Alright, this one is for my late, older brother, Matt, who rolled his bones in NYC for the longest and was a restauranteur out there. This place is a gastropub that exceeds the expectations of any other restaurant concept of 217. Been here countless times and you walk in to this old diner energy and then your senses go on tilt from the smells and the look and if you aren't pulled in by that, something is seriously wrong with you cuz this place screams Manhattan 2000's when the culinary scene and celebrity chefs were on ! So super chill vibe with old 50's neon and the menu tonight and specials are beyond amazing! So let us begin... Give me a Chicago handshake to start.... Malort on tap and tall boys of Old Style that tells you the owner is Chicago all the way! This place was nothing like what was popping up in Chicago of the super late 90's and early 2000's with Trotters and Tramoto, been to both, battling the culinary scene and this newer guy, Grant Achatz, of Trio, comes onto the playground and changes everything... This place is special because it's what Keith McNally was successful with on restaurant concepts of this time in NYC and soon to follow nationwide. Menu specials shown and the Chef in command, Conner, definitely showcased his abilities o the end. Start with the morels and they were little bites of spring with the spritz of lemon balancing the bitterness of the garlic that makes you wanting to grab another! The salad and duck fat fries are next... Salad has a great vinaigrette that will cleanse your palate with the pickled red onions and some fresh greens. Duck fat fries: if you never experienced these, highly recommend. They will be the best French fries you ever tasted.... Anyone knows will tell you that Duck fat is a game changer. Then Conner brings out the main course- this 25oz strip steak aged for 45 days and at this point I'm transported back to David Burke and Jose Garcias restaurants that featured dry aged steaks: my kyptonite. Service by Aliyah was superb and this place never misses! Thank you for transporting me back to a memory of my late brother who completely opened my eyes to much more in the culinary world! Great meals=lasting memories read more

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Gastropub with a punk rock ethos: the menu draws freely from fine cuisine and street foods, and it upsets the rules about how those categories are supposed to work. We went in on the street food parts of the menu tonight, with the burger (Smashy McSmashface), Tandoori Lamb Kofta, and Sumac Slaw Sando with the falafel patty. Charring is the technique that elevates their street offerings. The smashburger was circled with a lace of crisped beef. The lamb kofta was fully blackened around its surface. (The kitchen perhaps overdid it here and with the grilled pita. The bitter carbonization distracted from other flavors and textures in the ground lamb.) The falafel's fry was perfection, both delicate on the tongue and essential to the thick patty's structure. Conversely, the potent blends of herbs from various cuisines signals the sophistication of their menu. The parsley and other green herbs (did I detect mint?) in the tabbouleh got a bite from the pickled garlic. But even better was setting it atop the sourness of the peppers in the lutenitsa. My choices tonight leaned middle eastern, but the menu effortlessly spans French, East Asian, and American southern. The most provocative aspects of the menu though are the ones that mix high and low cuisine, or that mix elaborate and commercial preparations. I had to laugh that the curried labneh (on the falafel sando) had been thoughtfully spiced with grains of mustard and it also was spread across a generic potato bun. As if to say, "Yeah we made an elevated version of French's mustard but don't take your veggie burger so seriously." There are other routes through the menu that produce the same effect. You want Oysters? Sure, they can be your appetizer before the meatloaf. This place is playful and not afraid to break the rules. Come here for something you didn't expect! read more

I came here on a Saturday and sat at the bar. The people sitting next to me had a reservation for the week's tasting menu I was pretty jealous of. I learned a lot about the tasting notes from their chef Connor during his presentation. This is a staple to the community and I will be back. read more

The Space - I've been trying to achieve the "7 minute egg" at home for awhile, I love anchovies and asparagus. - New American Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

Amazing food, service and live shows. I had the Oklahoma smash burger with truffle fries and my friends had the crispy chicken wings. So good! Cant wait to try their tasting menu. Also, make sure to sign up for their email list so you keep track of the live shows and events they have. read more

The Space - Stage bear dining area - New American Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

Good hamburgers, live music and pickleback shots. This place is a solid choice when visiting Champagne. And oh yeah, Star Wars plates for the bonus point. read more

The Space - New American Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

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Surprisingly good. Yeah, the vibe and the menu looks a little odd, but I will say that they have the best burger in Central Illinois. Yes. They do the burger smash style which gives you paper thin paddies that get crispy on the edges. With the local and fresh meat, produce, and sauces, this was a burger better than most! Its a little weird that there is an automatic gratuity, but their system calculates tip with that in mind. I greatly appreciated that because I wanted to give a few extra percents and was worried about my mental math. Their system allowed me to add 1-3% more if I wanted. Nice! As for the service, it was pretty good. This is kind of a hipster artsy place so sometimes it can get awkward, but if you are looking for a good burger, this is the place! They have Malort on tap which is bonkers! read more

I attended a special event here. Small plate food tasting entrees. Significantly, the best food I have had in some years. Just wow creative! Beautiful presentation and a cornucopia of tastes in each entree. What a Champaign gem! read more

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Chips and French onion dip.... 5 stars! Our entire group chowed down. It was perfect. Warm chips...yum. read more

The Space - French Onion Dip and chips - New American Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

First and I would say foremost the smash burger was a smash. Nice crispy edges. General complaint of the group was not saucy. Fries were good - crispy and the spiced ketchup gleaned mixed reviews from our group. When seated we were one of about 5 tables full. As a result we were disappointed to have to take out burgers to go after more than an hour and 15 wait. They chalked jt up to trying to time our appetizer of chips and French onion dip with our burgers - but we were not thrilled it tools so long to serve up some burgers and fries. All in all, food was yummy, ambiance was fine, service was slow. Maybe they have kinks to work out but if you are on an under 2 hour time limit as we were maybe pick somewhere else. read more

I just love my plain Jane St. Jack's miracle cheese burger and truffle fries. Today I tried the corn and he was so delicious. I could taste the love put into this sweet peeled little dressed cob. I enjoyed every bite till alas, there was no more. read more

The Space - Corn made with love. - New American Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

No offense because I think others must like this place for a reason (it looks cool, has music, is local?) but not me. Marrow fries came with two little spoonfuls of marrow out of that huge bone, pesto on it was good. The very small menu has two beef burgers - we got them both and split them. Nothing about them I liked, little meat - strange and unflavorful - cold bun. I much prefer a double freddys with cheese and their fries. I wanted to like this place, and it sure ain't cheap. Service was good. Also, just in case you are wondering- I don't know of any kids who would eat the food here. read more

This must be one of the best burger restaurants in CU! I ordered a Pickled Egg and an Oklahoma McSmashFace with cold elote salad as the side. They were all tasty! Especially, the burger was impressive! The meat was crispy and the brown color caused by Maillard reaction was literally amazing! The taste was balanced and a little salty, so I didn't add any sauce though there were some bottles at the table/bar. Additionally, their menu was interesting, there're some combined words and some PS sentences there, and it was printed on pieces of paper. I also notice they have a little stage at the corner, and they do have some music festivals waiting for music lovers to come. That's interesting! Overall, a great experience in The Space. I may go there again whenever I want a smash burger! read more

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Burgers are very creative and tasty. Sides are as well. Good selection of local beers and creative cocktails. read more

The Space - Bar area - New American Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

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I'm honestly so surprised at the cult following this place seems to have. I understand the ambiance, events, heart, and community that goes into this place (it's palpable and nice to see) but the food is very much overhyped, imo. I think it's decently priced for the local sourcing aspect of it but it did not live up to the hype. I'd been here before and got a ramen a few years back and was dissatisfied. I kept hearing about how tasty the smash burgers were so I decided to go and try what they are actually known for. I got a pretty classic smash burger and it was bland and almost watery, tho it did have the nice crispy edges. The sauces are overly vinegary. The french onion dip was very bland as well, but the house made chips it came with were the tastiest thing I tried (texture was on point). The bone marrow fries were also disappointing. Service was great! The overall experience was good and I felt better about eating it knowing it was local beef and not super overpriced... but I don't think the taste all around was there for me, unfortunately. read more

This meal was 64 dollars. Response to The S + updated review: At that price point, the customers expect the meal to taste good, and unfortunately the fancy jargon on the menu is just fancy jargon. Do better. read more

The Space - New American Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

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Food is great...but no capacity. Went here during downtown event and after 40 minutes they told me 3 burgers ahead of me equals 15 minute wait. Guess they dont do parallel processing here. Fifteen minutes is up so heading elsewhere... nice art for waiting experience. read more

The Space - Waiting area. - New American Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

This is the best restaurant in CU. Every time I leave I wonder how I can tell more people about it. It's creative, it's fun, the food is excellent, the bands are rad and seeing one of my homies memorialized on the wall inside always brings the warmest feels to my cold heart. Will always be The Spaces biggest fan! We needed this... read more

I would like to lead that the smash burger and fries were good. Unfortunately we were very turned off by the 18% automatically charged to our bill. When we questioned it the cashier said it's on the menu. When we checked it was so minute at the bottom you would need a magnifying glass to read it. I don't appreciate this being added to my bill and basically unaware. We are tippers but this is unacceptable. Why don't restaurant owners just pay their employees like other establishments? They expect their customers to make their payroll. read more

Lots to life about The Space. Very friendly staff, very tasty food and a great location. I love that they let me take my time, never rush me and don't mind if I sit and relax with a bottle of water, or a beer. A very friendly place with great food. read more

Loved everything about this place! Great food, good vibes and unique experience! Will definitely be back!

Creative, thoughtful, and quirky. Delicious food. Especially the truffle fries and special beef hotdog. The crispiest fries I've ever had. I mean this in the best way - you will need a nap after. The menu is crafted by the two owners and Chef Lazer, and the kitchen has a fun and collaborative atmosphere. Lovely patio space to take your dog for lunch. Would love to come back at night to see the neon lights in action and hear a band. Quality people, great service and food - absolutely worth a visit. I see other reviews complaining about the prices, but this is what you should pay for high quality, local ingredients, and a truly artistic menu. Oh, and they also find creative ways to use every day household items like Eggos and Yoo-hoo. Highly recommend stopping by! read more

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I heard about this place when it opened and never got the time to visit until this weekend. It's going to become a new favorite spot of mine because the food was amazing and the drinks were great. Service is also top tier. The ambiance is also welcoming and fun. read more

I think the place is really neat. Love watching the cooks make the food like an old diner. Very creative, flavorful sauces. Bold move serving Malort on tap. Younger me would've imbibed, older me knows better (and is less fun). They always seem to play great music. Love the vibe. Oh, and the burgers may just be the best in town. read more

Definitely an interesting place that I am happy to have in town. Their food is, if nothing else, unique. Somewhat limited as a vegetarian, but they had some of the best vegetarian tacos that I've had. This place shines with its live events, be it trivia, comedy, or concerts. read more

We love the space so very much. Excellent vibes and people all around. One small note: we would love to see more vegetarian options on the menu. Black bean burger again maybe? ;) read more

The food here is fresh and fast! The owners care deeply about their customers opinions and strive to include things on the menu that are recommended to them. This is a hardworking honest restaurant with great staff and a great culture. The restaurant has incredible art and has a cool punk influence. I would come here again! AND PLEASE- try their burgers, you won't regret it... read more

I ordered the Eggo chicken sandwich with house chips and was let down. Everything including my friends' french fries had a strange stale/smoky flavor that I did not enjoy. The waffles were basically store bought frozen waffles and the sauces were not as flavorful as advertised. Definitely not worth the cost. read more

The Space - Eggo chicken sandwich and homemade chips - New American Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

My husband and I had a uniquely delicious lunch there yesterday. The staff is very friendly and down to earth. The restaurant itself is very clean and bright with a laid back vibe. Can't wait to go back and try one of their cocktails and other menu items or maybe enjoy some live music. read more

A fun and unique twist on old favorites. The food was delicious. I eat gluten free and was happy to feel normal in a restaurant. The decor and table service were entertaining. read more

Really, really good burgers! Good beer selection, nice outdoor patio. Homemade sauces are awesome.

The service was great and the waiter was very polite. Unfortunately, the food did not live up to expectations. The poutine fries were decent. However, I got the eggo sandwich with chips. The chips were okay seasoned but not salty and some of the larger ones were quite soggy. The eggo sandwich was not bad but the chicken was too salty and a bit spicy. Unfortunately, I do have to give it one star as I got food poisoning from it and threw up. read more