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Schooner's
Category: Restaurants American (Traditional) American (Traditional) [Edit]
810 E Grove StBloomington, IL 61701
(309) 829-6841
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
24 reviews for Schooner's
Review Highlights
"The onion rings are amazing."
(in 13 reviews)
"Great beer garden when the weather is nice."
(in 6 reviews)
"If I owned a business, it would be cash only by the way."
(in 6 reviews)
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24 reviews in English
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Review from Austin A.
Bloomington, IL
9/30/2011
A local gem. Best onion rings, kick ass corn fritters, slammin wings, dank cheese burgers, a tenderloin that could (feed the children) I drive a cab in Bloomington and if I like somebody enough, I might tell them about this place.
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Review from Eric G.
Normal, IL
12/12/2011
I am really torn about this review because it has one really great thing going for it but a few down sides.
The great thing up front is the onion rings and corn fritters. They are unique and taste awesome. The Rings have extra batter that is so crispy and flavorful that you have a hard time saving room for the rest of your meal.
The down sides are the price, the wait times, and they do not take credit cards.
I have had the hot wings and the beer battered chicken and thought both were okay. I would really prefer that they use the same batter used for the onion rings on the fried chicken adding a little more spice for kick, but this tends to be a place I will go back for the onion rings alone maybe once every few months. -
Review from John S.
Bloomington, IL
8/14/2011
My wife and I just returned from Schooner's. It was my 2nd time going there and 2nd time that I wasn't impressed. Today I ordered the 1lb catfish dinner, and boy was I disappointed. The menu does not come close to describing what you get when you order this. I assumed it would be served up like the rest of the world serves up fish.. Filleted. But I was quite wrong. When the waitress rounded the corner I could see the tail and instantly knew this would not go well. Thankfully it didn't have a head or skin, but still it made my stomach turn over instantly seeing the shape and tail. I then took my fork and pulled off a bit of meat to see the bones. I tried to eat, but it just wasn't happening. I took 4 bites and I was done.
My wife ordered the buffalo wrap, but took only a few bites because she did not like the blue cheese dressing. She does love the onion rings though, and a half order is still a huge amount.
Anyway, our waitress came to refill my drink, at which point I asked for the check. She asked if we wanted a box, my first thought was "so I can take it home and give it a proper burial". I would have expected a waitress seeing people have only taken a couple bites would ask if there was a problem with the food, but that didn't happen. The menu could have only been more vague if it had taken a cue from My Cousin Vinny and only said "Breakfast $1.99, Lunch $2.49, Dinner $3.49"
I don't think I will go back to Schooner's again. The fact that the waitress never asked how our food was or if there was something wrong with it when we didn't eat much, that just shows that there is little care on the quality of the service or customer satisfaction.
The menu's lack of description is a serious concern, especially for those that could have food allergies or are a bit squimish with certain ways in which foods are prepared.
I would also say that accepting cash only is a bit lazy. I mean, this is the 21st century. I would think that if the amish can accept a debit card, then Schooner's should be able to as well. -
Review from Meghan B.
Bloomington, IL
7/2/2011 2 photos
How have I not reviewed Schooners yet? I took the lead photo!
Schooners is a townie-mostly bar, something I crave occasionally to get away from the Medici or Fat Jacks (Tuesday only) crowd. Best beer you'll find is the Sam Adams, but it always tastes good and is served cold. I love, love, love the big glasses that they come in.
It can be very crowded, but we've never had too much trouble finding a place to sit and dive in to some onion rings, which I agree may be the best in town.
It's not someplace I seek out often, but when I'm in the mood for a super casual spot where I likely won't see anyone I know and want to eat greasy food and gripe about work, this place is magic.
Great outdoor patio in summer months, too!
Bring cash. -
Review from Melissa R.
Bloomington, IL
3/29/2011
I love big beers. And cold beers. And cheap beers! :) Schooners has 'em.
Cash only. Could be worse, right?
Pork tenderloin, OMG. Get the one for 4 and it's under 10 bucks and it is so delish. I've never had a pork tenderloin until I tried it at Schooners, and I will never ever have one from somewhere else. Hands down, one of the best sandwiches ever.
The onion rings are amazing. Yum yum yum! :)
The wings are pretty good too.
It's a great bar and I definitely suggest you get over there and get yourself a big ol' beer. :)
I really like that indian statue looking guy on the bar too. Awesome. -
Review from Troy S.
3/20/2011
Some of my earliest memories of eating out aren't McDonalds, they are getting a tenderloin pizza and some yummy onion rings.
Simply put: this is the ultimate divey greasy pub style restaurant. That is what makes it great, their prices are super low and there is an attached bar, if you prefer bar seating. -
Review from Jessica S.
Bloomington, IL
6/19/2010
The tenderloin is over-rated and dried out, HOWEVER... there are two things you have to go there to enjoy. And bring cash... no plastic here.
The onion rings. Oh my goodness the onion rings. Best in town. Seriously, lightly beer battered flavor, get the biggest basket you can and don't share. Be greedy and make others get their own.
They have a special, I think its the first Tuesday of every month. Chicken Fried Steak, Corn and Mashed Potatoes. Best I've ever had.
Beer garden is nice too, shaded with tables, tree cover and umbrellas. Local place with regulars, but don't be afraid to stop here, everyone is more than friendly. -
Review from Scott B.
Chicago, IL
Very down to earth place with a friendly atomosphere. Secluded bar area and seperate sit down dine in provide a good time for one person who wants to drink a beer and watch a game, and also a family who just wants to eat good food at a good price. Nicely done, Schooners. (Skoo-ners) CASH ONLY!
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Review from Julie O.
6/25/2010
Onion rings and chicken wings.oh my! So I really had no idea this was a full-service restaurant, because as we walked up, all I saw was a beer garden with a guy singing and playing guitar. It was nice out and it was summertime and well, you get the picture. The beer is cheap, the atmosphere great and the onion rings are awesome.
Cash only is a bit of a hardship, but I have endured worse. -
Review from Jacob B.
Normal, IL
12/13/2010
Schooners is where you go for wings! Hands down. If I owned a business, it would be cash only by the way......there's a reason for that. The beer, the food, the people, the memories........never had a bad experience here.
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Review from Tim J.
12/21/2010 1 Check-in Here
I should like Schooner's more than I do, but that is their fault, not mine. I love divey beer bars with decent food and laid-back places frequented by regular folks who find that five o'clock sometimes comes early. It doesn't bother me if I'm the youngest guy in the bar, and I'm not even that young.
But Schooner's does one crucial thing wrong (on purpose), and they get 2 stars from me for it.
If you're here with a group, and especially if you are drinking, the tab can go beyond what most folks carry on hand. Unlike every other bar/restaurant that is this big and well-established they only take cash. They are too stingy to take the small percentage rip from the card companies that every other small business does and instead pass that cost on to you, their customer. But wait, it gets worse. They refuse to take the hit that every other similar business does, and then they offer to let you use their on-premises ATM at $2 a pop, plus whatever your bank charges you at the end of the month. Since the ATM is either theirs, leased by them, or leasing space from them, they get a slice of every transaction. Prices on food and drinks here are average to high for the quality before all this nickel and dime garbage. The irony is that (I have a buddy that works with bars to diminish their losses from theft) they probably lose more money doing this because it is easier for staff to steal from them this way than with cards.
So, they inconvenience you, cost you extra money, and make money at your expense. That leaves a bad taste in my mouth. -
Review from Dodd V.
Mount Prospect, IL
9/10/2008
Not a great place to look at, but a wonderful place to eat. As mentioned by others, their pork tenderloin sandwich is very good and extremely generous. It really is a meal for 2-3 people. You know it is going to be a monster when they ask you how many buns you want with it. It is about a 9-10 inch round tenderloin.
Buffalo wings are great, and ordered by the pound. Burgers, other sandwiches and fried chicken are also very good.
Go for the food and reasonable prices, not for the atmosphere. -
Review from Kim M.
4/3/2009
Oh Schooner's, how I miss thee.
Grew up in Bloomington and we would go here every week. I'd play pinball. Parents would drink beer. We'd leave smelling like cigarettes and come back the next week anyways. The owners now are the same owners from when I was growing up, so every time we go back there are always the familiar faces of both the managers and the customers.
The place is like frozen in time, I tell you. Minus the smoke, now.
I worked here in college for a couple of years as well and yes, the place is a total grease bomb. Having gone back recently, If I had to guess I'd say that there was a change in staff in the kitchen based on the quality of the food. But regardless, the favorites:
1. Chicken Strips - the sauce that comes with them is out of this world. It does have a kick which I love. The strips themselves almost seem double battered. Crunchy batter.
2. Onion Rings - They have the best onion rings there, but be prepared for some major indigestion.
3. Pork Tenderloin - served on a pizza pan, big enough for your entire family.
4. Chicken Wings - This is probably the first place that I ever had chicken wings. They set the bar pretty high.
5. Beer - If you are getting beer here, make sure you get the schooner glass. It's cheap, and freezing cold!!
Don't go to Schooner's expecting out of this world service. It's a super casual place. Also don't go there with your kids and then get ticked off if there are people there that are using words that you may not think are appropriate for your children. It's not a family joint unless you are pretty laid back. -
Review from Thelma U.
Chicago, IL
10/21/2008
Schooner's was my spot while I was going to ISU... though it definitely isn't the healthiest around. But any chance I had, I would go to Schooner's.
I've tried a variety of the food, but not all (the menu is pretty big)... I've enjoyed everything I've tried, but my regular meal became the grilled chicken sandwich in the hot buffalo sauce. So good and not as bad, considering the chicken is grilled... I also love the HUGE schooners (hence the name) of beer!
I first fell in love with this place because of the character... All of the townies hang out here and I love a good people watching session. So fun, can't wait to visit Bloomington so I can hit up my old spot! -
Review from Nick H.
Duluth, GA
1/14/2011
I grew up in Illinois but now I live in Atlanta. You can't get a pork tenderloin sandwich in the south. Every single time I return home to Illinois, I go to Schooners and get one of their giant pork tenderloin sandwiches. The are amazing! The whole family goes, and makes it a reunion.
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Review from Russ C.
Carmel, IN
7/8/2009
Like an inside joke when you aren't in on it. It's typical bar food and a subpar beer list, and is cash only (can we say tax evasion). It's crowded and loud which is probably the appeal if you are a regular but not exactly appealing if you aren't part of the crowd.
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Review from Jamie S.
Perrysburg, OH
Updated - 11/10/2009
So I've been to Schooner's twice since my last review. I never liked their steak fries that came with each entree, now they have crinkle cut which I like less. But what I do like is that you have an option for your side instead of getting stuck with fries. I still get the onion rings though they are not as good as they once were. The breading is much thicker and I often have onion skin. I like their cheese sticks as an appetizer and both times I've had the ham po'boy and it was really, really good.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/5/2009
A year or two ago Schooner's was amazing! They had the best onion rings around. Somewhere between… Read more »
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Review from Ying W.
Dublin, CA
11/23/2009
Having lived in California for 4 years now I've definitely expanded my stomach horizon, but the one thing that you can never find out here is a big, tasty, fried pork tenderloin sandwich, and dammit, Schooner's is the best there is. Now if only they would take credit/debit....
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Review from Sue R.
Normal, IL
8/27/2010
Two words....tenderloin and rings. They are both awesome and you can take them home and eat them for days!
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Review from meredith s.
Chicago, IL
11/24/2008
i grew up going to schooners and usually try to make it there when i am back in b-n visiting my parents or friends. definitely a local spot - not typically where the college kids hang out. growing up in the area, i thought "everyone" knew about schooners. i'm glad i was naive - i much prefer the local crowd.
the food is greasy, but completely delicious. my family always gets the same appetizers each time we go - corn fritters and onion rings. i'm sure we are taking years off of our lives by eating these things, but i guess you only live once. i've tried to explain schooners onion rings to people who haven't been there and i just can't do them justice. you have to try them for yourself!
the beer garden is fun during the summer and now that the smoking ban exists, sitting in the bar isn't bad either! -
Review from Jenna M.
Chapel Hill, NC
5/15/2007
Love this place, although the kitchen hygiene has a reputation for being pretty grotesque (out of sight, out of mind, though). Beer-battered onion rings are the best in town, pork tenderloin spans 3 hamburger buns (each extra bun is $0.25), their burgers are known to be good, but excessively greasy. House dressing is a combo of ranch and bleu cheese - perfect. All meals are around $5. Beer garden outside. This is a local place, incredibly popular with the 40-50 crowd. Every Friday and Saturday night you can count on seeing the same people there (school teachers are a bulk of these regulars). Pin ball machine and a few booths in the small and always back-to-back crowded bar area.
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Review from Kelly M.
Bloomington, IL
3/15/2008
THE place for locals in town...sort of in the middle of a residential area...not easy to find, but worth the hunt!! My husband LOVES the tenderloin...if you go with someone, share it- too much food for one! Great beer garden when the weather is nice.
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Review from Sean H.
Wapella, IL
9/19/2009
Seemingly simply a neighborhood tavern with beer garden, BUT they also have the best onion rings I've ever had, as well as the best hot wings in Bloomington/Normal if not Illinois. It's like tavern food but the best one could imagine. Ice cold beers, too, obviously.
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Review from Lacy F.
Wheaton, IL
7/20/2009
Good food, great price! You can't beat schooners if you are looking for greasy good bar food (but they also have healthy options like the Mesquite Chicken Salad!).
I don't think you can go wrong with anything on the menu! But if you go, you must order a rootbeer shooter, it's the bars non-advertised specialty drink - it's a large shot (hints the name shooter) that taste like soda - you become a regular once you try this!!!
