Highest-rated fine dining restaurants in the Champaign area by diners
Highest-rated fine dining restaurants in the Champaign area by diners
Fine dining in the United States isn't what it used to be. Many customers are no longer interested in classic white tablecloths and 16-ounce New York strips; these days, it's all about cutting-edge culinary experiences.
Although steakhouses have defined fine dining in America since the 19th century, that started to change in the mid-1990s. Elite chefs like Thomas Keller and his three-Michelin-starred restaurant, French Laundry, unearthed a whole different kind of tasting experience (with 40 courses), and a new age of fine dining was born. Soon, prix fixe meals—a French style of serving with a set menu—became the norm for fine dining in the U.S.
Between the rise of chefs' tasting menus and consumers' continued desire to have diverse culinary experiences, the restaurants that grace the pages of top-tier restaurant reviewers like Zagat or the Michelin Guide look very different today than they did 30 years ago. Restaurant goers aren't just looking for high-quality food. They want the type of menu that will tell a story. They want creative ingredients they've never tried before. They want to be transported into a whole new world.
With so many innovative menus and restaurant experiences popping up across America, it can be challenging to choose where to go for a special evening. Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated fine dining restaurants in the Champaign area using data from Yelp. Businesses were selected using Yelp's ranking system, which calculates an adjusted rating value that takes into account the number of ratings as well as the rating score itself.
Only businesses with at least five reviews and at least level 2 pricing (i.e., $$ to $$$$) were considered. Also, in an effort to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with five or more locations nationally (based on Yelp data) were not included. Restaurants in certain lower-cost categories (like "diners," "buffets," and "food trucks") were excluded. Data is as of June 25, 2025.
Read on to find a potential restaurant for your next special meal out!
#24. Buffalo Wild Wings
- Rating: 2.5/5 (120 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1335 Savoy Plaza Drive Savoy, Illinois
- Categories: American, Sports Bars, Chicken Wings
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Spicy Tang
- Rating: 2.5/5 (46 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 607 South 6th St. Champaign, Illinois
- Categories: Chinese
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Szechuan China
- Rating: 2.6/5 (55 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 401 South 1st St. Champaign, Illinois
- Categories: Szechuan
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Evo Cafe
- Rating: 2.7/5 (80 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 711 South 6th St. Champaign, Illinois
- Categories: Chinese
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Perkins Restaurant & Bakery
- Rating: 2.9/5 (96 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1214 West University Ave. Urbana, Illinois
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Bakeries, American
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Houlihan's
- Rating: 2.9/5 (139 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1900 South 1st St. Champaign, Illinois
- Categories: New American, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Rainbow Garden Champaign
- Rating: 3.3/5 (126 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1402 South Neil St. Champaign, Illinois
- Categories: Chinese
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Ko Fusion
- Rating: 3.3/5 (425 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 30 East Main St. Champaign, Illinois
- Categories: Asian Fusion, Sushi Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Big Grove Tavern
- Rating: 3.4/5 (527 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1 East Main St. Ste 101 Champaign, Illinois
- Categories: New American, Cocktail Bars, Venues & Event Spaces
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Billy Barooz
- Rating: 3.5/5 (137 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2521 Village Green Place Champaign, Illinois
- Categories: Sports Bars, American
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Hamilton Walker's
- Rating: 3.6/5 (269 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 201 North Neil St. Champaign, Illinois
- Categories: Seafood, Steakhouses, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Timpone's
- Rating: 3.6/5 (152 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 710 South Goodwin Ave. Urbana, Illinois
- Categories: Italian, Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Biaggi's Ristorante Italiano
- Rating: 3.6/5 (309 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2235 South Neil St. Champaign, Illinois
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#11. The Ribeye
- Rating: 3.7/5 (161 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1701 South Neil St. Champaign, Illinois
- Categories: Steakhouses, Salad
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Silvercreek
- Rating: 3.8/5 (228 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 402 North Race St. Urbana, Illinois
- Categories: New American, Tapas/Small Plates
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Nando Milano Trattoria
- Rating: 3.8/5 (406 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 204 North Neil St. Champaign, Illinois
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#8. The Courier Cafe
- Rating: 3.8/5 (494 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 111 North Race St. Urbana, Illinois
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Cafes, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp
#7. The Himalayan Chimney
- Rating: 4.0/5 (183 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 134 West Church St. Champaign, Illinois
- Categories: Indian, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Sun Singer Wine and Spirits
- Rating: 4.1/5 (210 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1115 West Windsor Road Champaign, Illinois
- Categories: Beer, Wine & Spirits, Delis, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Watson's Shack & Rail
- Rating: 4.1/5 (301 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 211 North Neil St. Champaign, Illinois
- Categories: Bars, American
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Baxter's American Grille
- Rating: 4.1/5 (165 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 100 Trade Centre Drive Champaign, Illinois
- Categories: American, Steakhouses, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Golden Harbor Authentic Chinese Cuisine
- Rating: 4.3/5 (558 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 505 South Neil St. Champaign, Illinois
- Categories: Chinese, Taiwanese
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Sakanaya
- Rating: 4.4/5 (675 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 403 East Green St. Champaign, Illinois
- Categories: Japanese, Sushi Bars, Vegetarian
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Black Dog Smoke & Ale House
- Rating: 4.4/5 (920 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 201 North Broadway Ave. Urbana, Illinois
- Categories: Barbecue, American
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 319 metros.
