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    First Wok

    4.1 (56 reviews)
    InexpensiveChinese
    Open 11:00 am - 9:30 pm

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    Beef with chinese veggies
    Will T.

    $7.50ish for lunch special. I had the beef with chinese vegetables and it was a lot of food in the rice box. However, I came here after going to the gym so I ate everything regardless so I can feed my muscles. Would definitely come back since it's right next to Planet Fitness.

    Char siu lao-mein.

    Nice taste and big size at a reasonable price. First Wok turned out to be a good choice for a quick and home sickness comforting diner. Will come back for more meals.

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    16 days ago

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    10 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    1 year ago

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    2 years ago

    The portions are smaller than they used to be and yet still very tasty. Fast service.

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    2 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Best Chinese in Champaign/Urbana....the prices are reasonable and the service is prompt. What more can you ask for?

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    7 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Tasty, fast, and inexpensive. A nice place to try. Ambiance could use improving, but otherwise good.

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    8 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    9 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    10 years ago

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    17 years ago

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    19 years ago

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    15 years ago

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    15 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    12 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    8 years ago

    I absolutely love this place. Anytime I'm in CU I have their chicken fried rice and egg rolls!

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    15 years ago

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    9 years ago

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    10 years ago

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    17 years ago

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    13 years ago

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    12 years ago

    Price is great, quick service, good food, good portions. In not so desirable neighborhood. Situational awareness!!!!!

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    17 years ago

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    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - First Wok

    Review Highlights - First Wok

    ! Cheap, quick, and delicious if you get the right thing!

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    Northern Cuisine

    Northern Cuisine

    4.4
    (25 reviews)
    2.4 mi

    This beautiful dining experience nestles into Campustown and delivers great food, excellent service…read moreand a gentle welcoming atmosphere that pulls it all together into a delightful time. The food is the finest Asian fare around and avoids the common error of over spicing the food. The Mapo Tofu is remarkable and each of the items we shared in our group excelled in its taste and presentation. The decor is simple and elegant amplifying the peaceful mood that surrounds the diners. Each server was polite, gracious and accommodating without hovering or intruding. Do yourself a favor and set aside a day to visit Northern Cuisine and you will not regret it.

    Like we stepping into a mini China, with top chart new c-pop playing and foods served beautifully…read more Flavors are all pretty good. The two dishes we ordered were a bit on the sweet side, which isn't atypical for the dishes themselves, so kind of an error on our part. They had celtuce so we had to order it, it was tender and light and flavorful. The dumplings is good but a bit meat heavy than I would've preferred. Skin is very thin, like wonton skin. The scallions pancakes are perfectly panfried. The Beijing yogurt is not at all correct, it's stickier than I'm used to and not as smooth and flavor is a bit flat than the actual ones. Coconut pudding was unremarkable, doesn't stand out. Overall, the foods were good. We probably could've ordered better.

    Photos
    Northern Cuisine
    A3. Cucumber & Bean Curd in Chili Vinaigrette 东北拌花菜 (part of $21.95 Lunch Special Combo 2) - spicier than expected. Has tofu skin and peanut
    A3. Cucumber & Bean Curd in Chili Vinaigrette 东北拌花菜 (part of $21.95 Lunch Special Combo 2) - spicier than expected. Has tofu skin and peanut
    B1 Crispy Pork In Sweet & Sour Glaze 锅包肉 ($19.95)

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    B1 Crispy Pork In Sweet & Sour Glaze 锅包肉 ($19.95)
    Mid-Summer Lounge

    Mid-Summer Lounge

    4.2
    (118 reviews)
    2.2 mi
    $$

    We ordered: 1. Pork & Egg w/ Bean Sauce Dry Noodle…read more2. Szechuan style Beef Noodle Soup Very pleased that UIUC now has meal access to a Chinese noodle specialty shop. Flavor of the fermented bean sauce was good and I liked the chewiness of the noodles. Friends liked the Szechuan beef broth flavor and the beef chunks were tender. This will be very nice in the cold winters. No issues with service and there's a good amount of seating for small to medium size groups.

    Great fast-casual noodles for lunch near campus…read more The food is simply prepared and delicious. I ordered the first item on the menu: Bok Choy in Chili Oil Noodle. The hearty noodles were chewy with a slight taste of rice -- neither too refined nor over cooked. The beef broth brought the dish's rich taste and gave it some depth, while the bok choy and green onions in the soup were fresh and crispy. Even though the chili oil was a treat, it overpowered the broth and veggies so that I'd consider omitting it from the order. The restaurant was crowded with lunch-goers when I stopped in, but the turnaround on my order was fast. If you need a bite and want something simple and well made, his could be your spot.

    Photos
    E4 Stewed Pork Belly in Toasted Bun 腊汁肉夹馍 ($7) - different pork belly filling from that of the 卤肉饭
    E4 Stewed Pork Belly in Toasted Bun 腊汁肉夹馍 ($7) - different pork belly filling from that of the 卤肉饭
    B4 Tomato & Scrambled Egg Dry Noodle 番茄炒蛋面 ($12) - tomato and egg are sweetened more than I prefer, but otherwise good
    B4 Tomato & Scrambled Egg Dry Noodle 番茄炒蛋面 ($12) - tomato and egg are sweetened more than I prefer, but otherwise good
    D1 Spicy Shredded Potato

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    D1 Spicy Shredded Potato
    Golden Wheat

    Golden Wheat

    4.5
    (15 reviews)
    2.2 mi

    I was really pumped to try Golden Wheat because my friends raved that this is the #1 noodle place…read morein Champaign. The restaurant is operated by super friendly and nice Chinese owners. It appeared that they do not speak the best English, but we didn't have any trouble ordering as there was an English/Chinese menu printed out, which we used to point to the item that we wanted to order. What we got: Beijing style JaJangmyeon: I had Korean-styled jjajangmyeon, so I didn't know what to expect at first. The portion size is beyond generous and the amount of topping on the noodles was more than enough. The noodles were soft and chewy. The dish tasted like peanut noodles which I am not the greatest fan of, but my friend loved it! Spicy fatty beef slices noodles: this was really good! I am a big meat lover and the amount of meat that came with this dish made me really happy! The dish was not too spicy and well-balanced. I wish there was a bit more soup because it was just a lot of noodles, but I think this is supposed to be more noodles than soup because it was one of their 'mixed noodles' dish. Overall, it was a very hearty meal. The owners were super kind enough to give us a free bok choy+fish cake side dish which we enjoyed as well. Despite the communication barrier, the service was great and the owners are super sweet people. I will definitely be coming back!

    Stopped by after a few friends recommended this place! The noodle soups are amazing. Here are a few…read moretips for non Chinese speaking customers like me. It took a little effort to order due to language BUT it was totally worth it! ORDERING The owner who was originally taking my order was so friendly but only spoke Chinese, so someone else had to step in and help me translate. I asked for the most popular noodle soups and he pointed to "dry beef noodle soup" and "pork shoulder noodle soup" so we ordered both. After you pick your dish he asks if you want spicy or non spicy. We got one of each. I personally liked the "spicy" version and thought it wasn't spicy at all! FOOD I ran into a friend there who knows the owner. He told me everything is made from scratch! Including the noodles. The broth was perfection. So fragrant, flavorful, well seasoned, and clean tasting. Meat was super tender (both beef and pork) and pretty much melted in our mouths. The "dry beef" in the name is totally misleading because there is nothing dry about the meat. ATMOSPHERE It seems like the restaurant kept most of the interior decor from PvP bakery so the aesthetic is pretty nice. Simple, clean, modern, minimal. It's sort of a self serve style in here so you have to get your own water. Just like most Asian restaurants. PACKAGING I ordered our meal to go but the restaurant IS also open for indoor seating. Our food was packed with care! The noodles and soup were packed in separate containers. I will add a note of caution while carrying the food. The hot soup warped the plastic container quite a bit so by the time I got home I noticed that the lid was just barely hanging on and on the brink of busting open. As long as it's held upright though it should not be an issue. Overall, if you're looking for a non frills place with good authentic Chinese food, this is the place to go! Price was pretty good too especially for how good the fooAbout $11 per noodle soup which is much cheaper than mid summer and golden harbor. We will definitely be back!

    Photos
    Chicken and mushrooms
    Chicken and mushrooms
    Beef noodle soup. Classic.
    Beef noodle soup. Classic.
    Sour spicy beef

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    Sour spicy beef

    First Wok - chinese - Updated June 2026

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