Richard’s Family Restaurant

Richard’s Family Restaurant is the latest diner to open in Springfield and is a most welcome addition to the genre.

Located on Ninth Street, just south of North Grand Avenue, Richard’s operates in the space formerly occupied by Homestyle Café. Homestyle had gotten a little long in the tooth, but Richard’s started with a deep clean and then completely redid the space. It’s bright, well-designed and welcoming and includes double doors that help keep the cold and snow out as patrons come and go.

Speaking of coming and going, Richard’s has had a good lunch crowd on each of my visits. Some were obviously regulars, given that the staff greeted them by name. But even though my guests and I are not we were treated as such by the staff, which gave great overall service.

Richard’s menu, as with many in this genre, is quite large but not quite as expansive as some of its other competitors. There are daily specials, including dinner specials (dinner is available Wednesday through Saturday). Specials on our last visit were tacos, the chopped sirloin steak and shrimp salad. Most items are served with a bowl of soup or, for a small up-charge, a green salad.

The tables each have a nice setup of completely full condiment bottles (no near-empty bottles here) that include Richard’s private label hot sauce. The hot sauce, while having some heat, delivered a nice flavor and pleasant consistency (not too runny and not too thick).

After a quick perusal of the menus, we decided to pass on breakfast (served all day) and go straight toward lunch, opting for the club sandwich, cheeseburger and the breaded pork tenderloin sandwich.

Two of us opted for the soup and one (the big spender) went with the green salad. The soup option was chicken noodle, and it was spot on. While the noodles were a little squishy for my taste, the flavor had some depth which suggested some slow simmering and no shortcuts. The broth carried a nice savoriness but came close to being overly salty – so definitely taste before seasoning at the table.

The green salad was nothing remarkable and compared favorably with Richard’s peers. Both offerings set us up well for the main event.

I’ve written before that a club sandwich can make or break a diner. Richard’s version was a credit to the industry and arrived stacked high, the way it should be. Layers of sliced turkey, crispy bacon, lettuce and tomato were tucked between toasted bread that held its structure without turning dry. The balance was right – savory, fresh and just indulgent enough. The accompanying massive portion of fries (which nearly dwarfed the plate) leaned toward the traditional diner style: golden, lightly crisp on the outside, soft inside and salted just enough to keep you reaching back for more.

The cheeseburger was straightforward in the best sense. A well-seasoned patty, cooked through with a slight char carried that unmistakable grill flavor. Melted cheese blanketed the top, binding everything together with a soft bun that didn’t overpower the meat. It wasn’t trying to be gourmet and that restraint worked in its favor. This is a burger that understands its role: satisfying, predictable and easy to enjoy.

Then there’s the breaded pork tenderloin sandwich, arguably the most regionally iconic item on the table. Here, it didn’t disappoint. The tenderloin was generously portioned (although not as insanely large as you sometimes see in a tavern), breaded and fried to a crisp, golden finish. The crunch gave way to tender meat inside, creating that contrast that makes this sandwich a staple across Illinois. Served on a bun that barely contained it, it delivered both in size and flavor, especially with classic toppings (lettuce, onion, tomato and pickles) adding a bit of brightness to cut through the richness.

For those with a sweet tooth there’s also a fairly robust dessert menu including homemade pies and cheesecake. But what particularly caught our collective eyes were the homemade cinnamon rolls. We saw some on an adjacent table and they looked delicious, but we just didn’t have room for it. Maybe next time.

Portions were overall quite generous and prices were reasonable. And, as mentioned earlier, service stood out.

Richard’s is a welcome addition to Springfield’s diner scene. With good service, food made with quality ingredients, generous portions and reasonable prices, it’s not surprising that my guests and I enjoyed our visits. I wish it much success.

This article appears in May SBJ 2026.