We Review Lindberg's Tavern

This is kind of an embarrassing confession: I have lived in Springfield for 19 years, yet until reporting this story, I had not eaten at Lindberg’s Tavern (318 W. Commercial St., Springfield, MO, 417-868-8900). I’ve done food writing off and on during that time and reviewed many, many restaurants. But somehow, I’d never been to Lindberg’s. I’m not proud of this.

Considering the fact that Lindberg’s is housed in a historic 1880s building and has a reputation for excellently executed dishes, I decided I needed to stop messing around and go eat the food that I’ve been eying every time it appears on my Instagram feed.

I toyed with whether to go for dinner or Sunday brunch. I had to ask myself: Katie, are you more in the mood for a lobster egg Benedict (yes, I want that) or one of the burgers famously seared in duck fat (yes, I want that). In the end, my family and I headed there during the lunch/brunch hours on a recent Sunday.

Despite the pull of that enticing eggs Benedict, I ended up choosing one of the things Lindberg’s is most loved for: A burger. I opted for the Lindburger (that means it has two duck fat seared patties), which come topped with provel cheese and all the classic veggie toppings. I added braised mushrooms and onions too. The burger was ridiculously juicy, and now I know what all the fuss is about. I’m glad I added braised mushrooms, which gave the burger a flavor boost that it didn’t necessarily need but that certainly brought it to the next level.

One of my favorite things about the Lindberg’s menu is that you can upgrade your side of fries to some unexpectedly fun bites, including things like fried green tomatoes, fried mushrooms and even gravy-laden poutine. I went for the fried green tomatoes. They were delightful: tart, crunchy and a little nostalgic.

My husband, Eli, ordered the grilled shrimp tacos, which had a flavorful chipotle sauce and were absolutely packed with toppings. Eli was a big fan. Of our two kiddos, only one ended up ordering from the brunch menu. Eloise got the chicken and waffles, which come topped with a hand-breaded and freshly fried piece of chicken, with butter and jam on the side. She dug into the meal with gusto. Oliver is always on the hunt for new meat-free options. He ordered The Pretender, a house-made vegan “burger” topped with veggies and vegan mayo.

We all left happy and just a little too full of food that was satisfying, delish and charmingly creative.