Let me sum up Green Gables in as few words as possible: Greasy. Oh wow, that's only one word! Really though, Gables is a local legend for a reason. Go there and get a bacon cheeseburger with some fried junk food on the side (I would recommend cheese balls or corn nuggets). Is it particularly good? I think so, but some might disagree. I'm sure the burgers aren't made with wagyu beef and I'm sure the corn nuggets are as inorganic as you can get, but for some reason they're delicious. Don't be the idiot who orders a salad here. Get a burger and a deep-fried side. You'll be glad you did. And if you aren't glad you did, you probably expected too much. Gables is the type of place you crash into after a day on the lake, order a beer and some meat, and hang out with friends. It's also accessible to folks who don't live around here. No one is going to stinkeye you just for being from out of town. Beer. Fried food. Burgers. Fishin' bait. Gables is great so long as you don't ask too much of it. Oh, and legend has it that Ted Nugent declared this the best cheeseburger he'd ever eaten. You heard it from The Nuge' himself. read more

I really shouldn't be the first one to write a review of this place, but since there aren't many Yelpers in Bloomington-Normal, I will give it a shot. Green Gables is known to most locals and it's a classic hole-in-the-wall place for people from B-N to check out and it's a local spot for people who live on Lake Bloomington. Green Gables is listed as a grocery store, which it is. However, it is also a bar and a restaurant. That's right - hat trick. I ate a burger in this place in a booth and my view was this: a full bar in front of me, a couple other small booths and tables to my right, and a mini-grocery store (more like a "mart") to my left. If I was craving some Cheetos, I could have got up from my dinner and picked some up and headed back to my table because it's all in the same room. I really need to get an iphone so that I can post some pictures. Anyway, a great place for a beer, donut holes, cheeseburger, or all three! read more

When some out of town guests asked for the best burgers around, we had to order Green Gables! It was a rather large order with 12 double cheeseburgers, 12 orders of fries and a variety of appetizers and drinks, but the order was ready quickly and was accurate. And everything was DELICIOUS!! The staff was friendly and proper safety precautions were made. Highly recommend! read more

Ahhh...Green Gables. It doesn't get much more local than this. 1. Don't go here if you are in a hurry. There are not very many tables...if they're full, you're going to wait. 2. If you are not a fan of fried food, this will be tricky. I don't eat beef, so I had the chicken sandwich (grilled). It was AWESOME. Mind you, I was STARVING, but all the same, it was good. My husband had a burger and LOVED it. 3. Bring cash. I am not sure if they take credit or not. It's not fancy. It's not schmancy. It's just a local place to get a good sandwich read more

After I ordered and attempted to pay with my debit card, I was told they only excepted cash. I didn't want to use their nice shinny ATM machine so I asked them to remove the onion rings from the order. The owner/cook asked how much did I have. My bill was $12.50, I said $11.00. He said don't worry about it. I got to the car to discover someone spit on top of my cheeseburger. read more

Green Gables is known for the best burgers and cheese balls in town. The nostalgia hangs over the place with dated pictures all over the bar and grocery. Such a cool spot right next to the lake! read more

Burgers are greasy and yummy and the fries are always perfect. In the winter they have chili and don't forget to try their bloody mary. The pool table is level and the staff is friendly. read more

First timer here and I absolutely loved it. Great food,great for having a burger after a long day of fishing,biking. Great service will definitely be coming back. read more

Amazing food. Cheapest I've seen in a long time fed 3 people for 25 bucks and that's with tip. Old fashioned. Cool old fashioned real grocery store,bar and grill. By lake Bloomington. And the people who own it run it and they know the meaning of customer service and respect. Love this place!!!!! read more

This place denied service to a young girl today because she was with her service dog. The staff member was then told by the girl that it was illegal to refuse service to her and that he and her dog were LEGALLY allowed to be anywhere. The staff decided to let them stay but the young girl and her father were treated very poorly after that and it was clear that the visit wasn't going to be pleasant so they left and went across the street were they were treated with dignity and respect. Shame on this establishment for discrimination. Very sad place and poor management. They kept deleting all comments in support of this young girl on their FB and also instead of a true apology to her, they sent her a message stating how upset they were that she let others know how she was treated. This is not the way to handle your mistakes Green Gables. read more

I was looking forward to eating here with my mom. I hadnt been there for years and i had great memories of it as a child. Rumor is they have the best burger around and actually won an award for them back in 2008 or something......well whoopy shit. This burger was greasy and had a stale bun. When i tried to put mustard on it the bun fell apart and my second hamburger patty wasnt even formed into a patty. The second burger was crumbled. The prices are cheap but i can see why. Plus you have to pay extra for any toppings you want added. The fries and onion rings were disgusting! The onion rings were burnt and they were laying in puddles of grease in my grease soaked box. We did not eat either of them. My moms porkchop sandwich was so thin and small it was a joke. She only could eat half of it because it was mostly gristle. You can only get one refill on your drink and thats if you order a large. The large comes in a small plastic cup. What the hell is a small? There was only one waitress and i felt sorry for her. She took orders, cleaned off the tables, and had to run the register. The cook brought out our food and dropped it infront of us and walked away. This was the worst experience i have ever had at a restaurant/bar. Why people flock to this place is beyond me! Maybe they are good for a cold beer but thats it. Dont get me wrong, i love places like this, just not this place. Thank god i complained and didnt have to pay for the porkchop sandwich and onion rings. Dont waist your time if you think you are going for a quick lunch, it took us 30 minutes to get our greasy slop. read more

Green Gables - Disgusting - Grocery Near Me - Hudson, Illinois

Not really that great of burgers, nothing special about them that would make me come back.the service was ok as well.we waited 30 minutes for 2 cheeseburgers.there's better places to eat burgers at in the area. read more

This is an establishment where my dear friend and her service dog had a horrible experience. They first tried to deny them entry because of the dog. After they were told its against the law to deny them access, they were extremely rude & unprofessional. Then as we tried to bring this to their attention on Facebook, or write reviews on their page, they deleted ALL comments in support of my friend & blocked all of us. Not a wonderful place if you ask me. Terrible service & discriminatory. Will never eat there again. read more

This joint is a staple in the area. We've been coming here for 15 years (we moved here in 1998). One of the best burgers in the area. They have a huge cadre of locals that hang out here and bikers that ride in from town. I only gave them three stars because they don't take credit cards, don't have an ATM, and it can take a LONG time to get your food. But otherwise it's very well established bar & grill at the lake. read more

This place has turned into a hole. I went to ISU and was first in this place in 1976. I have been here so many times I can't recall. Shooting pool, drinking beers and eating hamburgers. We loved it out at Lake Bloomington. It was old then. Old is not bad. Old and dirty and run down is bad. The men's room smells strongly of urine and it looks like it has the same rubber machine hanging on the wall that was there in 1976. The men's room is nasty. This is a huge thing. We were treated rudely by the bartender and another woman that looked like her sister. We ordered a couple beers and a couple of hamburgers and waited. The grill is right in front of the bar and at least 15 minutes went by while no one ran the grill. Finally the cook returned and made the burgers. Lousy service, dirty restaurant, rude bartender. Nice. read more

Good food but horrible customer service. Waited an hour for a cheeseburger. When we asked our server the status of our order and said it had been a long time, she replied that it had also been really busy. Disappointing, as this is usually a favorite place. read more

A burger lovers haven. I've never tried anything else, never felt the need to change my order any. One double plain, and one double with cheese in that order, delicious. Cheese balls are kinda different but pretty good too. As a kid this was my favorite place to eat and its still in the top 3, however in the last year or so they have started to make there patties a little bit thicker which for some my be a good thing, but personally i liked there old thin style better. Still amazing though nonetheless. (may be the last place on earth that doesn't accept card and doesn't have an ATM, which is all part of the Green Gables experience :) read more

Order the Double Bacon Cheeseburger. Yes splurge on the bacon, it is more than worth it! The grill is "seasoned" and worth it. Yes its a bar/restaurant/tackleshop/grocerystore. You're not going for atmosphere, just the best thin burger central illinois has to offer! read more

We were never acknowledged when we came in and sat there for a good 20 minutes. We just left and won't be back.

Burger and a beer for $6- not too shabby. The place was packed which is a good sign. Only one waitress for the whole place which is why it's a 3 star and not a 4. Will go back for sure! BLT and chicken sandwich looked pretty good! read more

Definitely the place to go for a cheeseburger and something deliciously fried. I recommend the regular burger over the sirloin burger and a must is the cheddar cheese curds. read more

Interesting place with a bar, grocery, and grill rolled into one. Adjacent to Lake Bloomington, this is a nice destination for Bloomington-Normal folks on a lazy weekend afternoon. The burgers are quite good--I don't know what it is, but they are pretty tasty. This is a local favorite, and rightfully so. read more

Green Gables...where things are on the slowerrrrr side. Where the jukebox is stuck on 'gone country' and the bathrooms are smaller than the janitors closet you lost your virginity in. Okay...back to GG this place is simple. You walk in and feel out of place. There's barely any tables and the bar is small. If you find a barstool take it! Everyone raves about the burgers so i got one with fries and a coke. Now if your a germaphobic this place is not for you ...the ladies do it all flip burgers, handle money then right back to making your sandwich by swiping their money hands all over your burger buns. That's ok, it's what you expect for a place like this. All in all not bad. read more

If I am ever questioned by anyone, "What is the best burger you have ever had?" My answer would be Green Gables. In fact, if you ask this same question to the people of Bloomington-Normal, I would bet %90 would say the same. I like the fact that they serve it with no silverware, and wrapped in wax. I can still remember the first time I had one as a little boy. This is a hole in the wall bar--why are these always the best. The location is sooo out of the way, I might get lost if I try to go back, but I have to, because it is the GREATEST BURGER ON THE PLANET!!! read more

Amazing food!!! Service slow and inconsistent but overall a good establishment! Unbelievably good food!!

Okay place to eat, little pricey for the food and beverage you get. The worst part is the service. No one asked us for refills even though our cups were empty but asked the table next to us as they knew them personally. Odds of stopping in here again are poor. read more

My parents brought my sisters and I here a lot and its become a tradition for family get togethers to go to Green Gables. I always get the double cheese burger with cheese balls. read more

I went in and sat down at the bar in the middle of a long bike ride. I wasn't greeted and after 10 minutes of just sitting there at the bar, no one asked me if I wanted anything, while the staff hung out and socialized with people at the bar. So I went across the street to the lake road inn and had a good burger. I will definitely go back to the lake road inn again. A neighbor recommended I check Green Gables out, so I had high expecations. But I didn't think it was anything special. read more

Not good and way over-rated. Gets a lot of mileage because of its age and nostalgia but the pure flavor and quality, nowhere near the effort to get there. read more

Green Gables is as close to home as anything. Driving by the place...and even walking into it- you wouldn't assume that the place had amazing burgers and deep fried mushrooms but it is such a staple. The supermarket/bar/restaurant's burgers are amazing- I will recommend the cheeseburger. The place is simply this: delicious, cute, dirty, and greasy. It's fabulous! read more

Great food. Service could use a lot of improvements. I went half my meal without a drink or anyone even acknowledging we were there... place isn't that big and there arent that many tables two servers couldn't handle. I wanted to have a few beers and ended up only having one because I couldn't tell anyone to fill me up. Then to pay I stood there for about 5 minutes until some girl came up and without saying another word told me my total and gave me my change. read more

I have to say this place is a gem! Amazing food and super great service! Mike our server was super cool and Kyle, cook, prepared the food perfectly. My girlfriend had a double bacon cheeseburger and I had the butterfly pork chop sandwich. AMAZINGNESS!!! I will definitely be back very very soon! read more

I went in and sat down at the bar in the middle of a long bike ride. I wasn't greeted and after 10 minutes of just sitting there at the bar, no one asked me if I wanted anything, while the staff hung out and socialized with people at the bar right next to me. (One of whom complained about the high price of a pitcher of beer, which was only $8!, when I would have spent a lot more than that, and then some had I brought my family and/or friends back). So I went across the street to the lake road inn. The bartender said hello and asked if I wanted anything to eat or drink. I had a great burger, and left a big tip. I will definitely go back to the lake road inn again. I had heard about Green Gables from a neighbor and had high expecations, but left thinking it's really nothing special. I will not go to green gables again, and recommend others do the same. read more

I stumbled upon this place, and wow! The food was delicious, and cheap! Best burger in blono, and it's right by lake Bloomington, so it's perfect for a lunch break while you're fishing. I had the double cheese burger, their pepper jack cheese balls, and chili. It was all very tasty! Green gambles is truly a hidden gem. I will return. read more

It's a beautiful drive from Normal or Bloomington. Once you get here, the place is friendly, the burgers are delicious and cheap, and the Bud drafts are two bucks. Worth the trip. read more

Green Gables - View from the bar. - Grocery Near Me - Hudson, Illinois

For those of us that love Lake Bloomington, Green Gables is an institution. And, it just happens to be my favorite bar/restaurant/grocery store ever!! I make several pilgrimages a year hear to experience their *delicious* cheeseburgers. Sometimes when I'm particularly hungry, I'll order the "deep fat fried" fish as well - yum. read more

Not good today. At 11am, older lady on grill, very unfriendly, yelling about NO PORK TENDERLOINS. Touching raw hamburger and handling peoples money at register, then grabbing raw onions, pickles, lettuce and melted cheese...no plastic gloves or concern about contamination. She was rude to the one and only waitress that was TRYING hard to help. Stale bottom buns, meat crumbling away and was over an hour wait for two burgers, one small fry and two glasses of water. I've been coming for over 35 years. We only ate half. The waitress apologized for the attitude of cook and said, "she was feed up also!" Paid full price and left, lots of unhappy folks in there. Hope for the owners it gets better. It's a neat nostalgic place...but it certainly wasn't today. read more

Great small town meal with exceptional service. The atmosphere was fun and engaging. Thanks for the tasty burger.

Best burgers and cheese balls in town. The only draw back is the only beer they have on tap is buttwiper (Budweiser). Always busy and always good. read more

For several years, I heard this place has the best burgers around. I finally got around to eating there, and my thought was, "What am I missing?" The burger was greasy and tasted like a burger. It was no better or worse than any typical burger. Maybe it was all the hype that had me expecting to be blown away by this burger, but it was just average. read more