Best Chambana restaurants and bars

#126      
Oh man, I really miss Sam's club pizz and their 4 dollar rotisserie whole chicken. Used to be so clutch when my funds were running low.
 
#129      

JW

Vancouver
Someone on this forum was at one time engaged to a stripper... who was it again...?

That was me. I miss my 20's.

Ok off to Costa Rica. I'll bring back plenty of pics and spread Illinois Loyalty to Central America.

Hope we win against Purdue, Indiana and Northwestern. I'm certain we'll go 2-1, possibly 3-0.
 
#130      

MrHershey

M
Guest
Bars:
1. Murphy's (nice chill bar, music's never too loud, logo night on wednesdays)
2. Legends (one of the best places to go watch a game, $2 drafts on tuesday, logo night on thursdays)
3. Blind Pig (too many beers to count)
4. Cowboy Monkey (when it's warm)
5. Brothers (music's usually too loud, but also has $2 drafts on tuesday, nice one-two punch with legends)
6. Radio Maria (taps change frequently, I think once a month; $1 PBRs on Wednesday/Sunday)
7. Guido's (I've been told I shouldn't like this bar, but do anyways)
8. Iron Post (love to go and listen to live jazz occasionally, but only PBR on draft is kind of a bummer)
9. Jupiter's (good pizza, billiards, brews)
10. Seven Saints (don't usually go there for the bar, usually go there for the sliders)
PSA for some: The Office in Urbana has closed, or else that would have made the list)

Restaurants:
1. Farren's (best burger in town, easily)
2. Antonio's (best pizza in town, for me; slice of Chicken Bacon Ranch and a slice of Mac Attack is heaven)
3. El Toro/El Toro II/El Torero (too many Mexican restaurants in town, but this is my favorite)
4. Monicals (a favorite growing up, a favorite now; I order the family pleaser even when there's only two people)
5. Hickory River (best barbeque in town, the frosty mugs with root beer really hit the spot)
6. The Ribeye (best kept secret, as long as you don't mind the blue hairs)
7. Niro's Gyros (I'm not big on gyros, but still pretty darn good; love the fries)
8. Za's (nice, cheap, fast, Italian)
9. Le Peep (great for breakfast and never nearly as crowded as Original House of Pancakes)
10. Papa Dels (good, but overrated; if you don't go there for lunch it takes for-ev-er, especially if there's any wait)
 
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#131      

illini_minas

Cary, NC
Some of you guys who are on campus now probably never heard of some of these places, but here goes....

BARS:
1. Flannigan's / Gully's
2. Clybourne
3. The Office
4. Bub's
5. Murphy's
6. White Horse......I miss wing night
7. High Dive
8. R&Rs
9. Illini Inn
10. Anywhere but Kam's and CO's...although I did go there a fair amount

FOOD:
1. Zorba's
2. Bonnie Jean's
3. Prime Time
4. Alexander's
5. I can't remember the name but it was on Locust and Green in a strip mall next to a Jimmy John's, a chinese place and a laundromat/bar. It's no longer there but served pizza and sandwiches...the buffalo chicken sandwiches were ridiculous....anyone remember?
6. Miko's
7. Niro's
8. Papa Del's
9. Murphy's
10. White Horse

Of course Jimmy John's would be on the list, but since they have franchised and are all over the Raleigh/Durham area I can now have them anytime I want, so are dropped from the list.
 
#132      

illini4everjp

I
Guest
#136      

uigrad

U
Guest
2. Bonnie Jean's

Gone also. The one on campus became has had two names since then. I think "Second Story Pizza" is the current name.

The one on John St., west of Mattis is closed and uninhabited now.
 
#137      

illini4everjp

I
Guest
This opened after I graduated. Haven't been there but dislike it because of the Martez Wilson incident.
Haven't been inside either. Can't imagine it being much worse than Gully, considering the leaking ceiling and all.

Gone also. The one on campus became has had two names since then. I think "Second Story Pizza" is the current name.

I tried it after they changed the name, simply wasn't the same :(
 
#140      

BananaShampoo

Captain 'Paign
Phoenix, AZ
5. I can't remember the name but it was on Locust and Green in a strip mall next to a Jimmy John's, a chinese place and a laundromat/bar. It's no longer there but served pizza and sandwiches...the buffalo chicken sandwiches were ridiculous....anyone remember?
Do you mean D.P. Dough? The laundromat place is called "Sud's", assuming it's still there.
 
#141      

BananaShampoo

Captain 'Paign
Phoenix, AZ
#143      

illini_minas

Cary, NC
Do you mean D.P. Dough? The laundromat place is called "Sud's", assuming it's still there.

You're right about Sud's. I don't think D.P Dough is right - I guess that could have been the name before or after I was there. For some reason I'm thinking it was Poorboys.

What is really sad is that I lived across Locust from that strip mall and ate there multiple times a week my Senior year and can't remember the name. Those damn buffalo chicken sandwiches were addictive at 2AM while completely drunk.
 
#144      
You're right about Sud's. I don't think D.P Dough is right - I guess that could have been the name before or after I was there. For some reason I'm thinking it was Poorboys.

What is really sad is that I lived across Locust from that strip mall and ate there multiple times a week my Senior year and can't remember the name. Those damn buffalo chicken sandwiches were addictive at 2AM while completely drunk.

DP Dough is after. It opened recently, I think in 2006. Specializes in only calzones.
 
#145      

JW

Vancouver
Just got back from Champaign and had a kick-!!! diner at Murphys. Hamburger and those fries ruled. There is a gentleman who is mentally challenged who's been coming in there to say "hello" for years, I almost forgot about him. Murphy's is down, just five thread pages of restaurants to go...

Then I went to Dewey's for a peanut butter shake, but apparently its some sort of Gyro place now. Then didn't have peanut butter shakes, jerks.

When the hell did they put a giant Starbucks (and Urban Outfitters) right in the middle of Green Street??? Next they'll put a Victoria' Secret (which would actually rule, though kind of takes away from the campus feel).

I half expected to see JP spreading liberal propaganda at Starbucks and destroying America.
 
#147      

JW

Vancouver
You obviously didn't stay long enough, JP and I were wearing our baggy pants handing out rainbow buttons and lattes.

Not surprised. Probably forcing good ol' American boys to learn only Spanish while you perform abortions and aid and abet terrorists.

I saw some sort of Expresso Americano drink on the menu, but it sounded far too patriotic for Starbucks.
 
#148      

illini4everjp

I
Guest
Just got back from Champaign and had a kick-!!! diner at Murphys. Hamburger and those fries ruled. There is a gentleman who is mentally challenged who's been coming in there to say "hello" for years, I almost forgot about him. Murphy's is down, just five thread pages of restaurants to go...

Then I went to Dewey's for a peanut butter shake, but apparently its some sort of Gyro place now. Then didn't have peanut butter shakes, jerks.

When the hell did they put a giant Starbucks (and Urban Outfitters) right in the middle of Green Street??? Next they'll put a Victoria' Secret (which would actually rule, though kind of takes away from the campus feel).

I half expected to see JP spreading liberal propaganda at Starbucks and destroying America.
There is only so many Starbucks and Whole Foods I can get to in a day so I can spread the word of the good little Red Book ;)
 
#149      

JW

Vancouver
There is only so many Starbucks and Whole Foods I can get to in a day so I can spread the word of the good little Red Book ;)

Well can you force Starbucks and Whole Foods to sell peanut butter shakes? I'm dying for one.
 
#150      

JW

Vancouver
Someone tell me what the deal is with that place the Ice House on Prospect.