Highest-rated fine dining restaurants in Springfield by diners

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Fine dining in the U.S. isn't what it used to be. Many customers are no longer interested in classic white tablecloths and 16-ounce New York strips; instead, it's about cutting-edge culinary experiences.

Although steakhouses have defined fine dining in America since the 19th century, that started to change in the mid-1990s. Elite chefs like Thomas Keller at the French Laundry unearthed a whole different kind of tasting experience (with 40 courses), and a new age of fine dining was born. Soon, prix fixe meals—a French style of serving with a set menu—became the norm for fine dining in the U.S.

Between the rise of chef's tasting menus and consumers' continued desire to have diverse culinary experiences , the restaurants that grace the pages of top-tier restaurant reviewers like Zagat or the Michelin Guide look very different today than they did 30 years ago. Restaurant goers aren't just looking for high-quality food. They want the type of menu that will tell a story. They want creative ingredients they've never tried before. They want to be transported into a whole new world.

With so many innovative menus and restaurant experiences popping up across America to choose from, it can be challenging to choose where to go for a special evening. Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated fine dining restaurants in Springfield using data from Yelp. Businesses were selected using Yelp's ranking system, which calculates an adjusted rating value that takes into account the number of ratings as well as the rating score itself.

Only businesses with at least five reviews and at least level 2 pricing (i.e., $$ to $$$$) were considered. Also, in an effort to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with five or more locations nationally (based on Yelp data) were not included. Restaurants in certain lower-cost categories (like "diners," "buffets," and "food trucks") were excluded. Data is as of Aug. 19, 2024.

Read on to find a potential restaurant for your next special meal out!

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#17. Hemingway's Blue Water Cafe

– Rating: 3.2/5 (170 reviews) – Price level: $$ – Address: 1 Basspro Drive Springfield, Missouri – Categories: Seafood – Read more on Yelp

#16. Fire & Ice Restaurant & Bar

– Rating: 3.6/5 (113 reviews) – Price level: $$ – Address: 2546 North Glenstone Ave. Springfield, Missouri – Categories: Steakhouses, Bars, Seafood – Read more on Yelp

#15. Ocean Zen

– Rating: 3.8/5 (127 reviews) – Price level: $$ – Address: 4117 South National Ave. Springfield, Missouri – Categories: Sushi Bars, Seafood, Bars – Read more on Yelp

#14. The Order Food & Drink

– Rating: 4.0/5 (146 reviews) – Price level: $$ – Address: 305 East Walnut St. Springfield, Missouri – Categories: Cocktail Bars, New American – Read more on Yelp

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#13. Char Steakhouse & Oyster Bar

– Rating: 4.0/5 (80 reviews) – Price level: $$$ – Address: 1620 East Republic Road Springfield, Missouri – Categories: Steakhouses, Bars, Seafood – Read more on Yelp

#12. Kai After Dark

– Rating: 4.0/5 (195 reviews) – Price level: $$ – Address: 306 South Campbell Ave. Springfield, Missouri – Categories: Sushi Bars, Steakhouses, Lounges – Read more on Yelp

#11. Haruno Japanese Sushi Bar & Grill

– Rating: 4.1/5 (256 reviews) – Price level: $$ – Address: 3044 South Fremont Ave. Springfield, Missouri – Categories: Sushi Bars, Japanese – Read more on Yelp

#10. Gilardi's Ristorante

– Rating: 4.1/5 (122 reviews) – Price level: $$$ – Address: 820 East Walnut St. Springfield, Missouri – Categories: Italian – Read more on Yelp

#9. Farmers Gastropub

– Rating: 4.1/5 (246 reviews) – Price level: $$ – Address: 2620 South Glenstone Ave. Springfield, Missouri – Categories: Gastropubs – Read more on Yelp

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#8. La Paloma

– Rating: 4.1/5 (177 reviews) – Price level: $$ – Address: 3014 East Sunshine St. Springfield, Missouri – Categories: Mexican – Read more on Yelp

#7. Metropolitan Grill

– Rating: 4.2/5 (137 reviews) – Price level: $$$ – Address: 2931 East Battlefield St. Springfield, Missouri – Categories: Steakhouses, American, Bars – Read more on Yelp

#6. FD's Grillhouse

– Rating: 4.3/5 (499 reviews) – Price level: $$ – Address: 245 East Monastery St. Springfield, Missouri – Categories: American, Salad, Seafood – Read more on Yelp

#5. Rama Thai

– Rating: 4.3/5 (410 reviews) – Price level: $$ – Address: 1129 East Walnut St. Springfield, Missouri – Categories: Thai – Read more on Yelp

#4. Avanzare Italian Dining

– Rating: 4.3/5 (154 reviews) – Price level: $$$ – Address: 3240 South Fremont Ave. Springfield, Missouri – Categories: Italian – Read more on Yelp

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#3. Nicola's Ristorante

– Rating: 4.3/5 (98 reviews) – Price level: $$ – Address: 3631 East Sunshine St. Springfield, Missouri – Categories: Italian – Read more on Yelp

#2. Flame Steakhouse

– Rating: 4.4/5 (359 reviews) – Price level: $$$ – Address: 314 West Walnut St. Springfield, Missouri – Categories: Steakhouses, American – Read more on Yelp

#1. Corner 21 Chinese Cuisine

– Rating: 4.7/5 (137 reviews) – Price level: $$ – Address: 1369 East Sunshine St. Springfield, Missouri – Categories: Szechuan – Read more on Yelp

This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Kiersten Hickman, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 299 metros.