, and our food came out quickly. The atmosphere is basic and kind of bare, but clean. We started off with tea, which was a super cheap tea bag, but I was expecting as much, so no big deal; I just wanted tea. I did appreciate the choice of green or black. I had the banana bread French toast to eat. It was indulgent and delicious, pretty sweet but not overdone. The banana bread was already rich enough that I did not need to use nearly all the butter that they gave, but it was very nice cinnamon butter. I was very happy with it and would definitely recommend it if you're curious. Everything was good value for the price. I would visit again.

Returned to Lincoln Square for a group breakfast on a Sunday morning, day after a football game,…read moreduring a time where there are multiple parent weekend activities for the Greek system happening. I expected a crowd. And while I wasn't shocked at the crowd, I was shocked at how quickly we were seated, and how quick and impressive the service was even with a line out the door. Our group of six (multiple families represented) was seated in about 15 minutes. Most of the restaurant is configured for 4-tops, but there were enough larger options to make our seating work. I was too slow to get photos of everyone's food, plus I didn't want to embarrass my daughter who might have stabbed me with her fork. Wife had the one-egg breakfast. Traditional egg and hash browns and she chose toast (think pancakes were an option, and that would have been my preference) while I ordered the country lady. Country lady was a country friend steak, eggs, biscuit, hash browns and sausage gravy. Delish. Love that combination, and it's nice to have an option so I don't have to piece it together somehow. Everyone enjoyed their food, and the server was quick and really 'on it' as he promptly took drink orders, filled them and took our food order at that point. Kitchen staff must have been upgraded since my last visit because it was crazy fast. Check was divided accurately, and we were out the door in less than an hour. They didn't rush us, but it was obvious they wanted to turn tables over fast since the line was building. Definite repeat. I still love the local places downtown, but even I wasn't crazy enough to try to get in those on a football weekend!

First, you get what you pay for. The portions are huge and delicious. As someone from southern…read moreIndiana, it is difficult to find Italian food that is to my tastes. I can't wait to come back to Osteria Rago. I had the spaghetti with ragu and the tiramisu. The service was also great, our server was kind and attentive. The ambiance was nice as well. Everything is made from scratch.

Fantastic food. They also seem fairly knowledgeable about gluten and were able to help me navigate…read moretheir menu since I am celiac. Our waitress kept telling me to get the salmon and even though I was thinking pizza, I did get the salmon and it was to die for. My wife got something that started with the word eggplant which didn't sound good, but she swore it was fantastic. The kids got a pepperoni pizza and a margarita pizza and said it was good. They also liked the fact that they got to take some home, but this is a college town and who doesn't like to take home pizza. Just saying. I would come back to this place in a heartbeat and get the salmon again. Since I am celiac, I couldn't get the pasta so I just put it on vegetables, but it was really good I might get an appetizer next time. The place was actually kind of small and not that many tables. A booking through OpenTable would be a good idea for you.

Poindexter, situated in the Hilton Graduate Hotel, kind of occupies a middle grey area between…read morecoffee shop, brunch restaurant, and bar. Despite being located in a hotel, most customers seemed like local students. I like the decor, there's lots of eclectic little pieces to look at, hidden in corners all over the space. I wasn't sure where to order when I walked in. There's a small bar with a few seats that was manned by a bartender and another counter by the baked goods display that had paper food menus and a drink menu but was unattended for a while. Eventually someone came out to the second counter and took my order. They gave me a number for my table and said they would bring my food out, but when it was ready they called my name and I had to go get it myself and take the number back. I got: Vegan tenders: I thought the tenders were very good and tasted close to real chicken tenders. They come with the option of regular or sweet potato fries. I got sweet potato fries and thought they were fine but average, maybe a little oily. Choice of dipping sauce is also included - I loved their honey mustard. There's also ketchup and hot sauce available at the condiment stand. Chocolate chip cookies: I really wanted these oatmeal cookies they had in the display but I was told the display cookies were old and they had chocolate chip instead. I thought I was just getting one cookie but I guess one order is two cookies. I thought they were nothing remarkable and a little dry. Sincronici-tea: This was a seasonal drink - white chocolate blueberry matcha latte with cashew milk. The flavours were interesting but I could barely taste the matcha. Prices are maybe a little on the high side but acceptable; the meals are like restaurant food rather than cafe food. For the high end ambiance it seems like they're going for, it would be nice if the cookies and drink didn't come in takeout containers. Overall, I wasn't too impressed but would give it another chance. I wouldn't get matcha again.

According to Yelp and some of my friends in the Bloomington area, Poindexter is the place to be for…read morequality coffee, brunch, and cocktails. However, my experience did not match the rave reviews. First of all, the actual restaurant is currently get getting renovated, so a makeshift seating area and coffee shop is set up in the lobby of the Graduate Hotel. It's a small space, but they arranged the tables nicely, so it didn't feel crowded. We ordered at the counter, where you can get paper menus or look off the board. I got one of the seasonal drinks, called "Nosferatu's Nectar." It was supposed to be a white chocolate raspberry mocha, but the coffee was so watered down and I couldn't taste any of the white chocolate. I was super disappointed because I felt like I just wasted $7. My friend got a hot chai latte, but it was only lukewarm. Overall, the drinks left much to be desired. For brunch, we both ordered the stuffed French toast, which was supposed to be topped with cream cheese icing and fresh berries, but it only came with a light sprinkle of powdered sugar. They also did not have butter for the French toast. Even though it was a nice portion, it was not worth the $13 price tag. I don't know if they're currently having trouble with their quality due to the renovations and I need to come back when they're back in their main location, but Poindexter did not live up to my expectations.