The Rock Restaurant

A tear nearly came out when I brought that chicken into my mouth. It's just so good…read more Good service. The seating and tables were sparkling clean. Plus, the food took like three minutes to come out.

All the 5 star reviews are right! Amazing food, terrific service, great staff. Traditional falafel…read moreis a slam dunk.

Falafel, rice, hummus and salad.

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Combination Platter

Shawarma Joint

4.4(91 reviews)

48.5 mi

Our family absolutely loved their food and a great service they provided explaining the menu. We…read morecame in for lunch and were amazed by this restaurant! Ambiance was friendly and very welcoming!

Stopped on the way through town and our group was split between Noodles and the shawarma joint…read more Very glad we came here. Immediately treated as if we were regulars, with heaping portion sizes. Nicest staff I think i've ever encountered. I may not be back in Champaign soon but when I am I absolutely will be returning

This is the chicken wrap I cut it into four sections however I did eat one section before I took the picture.

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Inside

Medici

3.5(485 reviews)

0.0 mi

Absolutely loved this spot, especially after being cooped up in the car for six and a half hours…read more We were out on a family road trip and Bloomington/Normal was a good in between. Side note, really enjoyed walking the town and all the shops in our short time here. Medici was a draw within footsteps of our hotel, a good kids menu (had to call to confirm as we didn't see it anywhere) and a tree inside. I was very impressed, and for a long time on this trip, this was one of the best meals I'd had. I got some local beer that was delicious, and then a fried chicken with mashed potatoes and green beans. The chicken thighs were flavorful and moist, and the green beans were very tasty too. Nice service as well. My kids enjoyed what they got, and my wife got a ravioli that she said was way better than expected. All in all, great spot and I'd go back in a heartbeat.

Not my fave. I've been at various times in the afternoon and evening and each time wondered why I…read moregave it another go. I've had the duck and a chicken dish. Just...average. Service was decent. Ambiance is nice, though. Love the booth seating and the bar, even though I'm not a beer drinker. They do have quite the microbrew selection. Easy parking. I was expecting more. But they're still here, so they must be doing something right. And the large Mulberry tree inside is a fun quirk.

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Kabab G

Everything was FANTASTIC!!! The service was top notch…read more First time here and they were very helpful in helping us determine what to order. We ordered the chicken, steak, and lamb. Eveything was cooked perfectly. Very tender and flavorful! Ignore any negative, sub-5 reviews. There is no way someone could rate this as anything less than a 5!!!

Stopped by at 1:30 today on a Thursday. Was closed. Nothing on the website about it. Hopefully they…read moreupdate their contact info and hours.

Beef kabob plate

Falafel Plate

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Shawarma platter

Chef Moussa

4.8(282 reviews)

35.5 mi

Great authentic mediterranean food from a family that cares. Great vegan fare if you're interested…read more Something for everyone, great value, fresh, served with pride. they have a variety of nice vegan and non vegan pastries and cookies. Visited for the vegan challenge and the sampler and dessert platters were amazing. I'm not vegan and didn't miss meat. Having said that this place has awesome gyros and shawarma. I love the Ful and the fresh Pitas. Bright, clean, diner decor.

Great service, huge portions, solid food and got a complimentary cheese zataar for being a first…read moretimer! Such a nice warm welcome from Chef Moussa

Inside

Beef and chicken shawarma platter

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Gyro platter w/hummus

Signature Cafe

4.8(60 reviews)

2.7 mi

Signature cafe is a Mediterranean restaurant serving (approximately) $16 bowls that are enormous,…read morefresh, and healthy. The interior is light, bright, and clean. The staff that assembled my bowl was helpful and clearly took pride in her work. I chose basmati rice with chicken, multiple veggie toppings, and an awesome jalapeño sauce. It was fresh, satisfying, full of protein, and lasted me two meals. We were so happy to find this place on our road trip, and will definitely remember it for next time!

I can't tell you how much I love Signature Café. It's just everything I need in a restaurant! I…read morehave a very strict medical diet right now (no nightshades, no olives, insulin-resistant friendly), and I need to hit high protein goals. Ordering a custom bowl here was the perfect solution today. I ordered a base of super greens and brown lentils, topped with grilled chicken and steak shawarma, purple cabbage, cool cucumber, and sumac onions, finished with the garlic sauce. The flavor profile was so rich, fresh, and savory without needing any spicy or nightshade-heavy sauces. The meats were cooked perfectly and the portion sizes are incredibly generous. If you are eating clean, managing blood sugar, or just want a high-quality, flavorful meal, this is the spot in Bloomington. Oh, and bonus, it's locally owned and not a chain. (I'm just sad I forgot to photograph my bowl.)

DUBAI CHOCOLATE (BAR)

Create Make your own

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Bowl with rice,lentils, paneer,lamb,feta

Haddad Restaurant

4.2(56 reviews)

35.3 mi

Great food! Great staff! Will definitely be back! I got the chicken gyro and it was so good! The…read morehummus is also very good!

Got the falafel dinner and everything was delicious! Food was fresh and seasoning was perfect.read more

Amir's favorite

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Ugly Restaurant and Bar

4.6(85 reviews)

63.8 mi

Ask for Tanja to be your server. She was awesome!!! We were excited to try Ugly Restaurant, as we…read morelove Turkish food. These folks did not disappoint. Tanja brought us some pita bread and carrot salad to start. That was complementary. We had a couple of cocktails from the bar, which were very good. We next had the Cigar Borek, which were little cheese rolls with a spicy tomato dip that was outstanding! We then ordered the beef doner wrap, which was just delicious! The beef they use for this is really tender and delicious. We cannot wait to return to this lovely Ugly Restaurant. :)

When I see Yelp ratings of 4 1/2 stars on over 80 reviews, my expectations are high. This one let…read moreme down for sure. One of the reasons I love Mediterranean food is its use of spices and infused flavors. A complimentary carrot salad mixed with yogurt was served with warm pita bread. This was not good, frankly, and was the start of what would end up being an underwhelming experience. I ordered the mixed sampler platter for an appetizer. The only thing worth eating was the falafel and the cigar borek (fried breaded cheese). My entrée was the chicken shish kabobs that were accompanied by rice, a small chargrilled tomato, a chargrilled pepper and an onion salad. The chicken lack any kind of seasoning. Even salt would've help. This was probably the most bland Mediterranean food I've ever experienced. The presentation was grade A but the lack of flavor resulted in a Grade C. Even the baklava was bland. For $60 (including tip) I could've had a much more fulfilling meal.

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Beef kebab

Chicken Doner Wrap

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63 reviews that are not currently recommended

The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.

Jacqueline K.

5 years ago

This is my first time here so I have no idea what is in the food and the young lady working practically explained everything on the menu for me. For this alone the place gets 5 stars and Hailey would get 20 stars if I could give them to her. She was so patient with my group and her fantastic smile put us all at ease. Best worker ever in my opinion. Most people nowadays have the attitude of that they are being bothered when asked anything. Not Hailey. She was more than happy to assist us. For the food. I got the Gyro Special. Kinda small portions but it turned out to be just right. Super crispy fries and the gyro was med sized but jammed packed with meat. That ranch sauce stuff was pretty good too. Place was neat and clean and super nice. Highly recommend this place! read more

Olivia F.

12 years ago

First off I would like to say that the owner is really nice. When I ate there to see what all the fuss was about I was expecting a fantastic meal. The food was about average, there really wasn't anything spectacular about it. He's raised prices since the last time I looked over the menu. If you're looking for something greasy and a hearty portion then it's not a bad place. I will say that the portions you get are hearty for the price you pay. read more

Mack D.

11 years ago

Best philly cheesesteak in town. Beware if you see a kid doing the cooking. No experience causes the meat to be burnt and dried out. Make sure one of the owners/mgrs are doing the cooking. Gyro meat is okay, but they over heat the pita bread till it's too dry and brittle. They store the pita too close to the cooktop so it's overly dry anyway. Overall, it's a good place owned and managed by good people. read more

Jane S.

13 years ago

Eh, The Rock isn't really that special. Had their gyros once and they didn't really taste genuine. It tasted more processed than anything. The stuff looks like it all comes from a bag and doesn't look like it takes much to prepare the food. This makes me believe that the prices shouldn't be so high for the amount of effort that goes into it. read more

Doctor D.

13 years ago

I love this place. My favorite thing to get is the grilled chicken gyro with fries, and I HAVE to have ranch dressing for my fries. Something about the crispy coating on the fries makes them perfect for ranch dressing. It's my Sunday go to place for dinner because it's close to the constitution trail and I like to stop in after my ride. read more

Chad S.

11 years ago

Great food, great people, great atmosphere, it's great, just go and try it. I always get the challenger. The fries remind me of Burger King fries, but taste better. The new renovation is really good. I think they may be adding outdoor seating as well, not sure though read more

Michael M.

10 years ago

Falafel salad was really good, only problem was the iceberg lettuce. There are local farmers producing some great greens , so , why not try them? Iceberg is the sawdust/cardboard of the lettuce world. That said , My wife and I will definitely be back. read more

Jack F.

10 years ago

What can I say about the rock, the gorgeous scenery of uptown normal mixed with the succulent Mediterranean cuisine will leave you wanting to come back everyday. The friendly staff and open kitchen make the rock one of the best places to eat in normal read more

Mason D.

12 years ago

Great philly cheesesteak, but the gyro's aren't as good. The meat for the gyro's is great, but the pita bread is always stale because they grill it instead of steaming it which dries it out to the max. They fries here aren't worth ordering either. read more

Danny S.

10 years ago

This place is just absolutely incredible. I leave speechless every time I'm there. From the garlic chicken to the falafel you will be amazed with just how great this food is! Ran by a top notch family this place is a must stop! read more

Chris K.

10 years ago

Amazing restaurant. Very clean place with the nicest employees. The food reminds of the home cooked meals back home in Lebanon. Definitely a must stop if you are in Bloomington Nornal. read more

Britney R.

9 years ago

It's a little loud in here. Sound travels fast in a small space. But the food is good so it's usually packed! Good prices. The food comes out fast. I love those pretzel bun burgers. read more

John J.

12 years ago

Best place to eat in uptown normal. Fantastic food, good prices, and friendly staff. Great menu options. I definitely recommend the Gyro Special or the Challenger. read more

Mee M.

8 years ago

Great food, great atmosphere, prices are right, good service, very clean restaurant, owners really care about their customers! I highly recommend the Rock. read more

Said S.

4 years ago

Great food, great atmosphere, prices are right, good service, very clean restaurant, owners really care about their customers! I highly recommend the Rock read more

Rachelle K.

10 years ago

Food is amazing, and workers are great! This restaurant is one of my favorites! It's extremely clean and I always leave with a big smile on my face. read more

Giacomo L.

7 years ago

Visiting in town and absolutely had a great time. Was greeted warmly by all the workers, food was fast and fresh, and overall a great time!

Michele K.

11 years ago

Awesome food, AWESOME staff! Must come in and see the awesome new renovation. Love the hummus, falafel and gyros. Amazing look inside!

Kristin M.

11 years ago

Really great restaurant in downtown Normal. Very friendly staff and incredible food! We had the chicken gyros with hummus! Soooo good!

Joe W.

323

11 years ago

Absolutely the best int he business..... Amazing food! No more words needed.... take it from a guy who loves his food! read more

The Rock Restaurant - greek - Updated October 2026

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Garden of Paradise

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I came to town to visit my dad, Jackie Mo, along with Ryan Mo, and the rest of the family. While…read moreI've been here on vacation, I've eaten at Garden of Paradise a couple of times, and it's been excellent every visit. The staff is friendly and welcoming, and our waitress, Abby, was awesome. She provided great service and made sure we had everything we needed. The food was fresh, delicious, and consistently good. I'll definitely be coming back the next time I'm in town. Thank you to Abby and the entire team at Garden Paradise for another great dining experience!

The Country Fried Steak was pretty good standard issue fare…read more The pancakes were average. Next time I'll try the French Toast or Waffle. As always the biscuits and gravy were great. My wife got it as a combo. The bacon needs to be ordered well done or else it comes out fairly raw. The sausage was decent. The coffee is weak.

Avanti's Italian Restaurant

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I only had the Gondola so I may change my review but this is a great local place for comfort food…read more Try the Gondola

My lasagna was smothered by WAY TOO MUCH marinara sauce. In addition to the marinara on the inside…read more- all I could taste was the sauce. Some cheese - after I dug around for it. Some pasta that looked dark and gray. The marinara was not very good tasting. My wife did not like the spaghetti for the same reasons. Bread was cold. No wait staff. So no tip given. Just like a fast food place. Ambiance: What ambiance? No music. Boring interior. Floors sticky - made a squelching noise when we walked out. We'll be going to any other restaurant for Italian. Avanti's - you lost our business forever.

Reality Bites

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(171 reviews)

My wife and I came for dinner and had a great meal. The hamburgers and the grilled chicken were…read morecooked to perfection. In addition, we had great service from Nicole. We asked for some additional things and it came within a few minutes. Many places you get them when you're practically done with your meal.

The only thing that bit during our first (and last!) visit was the reality that this was one of the…read moreworst dining experiences we've ever had (and we eat out a lot). We waited over 30 minutes for a burger (ordered medium) and farfalle pasta with vodka sauce --we were the only table that had placed a dinner order at that time. No check-ins, no updates. When I finally asked, we were told the kitchen was "plating" and needed five more minutes. My burger came out first and was beyond well-done. It was dry and smothered in sloppy sauce. The pasta was completely wrong: linguini with basic marinara instead of the farfalle with vodka sauce we ordered. The sauce tasted straight from a jar. We were hungry and almost let it go, until my husband took a bite and the pasta was raw. Not al dente. Crunchy. We sent both dishes back because they were simply not edible. (Btw, food wasn't cheap eaither: pasta was $29 and burger was $20) Between the long wait, lack of communication, incorrect dishes, overcooked burger, jar-tasting sauce, and raw pasta, it felt careless, even insulting. Like the menu is banking on diners not knowing the difference. If the movie Reality Bites was about the harsh wake-up call of adulthood, this place is the harsh wake-up call of overpromising and underdelivering. I've never left a restaurant this frustrated. Would never recommend.

Bernardi's Restaurant

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Julie and I visited Bernardi's in Washington on Thursday, August 6, 2026, to meet up with a group…read moreof friends. There were eight of us at the table. When we arrived, the other six people in our group were already there, having drinks and sharing bread from the basket provided at the table. We ordered our meals, and when our food arrived, I asked for some additional bread to go with my meal. I was told, rather abruptly, that there was only one basket of bread per table. What I found particularly frustrating was that there were other tables with only two people sitting at them, and they had a full basket of bread. Meanwhile, our table of eight was expected to share one basket. I even offered to pay for additional bread, but I was simply told no, and I never received any additional bread. The policy itself was disappointing, but what really bothered me was the way the situation was handled. The waitress was extremely abrasive and difficult to understand, and there was no attempt to explain the policy or offer any alternative. A simple explanation such as, "I'm sorry, we have a new policy, but you can purchase additional bread if you'd like," would have been completely different. We have traditionally enjoyed Bernardi's and have gone there about once a week, either dining in or getting carryout. Unfortunately, after this experience, I won't be returning. Restaurants have plenty of competition, and when you're spending your hard-earned money somewhere, you should be treated with courtesy and respect. I understand that restaurants can change their policies, even policies I may not agree with. What I don't understand or accept is being treated rudely when simply asking for something as basic as a piece of bread with my meal. It wasn't the bread that ultimately made me decide not to return. It was the way I was treated.

I really love Bernardi's food. But we went there Saturday night and the service was Unbelievable!…read moreWe arrive promptly at six and we're seated ordered appetizers and drinks. Those were delivered, but we never saw the waitress again for 20 minutes. I'm seriously telling you 20 minutes. We sat there with no order. No refill on drinks nothing. We had to go to the bar to get refreshment. Finally got our dinner at 7:30! 730! By the time we ate, we were the last ones in the restaurant. They were actually running the vacuum around us. Here again the food was excellent, but there's no excuse for this type of service. they never did clear the table.

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