Courier Cafe

really great place for simple brunch or lunch! I love the famous rueben sandwiches!

The Courier Café is an easy place to just drop by for brunch, but it isn’t anything that terribly impressive. The décor is awesome, and while I love the feel, it gets too crowded and loud to just relax. Do not come here to nurse a hangover, but do come for a good some above average breakfast plates.
The malts are pretty decent, but that’s probably because its hard to get a malt anywhere nowadays. The coffee is fine as well, but it may take awhile to get a refill depending on the time of day. The staff seem nice enough and willing to accommodate, but sometimes it just seems like they can’t see you because of the business. It’s a diner set in a café.
The location is fantastic. Parking is always easily accessible across the street. I haven’t really had to wait in line before, but I’ve definitely seen it happen before. This place is popular, and while I try not to sound too hipster, this place was better before. Drop by on a weekday and avoid the weekends for a better experience or just come by if you want something better than your girlfriends cooking.

It was delicious. I wish I would have gotten a booth though. I was quite envious of others with a booth I’ll have to take a friend next time. I love how close it is to my barber shop. I however do not appreciate that it serves beverage alcohol.

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 Café 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.

Ordered salmon with vegetables. Dinner rolls listed as part of dinner. Salad bar and offered as a side. Salad bar was closed. Thought there would be a dinner roll coming. Was told that since there was no salad bar I was not entitled to dinner rolls.
Blackened Salmon n steamed Veges were good. Had to repeatedly ask for coffee and water refills.
First trip here was much better. Second one won’t have me coming back.

Courier Café is THE place to eat in downtown Urbana for American food. I also LOVE the décor. Walking in you feel like you’ve stepped back in time to the early 1900’s. They even have antiques on display from the original newspaper press! I especially love the antique brass register and old-​style crane gumball machine!
Their menu has the traditional options like burgers, sandwiches, and dinner plates, but they also have a lot of vegetarian options and 1900’s-style drinks and entrees. The phosphate is super good and so are the potato skins! And if you’re a fan of salad bars you’re in luck– Courier’s is both cheap and delicious with a lot of unique toppings to choose from. Your salad even comes with warm bread and butter!
The service at Courier has always been great, the wait never long, and the atmosphere is certainly enjoyable. I highly recommend Courier Café to anyone looking for an American dining experience!

Nicely located trendy café that needs a little help with menu.
The location is great. The building is historical and also maintained nicely to give that historical location dining feel. We went there for brunch on sunday to avoid longer lines at the original pancake house! The lines are long here as well, just an FYI. We had to wait about 20 minutes. They have a limited menu. Our server was so busy, he barely paid attention to our order.
Food was mediocre at best. Home fries were burnt. Eggs were freshly made and nice. Orange juice is not fresh. They serve tea bags in a pot which is less than ideal, I always want loose leaf tea for the pot. IMHO, if you are going to the trouble of making a kettle pot for hot water for tea at least give loose leaves to brew!
With a little help, this place can be a must visit breakfast place in town!

I go here quite a bit. Love the late hours! Salad bar is tasty and reasonably priced although it would be better for vegetarians if things were labeled. The menu has a lot of variety and plenty for vegetarians to choose from. The shakes and regular fries are the best in CU! Breakfast is also good here. Can be crowded, esp for lunch. Remember to check the specials board when you come in. Luke the addition of the kitchen garden and increased parking.

Went last night after a movie for a snack and desert.
We had the desert dippers and a brownie sundae… I loved the atmosphere, love the staff, and lovedddddd the food.
Plus, they have Green Rivers.
What more can you ask for? I mean really.
Definitely check this place out if you’re visiting Champaign.

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.

One of my favorite local restaurants.
Reasonable prices even after the cost of living rose. Consistent quality, only minor hiccups every few years. Friendly service, amazing salad bar, and large food portions. One milkshake is definitely more than enough for two people (I recommend the blueberry!). Their late night specials are take a worth looking at if you’re hunting for discount rates.
Be sure to add wedges to your entrée! They’re crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. I believe they coat it with cheese before frying. Mmm, potato.

A solid choice for when you need nice casual traditional American food.
Set like a 1950s diner, their service is on and off friendly or aloof but it is filled with locals. I almost always get the corned beef reuben or the bayou burger (patty, onions, swiss cheese, and ‘bayou’ sauce). Absolutely delicious. Ingredients are fresh and the meat is always juicy. The fries are homemade and go perfectly with tartar sauce. They might have the best fries of anywhere.
Shakes are delicious and hand made but very very large! Consider as a dessert for 2!

This place is a cute little restaurant with very incredible food. I had a bacon cheeseburger, my friend had a steak sandwich. We each got milkshakes that were amazing! I had mint chocolate and he had chocolate. The service was excellent. Connie was our server and I appreciate her so much! She was attentive and hotel when choosing what to order. Very good service and food, clean restaurant. Going back soon.

Was back home for a week, recently, and had to stop in to one of my all-​time favs, Courier Café!
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.

Found this gem while visiting in Illinois. Historical building (first building in downtown Urbana), was a newspaper center in 1867, so beautiful décor! Lots of wood paneling on ceilings and walls.
Best blueberry pancakes I’ve ever had! I meant to just have a bite but I ended up devouring the whole thing! Egg white smoked turkey scramble was tasty and light, and biscuits and gravy were the best I’ve had since Tennessee.
Good service too! Great place!

Me and my brother went here, we ordered the Dagwood (big sandwich) and southern fried chicken. Simple american food, the sandwich was filling and interesting, the chicken was simple, missing flavors
Too much workers, it takes time for the food to to it! Ordered brownies special was very good!
Nice place! Decorated good!

I know people love this place, perhaps its the nostalgia attached to it for ChampaignUrbana natives, but for me, its your standard breakfast/​lunch, diner food joint. The seating is a bit cramped and I felt like our sever tried to rush us out. You won’t find any unique dishes on this menu but the breakfast was solid.
Perhaps I am missing out by not going for burgers and shakes for lunch, but for breakfast, I would not go out of my way to to back.

I got the beer battered catfish and the brownie special. Catfish was very very good. Just be warned that it is very hot in temperature. I burned my lip biting into it.
The brownie special was amazing! Perfectly soft and warm on the inside and crispy on the outside.

My husband and I were in town to see his parents and Sunday morning we drove here to meet up with my teen stepson. My husband chose this place because he had been here many times during his college days. He said it hasn’t changed a bit. We had excellent service, and outstanding food.
I always appreciate restaurants that offer vegan or vegetarian choices. I was able to get «The Courier Breakfast» (2 eggs, bacon, ham, or sausage, served with hash browns and your choice of toast) with vegetarian sausage patties. My eggs over easy and German Rye toast blended well with the patties, and the hash browns were perfectly browned. Add a small grapefruit juice, and bottomless coffee and my meal was just what I wanted.
I wanted the Almond French Toast too, but had to pick only one meal. I’m not in the area often, but I would definitely come back.
I loved their selection of kids’s book (see photo) if you have a child that needs occupied at the table. There is also plenty of parking, both in the lots next to it, and across the street.

Another good experience here, this time for a hearty breakfast to cure those wretched UIUC hangovers.
No waiting on a Saturday morning at 11:30, we were asked if we would be having breakfast or lunch and were given the corresponding menus since this place has a really large array of items for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
I ordered the Morning Edition breakfast sandwich and a black coffee. My friend got the Buenos Dias burrito and a glass of milk.
We both thought our meals were delicious. I particularly liked the fresh croissant that was the bread of my sandwich. The hash browns had a good balance of dryness and wetness, which I feel can be easy to goof up and make them too dry or wet sometimes. These were done right.
Our server was pleasant but really busy. My only issue was with the coffee, I feel like it took way to long to come out. I’m a bit of a coffee fiend and especially when I have a hangover I want that stuff ASAP!
Prices were fair and the food was great. Courier is an all-​around safe bet for breakfast and lunch in Urbana.