Looks like they've gotten rid of a lot of the options that people really seemed to dig (i.e., the gluten and vegan options), but there is still a nice variety of pizzas, salads, and other options for many people to be satisfied, enough so that it took me forever to look at the menu because there were so many things I wanted to try. Looking for decent pizza and my willpower being unable to pass up the blue cheese chips people craved about, we ended up trying the blue cheese chips, the cheese fries, and two pizzas (the santa monica and the spicy chicken cilantro). Perhaps the chips were better if not doing carry out, but meh. I really didn't find them to be all that great. I'd get them if I were sitting in and someone else wanted them, but otherwise, I wouldn't crave them ever. And the bacon cheese fries were also underwhelming; I felt they skimped on the cheese. And skimped...that's a good word to segue into my talk about the pizzas. I expect non-traditionals as I've had them at most other placed: thin, crispy crust with a light layering of toppings, just enough to get a good bite but sometimes leaving you thinking, "man, I really wish that had a little bit more insert-item-here on it." Well, the Grotto's pizza do NOT have this problem. The amount of toppings were plentiful, so much so, that I feel the crust suffered ever so slightly (a bit soggy for my liking). That being said, I totally appreciate that these pizzas were full of toppings and full of flavor. The spicy chicken cilantro pizza was delicious. And the medium pizzas were really quite large. I had a piece of each pizza and couldn't eat anymore. The Grotto is really a good option for fun, flavorful pizzas at a decent price. I'll definitely be back. read more

I really wanted to like this place, but two very important components were missing here- taste and cleanliness. We ate here for the first time today for a late lunch and while the "variety of food" was nice for Springfield, the actual taste of the food itself was nothing to brag about. I had the Hawaiian BBQ Chicken Flatbread. Don't let the fancy plating fool you- it wasn't good. The flavor just wasnt there. It had red onions, chicken, pineapple, a bbq-type sauce and drizzled with a teryaki sauce. Given those ingredients, i expected a bit of sweetness (at least from the pineapple, i mean c'mon!) and unfortunately all i could taste was a strange, unexpected bitterness. My husband got a teryaki bowl (brown rice, broccoli, chicken & teryaki sauce) and thought it was flavorless as well. The chicken didn't appear to be seasoned. My 5 year old had chicken tenders which were obviously frozen and thin as paper with a bowl of slimy fresh fruit. I can't speak for the staff, as it's basically self-service. You order at the counter when you walk in and the girl who took our order acted like she had better things to do. Then you get your own fountain drink, utensils and seat yourself and someone will drop the food off at your table. There are two sides to this establishment. The room in the left is filled with booths which we opted for first. First thing out of my mouth.... "WHAT is that putrid smell!?" My husband and i agreed that it smelled like old, mildew filled dish rags that they probably use to clean the tables. It was so unbearable that we had to go to the other side where mostly everyone was sitting as well. The only clean(ish) table we sat at still wasn't very clean at all. The floor was disgusting. I'm just appalled. We spent $30 just on lunch at this joint. None of us finished our meals and werent really sure if we even wanted to bring leftovers home with us. The idea is there, but this place needs some major TLC. read more

The Grotto - Hawaiian BBQ Flatbread. Don't let the fancy plating fool you and don't waste your money. - American Near Me - Springfield, Missouri

The pizza and atmosphere are great. The kids loved it. My main complaint was that the furniture on the patio is tied down, which did not allow for a larger family to eat together outside. At the same time, it was good to get a break from the kiddos! Gluten free is pretty good. However, I would stick with the pizza or pasta as the hamburger meat gave a little to be desired. We plan on going again. read more

Walked out faster then I walked in. A veggie burger for 13 or 14 dollars!! No thanks! Now I know why they don't advertise the price!

This place is so close to being great, but just misses the mark in a few vital categories. The food is good, I always get the Bleu cheese burger, but about half the time the fries are old. The burger on the other hand, is yummy. Their bus boys are not always on it, and usually half the empty tables in the joint are filthy. I usually opt to sit outside at restaurants because I don't like listening to pop music or the TV over my lunch partner but here it's inescapable. I once asked an employee to turn down the patio music because we literally couldn't have a conversation over it and they didn't know how. We ate quickly in silence and left. It's really a matter of the employees not caring and the management not staying on top of these small details, because right now I'd rather take the food to go and enjoy it at home. read more

I am really happy that I took my family to eat here! Very impressed with this restaurant. Started off with the Blue Cheese chips which were very tasty. My oldest son & I split a large Hamburger pizza & it was really, really good. My wife had a Avocado, Bacon, Cheese & Chicken sandwich & she said it was amazing. I've never noticed this establishment before because it is hidden. Just off of Kimbrough & Battlefield. Seriously if your tired of going to the same places you need to try this out! read more

Mmmmm. So tasty. The bleu cheese chips and I are going to be great friends. Bleu cheese chips and my thighs are NOT going to be great friends. Dublin's has been my pivot point for great housemade chips, and the Grotto might have them beat. We also ordered the bacon cheese fries, which were pretty run of the mill, but no complaints. I was super excited for a black bean burger, but they were out (which I knew was due to a recall, but it would have been nice if they explained that). So, I went with a safe option--Hawaiian BBQ chicken pizza. It was a little too greasy and came out at 4700 degrees...but it was delicious. I am not a huge cilantro fan, but it added a bright touch to my pizza. I was also pleased with the stringy, melty cheese. It apparently doesn't take much for me. :) It's a lot of food, and two people can definitely split a pizza. I have to ding the Grotto for their layout. I am not sure if it's a chain or corporate floor plan of some sort...but it could use some help. You walk into a hallway that only holds about 8 people if you are good friends. Feels like a cattle chute. Anyway, you trudge up to the register, place your order, and then go sit down. They call your order number with an obnoxious microphone and all your plates are set out on a big counter. The drinks are around the corner, along with ketchup, mustard, hot sauce, yada yada, and napkins. I had to ask what to do with our plates when I was finished--leave them on the table, FYI. I always feel guilty leaving my dishes for someone else to clean up, but apparently that's how they roll. One weird thing is that I asked for a to-go cup, which they gave me, but no lid. Lids are handy, Grotto. Put it on your Sam's list. read more

This is hands down one of my favorite places to eat. The menu is broad, and while it may seem intimidating at first, it's easy to narrow down a GREAT option. I'm a huge fan of the bowls (the teriyaki bowl and the Baja bowl) and their pizzas are fantastic! Even my dad who isn't a fan of places like Panera really likes The Grotto! read more

This is such a great no fuss restaurant with delicious food. Simply put, no frills, just right. The menu has lots of options and a great vegetarian variety. Personally, I'm obsessed with the veggie sandwhich with pizza dough adn sweet potato fries. One downside, it can get very busy so even though you already have your food, there are no tables available. read more

The food here deserves five stars. But there are some other things about the place that keep me from going there very often. The atmosphere is more like an upscale lunch place--order at the counter, cement floors, with modern (and rather bland) colors and decor. But it's not very practical for lunch, because in my experience, you can't count on the food being that quick. It's well worth the wait, but I wouldn't go here for dinner on a date or if I was in a hurry for lunch. I would go here to meet a friend for lunch and slowly savor a delicious meal. Edited: The Grotto's move to their new location dealt with the only problem I had with the restaurant, so I went ahead and gave it that fifth star. read more

Steak Gorgonzola salad! I am sure the other menu items are good but I can't get away from this salad. My family has ordered other things and they have enjoyed them. Everything I have seen looks good. Good food and it is fresh. read more

Meh. Usually like the food, but there are times when the service is so slow it's not worth the wait.

So far the two times that I've been there the food is fantastic great chicken sandwiches and the soups are yummy I know I'll be back read more

The cookies are delicious and the place was clean. But if you like sitting down for a long period of time staring at other customers that are staring back at you waiting for their food then come to The Grotto! This place is for you! After I watched my boyfriend age our food was served it was good food, but I could've went home, cooked it myself and returned with my cooked meal faster. Quite literally, don't waste your time here. read more

Blue Cheese Chips are arguably the best appetizer in Springfield for under $10. I would give the Grotto the full 5 stars if they kept their Thai Pizza on the menu year round. That pizza takes me places. So good. read more

Like it well enough that if I worked at a place where I could walk to lunch, I'd eat there at noon once a week. One Friday night we went to the Grotto and got great service because there weren't many people. The next time we went in the evening, they were just BOOMING with business, so it was hard to find a clean table. We did though, and the food was good. You feel less guilty eating out when you go there, since there are healthy options. read more

Great food, great atmosphere and always had great service. One of the few places in Springfield that had vegetarian/vegan options for burgers. The portobello burger was my favorite but all of the veggie burger options were amazing. The sweet potato fries and hummus are excellent and are great portion sizes for the price. This place deserves 5 stars for the level of customer service I have always received. Never disappointed. read more

Loved it so much the first time I went 3 times that week! We all really liked everything we had! The blue cheese chips rocked, and none of us even LIKE blue cheese! The service is not above and beyond, but there is no complaints from us! Its pretty much a wait on yourself kind of place. Pricing is good for the quality, I will definitely keep going read more

It was a wonderful experience. I had the gf flatbread (so good) and my husband had a burger which he loved. We will go back again, there are a lot of things on the menu that we want to try. Oh I almost forgot we had the blue cheese chips and they were so good! read more

Great staff, great food. Will for sure keep coming back. The blue cheese chips are a must. I don't even like blue cheese but these are to die for!! read more

I've had 3 or 4 of the specialty pizzas and this is a really solid California-style joint. The Haight Asbury and Cilantro Chicken were probably my favorite. For as big as Springfield is, I feel like there should be more pizza places, but as it is, this is definitely a good option to have. I find the service a bit like stepping momentarily into a different metro area. Hard to described, but at least the food is good. read more

I really enjoyed my lunch here the other day. I came in with my Lady Friend around 4:00 and basically had the place to ourselves. The food came out promptly and tasted absolutely great. I insist that you try the blue cheese chips, as they will blow your mind wide open. I also had the grilled chicken pasta and the cream sauce was pretty darn fantastic. You should seriously check it out, if you haven't already. Your mouth hole will thank you from the bottom of your face. read more

The Grotto - Creamy deliciousness to soothe your soul. - American Near Me - Springfield, Missouri

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Great place for lunch, excellent service with delicious food. My family of 4 payed only 29 something. It was inexpensive and had good food. They also have good meals for people trying to eat clean. I had the sweet potato fries with the California burger, not very clean, but it was good all the same. read more

The Grotto - Right next to its tower with the 'g' - American Near Me - Springfield, Missouri

Girlfriend and I ordered burgers and fries. I had the Grotto Swiss and she had the Grotto Jack. The burgers were alright, but nothing special. The beer battered fries were pretty good. They were definitely the highlight of the meal. All in all, I'm not sure if the two meals were worth $25, but I'd be willing to come back to try one of their pizzas. read more

I'm not usually a huge "California style" food type of person but holy cow this place does it right. I haven't had a thing on the menu that I don't like yet. I honestly used to hate blue cheese with a burning passion of a thousand suns...until I tried their blue cheese crumble homemade potato chips. I never go here without ordering them to start off with now. They have great normal options like burgers and great healthier options as well. Definitely worth the try if you're in the area looking for something unique! read more

I was visiting Springfield and this looked like a decent place so my family and I stopped in an hour before close. (We got there at 7, they closed at 8) We ordered the kids pasta and they were out of marinara sauce, they could substitute for Alfredo, fine. My husband and I both ordered chicken Alfredo and then they let us know they would only have enough Alfredo for one dish. They didn't really care I'm pretty sure they just wanted us to leave so we did. read more

I hadn't been here in awhile but dropped in recently to support a fundraiser the business was supporting. I had the Hippie Burger and my husband had the chicken avocado sandwich. The hippie burger is their take on a black bean burger and it is pretty tasty! It comes with a generous amount of guacamole on top, with standard red onion, tomato, and lettuce. The bun wasn't anything special, but it went well with the whole sandwich. I ordered as my side the house made chips with blue cheese. The chips and blue cheese are great and I would come back just to eat them! I found out later that they have a menu item called the impossible burger. It is a vegan burger that has the same texture as meat. I am not vegan/vegetarian but I like that they offer really good vegetarian options for my friends who are. I like being food curious and I will definitely be back to try that impossible burger out! read more

This place is consistently good. My favorite is the spicy chicken sandwich with the chipotle sauce. The pasta is good. The burgers are delicious. And you have to try the homemade chips with blue cheese. read more

Ate here today with my mom and hubby for lunch. Nothing spectacular to comment on, but it was a rather cheap lunch that was relatively healthy. It's nice to see some variety coming to Springfield. I got the quinoa bowl and it was delicious. I'm not a huge fan of tofu and they killed it. Definitely recommend for lunch. read more

Very disappointed in this establishment! I am vegetarian and the Grotto has been advertising their Impossible Burger and Black Bean Burger as "Veggie" which basically means vegetarian. I have been there numerous times and just found out that they cook all their "veggie" stuff in the same oil that they cook their meat?!?!? That's insane! Why would you do that? It's not even vegetarian especially not vegan. Me and my husband run a Vegan/ Vegetarian Facebook page for Springfield MO and everyone knows about this now. We share food info so people are educated and informed and hopefully the owner will read this and correct the issue. I know it's a pain in the butt to use 2 different fryers but that's just crazy. Anyone with half a brain would not do that. Its wrong and deceiving and some people are vegetarian/ vegan for medical reasons and this could cause a HUGE lawsuit.... read more

One of my favorite places for a meal. FRESH indgredients and great cookies at the counter. My husband is a vegetarian and this is the only place in town he will order a black bean burger, claiming it is the best one he has ever had. The owner of this place is very friendly, I have been going since it opened - never disappionted in an order, so many good things here! If you don't have much time for lunch you may want to call your order in for pick up because they do get busy and it can takes about 45 min to eat lunch here. Also a great place to celebrate with friends, they serve wine and beer at this cafe! read more

I love the grotto. And I eat here frequently. The food is fantastic, and worth the price. It's nice for a casual get together/casual date. Average noise atmosphere, not a quiet restaurant. My only complaint is that 9/10 the tables are dirty. Tonight, we had to ask multiple times to get our table wiped down before we could sit down. Otherwise, great food! Keep it up!! read more

I wasn't sure if this place was going to be another Panera-type restaurant, but I was pleasantly surprised. My Greek salad with chicken was huge, fresh, and served on real plates with real flatware. I loved that the red onions were sliced paper thin, so I could enjoy them while I ate, but not for the rest of the day (if you get my drift). Also a generous amount of artichokes, feta and black olives. My son had a spicy chicken sandwich with a Caesar side; again, fresh and wholesome...it was slightly fast food but with high quality ingredients and I enjoyed the light and airy decor (I LOVED the tile work and the color scheme). read more

The Grotto - Greek salad with chicken (foreground), spicy chicken sandwich with side Caesar in background. - American Near Me - Springfield, Missouri

We were not impressed! The pizza was more Sauce than anything. The steak salad was nothing special and it was bland. The tables were dirty. The restroom was dirty and needed attention. It looked like t hug e floor was molded. We won't go back again! read more

Very unexpected fantastic food. 1st time there didnt know what to really order shared a mushroom swiss burger and blue cheese chips.. OMG it was AMAZING the meat was so good and everything was fresh and flavorful. I was so full all day from 1/2 of the burger. Will DEFINITELY make this a go to place. The read more

This place has a pretty decent hamburger. The sweet potato fries came out super hot and excellent read more

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Food is pretty good. Except the fact when they run out cookies and decide to not make more of them even though they are open for 5 more hours, so annoying. Or when they discontinue an item and still have it on a menu. Stop being lazy and change it read more

We stopped in for a quick lunch today! We shared the bleu cheese chips to start. My fiancé had a bacon cheeseburger, and I had the spicy chicken sandwich. To start, the service was quick, which was nice! The bleu cheese chips were okay, but the chips themselves were super hard. Pretty good flavor though. Overall, the bleu cheese chips don't stand up to others I've had in Springfield. The burger was just okay, but the bacon on the burger was especially good. The spicy chicken sandwich was okay as well. The chicken itself didn't have much flavor, but the seasoning that was layered on top was kind of tasty! The fries were definitely the best thing. All things considered, it isn't a place we would return simply because it wasn't outstanding, and it was more expensive than other places offering the same things! read more

The Blue Cheese chips were stale. Couldn't even finish them. That's all I ordered because they were great "back in the day". Maybe it was an off night? read more

Don't go there on Friday evenings. They were doing okay, tables properly spaced and everyone wearing masks, good signs on the door that say if you don't wear a mask they won't serve you no exceptions. Except a HUGE group of people came in and started pushing tables together right next to myself and my friend, completely ignoring social distance and masking. We asked if they could please stop and go outside or somewhere else (like 14+ people all pushing tables together) and they told us "it's okay, we do this every Friday". I alerted the staff who said they would take care of it but nothing was ever done. Avoid this place. read more