Philo Tavern or find the Smithburger food truck.
Champaign-Urbana restaurants & bars
With Weird Meat Boyz opening they're own place, Smith Burger Company is now serving out of the space in Collective Pour.
MustangWally
- Mayfield
Hickory River for casual BBQ.
It’s good food for sandwiches burgers and salads! Nice atmosphere being on the golf course and it has a good selection of drinks. Not that pricey as well
Every trip for many years has been a Murphy's lunch to start and a La Bamba to end. Only way I can pretend it's still 1989.Shouldn't this be on the basketball recruiting page along with references to Larry Bird?
All this talk of food makes me want a burrito as big as my head.
Have not been to Big Grove in Champaign, but have been twice in Iowa City. Fantastic atmosphere, good staff, good food.
I tracked down La Bamba last week, now located next to a zombie mall near the western edge of Champaign, and sadly, it is a shadow of its 80s/90s self. Will not go again.
Mr. Tibbs
- southeast DuPage
that’s too bad
not that I was a big fan of their Detroit style pan pizza , but is Garcia’s still a thing there ?
in early 1980’s , they had like 4-5 locations in CU
Been to Big Grove twice last two visits. Very happy with atmosphere and food. Good service. I am interested in the Watson slushy though.
Agree the building is not much to look at, and the area around is not great. And you certainly don’t have the atmosphere it had when it was in the heart of campustown. But the burritos still taste the same to me. And it’s close to the highway so it’s always our last stop.
MoCoMdIllini
- Montgomery County, Maryland
Bummer.
I would be happy with Culvers.
La Bamba was good, but it was no Pokey Stix
Mine last week was completely bland. Nothing like I remembered. Maybe I needed to be falling-down drunk? LOLBattle89 said:
Coincidentally, Garcia's has re-located right next door to La Bamba. I didn't go in.
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blackdog
- Champaign
I always forget that place exists which is a shame because it's a cool place.
LOL. Not drunk and then getting on the highway. I do load up on the Bamba sauce though, I guess that helps.
It's fine. Very few people. Cheap, good sandwiches. I like the Tuna Melt w/fries $10.
1 major issue, if you like beer, it seems 33% of their beer offerings are no longer available.
GrayGhost77
- Centennial, CO
Is Jupiter's still around? I used to love that place. Both the downtown and SW Champaign locations.
Papa del's pizza is way overrated to me. I just don't think it's good.
Watsons chicken is awesome.
Jupiter's has good pizza.
Big grove downtown is great.
Philo tavern. Short drive but cheap delicious food.
Fernando's has the best tacos IMO. It's out by Menards or they have a food truck.
Watsons chicken is awesome.
Jupiter's has good pizza.
Big grove downtown is great.
Philo tavern. Short drive but cheap delicious food.
Fernando's has the best tacos IMO. It's out by Menards or they have a food truck.
The Mattis La Bamba and Garcia’s have been there a long time. I know for sure that La Bamba was there at the turn of the century because we always stopped there on the way back from Bradley’s on Wednesday nights, errr, Thursday mornings.
It surprising to me that both those locations are the survivors. I remember waiting in a line around the block in freezing weather for a burrito from the La Bamba’s on campus. Never seen more than 6-8 people at the one off Mattis.
Garcia’s was in steep decline even back then but the Green St location was usually pretty busy. The one out by La Bamba is a ghost town.
It surprising to me that both those locations are the survivors. I remember waiting in a line around the block in freezing weather for a burrito from the La Bamba’s on campus. Never seen more than 6-8 people at the one off Mattis.
Garcia’s was in steep decline even back then but the Green St location was usually pretty busy. The one out by La Bamba is a ghost town.
IlliniKat91
- Chicago, IL
With the way everything on Green Street is now a Luxury Apartment™, I wonder if they were priced out of the area