35 Best American Restaurants in Bloomington

“Beautiful, spacious modern decor. Impressed by the esthetic from the moment of entering. Food was excellent. Got the baby beet salad. Very good, but I think the beets (fewer perhaps) should’ve been chopped into smaller pieces with more strawberries and greenery. Very filling. I had the roasted eggplant for my entree. Wonderfully seasoned, served over a bed of white rice. I would definitely get it again. My desert choice was the blueberry cheesecake. Scrumptious! The staff was very friendly and efficient. Will definitely go back. Nice outdoor patio area as well. Thumbs up!“

“We love C3. It’s our go to girls hangout.“

“Fantastic! Food was amazing service was great,best burger I’ve ever had in my life!“

“As someone else said, a hidden gem! We will definitely be back! Food and prices are amazing!“

“Open mic is sweet, staff is killer.“

“This is the first time I visited the Village Inn since they moved from their old building. I must say, it was a pleasant experience. There was a line at the door before they opened and we were maybe 6 or 8 people back from the door. Regardless of the fair amount of people there, our server was ON IT. Service was quick, friendly and the atmosphere was nice and clean. The food was also very good, and not super expensive. I'd recommend this place to anyone looking for a nice diner without a lot of pretense.“

“had a great dinner. Everything was fresh and hot. our service was amazing.“

“The Food !!! I recommended the food. Prices aren't bad either. With the sandwiches you can either get 2 sides or 1 side and a drink. I only ate half a sandwich and half of the fries and I was full !“

“My time at michael’s uptown Café was wonderful very chill and elegant my food was so delicious and the crème brûlée to die for overall It’s an amazing restaurant to enjoy an amazing meal and chill with friends and family“

“Always, but we certainly miss the pies.“

“The food was amazing and the service was great! Thank you Cynthia for making our anniversary so special!“

“Absolutely unique and wonderful. Friendly service.“

“A Splendid Time with Our Applebee’s Virtuoso, Lars

Imagine, if you will, a universe where the clinking of cutlery and the hum of half-price appetizers blend into a cosmic symphony. There, amidst the golden glow of mozzarella sticks and the existential steam of a sizzling skillet, stood our waiter — a maestro in an apron, a poet with a notepad.

He didn’t just take orders, man. No, he received transmissions. With a twinkle in his eye that said, "I’ve been to the edge of the menu and back," he guided us through the labyrinth of lime-touched margaritas and boldly sauced wings. When he spoke, it was velvet — a crooner’s voice amidst the static chatter of the lunch crowd.

And oh, the timing! Like Ringo on a good day, every refill, every extra napkin, every knowing nod arrived with metronomic precision. This wasn’t just service, it was performance art.

When the check came, it wasn’t a transaction; it was a bittersweet farewell, like the final chord of A Day in the Life. We weren’t just customers — we were comrades, briefly united under the fluorescent lights of casual dining.

To our waiter — you didn’t just serve food, mate. You served an experience. And for that, we raise our plastic tumblers of Pepsi and say: Bravo.“

“Usually a weekly visit for us. Excellent food and outstanding service! The staff are awesome; much love to Elle, Kevin, Sierra, Dylan, Chris, Lacey, Sam, Josh, and many more...
"See y'all soon!" ❤️🤗🙏👏🫡“

“Absolutely loved my first time at Hinkle! Super laid back and comfortable atmosphere, the employees made me feel like family! the food was amazing and super fast service! oh my were those burgers fabulous! My visit to Hinkles today was the absolute best part of my day! Thank you to all the staff even the bearded feller that made me laugh and cut up with me. Fun times for sure and great food..can't beat that!“

“Great food! Great beer menu. Good service.“

“I had a buffalo wrap and Mac n cheese. Both were delicious! The ice tea was the real thing too!“

“Scenic View has been around for years and offers an elevated pub-style menu. Beautiful view of Lake Monroe with ample outdoor seating under roof, or umbrella. I really like the limited menu, which allows the cooks to focus on quality of the dish. Excellent weekend spot for a peaceful Sunday brunch. Great bar menu, friendly staff, delicious food. Today was whipped feta plate appetizer, house-made veggie burger wrap, fish tacos with a delicious aioli, spicy beans with plenty of cumin, and a Raspberry Beret.

Best veggie burger ever, tasty aioli, excellent dining experience.

This is an uncompensated, independent review.“

“So this place is awesome.
One block off IU campus.
Friendly staff. Craft QuaffOn beers.
Best fish tacos I’ve found in Bloomington. Had the Wedge salad and truffle fries too. Both delish.
I’ll be back.“

“Was visiting Bloomington for an IU football game and we hung out at The Tap to watch. Great atmosphere with fun music, and despite being busy, our server was super attentive!! The tap fries were a perfect shareable for the table. I also really enjoyed and would recommend the haystack burger and celestia beer!“

“The Cozy Table is my favorite place to eat. Everyone is down to earth and respectful! I love the food and the great employees!!!“

“Great steaks 🥩 Great service“

“The food is excellent and it has an always fresh. There are so many items are excellent that I cannot name just one. I have been a patron for over 30 years and I love the atmosphere. It’s my go to place for get togethers as many of my friends and business associates love it too.“

“Excellent food and great beer“

“Our food was good our service was well not the best this time usually we get good service but apparently servers called in so it was short-staffed I took a while to get a few things that we had asked for but all in all I would recommend this place“

“Great food great employees!!“

“We enjoyed sticks and sandwiches loaded to the max with #BIGcheeze. Great service with a smile. Thank you!!“

“Great patio seating. Amazing spirits. The first server was very knowledgeable and kind. The second time the server seemed to try to get us in and out and unable to provide further explanation of the drinks when asked. Also they automatically add 20% gratuity even with only a table of two which the first server let us know and the second server was hoping we didn’t notice.“

“We were in Bloomington to visit family and our favorite breakfast spot had poor reviews over the past year since we had been there so I took to TA to find a non-chain place. Stumbled across this place and so glad we gave them a chance! We had a party of 11 with 5 of them children. They were very accommodating. Our server was pleasant and the owner spoke to us when she arrived. They have a big basket of crayons and coloring books for the children. We all enjoyed our meals. The portions are large and very tasty. Most of the party had the Hoosier Haystack, but I had the Rooster Scramble which was delicious. A side cinnamon bun is a must!! This will definitely be our go to breakfast spot when we are in Bloomington!!“

“Excellent in every aspect. Great food, service and staff. New owners are also very friendly and definitely putting an effort the business and very accommodating, even with the current situation. Please give them a try if you haven’t yet.“

“coaches bar and grill is open 7 days a week for breakfast Monday thru friday 6-10am, Saturday and sunday 7-11am. we're open for dinner monday thru Saturday 5-10pm. now open for brunch on Saturday and sunday 11am-1pm. There is awesome staff here!“

“I had such a great experience at the Hoosier Bar And Grill today! I have Alpha-Gal, so I have severe allergies and Emily was incredible! She was so accommodating and put my mind at ease. She really went above and beyond. I would highly suggest checking this place out!“

“Great breakfast menu. Sebastian was great!“

“A huge shout out to Letty and her staff! We ordered the adorable Brunch Box and it was perfect! My daughter and her roommate gave it a 100/10! Letty went over the top to take care of us! Staff and food were top notch!“

“1st visit: The wait will be well Worth it. Fist time here was nothing less than phenomenal! Great service! Football games on tv! Food was perfect! I mean two different temperatures and nailed the steaks. Dragonfruit Margarita was very strong and fantastic!
2nd visit Call in advance: Be prepared to wait. Even 1:45 min. I didnt wait that long but i have no problem coming back if you find a way to text or call tables when ready.“