Review Visit: September 27th, 2016 I have been to many ice cream shacks/burger and let me tell you... This may have been one of the best burgers I have ever had. It easily places Top 5 for me. Maybe even Top 3! I grabbed a simple burger with the usual toppings and it was amazing. They are thin patties a la Steak N Shake, but they taste 100x better. For $2 for a simple burger... you really can do no better. I grabbed a small strawberry ice cream and that was pretty great, too! But why not a perfect 5? Well, the cashier was great at taking the order, but the professionalism of the staff behind the counter was a bit immature. Maybe I am just getting old.... They also have quite a few Decatur locations, one in Pawnee, and one in Mt. Zion you can also visit, if you are never in Springfield, IL. read more

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They need to improve on everything. It's the dirtiest and most expensive Krekel's locations out of all of them. Place needs dipped in a vat of sanitizer and a paint job. The owner is obviously checked out because the place is a wreck and disgusting. Can't afford even to paint the picnic tables I guess. Food isn't great either and takes forever. Used to have a manager who worked here for years and the food was better. Since he has left and the owner is there, place is a mess. Burgers aren't the same anymore and again paying way more than any other location by far and their rent is no way more than other locations like in Forsyth! Btw, Forsyth is the best location for all aspects- clean, food is always good and the staff is amazing! Worst Krekel's out of all of them. read more

Krekel's Custard & Hamburgers - Triple cheeseburger with everything and fries and a soda. - Burgers Near Me - Springfield, Illinois

they have to have a better orders taking window not a small window while the cashier stands away from the window and cannot hear what's the customers want due to chatting and music playing in the kitchen. The cashier needs to be with good sense of humor and attitude free read more

TL,DR: chicken sandwich "one of best fast foodish," burger greasy & sweet, shakes awful & barely (if) mixed, priority oddly unbalanced First, I asked (after a moment in line, when another cashier stepped up to the previously empty register with the "Doordash pickup here" sign) if we should be waiting in line for a pickup order... Was told, "yes," (said as if it's entitlement to ask), and a minute or two later, someone else behind the counter asked if someone was here for Doordash. Said, "No, a regular pickup order," then she asked name and checked the orders which had been sitting before we entered, box was ours, hand off and go... Got home, my shake isn't even mixed. It's a clump of ice cream (or, guess, frozen custard?) in mildly flavored milk. Sorry, was hopeful, small/local chain & all, and see lots of MUCH better reviews, but, will likely not gamble hard earned wages to give another chance at nowadays' prices. read more

in the area of his family found this burger place on yelp and was blown away at the quality of the food the crunchiness of the Smashburger, the service and the old school ambience all were absolutely amazing. I would almost drive back from Chicago just for one of their burgers read more

Great people. Great parking. Great clean restaurant. The food is always wonderful. We are so excited to have this family business in Springfield. read more

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Fast service - family of 4 in and out in 30 minutes! Great Burger, pretty good fries, and great shakes! Yes it's a little greasy that's what makes it fun! We got our burgers with everything, loved the crispy edges. read more

Krekel's Custard & Hamburgers - Triple Cheeseburger Chili - Burgers Near Me - Springfield, Illinois

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First time here. The hamburger was great. I liked the seasonings on the burger. And the French fries were very good too. The fries could have been a little hotter. Service was good. The employees were friendly. I ate inside. They have a drive through that lots of people used. The place was very clean. read more

If you haven't had a Krekel's cheeseburger that you must not be from Decatur! Best smash burgers around. Started eating my lunch there and junior high back in 1973 and we still eat there every month. Great milkshakes too. read more

Great lunch take-out spot. The hamburger is the standout here. It's a smashed patty with crispy edges. I recommend the double patty. The fries were fine- just nothing special. Of course, an ice cold Coke tops off any lunch! read more

Great custard and loved the lemon with strawberry swirl! The small serving size should really be a medium. It's so big! This place has been around for a long time and it's clear the locals are loyal to it. The service is quick even when it's busy. Whether you sit inside or outside, the custard is good and so is the people watching. I'd definitely return again and next time try some burgers too. read more

Krekel's Custard & Hamburgers - Lemon & strawberry swirl. - Burgers Near Me - Springfield, Illinois

Fantastic burger. Pretty greasy but you're not going here if you're health conscious.

Amazing burgers and fries. Their milkshakes are awesome and offer many flavors. This is one of my favorite burger joints.

Great hamburgers! Great French fries! Ice Cream tops it all off! Prices are good! Dining inside and out. Great summer treat.

1/12th pound of meat on burger is much smaller than McDonalds. Costs almost $5 for a burger made for a baby. Hot fudge sundae was also small and overpriced. Service is slow and we had to remind them then I paid for a Sundae. I would just pass on this place and go eat at McDonald's save your money. read more

First time customers - just ate the best burgers ever! We loved the crispy edges! Everyone was so friendly and polite. Was glad we could eat inside since it was a little cool. Will definitely be back! read more

Based on my coworker's recommendation, I stopped by and had one of the tastiest double hamburger's I've ever had. The fries were also delicious. I can't believe I ordered another one to go. LOL! read more

Service was terrible, I ordered a cheeseburger, fries, and a few shakes and me and my buddy had to go up twice for them to get the order, Then the guy up front kept interrupting me while I was trying to tell him what I'm missing and attempted to close the window on me and my buddy and say "have a good day" read more

Best burger in Springfield. Wish we had one on west side.Can't forget how thick and wonderful their milkshakes are!

You can count on the same quality and taste every time you visit! Old school grilling and prep, good taste, get as many as you can if the free add ons! Will be back for more next time I am in Springfield! read more

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Food was fast, hot and delicious! Neighborhood was sketchy with burned out and boarded up buildings.

The burgers are so good! The cheese is a little crusty along the edges as well as the burger. Get the double with cheese and some krinkle cut fries with cheese sauce and you won't be sorry. Lived in Springfield for two years and just had my first trip to this little gem. Will definitely be back. The food tastes like a memory. read more

Krekel's Custard & Hamburgers - Best cheese burger in the Land of Lincoln - Burgers Near Me - Springfield, Illinois

Ordered delivery. Food arrived hot. Presentation was great. The burger was one of the best I've had since moving to Springfield. Juicy, cheesy, and seasoned so well. I will definitely be ordering from them again or maybe I'll visit them in person next time! read more

Historic place. Prices are very reasonable. Had the double burger and it was cooked to perfection.

Best burger I've ever had. Somehow they get a smash burger to be extremely tender. The fries are also pretty good. Icecream is some of the best around and I would highly suggest the lemon-strawberry swirl when it is in season. read more

Great place, good food, and ice cream to go. Love there crispy burger patties and there fries are much improved, chilli is good in season. Grandkids first choice when in town read more

Was charged for the wrong items. noticed 10 minutes after I had left and called the restaurant. the person I spoke with said it was there mistake and that she pressed the wrong button. i was told to call in the morning and the owner would refund me and to hold onto the 25 extra dollars worth of food that I paid for and never asked for and went into the trash. spoke with the manager the following morning and she said it was my own fault, I should have paid more attention (which I do agree with) and that their employee did make a mistake but if I was expecting a credit or refund I was surely mistaken. will not be returning. read more

This is a gem of a place. The hamburgers are good and the custard delicious. Don't expect a fancy building - just good food at a reasonable price. read more

After searching for a good place to eat without any luck, we decided to go to Krekel's . We got two double cheeseburgers fries and a large chocolate shake. Let me tell you honestly, it was heaven. The burgers were the best thing I've ever had, fries were awesome, the milkshake was fantastic. You can't find anything better. read more

Can we say old school hamburger stand that specializes in handmade burgers, chili and shakes. You and dine in or eat outside. You begin by placing your order at the counter and they give you a number. Mine was number 1, so I felt special. I ordered corn dog with fries and my guest had the cheese burger with fries both were great. We ended our stay with a lemon ice cream and chocolate/ vanilla ice cream. This is by far the best burger in town. read more

Krekel's Custard & Hamburgers - Menu - Burgers Near Me - Springfield, Illinois

Whenever I visit Springfield, IL, I choose Krekel's for lunch. They have great burgers at Krekel's. This local establishment has been a fixture of the area for many years. The tasty food and ice cream that they serve is the reason for their longevity. Skip the chain restaurants and take the family to Krekel's. read more

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Decent but a bit less than I hoped for. My breakdown. Burger: 4 stars. Solid burger, cooked just enough, bun fresh and slightly crisp. However they must skimp on cheese cause I couldnt locate it. A very good burger but not what reviews indicated. Malt: 3.5 stars. Tasty but I thought it was a bit thin.Tasted more like a shake than a malt. Couldnt taste malt but near the bottom I tasted all malt , so evidently they dumped the malt powder in the bottom, added ice cream /milk mix gave a quick spin in the blender blades and called it good. Never allowed it to blend properly. Customer service: 2.5 stars. What can I say? Told the lady it was my first time, asked about the malt sizes. She rolled her eyes and said coldly We have large and small only for malts. Saw 3 cup sizes. How was I supposed to know? Sorry! Place wasnt busy and after after a long wait, the window opened and a young girl pushed food out. I reached fwd and said is that for me? I got a look that would kill from her but said nothing and some guy came running from a car to grab his prize. So customer service here is awful and they all need retraining to teach them one thing! Its us , the assholes on the other side of the window which are the reason why you exist to have that job! Customers first! 3 stars. All I can give. Not what I was expecting. And this was at 7pm on a weeknight during the winter when the place wasnt busy. Bon appetit ! read more

Delicious! Double burger with everything and a side of cheese fries for me and a small vanilla / peanut butter Sunday for my dog. The burgers are outstanding. Coupled with an ice cold beer and it's a one way trip to heaven ( must supply your own beer at home ) The girls at the window are always friendly and this is a local business that is deserving of being supported. Will return again and again for as long as we are in the area. Good job !!!!!! read more

Krekel's Custard & Hamburgers - Double with everything and a Cheese fry, coupled with an ice cold lager (not pictured) - Burgers Near Me - Springfield, Illinois

Good burgers! Service is fast and consistently correct. A must in central Illinois. Highly recommend!

Krekel's is a central Illinois institution with locations in Springfield and Decatur (that I have visited so far). If you like the old style steak burgers on the griddle with crispy edges, you will not be disappointed. They also have Great softserve ice cream and other frozen treats for a hot summer night. read more

I love a good burger, and am not snooty about fast food at all. That said... First time eating at a Krekels, and I can't believe this was the food that friends had been raving about. The burger meat was extremely finely ground, almost like a paste, so while it was cooked to a good crisp the texture was awful. The taste was acrid like old, burned grease. The onion rings also had a taste of burned grease -- old, overused frying oil perhaps? The custard was thin and not creamy; the chocolate flavor was very fake. I sincerely hope this was a problem with this location alone. read more

This was my first time to Krekel's since I was a little kid. I was excited because it reminded me of how I'd go with my dad after a baseball game. I'd like to say that the food was absolutely delicious. The ice cream hit the spot and I could eat a burger like that every day for the rest of my life. My complaint pertains to customer service. The lady that took my order was slightly rude to me and the other woman that gave me my food was even more rude. I was gonna rate this place 3 stars due to how poorly I was treated but I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt with how the food industry is being affected lately and I understand they might have been stressed and so it gets a 4 star from me. I would like to go more often but the customer service kind of keeps me away. read more

They charge $0.25 for a cup of water. There were a few flies that kept pestering us while we ate. We ordered a #2 (double cheeseburger, fries, and a medium drink) for $6.99, onion rings, and a Heath bar concrete. I thought they over charged me because they charged for everything individually and the meal items added up to $7.24. But apparently they charge $0.25 extra for lettuce and tomato. Who does that? The cheeseburger reminded me of the burgers at Billy Goat Tavern because the meat parties were so thin but it didn't taste as fresh. I wouldn't come back for the food but I would come back for the concrete. But honestly, we probably won't come back with all the ridiculous extra charges. The pop tasted funny. A bit watered down and sour. The ketchup tastes funny too, sour and a bit like alcohol. read more

Krekel's Custard & Hamburgers - They charge extra for water, and lettuce and tomato. - Burgers Near Me - Springfield, Illinois

Haven't been for awhile, but went tonight and it was Horrible, the food was not like it use to be, customer service is not what it use to be, you have to tell them you wanted to order, it's not May I help you, that slogan is out the door anymore, and the aroma in the place smells like a stench sewer back up some where, Health Department needs to be called for a Health inspection. ASAP. If I could I would give them a negative 5, but that won't work here. Will never go back there and will let others not to go. read more

Hands down one of the best cheese burgers I've had anywhere!!!.. I'm from California and we have more hamburger stands and so many franchises that started there it's endless.. this burger is amazing!.. it's better than Freddy's and steak and shake and other midwest steak style burgers... Not sure what krekels would refer to their style but it's very unique and for those that claim the meat is thin order a double or a triple! (Man up!!).. If I had one of these out by my house it would be a problem!.. it's that good.. also loved the crinkle fries and the corn dog.. I'll be craving this place for a long time until I come back out to Illinois... Good to see a real hamburger stand doing it proper read more

Krekel's Custard & Hamburgers - Double cheese burger with everything.. and fries - Burgers Near Me - Springfield, Illinois

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