Excellent burgers unique character with an friendly atmosphere! If you haven't tried Farren's you are missing out on an experience you will not forget. read more

Farren's has been in the area for quite a few years. This was the first time I've been to the location in the old Radio Maria spot. I remembered it being ok, but people obsess about the burger. Unfortunately, I feel the place has gotten worse, especially the burger. My buddy and I came here early Friday night. We were excited to try the burgers as they have raves about. He also had a gift card from his AirBnB so double bonus! We started out with drinks that were fine, but the drinks menu was formatted really oddly. I know that sounds weird, but I was having a hard time understanding my options. We stared with cheese curds that actually were excellent and ended up being the highlight of the dinner. He went with a fish sandwich and I went with the pepper burger. The food came out a bit on the faster side, but my burger was barely warm. Since we had a movie to catch, I didn't belabor the point. Honestly, this wasn't a great burger even if it was warm. I'm not sure if I caught them on a bad night, but this is not even close to the best burger in the area. Newly opened Homegrown blows this one out of the water. My Buddy's fish sandwich was hot and he thought it was ok. With so many great options in downtown Champaign, Farren's should be much better. Instead, they have slipped down to probably the worst meal I had on the trip. We will be going elsewhere downtown. I'm glad we tried it one more time, but no more read more

Tucked away in an alley downtown Champaign, this was a great hole in the wall burger joint. You walked down a long ramp to the dining room and begin waiting for a table. There were plenty of tables open but the 2 servers were way too busy to even greet us or tell us where they'd like us to sit. After 10-15min, a server pointed to a table but never said anything to us. A different server stopped by and asked if we were ready to order. They definitely seem way under staffed with 2 cooks, 1 busser who also looks like a cook, and 2 servers. The phone was ringing the entire meal but I never saw anyone actually answer it. The burgers were great and the fries complimented them. It was cooked perfectly and tasted very fresh. I ordered the Russell and it was fantastic. I probably would have preferred a little less sauce or even had it on the side but I loved it. Overall, a great burger joint hidden off the main roads downtown. I'll definitely be back! read more

Farren's - The Russell - Tacos Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

Went here on a Tuesday eve around 6 pm. Our server was attentive at first and then disappeared when we were ready to order. I had to go inside and find him to place our order. I ordered another drink when I placed my dinner order and after 10 min had to ask another server to find my waiter because I never got the drink. It wasn't that busy so I don't understand why he kept disappearing. read more

TL/DR: Great food, friendly staff, caught some unwarranted shade from the hostess. Came in on graduation day. It's the first graduation here since Covid changed our lives, and I'd wager to say that the city is on edge. It's a crapshoot of everyone in town AND their families trying to do the same thing at the same time. We're trying to find some lunch after we take the 45 min to go the 0.5 miles to get away from the stadium. I don't know this town. Family chose the restaurant. Apparently, we have 2 outside tables being held for just a few minutes, and I get it.... We're hopping out of the car in the middle of the street, speed walking to get there, calling to make sure we got the right location. When we get there, 4 of us are seated at one table, and we hear the hostess is frustrated with us. Not knowing how to approach the situation, some of us stand by an open table while the grad's dad goes in to say we're here. 2 of us are standing there, and another 2 (aunt and grandpa) parking the car. As we are sitting down, the hostess explains that she thought we were all there (as if to express disdain). Wasn't too bad, but I guess we're not off to the best start. We apologize--even though I can see numerous empty tables inside AS WELL AS 2 tables ready for use outside. After a couple minutes, a great waiter comes out to help us. Super nice, helps us with recommendations. Matter of fact, everyone else that came to our table was really kind. Drinks came soon, food was prompt. Everything tasted great! At some point during the meal, the hostess came by and overheard some conversation about the day's events and trying to find a lunch spot. She assumed we were talking about her and said, "Please, go ahead and keep talking about me! It's fine!" I tried to explain that this was really not what was happening. Bottom line, I hope that our food was not contaminated when it came to the table. For the most part, this was a great experience. At the same time, I think any professional should work to make their client base feel comfortable. I'm just trying to have a meal with my family. That's it. Please don't make aggressive comments to my family while we're just trying to enjoy a meal at your business. We're all humans, and we have bad days. I'm not perfect. But if you're working in a college town on graduation day, try to keep it nice. We're all having a little bit of a crazy day. read more

Fluxuates from the best food available downtown to passable. No business and super busy days I've received typical restaraunt quality cooked food and meh it's service done right. Mildy- to very busy days I've had incredible meals. Always professional, possibly too much for my liking, but it should be the norm. read more

Would definitely recommend if you're looking for a solid burger! There sometimes can be a bit of a wait but like most people I assume they're understaffed, the wait staff was super friendly and helpful! I would definitely visit again and would tell people visiting this is a must hit! read more

Was in town for a meeting and stopped by here off a recommendation from a customer. Hands down, burgers were so good! The fries weren't really anything to write home about, but that's okay. One thing that's unfortunate is that we stopped in on a Tuesday night and the service was soooo slow and not that great. Fortunately, we had just gotten in town and we're starving (after flying in from Chicago). Parking is tricky if you're an out of towner like us. Be sure to download their town's parking app. read more

The cheese curds were very average not bad but definitely like they came out of a frozen bag not great. Ambiance was ok also kinda small. Burger and fries were great also blue cheese sauce was awesome. Service was good nothing special but solid. If cheese curds were better would've been a 5. read more

Farren's - Bacon cheese burger with blue cheese sauce and sweet potato fries - Tacos Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

Burgers galore! This place is the place to go for burgers. I had heard only good things about Farren's burgers and had high expectations. Those expectations were definitely met. I was with a group of six people and we expected a long wait, but we got lucky and were seated right away. Nice! They have a section for all sorts of burgers and they all sound really interesting. You can customize your cheese, toppings, sides, and extras. You really can order your burger the way you exactly want it. It was a busy evening and it took us a while to order, but after we ordered our food, the food came out pretty quickly. I really appreciated how all the food came out at the same time. It's always awkward when one person gets food earlier than some and their food gets cold from waiting. The burger was super juicy and the quality of meat was excellent. I substituted the chips for the fries (per a friend's recommendation) and thought the fries were mediocre. They were a bit soggy for my taste. Otherwise, everything was really good and the best part is that it's affordable! No need to dish out a lot of money for a good burger. read more

I love this restaurant! Diverse menu, friendly service, caring owner...all are exceptional!

Great local casual food spot. Just moved here and this hit the spot. Love the decor/vibe and food and service were amazing.

Undoubtedly the best burgers in champaign. Plenty of variations and they have a decent beer selection as well. The wings here are also great! read more

Best burgers in town - that hasn't changed since the move to the new location. But the vibe and service are just not the same. Sometimes bigger isn't better. read more

This was not the place we were headed but you know those scenes out of a cartoon where the characters smell something and the little thought bubble with food pops up above their head and their nose goes up in the air and they start smelling the food? We'll that's what happened. Best change of mind ever. The waitress was great and the food was amazing. read more

Farren's - Orange blossom cosmos and delicious spicy clucker sandwich. - Tacos Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

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Absolutely delicious burger. Having been here three times, I have yet to order one that I regret. Pubs are built on their atmosphere: Farren's has one full of bustle, energy and friendliness. Sometimes it'd be so busy that the waiter would take longer than usual, but for a place so small to be flooded with customers, it's par for the course. Definitely recommend getting the Russell if it's your first time here. The bleu cheese sauce makes that burger. They have in-house ranch that goes absolutely fantastic with fries if you're the type to do that (I certainly am). Would highly recommend you try out ghost pepper cheese if you like a spicy kick in your burger as well. It's quite literally the best cheese I've had in a burger, along with the best burger I've had in the area hands down. read more

Great service, and it was nice to sit outside on a patio during COVID. Had a cider on tap, which was actually quite good, and I'd consider going back just for that. The food, though, was a just ok. We had a pulled pork and a grilled chicken sandwich. Decent, but nothing to write home about. The chips, which were a substitute option, we really good, while the string cut fries were fine. We also had battered cheese sticks, but those felt like something you'd get in the frozen section at the grocery store. So, all told, we thought our meal was fine, but nothing to get excited about. read more

Ate at Farren's with a big group. Food was excellent and would strongly recommend the sweet potato fries.

Hostess was extremely rude. Would not seat us as we were missing 2 from our party of 10 (arrived 10 mins later). Tables empty throughout restaurant. Finally sit and it's a burger joint. Horrible read more

Definitely a hidden gem. It's right by the parking garage and you wouldn't notice it at all. I went on a Sunday night and even though the tables were full, the line went by pretty fast. I think the sloped ramp makes the line look longer than it really is, because people can't really bunch up together. Honestly not a fan of blue cheese, but it really does work with burgers!! I got the Russel Burger. Make sure to read the top of the menu bc it explains what is provided and what you need to ask for in your burger. I think lettuce and onions are provided, but you have to ask for tomato (don't quote me. I can't completely remember). I asked for grilled onions with my burger. Also comes with chips on the side. These tortilla chips are really good. I have no idea what kind of dust/seasoning on it but it's addicting. I pretty much inhaled my burger. Burgers are around $10 which I think is pretty reasonably priced considering the taste and how big it is! read more

Farren's - The Russell Burger - Tacos Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

I miss the old Farrens. It's not even close to the magic that once was. The food is overpriced and poor quality. The service was ok. Outside tables are nice. read more

My go to place whenever I stop in Champaign. Granted, it only has been 2 times in the last 6 years (for Badger away games) but both times I left impressed. We stopped in last weekend after the game and found people already waiting to get a table. Luckily, there were spots left at the bar to saddle up to. The tap list itself is rather small (perhaps 4-5 choices) but Farren's shines in their bottle and can selection. Foodwise, you can't go wrong with a burger. Fresh ground meat, a great bun and cooked to perfection. I opted for the Russell-mushrooms, bacon, pepperjack cheese and blue cheese sauce. I was skeptical with mixing the two cheeses but I soon turned into a believer upon my first bite. The burgers are huge and I couldn't imagine someone opting to add another patty to something this large (it is an option). Our bartender was great and quick to take our order and bring out food. No clue when I will be back to Champaign but when I do, I guarantee I will be back to Farren's read more

Farren's - Tacos Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

Farren's has always had great service and really delicious food. Tonight I had one of their vegetarian sandwiches and was pleasantly surprised and delighted that they had more than a black bean burgers variation on their menu. Regards to staff, they're too notch in my book as well. We had to do curbside pickup do to Covid-19, and the staff was out promptly to take care of us and there was very little wait. I even had a small issue without my order being incomplete and they were very kind and fixed the issue quickly and with grace. Thank you so much! read more

The food was horrid. The burger was bland and the Mac n cheese had absolutely no taste. If you want a burger go to McDonald's for whatever I care. The atmosphere was nice but food was bad. read more

"Best burgers in Champaign" might be true, but also "You will wait 30 minutes to get a glass of water." Came in on a Sunday and it was pretty busy, since there was a Garth Brooks concert going on and dinner rush. No biggie, I understand. My friend and I were seated almost immediately, right in front of the door to the kitchen. You'd think that would make the servers notice us, right? Wrong. Server #1 hands us the menu, and asks what we want to drink. "Water's fine." She goes off to serve over tables and we never received our waters. My friend had to flag down another server just to get water and put our orders in, or else we'd be sitting there all night. I don't get it, with 2 people sitting there in front of a busy entrance you'd think someone would at least ask us *something*. We got fried cauliflower as an appetizer. Meh overpriced for 5 actual florets. It took 45 minutes for our food to come out. Granted it was busy, but I noticed the strangest thing: people who came in after us had their orders, food, and paid before we even got our own food. It wasn't like they preordered it -- other customers were handed a menu and everything. At this point I was pretty hangry. Burger was alright. I got the mushroom cheeseburger. Don't forget to ask for lettuce, tomato and pickle -- you have to ask for it. Fries are extra. TLDR: food alright, service was crappy for no reason. read more

Farren's - Mushroom cheeseburger - Tacos Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

We ordered the Russel Burger, the chips were one of the bests I ever had! They were super crispy and tasty. The burger was good, the blue cheese sauce is really tasty but the meat was over cooked... The IPA Blind Pig beer was the perfect match. read more

Farren's - The Russell Burger - Tacos Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

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If you're looking for an excellent burger, this is the place to go. It's the closest thing I've had to a classic charcoal-grilled burger from a cookout, but these come with a wide array of interesting toppings. There are some salads available as well as a black bean burger that my vegetarian friend tells me is tasty. Really though, the beef burger is what they specialize in. Three things to keep in mind: First, the service is best described as "slow" and "arbitrary." You'll have to be patient. Plus, one of the servers is always in a bad mood. I've been going to Farren's for years. Busy nights, slow nights, it doesn't matter; always the same sour expression and lack of patience. Whatever. The quality of the food makes up for the iffy service. Second, order the fries. The burgers all come with chips, and they're kind of a joke. I'm not a big fan of establishments that offer "chips" as a default side and then up-charge you for actual sides. The fries are worth the up-charge. Third, they get really busy most evenings, especially on the weekend. You may be waiting a while, so don't plan on popping in and out quickly if it's a Friday or Saturday night. Actually, don't plan on making a quick meal at all. I've gone on a Tuesday night when the place was mostly empty and still waited 40 minutes for my food to arrive. It's just not a fast place. Ultimately, Farren's offers a great burger. Give yourself plenty of time, and you'll enjoy it. read more

Great hamburgers!! The meat was delicious and I could taste how natural they were. Also a big fan of the sautéed mushrooms and onions. Staff was really nice and friendly. The only thing we weren't a fan of were the fries. They lacked salt and crunchiness. read more

Farren's - Hamburger with added sautéed mushrooms - Tacos Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

I would take off another half a star.. because I realized after I left that they never asked me how I wanted my burger done. I came here a few years back, and I think they changed their menu a bit. My party went for their burgers, and it still tasted as good as before. The bun was warmed nicely, and the burger tasted pretty juicy. However, since they kept the veggies on the side (lettuce, tomato, pickles, onions) I would have expected larger pieces instead of shredded lettuce so it would stay in the burger easier. The green chili wasn't all too noticeable, but added a nice chill to it. Friend also mentioned the fire burger had a nice spice level to it. Chips were eh, for the relatively inexpensive price, they charged extra for fries. Fries were ok, but a bit too salty imo. Would come here again- definitely seems better suited for smaller parties. read more

Farren's - Green chile - Tacos Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

Honestly I'm kind of thrown off by that place. First, it's a place that specializes in BURGERS, but they don't carry the impossible or beyond burger. Sorry but I think that's a no-go. Secondly, me and my partner recently wanted to order dinner but they wouldn't serve us for outside dining because my partner carried a to-go coffee from another place with him. Sorry i think this is absurd and totally customer unfriendly, especially for a pandemic when everything is already uncomfortable as is. read more

My favorite place in town to grab a great burger. To be honest I loved the atmosphere of their old location however, the new location can serve more people. read more

Came here for a quick bite and ended up with the Italian beef sandwich with onion rings. It was really delicious and the onion ring was crispy. Located in a busy area full of bars and nightlife. read more

Farren's - Italian beef sandwich - Tacos Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

We had the fried chicken sandwiches and they were legit good... not fake good like the Popeye's chicken sando. Service was excellent and their desserts were bomb! Excellent cocktails and locally brewed beers! Enjoyed our date night! read more

Solid burgers and a solid vibe. The interior is nothing special and pretty standard but the food is good and it's definitely a place to try if you're in Champaign and have a craving for a good burger. I've been here a few times, and it can get busy on peak nights and have a ~20 minute wait. Must try: truffle potato chips - I have a heavy bias towards anything truffle blue cheese sauce - even if you're not a fan of blue cheese, just try it, it doesn't taste super strongly of blue cheese read more

So many yummy choices ... huge portion sizes ... excellent local beer choices and it has a hip bar service on the weekend - ask about seasonal specials - soup - appetizers - intimate environment to watch your favorite sporting evening too!!! read more

My favorite place for a tasty casual date night! The burgers are phenomenal.

Food is mediocre. Service is terrible. Burgers are overcooked. I wish I had something positive to say about this place but there is nothing good here. They won't seat parties of 2-3 because tables with 4 people "make more money". I've been here at least 6 times. Will not be back. read more

Love love love Farren's!! Burgers and black truffle sea salt potato chips are my go to!!

The new location is great and the food is still top notch! Amazing, beefy tavern burgers and a variety of other options like delicious salads. Try the fried cauliflower, it has cheese too! Crunchy and yummy. read more

So, it took 18 months but I finally gave Farren's another shot. As it turns out, they weren't as happy to see me as I was to see them. Or at least, their tall waitress with the red hair had a problem with me. We walked in and asked for a table for two. Only four tables were occupied, but she motioned for us to take a two top table right between the order workstation and a loud table of about eight. I smiled and shook my head "No" - mostly because I'd twisted an ankle and didn't want to walk across the restaurant (painful) only to ask her for another table. I also didn't want to be in what I perceived as the loudest place in the restaurant - shoved up against the wall by the grill area and wait station with the loud group on the other side. Refusing the table apparently ticked her off: she looked seriously irritated and she showed us another table closer to the door, slammed the menus down so loudly that I jumped and then stormed behind the bar whereupon she made a less than kind remark (loud enough for me to hear) about my request to another coworker. I was astounded at her attitude. She didn't bring us water or ask what we wanted to order so when she walked by again I stopped her and outright asked her if she had a problem waiting on us, I received no response - just a glower. Fortunately a pleasant young woman with long dark hair waited on us and our meal and drinks were fine, and I enjoyed them even though the tone of the evening was spoiled by the ugly behavior of big red, the waitress with the matching mood. I live in LA and don't get to Champaign as often as I'd like, but Farren's was always a favorite. Lately though, some of the employees have spoiled it as one of my favorite places. Frankly, I'll drive to Mahomet and JT's from now on - it isn't worth the negativity to go to Farren's. read more

Farren's - Tacos Near Me - Champaign, Illinois