Shawarma Joint

On the hunt for my hot latte and Maple and Yolk was right across the road from our hotel. While the…read morebreakfasts looked delicious, I just needed a latte to go. I ordered and paid at the host stand and someone quickly came and made the latte. Staff was great. Latte was hot and tasty. Great stop.

I know this place is super popular in CU, but I was greatly impressed with my breakfast. This place…read moregets super popular on the weekends, but I liked that they allowed you to join the waiting list online. You pretty much have to come before 8:30 am if you don't have to wait very long. We started with a Bloody Mary which was the perfect amount of spice and not spicy! I went with the country fried steak. It was as big as my plate! My eggs and hash browns were on another plate. Big props for the great hot sauce as well! My dad got an omelette which was huge! He took home half. He really liked the hash browns. This is going to be my go to place for breakfast at U of I. The place was clean, the portions are huge, and the food is excellent. I know it's a little pricy, but for the amount of food you get, it's well worth it!

Part of the seating in waiting area

Eggs over easy with toast & coffee

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Mimosa flight

Aspen Tap House

A hidden gem in Champaign! Classic bar and grill type establishment with above average food. Was…read morevery happy with our visit. Nice and well maintained interior and our waitress was very attentive.

Beers are plentiful in this action packed bar and grill in Champaign. It also has pretty okay food…read morebut people really aren't coming here for it. Aspen Tap House is a great place for watching any games. Has tons of TVs around and there's a party atmosphere usually going on. The prices are okay for portions. A location away from the campus craziness but it still can get loud. It's close to a few hotels, so it's a great place for travelers. The menu has about what one should expect, with shit tons of beers and many of these are local as well. Got a few good ones. It's about $7 a pint. Best we had of these was the White Oak Brewery selection #CharmingAF. This was refreshing and smooth. It's about $12 for the cheapest burgers. We each got the Black Bean Burger, which comes with guacamole, pico de gallo, and sour cream but I left off the last one. Also gets a choice of a side, so okay value for it. I got it with a salad. A lot of other meaty options available. They have tacos and the Impossible meat is an option. For sure it pretty much seems like Applebee's or some generic polished sports bar and grill but it's okay to be honest. It's located on Neil Street to the south of the campus stuff. There's meaty things as well as options for vegans and vegetarians.

Bar

Fried pickles

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Main area

The Courier Cafe

3.8(495 reviews)

1.1 mi

It had a cozy old environment. Good service. There was a…read morenice lady who was kind and very helpful. It is not a crowded place. Food was good overall.

This was a top notch place back in the day! But past owner from the 1980's, Allen Strong, has…read moreretired and the new owners don't seem to add much. A glass display case sits empty at the hostess station displaying nothing but lots of smudgy fingerprints. A fitting analogy to the current Courier unfortunately. Patrons come in for lunch and wait several minutes for somebody to seat them. The service suffers from understaffing. I ordered a Veggie Dagwood sandwich. Remember Dagwood Bumstead and his multi layer skyscraper sandwiches?? Not here! This was more of a very dry bread sandwich. Where are the layers of veggies? The layers of cheese? The alfalfa sprouts? The sauce? My sandwich was served with a stale pickle. I asked if I could order a side like potato salad. They had coleslaw - $4 up charge. The place needs to be cleaned up! Put a little pride into the menu.

Charming interior stained glass windows

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Detail on tableside light

Signature Grill

4.2(66 reviews)

0.1 mi

The boneless chicken Biryani is extremely good. The staff there are really nice. I just wish that…read moreBiryani was served everyday and not only Thursday-Sunday

Food just ok. Service is average and ambience is not there. Generic seating . Food took a while to…read morebe ready. Place can be more organized.

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The Red Herring Vegetarian Restaurant

4.5(76 reviews)

0.3 mi

This isn't really a review because the cafe wasn't open, even though we went during the hours…read moreposted. Maybe because it is summer and it's located within a university affiliated building. It looked awesome, if you like homegrown authentic vegan vibes which we definitely do. So my review is: CALL AHEAD! Make sure they're open! The website listed with Yelp is DOA but here's a better one. https://www.channingmurray.org/the-red-herring

Went for the kale Caesar salad and it was actually better than I expected. The kale was massaged so…read moreit wasn't tough, and the dressing was garlicky with a nice kick. Croutons were house made and super crunchy. I added shrimp and they were cooked just right. It's a casual little place with friendly staff. Not much noise and easygoing atmosphere. I'd come back to try their other salads for sure.

Black Bean Burger

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Farmhouse Restaurant At Harvest Market

2.5(28 reviews)

1.7 mi

•$$$

The brunch buffet has savory sausage gravy with a touch of spice and biscuits. Gravy and biscuits…read moreare kept in separate containers so the biscuits stay firm and crispy. The cheesy hash browns are the perfect comfort food. The buffet even has a yogurt parfait bar with mounds of fresh cut fruit. Fun to see so much delicious food in one space! Almost feels like a family gathering. Also, the upstairs dining area is very spacious with cozy, clean couches. Appropriate for a large group of friends or family. I highly recommend this brunch venue!

Waited over 30 minutes for a single egg. The two cashiers were rude and unprofessional when they…read morerealized I was bothered by the long wait. Sausage gravy and biscuit were both very cold.

Veggie omelet, Hash brown with a side of biscuit and gravy.

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Sun Singer Wine and Spirits

4.1(226 reviews)

2.6 mi

Excellent food and service. Great atmosphere and dining…read moreexperience. I recommend for business lunch or a special date.

I can't believe it's taken this long for me to write a review about my fav restaurant in CU. I…read moreabsolutely love this place, I have never had something I didn't love here but one of my new favorites are the yellow fin nachos! Omg they were so amazing, fresh and flavorful! Also our waitress was seriously nice and attentive we never needed for anything! I seriously cannot recommend this place enough!

Chargrilled oysters

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White sangria!! Yummy!!

Shawarma Joint

5.0(1 review)

1.3 mi

I love shawarma joint, their food is so delicious. Everything is hot and fresh. I always get the…read moreshawarma plate and it's enough to feed me twice. All the employees are friendly and kind and welcome you when you open the door. Definitely check this place out.

Spicy Rice

Spicy Rice and Hummus

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Hummus

Black Dog Smoke & Ale House

4.4(931 reviews)

1.2 mi

Ambiance: Interior has a nice vibe to it. Pretty stereotypical for bbq restaurants when it comes to…read morethe theme and decorations. There is also an outdoor section. During the colder months the outdoor seating also has heaters. Service: The servers are respectful and quick. Food: The burnt ends is extremely juicy and would recommend getting over regular brisket. The rib tips are also great if you enjoy eating cartilage. The Mac n cheese is good but I'd say it's standard. The potato casserole however really stands out to me. It has a very rich flavor and is one of my favorite things there. Sometimes certain meats are unavailable during the end of the day so it's important to keep that in mind and maybe call ahead if there's something specific you're looking for.

Had a lunch meeting there. The food was excellent quality though the portions were slightly…read moresmaller than normal for this type place. The service was very good. The general atmosphere was friendly and customer oriented. The restaurant/bar was clean and well taken care of. Everything considered I would definitely go back again.

Beer sampler

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Gigantic piece of corn bread

Piato Catering

3.4(16 reviews)

1.6 mi

We found ourselves having to cancel our Easter plans with our children and grandchildren due to a…read morecase of Covid. I called Piato (after the deadline to order their Easter Dinner menu) and they were more than polite and accommodating enabling us to pick up a delicious fully cooked dinner for 2 making our quarantine just a bit more bearable. Exceptionally nice to deal with and healthy food offerings. Please give them your business!

We had a great experience ordering food for our graduation party from Piato Catering. The food was…read morea hit from the Party Potatoes to the Macaroni and Cheese. Everyone enjoyed it. The presentation and taste were both a 10! They are easy to work with and accommodated our every question with grace and patience. I highly recommend you use them for your next event!

Tuna sandwich on sourdough, sweet potato fries - $7.50

Piato & Piato Too Cafe-Urbana LS

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Piato Cafe & Catering

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Kelly C.

5 years ago

I want these guys to exist forever because their food is absolutely delicious and they give you so much of it! Seems they have a few hiccups to get over as far as customer service, but I trust they will smoothen it out over time. Go here! read more

Lauren B.

4 years ago

I'm so impressed with the portions, flavors and selections. Everything was delicious and so fresh. Give this place a try and you'll likely be glad you did. Let's make sure this place can make it in C-U read more

Jaelen L.

6 years ago

absolutely amazing. food is delicious and service is great. i'd recommend to anyone !!

Gabriel O.

2 years ago

The food is great and fills me up! The staff is friendly and the restaurant is clean.

Na Ya L.

4 years ago

the best people and food ever that i tested in USA

Gerry B.

4 years ago

The definition of "Quality and quantity"

Shawarma Joint - mediterranean - Updated October 2026

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Kyle's Corner

4.4

(21 reviews)

My partner and I stopped in to visit for the first time today. The place was bustling with a Sunday…read morecrowd, but the staff looked after us and got us seated in no time. My partner and I split a Mediterranean dip, and we each got a Pita Gyro. The food was excellent; definitely my favorite gyro in town! Really liked my Nitro Cold Brew coffee as well. Atmosphere was nice; the place had a great vibe. They've clearly put a lot of work and polish into making the ambiance pleasant, and it shows. Everything was very clean and well kept, and you could see the importance the staff put on keeping it that way. Great food, excellent service -- we can't wait to visit again!

It gets one star because of the younger ladies working here. They have to start somewhere and I…read morehope they learn from this place. The breakfast menu was minimal? 3 American style items and crepes. If you're going to open for breakfast, read the room. You need to make the menu for most. I ordered biscuits and gravy, bacon, and my eggs over medium. I did get that, but one half of one egg was over medium. The gravy was from a can, no doubt. And the biscuits were pre-made. But that's not what threw me back initially. The food came in a Styrofoam to-go container. STYROFOAM TO-GO container! Are y'all that cheap you can't wash dishes? I mean, the "silverware" is plastic as well. Being in a liberal state, you think you would have been shamed into not contributing to the landfills like this. Then you have the old guy on the griddle who thinks this is Benihana. Scrambled eggs are normally scrambled in a container. This dude cracks the eggs onto the griddle and literally chops them as they cook on the flat top. No stirring the yolk, nothing but chopping. Next, you have a soda machine that screams "yes, we are so cheap we are showing you in everything we have". Let's not forget the "mug club". $128 plus tax for beverage fills. I'm not sure anyone would visit enough to make this worth it. I am not so sure the owner has ever done this before. Needless to say, 1st and last visit.

Mezza House

4.7

(14 reviews)

Loooooved this restaurant. We got the mixed grilled house plate so we could sample three meats. We…read morealso chose the red rice which was delicious. The Jerusalem salad added a nice bit of vinegar to cut through the richness of the meats. I tried a Mediterranean soda they had in the case and it was also a nice sweet change from the savory food. My favorite bite was probably the lentil soup we got when we sat down. Unexpected but delicious. It's exactly the soup you want to feel warm inside. The restaurant was clean, staff attentive and lastly desserts - WONDERFUL. We took the layali lubnan to share. It's a dense white cake, with a rose water and orange water pudding like second layer and topped with whipped cream and pistachios. You've never needed anything more. Chambana needs to support this business. We need them here for a loooong time

Friends wanted to stop by because I believe this place opened fairly recently. It was clean and had…read morenice decor. Most importantly, they had World Cup games going which we love. Prices were reasonable and food came out fairly quick. I thought everything we had was tasty and had good flavor. Also portions were good as well. Will stop by again!

Indian Chaat Cafe

3.0

(2 reviews)

I ordered a lamb butter masala with a naan. It was good, but a little greasy. I think the price was…read morea little high, as it has no dine-in option (there are no seats inside, and one can only order as to go, as I see). The serving people there were nice.

I hate to do it. The service was very friendly here. They seemed like they wanted to please me…read more However, I clarified multiple (more than 4) times before I ordered that I wanted my meal extra extra spicy. I understand the optics of a solo white man asking that, but I clarified that I wanted real heat and it was confirmed by the server. Unfortunately, when my order arrived it was beyond mild. I had three people with a minimal spice tolerance taste it and they could not feel anything. I was beyond disappointed and quite upset. The flavor was ok but my order was not what I asked for. I really wanted to enjoy this place, but they provided nothing I asked for after reassurance that they would. If you want milk flavored chicken, this is your joint. If you want real flavor, or God forbid some actual heat, look elsewhere (not sure where, if you know, please inform).

Bevier Cafe

4.2

(26 reviews)

Bevier Cafe has a really nice vibe when you walk in. It's almost like a cafeteria but at the same…read moretime a nice restaurant. It is very spacious and has a lot of seating. I really like the warmth I get from the restaurant and how it gives a very welcoming vibe. The Cafe is open to everyone and does not have a particular dress code. The restaurant was very clean and put together. The workers were very polite and were able to satisfy any needs. They recommended a lot of great dishes. They switch up the menu quite often, which I think is a very great idea. I like seeing different meals and trying different things each time I visit. My favorite was the BBQ burger with fries(10). It was very tasty and had a great flavor.

Ever since I discovered it a couple of months ago, I have practically been living here. It's a…read morenice cross between a fancy restaurant and a cheap cafeteria. There are always at least a few dishes to pick from, rotating daily. They also have a house salad and Greek salad every day. They charge $5 for (practically) every entree, which is sometimes too much, sometimes too little for the dish. On the other hand, all sides are $0.75, so it all kind of evens out. They also have rotating desserts, but always have big, soft, fresh cookies. Although going through the line to pay with your tray feels like a cafeteria, the seating is basic, but very nice, wooden, and pretty comfortable. You sit with a number and relax and wait for your dishes to be brought to you--which usually isn't too long. They do serve breakfast, but I haven't been able to try it yet. The convenience of being able to check the menu on the website pushes the score to an A+!

YGF Malatang UIUC

3.6

(5 reviews)

Very good selection of ingredients and broth very good, I got bone broth. The bowl was well made…read moreand delicious. Very underrated spot on green.

The soup is so good I really like the beef broth the price is pretty good too it was about 11-14…read morefor nine every time I go

Izalco grill

5.0

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I was told by a co-worker a while back sbout these guys. From what I understand, they took a…read morevacation. I tried them yesterday to see what its all about. I get it now. I ordered the gyro platter and gyro pita (lunch and dinner) and boy was I pleased. The flavor of the meat is perfect. I am not sure what they did with the rice, but its freaking amazing. Hell, even their salad lacks NOTBING.I was so pleased....I'm back the next day. The flavors are everything you'd want, or at least everything I want . So stoked they are back. I gather they are temporarily in the Fannie Mae parking lot on Neil and Springfield. I will foow them when they move. I have to now

I've had Izalco multiple times now and the food has always been excellent. Highly recommend the…read moremixed chicken and gyro platter

Cafe Sababa

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Cafe Sababa is absolutely a hidden gem inside the Illini Hillel!…read more I ordered the sweet potato croquettes this noon, which is listed on their menu for the restaurant week. The croquettes were just amazing! The sour sauce and the vegetables made the food more refreshing. The amount (5 croquettes in total) was just suitable for a quick lunch. The people here were so nice, while there were not so many seats for dining inside. Anyway, it must be a 5 stars cute place on campus!

I've been going to Cafe Sababa inside of the Cohen Jewish Center for about a year now - and I have…read moreyet to be disappointed. Aaron Stevens and Matt Harsh work in the kitchen, occasionally with a student (like myself) who will help out. The lunch is non-meat, so tuna melts, grilled cheese, pizza slices, and BYOB's (build your own bagel) are the standard fare. They also do some really tasty nacho fries, which is jalapenos, cheese, tomatoes, and onions on seasoned french fries.

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