Have been there twice. Lots of people dining in both time. The food here was very good. The first time I ordered a jambalaya and collard greens. The second time I ordered a catfish dinner with sides collard greens and green beans, as well as some extra corn bread and dinner rolls. They kept the ingredients simple, but still delicious. The fish was really tender and juicy. The veggie was not oily at all! As long as you do not order those fried dishes I think it could be tasty and healthy. Service, especially check out, was slow. The second time I spent over 20 min to complete it. The restaurant might be understaffed. So schedule plenty of time if you want to eat there. Still, I will come back to try more dishes. read more

See all

I have continued to visit this restaurant and since my earlier pandemic era review my opinion has markedly improved. The food is still excellent and is served hot and swiftly. The staff is friendly and brings what is ordered. The atmosphere is back to pre-pandemic joy and pleasure. This one of my plant-based diet top choices and I strongly recommend that you pick an evening to try it out. read more

I got the combo, catfish and shrimp, with greens and mac and cheese. I switched the dinner roll for cornbread (at the hostess's suggestion) and ate at home. Remoulade and a little barbeque sauces on the side. It was phenomenal. I can't wait to go back and have some of other suggestions they made...oxtails, pasta, and the wings. Also loved supporting a minority women owned business. Highly recommend!!! read more

We had a really slow service even with a reservation. we waited at least 20 minutes at the front. I'm in the food took another 20 minutes .

This was a pretty good find for a Sunday Brunch. It was super chill and we got some real southern home cooked meal. They also had a DJ that was playing just at the right volume. It looked empty from the outside, but it was pretty full inside. We did the buffet which I thought was ok. The food on it was excellent, but the options were a bit strange. No eggs or pancakes, but they had ribs and lasagna. For Brunch? You could get chicken and waffles so that was great. I also liked the shrimp and grits and the mac and cheese. The service was ok. I was expecting to see the server a tiny bit more, but since it was buffet, I kind of understand them taking a step back. Either way, this was a pretty good spot. Maybe a lunch or dinner is in the works for me! read more

The buffet was good but the price was very high. I don't think I will be going back anytime soon. It's just too expensive.

Gail and the rest of the crew at Neil St Blues were very welcoming and went above and beyond the regular standard of service. Food was truly great and the ambiance was just right for the occasion. We can't wait to go back and enjoy the southern hospitality read more

Great southern/ soul food and always great service! We are going for brunch on Mother's Day for the first time and can't wait! read more

Genuine soul food, reminded me of my Louisiana roots. We had the fried catfish (excellent breading), fried okra (crisp & firm), shrimp poboys (flaky bread, large shrimp), gumbo (nearly as good as homemade!) and the sweet tea is true southern sweet. The only thing we didn't care for was the sweet potatoe waffle fries, but all in all great dining experience! Service was friendly and prompt. Look forward to returning when there's live music. read more

Service was very good, ambiance ok. Food not so good. The only thing I can give 5 stars to we're the frog legs. Hot and crispy and very tasty. The shrimp & grits was a cheesy, salty mess that was inedible. The jambalaya had very little flavor. Needed spice and use real andouille instead of smoked sausage. Really disappointing. Was looking forward to a good Cajun meal.​ read more

Reservation is in May. Great service a few years ago for my mother's 90th birthday.!!!!!!!!!

First, the food was amazing. Our choices ( there were 13 of us) ranged from salad, jambalaya, burgers and wings. Everyone was very happy. Second, the staff. We were pleasantly greeted as we entered, and escorted to our table. The server was incredible, fast and efficient. She anticipated our needs, refills, removed empty dishes, quickly and efficiently. She's mastered the art of being nearby, but not hovering. read more

A pretty cool blues bar with Southern style but healthier. It modifies a few things to give you some healthier options. Neil Street Blues is of course located on Neil Street. Has a cool urban feel. The drinks are pretty strong and the food has the Cajun spice even when instead of sausage it's seitan or tofu. I thought this place sounded cool so we came to check it out for some drinks and food. Much of the menu is Southern. There's Cajun favorites like red beans and rice too. A lot of it also has some healthier choices. They have plant based options. I had a Blue Kamikaze to drink. It's $9 for a pretty large pour. This is made with Blue Curaçao, lime juice, and vodka. She had some well drinks for cheaper. The food is where it's at though. I had the Red Beans And Rice. It came with the option to add seitan sausage for a total of $12 for a pretty good amount of good stuff. The seitan was peppery and hot like the real thing. Price was pretty good for the amount of food. This was a pretty filling meal. Good place for blues, drinks, and food. It has lots of good stuff to get. They even have some vegan options even if you're eating Southern. read more

Neil St Blues - Blue Kamikaze And The Red Beans And Rice With Added Seitan - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

Amazing! Came here for the Thanksgiving day buffet and it was better than anything we could have done at home. They were playing music and had a fun vibe. Thanks for being open today. God bless read more

As a gig delivery driver this place is the pits . Arrived to pick up an order and the order was not even started . We got put at the bottom of the queue and told would be ready in 5 minutes for almost an hour . They finally finished the order only to find out the cook messed it up and it would need redone The food may be good but the service sucks hardcore will not deliver for this place again read more

I am so disappointed in Neil Street blues and a lot of other establishments for not recognizing our veterans all the sacrifice that we do come back and just try to get a little recognition and they say they do not honor military discounts. I think all the veterans that have serve should take under consideration all the different businesses that don't support our veterans I think we have served our country and it's about time we get the recognition in whatever form that we deserve. read more

Food- is amazing good and moist chicken and fish . Amazing side dishes. Service- everyone is so nice and attentive . Great people. Ambiance- great place for family events and date nights . read more

An awesome black owned restaurant, located in the heart of this college town. Neil Street Blues has everything. Good food, great ambiance, and even better environment setting. They are always switching up what they are doing at the restaurant. Sometimes they have good music playing on the speakers. Or they have live music for guests to enjoy. We went in for our group lunch and what a wonderful lunch we had! This was my first time coming here and I must say I am impressed. The customer service was awesome. Everything is tasty, and came super fast. I had the fried catfish, macaroni and greens. Everything was a 10. read more

Neil St Blues - A little bit of everything - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

I would leave this restaurant a Zero, if it was possible. The staff is very rude and extremely unprofessional. I ordered a catfish dinner, which is supposed to be served with two sides. However the sides were missing. Also, ordered shrimp and grits. I was told that my order would be ready in 30 minutes. I was told they were just waiting for a couple of items to be prepared after waiting for 30 minutes. I said ok. Twenty minutes later, I was then told they ran out of grits. I waited all of these time to get home with no sides and cold gravy. I left a message on the owner's Gail Starks voicemail, but never received a callback. I called the restaurant and spoke with someone that claimed to be named Jade, but yet when I went back to this place of buisness, was told that they remember me placing the order, yet no one by the name of Jade works there. I would not recommend this place!!! read more

After attending my best a funeral for the sister of my best friend, my wife and I found ourselves in the Champaign, IL area and we were hungry. After visiting a dispensary, we searched Yelp for something a little different than what we had back home. After reading the menu, my wife and I decided on Neil St Blues. At just after 3pm they were rather busy. It appeared to be a large party, but they accommodated us anyway. Apparently the only front of the house employee was the bartender Rayven. She was very friendly and helpful with figuring out how to work around my dietary restrictions. I was very excited to see that a frog legs appetizer was offered. I had only tried frog legs once before and the experience wasn't a good one. Luckily for me the line cook, chef or grandma they've got in the kitchen seems to know what they're doing, these were delicious. I decided to order the fried chicken dinner with fried okra and corn bread. My wife stole my okra immediately. I also had fries left from the appetizer. The fried chicken was delicious. The skin was crispy (on every piece but the wing) and the meat was juicy and flavorful. Great job on the brining. The corn bread was a little sweet and a little salty. A little too crumbly for me, but very good. The fried okra was nothing special. Looks like it came from a bag. My wife got the shrimp and grits. It came with a breadstick and a cup of sausage and turkey jambalaya. The cheese grits were very tasty. She offered a shrimp, but I couldn't take one. She only got 6-8. She loved everything about her meal. We tried the banana pudding and the bread pudding. My wife loved the banana pudding. I thought the dessert was too sweet. My wife pointed out that the bananas were very ripe. That isn't a flavor I care for either. Take that information for what it's worth. One like, one not. The bread was good. I forgot to ask if the bread pudding had raisins or not. Unfortunately, it did not. Had I known, I wouldn't have ordered it. However it was tasty enough that almost finished it all. If I lived in the area, I'd eat here about once a week. They have a decent menu and they are Putting out quality food. If they can master Southern Okra on a large scale like my grandma did in her cast iron and cornmeal, I may have to drive from Indy once a month. I'm giving 5 stars because I cannot give fractional stars. This place is closer to 5 than it is a 4 every day of the week. read more

See all

Extremely expensive! $11.50 for a bourbon old fashioned!!!! It wasn't made correctly. It appeared to be the bartenders first day. The bar was cluttered with dirty dishes and glasses from previous customers and never cleared them off all the time I was there! He didn't know where anything was and was very slow! FYI, I was the only person at the bar. Probably will not return to this establishment. read more

Everything was perfect! Food, service, music perfectly flowed. We are definitely going back. Never had search for someone for a plate or refill. Most comfortable place to eat and cleanliness are great!! read more

Super expensive buffet for Easter. Food was fine, but not at that price for that environment. Music was really loud making it difficult to have a conversation. I probably wouldn't go back. At $40 a head, I expect an exceptional experience. read more

It was okay not enough variety of we felt rushed food wasn't very flavorful crab legs seemed to be soft and small it wasn't the place I expected we walked in and practically ignored by seating staff . When seated our selves then lady came over to us , asked how did get the seats we sitting in we said we just came and sat down she left with attitude read more

I'll cry if you don't try the Frog Legs It's literally amazing!!! The Georgia Peach cocktail is refreshing and really a wise choice if you don't wanna something too strong. The Crab Cakes is a little bit salty and the Shrimp & Grits is not so smooth and soft, but I'm satisfied enough with them in such a small town, and the prices seem reasonable. Additionally, the service is pretty good! The lady who served us was very interesting and friendly. Wish you have a great day~ read more

See all

The food is great at a very good price, awesome service and I love the ambiance particularly the music!

I really wanted to give a higher rating or rating, but the experience when we got there is what is tarnishing it. They were not crowded and 1 of the waitresses kept cleaning the tables around us and serving the tables around us and then 15 minutes in ask us if we had been served yet. Finally we got someone. She was very nice and they brought our food pretty quickly.. But it took forever to get the initial drinks or to be served in the 1st place which is what is driving my rating. I'm. I am hoping when I come back that I have a better experience because the food was pretty good. read more

Neil St Blues - a sign for neil st blues - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

Great soul food! You won't be disappointed! Fresh food and the service was A1! The serving sizes are huge! read more

See all

What's not to love? Servers & Service are fun and helpful; felt right at home from door to dish. We had the Jambalaya & Cajun Salmon and couldn't have been happier. Perhaps the jambalaya was slightly too salty, but given the rest of the flavors and spice it was hardly noticable. I would come back just for the hushpuppies. We showed up later in the night so they were out of the accompanying cheese but it couldn't have mattered. If they sold the pups by the pound I would drive the several hours south for those alone; risking speeding tickets and bodily harm if necessary. If there is a waiting list for frozen shipments, please add me. read more

We were in town, and I had read about Neil Street Blues . online. All I can say is that someone's southern mama is in the kitchen cooking there. Everything we had tasted homemade. Delicious. Do yourself a flavor and go there. read more

We celebrated our wedding dinner with Neil Street, when I say they were so hospitable and welcoming, Shannon serviced approximately 35 of us and she handled us with care, kindness and speed..very attentive! Food and spirits were excellent!! Thank you for your hospitality and support for our big day! read more

Food was on point !!! Service was great from the time we arrived, greeted promptly offered a seat at the bar until table was ready.

Always great food! Sunday brunch is your best bet to try everything. My top choices are the wings, catfish (blackened or grilled), or fried chicken. Best sides are collard greens, Mac n cheese, sweet potatoes. The shrimp n grits are great as is the jambalaya. The service can be slow sometimes but just say that you're in a bit of a rush and they'll be more attentive - i bet they're just having a good time in the back... they're always laughing back there. read more

Wait was 25 minutes but the slot machines kept us busy until our table was ready. My 1 and only complaint was our appetizer came out at the same time as our food, but all of the food was amazing and totally worth the wait! The potato salad was the best I have ever tasted. The fried frog legs!!! First time trying and I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THEM!! OMG we got fat and full off the large amount of food they gave us. Will be returning! read more

See all

The service was exceptional and the food selection was everything that I could dream of eating. The food was delicious and prepared perfect. I had the honey glazed salmon with candied yams and Mac and cheese. The salmon was delicious and the sides were tasty. The Mac and cheese was almost as good as my mom's!! Will be going back to eat there again!! read more

Friendly people and amazing food. I have tried several things but can't seem to stay away from the shrimp Poboy. Outstanding.

Food, servers and owner are top notch! Fried Green Tomatoes are spot on!!! Sunday buffet was excellent too! read more

Neil St Blues - The food, the staff(service)and the owner are amazing. The best fried green tomatoes I have ever ate and that BREAD PUDDING is dangerous!!! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

Best soul food in the area! Staff is always attentive and the drinks are always on point.

I usually don't have a bad experience but I guess pick up orders aren't extended the same care that in restaurant orders are given. I ordered before my lunch for my partner and I and they completely forgot the wings to the wing dinner! How much of an idiot are you to pack the sides and not the main part of the meal? Then offered a credit because I'm on my lunch and have to head back. I'm good on this place, things have changed in the restaurant anyway and it has not been for the better. read more

The food was extremely good and served in a timely manner. The restaurant staff were all very nice and attentive. The restaurant was also very clean except for a condiment bottle that a prior visitor with very saucy hands grabbed and didn't wipe off. I guess some have never heard of how to use the napkins that the wait staff give many off due to the types of food served. Overall, a fantastic choice if you love southern style cooking. I would definitely return. read more