With all the hits downtown Springfield has taken over the last few weeks, I figured it would be good to review one of its remaining restaurants. I’m glad that I did.
Aunt Lou’s is at the southwest corner of Sixth and Monroe streets. There’s a small bar area zoned off from the main dining room, which consists of tables and high tops located next to the large windows – all the better to check out who’s out and about downtown. There’s a good vibe, sort of an industrial-chic touch that lets you know this is no corporate chain place.
We visited right at noon to find that there was already a good crowd. After being seated and presented with menus, our drinks (non-alcoholic, but more hearty libations are available) quickly came out.
Aunt Lou’s menu is small, which we liked. Most everything comes with a slice of honey-butter cornbread, and most entrees come with two sides. Sides include fried green tomatoes, mini-shrimp and grits and fried okra. Main entrees, naturally, trend toward fried foods plus classics like Philly cheesesteak and the horseshoe.
We weren’t in a hurry, so we started with the fried deviled eggs. Not that I know, but these things were like crack cocaine – yep, totally addictive. The breading (we guessed flour and panko breadcrumbs) gave the dish a nice contrasting texture and also delivered a little heat. I prefer savory dishes to sweet. But even though I tasted a little bit of sweetness I thought it helped pull the whole dish together. In any event, the breading paired well with the creamy goodness of the whipped yolk and the firm whites. My guest and I each spiced ours up with a dash of hot sauce, not enough to overpower, but just enough to give the dish even more pop.
Other starters that tempted us included the mini-shrimp and grits (fried or grilled shrimp with buttery grits and topped with Aunt Lou’s own hot sauce) and salmon bites (fried, served with hot honey sauce or Cajun ranch sauce).
For entrees my guest and I decided on the cheeseburger, served with fries, and the smothered pork chops. Other items that caught our eye included the chicken and waffles and the fried catfish.
I went for the fall-off-the bone-tender smoked pork chops with a side of fries and mac and cheese. This was a hearty dish that hit deep nostalgia with a bold and satisfying flavor combination. The pork chops had obviously been seared to lock in juices and create a nice crust. They were then smothered by simmering them in a rich gravy that we believed was made of drippings, onions and garlic. This was a fork-tender dish that felt like it came from grandma’s kitchen – perhaps, however, better served on a cold day than a blistering hot and humid day. As sides I went with the fries and mac and cheese. The fries were piping hot and crispy if a little under-seasoned, nothing that a small dash of salt didn’t cure. The mac and cheese had a nice fond and was incredibly rich thanks to the hearty cheese sauce. As with seemingly every dish at Aunt Lou’s, the portions were very generous, especially for the price, enough so that I was unable to finish my sides.
My guest went with the burger. Again, this was well-sized for the price ($12.99) and was quite thick, which allowed it to form a nice crust. The toppings were reported as fresh and crisp and it came with a very generous helping of French fries. The burger was plenty juicy with the center being a nice light pink color. Well done, Aunt Lou’s.
Service was incredibly friendly. We appreciated that our server kept a watch on our drinks such that we never had to ask for a refill.
I wouldn’t want to eat like this every day, but when you need a dose of comfort food, Aunt Lou’s is a good place to do so. And you should bring friends, as comfort food is meant to be shared.
This article appears in SBJ August 2025.