I have to be transparent about having low expectations on Midwest dining but.. do not let this hidden powerhouse fool you, Timpone's is one not to miss sis. The food was fresh, and very tasty. Pasta and seafood included! Salads were delicious and dessert was so yummy too. The key lime was just superb. Perfect for a date night and they have a martini list as long as the menu. Lol Service was so friendly and informative. Definitely recommend a visit, but don't forget a reservation!!!! They have unique hours! read more

Timpone's - a sign on the door of a restaurant - Italian Near Me - Urbana, Illinois

Food was okay, nothing too special but decent. The bolognese portion size was wayy smaller than the risotto, but both came out decent. The 1 star review is because I've been here twice, and both times the service was lackluster. The first time, the person taking our order completely ignored my companion and only spoke to me, which I found quite rude. The second time, the person taking our order heard a different item than what we wanted -- not an issue, we took the food that we got and were happy to eat it, but the employee was incredibly aggressive and pushy. They kept aggressively asking us if we wanted to change the order, even though we had said no it's fine a dozen times by then. It was incredibly aggressive and not something I wish to return to. read more

Timpone's - Seafood Risotto - Italian Near Me - Urbana, Illinois

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Tried the penne alla vodka and it was better than I expected. The sauce had a nice little kick and the pasta was perfectly al dente. I liked that the dish wasn't too oily or overly rich. It felt balanced and satisfying. The portion was just right and came out hot and fresh. Staff was quick and polite. I'll definitely be back to try their lasagna next time. read more

Timpone's - Italian Near Me - Urbana, Illinois

Chef Jim and sous chef Tanner killed it again! The seared scallops in carrot butter!!!!!! Chef's kiss! For my main course, the porcini fettuccine (house made pasta) in Marsala sauce! Nom nom. The vintage space completed the entire experience. read more

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What didn't go well? Absolutely nothing! Service is excellent. Food is excellent. When I made my reservation, the chef must have answered the phone because he said, "since you've called far ahead, what should I make for you?" I was stunned. The only thing I could think to say was chocolate mousse (my husband's favorite dessert. Sure enough, two weeks later, chocolate mousse was on the menu! Well done Timpone's! Well done! read more

Great food, great memories and my favorite Italian restaurant on the U of I campus. It's been the spot for my wife and I to visit ever since she was in school there 30 years ago. read more

One of the nicer upscale restaurants in the community. Great food, great service, beautiful ambiance.

Spectacular restaurant near campus. That it is so far down on your list is insane. My husband and I were so lucky to walk in without a reservation and get a table downstairs in the bar. The cocktails were perfect. We split a terrific salad. My husband had the short ribs, said they were so tender they must have been cooking for three or four days. I had the salmon with grilled asparagus and chive mashed potatoes. Excellent! read more

Really great seafood and a quaint atmosphere. Perfect for a date night or special occasion. The tuna was delicious

I briefly worked here around the early 2010s. The head chef was the most verbally abusive people I've ever met. The staff chalked it up to him being "old school." The reality was he just has gone unchecked. One time I was walking to the restaurant to start my shift and while I was crossing the street in front of his car he was outright screaming at me. I don't think he knew I worked at the restaurant. I highly discourage anyone from giving them business. 15 years later I realize how terrible he treats his staff. read more

Chicken parmigiana was perfect. Desserts were perfect. Look no further. This restaurant has no comparison, whether NY or Paris. read more

We ordered the seafood risotto, butternut squash ravioli, and duck pate appetizer; the food was excellent and so was the service! Highly recommend! read more

This place is unbelievable and has never disappointed. This trip I had the baked Alaskan cod, crabmeat crust, lobster sauce. It was exceptional prepared perfectly, the cod was white and flaky, the crabmeat fresh and tasty, and the lobster sauce exquisite. My date had one of her favorites butternut squash ravioli. The pasta was cooked perfectly Al dente firm to the bite, the squash filling was very tasty as was the sage- brown butter sauce. The third person in our party had the wood grilled leg of lamb. Cooked to perfection pink center with a crusty dark edge, served on a bed of saffron risotto which was excellent choice to accompany the lamb, and it was all surrounded by a delicious lamb shank ragout. For cocktails I had a delicious makers mark old fashioned before dinner, a glass of white wine with dinner, and a 20 year Tawny port with dessert. All were prepared well with generous pours. If you haven't you have to try this place you won't be disappointed. read more

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Why doesn't Yelp let you give zero stars? Went here to celebrate a big birthday with a reservation after a great day in campus and an Illini football win. The entire experience was pretty awful. We were seated in an empty dimly lit back room of the restaurant, no other people were in the room. Thought that odd with a reservation but hoped for the best. The light above our table started to flicker, the way fluorescent or LED bulbs do as they begin to die. It was very annoying and distracting, but the waiter just acknowledged it was bad and told us the owner knows but hasn't replaced the bulb. Strike 2. Billing themselves as upscale Italian, I found it insane they charge for bread for the table. Have you ever had bread at an Italian restaurant and been charged per plate of bread ?! Strike 3 The menu is rather small meaning not many choices and the prices are high, so I thought at least the food will be good. Incorrect! My wife and I ordered a rare Ahi tuna dish and man I wish we hadn't. The preparation was a mess- sliced rare tuna on a bed of mashed lentils with Brussel sprouts and onion jam in the middle. I'm still not sure why I thought that combo could have tasted good. The tuna was inedible, we could not cut some of the pieces with our knives and the texture was not right. We told the waiter who apologized and said he'd tell the chef. The waiter came back and said they've never had complaints like that before and he did NOTHING about it. Didn't send a manager over, didn't offer to take my uneaten dish off the bill, didn't offer to bring us do something else. Nothing! When asked if we wanted dessert, he was reminded of my big birthday celebration and replied that the owner only allows a candle but no complimentary dessert for birthdays. I could not get out of the restaurant fast enough. Trust me, do not eat here. Go anywhere else. read more

Just a great meal with really good service. Drinks came quickly, and I never had to wait for follow up. Water was refilled regularly. I had the Hanger Steak, perfectly prepared and very flavorful. My wife had the Seared Tuna, very nice...I thought the price was very good. The selection is excellent, and my creme brulee was very good. I also enjoyed the old world decor, I only wished it would be a little darker. I would definitely go back to try other creations. High praises to the Chef. read more

Seasonal menu, fresh and lovely vegetables. Always look forward to the fish and seafood dishes. Definitely a recommended fine dining experience. read more

Old School Pizza is delicious, other menu items have been consistently good, great service and wine list. Great date night or just pizza place. Wonderful service it is a jewel! read more

The food was great I had the Chicken Parmigiana with Angel hair pasta and wood grilled asparagus. Fresh and I mean fresh bread and a house salad finished it all with crème brûlée. This is what they feed you when you go to heaven. Service was fantastic! Worth the trip and a trip back! read more

Really friendly service in a comfortable environment. The Italian beef pizza was fantastic. The toppings were tasty, with a little touch of heat, and the crust was perfect. Had the key lime pie and creme brulee...both great, and in fact, this was the best key lime pie I've ever tasted! We have short ribs and a pasta dish. These were also both good, tasting home made. Definitely pleased to have gone and look forward to going back soon. read more

I ordered the halibut special they had with a carrot butter, it came served in a cast iron dish with seared apples, potatoes, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts. The halibut was absolutely delicious and came perfectly cooked, I don't often say that a fish was perfectly cooked as it is extremely easy to overcook fish but this was truly perfect, it was soft and juicy, paired well with the butter, the only thing I didn't enjoy all that much was the portion of potatoes, I feel the dish would be better paired with more potato rather than the cauliflower and Brussels sprouts. read more

Best pizza I have had in my life cracker crust best cheese blend and sauce. He is a talented chef entrees are awesome you cannot go wrong with read more

Nice place to have a more sophisticated meal. Excellent quality, save some space for dessert. My favorites are: Tonno, Spinach Tagliatelle and Crème brûlée Follow me on Instagram: @tryatreat read more

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A great find in Urbana! The pizza was thin and reminded me of Veto & Nicks on the South Side. The Chicken Parmigiana was excellent as well as the Center Cut Pork Chop. The service was excellent as well. I would highly recommend this place. read more

I have had multiple delicious curbside pick-up meals from Timpone's and enjoyed numerous in-person visits before the pandemic. Timpone's is unique in its ability to straddle the line between classical and modern, without becoming dated or getting out over its skis. Menu staples such as the warm goat cheese and arugula salad and many delicious pizzas are complemented by new dishes, such as the currently available parmigiano souffle. Timpone's has also adapted well to the pandemic, and its excellent service shines through even in this new context. Online ordering is easy to navigate and schedule. Food is quickly brought out at the scheduled pick-up time to a designated area and placed into the vehicle with no close contact. I very much look forward to when it is safe to return to Timpone's dining room. Until then, I will continue to enjoy its excellent curbside offering. read more

*This review is for takeout as that was the only option* Timpone's came highly recommended by a friend who went to the University of Illinois, and now lives in downtown Chicago. He claimed this was one of his favorite pizzas. The food was incredibly disappointing, and it was an egregious rip off!!! The pizza was okay, and the Cesar salad was basic. Definitely nothing special. BUT........the pizza was $13 for what I would call an extra small (maybe 8") and paper thin (which I liked). The salad was $8 and it was a small handful of romaine lettuce and a few small croutons. Please see pictures. read more

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Went there for dinner. Warm Goat Cheese And Arugula Salad was probably my favorite. It was a nice contrast of the (literal) warm cheese and the bed of greens. My Seafood Risotto did not meet expectations. Not very well seasoned. And the scallops tasted ... frozen... maybe I'll skip it next time and try something else read more

I had a nice Valentine's Day experience at Timpone's. The decor is nice and impressively unpretentious for Champaign. First off, I loved the rioja I ordered, some of the best wine I've had in a restaurant. The Caesar salad was pretty good. I was happy with the lobster bisque soup, which was sprinkled with bacon and chives, but it wasn't anything out of this world for $12. My girlfriend ordered the chicken clam chowder and although she liked it, I thought it lacked seasoning. For the entree, my girlfriend got the spinach tagliatelle and again I thought it lacked seasoning. She thought it was perfect. I ordered the anatra (roast duck) came with Brussels sprouts, sweet potato purée, and cranberries with a sweet sauce. I generally liked it, but was disappointed that the Brussels sprouts were just boiled and sliced into fours (no seasoning/salt/marinade, etc). We ordered the peach/blueberry crisp for dessert and it was pretty good. Overall, the food is good and the service was excellent, but I'm not convinced it's worth the prices. read more

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Pretty good! Decided to try for our anniversary dinner. I had the pappardelle bolognese and Bf had the short rib entree. For apps we had the bread, fritti appetizer, and caesar salad. Everything was great except his short rib entree. He said it was just so so and kind of bland. The pasta was great though! read more

We walked in without a reservation and were seated quickly. We had great food, great wine and great service. We had seafood linguine and seafood risotto and both were delicious. Inside atmosphere is lovely, definitely not what we expected from the outside appearance and a campus restaurant. Highly recommend! read more

Pizza Good, not great. Salmon, potatoes, excellent. Key line pie approaches but too sweet.

I really enjoyed the food, but would have enjoyed it more if the staff had been wearing masks with the increase in delta variant cases.

My boyfriend and I came in last night for the Local Flavors event. Sadly, we were a little underwhelmed. Local ingredients are very exciting to me and we've never been to Timpone's. I hear a lot of mixed reviews, everything from "I had food poisoning" to "It's my favorite place when I have a special occasion". Needless to say, we were excited to give it a try. When you walk in, you must go upstairs to be seated. After being seated, we enjoyed the Italian themed "high art" that was so popular in the 80s while we chowed down on a tasty meatball appetizer. We debated the ethics of charging the measly $1 for the bread starter. It was our locally inspired entrees that were especially disappointing. After a long decision making process, I went with the $25 halibut. It came with gnocchi and assorted vegetables. As I ate it, I felt like the fish was a little dry and overcooked and I noticed hints of freezer burn - yuck. After tasting all the components of the dish separately, I couldn't figure out what the culprit was. All I know is, it would hit me every now and again. My boyfriend's dish was the poussin (a baby chicken). It was super tender and was served with a farro pilaf. While it was tasty, the sweet sauce they smothered the chicken in made you feel like you were eating General Tso's chicken. We decided to try the apple crisp for dessert which was amazing! Little cranberries help balance out the sweetness. They did that annoying thing where they garnish it with mint even though there's no mint in the dish. In the end, I'm thinking maybe it was a mistake that we ordered off the special menu. Perhaps their typical Italian American cuisine would be better. From what we experienced, we definitely felt that the dishes were overpriced for the quality. We spent $100, and left feeling like it just wasn't meeting the quality we've seen at other places nearby. For $100, you could have a perfect meal in downtown Champaign. For $50, you can go next door and have a pretty awesome meal too! I'd like to come back and try the regular menu but, I'm not in a hurry to come back and spend the kind of money they're asking for mediocre food. read more

Timpone's - Apple Crisp - there's that silly mint leaf - Italian Near Me - Urbana, Illinois

First time coming here with a bunch of friends. Many of us ordered the Fettuccine with Salmon Pasta, which was horrible. Not a single one of us thought it was decent. I had a difficult time choking it down after a whole hour of picking at it. Service was pretty good, although the food was not that great for the price you pay. The portion sizes are very small. The beef tenderloin was way above its price range for the amount you get and there's better out there. Overall, my experience was pretty bad... The creme brulee was the only thing that was worth praising there, although it is a tad too sweet for many of us. read more

They really do a good job. We invited 20 clients to go last night and called with a 1/2 hr notice for a reservation. They balked, but said they could do it. We arrived and they accommodated the group just fine. We relaxed with a few bottles of wine ordered our meals and enjoyed some appetizers and conversation. Soon, everything came out of the kitchen and was great. Later the Chef or Owner came up to check in with us and received great feedback from all. The meal was a success and everyone was happy. We will be back! read more

Very disappointing! The decor is drab and overall atmosphere not very inviting. This was heightened by an unfriendly and unhelpful waitress. The restaurant was out of nearly everything on a Saturday night and the waitress did nothing about it and didn't seem to care. The wine was sold out, and the appetizer I ordered, as well as 4 entree choices. The excuse was "we didn't order enough food and we are closed tomorrow." The waitress could not describe the remaining dishes or what was in them. (I didn't want to get an appetizer with the same greens as my entree, so I asked about this - it ended up being overkill which is what I was trying to avoid.) I also thought the pasta was a very skimpy amount for a $23 entree. Pasta is cheap - fill the bowl! I would think management would've instructed staff to comp a glass of wine or a dessert when half the menu was missing but nothing was offered. Not even an apology or "what can I do to make it up to you." Very poor customer service. I would normally give a place a second chance if the food was exceptional or the staff friendly or helpful but neither was worth a second chance. It seemed like they didn't want us to return. So, for $100 dinner and only a half bowl of pasta, no thanks. read more

I came in with one of my old roommates to catch up after coming back to school from winter break. Neither of us had been to Timpone's, and as avid fans of Italian cuisine, we figured it would make a nicer dinner. No waiting on a Friday night at about 6pm, which was good. The layout of the restaurant is a little strange. The bar/lounge area is downstairs and the dining area is upstairs. The dining area itself was pretty small, but charming. The inside of Timpone's feels very old school. The dim lighting, super quiet dining room and vintage décor was a trip back in time. We sat down in a close-quarters booth and perused the menu. I was a little let down to see that bread and oil was $1, as opposed to a given like it is at most Italian restaurants. We ordered 2 of these to ensure we both got to try it. The bread itself was fantastic, very warm with a crispy outside and soft inside. The oil didn't exactly impress me, and we had to ask for some cheese to go with it, still not bad though. We did order a couple glasses of wine. I had a red that I can't remember the name of and he had a pino grigio. The wine wasn't bad and went well with our dinners. I decided on the spinach tagliatelle and I can't quite remember what he got, but I believe it was the other tagliatelle dish with prosciutto, tomato and artichokes. My dinner was delicious! Believe me, I had some doubts about authentic, quality Italian food in Urbana, but Timpone's really impressed me. Everything was done right and was fresh, flavorful and fantastic. It was quite rich and I was very full afterwards. The portion size wasn't as big as I had thought it was going to be, but I was not disappointed because I was definitely full after I finished my meal. Pricing seemed to be in line with the quality of the food, perhaps a little expensive but definitely not unjustified due to Timpone's focus on sourcing local, seasonal and fresh ingredients. I forget our server's name but she was knowledgeable, friendly, and there when we needed her. Overall, a solid experience at Timpone's, I will definitely go back! read more

Timpone's - Italian Near Me - Urbana, Illinois

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My wife and I were in town to visit family. They surprised us with tickets to a jazz concert at the university theatre. They said we will be eating at an Italian restaurant. My wife and I ordered a flatbread pizza. It had plenty of flavor, not bland or greasy. My brother had the halibut and his wife had a pasta dish. I would eat there again. I would have rated it higher but the service and kitchen was a little slow. We missed the beginning of the concert read more

Staff was very accommodating. Ambience was very nice, food was prepared well. The wait staff was attentive and friendly. A tad expensive, but overall a good experience. Would visit again. read more

Very disappointed, bought into the hype of the campus fine dining. The service was slow even though it was a Thursday evening early dinner. The drinks were tiny and we had to pay extra for bread, this is a new one on me. The entrees were good but not fine dining. Sad to waste time going to the city for dinner. read more

I guess this is the place for fine dining on campus. The food is pretty decent - nothing special, though. Fish entrees are hit or miss. Creme brulee dessert is delicious. Service is good. I would have rated it 4 stars if the pricing matched the meal quality, but sadly, it does feel like this place is overpriced. read more