Well-displayed wartime memorabilia. Outdoor walk-through with steps up to various cockpits of aircraft. The Huey helicopter was particularly interesting.

Great museum - we went on Open Cockpit day where they had the planes opened up. They had many volunteers who shared their stories of flying and combat that really enhanced the experience. $5 entry fee was well worth it!

Review written 9/21/2025. Note that you don’t need to pay admission to still be able to drive up and walk past the jets which is what I did Very cool to see the real jets up close

Born and raised in Bloomington but this was my first tjme coming and Im so glad we did. The open cockpit day was so interesting, educational and fun. My son loved sitting in the planes! Definitely recommend.

A small but fascinating museum full of aviation history and passion. The staff is friendly and clearly love what they do. Great place for the whole family.

Review Date: May 18th, 2012 These birds have been permanently grounded. Every childhood boy likes one of three things: planes, trains, or automobiles. I leaned towards things that could fly, especially at supersonic speeds. So, it came to my surprise that there was a aviation museum within a reasonable driving distance from my home. I have actually been here about 3 times total since my first visit. I think I was with Matt the first time here. I think we explored a bit of Bloomington-Normal before a concert in the evening. The museum itself is just a little ways off the one of the main busy roads that runs through Bloomington. I actually think this up the road from the Bloomington Airport. How fitting! It’s not a massive museum by any means. The building itself is probably no larger than your local fast food eateries. But within those small confines is a tremendous amount of history. Each time I’ve come here, I’ve signed the guest book and donated a few bucks on top of paying the admission fees. The price is listed on their website. It was $5/each for adults. As I said, the building itself housed a ton of information regarding aviation. They had a section dedicated to NASA. They had tons of props and displays scattered throughout. They had graphs with a ton of information. Suffice to say, I can’t put in words what photos do better. While I did supply photos below, due to limited storage space, I couldn’t upload nearly enough photos to show everything. While the inside was full of information and relics from aviation’s past, the things I was dying to see were outside. The things that flew in another time and in another place. On one of the trips, we lucked upon a volunteer who was giving tours. He gave us a quick tour of the jets, planes, and aircraft outside and then let us explore to our hearts content. A few of my family members were veterans of the military, mostly in the Rangers and Marines. My dad tried to enlist but due to a hearing issue, wasn’t allowed in. By the time I was ready to join, my body had too many injuries to even think I could try to enlist (I was a very active kid and while I never broke a bone, I did do a lot of damage to my joints). Matt was also in the Marines for an undetermined about of time. So, suffice to say we all had some interest in the military in some way, shape, or form. Following the path outside winds you around all that there is to see. It was extremely cool to be able to go up to any of the aviation vehicles and see them in person. Some of them had ladders that you could take up and see in to the cockpit. They are locked shut so don’t get any wild ideas of hopping in and taking off. I do think they have special events where they open them and allow people to get in and have their photos taken. Check their website for details on that and other events they have. In the end, this place was great to check out. I loved getting to see the jets up close and person. I took one of my favorite photos ever and it’s included below. Can you guess which that is? If you have kids that love aircraft or have a general interest yourself, do oneself a favor and check this place out if possible. “Negative Ghost Rider, the pattern is full.”

Self guidance. Excellent receptionist. Feeling of the best locals.

This space is a staple in our community, and also a fabulous place for a wedding! The location is wonderful for checking out art and local businesses.

This is a very nice venue. The staff is always helpful and friendly. We have seen many shows at this facility. The venue is user friendly with clean restrooms and large foyer area. The acoustics are good and the seating is comfortable. There isn’t really a bad seat in the house. Good views from just about any seat you get. If I had to mention one drawback it might be the concessions area. It’s more like a snack area with candy bars, popcorn, and drinks. The selection is limited as far as that goes. We enjoy this venue over others we have been to because this one is more user friendly and classy. They continue to expand their variety of shows here from Comedy to Musicals, so there is something for all interests. We will continue to see shows at this venue. Keep up the good work.

My husband and I had our wedding here in March of 2022 and it was INCREDIBLE. Brian and the staff are amazing to work with and I would highly recommend this venue if you are wanting a beautiful blank slate wedding venue to work with that allows for you to pick and choose your own outside vendors! We used palace events for rentals to completely transform the space. Brian and the staff were extremely helpful with working out the logistics/ ins and outs of set up and take down with all the moving parts. Cannot recommend this venue enough!!! **photos taken by Carissa Mennen

The seats we picked online were not what we were expecting. The staff there helped us to get into a different set of seats that better accommodated our needs. We greatly appreciated the service they provided. Oh, and the show was great too! No bad seats to see or hear any of the performance!

A great place to see shows great audio and not a bad seat in the house. The outside events are always well organized affordable and fun. The most amazing venue in town to rent out for weddings and such very reasonable price for the memories of the omnius of the building!!! 🎉🎉🎉👍👍👍

The performance center is an amazing historical building with great acoustics. Every seat in the house is a good one. I highly recommend the center as it provides affordable cultural opportunities to our community.

This building was built in the 1921 and is beautiful. I saw the movie Napoleon Dynomite as part of it's 20th anniversary tour. Three of the actors talked after and took questions. I sat in the balcony and had a good view of the stage. The seats were ok but there isn't much leg room between the seats.

Made a spontaneous stop on our road trip to this sweet little zoo! The grounds were well kept and the staff was friendly. We saw lots of animals! The wallabies were my favorite part. It was cool to get up-close and personal with all the animals.

Such a cute little zoo. They do have 3 interactive areas. One with goats, one with wallabys and wallaroos, and one birt sanctuary. They have a tiger, snow leopards, red panda, and many more animals. There is plenty of room for RV's to park. It is handicap accessible.

Miller Park Zoo is the right size for a fun walk through. Most of the animals we saw were indoors because of the cold. We didn't interact with staff much but when we needed directions, they were helpful and friendly. Prices were affordable. Unfortunately, the cafe was closed, so we weren't able to support the zoo by eating lunch there. I recommend a visit. I recommend.

For being a smaller zoo we had a great time here. We went through the whole zoo twice in 2 hours but I think we saw every animal because they were all out and active. We loved the baby anyeater, it's the 1st time we've seen one of those.

My family and I loved this zoo. Love the different variety of animals. So much fun.

I want to first say that I love the park and have fished this park for 25 plus years not a issue I was told that I could could fish all night as long as I had rods in the water ... So we all know there we have to fish all night long to catch the specimen im chasing dont bite alot during day ..so we lost 😢 a friend who we have been fishing for over 10 years we all get together and fish many from other states we do a 3 day session ..so I decided to go a few weeks early and fish on my vacation...then it happened the first night park surcuity told me I had to leave park closes at 10pm I said ok but I been doing this longer then you have alive ..he said there is homeless problem in the park I said do I look home less he wouldn't answer.....he left around 10:30 then it happend 24.5 like u see in Pic what I came for showed up......fri morning superintendent shows up tells me same story homeless bs and if I let you do it I have to let everybody else's I said fair ..so I said what if I call city and ask for permit he told me I am the city I said really ok I'll be out by 10.pm ..so we Googled park superintendent we have emails sent to ask for permission to fish this park 6 times a year for our lost members we have fished with for years ...I know it's a 13acre lake but holds many memories and large fish that we so love to catch ..we only asking to over nite 3 days for late fall months Oct Nov 3days that we have been doing for over 25 years ... thanks for your time cory...

A great place to visit. A family fun place. I'd highly recommend a visit here. It is a small gem with lots of very cool animals.

I have gone twice this week to see movies! It is one of my favorite places in town! They also host events, and I have had the privilege of photographing a few including a recent Coalescence Theatre Project production!

A wonderful theatre filled with employees who are passionate about cinema. Love the variety in screenings ranging from oldies but goodies to new releases. My favorite place to see a movie :)

I've been here many times since my childhood. Always a fun time! This old classic 1 screen theater has been nicely restored. The staff are friendly and helpful. There are raffles for free tickets or refreshments at every screening.

The theater opened in 1937 and has a cool art deco flair from the era of great early theater buildings. It is owned by the city of Normal and operated by a non-profit. It was closed for a time in the 1990s, but reopened after being purchased and renovated by the city in 1993. This theater is a true treasure and worth a visit.

This theater is magnificent. Friendly staff. Anne was the manger on duty and along with Taylor provided excellent service! They even have a raffle for every showing where you can win a free ticket and popcorn. All you need is your ticket stub. Cheap seats, snacks and movies that you won’t see playing anywhere else. Love this place!

I photograph weddings throughout Illinois (Ernst Jacobsen Photography) and recently had the awesome opportunity to photograph a wedding at the Normal Theater. It has been gorgeously restored in a beautiful art deco vibe! The inside restoration includes plus, coral colored seating, blue, maroon and salmon colored walls, high-modern style aisle lights and an elegantly layered ceiling of neon lights. Aside from the unique visuals of the theater, it is conveniently located in the middle of Uptown Normal so we're just a few steps for ISU's Quad and possible reception venues whether Medici (for smaller weddings) or the Marriott. Highly recommend if you're looking for a unique venue to hold your wedding ceremony.

The Normal Theater is a great historical venue refurbished to look the way it did in the 1920s and is run by volunteers. We love the the variety of films available. Admission is reasonable, popcorn is only $1 and they even have a drawing or trivia before the show with prizes! Everyone is so friendly. It's like stepping back in time! Those ceiling lights in the photo are real neon lights. Just be sure to dress accordingly. In the winter, they turn up the heat quite high.

Food was incredible but alittle expensive for the area . Not trying to be mean but the lady manager was pretty dismissive when I was trying to collect my order at the bar. Pizza wasn’t with my food and had to drive back to get it. They blamed me and said it was next to my stuff. It was not. All that being said I still recommend this place just maybe the management tries a little harder to be nice to new patrons.

My steak was disgusting. Ordered medium rare and it came out cold and blue. I would have sent it back but we didn’t see our server until 30 min later. They did take it off the bill but it was just gross.

First of all, we have been to Medici and know it as a decent place to eat, with interesting interior and some good dishes we’ve tried before. Yet, today everything was just off and wrong: my hubby ordered beef BBQ brisket : so he expected to have brisket 90% and some flavor maybe with the bbq sauce: instead, what he was served had 80% bbq sauce all over the meat, which was a bit charred and completely lost as a taste - because thus bbq sauce completely overpowered any flavor the meat could have. That was not the only disappointment today: we asked for the soup of the day: the server, when asked what kind of soup it is, please attention here: she said the soup has «beer cheese and sausage”. I asked about beer cheese - she tried to explain , and that was it. Ok, here comes our soup: the consistency was rather dense , topped with grated cheese , BUT! it tasted spicy that had to sting water after each bite! I generally never ever choose spicy when eating out- but I expect the server to at the very least warn me that the soup is hot!!! Not at all what I wanted after coming there hungry! Besides, the spiciness tasted like liquid pepper and not the natural heat! There was no purpose for this hot taste in the soup , but even with that, I believe the waiters should ALWAYS warn customers about hot dishes!!! Then my order was beet salad topped with salmon : salmon was grilled and done right- the way not ingredient I really liked in this meal; but the salad was doused in dressing that was mostly vinegarish - not a subtle taste of a good dressing. Arugula and beets too looked like it was not today’s cooking but they provably they were hiding the fact that everything was from yesterday or not good quality; that would explain why the brisket and the salad were literally doused in unsavory sauces! So, we are probably NOT going to Medici again: maybe we should have been more proactive and demanding and request to return the dishes after they came so badly tasting! I don’t know: I try to be polite and understanding of the young people who work in such positions as servers ; but on second thoughts, we came home frustrated that we spent money on really bad food!

Medici in Normal, IL is a fantastic early dinner spot! I hadn't visited in a few years, but the food and service were just as exceptional as I remembered. I ordered the Blackened Mahi Mahi Tacos—a dark horse on the menu that has always impressed—and this visit was no exception. My wife tried the Salmon Brûlée, which was delightfully creamy and decadent, and the sweet potato tots we shared were an outstanding appetizer. Highly recommended!

What a cool restaurant! They have a tree, yes a real tree in the dining area. Great selection on the menu, not your typical restaurant menu. Service was great and food was very good. They were steady busy for a Thursday evening.

Served raw Salmon and they decided it was a good idea to put the piece I took a few bites of back on the grill. I feel like that is gross with other guests food on that same grill. Manager didn’t offer a new piece or compensation. Won’t return. On a positive note, our server was very sweet.

The atmosphere was beautiful in this restaurant. The food was not as beautiful the pizza was something you would get at any regular pizza place. And my Seafood lasagna had a lot of water at the bottom, which made it very unpleasant. However, the service was great and the appetizers were absolutely delicious. This meal came out to $50 which isn’t bad, but I wouldn’t come here again.

I’ve lived in the area for 3 years and finally stopped here for dinner. We did not have a reservation, but we were able to quickly get a table. We ordered some cheese garlic bread and meat ravioli as appetizers - both were very good. The garlic bread had a crispy crust with a soft fluffy center with the perfect amount of flavor. The meat ravioli was well breaded with well seasoned meat inside. Both come with marinara dipping sauce. We built our own thin pizza with sausage and pepperoni - OH my GOSH! It was crispy and had a delicious combination of flavors. I will definitely be coming back. And to add the cherry on top the tiramisu was cold, creamy and rich. It was the perfect way to end such a great meal. Our waiter was phenomenal; very attentive and friendly. He took the time to have a conversation even being busy.

It was phenomenal! The pizza was perfectly cooked. Felt like it was melting in my mouth. And the teramisu was exploding with flavors. Service was exceptional for how busy it was.

Great atmosphere and feels like a small town place. The buttered garlic shrimp had the noddles overcooked and flavors were just on The chicken Parm was unique and good. Nothing crazy but good.

Walked in at 6pm without a reservation and met Theres at the bar who suggested we have a drink while waiting for 2 seats at the bar. Only waited about 20 minutes before being seated near the grill. I had reviewed the menu online and knew what I wanted, and my guest had been many times before and knew EXACTLY what he would have. My drink was a perfectly made Martini and it was fantastic. When I asked if the fried chicken livers were good, Theres said the best in the county and I agree. Ordered a Caesar salad with housemade dressing and housemade croutons which was spectacular. I prefer romaine lettuce but the spring mix was tossed in the dressing and piled on the plate with freshly ground parmesan. I ate it all. Tried the Fettuccine Alfredo because she said they make the Alfredo in house and it was beyond fresh, a beautiful half portion to finish the night. I lived in Bloomington for 5 years in the 80s, how did I miss this place. All this food for $25...amazing...not including my drinks wine tax and tip. I cannot wait to go back and will make a reservation for sure. Obviously a favorite for local families...felt like home. Bravo.

Cute bar. Amazing food. (The chips are to die for!) Tables are tiny for dining, but suited well for drinks. Tried for several spirits, but they didnt have any of them so I settled for a soda. Husband had a beer. Will go back. There is a parking lot around the corner or across the street.

Every time I come in here I am always greeted and promptly have my order taken. The food is fantastic and good portions. I’ve gotten the Alfredo, fried cheese ravioli, fried cheese sticks, and a custom pizza and it was all very good. One night I even came in and there were some gentleman singing in the corner and it was awesome to be able to sit in on that.

My friend and I had lunch at The Lucca Grill in Bloomington IL. Gidget was our server and the experience was exceptional and our Pizza was truly good. Kudos to The Lucca Grill and Gidget for exceeding expectations and to enjoy the historical sports flags and ambience.

Upscale restaurant with a variety of food choices on the menu. The Baxters salad was different in a good way. I think it had pieces of apple in it (I could be wrong), but it tasted good. The parmesan crusted halibut was well presented and delicious. The service was a little slow since our food took a while to come out, but nevertheless, I would definitely visit again if I had the chance and would recommend to others as well.

I loved it here so much!! It’s so pricy that it can’t be like go-to restaurant but for a special occasion it’ll be a great choice. And my server Eric was so nice and he made my dinner even better.

The atmosphere in the restaurant was wonderful, the food was absolutely delicious, and the staff provided excellent service. I’m visiting from Japan, but I promise that whenever I come to Bloomington again, I will definitely return to this restaurant🫶

Tonite I decided to make a meal out of the appetizers. I started with the Thai Shrimp. Nicely executed! Very flavorful with that familiar Thai sweet chili sauce... and just the right amount of heat for the non adventurous like me ! The dish included a nice Asian salad, where the dressing also helped cool the heat from the chili's. For the second app, I went with their Steak sliders. Unlike some steak houses, this basically a three pack of French dip sliders. The shaved beef steak was high quality, and then served with neled white cheddar over the top, and an au jus on the side for dipping. Many thanks to Grace and Millie this evening for the great service snd banter. Hope to be back soon to see y'all #Steakhouse #baxters #thaishrimp #bloomingtonillinois

Erika and Ryan were our servers today… we were very pleased with their attentiveness. They made the perfect tag team. The bar was pretty busy yet one or the other of them just seemed to appear at the perfect time!

I can't believe I forgot to get pics. Everything here was phenomenal! I had the prime rib. The best I have had in a long time. Other restaurants just don't prepare it like they do! And, I'm not sure how they make their mashed potatoes so delicious, but they do. Our service was top notch. Very friendly and fun. It's a must stop anytime I'm in Bloomington. Keep up the excellent work 👏!

My group came in to celebrate a very important milestone and our waitress was amazing! From the moment we sat down, she was so friendly and upbeat — it felt like she genuinely cared that we had a great time. She remembered our drink orders right away, gave great recommendations, and checked in just the right amount. You could tell she loves what she does! She honestly made our night very special — we’ll definitely ask for her next time!

I had a fine meal here. Often the vegan options at restaurants are sub-par or considered as discretionary additions to the menu. The effort put into your vegan dishes was pristine and delicious for people unfamiliar with vegan appetizers, entrees, and desserts. The zero-proof orange drink had changing, lasting notes and changed how I view zero-proof drinks. Great atmosphere and volume, both indoor and outdoor seating. Thank you for a great experience.

My kids took me here for our Mother's day dinner. Our Waiter was phenomenal. He certainly made a very special evening more special. The food-delicious, the atmosphere- relaxed and inviting. Absolutely will be back.

Food was amazing. Loved the cornflake chicken. Pleasantly surprised by the sashima, I ended up ordering seconds! The only down side was it took 35 minutes for the creme brulee to arrive. The server acknowledged the delay, which was appreciated.

Epiphany Farms in Bloomington, IL, is truly a gem. From the moment you walk in, the energy is warm, welcoming, and just plain fun. The service here is consistently excellent and the staff goes out of their way to make sure you’re having a great time, and it shows. The food? Outstanding. Every dish is beautifully presented and full of flavor. Whether you're coming in for a casual bite or a special evening out, the quality is always top-notch. The added bonus of being able to order food from Anju Above brings even more variety and creativity to the menu and it’s a treat every time. Cocktail lovers, take note: the drinks are just as thoughtfully crafted as the food. The cocktail menu is creative and balanced, and there’s also a great selection of bourbon for those who appreciate a good pour. Billy, the mixologist, is a standout and he's not only skilled behind the bar but also a fantastic and friendly presence whether he's bartending or serving tables. A special shoutout to Vince, the manager, who runs the restaurant with the perfect mix of professionalism, kindness, and fun. He and his team clearly care about the guest experience and it makes all the difference. And don’t skip their take-home market items, especially the drunken cherries and lavash crackers as they are absolutely worth grabbing on your way out. Just another example of how Epiphany Farms brings creativity and quality to every corner of what they do. Epiphany Farms offers more than just a meal - it’s a full experience. If you’re in Bloomington, don’t miss it.

Our 23rd Wedding Anniversary was yesterday,9/28/25! We were in Bloomington on a side mission and planned to have dinner afterwards. My husband suggested Epiphany or another restaurant. I wasn’t sure b/c I don’t like Sushi, but was intrigued by “farm to table” feature. Then, nice we were having trouble deciding my husband said let’s just go home and eat at another restaurant. I said no, we’re here let’s try Epiphany! What an AMAZING experience!!! The service, especially our server, was attentive, exuberant plus knew the menu well, so was an excellent foodie guide! The manager stopped by several times to check on us, and she was also extremely knowledgeable and excited to share details about the businesses and the farm! We were asked about dessert and was thinking of choosing the Choc-Blondie, so asked our server for direction, he said don’t order dessert “I have something special planned for you and their preparing it now!” OMG!!! He brought the Choc-Blondie out with a flourish!! EVEN ADDED A SPARKLER! This place, their care, attention to detail, FOOD, experience, atmosphere was second to none!! What a wonderful anniversary dinner!!! We will totally be back!!! To Epiphany and Staff: Game changer!! You are on a whole different level and I can’t wait to return!!😋

WOW! This has easily become our favorite restaurant on our very first visit here. The food was phenomenal! Very cute atmosphere and vibes are immaculate. The menu is huge as they have multiple kitchens, so there is something for everyone. Staff is so friendly and service is top notch. Your drinks will never run low and they are constantly pre-bussing the tables. Lucy was incredible and she had so many wonderful suggestions. Experience was fantastic, will definitely be making many trips back.

Last minute change of plans to celebrate my wife’s birthday after Johna’s let us down so bad. Epiphany Farms in blooming got us in and hit the ball out of the park! Friendly from the moment we walked in to the perfect plates! Hats off for one of the best experiences we have had in Bloomington! The ingredients at this place are second to none! Clean, friendly and a genuine culinary delight!!!!

I will have to get the name of our server - she is one of the best servers I've ever had! She knew the specials by heart and talked about them with so many details. She didn't write down our order - she knew it all in her head. That is always so impressive to me! She mentioned the upcoming father's day events and described those specials. They box up your food for you. I follow them on facebook and have missed some tasty looking specials - never again! We have skipped going to the gym next door for our workout once or twice to go for dinner instead lol. Their house salad is even impressive; we were pleasantly surprised how good it was for a side salad. This is one of my top 5 restaurants in town, and if you know this town, you know that there is so much to choose from!

This is the third time I've eaten at DeStihl since moving my son into college at ISU last year. I can honestly say I have never had a meal here I didn't think was excellent. Great portion size, well-plated, and most importantly delicious. I highly recommend the pot roast, but my son's girlfriend had the chicken biscuit pictured and it looked amazing! Definitely stop by and grab some good food!

DESTIHL has been on my son’s list since moving to the area in May. We came here for dinner on Sunday night. The atmosphere inside and out is warm and inviting. It was great weather so opted for outside. Our server Monica N. was absolutely fantastic. So friendly, attentive and knowledgeable. Great cocktail, beer and wine options. For starters we had the Bavarian pretzel and the Crab Rangoon dip. Both were delicious. Our entree’s were the salmon burger and the Vegetable banana curry. My salmon burger was very tasty. My son’s curry dish was lackluster… the curry and vegetables were very bland, but the rice was flavorful. Overall we enjoyed our evening and will be back to sample more of the menu.

This restaurant is always on point! This is our 3rd time visiting. Sawyer, our adorable server, was spectacular, very attentive! The seasonal pizza my husband had was so good, and the stuffed poblano aka chille relleno, was incredibly flavorful! Another one of our past faves is the beef stroganoff, very satisfying and filling and the beef is really tender! The seasonal drinks were all good with a nod to the pear and brambleberry. Next stop is the Destihl Brewery since we just found out they have a completely different menu!

I needed beer flights. So we chose Destihl for dinner. For a Saturday in Bloomington/Normal we got in pretty quick after calling ahead. Truly enjoyed my beer selection from Ann our server. Only 1 I didn't enjoy and that was the Redbird. I had the Thai fried chicken which is a shift for many of my orders. It was good. The wife had a bacon cheeseburger and our other diner had the chicken stuffed pasta. Burgers are burgers but I tried the Pasta and it was a good choice. We also had the pretzel and the snack tray. Both good choices. Now for the bad news. They offer huge cake slices. We chose to try the chocolate cake. Best part of the cake was the cream on the side. Cake was dry and still over dense due to being cold.

I took Mama here shortly after this place opened some years ago. She loved it, and it’s the place she chose to be this time for her 70th birthday. She had a great time; there was a party of fifteen and we were very well taken care of by the amazing staff. From a chef myself, kudos to the chef here. Consistency, quality, and quality in the food with excellent flavor. According to Mama, “Destihl the place to be!” Keep up the great work.

Quaint brewery with some great food selections. Tomato soup was perfect for the first cold day of the year! Worth a stop when in the area.