Illini2010-11
- Sugar Grove
User name checks out.
Ohio State game (Oct. 11th): 11:00am CT, FOX
- Status
Good recommendation - this is still an option for parking, my son did it for last weeks game and then walked over to our tailgate spot in Lot 45. He parked on one street over on Delaware just East of Lincoln.
For restaurants, my favorites are Seven Saints or Blackdog.
blackdog
- Champaign
I feel like this comes up a lot on these recommendation threads lol. I've actually used some variation of Blackdog as a user name since probably 2005. It made it even better the first time I went to Blackdog in 2011 when they only had the Urbana spot. I had just graduated and we were blown away that we lived in Urbana for 3 years and had somehow never been before. I'm lucky I never left the area so I get to send pictures to my friends when I go to make them jealous.
The quality there seems to have slipped. Also before last year’s Michigan game, it was almost impossible to get a drink.
While you’re at the stadium take a little time and go up and see the colonnades up close. Two hundred limestone columns engraved with the names of U of I students and alumni who died in the first World War. Very cool and very humbling.
as Yogi Berra once said , “ No one goes there anymore , it’s too crowded “
Thanks that’s really cool. Definitely the kinda stuff I’m looking for. Things unique to U of I.
Just remember to give us a debriefing when you get back home. Would love to hear how things went and what your experience was like!
Issue was not that it was crowded. The problem was they only had 1 server at the bar pouring drinks. Not a single staff member working the floor.
Illini2010-11
- Sugar Grove
Hopefully the shorthand version of the debriefing goes something like: "Experience was amazing less the on-field results"
I don't know if the free parking info is still true, but don't spend your morning looking for the intersection of Lincoln and Kirby. Kirby Ave becomes Florida Ave in Urbana ;-)
Maybe it will be "I peed my pants when Olano hit the 60 yard winning field goal as time ran out."
Buckeye fans are not shy about consuming copious amounts of their favorite beverage.
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
You should probably defer to the true locals here, but I'll make one point before I go into what my ideal weekend in Champaign would be if I were in your shoes! And that point is that the gameday experience at Memorial Stadium is night-and-day better right now than it was just two years ago. It's amazing what energy Bielema has injected into this program, and I have no doubt the tailgating scene and gameday environment for when we host (likely #1) Ohio State will be better than we have probably seen in Champaign in decades. With that said, assuming you are there Friday and Saturday night, this is what I would recommend as an out-of-towner. Also, unfortunately I have it on very good authority that this game will almost certainly be an 11:00 am start on FOX, so I'll assume that in my recommendations.
Hopefully as an out-of-town, non-alum fan who never has a designated tailgate to attend, my perspective will be helpful!! I'm usually just with my wife or possibly my parents if they drive over and join, haha.
FRIDAY - VERY much my personal take here, but you'll get plenty of time in Campustown on Saturday ... I'd go to Downtown Champaign (pictured below), especially if it is even remotely warm still! It's not far from Campustown, but they are very much separate areas.
Dinner
- If you want a nicer dinner, Nando Milano is fantastic Italian ... frankly as good as just about anywhere I have had in Chicago, and the atmosphere is great. I can't remember what prices are like (I assume expensive), but it's worth it if you ask me. It's in this area of Downtown that is closed off to traffic that I really like.
- Hamilton Walker's (steakhouse) and Big Grove (sort of "New American" or whatever) are also a little nicer and both cool. These are all within like a 2-minute walk, haha.
- If you are looking for something a bit more casual but still really good, I highly recommend Black Dog Smoke & Ale House for barbeque. It's also Downtown but a few blocks away from those other choices. I went for the first time last basketball season, and it lived up to the hype for me. Maize at the Station is also good Mexican, and Seven Saints is very solid bar food, though I'll say the atmosphere definitely depends on where they sit you.
After Dinner Drinks
- It used to be called the Blind Pig and now I guess it changed its name (and possibly beers??), but I would stop by Hound's Court if for no other reason than they have one of my favorite beer gardens:
- Barrelhouse 34 is also a cool cocktail bar (with a rooftop patio in warmer weather) that is right through the same area that is closed off to traffic. Worth a stop if you are bar hopping.
- If stuff is really busy, we have also always had luck finding room at Pour Bros Craft Taproom, which is over a few blocks east from most of the other bars and restaurants. It is one of those places where they give you a card to scan and you can pour however much of whatever draft beer they have on the walls, and it will just charge you at the end based on how much you drink.
SATURDAY - As I said above, my personally recommendation is to hang Downtown on Friday night and then spend all day Saturday in Campustown!
PreGame / Tailgating
- Assuming it's an 11:00 am game, your options for pre-game drinks or brunch at an establishment are depressingly limited. I always found this weird about Champaign, but hey ... just head to the tailgating!
- If you know anyone else going with another tailgate, I guess doing that is a very solid option. However, all of the Big Noon Kickoff festivities (assuming it is at our game) will be in our first-come, first-served tailgating area directly west of the stadium, Grange Grove (pictured below). Honestly, I would head there ... it's BYOB, you can walk around the whole thing and I think for this game, it will be a really fun environment. Especially if we do indeed get Big Noon, I would expect it to look kind of like that third picture below ... so it might start to really fill up!!
Postgame Activities
- I personally think postgame (depending on the result and how heated things get, lol ... no for real, we are nice!) is the time to hit up Campustown for a few drinks and maybe a bite to eat. I'd recommend Legends as a solid spot, as it is one of the places in Campustown that still has a somewhat vintage and/or explicitly Illini-themed feel ... a lot of blander new stuff. People also love Murphy's here, but it's never been that huge of a draw to me as far as atmosphere goes, lol.
- Regardless of where you go in Campustown, though, you should go a block or two out of your way to walk north through the South Quad (first picture), which leads directly into the Quad (second and third picture), and both lead right to the bars. It is a truly pretty part of Illinois' campus, and it would be a mistake to not take a route through it, given you would get to the main drag of Green Street (final picture, including Legends with the orange and blue awning) the same either way!
Have fun!
Hopefully as an out-of-town, non-alum fan who never has a designated tailgate to attend, my perspective will be helpful!! I'm usually just with my wife or possibly my parents if they drive over and join, haha.
FRIDAY - VERY much my personal take here, but you'll get plenty of time in Campustown on Saturday ... I'd go to Downtown Champaign (pictured below), especially if it is even remotely warm still! It's not far from Campustown, but they are very much separate areas.
Dinner
- If you want a nicer dinner, Nando Milano is fantastic Italian ... frankly as good as just about anywhere I have had in Chicago, and the atmosphere is great. I can't remember what prices are like (I assume expensive), but it's worth it if you ask me. It's in this area of Downtown that is closed off to traffic that I really like.
- Hamilton Walker's (steakhouse) and Big Grove (sort of "New American" or whatever) are also a little nicer and both cool. These are all within like a 2-minute walk, haha.
- If you are looking for something a bit more casual but still really good, I highly recommend Black Dog Smoke & Ale House for barbeque. It's also Downtown but a few blocks away from those other choices. I went for the first time last basketball season, and it lived up to the hype for me. Maize at the Station is also good Mexican, and Seven Saints is very solid bar food, though I'll say the atmosphere definitely depends on where they sit you.
After Dinner Drinks
- It used to be called the Blind Pig and now I guess it changed its name (and possibly beers??), but I would stop by Hound's Court if for no other reason than they have one of my favorite beer gardens:
- Barrelhouse 34 is also a cool cocktail bar (with a rooftop patio in warmer weather) that is right through the same area that is closed off to traffic. Worth a stop if you are bar hopping.
- If stuff is really busy, we have also always had luck finding room at Pour Bros Craft Taproom, which is over a few blocks east from most of the other bars and restaurants. It is one of those places where they give you a card to scan and you can pour however much of whatever draft beer they have on the walls, and it will just charge you at the end based on how much you drink.
SATURDAY - As I said above, my personally recommendation is to hang Downtown on Friday night and then spend all day Saturday in Campustown!
PreGame / Tailgating
- Assuming it's an 11:00 am game, your options for pre-game drinks or brunch at an establishment are depressingly limited. I always found this weird about Champaign, but hey ... just head to the tailgating!
- If you know anyone else going with another tailgate, I guess doing that is a very solid option. However, all of the Big Noon Kickoff festivities (assuming it is at our game) will be in our first-come, first-served tailgating area directly west of the stadium, Grange Grove (pictured below). Honestly, I would head there ... it's BYOB, you can walk around the whole thing and I think for this game, it will be a really fun environment. Especially if we do indeed get Big Noon, I would expect it to look kind of like that third picture below ... so it might start to really fill up!!
Postgame Activities
- I personally think postgame (depending on the result and how heated things get, lol ... no for real, we are nice!) is the time to hit up Campustown for a few drinks and maybe a bite to eat. I'd recommend Legends as a solid spot, as it is one of the places in Campustown that still has a somewhat vintage and/or explicitly Illini-themed feel ... a lot of blander new stuff. People also love Murphy's here, but it's never been that huge of a draw to me as far as atmosphere goes, lol.
- Regardless of where you go in Campustown, though, you should go a block or two out of your way to walk north through the South Quad (first picture), which leads directly into the Quad (second and third picture), and both lead right to the bars. It is a truly pretty part of Illinois' campus, and it would be a mistake to not take a route through it, given you would get to the main drag of Green Street (final picture, including Legends with the orange and blue awning) the same either way!
Have fun!
what's really unique to U of IL is the fact we HISTORICALLY were a really strong program (1910-1965) and then some BS happened in 1967 that caused us to crash and burn and then spend the following 50 years wandering in the desert, save 7-8 years here and there .
BUT WE ARE BACK BABY!
Will do!
Wow! Beilema should get you on his staff to help with recruiting. That was very detailed and helpful. Makes me even more excited to check out campus haha. And yeah unfortunately I really think it’s gonna be big noon as well. Seems like postgame Campustown is the move! Hopefully there are some decent games in the 3:30-4 slate that day. Thanks man that was a great breakdownYou should probably defer to the true locals here, but I'll make one point before I go into what my ideal weekend in Champaign would be if I were in your shoes! And that point is that the gameday experience at Memorial Stadium is night-and-day better right now than it was just two years ago. It's amazing what energy Bielema has injected into this program, and I have no doubt the tailgating scene and gameday environment for when we host (likely #1) Ohio State will be better than we have probably seen in Champaign in decades. With that said, assuming you are there Friday and Saturday night, this is what I would recommend as an out-of-towner. Also, unfortunately I have it on very good authority that this game will almost certainly be an 11:00 am start on FOX, so I'll assume that in my recommendations.
Hopefully as an out-of-town, non-alum fan who never has a designated tailgate to attend, my perspective will be helpful!! I'm usually just with my wife or possibly my parents if they drive over and join, haha.
FRIDAY - VERY much my personal take here, but you'll get plenty of time in Campustown on Saturday ... I'd go to Downtown Champaign (pictured below), especially if it is even remotely warm still! It's not far from Campustown, but they are very much separate areas.
Dinner
- If you want a nicer dinner, Nando Milano is fantastic Italian ... frankly as good as just about anywhere I have had in Chicago, and the atmosphere is great. I can't remember what prices are like (I assume expensive), but it's worth it if you ask me. It's in this area of Downtown that is closed off to traffic that I really like.
- Hamilton Walker's (steakhouse) and Big Grove (sort of "New American" or whatever) are also a little nicer and both cool. These are all within like a 2-minute walk, haha.
- If you are looking for something a bit more casual but still really good, I highly recommend Black Dog Smoke & Ale House for barbeque. It's also Downtown but a few blocks away from those other choices. I went for the first time last basketball season, and it lived up to the hype for me. Maize at the Station is also good Mexican, and Seven Saints is very solid bar food, though I'll say the atmosphere definitely depends on where they sit you.
After Dinner Drinks
- It used to be called the Blind Pig and now I guess it changed its name (and possibly beers??), but I would stop by Hound's Court if for no other reason than they have one of my favorite beer gardens:
- Barrelhouse 34 is also a cool cocktail bar (with a rooftop patio in warmer weather) that is right through the same area that is closed off to traffic. Worth a stop if you are bar hopping.
- If stuff is really busy, we have also always had luck finding room at Pour Bros Craft Taproom, which is over a few blocks east from most of the other bars and restaurants. It is one of those places where they give you a card to scan and you can pour however much of whatever draft beer they have on the walls, and it will just charge you at the end based on how much you drink.
SATURDAY - As I said above, my personally recommendation is to hang Downtown on Friday night and then spend all day Saturday in Campustown!
PreGame / Tailgating
- Assuming it's an 11:00 am game, your options for pre-game drinks or brunch at an establishment are depressingly limited. I always found this weird about Champaign, but hey ... just head to the tailgating!
- If you know anyone else going with another tailgate, I guess doing that is a very solid option. However, all of the Big Noon Kickoff festivities (assuming it is at our game) will be in our first-come, first-served tailgating area directly west of the stadium, Grange Grove (pictured below). Honestly, I would head there ... it's BYOB, you can walk around the whole thing and I think for this game, it will be a really fun environment. Especially if we do indeed get Big Noon, I would expect it to look kind of like that third picture below ... so it might start to really fill up!!
Postgame Activities
- I personally think postgame (depending on the result and how heated things get, lol ... no for real, we are nice!) is the time to hit up Campustown for a few drinks and maybe a bite to eat. I'd recommend Legends as a solid spot, as it is one of the places in Campustown that still has a somewhat vintage and/or explicitly Illini-themed feel ... a lot of blander new stuff. People also love Murphy's here, but it's never been that huge of a draw to me as far as atmosphere goes, lol.
- Regardless of where you go in Campustown, though, you should go a block or two out of your way to walk north through the South Quad (first picture), which leads directly into the Quad (second and third picture), and both lead right to the bars. It is a truly pretty part of Illinois' campus, and it would be a mistake to not take a route through it, given you would get to the main drag of Green Street (final picture, including Legends with the orange and blue awning) the same either way!
Have fun!
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Those are some great pics and recommendations!You should probably defer to the true locals here, but I'll make one point before I go into what my ideal weekend in Champaign would be if I were in your shoes! And that point is that the gameday experience at Memorial Stadium is night-and-day better right now than it was just two years ago. It's amazing what energy Bielema has injected into this program, and I have no doubt the tailgating scene and gameday environment for when we host (likely #1) Ohio State will be better than we have probably seen in Champaign in decades. With that said, assuming you are there Friday and Saturday night, this is what I would recommend as an out-of-towner. Also, unfortunately I have it on very good authority that this game will almost certainly be an 11:00 am start on FOX, so I'll assume that in my recommendations.
Hopefully as an out-of-town, non-alum fan who never has a designated tailgate to attend, my perspective will be helpful!! I'm usually just with my wife or possibly my parents if they drive over and join, haha.
FRIDAY - VERY much my personal take here, but you'll get plenty of time in Campustown on Saturday ... I'd go to Downtown Champaign (pictured below), especially if it is even remotely warm still! It's not far from Campustown, but they are very much separate areas.
Dinner
- If you want a nicer dinner, Nando Milano is fantastic Italian ... frankly as good as just about anywhere I have had in Chicago, and the atmosphere is great. I can't remember what prices are like (I assume expensive), but it's worth it if you ask me. It's in this area of Downtown that is closed off to traffic that I really like.
- Hamilton Walker's (steakhouse) and Big Grove (sort of "New American" or whatever) are also a little nicer and both cool. These are all within like a 2-minute walk, haha.
- If you are looking for something a bit more casual but still really good, I highly recommend Black Dog Smoke & Ale House for barbeque. It's also Downtown but a few blocks away from those other choices. I went for the first time last basketball season, and it lived up to the hype for me. Maize at the Station is also good Mexican, and Seven Saints is very solid bar food, though I'll say the atmosphere definitely depends on where they sit you.
After Dinner Drinks
- It used to be called the Blind Pig and now I guess it changed its name (and possibly beers??), but I would stop by Hound's Court if for no other reason than they have one of my favorite beer gardens:
- Barrelhouse 34 is also a cool cocktail bar (with a rooftop patio in warmer weather) that is right through the same area that is closed off to traffic. Worth a stop if you are bar hopping.
- If stuff is really busy, we have also always had luck finding room at Pour Bros Craft Taproom, which is over a few blocks east from most of the other bars and restaurants. It is one of those places where they give you a card to scan and you can pour however much of whatever draft beer they have on the walls, and it will just charge you at the end based on how much you drink.
SATURDAY - As I said above, my personally recommendation is to hang Downtown on Friday night and then spend all day Saturday in Campustown!
PreGame / Tailgating
- Assuming it's an 11:00 am game, your options for pre-game drinks or brunch at an establishment are depressingly limited. I always found this weird about Champaign, but hey ... just head to the tailgating!
- If you know anyone else going with another tailgate, I guess doing that is a very solid option. However, all of the Big Noon Kickoff festivities (assuming it is at our game) will be in our first-come, first-served tailgating area directly west of the stadium, Grange Grove (pictured below). Honestly, I would head there ... it's BYOB, you can walk around the whole thing and I think for this game, it will be a really fun environment. Especially if we do indeed get Big Noon, I would expect it to look kind of like that third picture below ... so it might start to really fill up!!
Postgame Activities
- I personally think postgame (depending on the result and how heated things get, lol ... no for real, we are nice!) is the time to hit up Campustown for a few drinks and maybe a bite to eat. I'd recommend Legends as a solid spot, as it is one of the places in Campustown that still has a somewhat vintage and/or explicitly Illini-themed feel ... a lot of blander new stuff. People also love Murphy's here, but it's never been that huge of a draw to me as far as atmosphere goes, lol.
- Regardless of where you go in Campustown, though, you should go a block or two out of your way to walk north through the South Quad (first picture), which leads directly into the Quad (second and third picture), and both lead right to the bars. It is a truly pretty part of Illinois' campus, and it would be a mistake to not take a route through it, given you would get to the main drag of Green Street (final picture, including Legends with the orange and blue awning) the same either way!
Have fun!
For the people who go to more of the games is downtown/midtown a hassle to park as well? Even North of University Ave?
I currently have it in my notes that Kirby and Lincoln is the best place to park. Just curious if there’s anything up more north that way the walk down is through campustown. If not no worries just figured I’d check. I guess also I should make it clear that a 30+ minute walk is kinda what I expected so if it’s a distance thing I don’t mind.
I currently have it in my notes that Kirby and Lincoln is the best place to park. Just curious if there’s anything up more north that way the walk down is through campustown. If not no worries just figured I’d check. I guess also I should make it clear that a 30+ minute walk is kinda what I expected so if it’s a distance thing I don’t mind.
I often use Kirby and Florida interchangeably, even in the same sentence! I'm usually terrible at giving directions as it is, and I can really confuse people trying to explain to an out or towner how to get to or from somewhere around the stadiums.
if you ask @FighteroftheNightman what time it is, he'll tell you how to make a clock! hahaha (hes my man)
IlliniKat91
- Chicago, IL
I very clearly spent most of my four years on the Champaign side and have no regrets
I was going to tell him to park by Japan House but didn't think that would mean much to a visitor lol
Shief
- Champaign Area
@Fighter of the Nightman is our most detailed poster. He provides great explanations and I appreciate that about him.
Attachments
Random other thoughts:
Punch is nice for cocktails while you are waiting for a table somewhere downtown
Take a picture with the Ebert Statue
The Yard in Urbana has a variety of local places. It can be a madhouse to park.
I always take visitors to Black Dog or Watsons. Have avoided Ko Fusion and Farrens as they seem like different places since covid.
Golden Harbor is intimidating but amazing Chinese food in a family style setting.
Punch is nice for cocktails while you are waiting for a table somewhere downtown
Take a picture with the Ebert Statue
The Yard in Urbana has a variety of local places. It can be a madhouse to park.
I always take visitors to Black Dog or Watsons. Have avoided Ko Fusion and Farrens as they seem like different places since covid.
Golden Harbor is intimidating but amazing Chinese food in a family style setting.
- Status