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Maid Rite Sandwich Shop
Category: Restaurants Sandwiches Sandwiches [Edit]
118 N Pasfield StSpringfield, IL 62702
(217) 523-0723
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
21 reviews for Maid Rite Sandwich Shop
Review Highlights
"Great, great loose-meat sandwiches."
(in 11 reviews)
"...and is certainly one of the first drive-thru windows in the..."
(in 5 reviews)
"The secret to a good Maid-rite is to use dill relish."
(in 4 reviews)
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21 reviews in English
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Review from Bill H.
Los Angeles, CA
10/3/2011
Built in the 20's and absolutely one of a kind. First drive thru window in the US. Two Maid Rites, fries and root beer are the way to go.
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Review from Lance C.
San Antonio, TX
Simple goodness. Steamed loose meat was moist without having to be dripping with grease or fat. Wit' cheese was my choice. The star is their addictive home brewed Root Beer. Owner Sam was a pleasure to meet and is always ready to tell you the history of the place. Regulars constantly flow in and out at the counter or past the drive-thru window for their Maid Rite fix..
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Review from Jason N.
Springfield, IL
7/17/2011
I have eaten there once and it was ok. I loved the Root Beer and would go back just for that. I was expecting more for the price. It is a lose beef sandwich and they are small. I want to say for fried and a drink it was around $8. Not bad after reading about the place my mouth was watering, yet the beef was dry.
I would go back and eat there but it is not the top of my list. -
Review from Margie C.
Pawnee, IL
1/29/2011
I always get the special when I go - 2 maid rites, fries and a drink. Pretty good sandwiches. They are loose meat instead of the regular pre-formed patty. They are quite tasty and well seasoned. The fries are hit or miss - sometimes they are amazing and other times they are merely fries.
I've never eaten instead - only drive thru. Which they claim is the first in the nation.
If you live in Springfield, or have are visiting and have never had a loose meat sandwich, definitely worth a trip. -
Review from Booda B.
Lombard, IL
12/3/2010
Get the special (2 Maid-Rites, fries, and a drink) with cheese and a root beer. Just tasty.
The sandwiches are normal hamburger size - think McDonald's regular hamburger, rather than a quarter-pounder or White Castle. The fries remind me of Wendy's - very potato-y. As many have already said, the root beer is awesome and worth a stop on its own. They sell it by the gallon, and I kind of wish I had gotten one. -
Review from Jessica G.
Villa Park, IL
6/2/2011 1 Check-in Here
My husband has been talking about this place for... Years. Years! So we were in Springfield this week visiting and decided to stop at Maid Rite for lunch. It's a little intimidating - don't move the chairs and be quiet!!! We ordered - me the two Maid special and my husband the Maid horseshoe. Food came quick, which is always nice. We sat quietly at our little two-person table and devoured our food. Very tasty! The meat in the Maid reminds me a bit of the stuff on a White Castle, which is not a bad thing in my opinion. The fries are pretty tasty, though sort of standard fast-food fare. My only complaint is that the sandwiches could have used a little more meat on them and for the price, it was a bit high. Overall, though, I would go back to give it another try.
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Review from Drew S.
Daly City, CA
2/7/2011 4 photos
I must travel 2,500 miles to get to Springfield, but Maid-Rite is always one of my first stops. The food is unique and tasty (first-timers should stick with the 2 sandwich special with fries and root beer for the traditional experience). The more-adventurous might enjoy the shop's version of a "horseshoe" sandwich - a Springfield original.
But I also go to Maid-Rite to get my dose of home-town nostalgia. This location is on the National Register of Historic Places, and is certainly one of the first drive-thru windows in the country. The current owner seems well-aware of the historical significance, and maintains much of its old-time charm. (Hand-painted signs on the wall for "The Law" of the dining room, etc.) I'm sure there can't be much profit for the owner, so I am thankful that he puts in the love and effort to keep the place going.
Personal note: I can recall sitting with my grandpa in the tiny little benches in the original "caboose" section - and now I am old enough to be a grandpa myself. So it is more than the food that brings warmth to my tummy when I visit.
It's worth the $7 to enjoy the history - and the food is darned good too! -
Review from Kerstin B.
Phoenix, AZ
6/11/2009
What can I say my grandmother was present the day Maid rite first opened it's doors in 1924. She went to high school up the street at Springfield High School. Then my mother and father were both introduced to the Maid. Soon my sister and I were. It is the 1st drive thru and it is listed in the national historic society. Although the original owners are long gone and several new owners have followed. The maid is true to the original recipe, thank you!
If you have never had a maid you need to get one. Actually you need to get more than one at least 2.
The maid is a very well seasoned loose meat burger served with mustard onion and pickle relish just a dab of each on a soft steamy bun. Make sure you smoosh em together to keep the meat in the bun.
Also do have the homemade root beer it is delish~~~!
Just drive up order 2 maids and a beer you wont be sorry!Listed in: When in Springfield, IL
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Review from Jenny z.
Logan Square, Chicago, IL
8/15/2007
I love this place, it just screams "1936." I say that as I don't think anything has changed since the day it opened, very old timey and charming. Sitting off of a busy corporate strip stands a neat and unassuming little building hiding a very tasty secret - the "Maid Rite."
You order from a tiny little window, and lo, a few minutes later, your taste bombs - aka Maid Rites- come out of the window, wrapped in waxed paper and accompanied by gum drops, also wrapped in waxed paper.
The Maid Rite itself is DELICIOUS, some kind of a loose meat, White Castle sized concoction w/chopped dill pickle and onions. Sides (french fries and such) are seemingly home made and fantastic.
The staff is friendly, the food is ridiculously cheap and delicious, and it's a family run business - what's not to love?
In a world of fast food restaurants, Maid Rite is an absolute prize. -
Review from Chris S.
Middleton, WI
4/27/2009
This shop claims to have the first drive-thru in the nation, and I tend to believe it. The place looks like it was built before cars, but in a good way. It has the heavy wooden interior and big windows that remind me of every CCC-era camp canteen that I've been to. It feels well worn and welcoming.
I had no idea what a rite burger was walking in; so I was lucky that the gregarious old lady at the register highly recommended (actually just plain told me what to get) a few items on the menu. And it was great. A couple of loose-meat burgers, fries, and root beer only cost me a couple of bucks. I'd love to stop in again if I'm in the Land of Lincoln. -
Review from Santiago A.
Chicago, IL
3/2/2010
Great, great loose-meat sandwiches. Get two or three with cheese and you won't regret it. This place makes me understand how Roseanne could make a living running a place that sold loose-meat sandwiches. If they were anything like this place, then they must have had customers going in and out all day long (yes, i just referenced Roseanne, the sitcom).
Sure, the sandwiches are the main attraction, but the root beer here is incredibly delicious. Make sure to get a frosty mug and a side of fries to make your experience complete. -
Review from Lisa L.
Monrovia, CA
9/19/2011
My mom grew up in Canton, Illinois where there was a Maid-Rite diner. As a kid, every time we visited my aunt, we always stopped by the diner to have a Maid-Rite. Before I met my husband, he has never heard of a Maid-rite. Now he loves them. I told my husband the other night that we should make some Maid-rites. We haven't made them for awhile. The secret to a good Maid-rite is to use dill relish. If you use regular relish, it is not a Maid-rite sandwich.I also put a little ketchup on the sandwich.When I make Maid-Rites it brings me back to when I was a kid and went to visit my aunt in Illinois.That will always have a special place in my heart. I just talked to my mom on the phone and she told me that she would like a Maid-rite. Even though,my family loves Maid-Rites I wish that their was a Maid-rite diner in California. My mom also grew up on Tenderloins. she loves them. but of course there is no place like that out here either.
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Review from Aaron S.
Springfield, IL
6/5/2010
The decor is simple. The dining room is small. There is almost no variety. Really, the only thing to get is a Maid-Rite sandwich (you can add cheese), fries and a soda. However, that's all you'll ever need after you taste a Maid-Rite.
If you have never heard of the sandwich, it is a steamed loose meat sandwich. Kinda like a sloppy joe, but not really. I can't really describe the taste, but it is one you must experience. It's hard to screw up fries, but they do them right. The root beer is a must. I don't care if you normally drink something else, get the homemade root beer.
It's great, fast and cheap. A little tip: this is kinda like White Castle. You'll need to get two or three Maid-Rites for a meal. One is just not enough.
My only complaint is that they are not open late enough. -
Review from Michelle x.
Joliet, IL
12/16/2010
This is one of the must-see restaurants I go to when I'm in Springfield. It has a very simple menu, but all I ever want is the loose meat sandwich, crispy french fries, and a root beer. I try to get a couple of those little sandwiches to take home with me -- if they don't heat the sandwich up right then, you can heat them up when you get home. It tastes better heated only once. This is what the owner himself told me. The service has always been extraordinarily friendly.
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Review from S M.
Palatine, IL
9/12/2010
Classic little joint. . .delcious loose meat sandwiches (highly recommend the cheese sauce!!) and root beer. Who wouldn't love a place that gives you gum-drops with your meal? You'll feel like you're "in" on the secret, once you take your first bite.
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Review from Matthew B.
New Berlin, IL
6/16/2010
As a fan of Horseshoes and Maid Rites I had to try the Maid Rite Horseshoe! Yep, I loved it!
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Review from Shannon S.
Palatine, IL
5/8/2009
The first drive-thru established in 1924 and I believe it. The Special of the Day on the chalkboard reads 2 Maids, Fries, and a Drink. Go inside and order from the tiny window, pay, and get your food. No frills, just simplicity on the menu.
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Review from matteo h.
Springfield, IL
8/24/2009
Overrated. C'mon don't get caught up in the hype. Ever had a loose meat sandwich? Think sloppy joe without the sloppy. Decent root beer. Over all it's totally way over priced. Two maids( the afore mentioned sandwich ) fries and a drink for about 7 bucks. Been there a bunch , always feel like I need a shower when I leave. If you need nostalgia and an over priced lunch hurry on down to maidrite.
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Review from Trista J.
Springfield, IL
6/28/2010
Maid Rite may not be anything to look at and you might think that your just getting a loose meat sandwich. Its much more its a time honored tradition. There are very few places you can go and say you are eating at the same place and eating the same thing that your grandparents ate back in the 20's. It may be simple, but in this case is simple is awesome.
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Review from Jimmy G.
Chicago, IL
12/1/2009
This place is a classic. I recommend two cheese rites with everything, fries and a root beer. By the way...they brew their own root beer. Smother some of the secret hot sauce on your cheese rites and go to town. Whenever I am in town for business, I take clients there and even though they are creeped out at first glance...the place soon becomes their favorite. Flavor...good flavor.
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Review from Chris T.
Roswell, GA
2/24/2010
In town on business and heard about this place. I decided to go with two Maid-Rites with cheese and a rootbeer. The food was good and would have given it three stars but I went for four since it is the first drive-thru in the nation. The staff was great also. They gave me a paper menu that had the history of Maid-Rite on the back. It 's great to see a hole in the wall from 1924 still around and thriving. Keep it up!
