Very good service, solid menu, good drink choices and a great Sunday brunch. Typically crowded, but tables typically move pretty quickly.

Very spacious typical American tavern! We tried more of the not typical American items and it was slightly a miss. I think if I came back I would definitely lean into the typical American stuff because that's probably what they do best (the fries looked really yummy on other people's plates) Shrimp and Scallop Ceviche - this was an appetizer specials that I really enjoyed and highly recommend. Every bite was refreshing! Korean Salmon - Salmon was cooked well and the crust was nice and crispy. Something was just off about the flavor -- the sauce was too salty. Surf and Turf Tacos - decent tacos, would consider getting again Overall in the pricer side but it is a nicer sit down restaurant in Champaign. Comes with free popcorn sampler at the beginning of the meal! The servers were every kind. They unfortunately cannot accept visa gift cards too read more

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Food was bland. Will have to go back and see if it was an off night for the kitchen. Service was great.

Invited here for dinner last week-the popcorn is the best item on the menu, sadly. Nothing on the entree menu looks appealing, so I had a bowl of soup. Meh. Along with an outdated and limited menu, the service is really crappy. Nothing brings down the dining experience more that an expediter with food stains down his shirt and pants serving your food with nitrile gloves on his hands. And this is supposedly one of the more upscale restaurants in CU? Better menus and service at other downtown spots. read more

Great location, nice service and good food. The ambience was wonderful. The patio was even nicer. read more

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Went on a Sunday for brunch with a large group of 15. One server took care of us, and he did a great job. He got our drinks out quickly to start and assured us he would keep track of our seat numbers, so we could separate checks later. I ordered the brunch burrito. It seemed a little pricey, but when it came out, I knew why. It was huge, and the steak was placed on top. I asked if I could leave out the cheeses and add avocado instead, and that was done for me. It was quite good. The salsas had some unexpected spice, which I was happy about. I just had a regular coffee to drink, and it was solid for a place that is not a coffee shop. I had also come in the day before to have a drink with some friends. I had the Italian Job, which I enjoyed. They have a good cocktail menu, as well as a good assortment of wines and beers. The bartenders were all nice and checked on us regularly. I don't live near Champaign, but if I did, I think this would definitely be a regular spot. Nice ambiance, friendly staff, and a nice variety on their menus. read more

Big Grove Tavern - Breakfast burrito - New American Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

Came for Sunday brunch and hope to go back soon because it was delicious! They have cinnamon sugar popcorn on the table and we ordered churros to share, it was so good. Everyone in our 12 person group loved their meal. I had the cali breakfast sandwich. read more

I've been to big Grove a few times, and felt the service and food quality was better earlier in their history, but it's still better than many places in downtown Champaign. Thursday night I sat at the bar at about 7:45 PM for a drink and a solitary dinner. The bartender was prompt, but not particularly friendly. Literally no small talk and the place was not at all busy. I was eating my oddly delivered fried chicken dinner ( that tasted it as if it had been cooked in old oil) as the staff was cleaning the restaurant section and preparation to close. No one asked me if I needed anything else and I wasn't even afforded salt nor pepper. My brother and sisters were arriving to join me, but found the door locked at 8:30 PM, so I left and went across the street to sit with them at Guidos, who remained open Champaign apparently rolls up the sidewalks on weekdays. I found it interesting that the doors were locked given that the hours posted go beyond 8:30 PM and state 9:30 PM for Thursday night. I used to like this place. Now it's sort of meh and I'll probably look for better options, though I won't rule out another visit at some point in the future once I forgotten about the limited service here. read more

Big Grove Tavern - Meh cocktail. And the server spilled half of it en route to the table. The bill was for all of it, though. - New American Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

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In town to take our U of I student out for dinner. Enjoyed everything about this place---great food and great service. Definitely will come back! read more

Quick service but not the best experience this time around. Bacon was soggy, pancakes were good but too big for me. The scrambled egg was a small portion. I would have liked more eggs. The mimosas were okay but I didn't really taste the juice and they were warm. Our waters had something floating in them. We got new ones but some still had whatever the white substance was. Would love to go back and have something else off the menu. It's a really nice place and I love the bar. Just wasn't the best brunch spot for us. read more

Big Grove Tavern - Hot Cakes Breakfast - New American Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

Cool bar in downtown Champaign. It has a hip casual feel. Big Grove Tavern has a pretty good menu of drinks and food not like a typical bar. Prices are good on most items. There's the usual bar stuff like fries but there's also healthier choices like chilled beats and quinoa. After looking for a bar with food we chose here. It's in the middle of downtown Champaign with a bunch of others. This is a pretty nice looking place. Lots of choices for all tastes of beer and food. It's about $6 a pint. The Stone Hazy IPA was on tap. Lots of local beers to choose from. We also got the Chilled Roasted Beets for sharing. It's $5 for a bowl. There's gold and red beets, along with pickled onions tossed in an apple cider vinaigrette. Good beets. This is a vegetable I don't like as much. Bar with good beats and beets. It also has many local beers on tap at some good prices. There's lots of other foods like pastas and salads. read more

Big Grove Tavern - Stone Hazy IPA And Chilled Roasted Beets - New American Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

Why it only has 3.5 stars on Yelp??! The restaurant was amazing! I tried the restaurant week tasting menu recently. The food was delicious, the atmosphere was nice. It's also carefully decorated and was very clean. Like their tree branches on the ceiling lol. I had wedge salad, grilled shrimp with grits and pecan hand pie. The vegetables were fresh and the grits was a real hit. Add some lemon juice to it and/or the shrimps and it would be heavenly! The ice cream served with the pie was a little bit too sweet for me, but I really like the pecan hand pie. What could be better than finishing the meal with something warm and sweet (but not too sweet) . Finally, the waiter was very nice. He was always polite and asked several times about the taste of everything. I will surely go back to this restaurant later! read more

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Shout out to Big Grove Tavern for honoring our reservation even though we were an hour late. Illinois football game went into overtime (yes they won) so a 7:00pm reservation on a Saturday night turned into us not showing up until 8pm. We were ready to be told we had forfeited our slot (completely justified response), however we were astonished to be seated immediately. Had the short rib ravioli on special and it was fantastic. Not too saucy and the ravioli had right texture. My wife did the wedge salad with soup and our son went with a burger and some cheesy grits. Well done all around. Service was prompt and friendly. Great location and will enjoy again on future trip. read more

Amazing! I'm so lucky that I got the special that I'm very interested in! I ordered a half plate of ceviche, which was very refreshing, and a Osso Bucco, namely, the pork shank. When it first came, I was so surprised at the wonderful appearance and the beautiful color combinations. The meat was soft enough to pull off from the bone, the fat part was not greasy at all, and the sauce tasted just at the most appropriate point. Even their before-meal snack, the popcorn, tasted great as it had some cheese powder and cinnamon powder mixed (I guess)! The dining environment inside is gorgeous, and there're many options of where you wanna sit in or out of this restaurant. Though some servers seemed a little not so passionate, the whole experience was enjoyable. For reference, the cost of my meal was around 40 dollars, excluding tipping. Maybe I'll go there again for some burgers in the future! :) read more

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Usually not a poster on here, but I really have to give a shout out to an amazing waitress we have every single time we eat at Big Grove Tavern! Her name is Trisha and we LOVEEEE her. Me, my 8 month old daughter, and my husband always love to go there as it's one of the few brunch spots in CU. Every time we go, they always recognize us with our giant stroller, table seat, and diaper bag. They always sit us in a corner away from other occupied tables and out of the walkway of other servers. Trish has always taken us as a waitress and today she gave our daughter endless yummy baby friendly food, has been the ONLY stranger that our daughter has "reached" for, and has always been so considerate of us needing some hot water to warm her bottle when we are there. Our daughter and Trish are on a friendly first name basis and I honestly just truly feel like family there and feel so comfortable being that "overly packed up mom" coming into a restaurant to try to enjoy a brunch. I know several other moms can relate on this one. Thanks Big Grove and Trish for always letting us come and enjoy a brunch as new parents with our baby and for always being so friendly and accommodating read more

My husband had been to Big Grove Tavern before and had a great experience. When we went to Champaign for a wedding he insisted we go there. We arrived 5 minutes before they opened, and there was already a line, which I took as a good sign. We went to try their brunch menu. I had the pancakes, wheat toast, and fruit bowl. My husband had the pork belly Benedict. I loved my food. The pancakes had a slightly malty flavor to them. The pork belly Benedict was too spicy for me. Everything was made fresh and with high-quality ingredients. Our server was very friendly and engaging. I highly recommend Big Grove Tavern and will come back the next time we're in Champaign. read more

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I travel to new cities each week for 6 months out of the year. I went to this restaurant early when it was slow and had 3 bartenders giving us service. Once they became slightly busy, never saw them again. If you are looking for good service and a good experience this is not the place. I confronted the 2 of the bartenders (Brooke and Chris) with the lack of service and they couldn't care less! I will not be back or recommend this place to any of my colleague! read more

We enjoyed a lovely brunch downtown while visiting family! It was a cute place with lots of space & multiple areas to dine. The bar area was absolutely beautiful! Our waiter was super awkward, but we still had good service. We didn't have to wait long for a table and were helped quickly. We also smacked on some delicious popcorn before our food came out! Everything we ordered was cooked well and we were very happy with our meals. I'm not a huge breakfast person, but it sounds like they had lots of options to choose from and everyone I ate with loved their food as well!! read more

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Came here for brunch the service was super slow and the food was genuinely awful. Pancakes were definitely a mix and the eggs were bad too. Two others in my party didn't like their meal either. Very disappointed read more

This was not our first choice, but everyone else was closed on superbowl Sunday. They were understandably understaffed, and relatively empty, so I am understanding of service being slow. They were polite and friendly enough, but a couple of people covering a large room. On the other hand, the Mushroom Risotto was amazing! Worth the trip. Deep earthy flavors, with a crisp aioli adding a great contrast. And I don't dig kale usually, but what a great compliment in the risotto! It added a crunch and peppery bite. Delicious. read more

When the pretzel came out....thats when we should have known. No salt and didn't seem like genuine pretzel bread. But the Midwest is known for no seasoning, but this was too much. Chicken was seasoned with air and a dream, maybe some grease too. Green beans were burnt but the bacon on them was amazing, probably cause they were seasoned. Just not a fan of this place tonight! read more

Love this place! Me and a group of friends came on a Monday night and were pleasantly surprised with the spacious patio & menu selections. Madi was so thoughtful and kind after I shared my allergies with her. She was attentive and so sweet throughout the whole evening to ensure we were having a good time. Food was delicious too no complaints! read more

Stopped here for a bite before we headed home. The service was fast, friendly and efficient; Michelle was our server. Stared with salted Carmel espresso martinis and a prize too, booth very good, the mustard was great with the pretzel. We had an original burger, buffalo wings and the homestyle chicken. Our food came out quickly. Everything was hot and delicious. Casual setting with good food, we'll go again for sure. read more

We have been coming to Big Grove since it opened in place of Jim Gould's. We have been here for our birthdays, work gatherings and random celebrations. From standard menu items, like the burgers and steak frites, to the specials - the food has always been top notch. And they make a fantastic old fashioned. My husband got a couple pours of bourbon for his birthday and appreciated the extensive bourbon and whiskey options. I feel the restaurant does a fantastic job training their employees. The wait staff is ALWAYS hustling and supporting each other in serving customers. The managers are out on the floor supporting the wait staff. We've always enjoyed the decor and feel of the place. The happy hour specials are great and as stated earlier- the drinks are delicious. I forget which days, but kids can catch a free meal with an adult meal. Just ask- they have always been great about it. One last thing- if you can try them out during restaurant week, do it. It's an excellent sampling of the menu. read more

It's a steak house, restaurant, and a bar. Came here for dinner with my partner and we were both pleasantly satisfied. We just got sandwiches but wish we would have tried some of their meat a la carte. Having no complaints about this place, I would recommend it for a meal. read more

Big Grove Tavern - New American Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

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Great brunch and drink menu........................ Excellent service. Excellent ambiance............ Highly recommend for any occasion.............. but doesn't need to be an occasion.............. read more

They catered an event I went to and their breakfast buffet was delicious. There was caramelized onion and potatoes, churros with a delicious sauce, biscuits and chorizo gravy, and bagels with a creamy avocado sauce. I will go to their establishment the next time I am in town. read more

Came out to Big Grove Tavern for dinner and was not disappointed. The staff and management were welcoming. The vibe was laidback yet friendly and inviting. Thank you Emma for your hospitality on a rainy evening. For drinks we had the Dragonfruit Tamarind Margarita. A perfect balance between sweet and savory. We also tried the Castle & Key Restoration Rye. It was smooth, smoky, and enjoyable. For eats - we tried the new dish on the menu Osso Bucco and the Tavern Ribeye Asada. The Osso Bucco is a braised pork shank with mashed potatoes, sautéed carrots and string beans. Definitely a filling entree and had good flavor. The Tavern Ribeye was topped with a delicious melted herb butter cooked medium well. We had a great evening and left full and with leftovers! Thank you Big Grove Tavern read more

Big Grove Tavern - Tavern ribeye Asada - New American Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

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It is a great location and nice atmosphere. I ordered a burger and it took 45 minutes when the restaurant wasn't very busy. It didn't taste very good and wasn't juicy at all. Bar tenders were very attentive and constantly asking if I needed anything and tried giving me a bowl of popcorn multiple times despite me saying no thanks. Menu doesn't have a huge selection. read more

Excellent drinks and customer service. The bar is well stocked with whiskey and they have a pretty solid beer selection. The outdoor seating is worth mentioning. The patio is huge and well lit giving you a nice downtown vibe while also being elegant. Very nice spot for a date or casual drink. read more

Great ambiance. Can be a little loud with acoustics, but nice. The beets are phenomenal. I highly recommend the southwest salad - it's great! read more

Excellent food, service and atmosphere. Great place for birthday celebration. All the food was so fresh and delicious

Decent food, semi-friendly service, service times need improvement. Thinking it was two of us, we initially sat at the bar, but a friend with a toddler joined, so we moved to a table. Bartender seemed pissed (even though no one else was sitting at the bar). The hostess wasn't the friendliest either when I asked for a table. We were there on a Saturday for lunch before a wedding. I mentioned that we had a wedding to get to, so the waitress did try to speed things up, but it was a busy Saturday with the brunch crowd and several large parties. I ordered the bacon egg biscuit. The portion was generous, but unfortunately, the biscuit was underbaked. Bf had the hangover burger, he seemed to like it. Food took 30-40 mins, inside was approx. 60-70% full. Kitchen needs to be more adequately staffed for peak times. Based on other reviews, service times continue to be an issue. Had I read those other reviews first, I wouldn't have gone here for lunch. read more

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Used to be my favorite restaurant- they removed the best menu items and have gone way down hill, failing multiple health inspections. Service is alright but their main food items have vanished. Won't go back after multiple months of going weekly. read more

My boyfriend and I dined it for lunch at Big Grove Tavern. We made a reservation, so we were able to get seated promptly. We ordered the wings (not pictured) and pretzel braid for starters. We got the Korean bbq-flavor for the wings. While my boyfriend really liked the wings, we thought the flavor was closer to honey bbq than Korean bbq. The pretzel came with a side of cheese and mustard, which complimented the pretzel well. However, I did think the pretzel was a little over-salted. For entrees, we got the spicy shrimp and scallop pasta and quinoa&kale salad with steak. I loved that they had the option to add any protein to most of their dishes. The quinoa&kale salad was light, and well-balanced. It was perfect for me, since I wanted something light. Th spicy shrimp&scallop pasta was unique. I was not able to tell if it was soy sauce based or yakisoba sauce based, but the dish definitely had some Asian inspiration to it. At first, there was no shrimp in our pasta, but our server was quick to bring the shrimp on the side for us. Overall, the I was satisfied with the service and the food. We would definitely dine-in again. read more

Big Grove Tavern - New American Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

We love this place. Food is always fantastic! Service is great, we love Trisha! Drinks are terrific!

We enjoyed Mother's Day brunch on our second visit here while on campus to move back one of our kids. It was a chilly day and while we opted to sit outside to stay safe, our server was terrific and spot on with drink refills and our food and our check. The food? Terrific! The variety of Benedict's were so yummy as were the chilaquiles and brunch burrito. A campus keeper. read more

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Trisha was our server and amazingly helpful. I'm gluten free due to a food allergy, and Trisha was able to not only help me navigate the menu but also really knowledgeable about how the kitchen is structured for my safety. I felt so comfortable after talking with her. The food was also great on top of that! Great atmosphere too. Will definitely return. read more

Not bad. The service is good. The food is a little sweet. The atmosphere is very friendly. I feel chilled. read more

Big Grove Tavern - New American Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

Here in Champaign, passing through and staying at the Hyatt across the street. One of the few late night restaurants in the downtown area. Pleasantly surprised with the quality of the food and service. TJ, the server, was extremely friendly, professional, attentive, and knowledgeable. Made a few strong recommendations. I ordered the fried chicken. I realize that sounds boring but it was perfectly done. Very large thigh and leg with a nicely seasoned batter and not overly cooked so it was moist. String beans on the side that were either lightly sautéed or blanched, and lightly salted in way that reminded me of salted edamame soy beans, plus topped with small crisp diced bacon bits that were a good counter balance. The huge pile of mashed potatoes were rustically mashed and served with a flavorful dark brown gravy. For me the best part was the honey soaked biscuit, which was even better than its description. First, the biscuit was large and baked so perfectly with a crunchy and attractive top, and a very fluffy and buttery interior. The entire biscuit was fully soaked with honey, reminding me of a soaked baklava or tres leches cake. It was a moist mix of savory and sweet. It was both a fantastic entree accompaniment and desert at the same time. read more