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    Boondocks Grill & Bait

    4.8 (16 reviews)
    InexpensiveAmerican

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    Mac & cheese bites - ooey gooey crispy yum
    Ruchi S.

    My husband and I went to Clinton lake yesterday and after 2 hours of swimming (he was swimming, I was standing in water but still it was tiring :)) felt extremely hungry. Immediately I searched on Yelp for nearby restaurants and found this to be the closest one. It's near to the beach. It's a small restaurant serving pub food. We ordered mac & cheese bites, catfish sandwich and sweet potato fries. Just wished the lady who was behind the counter taking orders, to be little courteous. She was little rude. Anyways, our order came in 10 minutes. They have a nice refrigerated counter filled with add ons for sandwiches. It was filled with tomato, onions, lettuce, relish, jalapeño, pickles and dressings. I liked the idea as I could prepare my sandwich to my own liking. Mac & cheese bites tasted yum and so did the sandwich. Fish was crispy and not at all oily. I did not like the sweet potato fries. They did not taste fresh but tasted like frozen ones. It was a good experience and its nice for a quick bite after spending nice time at beach.

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    1 year ago

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    5 years ago

    Excellent food and wonderful service. The staff is always the friendliest around. Great views and walking distance from Clinton beach!

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    10 years ago

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    10 years ago

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    10 years ago

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    13 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    9 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    14 years ago

    Today I had the ribeye steak sandwich. It was great. They have goldfinch feeders hanging outside and you can see them from inches away.

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    11 years ago

    If haven't been here to eat yet.... You are missing out!!! Great staff and even better food. Simple pub style with a great location!!

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    11 years ago

    Love to go to Boondocks! Good food & friendly service. Don't forget to have a brownie with ice cream! Great view and a great place to eat!

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    10 years ago

    Great food and atmosphere, visit twice a year. Reasonable priced ans have great ice cream.

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    Black Dog Smoke & Ale House - Whole Smoked Chicken ($21.95)

    Black Dog Smoke & Ale House

    4.1(637 reviews)
    29.1 mi
    $$

    Holy smokes! Smoked meat that is. We were so thrilled to find this gem of a place…read more We actually headed here because folks told us it was Celiac friendly, but you won't notice the difference whether you're eating gluten free or not. The ribs were *beyond amazing*. No joke. I know they serve other things, but do NOT miss the ribs. All of their sauces are GF so you don't have to worry about what you're eating. And for those of you craving carbs that aren't diet-restricted, the Cheddar Jalapeño Corn Bread was delish. Located in an old train station, it has a HUGE gorgeous bar that is the statement piece within the restaurant. But feel free to sit outside when the weather is good.

    I found Black Dog to be really good barbecue. The brisket was perfect. I like the sauce choices…read moretoo. I had the Chicago Hot and a monthly special called Kansas City Firecracker. Both were hot and sweet, my favorite type of sauce. The red cabbage coleslaw was delicious and plentiful. The green beans and tomatoes were awesome. I wish they had greens too , but no. I also tried the polish sausage because somebody on Yelp said it was secretly the best thing on the menu. It was very good, but I'd say the brisket was better. Lots of nice craft beers available - some local. The service was nice and friendly. Nicole was my bartender/server. I enjoyed hearing about her favorite menu items. As you'll see from my receipt, everything has an itemized cost, so the place is a little pricey. But still worth it to me.

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    Black Dog Smoke & Ale House
    Black Dog Smoke & Ale House - Ribs

    Ribs

    Black Dog Smoke & Ale House - Entry

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    Entry

    Watson's Shack & Rail - Chicken Club with side of fries

    Watson's Shack & Rail

    4.1(306 reviews)
    29.0 mi
    $$

    Had great stuff at this Southern themed restaurant in Champaign. It has a lot of chicken but also…read moreplenty of vegetarian choices if avoiding meats. Watson's is one of the cleaner and shinier hangouts but it still has some campus vibes. A lot to choose from. The prices aren't bad for portion and quality. Coming in the first time it wasn't that busy. It's a lot crazier when school is in session. This has been around for a while now but it's still a pretty cleaner looking kind of place okay to bring families of students or whatever. A lot on the menu. There's shit tons of drinks and we got a few of these. It's about $5 to get a slushie which hit the spot because outside it was hot. There's a few flavors to choose from which rotate. Among the cocktails are a few that are cool looking. I got one of the seasonal specials, the Campfire Mule. This was made with ginger beer, lime, and whiskey. It's about $12 for the cheapest entrees. She got the Tofu Basket, which was big enough for a meal. This was panko breaded tofu triangles and waffle fries, with a choice of a sauce. I got the Watson's Po Boy. This comes with a choice of protein and I got tofu. Comes topped with lettuce, onions, and a choice of sauce and got it with the vegan remoulade. Great stuff. Also has plenty of choices for chicken. They got the hot style. Got to say it has lots to choose from. It's closed Mondays and Tuesdays. There's chicken of course but also plenty of things for vegans and vegetarians.

    i am not sure what happened to this place, but ever since they expanded to more locations, this one…read morehas suffered immensely. I am here for Ebertfest and it has now taken over an hour to get drinks, food, and dessert. I am trying to flag down my server because I was worried about the amount of time it was taking. She apologized and took off the dessert, but she seemed to be the only one working. I was near the back so I got to see all the other servers "yucking" it up and just standing around while this poor lady was doing laps. I am from the service industry and only 40 so I'm not being a Karen. This server deserves a huge raise and probably a better job. Pair that with them cutting down the menu, this place went to a "must see" in Champaign to a maybe. What I ate was tasty, but the rest of Champaign has caught up and starting to leave them behind.

    Photos
    Watson's Shack & Rail - Bar & Bourbon Selection

    Bar & Bourbon Selection

    Watson's Shack & Rail - Avocado toast brunch. They use the 7grain from Illinois Central Bakehouse

    Avocado toast brunch. They use the 7grain from Illinois Central Bakehouse

    Watson's Shack & Rail - Montucky Cold Snacks in a can. Ummmm... yes please!!

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    Montucky Cold Snacks in a can. Ummmm... yes please!!

    Big Grove Tavern - Fried Brussels Sprouts ($12) - served with lemon truffle aioli

    Big Grove Tavern

    3.4(539 reviews)
    29.0 mi
    $$

    Impromptu lunch date here today. We saw the shaded patio and thought let's give it a try. The…read morehostess quickly seated us outside upon request. Our server was friendly and our food was out shortly after we placed our orders. Everything tasted delicious!!! Well seasoned, meat tender and cooked to perfection!

    Very spacious typical American tavern!…read more 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

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    Big Grove Tavern - Very cool!

    Very cool!

    Big Grove Tavern - Veal Parmesan ($37) - breaded veal with mozzarella and tomato sauce, served w/ gnocchi, spinach pesto sauce, sauteed spinach, peas

    Veal Parmesan ($37) - breaded veal with mozzarella and tomato sauce, served w/ gnocchi, spinach pesto sauce, sauteed spinach, peas

    Big Grove Tavern - Korean BBQ Salmon ($33) - pan seared salmon filet with asparagus, cherry tomatoes, kale and gnocchi. Requested without sauce.

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    Korean BBQ Salmon ($33) - pan seared salmon filet with asparagus, cherry tomatoes, kale and gnocchi. Requested without sauce.

    Boondocks Grill & Bait - tradamerican - Updated August 2026

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