Timpone’s

Dined for lunch and dinner on separate occasions. Casual enough for friends, families, and dates (though you should call ahead and mention that so they can seat you in a more private area).
The pizzas are on the smaller side when compared to Papa Johns, but the quality is superior. They’re meant to be shared, sliced in easy to take slices. If you want big portions loaded with fat, go to Olive Gardens or Pizza Hut.
I had the roast beef sandwich for lunch, and my god it was the best I’ve had in CU. Juicy, meaty, a traditional American feel. My only critique would be the okay service (it’s spotty overall) and an overdue revamp of the outdated restuarant interior, as well as replacements for silverware and plating. Though who minds a little scuff when you’ve busy eating!

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!

The prices are fairly decent if you just order food (no alcohol included) and the quality is fairly decent. The waiter we got was very knowledgeable and polite. I’m also a fan of the dim lighting in the dining area and the overall quiet atmosphere so you can actually have a conversation with the people you are having dinner with. We both ordered pizzas, which they claim is one of their specialties, and it was good, but I felt like it was also a little over-​hyped because it wasn’t anything extraordinary. The ahi tuna appetizer was delicious though and I would highly recommend ordering it. Overall, it’s a nice restaurant.

Great place for a special occasion, very upscale and surprising considering where it is located, with a very knowledgeable staff and delicious food. Definitely much more of a fine dining establishment than anything else in the area it is not an «everyday» kind of place for students but definitely a good place to keep in mind for those special events.

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.

This is a wonderful family owned restaurant. The food is always great. The owner changes the menu slightly all the time, but yet always has some of the old favorites. It’s been a local favorite for years and hopefully for many more years to come. The food is a bit higher priced, but I believe it’s worth it overall for the quality, taste, & ambiance. This restaurant also has one of, if not, the best wine selections of any restaurant around the area. The food can be described as an mostly Italian & American with a dab of other influences. The pasta and desserts are made on site. The bar area could be updated, but the restaurant upstairs is nice. Highly recommend for a good conversation and a good meal.

The food is so amazing here. The service is good too. I need to go there more often. You pay a little more, but it is worth the money! You really get what you pay for here.

This place is a hidden gem. Went for lunch today and the experience was wonderful. Server was attentive, they graciously accommodated us even though they closed in 45 minutes, and the food was beyond delicious. We ordered the mushroom pizza as an appetizer, the steak burger (cooked perfectly medium and only available on the lunch menu), mushroom ravioli, and the spinach tagliatelle with chicken. The menu changes often and I’ve been there multiple times and enjoyed my experience/​meal. Definitely a special place to take out of town guests but we also enjoy it for a lunch or dinner when we’re feeling fancy! I do agree that the portions are on the smaller side compared to other restaurants (of lower quality) but I feel very satisfied after because the food is good quality and delicious. You get what you pay for here.

Everyone knows, being stuck in that section of Urbana can well and truly suck. Especially when it comes to lunch! 45 minutes with a fifteen or better walk up to Green? No thank you!
So, for a good time, there, Timpone’s was the one. The answer to everything.
And, in that, there was value. Not a dollar value, I’m afraid, as Timpone’s sure charged for the pleasure. And there wasn’t much flexibility there, either… I mean, it’s not like you could order and they’d deliver. But you could pick-​up, so that was something.
My favorite, by a landslide, was their Italian Beef, but it, too, wasn’t that dependable. It really just hinged upon whether you liked thickly sliced garlic. You could always tell when they got down to the bottom… besides the beef getting a little fattier, there were so many pieces of sliced garlic, the whole texture/​taste changed. Enough garlic to keep ten Dracula’s at bay, I assure you!
Their expensive sub-​par pizza was soon replaced by Ozark. A happy day for all those on the South Campus.
Honestly, we had to depend on this place for so many years, and I just always found their food «meh», and their «service» even worse. Unfortunately, their prices were the biggest insult… When the new place was built across the street, we were all glad.
If you’re looking for a very dated restaurant, with a menu that’s reflective of its age, give this one a try. Just limit your expectations.

Love this place, atmosphere is wonderful. You can actually hear your companions conversation. Their Chianti and spinach tagliatelle fantastic.

This place is a total throwback in terms of both menu items and décor. It reminds me of «fancy» places from my 1980s childhood. The food was executed competently and the service was attentive and pleasant. However it was not worthy of the $ 100 dinner for two price tag.

The appetizers were tasty; risotto cakes, and crab. Short ribs were perfect, but the portion could have been larger. Hangar steak was excellent. Fig pizza was really different, but it worked. Dessert; pineapple upside down cake with ice cream was sweet and tender. Chocolate mousse and lemon tart were nicely done. Conversely, the waiter was not very helpful when it came to ordering wine. He made no attempt to help suggesting anything, he may not have known the wine list? They have an extensive wine list, which should have a knowledgeable staff. Our waiter was no student, he just didn’t care. Also, he rushed us to put in our dinner order, and the food came too quickly. The place was not busy, don’t know why this happened. Perhaps it was because I was a female. Often, we get treated differently when dining without a male.

I really love their seafood risotto. Leaves a very healthy and tasty feeling.

Amazing appetizers, pasta and sauces. The mushroom sausage pizza as well as venison in polenta are amazing. The flavors are consistent and the spicing is on point. The desserts are pretty standard, pies or carrot cake but they are good and go well with the coffee they brew.
Best Italian food in the area, hands down

Have always enjoyed the food and thought it to be of very good quality.
The service is lacking due to the focus on hiring the nearby students from the university. On one occasion we made reservations, and while being seated the hostess tried to place us at a table. We prefer a booth and asked to be seated at one but she refused saying that they were not yet seating in that area. We insisted, and this went back and forth several times before we said that we will leave. She finally allowed us to sit at a booth but then made a dramatic show about placing us there before stomping off.
It was bizarre and not the typical experience, but just a cautionary sign of what comes when staffing students.

Amazing, amazing, amazing! I had their special black bean pizza and it blew me away! Everything on the menu sounded so good! I’ll have to go back to try many more items:)

I was in Urbana alone on business and wanted to dine at a nice restaurant within walking distance of the Illini Union where I was staying. The restaurant had a nice ambiance and the wait staff was professional. I ordered the halibut with brussels sprouts and proscuitto. The lemon beurre blanc sauce served with the fish was divine. The white wine I had was also very good. I was too full for dessert but wanted to try the lemon tart so I ordered it to go. I figured I could have it later while I worked in my hotel room. I was surprised when I got my bill and saw that I was charged .50 for the container b/​c I asked for the tart to go. It’s not a big deal but after paying over 60.00 for my meal (for one), this left a negative impression. I’ve gotten dessert to go at other restaurants of all different price ranges and have never been charged for a container. I wonder if I had eaten part of the tart at the restaurant and then asked for the rest to go if they would have still charged me the .50. Again, not a big deal but this changed my impression of Timpone’s from being an upscale restaurant to a fine restaurant wanna-​be.

Little diamond in the rough. Ambiance and location were great but the linguine I had was a bit oily.

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 crème brûlée was the only thing that was worth praising there, although it is a tad too sweet for many of us.

They really do a good job. We invited 20 clients to go last night and called with a ½ 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!