We had dinner there recently, two couples, and were pretty happy with the food. Three of the hamburgers were quite good, but the fourth, The Russell Burger, was rather sloppy and hard to eat. This was no doubt due to the blue cheese "sauce". Regular blue cheese would have made for a better burger. The other disappointment was the ridiculous wait staff strategy, with no one waiter assigned to a table, but rather all the wait staff milling around and trying to attend to every table. As a result, we were asked about appetizers, and whether we were ready to order at least three times each, and there was a long delay in getting a second drink. This was probably due to the disconnect between the server who ordered the drink and whoever finally realized it needed to be delivered. A terrible way to run a restaurant. read more

My brother convinced me to eat downtown instead of going out for Indian. Since I love burgers, he suggested that we go to Farren's. I have heard a number of good things about Farren's so I agreed. I was so surprised when we walked up to the building. I like holes in the wall, but boy is this one. There was a short line when we came in. There was no host in sight, but one came after a few minutes and we were seated quickly after that. My brother ordered The Russell with toppings for The Fire Burger (jalapenos, red peppers, onions). I ordered The Spicoli without mushrooms and added the blue cheese topping. My brother mentioned that he heard that the chips with truffle sea salt were pretty good. We asked our waitress if we could get the truffle salt on the fries, as well, and she said yes. So that is what I ordered. The burger was very good, but needed more bacon. The truffle salt definitely made the fries better than the regular- I tasted my brother's regular fries. They were a tad bit overcooked. I do find the place to be a bit dirty. The floor just felt oily underneath my feet. The bathroom was ick. And worn. Advice: Eat quickly and get out. read more

Farren's - Tacos Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

Holy Burgers Batman!!!!!! I'm American, I love a good cheese burger.... but Farren's has taken this to the next level. You might lie to yourself and say you will only eat half. haha. Good luck with that. This is probably the best burger I have even had. And I don't say that lightly. You find yourself walking down a small driveway towards a little green building, inside is a narrow stairwell that you walk down. Now suddenly you are unsure you have found the right place, but as you round the corner there it is, packed full of people all waiting politely for even on a plate. The servers are running around and helping everyone at once. When you get a seat they bring you giant glasses of water and offer a bear menu along with your normal menu. Out server was super nice and very stylish to boot. I had a Motherload. And oh it was. I hit the jackpot. a juicy beef patty on a golden bun smothered in blue-cheese sauce, melted provolone and saluted mushrooms. One bit in and I think I blacked out because I don't remember the rest, just that I ate it all and unashamedly licked my fingers after. Do yourself a favor and plan to not eat dinner and eat lunch here. read more

Farren's - Uh... Yes - Tacos Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

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Delicious burgers! Glad I finally got to try this place. The burger didn't disappoint. The only con may have been the waitress...she wasn't as fast in taking our orders and our checks, but it was also a busy day. Got the spicoli. Bacon, mushrooms, onions and cheese. Need I say more? It was so flavorful! The burger was perfectly cooked too (generous amount...). I was so full. Got the fries (you pay extra for these). Oh and a little suggestion--it was a bit misleading but we were told that you can order a half salad instead of the chips (so bizarre to me that they offer chips with burgers). However, note that you pay for the half salad so it's not a true substitution. This was not very clearly stated by waitress and a few people were disappointed to have to pay $4 or so extra for the side salad. The fries were good too. Aside from those issues, the burgers are tasty and I'd come back again! read more

It's a neighborhood pub, and they definitely embrace that title when it comes to the menu. Burgers, fries, more fried things; all the usual suspects are available with your drink here. Not that that makes them plain, by any stretch. But just understand, that's their focus and what they do best. It was good, too, to see that they mix things up with specials. Although I didn't have it, I did see a Cuban sandwich arrive at our table, and that's not something that's seen too often around town. Thumbs up to them for trying new things. Snappy service late one Friday night. Plenty of drinks, and my soft drink got refilled post haste. It's not all ooey gooey warm, but I got about zero attitude, and food came out pretty quick. It's not much for ambiance, except it nails the neighborhood pub ambiance. The bar. The one, simple dining room. You get in, you get a drink, you get a burger, you catch up with your friends, and you've had the Farren's experience. read more

Farren's has been around Champaign for years with an excellent reputation. They recently moved into a new location which we loved. Great food. Good service. Nice bar area. Loved it! read more

Farren's - Beer menu - Tacos Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

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Always a town classic favorite! They also have amazing salads that I recommend! The one I always get is strawberry almond something? But so good ! read more

Update! I've since not had a problem with the tea tasting old, and have had a couple of salads that were much better. Best burgers in town, in my opinion. They're always cooked to perfection, with an appropriately proportionate bun and delicious, thick, crunchy pickles. And, if you're pretty starved, I suggest getting fries on the side. They're toasty brown and delicious, especially when doused with malt vinegar. They also have a full bar and great apps, specials, and desserts. I sometimes just get the hummus plate app for dinner. And the fish n chips special is pretty darn good for being land locked. As for desserts, if they happen to have the chocolate chile cheesecake, DO IT. The environment is very laid back and the restaurant is fairly dim. There are a couple of TVs, but if you don't like to be distracted, you can sit away from them. Beware days of Illini games; they are packed to the gills at dinner time. read more

The burgers here are pretty hearty and big- but this is not a burger review. I ordered the grilled steak salad and have also had the grilled chicken salad. Both were big portions and filling, but mediocre quality meat and produce. This type of joint is not meant for the salads though, so I feel like I can't give a fair review. Go for what they're known for- one of their burgers and some good ole fries and call it a day. No fru fru at this place. read more

Farren's - Grilled steak salad no cheese - Tacos Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

Before heading to Champaign for work this time I did my Yelp homework and wrote down Farren's. When I asked co-workers if they'd been there, a couple said "yes, great burgers'. So seven of us gave it a try for lunch today. We split some apps - the housemade potato chips with truffled salt (if you know me, you know I have a not so secret love for all things truffled), the deep fried cauliflour and wings. The chips were hot and the salt was flavorful (I asked for extra salt, and there were little black specks in there so I was pretty excited). Cauliflour was a bit underfried. Wings were OK. I had the Motherlode burger - a huge, juicy patty topped with swiss, mushrooms and a blue cheese sauce. Very nice. Thick burger, but not a bit dry. Soft bun. We all commented on the burgers (co-workers got the green chili, a bacon cheeseburger, and another one that slips my mind but smelled amazing with a pile of cooked onions on top). Others got the seafood etouffee (meh) and a chicken sandwich with pesto sauce. Obviously come here for the burger!! My burger came with a side of tortilla chips for around $8. Upcharge to get fries or up-upcharge for sweet potato fries or the potato chips. Our waiter was friendly, knowledgeable and decisive (he told me to get the Motherlode over the green chili burger when I waffled). Basement feel, schmasement feel...it is a bar. Cool how the bathrooms connect you to nearby thai and sushi restaurants. And the new parking structure right next door made parking a breeze - $0.75 for the hour and free on weekends. read more

Called ahead because I had never been to this great local spot before. The host Tara was very kind and answered all my questions. I ended up ordering online and got the food to go. They have a great pickup procedure even on a busy Saturday afternoon. The waitress very kindly came to my car, got my name, & promptly brought out the food at the exact time the email told me it would be ready. The fire burger was delicious & my wife had the bacon cheeseburger with pepper jack cheese. We both had fries and they were great as well! The burgers were the perfect size, cooked exceptionally & stayed together w/ every bite. No idea how anyone could ever get a double! This place was recommended to me by my boss & we will for sure recommend this spot to others! read more

Had the fire burger medium rare at lunch today with fries. Off-the-charts! Not to spicy for me, and i could have doubled the peppers. I think I need to return and have the Russell. Before 11:45 this place had a line at the door to be seated. It is not a huge place, but we'll worth any wait. read more

We heard good things about Farren's and even a rumor that they have some of the best burgers in the CU area. Well, the rumor was certainly confirmed. The location is a little hidden, it's kind of in an alley and the restaurant is almost like a basement. It's nothing fancy and probably doesn't want to be. We didn't have to wait to due a couple tables being open, but shortly after we were seated and as we were leaving a ~20 minute line formed. Everyone ordered a burger and we got the homemade chips for an appetizer. These were good and a pretty large portion too. I got the Russell burger which came with bacon, mushrooms, and blue cheese. I opted for a side of fries which was an upcharge from the chips that normally come with it. The burger itself was large and very well put together. The toppings all complemented each other quite well, this was not your typical over-hyped pub burger. French fries were really tasty, too! My only minor qualm with the place is the service. We had ~3 different servers/people who took our order, checked on us, brought our food out, etc. My beer was nowhere to be found after ordering it nearly 10 minutes ago, so I had to flag down somebody and remind them. This other server (maybe a manager?) had to re-check my ID before bringing me the beer immediately and apologizing, not a big deal! In the end though it was a good experience, the burgers met or exceeded expectations. I also liked how the whole menu was really straightforward, not overdone with 1000's of random items slapped together like some bar menus can be. Strongly recommend, 4/5! read more

Farren's - Russell with fries - Tacos Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

Their black bean tacos are phenomenal. I am vegan and thought I needed avocado or guacamole to make them better, but they were awesome as is. read more

Farren's was very average. It was a place that I'd heard had great burgers... I do not agree. The menu was overpriced and not creative. I ordered the green chile burger. The hamburger was very disappointing, as it was cooked well done and the "green chile" looked and tasted like it was from I can. The burgers come with tortilla chips, and if you wanna to substitute for French fries, it's a $2 up charge. Who wants tortilla chips with a hamburger? I did order french fries and that was the only redeeming quality of my experience; they were good fries. I sat outside and white was a nice day it was extremely noisy with loud cars which canceled the sound and interrupted conversation multiple times. As we were eating a man approached asking for change and upon telling him the I didn't have any he called me an explicit name. I will not return to the restaurant. read more

The scallop salad is to die for. $14.95, loaded with grilled scallops, romaine, walnuts, grapes and a splendid dressing. The place was packed tonight, a Friday night, and we waited 15 minutes for a table to open up. Huge soft drink glasses are a trademark of Farren's and of course, excellent burgers. Onion rings, tri-colored chips, fries and great salads. The 600 space parking garage right next door has changed this from a dark hideaway to a prominent location with covered parking 20 feet from their door. The restrooms can be nasty and are shared with a couple of adjoining restaurants. read more

Food was excellent. Very dive-y place. I had just the bacon cheeseburger, it came perfectly cooked and the bacon on it was delicious. I opted for the fries vs the chips and they come in a huge amount,and were pretty good. Dipped them in ranch, it must be housemade, and again-was really good. Service was great, didnt have a long wait and all our meals came out fast. I only come to the area a few times a year and will def add it to my list of favorites read more

Hands down the best burger in CU. I also love the Vinaigrette on their house salad. Great service and great food

I do not know if our experience was due to the new location or what. Abysmal service- we would have easily had 4 more beers if the waitress had bothered coming back to our table. Dishes were cold. No condiments brought to table- took 20 min to find someone to bring them. Was brought bill well before we were finished eating and as I said, nobody even attempted to ask about our food, if we wanted more, dessert, etc. this place needs organization. What I witnessed to night was a steaming hot turd for service not up to par for Farrens. Get a manager and POS system and teach your servers. Pathetic. read more

Horrible experience for celebrating an event. We called ahead of time and were told they could easily accommodate a party of 10 and we could bring our own birthday cake. Once we arrived we were seated directly across from the front door and with every customer entering or leaving the cold winter air made us shiver. We asked if we could be relocated and were told the tables couldn't be moved because the table tops could become unlevel, as they are glued to their base. We had to eat with out coats on. We were then informed there would be a 2 dollar charge per person for eating the cake we brought. Our waiter was excellent and the food was great but the overall experience was extremely disappointing and unsatisfactory. After our orders were placed we were informed they were out of romaine lettuce and we had to reorder our salads based on what they had. I understand that items sell out but this just added to an overall bad experience. I would not recommend this establishment for a party larger than 4-6 people. The staff made no attempts to correct our situation as it was pretty obvious they couldn't do anything regarding our circumstances. read more

Farren's - Tacos Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

This place is ok. There's some solid items with fresh ingredients. It's known for its burgers and unfortunately I haven't had a good burger from this place in years, don't know how you mess that up. It's still a nice place with solid drinks and nice employees, but I can't help but feel this place isn't the same as it was at the old location. read more

Many will tell you this is the best burger in town. Im not sure if I would go that far (Black Dog and Crane Alley will give it a run for its money) but it definitely wont disappoint if you're looking for a BIG, tasty piece of beef between two buns. Location is a little out of the way as it is basically in a basement in downtown Champaign. You will miss it if you are not looking for it. Fries are very tasty. Service is good. Prices are a little steep for a burger. Solid place read more

If you're looking for a nifty burger place, this is the establishment you want to be at. Their Kobe burger is filled with fun flavor. The portabello mushroom dish is actually two large fried mushrooms. It can be a tad difficult to get the waiters' attention sometimes though. read more

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definitely a place for yummy burgers! don't need to get too complex or over think on the menu...order a burger. trust me. any burger....well maybe except veggie burger (that is not really a burger right?). the burgers are griddle cooked so they are juicy, but apparently, they don't bother varying the temperature when you order. so all burgers came out grey in the middle which is not the end of the world. its a yummy burger, good seasoning and massive (1/2lb patties "this is not a steak and shake thin patty"). the bun holds up really nicely to the size and greasy drip of fat....oh i want another one now man! had the spicy habenero/jalapeno cheeseburger and fries, (which i thought was the best option amongst the add on sides). portions are good enough to make sure you don't get hungry and have a little snack about 3hrs later when you start thinking about what to do for dinner. the house potato chips were great as well, just thick enough for some heartiness, but retains its crisp of a chip. I detected some truffle flavor which I turn a nose on. the standard side of tortilla chips was pretty decent as well. we had a larger party of 10, which they were able to arrange us nicely combining a few tables. it gets packed for lunch with a constant flow and queue but its well worth the wait. I counted only a couple servers but they were great and helpful. The server asked us how we would want to split the check up before we even ordered - smart man. I'd go back again, but only if I'm ready for downing another huge yummy burger with fries and washed down with a nice cold beer or a gigantic 32oz pepsi. read more

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Good food but fairly small selection. Our appetizer of corn bites came out cold - nothing like biting in and it still being frozen. They did take them back and reheat them but still disappointing. read more

This place is a hidden gem. Thanks to Yelp, I found it! Nice little bar type atmosphere with seating. Open kitchen, so you ca watch them cook your burger! I would definitely recommend the "special" burger of the day. Ours was Elk, and it was fantastic! Also, many great beers on tap. read more

Farren's - Tacos Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

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The burgers here are amazing! The size and amount of meat they give you is insane! Their fries are also in my top 3 favorites! If you ever see the MacDaddy burger on their menu, definitely give it a try! You won't regret it! read more

Farren's - Bring back the Mac Daddy Burger! Love this place! Fries are yum and burgers will definitely put you in a food coma! - Tacos Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

This is my first time experiencing Farren's! From what I have heard, the new location is a big upgrade! The space was nice and the food was great. I am giving it 3 stars for the experience I had with a hostess. I walked in not knowing if my party was already there so I was looking around. She rudely shared "well we don't seat people until everyone from the party is here anyways". So then I had her put our name in. I told her there may be 2 infants with. She then again rudely stated "well just so you know, we don't allow strollers". She never smiled once and just appeared miserable. I truly go to places based on my overall experience. You can get good food anywhere. People return for the service. This isn't the first review I have read about the hostess staff. Farren's management may want to take a closer look at who they are putting at the "face" of their restaurant. read more

Here's hoping my brother doesn't disown me for this review. He swears by this place. The entrance is through an alley. You could miss it if you're not paying attention. This would have stayed a "local gem" had it not been mentioned in a few articles touting its burgers. We usually order takeout. Lucky for us, this time around we beat the dinner rush, and were able to dine inside. Yes, the burgers are quite delectable. I do appreciate the fact that you are able to flag any of the servers to help you. Once the dinner rush hit, I must admit it was unsettling to have onlookers waiting to be seated gawk at those already seated, as if to visually urge them out the door. Personally, I'd stick to takeout, service can lag once the place is busy, and you don't have onlookers drooling over your food. read more

Farren's - The back alley - Tacos Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

Overrated burger restaurant. Went there over five times but horrible customer service every time I go there. House fried chips are too salty and no flavor at all. read more

I came here while visiting family a couple weeks ago after hearing the local hype that this place has the best burger around. AMBIANCE: Nothing fancy, just your average pub-type spot which is completely fine by me when I'm ready for a burger and fries. There are two TVs over the bar and they were happy to change the channel on one of them from the Cubs game to the Notre Dame-Michigan game which was much appreciated by my crowd FOOD: It really is a great burger! I got the green chile burger which was MASSIVE and had a great amount of spice and heat in the chile sauce. Everyone in my family also got various styles of burgers and everyone left full and happy (with most burgers unfinished - they really are that big!) Minus a star because I subbed in fries instead of the homemade chips for a slight upcharge and I really didn't like them or think they were worth it. Big portion, but they were lukewarm and I thought a lot of mine were soggy. Friendly service and good beer selection too (they have a hefeweizen on tap!) read more

The Russell was BIG, very tasty and worth coming back for. The bbq bacon chicken was flat amazing. It's chicken breast that is so juicy. I got a couple bites and wished I'd ordered that. It's very much a hole in the wall until you get inside. We got there early and there was only one other couple. Then at 4:30 the place started filling up. The service never slowed at all. Great little pub to enjoy good food with friends. We'll be back soon! read more

Best hamburgers in the area! Pretty good craft beer selection. Service is usually good.

Food: Amazing, as always. I got the Russell and the blue cheese sauce was delicious but on the saltier side. For people who do not like blue cheese it does not taste like blue cheese at all! Substituted the chips for fries and the $1.50 was worth it. Portion size was big. The Strawberry chicken salad was good too but did not have a lot of strawberries...hefty amount of chicken Service: Great! Always checked up on the table. Place: Small cozy pub read more

Farren's - Strawberry chicken salad - Tacos Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

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Absolutely great. The burger was excellent not a fan of the fries though. The server (Ian) and the cook were very friendly and excited for me to try the restaurants food. I'm from out of town and was glad to try the best burger in Champaign. read more

Farren's - Tacos Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

The burger here is fabulous! I got the spicoli burger with fries and it was a damn delicious burger. The consistency was excellent too for a 1/2 lb burger. Don't forget to ask for the Cajun Remoulade dip as it goes well with the burger as well as with the fries!! Definitely going back to the best burger place in CU! read more

Farren's - Spicoli burger with fries and pickle on the side - Tacos Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

I was disappointed with my first time at Farren's. My boyfriend was denied alcohol because he still had a vertical license even though he has been 21 for several months now. We've been to many bars and restaurants in Champaign and have never had that happen yet. Secondly, we did not understand the hype of the burgers.. I got the special, Mac Daddy burger, and it was bland. I had to add ketchup (to a burger that had mac n cheese and bacon) just to get it to have a taste. Fries seemed over-done. It took a long time to get our food too. I was really excited to try this place but we won't be going back. We should have left as soon as he was denied alcohol just because of a position of a license. read more

My partner and I have been enjoying Farren's for several years. Last night we tried their new location for the first time. Same great food with more staff and more attentive service!! We were seated immediately, our server Tara got our drinks in about 5 minutes and our dinner came about 20 minutes after she took our order. I ordered the Russel with extra blue cheese sauce and opted for the fries rather than the chips. The burger was as close to perfect as I've had in a long time and the fries were just right. My partner ordered Chicken tacos which were very flavorful and far more substantial than he had initially thought. They we're complete with just a little spice to remind you they weren't your run of the mill tacos. I've never been disappointed by Farren's EXCEPT with the limited and somewhat slower service because of their limited space of their old location. That problem no longer exists which meant for a perfect dinner! read more

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

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Disappointed with my recent visit. They don't have the fresh cut fries for now so it's nothing great. The burger was mediocre. Meatheads is better and less expensive. read more

What a hidden gem!!!! We had a little bit of a wait but it was worth it.... quite honestly might be the best burger I've ever had....it was busy and the staff was hustling! We also had hummus which was delicious... I opted for onion rings with my burger, they were my least favorite thing but they weren't bad....the other stuff was just excellent! read more