I dragged my asian wife here saying she had to try it, and she said, "Why? Why?" and when she saw the menu, she was horrified because the food is essentially, country cooking, burgers, sandwiches. However, it's the healthiest and freshest and best-tasting venue of its type in the history of CU, and they continue the tradition of Bubby & Zadies by offering a salad bar with amazing offerings. She was amazed and wanted to come back. Then, I dragged my 81-year old mom to the place, and she was aching and complaining about the steps and getting there, but she left with a HUGE grin on her face and she had a wonderful time! Best shakes in CU, bar none. Best ice cream deserts in CU, bar none. One of the top-3 venues in CU, the old Courier newspaper offices with plaster-decorated ceilings, tallback wooden booths, and a 1910 feel to it. Very friendly waittresses !! The only place I can think of that competes with it in terms of a Venue is a cafe near the old train station, but I think that closed 2 decades ago ... This is a popular late-night place to go after Contra Dancing in Crystal Lake Park, or even dancing at the Regent ballroom. The food is priced very reasonably and this is one of the few places in CU that is a candidate as a great "hangout" ~ a place where you can come all the time, and get to know the staff. DO NOT MISS VISITING THE COURIER CAFE !!! read more

The decor was old fashioned and dirty feeling. Even some fresh painted walls would help the overall feel. We wanted to eat lunch but arrived at 1130 and had to order breakfast. I ordered the Spanish Omelette, my husband ordered the Courier Breakfast and our kids got pancakes. None of us really enjoyed our meals. Both my husband and my glasses had cracks in them and were leaking all over the table. We would not return. read more

Quaint and homey. Fantastic German chocolate coffee. Always looking for breakfast places when traveling and this is definitely one of the best! read more

WOWZERS! BEST BREAKFAST EVER! I had the croissant sandwich with hash browns and a side of biscuits. Seriously the greatest breakfast meal I've had. It was yummy. in my. tummy!!! read more

Great place. I breakfast here several times a week. Staff is friendly and efficient. My favorite waitress takes good care of me and took the time to get to know me and what I order. The flavored coffee of the day is always quite good. I tend to have the same thing each time because I like it but I have tried just about everything on the menu and it is always good. The menu is not as large as some breakfast spots but there is enough variety for everyone to find something. The corned beef breakfast, the cakes and eggs with buckwheats, and the Spanish omelet are particular favorites. NOTE: Courier does NOT serve breakfast all day. Weekdays, breakfast is served until 11 AM and weekends it is served until 11:45 AM. Note: Their Web page says "The dining area is quiet and peaceful". Well, I went there for dinner for the first time and my "quiet and peaceful" meal was, instead, a cacophony of unwelcomed concertina music. Seriously? Who does that? Sorry, Courier, but you struck out with that intrusion. read more

Was back home for a week, recently, and had to stop in to one of my all-time favs, Courier Cafe! Have been on a super-awesome-diet for a bit, now, though, so instead of my usual (the bacon cheeseburger (and even _I_ can't believe I found the strength not to order that one!!)), I decided upon a healthier option-- the trout with a visit to the salad bar. Disappointment, upon disappointment for this poor meal. The trout was cooked in what was supposed to be a lemon-like sauce. Now, normally, if I've had trout, it's either cooked crispy in the skin, or filleted out of the skin, and cooked in the sauce. Not for this unfortunate creature. What I got was a piece of trout cooked in the skin, but steeped in the sauce, so much so that the skin had become rubbery and chewy. The "lemon" flavor was so absent, that all I was left with was an incredibly FISHY piece of fish (which is never really a plus for me), in a gelatinous, plasticy skin. I did my best with it, but it was a disappointment. I have to expect that Courier has cooked harder dishes (with Silvercreek in the family!!), so... I don't think it was out of the realm to imagine they'd do a good piece of fish! The rest of the table was pretty happy, though. My trip to the salad bar was less disappointing, but wilted lettuce, and the inability to get to the items I wanted on the bar (most of the healthy options are waaaaaaay toooooo farrrrr in the back, and grossly out of reach from the average grabber) made the salad blucky, too! FLERB. read more

Courier Cafe was pretty good in college, but that was many years ago. On a recent visit we arrived during a gap between breakfast and lunch which exists for unknown reasons. Why is there a 30 minute turnover time between two meals? Is the kitchen that small? The salad bar was good, but the woman working it was very grumpy and the toppings were impossible to reach due to a terribly placed sneeze guard. The Turkey Carolina sandwich was pretty good, but the artichoke bagel was pretty bad. There was way too much grease and cheese on the bagel which led to heartburn. The service took longer than it should have as well. read more

The Courier Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Urbana, Illinois

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Our waitress was very friendly and on her game with refills (a big deal to me, I drink a LOT of tea when I eat) But the food was not good. I ordered biscuits & gravy - one of my favorite breakfast items EVER, only to be extremely disappointed that yellow turkey gravy was being used, instead of traditional white pepper gravy. This was the only time I've ever experienced such a substitution of gravy in such a staple breakfast dish, and it just tasted awful. I noticed that the menu made no mention of such a deviation from the norm, so when I questioned an employee who was walking by (apparently some sort of manager?) her response was simply "That's what real biscuits & gravy is". I suppose Courier Cafe is the only restaurant in the entire country that thinks this? Who knows. I've never seen anyone make it this way before, which isn't a big deal, but the persons attitude that I spoke to was very condescending and rude. This place would have scored lower based on that alone, but they earned a extra star because our waitress was so amazing. read more

I realize that everyone has an off day and today MUST have been the day for Courier Café. My wife and I have been eating here for almost a decade and could never remember a bad experience. Here is a question for the readers of this review... Have you ever tried to eat a baked potato with mayo instead of sour cream? Sounds disgusting don't it? How you can mistake mayo for sour cream, I do not know. Needless to say the baked potato never got ate. Wasn't going to say anything and mark it up to just an off day and just remember not to order a baked potato from here again. I like the fries better anyway. But as I was getting ready to pay, the cashier asked if everything was okay. I remarked about the baked potato with mayo thinking I would not have to pay for something that I did not eat. The cashier said that it was more than likely a honest mistake and charged me the full amount. Needless to say, It will be awhile until my wife and I go back. Even then, we probably will only order what we know won't get screwed up. read more

Maybe it's just my taste preference but this place has never really particularly amazed me despite being a local favorite. The food is perfectly fine but it's stuff I feel like I could, usually, just make at home on my own. The decor is nice and the prices are great but I never feel the need to go out of my way to visit. read more

Nice breakfast options, friendly staff, quick service, wish the coffee can be stronger though read more

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A must visit if in town. Has old charm and delicious food options. Milkshakes are really thick and well made. Veg burger is also really good. Can never get tired of this place! read more

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biscuit and gravey was awesome, soft fresh biscuits with a good sausage gravey not too salty or watery, coffe of the day was also great not to expensive for the amazing quality of the food read more

The Courier Cafe - get here early - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Urbana, Illinois

Hands down one of my favorite places in CU. The prices are very fair, the food is good, they offer a nice variety and the atmosphere is fantastic. The shakes are well worth every last one of the million or so calories they contain. Minus one star because they don't handle carry out very well. I've never had an order get mixed up when eating in, but there's about a 30% chance of a screw-up when getting carry out. To the credit of the manager, when I brought this to his attention he was really apologetic, personally verified that my order was correct, and gave me my next meal on the house. So they get the star back =). read more

Courier Cafe is one of my favorite places in Urbana! They have the best ice cream sundae in town.. THE MISPRINT.. Its small and the perfect size for desert--(And its under $4) I feel this is a great date place or conversation place because you could just order shakes and nothing else and stay for hours without being rushed out by wait staff. They also have incredible shakes, and rueben sandwiches. read more

Best homey, small town restaurant. Good food, service depends on the day and the server you get but mostly good. Their shakes are amazing and the quesadillas are delicious. I wish they had more vegetarian options but I would still eat there anytime and any day. If you're looking for comfort food in a casual environment for a great price, look no further than The Courier! read more

We have always enjoyed Courier and have been dining here more and more recently. The staff are friendly and service is always great. For lunch and dinner, we usually have sandwiches -- the Carolina Reuben is incredible, and the food is very reasonably priced. The salad bar is always a hit -- a great inexpensive way to get some extra veggies. For dessert, you can't go wrong with a milkshake, a sundae (Misprint with hot fudge!) or a slice of pie (cherry pie à la mode!). Courier is an Urbana tradition for a good reason, and has never disappointed. read more

The Courier Cafe is a cute little local joint. The food is honestly just okay, and the pie is always served cold, which was sort of a turn off for me. They serve local Columbia Street Coffee - a plus in my eyes. Everyone raves about the salad bar but I was just not impressed - it's more quantity than quality. If you're vegetarian, plan on eating a bean burger, veggie Dagwood sandwich (which is MASSIVE), or the salad bar. On the upside, they have old school cherry syrup for your soda, which is a fabulous treat. read more

Update: the owner did try to contact me, but I was not able to reach him. I did upgrade my rating from 1 star to 3 stars, mainly because of his effort & the things that were right with our visit. read more

Such a cute and quaint little cafe. Food was delicious and you get a ton of it. I had the croissant sandwich and it took up over half the plate. It was very delicious. If I had to choose one thing that could be improved, it would be the bread a little more toasted, but that is all. I highly recommend! read more

Love this place, super delicious breakfast after an all nighter. Had the feta cheese omelette with wheat toast and the apple french toast (something like that). So good, mouth-wateringly good. Only reason I take off a star is because the server was a bit frantic and rude at first, but was relatively decent after our drinks. There was also an annoying group of high-schoolers there who reserved 30 spots...yeah....Nice atmosphere. Very antique/ vintage feel. Drinks are old-timey as well. They offer phosphates. Friend got a German chocolate cake coffee. Smelled exactly like it. Recommend this as an Urbana-must. read more

We were in town on business Friday and I wanted to try Courier Cafe after reading the Yelp reviews. Breakfast is my favorite meal to eat out and this spot did not disappoint! The service was a little slow to start, but after our order was taken, the food was delivered quickly and perfectly prepared. I ordered scrambled eggs with cheese, bacon, and whole grain bread toast. OMG, the bread was to die for! Husband ordered basted eggs, bacon, and rye toast. We considered the hash browns -- they smelled wonderful in the kitchen -- but are trying to watch our waistlines, so passed on potatoes this trip. They were working on setting up the lunch salad bar (it was about 10:30 when we got there) and it looked fresh and delicious. I'm looking forward to being in Champaign again so we can eat at Courier Cafe for lunch. read more

I always love the courier, but recently had an exceptionally pleasant experience with my server, Yana. I came in alone on a day that I was feeling particularly down to write in my journal. Yana's sweet, funny personality and genuinely friendly demeanor truly brightened my day. read more

A star for the delcious salad bar. A star for the shakes and soda fountain. A star for the yummy veg options. and a star for huge delicious burgers. One of my favorite places to eat in CU! (If the service was better - I would've given the place 5 stars) read more

Great place for breakfast, something for everyone. Also very kid friendly. Lots of vegetarian options, and something for every taste. A piece of old town urbana. read more

The Courier Cafe - Rootbeer phosphate - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Urbana, Illinois

Went with friends, pretty good brunch place but compare to lots of other restaurants this doesnt stand out to me. Not really a fan for coffee read more

We just tried Courier Cafe today for lunch and it was great! I had the Banker Burger and my boyfriend had a beef quesadilla - both were exceptional, homemade quality. Their potato salad is killer! Our waitress and hostess were also very pleasant. We will definitely be back! :) read more

Best breakfast in town. I highly recommend the Mexican-influenced breakfast, but it doesn't matter what you get, as everything is great. Their coffee is also stellar. If you are a history buff, checkout all the cool stuff they have around the place (civil war-era stained glass, an original architectural concept of the 1896 Exposition in Chicago that is believed to be the only copy in existence, etc). read more

I was pretty shocked in my initial impressions as I couldn't believe such an antique yet delicious restaurant existed in champaign. I appreciated the decor and how nice the dining experience was especially during covid. The service was fast and very friendly. I tried the Ruben Sandwich which the restaurant claims has been a popular choice for decades. It was very well priced and was a great lunch spot to enjoy with good company. Will definitely be back to try the brunch! read more

Tourists Treated Same As Home Folks. I used to be home folks, returned as a tourist, and it's true. This was always a place I brought visitors to show off midwestern charm. The food is comforting and good. It's not innovative fusion cuisine, it's darn good burgers and milkshakes in a cozy venue. Plus, old-fashioned soda fountain. Where else can you even get a phosphate anymore? And yes, the salad bar rules. When I lived near downtown Urbana I would sometimes come here for breakfast on a weekday. That was nice. Weekend breakfast is a zoo, WAY crowded, huge lines. There is a reason for that: it's THAT GOOD. read more

Courier was one of my favorite spots for fooding back in the day. The quaint, rustic decor and simple menu definitely shouldn't deter anyone from trying this place out. The shakes are amazing (not too overwhelmingly sweet) and I love that they give you all of what they make - even the portion that doesn't fit in the cup. The burgers are classic - simple, no frills, good meat, fresh toppings, cooked to perfection. I'd also highly recommend the brunch menu here. Alas, it was a rare occasion that I would be awake for it but you can learn from my mistakes and get yourself some delicious brunch at Courier. For such a historic building, Courier Cafe has done a great job of preserving the past and giving people a taste of the olden times. read more

Came here for a late lunch and were so happy we did. The people are super nice and so is the food! I had a rib eye sandwich with the grilled onions and horseradish cheddar cheese - absolutely delicious and the meat was super tender. The cod fish sandwich was also really good as was the burger. Fries were good and the sweet potato fries are amazing. Generous portions too! They also have delicious coffee. A charming place for a cozy meal! read more

Food was delicious. I came on a day that represents extremely crowded. University of Illinois graduation and Mother's Day. I was seated rather quickly. I ordered the famous Almond French Toast and bacon. It was delicious but not as hot as I wanted it to be. I will return when I am in the area and not so crowded. My server was good. read more

Decided to try this place as we drove through. Service was friendly and good. Food was tasty, especially the glaze on the pork chop. We will gladly stop here again should we travel this way. read more

Delicious amazing eclectic food choices. A favorite for me and my boyfriend (and a million other people because the place is always crowded, though there is never a long wait for a table). I wish more people went to this place because I think it really needs to be supported more by university kids. read more

I come to Courier Cafe pretty regularly. Their burger options are a good bargain. I've always enjoyed their shakes- especially the strawberry or peanut butter. I prefer to get the specials because I go there so often. I had a delicious fish fillet sandwich with a HUGE fillet. Then I got it again, and it was pretty small. I noticed that sometimes the food isn't very consistent. The one thing that might surprise you is that their salad bar is AMAZING. I get a huge salad with everything on it. Like a pound of salad for $5.00. Leaves are pretty light, so a pound a salad is prettty huge. read more

Came here for a late lunch and was pretty disappointed by the service. Our waiter took our order promptly enough and we received our food. The sandwich I ordered was on the wrong bread and I spent what seemed like forever waiting for the waiter to come back around. In the meantime I discovered that there was also a hair in the sandwich. I eventually managed to flag him down and asked about the bread. He took it back to the kitchen and when he came back, told me that they were out of the bread I ordered. Ok...so why didn't someone come out and ask me what I wanted instead, rather than just making it with something else and hoping I wouldn't notice? Seems pretty straightforward. I got a new sandwich and by that time my boyfriend was almost done eating. After that, our waiter never bothered even stopping by our table again to check in, other than walking by to drop off the check. Sandwich was good (...the second one, sans hair) although the "special sauce" appeared to just be a mustard...maybe they were out of that too. read more

Dessert. Do it. I hear breakfast is pretty awesome as well. Decor is cool, neat vibe, old historical building. When I was a kid we had Farrell's (no longer) in the Bay Area for our sweet treats and for whatever reason the sundae I had reminded me of that. Points for nostalgia! read more

Good food. Cool, historic building and decor. I had a BLT (my standard fare when traveling) and the bacon was outstanding. It was busy the day we were here. Lots of townies, I could tell, so I know this place is a staple of Champaign. For me, this is a 'can't miss' diner. read more

This cafe was open late which was much appreciated! The staff was friendly and new the menu well. Both my co worker and I ordered items that the server suggested, and they were both delicious! Great amount of food for the affordable price tag. The building it is in, is old and has a lot of character. It was my first trip to the area so I liked the location and the character this place had. read more

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