A very fantastic evening at Punch. Love their cocktails. Every option that I tried was legend. Their recommendations really hit. Nice service. Good vibe. I love this cocktail bar! Might be the one and the only one in town for good drinks. read more

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Googled "bars with a good vibe" when we were in the Champaign area and found this little gem!! Such a cute street with a number of options for food & drink, but Punch was perfect for a cocktail and something light to eat at the end of a full day. We ordered the "salad and skewers" and tried 3 different kinds of meat! So yummy. It was a quiet night for the place when we visited so we had over the top service and attention. read more

Punch! - Great seating options with cute little lamps on each table! - Bars Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

Punch might be the best bar in all of Champaign. Im a little surprised that this is the first time I'm reviewing it as it's a "go to" for every visit. To describe the drinks would be impossible, but they constantly rotate craft cocktails that are still hand mixed and bartender inspired. The joy of this place are the bartenders which are outstanding. Some of the best in Champaign. They've recently expanded their snack menu and that makes it even better! They have a pretty extensive beer and wine menu, but cocktails are where they're at. Stop on by! read more

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My children attend U of I. This place is attached to the hotel we always stay at. 100% not a college combat. The mixologists here are on par with Chicago or NYC. Very knowledgeable about their specialty drinks. Food is good and the vibe is classy. Highly recommend for a nightcap or quaint get together. You will be surprised. read more

What a gem! My sister and I were staying next door at the Hyatt and had time to kill on our last night in town. We had been wanting a good martini and my sister had the idea to come here with our books and relax and have a cocktail and read. The lounge was cozy and relaxing. The martinis were delicious and we ordered the popcorn that was recommended. The popcorn was addicting and we ate way more than I thought we would. We eventually got a bottle of red wine and had some of the skewers (chicken, shrimp and peppers stuffed with goat cheese). We liked the peppers with cheese one so much we ordered another one. The red wine was also tasty. The service here was above and beyond and made a great last night hang out. Also this place was a great place for the groom and groomsmen for my cousin's wedding just two days before. read more

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Was hoping for a lot more from this restaurant. Started off with a couple drinks and thought the server had heard me to put in the caprese app, well she didn't. Finally got the app and it was not special. Cherry or grape tomatoes cut in half and could tell they had just came out of the refrigerator tells me that the chef doesn't know you don't refrigerate tomatoes or they batch make this and leave it in the cooler. Still wasn't special regardless what the status of the tomatoes were. Was served with like 8 pieces of small pita bread, bad choice for the vehicle to drive this poorly executed app, which wasn't enough for the amount of tomato "dip" they gave you. Next had a salad that you could literally wring out the dressing of like a soaked cloth towel from over dressed greens with no flavor. The shrimp and jerk chicken skewers were the only redeeming quality of this entire restaurant. When the chef/owner goes under from their poor quality of food, he should open a food truck called Skewers and sell those. Just saying. Won't be returning.... read more

Punch! - Caprese - Bars Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

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Only stopped in for a glass of wine as I was staying in the attached hotel. Looked sort of clubby for me but the service was great - quick and friendly and prices were high but not obnoxiously so. Dark and I imagine menus would be hard to see - but that lends to the clubby vibe. I've heard good is tasty, though I didn't try it. I'd return for drinks. read more

We LOVE Punch! The atmosphere, the creative drinks, the snacks, the staff = all amazing! Our first choice for cocktails every time! read more

Great spot for tapas style dishes, great selection of cocktails and bourbon. This is my go to spot whenever staying in champagne. Their happy hour is great although it got modified recently and the happy hour menu has shrunk a bit. Camarones Cubanos and baked Brie board are a must try. They also make a mean old fashioned and some seasonal drinks. Staff is very friendly and attentive. Plenty of sitting inside and great outdoor sitting is also available. read more

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Came back to town over the holiday break and this is hands down the best cocktail bar in town! Such cute ambiance, and a very extensive drink menu. Pictured below - the pisco sour read more

Punch! - Pisco sour - Bars Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

Looking through reviews for a cocktail lounge in Champaign-Urbana was frustrating. College towns will have a ton of pubs and taverns, but finding an urbane lounge can be the proverbial "needle in a cornfield" in central Illinois. Some think this is the Illinoise part of Illinois. That Punch was located in a Hyatt Place hotel lowered my expectations and raised my eyebrows. The opposite occurred when I stepped off the street into the sophisticated space. Punch was metropolitan with big city suave. Jonathan, our bartender and guide, navigated me through the incredible Mezcal list. Huh, what, a Champaign, Illinois bar has one of the best liquor selections in the Midwest? That's the truth, and it's in a Hyatt Place hotel. We chose a glass of white Rioja and a Bozal Old Fashioned. Both were wonderful. Jonathan was utterly charming and engaging in an old school bartending manner, rather fitting in the classy interior. Able to engage, while still taking care of all his customers, Jonathan learned something many mixologists don't practice. There are two arts involved in being a great bartender; mix a killer cocktail and make your clientele welcome. He did both. We had a great experience at Punch! read more

Pleasantly surprised. We went here for happy hour had a drink and a shrimp flat bread. I would highly recommend. Staff was knowledgeable of the drink menu. read more

I love this bar. The ambience is perfect, the decor is fantastic, and I loved their craft cocktails - - but I was further was shocked when I asked for a few drinks that I was familiar with -- but not typical - and they made them perfectly without hesitation - just like a real bartender should. This is like having a NYC Manhattan classy type of place smack in Chamabana. read more

Outstanding wait staff. Very attentive. I love the decor. I would give this place 5 stars except they got rid of the Camarones Cubano and baked brie appetizers. They gave me some excuse about rice dishes were no longer acceptable under health codes? We tried the bbq flatbread appetizer. It was good except the bbq sauce tasted like Sweet Baby Ray's. Straight out of the bottle. read more

This is a great place to split appetizers and catch up with friends. Every appetizer we tried was delicious and I would definitely reorder. It's in down town, more of a classy vibe. Their cocktail drinks are not too shabby with some unique and fun exotic flavors. It's more on the expensive side but definitely worth a visit if you're looking for classy hangout vibes with some friends. read more

Great ambiance and different areas to sit comfortably. Service was very good and selection of drinks was also good. Nice place to unwind with a drink. read more

We really enjoy the season drink menu. Much does a great job curating the selections. The staff is super friendly and very knowledgeable. A great place to have a drink! read more

Best drinks hands down! The drinks are upscale, they have a seasonal menu and they put a lot of thought and effort into the ingredients. Very creative. I had a drink with flavored ice, so it didn't water down my drink and instead added another layer of flavor. They have a regular menu, a seasonal menu and a very large selection of hard liquor for the connoisseurs. The workers are knowledgeable about the drinks and the place has a great ambiance. read more

Punch! - Bars Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

This place is insane. The drinks are top notch and the small plates are stellar. Not to mention the customer service and atmosphere is exactly what you want in a speak easy style spot. I try and stop by here as much as possible. read more

Excellent cocktails & great apps! Highly recommend coming for happy hour (1/2 priced apps). One of the best hummus' I've had - has a pesto on top for a kick. Also featured is a rotating seasonal popcorn. read more

Not sure why I haven't reviewed Punch yet but this is THE cocktail bar to go to in Champaign-Urbana. I'm originally from Chicago so when I visit home I usually find the places I want to frequent on a night out but I finally have a place to frequent in Champaign! First off, the service is always great! Everyone here is friendly and informative about the cocktails. Everyone always greets you with a smile and treats you like a friend. Love the staff! Second, the bites to eat, although I haven't tried much because I usually come here after dinner, are amazing! I love the baked brie and my friend likes the camarones cubanos! Their fries are also very good. Definitely a treat when you're having happy hour or coming in for a dinner date with a friend! Third, the cocktails are so amazing! I really, really appreciate good drinks. I love trying the different cocktails every season and I enjoy their genius creations. Right now, my favorite is the Biscuits cocktail because it has honeydew milk tea (which is my favorite milk tea back when I was a teenager btw so memories) Definitely check out Punch if you want to have a great weekend or weekday treat! read more

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Definitely worth the stop! Tasty cocktails and good snacks well. Service was probably the best I have had in champagne/ Urbana

This place is so fun! Stopped by for before dinner cocktails. Absolutely loved the sophisticated vibe inside. Our server was fantastic and recommended two drinks that we loved--plus gave us complimentary shots. Very unique! And a great place if you love trying unique flavor combinations. read more

Punch! - Bramblin' Man and You Can Go Your Own Way (from the summer menu) - Bars Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

Great service and phenomenal craft cocktails. I really loved that there was low alcohol as well as alcohol free cocktails that didn't sacrifice flavor. I had two great cocktails but had to stop drinking because I had an early start the next day and I was happy to continue the conversation with friend that night while enjoying a low alcohol craft cocktail. read more

Punch was an amazing find. It's more sophisticated than a local bar but with a local bar feel. The staff is outstanding...#7 Dani G, Megan, and #39. They treated us like regulars from the first time we sat down. Highly recommend this place read more

First time visiting and really enjoyed the atmosphere!! So many choices for libations and shareables! Will definitely be back!!

Has to be one of my most favorite bars I've ever been to even though I love dive bars I drink beer and crown and Coke but still love to watch them make those specialty drinks. Good people and you will love it for sure. They don't have what you would call a food menu But an appetizer menu but that stuff is good Great job Punch cause I don't give out 5 stars read more

This is a great place. Retro vibe. Great drinks. Light food good for noshing. Attentive wait staff. Superior decor. I want the light fixtures!!! I'd like to pick it up and place it in my hometown (Charlotte, NC!!) The popcorn and fries were a hit with our teenage sons and I'm all for the charcuterie. I particularly love the non-alcoholic cocktails. read more

Love everything about this bar! The pride in the Owner/Manager's craft is apparent from the décor and ambiance, the stellar service, right down to the excellently hand crafted cocktails and food. Conveniently connected to the Hyatt hotel, this bar really knocks it out of the park, bringing a unique, upscale experience that you would expect from cities like Chicago to the heart of the city of Champaign. The "Super Great Mango Poblano Awesome High Five" has to be my favorite of my most recent visit. read more

We tried Punch! and were impressed with their selection of "shareables" aka appetizers. We had the camarones cubanos, the charcuterie board, the hummus, and the caprese, all of which were outstanding. Best of all, their shareables were 50% off between 4pm-6pm. All of the shareables were very tasty and worth eating. The wine selection was okay. I get depressed when I see the standard American red wine fare Seriously, they could just carry a Spanish red or even an Italian red by the glass and it would make them a go to place in town for us! The other of us had a low "abv" beverage - low alcohol drink and they thought it was excellent. There were many low ABV options. Moreover, there were many alcohol free drink options! This is a marvelous place for one abstaining from alcohol. Their cocktails were excellent! We were impressed overall. If they would just reach a little further on the wine by the glass, I would give five stars! read more

Loved this place! Great environment. The service was great. Very friendly staff. I only went for drinks but they we're delicious! Will be going again. read more

When Punch! opened, I was grumbling about a bar-only place. Buuuuut! This place is really a shining star. The food is fantastic--mostly quite healthy as well as delicious--and the Happy Hour (half off shareables until 6) is an amazing deal. And they have a fantastic drink menu that includes low and NO alcohol beverages. Have sober friends or folks who can't drink due to meds? This is the place. The service is wonderful and even the seating is amazingly comfortable. read more

This bar is a great addition to downtown Champaign. What really shines about this bar are the cocktails. Custom made and wonderfully named, Punch! offers a seasonally varied menu that features flavor profiles that are absolutely delicious. They also have extensive whiskey, wine, and beer offerings--truly making this bar a jack-of-all-trades location. read more

Punch! - A seasonal cocktail that changes flavor as you get closer to the bottom. - Bars Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

By far my favorite place in Champaign, Illinois. It is classy and very nice. They make amazing drinks and bar food. Not typical bar food, but very good. The owners are very nice as well as the entire staff. They always make you feel welcome. You definitely need to check this place out. read more

This is now one of my favorite places in Illinois, and I live in Chicago! It's classy but the price is so reasonable. Cocktail is just amazing! It's unique and so tasty. If you love taro, you gotta try their Purple People Eater. I had Camarones Cubanos, and it's the best shrimp dish I've ever had. I can't wait to visit Champaign to try more of their dishes! read more

Wedding shower 2.0 in Champaign last weekend at Punch! Bar & Lounge. I cannot believe how amazing this place is! Michael (Lovejoy) was friendly and SO accommodating from the minute I walked in to check it out a couple of months ago. We greeted 21 guests on Sunday (including the bride, of course) with a variety of her fav mimosas and the most amazing truffle popcorn. All were created by Michael and served by his incredibly capable and competent bartenders. They allowed us to bring in gobs of fresh flowers for each table, along with a slew of photos of the B&G and cherry blossom "trees" everywhere for our DC-loving bride. Can I mention that, when I arrived that morning to meet Michael and start setting up, he had "done a little research to find a CHERRY BLOSSOM SCREENSAVER" for the 2 large TV's over the bar (you can see it in the photo of our bride)!!? He had obviously listened to me over the two months of planning emails and went over and above to help make the party perfect. We had an amazing lunch catered and served by Michael's Catering in Champaign. Whitney truly outdid herself with the food AND the service. It was a magical party, and everything was perfect! read more

Punch! - Bars Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

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Literally the best cocktails and appetizers we've ever had. The ingredients were unique and high quality, the presentation was beautiful, and the overall ambiance was very fancy, so I was expecting a huge bill after enjoying myself so much. Turns out everything was surprisingly affordable. The servers were very nice and knowledgeable about the menu (though they did keep pushing us to order more drinks when one was more than strong enough for the night!). Definitely coming back for more soon. read more

Loved everything about Punch! Love cocktail bars have been to many (all over) and this one is way at the top of the list. The drinks were top notch, delicious and unique. Had the Baby were Born to Rum, the Vieux Carrie and the Paloma...all very different and all very good. The warm Brie and homemade bread yummy, the staff were also the best ...knowledgeable and friendly. I think what really finished it for us was the atmosphere ...very 1920's retro in a very modern building ...beautifully done! Should have gone here sooner! Will be back...you should too! PS. Pricing compared to Chicago cocktail bars ...also good! read more

If you're looking for world class cocktails and solid service then this is your place. High class atmosphere yet casual dress. The menu looked intriguing however I was there too late to enjoy. If your staying at the Hyatt skip the hotel bar and go here! read more

Our recent visit to Punch! was awesome. We were greeted by a server at the door who guided us inside and gave us our seating options. We chose the bar and loved the environment. We were distanced from others without it feeling overly social distancey. The menu is electronic -- on a tablet which was great to be able to see details and photos of all the drinks and food! The bartenders were friendly but not intrusive, made great suggestions and delivered delicious drinks (and food-- shout out to the kitchen staff). They are incredibly talented. They have a seasonal cocktail menu (and a classics menu) and literally everything we tried was delicious so you can't go wrong. The desserts looked great but didn't get a chance to try them this time--we filled up on apps and cocktails. We loved our experience and plan to make this a regular spot. Can't wait to try the happy hour! It's nice to go somewhere in Champaign that feels like another place-- in a good way. read more

Punch! - Spring Sangria, interactive menu & Negroni - Bars Near Me - Champaign, Illinois