Sakanaya

This isn't really a review because the cafe wasn't open, even though we went during the hours…read moreposted. Maybe because it is summer and it's located within a university affiliated building. It looked awesome, if you like homegrown authentic vegan vibes which we definitely do. So my review is: CALL AHEAD! Make sure they're open! The website listed with Yelp is DOA but here's a better one. https://www.channingmurray.org/the-red-herring

Went for the kale Caesar salad and it was actually better than I expected. The kale was massaged so…read moreit wasn't tough, and the dressing was garlicky with a nice kick. Croutons were house made and super crunchy. I added shrimp and they were cooked just right. It's a casual little place with friendly staff. Not much noise and easygoing atmosphere. I'd come back to try their other salads for sure.

Black Bean Burger

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Cafe Sababa

5.0(6 reviews)

0.1 mi

Cafe Sababa is absolutely a hidden gem inside the Illini Hillel!…read more I ordered the sweet potato croquettes this noon, which is listed on their menu for the restaurant week. The croquettes were just amazing! The sour sauce and the vegetables made the food more refreshing. The amount (5 croquettes in total) was just suitable for a quick lunch. The people here were so nice, while there were not so many seats for dining inside. Anyway, it must be a 5 stars cute place on campus!

I've been going to Cafe Sababa inside of the Cohen Jewish Center for about a year now - and I have…read moreyet to be disappointed. Aaron Stevens and Matt Harsh work in the kitchen, occasionally with a student (like myself) who will help out. The lunch is non-meat, so tuna melts, grilled cheese, pizza slices, and BYOB's (build your own bagel) are the standard fare. They also do some really tasty nacho fries, which is jalapenos, cheese, tomatoes, and onions on seasoned french fries.

Sweet Potato Croquettes

Cafe Sababa is a warm and welcoming place.

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Our amazing Tuna Melt

Lazy Daisy Diner & Cafe

4.3(48 reviews)

1.4 mi

There was quite a wait on a Sunday morning, however, the food made up for the wait. The decor and…read morevibe are really cool. The location is a little unusual, being part of an old mall turned into an artsy shopping hub. There is a door outside of the mall to access the restaurant directly. Two notable dishes from our visit were the breakfast quesadilla (soooo good!) and the biscuits with mushroom gravy. The service was slow, however, it was a Sunday. We loved the place so much we booked a reservation for our next visit down to see our son at U of I. The restaurant also has a coffee bar where you can get special coffee drinks, and some random handheld foods. The seating area is eclectic and inviting. As you can tell, I think this place is pretty great!

Found this place via google and it was a great find. I didn't realize this place was also…read morevegetarian and vegan so I was a little worried, but they have the meats! I gotta give great praise to their Iced Tea. It was not sweetened, but wasn't bitter. Good amount of ice as well (which I know sounds weird). I got the fluffy egg sandwich which was good, but I was hoping for a little more flavor in the sausage. I added choula sauce to my second half and that seemed to do the trick. Sausage aside, it was cooked perfectly and presented wonderfully. The breakfast fries were also pretty outstanding. Crispy outside and soft inside with a perfect amount of seasoning. Those usually get left on the plate by me, but I ate it all. My dad got the Everything Bagel Sandwich. I slightly liked his sandwich better and will be what I get next time. I have to mention that the service was top notch. I think we had a new server, but she was witty, nice, and helpful. She really sold the place! I highly recommend this place! Great find!

The Lazy Daisy Cafe statue with a latte and croissant

Here's our version of the Haystack, the Lazy Stack

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Breakfast Quesadillas with delicious peach salsa, a great choice for brunch!

Huaraches Moroleon

4.3(351 reviews)

2.0 mi

Have not had a disappointing experience yet. Whether it's ordering in person or online everything…read moreis still amazing. Big fan of both the black and red beans.

The food is always consistently delicious. I love their tacos, tortas and ceviche. They are quick…read moreto serve and efficient. The location is small. It it's part of the charm. Love the medium smoky hot sauce.

Enchiladas suizas with shredded chicken

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Margarita

Siam Terrace

4.0(288 reviews)

1.3 mi

Absolutely delicious and authentic Thai food. This place satisfies all cravings. Service is always…read moresolid. To be clear, the ambiance is extremely underwhelming. It's certainly in need of a makeover. But the quality of the FOOD is what really makes this place stand out. Recommendations: Chicken Satay, Crab Rangoons, Red Curry Fried Rice, Thai Iced Tea, and Mango Sticky Rice

Thai Tea - 5 stars! Best Thai tea in CU! It's actually tea and you swirl it together to get the…read moreclassical light orange color! Firecracker Chicken - 3 stars, it was little dry but the flavor was good Duck Noodle Soup - 4 stars, not as flavorful but still yummy and comforting We didn't get this, but the pad thai is HUGE portions. Next time we will get the heaven duck curry, that looked and tasted delicious! I usually get take out here and I think the portions are smaller for take out

Duck curry

Fish Cake appetizer

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Steamed dumplings

The Courier Cafe

3.8(496 reviews)

1.3 mi

It had a cozy old environment. Good service. There was a…read morenice lady who was kind and very helpful. It is not a crowded place. Food was good overall.

This was a top notch place back in the day! But past owner from the 1980's, Allen Strong, has…read moreretired and the new owners don't seem to add much. A glass display case sits empty at the hostess station displaying nothing but lots of smudgy fingerprints. A fitting analogy to the current Courier unfortunately. Patrons come in for lunch and wait several minutes for somebody to seat them. The service suffers from understaffing. I ordered a Veggie Dagwood sandwich. Remember Dagwood Bumstead and his multi layer skyscraper sandwiches?? Not here! This was more of a very dry bread sandwich. Where are the layers of veggies? The layers of cheese? The alfalfa sprouts? The sauce? My sandwich was served with a stale pickle. I asked if I could order a side like potato salad. They had coleslaw - $4 up charge. The place needs to be cleaned up! Put a little pride into the menu.

Charming interior stained glass windows

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Detail on tableside light

Xinh Xinh Cafe

3.9(258 reviews)

1.6 mi

I drive from Bloomington, IL to eat here. Simply great Vietnamese food, fast and friendly service,…read moreand large servings. Try any pho and you'll be instantly hooked! If I'm in the area briefly, I'll grab a banh mi to go and it takes everything in me not to break that open on my way home! Dining in is great too. It's never hurried or loud, just comfortable. Favorite banh mi for me is the special combo, but seriously, they're all good! Same with the vermicelli bowls. Honestly, there is nothing I wouldn't order again at Xinh Xinh.

It was ok, the mild was too spicy and more towards the hot side of things. My Wife on the other…read morehand loved it

Beef banh mi

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Egg cream soda and blended milk tea boba

Seven Saints

4.1(623 reviews)

0.7 mi

They accommodated our group of 15! The server did an amazing job. I don't know her name, but she…read morewas fantastic. Food is outstanding. Hubby had shrimp tacos, son had sliders, i had one of their amazing salads (BLT). Sangria was also great. Definitely would come back again! Such a cute restaurant in prime location.

Their sweet potato fries are FUCKING spectacular. Their sandwhich / sliders assortment is also…read moresomething that is super cool - they have, like, 14 different sandwhiches / burgers on their menu, all with different items? I don't even LIKE sliders, but this put me on! You can have many different smaller burgers for the same stomach space as a regular burger... its genius The ambiance of the bar is something that I love as well - whether you go here for a date or just to chit chat with your homies, the dim lighting makes this feel like a speakeasy, but the server's (who clearly work very hard, so props!) move around with such delicate urgency it makes you feel as though this place is the spot everyone wants to be at. Loved the food and the environment.

Bar area

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The bar area in Seven Saints

Sticky Rice

4.3(181 reviews)

0.9 mi

I had so much hope for this but the food was very disappointing. Tried the mussaman curry, very mid…read morefood, maybe I should try something else next time but there's many good restaurants nearby to give this another go. The service was very quick and friendly, three stars purely for the service.

Food was good, wouldn't crave anything from here again, it was all hot and fresh. The biggest turn…read moreoff was the pricing that is listed on the ordering website was way off! So I was shocked when I expected to pay between $20-30 to pay almost $50 for one person When I asked about the pricing differences the gal at the front was super cold and acted like she was well aware of the difference in pricing issue (like she's been asked about it a few times) so as far as customer service ratings go that is what really brought it down. FYI The Medium spice is hot!

Laab Chicken ($16.95) - not good; chicken was quite dry. Requested mild but it seemed to have zero spice. Main flavor was lime juice.

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Pad Se-Ew ($16) - it wasn't not good. Quite sweet. Noodles were soggy.

Cravings

4.1(218 reviews)

0.2 mi

First of all, I love the service here. The employees are super nice and love talking to regulars. I…read morehad a very good conversation with a man at the front counter and it made my night. Second, the value here is incredible. With one order, you get all the tea you want and as many refills on rice you need. And one order is a lot, especially for around $8! I ordered vegetables and probably got at least a pound of stir fried veggies piled onto a massive plate. Great value for price! Third, and most importantly, the food at Cravings is awesome! Definitely recommend the crispy chicken, or, if you're feeling more traditional, the fried fish and tofu. It was fantastic! The secret? The owner of Cravings actually works the kitchen. It's clear they love what they do. Stop by if you enjoy good food, good value, and good service. I might see you there!

The food was disappointing on so many levels No presence of…read moreflavor or love The chicken tasted as if it was boiled and unseasoned and it frankly it's whiter than me

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Chrysanthemum tea

House special fried rice

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81 reviews that are not currently recommended

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Jenna F.

13 years ago

What a great addition to the CU sushi dining scene! My boyfriend and I stopped in early last Friday evening. We shared the miso ramen, gyoza, a sakanaya roll and a spicy tuna roll (I can't resist) and everything was excellent. The miso ramen was chock full of delectable and thoughtful ingredients, perfectly cooked noodles and slurpably delicious broth. I would definitely order that again, but not before I try everything else on the menu! The Sakanaya roll melts in your mouth, and the spicy tuna was great too. The hot sake is an awesome (large) portion for $6. Hits the spot when it's freezing outside. Service was fast and friendly, we never felt rushed. The ambiance is lovely, the space feels like a cozy haven you duck into from the sidewalks of campustown--a welcome retreat. You can tell that everyone involved in this new endeavor is taking pride in what they're doing. The wait is long when students are in town, but totally worth it in my opinion. Nick, the manager brought us some extra treats at the end of the meal and gave us a peek at the late night menu. Looks like I'll be venturing to campus for some chicken wings in the very near future! I've already heard great things. We can't wait to return! read more

Susan L.

2 years ago

We were very disappointed with our dining experience today, as we found it to be overpriced for the quality. First, the sushi rice (sumeshi), which is typically expected to be served at room temperature, but arrived cold and very hard, making it difficult to swallow. Additionally, the rice in the sushi roll didn't hold together well and instead stuck to the plate. One of our friends even mentioned that the rice tasted like it came from a sushi box at a cheap grocery store. In addition, we were surprised that this Japanese restaurant didn't offer hot green tea; only cold water was available instead. To accompany the sushi, we ordered miso soup, but it was disappointingly small--about 8 oz or less, although the bowl could have potentially held more. While the sashimi was fresh, the cutting technique could have been more professional. Regarding the Agedashi dōfu, it's typically expected to be cut into cubes, but at Sakanaya, they cut it into triangles. Agedashi dōfu should be served with bonito flakes and tempura sauce. Unfortunately, at Sakanaya, they only provided a very minimal amount of bonito flakes. The atmosphere doesn't resemble that of a typical Japanese restaurant, so don't expect it to be. read more

Matt T.

8 years ago

I believe that Sakanaya is mostly hype, due to the fact that there are no good sushi places on campus. You sometimes have to wait over an hour to sit in a 10+ table restaurant, with the smell of ammonia reeking through the back end of the restaurant. While the service may be rather friendly to your face, I overheard two waitresses bad mouthing their customers in the back kitchen area for sharing an entree. I believe this is incredibly unprofessional and impolite, given that focusing on the face value of a bill should not be the motive of a waitress, rather providing good service to their tables. Their fish quality is also far inferior to those in Chicago, with a distinct hint of the lack of freshness in each bite of sashimi. Their rolls are okay though, since the sauces mask the bad quality fish. Would I go back? Probably not, unless I'm dying to have a stomachache that night and a sour taste in my mouth from two faced waitresses. read more

Carol A.

2 years ago

Sakanaya is hands down one of the best sushi spots I've been to. The fish is incredibly fresh with every piece of sashimi sliced perfectly and a silky texture that practically melts in your mouth. I had a couple of the rolls as well. The flavors were unique and had a great ratio of fish to rice. My son had a whole bowl of the sushi rice along with miso which kept him full. The shrimp tempura udon was pure comfort food. The tempura were crispy and the noodles had the right amount of chew. It's the kind of dish you'd come back for on a cold day (or any day, honestly). But the real standout was the chef's special. It included lobster and tuna with beautiful presentation. Overall, everything at Sakanaya feels like it's made with care and attention to detail. The staff were accommodating of my family with young children. If you're into sushi or just great food in general, this place is absolutely worth a visit. read more

Mark M.

11 years ago

If Champaign were the only place I ever enjoyed Sushi/Sashimi, Sakanaya might rate 4 to 5 stars. I can name at least seven sushi places that are better, including 2 in Illinois, 1 on each USA coast and 1 in Newfoundland. The service and fish was were good enough! My big complaints: I have expectations which include a sushi bar (there was none) and excellent variety when I order omikase (Chef's Choice). What did I get? Three pieces Tuna, Three Salmon, 2 piece possibly scallop, accompanied by tiny portions of wasabi and pickled ginger, which even added together, add up to half of one micro-aggression. C'mon guys, Chef's Choice is supposed to be a variety of the best and could include some fatty tuna, yellowtail, octopus, mackerel, or shimp. With 8 pieces, 4 varieties are a minimum. read more

Erin E.

8 years ago

Sakanaya is the best restaurant in Champaign Urbana!! Their sushi is delicious, and they have some creative/unique rolls too (I'd recommend the Champaign Urbana). You might not expect to find great sushi in the middle of Illinois, but I'm from the coast & the fish at Sakanaya tastes even more fresh than the fish I used to eat back home at the beach. They have a great menu with lots of choices too, so if sushi isn't your thing the entrees and ramen are also excellent. The service is great, and the manager Ethan always makes sure we're having a great time. They also have great lunch specials & you can order carry-out too. I would absolutely recommend--it's my go-to place in CU!! read more

Rob T.

7 years ago

This is hands down, by far, the best restaurant in Champaign-Urbana. They take sushi to the next level. I've eaten sushi all over the country and other than some well regarded big city restaurants, I'd put Sakanaya up with some of the best I've eaten. I use to always say that I wish we had a really good sushi place in Champaign, but not since this place opened. It's a small, very friendly staff. Extremely popular so go early. They have a few rolls that I put up as all time favorites. Its good enough that my kids love it. My 13 year old daughter will punch me if I take a bite of her Willis Tower. read more

Naomi K.

2 years ago

Sakanaya truly never fails to deliver an exquisite dining experience. From the modern and cozy ambience to the swift and seamless service, they are such a standout restaurant that excels in not only the flavor and presentation of their signature rolls, but also in their kitchen options. I ordered the Gyudon, with thinly sliced beef and onions marinated in an expertly crafted soy-based marinade. The thinly sliced beef is incredibly tender, soaking up every ounce of the rich and deliciously umami sauce. If you are looking for a dining experience set apart from the rest, Sakanaya is a must-visit. read more

Jessie J.

11 years ago

The Tonkatsu Ramen was really good, and the soy garlic flavor chicken wings are what my friends and I order every time. For sushi, I prefer cooked ones more such as omg, gold rush, crunch munch etc. Although the waiting line is always long, but it worth the waiting. read more

Taic K.

2 years ago

Best food, best environment, best service. I was very much enjoyed with my family at this restaurant, sushi was very Fresh, hot food was marvelous all, server was very friendly and had professional attitude. I will be back definitely again and regular customer. read more

Pj M.

10 years ago

I can't say enough about this authentic Japanese restaurant. The service is second only to the amazing menu. I love the upscale but comfortable atmosphere as well. We weren't certain what to order and the items that were suggested by our server were fantastic. read more

Lisa S.

10 years ago

Have had good experiences in the past, but most recently the food tasted off (I got sick the following morning) and the hostess was incredibly rude. I tried talking to her about it, but she laughed in my face and walked away. Not pleasant. read more

Chris G.

309

5 years ago

Sakanaya is one of the best locations for fresh sushi in Champaign. The Willis tower is a safe go to. If you want a light refreshing roll the big apple is an interesting twist to a roll. You can't go wrong here. read more

Jennifer W.

141

8 years ago

This's the first time we come,and I'm glad that we here.The service is very professional,staff real friendly.The food is great!I think we will come back next time.I would recommend this restaurant for everyone. read more

Sanny G.

8 years ago

It was my first time but I really like the food.i will definitely gonna be back again to try some more dishes and I really like the environment and the decor of the restaurant truly feel like I was in izagaya. read more

John P.

1 year ago

The food tasted great, but my coworkers roll was clearly done by a new hire. Soooo much rice on that roll, not enough protein, and not cut evenly. My rolls on the other hand were great! read more

Rodrigo F.

6 years ago

Ive only tried the sushi here but it was some of the most fresh sushi I've had in Champaign. The basic rolls are still delicious and affordable and their special rolls are fantastic!! read more

Brant Q.

4 months ago

(I used to love this place a lot) Very bad service this time, doesn't let me in but they let 7 people in. I had a seat from the waitlist. Terrible waste of my 20 minutes read more

Aaron M.

101

8 years ago

This place has great food. The service is good too. The sushi chef is very professional and the manager and staff are very welcoming. The tower appetizer is great! read more

Robert G.

4 years ago

spectacular flavor, beautiful place and friendly staff, to avoid waiting I recommend you book they have a waiting list. Recommended for family and friends read more

Sakanaya - japanese - Updated September 2026

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Great little restaurant. We were warmly greeted as we entered as were asked to grab a seat of our…read morechoosing. We sat down and were promptly offered water and they asked to collect our drink order. After looking through the menu we opted for Beef Udon and Bulgogi. We also elected for a couple rolls. It was all excellent. And a place I would definitely return to. The service was very polite and it was a very relaxed atmosphere.

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Very good for AYCE. The salmon nigiri was especially good…read more The summer roll was okay. The Angel Hair roll was good. The sashimi salad was okay, the vinegar dressing wasn't the best. The crab meat salad was good.

I've been to Sushi Man many times, and this was by far my worst experience here. Honestly, it was…read moreone of the worst restaurant experiences I've had overall. I want to be fair and say that the server's facial expression itself was not the issue. Everyone can have a bad day. What really bothered me was his attitude, poor communication, and the lack of transparency around the restaurant's rules and charges. There were two major issues. 1. The 90-minute rule was not clearly communicated or reasonably enforced. The sign says "90 min limit per table." I don't think that wording clearly explains exactly how the 90-minute rule works or when leftover food becomes subject to an additional charge. We had been eating and talking for 1 hour and 46 minutes when the server suddenly came over, pointed at the sushi we had not finished, and started counting it to charge us extra. We were still actively eating. We explained that we were still working on the food. He told us that the 90-minute dining time had already passed and that they had already given us extra time ("You have been eating for 1hr 46 mins"). I told him that if the restaurant has a strict 90-minute rule, we should have been told when the 90 minutes were reached. Instead, nobody said anything at the 90-minute mark. We were allowed to continue eating for another 16 minutes, and then, while we were still eating, the server suddenly started counting the remaining sushi and telling us we would be charged for it. The issue is not that I object to a 90-minute limit. If that is the restaurant's policy, that is fine. The issue is that the rule was not clearly communicated or properly enforced. Customers should not have to find out about an additional charge after the fact while they are still eating. 2. The 15% mandatory gratuity was not clearly disclosed, and it made the poor service even more frustrating. Because there were 4/5 people in our party, a 15% mandatory gratuity was added to our bill. We were not told about this when ordering, and it was not posted on our table or on the menu. I asked the server where the mandatory gratuity was stated. He simply pointed toward a sign on the wall behind the reception area without explaining anything. When I said that a mandatory charge should be clearly stated on the menu or somewhere customers can easily see it while ordering, he responded that it was posted there and that everyone could see it when they walked in. I want to be clear that my issue is not simply that the restaurant has a mandatory gratuity policy. My issue is how that policy affected this particular experience. Normally, if a server provides poor service, customers still have the choice to reflect that experience in the tip they leave. Here, that choice was taken away from us. The 15% gratuity was guaranteed regardless of the quality of service, and in this interaction, it made the dismissive attitude and poor communication especially frustrating. It felt as though the mandatory gratuity gave the server no reason to care whether we were satisfied with the service, because the 15% would be charged regardless. A mandatory gratuity does not mean customers should lose the ability to ask reasonable questions about charges or receive a respectful explanation. Overall, this was not about expecting the server to smile or provide perfect service. It was about basic communication, transparency, and being treated respectfully when we had legitimate questions about charges and restaurant policies. I've been to Sushi Man many times before, which makes this experience especially disappointing. Unfortunately, this was my worst experience at Sushi Man and one of the worst dining experiences I've had overall.

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Damn I miss this place. Shout out to the staff. My favorite was the hamachi scallion roll and the…read moresalmon skin hand roll. Also they had a lot of variety on the menu. Not much help now but this place was the GOAT

Very pleasantly surprised and happy to support this family run restaurant…read more If you're picking up you might wanna phone in your order 1st

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The place looks nice, but the food is bland. The rolls…read moredidn't have much fish and the flavors weren't there. One of our party got duck curry and said it didn't have much g

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