Sometimes you just need a salad. I especially needed a salad today because I have recently consumed 528 Christmas cookies ( slight exaggeration) and really think some greens will keep me from having to shop for an entirely new wardrobe. Enter The Grotto west coast food. Since I lived on the west coast for 40 years I thought it was appropriate that I come to judge the West coast authenticity. This place is awesome. My friend had a Baja bowl that looked and smelled divine and I had the steak Gorgonzola salad, the meat portion was huge and the candied pecans were delicious. I might even bring my super judgmental west coast rude family here since I think even they would be pleased at how delicious the food was. We sat in a comfy booth and loved every bite of our meal, the balsamic vinaigrette was the perfect complement to the savory steak and sweet pecans. I can't wait to go back to the grotto read more

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After leaving to head back home, when I think of this meal I think "eh, it was alright". I chose the spicy chicken sandwich and it was not spicy at all. I got the caesar salad on the side and that was actually better than the sandwich, I should have gotten that as my meal instead of the side, it was MUCH better than the sandwich. Fiancé picked the burger and he was pleased with it, he said he would come back for it, so maybe just don't get the chicken sandwich. Everyone working at this spot was very nice and super friendly! The location itself was very clean and staff were going through table by table and cleaning everything (I was shocked because it was already very clean). read more

The Grotto - (not really) Spicy Chicken Sandwich - American Near Me - Springfield, Missouri

First time here and I thought it was really good! I had the Korean fried chicken bowl which was full of great flavor.

Good place overall. Got the spicy chicken sandwich and it was great. Wife got the garlic chicken Alfredo thing and it was VERY garlic forward and she couldn't even finish it. read more

My family and I have been frequenting The Grotto for years and it's been an absolute staple!!! The food there is absolutely delicious and extremely versatile, plus I love that they have vegetarian options:) Service has always been great and it's always a lively atmosphere when we've gone. From their tofu tacos, to their salads, to their burgers, and LITERALLY everything else, it's simply fantastic! read more

Been eating here twice a week recently. The spicy chicken sandwich is amazing. The spicy tacos are very good as well.

After visiting last week I decided to come back today. I brought a friend who had never been before and it's safe to say we will both be back. I remembered to take a couple pictures of the food today. Serving size was excellent and the food was just as good as last time. Friendly staff and prompt service. I may have just found my new favorite place in Springfield for a quick bite. read more

The Grotto - Santa Fe salad - American Near Me - Springfield, Missouri

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We had been wanting to try this place for a while but kept putting it off. Finally tried it and was so glad we did! Such a variety on the menu, anyone can find something they like. The food was delicious, will definitely be back! read more

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Was in the area and finally decided to try it. Didn't know what to expect. Figured with the name West Coast it must just be all sorts of vegetarian stuff. Avocado all over the place like Californians just love. Surprisingly they have burgers. I had the double. Holy cow it was very good. One of the best I've had in this town. Fries were good too. Really good service and very clean as well. read more

Delish! Quick and quality food. Lots of flavor and comfortable atmosphere. Highly recommend.

Healthy choices, patio seating and fast service are the highlights of The Grotto. I especially like the tofu tacos and there's salmon entrée and healthy burger. read more

10 out of 10 would recommend! This is the best place I have eaten since moving back home after living in Las Vegas for 5 years. Exactly what I've been looking for. I ordered to go and they were very fast and the food was delicious. Very cute aesthetic as well. read more

Everytime I've been here it's been great. Lots of places to sit and a cute outside sitting area. Food comes out fast and big portions. The pasta is also great here read more

The Grotto - Chicken avocado sandwich and Cobb salad - American Near Me - Springfield, Missouri

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Friendly staff, cool on the inside and the food was really good. We had the Teriyaki Bowl and Baja Bowl and both had good flavor. Good enough amount in each bowl to leave you satisfied but not stuffed. We'll be back for sure. read more

Though not exactly modern haute cuisine, The Grotto offers a lighter fare that is fully appropriate for a quicker, satisfying meal at a reasonable price in a casual, "come-as-you-are" environment, while leaving without feeling stuffed or any regrets afterwards. The Spartan yet generally pleasant surroundings feature a blend of fast food ordering from the counter, self-service drink fountain, speedy yet sufficient kitchen prep and courteous, prompt delivery to your table that's becoming a more popular "fast causal" restaurant model. We all split an appetizer of their Blue Cheese Chips that were extremely tasty and uniquely prepared. Two of us had the Butter Chicken Bowl which had a distinctive yet subtle Indian curry sauce with grilled chicken strips atop Basmati Rice with mini Naan bites on the side. It was light and very tasty. One had the Grilled Salmon Filet with two side selections of broccoli and basmati rice. They were very pleased with its flavor & consistency. The last had the adult Chicken Tenders with beer-battered Fries. She ate about half the fries (which the rest of us found good) and all but half a tender of the large four. While decent, a few were heavily battered to the point of being hard rather than crunchy. The four of us were in & out in 30 minutes, staying light on our feet. The menu had enough variety to satisfy almost anyone including vegetarian & vegan palates at a fairly reasonable cost. While not exactly a "destination", it felt like a comfortable no-brainer choice without surprises. read more

Loved that it was casual. You order your food up front and then sit down. Food was good. Would like to go back.

Not a vegan restaurant! Nice joint! I came here believing it was a vegan restaurant but the menu still was vegetarian/vegan friendly. We went with the pita bread, sweet potato fries starters and ended with Baja bowl and Caesar salad. The salads were a great big portion for the price we payed and the starters were seasoned very well. I would recommend this for a great lunch spot for those with gluten free or vegetarian diets! read more

Decided to try this cute little spot for lunch because I was craving vegetarian food that's west coast style. I ordered the portobello sandwich and a side caesar salad. Both items were good, but I wish there was a special sauce for the sandwich. It wasn't too special, imo. read more

The Grotto - Portobello sandwich and side caesar salad - American Near Me - Springfield, Missouri

The Grotto used to be good about 10 years ago, now everything's dry and overpriced. I don't know how they make everything so dry, even the water is super dry. I think the only good thing on the menu was the chips with the cheese crumbles on it, but all the entrées are so terrible that everybody tries to eat up all my chips, because they realize they made a huge mistake coming to the Grotto for anything other than super dry food. More like "GROTTA GET OUTTA HERE!" Amirite?! read more

recommended by Scrapbook Generation across the street and glad they did! (you guys owe em a pizza or at least a thank you) menu is just the right size, enough to offer a wide variety of meat or meatless options, of several types of cuisines. but not so long you cant decide what to get. there are apps, burgers, tacos, sammies and pizzas as main categories, then several choices under each. ordered hummus & flatbread for the table and individual hawaiian pizza for myself. let me just say, if you dislike hummus - order it anyway and toss the hummus - that warm, soft, seasoned flatbread is THAT good! but hopefully you like hummus cause it was lemony fresh. my pizza was D-licious! loved the crust, the fresh sauce, the toppings - the NOT from can fresh pineapple. only complaint was the chopped bacon wasnt really scattered, it was in 2 or 3 clumps that turned into inedible bacon charcoal. well i guess you could eat it --- if you have a good dental plan ;) friends ordered buffalo mac and chicken fettuccini both also ordered salads - caesar and house. both were generous for "small" and were very fresh with tasty dressings. both were very happy with their meals, although mac got a "meh" as far as taste went, it was VERY creamy - well i didnt stab my fork into my friend's meal, but it LOOKED creamy. uber clean restaurant, tables and restrooms and friendly efficient service. wish we lived closer, but have family in the area. will go on our "when there eat at" list. read more

We liked The Grotto but it wasn't a "knock your socks off" experience. While Yelp said "beer and wine" they had only a couple different options for beer and no wine. I had a Blue Moon and hubby had an IPA. The service was good however I received my Impossible Burger without their signature mayo so I had to get up, wait in line, and ask for it. The Impossible Burger was prepared okay but it and my steamed broccoli were warm not hot. My husband's beget was good. Fresh, cooked right, and the fries flavorful. Overall an average experience but we will try another option if ever in this area again. read more

The Grotto - Husband's cheeseburger and fries. - American Near Me - Springfield, Missouri

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Clean environment, nice employees. Ordered chips and salsa to start, and the chips were so thin and crispy. Ordered a pizza with Roma tomatoes, extra cheese, sausage, bacon, and pepperoni and was impressed. A little pricey but worth every penny for sure! read more

The Grotto - American Near Me - Springfield, Missouri

refreshing & light dishes. their menu shows which items are gf & vegetarian which is helpful. the food came out fast. everyone can find something to eat here. read more

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I've been craving California fish tacos and decided to go here...there's a big lack of California fish tacos in Springfield, MO. I digress. When I entered the restaurant, the menu was right at the front. I was easily able to find what I wanted on the menu and my boyfriend also was able to quickly make a choice. We headed up to the front desk and placed our order. The cashier promptly took our order and asked all the right questions. I ordered the Baja Fish Tacos and my boyfriend ordered the Mushroom Swiss Burger, done medium. We got our drinks, and sat down. The place was clean and well maintained. There was a worker bussing tables and wiping them clean. Seating was spaced out every other table for COVID. Our order was delivered to our seat pretty quickly. I dove in -- I was starving. Fish tacos: The meal came with two tacos and chips and salsa. The fish was fried perfectly crunchy on the outside and nice and tender on the inside; good flavor on the fish. The sauce flavor and amount was just right. The lettuce, Pico, and cheese was too much for the fish. Just a tad bit less lettuce, cheese, and Pico and it would have been a much better ratio. Also the cheese was very cold and it really contrasted with the temperature of the fish. 3/5 Chips and salsa: Fresh, crispy chips, perfectly salted. The salsa was packed with flavor; roasted, with a kick. And the lime and cilantro coming through strong. 4/5 Mushroom Swiss burger: Boyfriend said the meat was more medium rare than medium. He also said the mushrooms could have done with some more cooking. The toppings (lettuce, tomato, onion) looked really fresh. 3/5 Would I come back here? Yes, but not regularly. Maybe when I'm craving fish tacos again. read more

The Grotto - Baja fish tacos - American Near Me - Springfield, Missouri

Love their pizzas! Taste healthy with good ingredients. A cleaning and fun place to have lunch or dinner.

Excellent lunch location, great choices. Was a little confusing was given a buzzer; however server delivered food to our table and buzzer never went off? read more

After using the Best of 417 guide I chose The Grotto to meet a friend for lunch. I must say it was fantastic. We started out with the Hummus and pita starter. The pita was topped with various seasonings and toasted. It was hard to stop (think chips and salsa kind of can't stop eating). My friend had the grilled Salmon entree. The salmon was beautifully cooked and flavorful. The rice and broccoli simple and well cooked. I had the avocado chicken sandwich with beer battered fries. The chicken was topped with smashed avocado, bacon (which was delicious) lettuce and red onion. It was served with on a toasted brioche bun with a chipotle cream (whew unexpected little heat there!) Very good sandwich. The beer battered fries where crispy and hot, but I didn't feel anything special. I definitely will return to try the other menu items as everything I saw on other tables looked delicious. The blue cheese chip appetizer was piled high. The staff was friendly and the dining area clean and up to current Covid guidelines. read more

Good food and service. Nothing special that I would go out of my way for. But definitely a good place if you're close.

GOOD QUALITY food, reasonably priced. The food is always tasty. The cranberry walnut salad was the perfect amount, filled with flavor. The grilled chicken sandwich was also flavorful. The fries were crunchy, just as fries should be. We will be back to try the pizzas next! Couldn't find a current menu, even the one on their website is out dated, so I took some pics! read more

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My family and I loved our salads. The black bean burger and chicken sandwich was really good too. The girl who took our order was very friendly. read more

I have frequented the Grotto on and off for years and have usually been pleased with the offerings. Yesterday I ordered fish tacos. There's an upcharge of $4 for getting the fish, so $14 for 2 tacos. The size of the fish portion was minuscule! So disappointed. read more

Favorite restaurant in Springfield! It is so consistently good. My favorite menu item is either the salmon or the teriyaki chicken bowl. The baja bowl is good too! Highly recommend this place read more

The Grotto - salmon with sweet potato fries and broccoli - American Near Me - Springfield, Missouri

The Grotto was really cool, quick, efficient, clean and tasty! They offer a variety of options for guests. Everything from pizza to burgers to salads to sandwiches. Everyone in my group was impressed by the flavors. Often times, places that offer this kind of variety don't pack the punch in their food. I thought this was a super solid place to eat and would recommend highly! read more

The Grotto - Burger! - American Near Me - Springfield, Missouri

Very casual, order at the counter, take a number, find a seat and they will bring you your order kind of place. They call it an West Coast affair, but they really just mean there is some BBQ chicken pizza and some salads. The salads are great and you can also order a side of protein. Everything seems to come with cheese, so if you are vegan or whatever- also ask if their is cheese in it. It is honestly one of the healthier fast causal options in the area! read more

The Grotto - American Near Me - Springfield, Missouri

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Pretty good ambiance is more like Panera if you've been! You order at counter and they bring the food. Over all if your looking good a cheap good meal this is the place to go. read more

Excellent burger with sweet potato fries. The service was brief but polite. I like the place, with photos of famous cities in California.

First time back in 9 years. It was like stepping into a time machine- the menu didn't read like if had been updated and the decor is a dilapidated version of its prior self. The food was 'adequate' but felt uninspired on my taste buds amongst the worn out seating and wood wall that is falling apart. The only thing I noticed was the prices have increased. Perhaps they are trying to earn money to remodel. They would be better off doing a kickstarter or GofundMe campaign. read more

Their vegan burger is horrendous but I love their pizza, 8/10 pizza for sure. Their cookies are excellent. And the place is very well kept. Service leaves a lot to be desired. If I could change anything it would be the vegan burgers and the design of the restaurant, they don't play into the Grotto name very well so I feel it's misleading. read more

Fun little place off of Battlefield. I ordered the spicy chicken sandwich with a side salad and everything was excellent. read more

The Grotto - American Near Me - Springfield, Missouri

Really had a fantastic time coming here with my family! My dad is a picky eater, but loved his pizza! My mom had some of the best steak Gorgonzola salad ever, and my sandwich was delightful! attached is the picture of my sisters Baja bowl, which she definitely enjoyed. Will surely be coming here again. read more

The Grotto - Baja bowl - American Near Me - Springfield, Missouri