User Reviews for Champaign Restaurants

Research User Reviews for Champaign (1-12 of 12)

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Applebee's
Nov 1, 2009 by Big Kev from Urbana

Overall Rating: 10
Food:[10] • Atmosphere:[10]

• Great food. Great service.

“Very good. My wife, she liked it too. Sometimes her mother, her brother, come with us. They liked it too. Strange man was there. He is not clean. Otherwise, everything there very good.”

Basil Thai Cafe
Jul 29, 2009 by PSO from Elk Grove Village

Overall Rating: 8
Food:[9] • Service:[9] • Atmosphere:[9]

• Amazing taste.
• High prices and low quantity.

“I have frequented this restaurant for over 10 years now. The taste of the food is amazing! Their best dishes in my opinion are Basil Fried Rice (Beef), Tom Yum Noodle Soup (Thai style with ground chicken, Basil Chicken (Thai style), and Pad Kee Mao with Beef. Over the years the portions have gotten smaller and the prices have increased. But still one of the better Thai restaurants in terms of taste in town.”

Papa Del'S Pizza Co
May 22, 2009 by mike hoffman from champaign

Overall Rating: 4
Food:[8] • Service:[1] • Atmosphere:[2]

• Food good.
• Service stinks.

“Food good, but the service is the worst that I have ever had in a restaurant.”

Bacaro
Mar 30, 2008 by Dominic from Champaign

Overall Rating: 9
Food:[9] • Service:[9] • Atmosphere:[9]

• Amazing food. Fast, courteous service.
• Needs more intimate seating. Cold air vent was right under chair.

“My partner and I were there for the first time and had a lovely dinner and highly recommend this restaurant. It was Saturday night and I was half expecting a long wait between drinks and courses but the waitress was very timely and courteous and answered all my silly questions like "How does one eat stinging nettles?" My starter was a white-bean & stinging nettle soup and it was very delicious but it absolutely paled in comparison to my partner's salmon starter which I cannot recall the exact name of but it was tangy and delicious! I was not as disappointed with my blue prawns and scallops. However, the saffron sauce broth was one of the most subtle and delicious flavors I have ever tasted. For dessert we had banana bread pudding and a chocolate tart get the tart I have never had French press coffee but while I was waiting for some sugar I tasted it with my usual half-a-cow's worth of cream and decided that I didn't need any sugar so it was very good. As for the atmosphere, I felt a little on display but it was kind of fun and I got over it quickly. The restaurant is not a "family" restaurant by any stretch and I hope it remains so. Screaming kids are no fun anywhere. This is some place you should go with someone special to enjoy a meal you will likely remember for a long time. We will definitely be back.”

2 of 3 people found this review helpful.

Bob Evans Restaurant 95
Feb 10, 2008 by PJ from Paxton, IL

Overall Rating: 8
Food:[8] • Service:[8] • Atmosphere:[8]

• Good food-service-reasonable prices.
• None.

“Bob Evans can always be counted on for good food in a clean and friendly atmosphere. For a quick meal you can't find a better place. Also the customers are of a quality I am not uncomfortable.”

Village Inn Restaurant
Dec 22, 2007 by Jerry from Bloomington

Overall Rating: 9
Food:[8] • Service:[9] • Atmosphere:[7]

• Great food and excellent service.
• When the place is "full" it is hard to move around.

“When I was a kid my dad would take me to Village Inn to play the games in the back. I loved going there. I take my son there now when I am in town. The Nachos are huge and a complete meal. I like the extra crispy pizza. It reminds me of the "original" Monicas Extra crispy before it was corporative. It is locally owned.”

Hinode Japanese Restaurant Inc
Nov 28, 2007 by James from Mahomet

Overall Rating: 8
Food:[7] • Service:[6] • Atmosphere:[9]

• Sushi, Gyoza, authenticity.
• Tempura batter and slow service.

“This restaurant is now called Sushi Kame. It's fairly authentic for the area (Japanese sushi chef). They give you the hot hand towel to wipe your hands. For my appetizer, I had the gyoza, which was fairly light and not greasy at all. They give you a tiny "amuse-bouche" which consisted of cucumbers, noodles and a vinegary sauce. It was pretty good! I had the sushi bento box, which consisted of salad, soup, rice, tempura, California roll and 5 negiri sushi. The tempura batter was a bit too heavy, but the California roll and sushi were fairly fresh. The salad was good, but the lettuce didn't seem green enough. Everything tasted good but I think Kamakura is a better pick. There was only one waitress, and she seemed to forget about us, so service was a little slow. But she did keep our hot tea topped off. I would pick this place over Mika any day.”

Bacaro
Jul 22, 2007 by Em from Champaign

Overall Rating: 9
Food:[9] • Service:[8] • Atmosphere:[8]

• The freshest, tastiest, highest quality food in Champaign.
• Sometimes the music just doesn't fit the rest of the experience.

“I've eaten at Bacaro many times and it's not because I've got bottomless pockets. It's because the food is outstanding. Sure, on the first visit I was a little intimidated by what seemed like a stark environment. The staff was educated and friendly, quickly alleviated any awkwardness and assisted me in choosing a wine. Once I tasted the food, the minimalist decor made sense. This place is not about distracting your eyes with quirky furnishings -- the food is what you see. And it's beautiful. Presentation, however, is not the food's only outstanding quality. This restaurant has brought an entirely fresh approach to dining in Champaign-Urbana, both literally and figuratively. The ingredients are chosen for their quality and freshness, and then presented to you in ways that compliment their finest attributes. The menu changes frequently enough that a loyal diner cannot possibly get bored. And, if you don't consider yourself an adventurous eater, you can find comfort in the very perfect simplicity of some of the offerings. The risotto of the day, for instance, is always prepared to perfection. This is not an unapproachable menu. And, yet, it can still be exciting and surprising in the way simple ingredients are so tastefully combined. Those who don't give Bacaro a chance because it seems "snooty" are missing out. Sure, it's pricey. But good food, prepared well, is like art. A canvas covered in paint isn't worth much, but if you admire it and enjoy it, you take it home with you. You can spend slightly less at Radio Maria or the Great Impasta, but you are not getting the best food for your money. If you haven't tried this restaurant yet, give it a chance. Go in open-minded and come out very pleased.”

3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

Jarlings Custard Cup Inc
Jul 18, 2007 by Christina from Los Angeles

Overall Rating: 10
Food:[10] • Service:[9] • Atmosphere:[9]

• Everything!
• Nothing!

“This is the best ice-cream in the nation. I want to send a few quarts home, but think they will melt!”

Kamakura Japanese Restaurant
Mar 4, 2007 by Susan from Albany, NY

Overall Rating: 10
Food:[10] • Service:[10] • Atmosphere:[10]

• Sushi and service.

“This is an excellent Japanese restaurant with a very varied menu and excellent, fresh sushi, every time. I have visited this establishment on many occasions for lunch and dinner and have always had a positive experience.”

1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Bacaro
Jun 11, 2006 by Rich from Chicago

Overall Rating: 1
Food:[1] • Service:[1] • Atmosphere:[4]

• Nice wine list.
• Obnoxious staff.

“I had an awful experience at Bacaro--so bad that I wrote a letter to the owner (abridged version below). He failed to respond. In many years of frequent dining at comparable or nicer restaurants at home in Chicago, I have never been treated as poorly as I was at Bacaro. Be wary. ***Letter to Bacaro dated May 19, 2006***Dear Mr. Morrow: I am writing regarding an unpleasant experience at Bacaro. We arrived around 8:30 p.m. and were told that it would be 30-45 minutes for a table. Accordingly, we agreed to wait. After ordering a bottle of Rosso di Montalcino while waiting, a first staffer informed us that there may not be a table available for us. This is the first time I have ever had a restaurant of Bacaro caliber suggest that we go elsewhere after previously agreeing to allow us to wait for a table. We were caught particularly off guard because we had just ordered a nice bottle of wine and it was still an hour or two before Bacaro's posted closing time. About 20 minutes later, a second staffer made the same comment to us. I began to feel like there was something wrong with us. But we stayed because we still wanted to try your cuisine and we had a bottle to drink until the bottle disappeared. It was returned to us after we asked about it. As every bartender and sommelier knows, this is pretty bad form especially when it was clear that the staff had no intention or desire to refill our glasses for us. Soon after (around 9:00 p.m.), a four-topper became available behind us. We assumed it was for customers with reservations, but no one ever sat there while were in the restaurant. Moreover, as the night continued, the crowd began to dissipate and other tables were unoccupied. After an hour-long snub, we got the point. I asked for the check and to speak to a manager. The first staffer rudely asked what the problem was. This ultimately prompted an unpleasant exchange. Instead of escalating the exchange into a fruitless shouting match, I am bringing this matter to your attention in the hope that you will explain the problem.”

27 of 33 people found this review helpful.

Steak N Shake
May 11, 2006 by Pat from Champaign

Overall Rating: 10
Food:[10] • Service:[10] • Atmosphere:[10]

• Homemade shakes and burgers made from ground steak.
• I miss the car hops of my youth!

“Steak 'N Shake started life as a chain of drive-in diners in the 40's and 50's where you dine in your car and are served by carhops. Most Steak 'N Shake are now either drive-through or dine-in, but they still serve the same steak burgers (hamburgers made from ground steak) and homemade (and hand made!) thick shakes as they did back then. Do yourself a favor and stop in and have a burger and a shake. You won't regret it!”

0 of 2 people found this review helpful.