Esquire Lounge Inc
106 N Walnut St, Champaign, IL, 61820
Esquire Lounge Inc Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Champaign for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Champaign for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Champaign for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
106 N Walnut St
Champaign, IL, 61820 - Phone (217) 398-5858
- Website https://www.esquirelounge.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
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Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner, Late Night
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Loud
Music : Juke Box
Good For Dancing : No
Alcohol : Full Bar
Happy Hour : Yes
Best Nights : Thu, Fri, Sat
Coat Check : No
Smoking : Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
Categories
Pizza
Pizza is a famous Italian dish savored around the world. The entire credit for the popularity of Pizza in the United States goes to the chain of pizzerias all over the country. While the base and the texture of Pizza remains same across the globe, it's the toppings that differs from country to country. In the United States, you will find the top pizzerias serving pizzas with the toppings of mainly beef, bacon, chicken, ham, and sausage for the non-vegetarians. Other than these famous meat options, Pizzas with veg toppings such as mushrooms, pepperonis, garlic, tomatoes, spinach, etc. are also famous in most restaurants in the United States.
Irrespective of your locality, you will find a variety of different restaurants in your cities offering pizzas of all different types. Pizza is hot favorite among people of all ages in the United States. A large size pizza is enough to feed a family of 3 or 4 at large. Pizza is also the most preferred food whenever a group of friends is hanging out together. Pizza gained popularity in the United States after the American soldiers stationed in Italy returned from World War II.
Over the years, different pizzerias in the United States have developed their own respective regional variations. Pizza gained popularity as the iconic dish in the United States in the second half of the 20th century. Whether you prefer thin or thick crust pizza, you can find a pizza of your preference at the best pizza restaurants in your city.
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Blue Cheese Burgers. That's all you need to know.
(4)Jessica K.
I frequent the bar next door, so I thought I might like this place. Erm. I was floored when I walked in, and the first time I came here, I left immediately. Esquire is rather hideous with an atmosphere not to my taste. Light wood? Really? Okay, that's not a big deal. I guess I'm just not used to this feel. I personally think their drink menu is shot. The positive: this is the only place I've found near campus that serves chicken tenders! Kudos.
(2)Kenny J.
Although I enjoy coming to the Esquire, I have sat on the side where the bartender Rich works. On more than one occasion this man acts as if we are in his way rather than welcoming us as guests. Last time we were there he was in a particularly bad mood, being nasty to his fellow workers and acting as if the patrons were in his way. I come to a bar to have a relaxed fun evening, Rich has more than once made the evening very uncomfortable. I have been in the bar when Rich wasn't working, and when he is not there the people behind the bar are relaxed, they smile, and seem to have fun, but when Rich is there everyone is on edge and grumpy. God forbid anyone does anything in his "territory", they get a nasty look. This man is more worried about making sure that everything behind the bar is in its place and perfect, than he is about giving good service to his customers, he will walk by an empty glass many times without asking if you need another drink, you have to flag him down. I think he has been there much too long, and has lost the knowledge that the customer comes first.
(3)Michaela K.
Great alcohol. However I was with a group of 3 and we ordered multiple drinks because we are all semi alcoholics and they told us we could only have one drink each. You all have lint butt.
(2)Elorie K.
Why, yes, I would like to drink a lot, play pool, AND watch the game, all at the same time! Because, really, they have everything here at the Esquire. Cheap drinks, good service, pool, and TVs everywhere; what more could you ask for?! I love the peanuts thing they do, and I love the whole feel of throwing the shells on the floor! I feel like a rebel for making a mess, hehe. Their fries are wonderful to chow down on when you're feeling pretty happy, and their honey mustard is ridiculously good (not sure what kind they use, but I need that in my life!). I was a little disappointed they didn't have Bulleit bourbon, but it could just be a southern thing. I got over it quickly, Makers is a good substitution in my Old Fashioneds. Two thumbs up for Esquire! Will definitely be back next time I'm visiting Champaign
(5)Matthew W.
Cheap, good pub food. Don't expect fancy. This is a great little local watering hole with pretty good food options for an extremely reasonable price. They have a surprisingly good beer selection and infuse their own liquors. Seriously a must-try in Chambana.
(5)Daniella B.
This is a great place for quick cheap bar food and drinks.The ambiance can be a little trashy at times but whenever we find ourselves downtown and craving some quick food, this is our go to. The menu is surprisingly diverse and high quality for the prices and you can't beat the free peanuts. Their drink specials are pretty great and they have a pretty impressive selection of beer. I wouldn't make a special trip for it but if you want a cheap place to meet up with friends or find yourself hungry in downtown champaign, it's worth checking out.
(4)Macy W.
Came on a Friday night and it was really packed. Our waitress was really busy and it took her about 20 minutes to ask us what we wanted. The seating area is kind of cramped; chairs were often back-to-back. Their pizza is good, though, and they had decent drink prices.
(2)Natalie M.
Their pizzas are pretty good -- thin crust. Get the BBQ chicken. The food isn't amazing but it's pretty good for a lounge/bar. I've tried their sandwich as well with pulled pork. This was very tasty! Had it during lunch time when it's not too busy. Apparently they have a buffet lunch or something. Cool, chill place to check out in downtown Champaign.
(4)Daniel J.
I have been here many times and have never been disappointed in their Bleu Pear Pizza. It is an amazing amalgam of cheese, pear and pine nuts that surprises you from the first bite. Don't come out to the Esquire and not try this pizza! Oh, and if you enjoy smoking cigars, (as I do) they allow smoking out on the patio which is always fun on a warm summer night. The people that sit out on the patio are always so friendly and the staff is quite attentive to your needs as well. This place is situated right in downtown Champaign which is such a nice place to be, and there are dozens of other things to do if you are starting your night here.
(5)Sherry Y.
There's something quite nice about this place. I've heard they're quite cheap with the drinks here, but I'm more a fan of the food. Every pizza I've had here has been really delicious. The ambiance is worth the visit as well, a traditional joint with pool tables on the side. But the bathrooms...avoid the bathrooms.
(4)Mb A.
Giving all the props because we were at Guidos bar & had terrible service & warm beer. Came here after ,.,Jessica was excellent bartender. Quick, concerned ,,really knows how to make money! Greet guests, talk to them even when you r so busy & suggest items. Let's you drink a little before. killing u with ordering ..at the bar!!!!. She is awesome!! And will be on our 40% tip group. We may be in our 50's but we're in bar biz & know what one should expect. We spend money,..sorry 019 at Guidos,,,you lost out & need to learn the biz
(5)Kailey O.
Coming from California, these are the cheapest drinks I've ever encountered! We called ahead of time to ask them to play the niners game, even though the bears / packers were the favored game of the day (and time). They had a TV set up all ready with the niners game when I got there. There are peanut shells all over the ground, which I find a little tacky and dangerous. The Pizza was pretty decent - thin crust. We ordered the Hawaiian although we substituted BBQ sauce for regular pizza tomato sauce. There are fun pool tables and other arcade games. A jukebox for your favorite tunes can be found near the bar, i think. This place seems to be a staple of downtown champaign.
(4)Debby R.
My favorite bar. Great mix of people combined with the best thin crust pizza around (love the garden pizza) and topped off with a Crooked Tree on tap. I've never left disappointed!
(5)Preston B.
Kind of underwhelming place overall. Average beer selection and limited food selection (their pizza is probably the best thing I've had). Feels like a 90's bar that hasn't done a great job of staying with the times. That being said, there is a nice energy throughout. Staff is great and service is prompt and friendly. The News Gazette has an Illini-based sports talk radio show there on mondays that is always a good time.
(3)Paul D.
This will be a review down memory lane. I grew up in this bar, much like Jackie H's review. One of the bartenders was my little league baseball coach, then I played on the bars soft ball team. Even though I have not lived in Chamaign for about 10 years, I can still find people I know, and bartenders that remember me. When I was little I would order kiddy cocktails from the bar, then get change to play on the only pinball machine. Then stomp on all the peanut shells on the floor. I have seen expansion many times. Originally from one bar and a few booths, to a wrap around bar, then finally to the pool hall and extra bar area that you see now. I have met U of I basketball coaches here, there are pictures of former Cubs players kissing my Mom (wait, what). My parents originally met here. It is safe to say my family has a mullti generational history here. Anyway, beyond the nostalgia, it is one of the best pubs to visit in the downtown area. Just a great place to relax and have a few drinks. Along with the evolution of the bar, so has the menu. Now there is a mix of pub grub like burgers, fish sandwiches, etc. Which I don't think are that great. Though the various pizzas are very good. As are the wings, which I am not typically a fan of. Though these are baked, not fried and battered like most. The Asian Dumplings are great as well. The service can be hit or miss. Depending on the time you come, and where you order. Bar service is pretty good, but the waitresses can be a bit confused when trying to find you after you place the order. Though they work hard, and always take care of anything that might be wrong. Drinks are pretty standard. There are a handful of good micros on tap. Usually something from Two Brothers or Dark Horse as the main micros available on tap. A bit more extensive selection in bottles. The rest is typical drinks for a neighborhood bar. Overall, not perfect. Though the goods far out way the bad. An institution in the downtown Champaign area, and a place I will always love.
(4)Gail T.
Great prices on drinks and food. The thin crust pizza is delicious. Good selection of draft beers.
(4)Nava N.
First off let me say that I am definitely a city girl so restaurants like Esquire are not really my type. I have dietary restrictions and I need to be picky. I came here with my mom and sister to grab some food on Sunday. It seemed to be the only place open. I ordered the portabella mushroom sandwich (super bland), my sister got the chicken salad (she said it was pretty good), and my mom ordered the salmon. Overall the food was nothing special to me however coming from the city to this little suburb area the price for the food was pretty amazing. The salmon only cost $7 and it was a fairly big portion. The servers were nice but the atmosphere was too load. I wont be back here but that mostly has to do with the lack of food options.
(2)Ashley B.
I go to this bar every single time I'm in Champaign. They have an actual jukebox that's loaded with good stuff, you can eat peanuts and throw the shells on the floor, they have pool tables, and lets not forget, the CONTUSIONS. They're just shots of pineapple infused tequila and even my friends who hate tequila seem to love them. I also really like this bar because they have some good bar food (lots of fried stuff) and they serve fried food pretty late. This place is also big, so it can feel busy without being shoulder-to-shoulder like some bars. It's just an all around nice place for a chill night or a party with a big group. Probably one of my favorite bars in Champaign. Just make sure you have your ID because they WILL card you! UPDATE: The jukebox is now gone. I am not happy.
(5)Jinho P.
Atmosphere is fun and a great place to come out and shoot pool with friends but I can't stand coming here for lunch. I don't know why I bothered trying a second time. So my main complaint about the lunch dining experience is sanitation. I ordered the burger the first time and a hot dog the second. I guess some people don't mind having a communal condiments station but I have a problem with this. The fresh produce like pickles, onions, and lettuce are not refrigerated at all at the communal condiments station. I mean at least puts some cold ice under the box of pickles, lettuce, and onions at least! The ketchup bottle and mustard container all looked like it was ready for the dump. The tips were hardened and crustified and it just looked out of date because no one bothered to keep em clean. Stickyness galore. Wash your hands if you still decide to go. Anyway, minus food but fun joint. Proceed with caution cuz after a few beers you might just make a drunk order of food and realize you got yourself into a bigger mess then you had planned.
(2)David T.
I go to Esquire a fair amount, but mostly for the pineapple tequila margaritas. They're to die for, and often the only thing I order here. Otherwise, the spirits and beer selections are okay. It's about on par with the rest of the downtown bars (similar to Jupiters, for instance). The pool space is nice and open as well. I'm not a huge fan of the aesthetic (my inner OCD hates the peanut shell on the floor schtick) but it's a pretty good bar. The food, on the other hand, has been consistently underwhelming. I haven't tried the pizza yet, but that's because I've been unimpressed by the other stuff I have tried. The appetizers tend to be greasy, and the chicken fingers were weak. Plus food normally takes forever to come out of the oven. In short, come for the booze, but eat beforehand.
(3)Daniel W.
Synopsis: This place is a dive which alot of people find happen to find sentimentally appealing. ..........MMM OK- it's actually more of a watering hole. You know, an acceptable environment within which to get your drank on. It's just impersonal enough that townies, transplants, and recent grads can tolerate one another- and low enough on the ego scale that they may let their guard down enough to interact with one another for a moment. The food and the men's bathroom share some compelling similarities- they are both occasionally necessary, routinely "less-than-fresh", and exist in the same realm between offensive and forgettable.
(3)Mona H.
You know you're going to have an interesting night when some random dude swipes some of your fries while you're playing pool. ha! Needless to say the first time I went to Esquire there was a bachelor party and it was hilarious to watch the crazy activities. The selection of booze is fine, there is even a batch of peanuts to grab and munch on while you're hanging out. I tried their fried broccoli recently, it's soooo addicting. The place can be a tad messy, obviously because of the peanuts, and it definitely has a mix of townies and college kids, but it's a pretty fun place to go to for a hang out with friends.
(4)Jackie H.
I don't remember my first visit to the Esquire. I suspect I'm not alone, but my reasons probably differ. See, I was less than a year old at the time, and I likely wasn't into doing much more than staring out the window at the buses or blinking up at the moving Hamm's sign. Luckily for me, I have been to Esquire many more times since. You could say I grew up throwing peanut shells on the floor and stomping on them. (For the record, I still throw the shells on the floor, but I no longer do the accompanying dance--that stopped being cute around age eight.) Before my family moved away from Champaign, this was the number one place we would take out of town relatives visiting. Even as objectively yummier, cooler places opened up around town, Aunt So-and-so and Uncle Whatshisface would always demand to be taken back to Esquire, and we were always happy to oblige. It's a comfortable, unpretentious bar, and that's what you needs sometimes. It's all about the ambiance, really. There are better burgers in town, but at Esquire it's the whole package that keeps me coming back. That and those peanuts. For real.
(4)Beth K.
Mostly great venue. Beer selection is good. Easy to get to. Food is ok. Salmon is awesome. Just a few times there was an issue with either too much noise from the TV or jukebox so I couldn't hear the person next to me.
(4)Mark C.
Gotta admit that the name of the place belies what's actually inside. When I hear the word "Esquire," I think formal and gentlemen. What I got was scattered peanut shells all over the floor and a normal bar scene. Despite this, this place features some cool billiards. It's a great place to watch sports games and the prices are quite reasonable for the amount of food they serve. They have a condiment bar so you can put as much tomatoes, lettuce, pickles, and/or onions on your food. My burger and fried mushroom meal came out to be $8.49. And if you're feeling like a hipster, they have PBR pints for a dollar on Sunday.
(4)Kassie L.
Love this place. I eat here at least 4 times a week. It has it's own charm and staff are all friendly once you get to know them.
(5)Sonny S.
Came to this place to end the night after celebrating a friend's birthday. Shared fries, fried potstickers, pizza and chicken tenders. The food was decent. Either that or I was starving - probably the latter. The server was a bit pushy and had an attitude. After we ate, we played a few rounds of pool. At this point I probably would've gave this place 3 stars but it's what happened at the end of the night that completely turned my night sour. As we were leaving, a staff member came and started screaming bloody murder at us. I was stunned and asked my friends what was going on. From how she was acting you would've thought someone had gotten killed. Turns out my friend forgot to pay for pool. She was out her damn mind yelling at us like she was crazy! The way this woman acted was completely rude and unprofessional. There are numerous ways she could've dealt with this situation and the way she chose was completely and utterly unacceptable. Honestly don't know how this place is still in business. Wish I could give this place 0 stars. Yeah, it's THAT bad. I will NOT be coming back!!
(1)James B.
I really don't understand how this place can be held in such high regard. There isn't a particularly good drink selection, the food is terribly mediocre (the burgers are just terrible), and the bar itself has not a remarkable characteristic in sight. While all that is bad enough, I've always felt that the employees here are tremendously standoffish with anyone under 40, and this is the only place I've been to downtown where they'll chase your party down after you walk in the door. With so many fantastic places in downtown Champaign, the only reason this one hasn't gone out of business has to be the location.
(1)Mike S.
This place is vastly different from any of the other restaurants downtown because its atmosphere is neither pretentious nor dumpy. It somehow manages to straddle the line in such a way that nobody really seems to feel out of place there. The burgers are some of the best in Champaign. They have a good char-grilled taste to them that so many other, more pretentious, places lack. There are a large number of sides to select from, including fried mushrooms, onion rings, french fries, potato chips (which, sadly, just come from a bag), fried broccoli, and Asian dumplings (which my friends tell me are fantastic). I've had the polish sausage once, and it was passable, but nothing special. The pizza is good and comes in a number of varieties. The one complaint I have is that the service can be especially hit-and-miss. There have been times I've been served wonderfully, and there have been times I've been ignored for a half-hour just to refill my drink. Overall, Esquire is a down-to-earth place with good prices and good food.
(4)Adam N.
My last visit to Champaign treated me to some wonderful places to spend some quality time with friends. Murphy's Pub, The Blind Pig, and others. I would not put Esquire on that list. The decor is uninteresting at best. There is no personality. It's designed to appeal to a crowd that just wants a nice bright place to hang out and drink. Not being a drinker, I can't rate the Esquire on that, but I can rate them on the food, and the food is so forgettable, I forgot to review it. Our group had a couple of burgers, some wings, and a chicken sandwich. I was told the burgers were good. The chicken must be avoided at all costs. The sandwich is one of those strange creations that takes chicken strips and puts them on a bun. I'm not entirely sure why, as this makes an awkward eating experience. The strips were nearly tasteless. Thank goodness for mayonaise. My wife had the wings. After one or two, she was trying to figure out why they didn't seem right. I was going to eat them, but I couldn't, and I LOVE wings. These things had enough salt to turn Lake Michigan into a salt lake. They were awful. I would not go back at all. I'll eat diner food, fast food, and other kinds of food, but not Esquire Food. Meh.
(2)Matthew M.
Location is good, drinks are usually on the strong side...HOWEVER, the rude service you can expect to receive here, far outweigh the positives. Every single visit to the esquire, I received unfriendly, uninviting service. The crowd in this place is 40+ and unless you fall into this category, the staff will make you feel very unwelcome. Every trip downtown, I want to give esquire another chance, and every time I'm disappointed.
(1)Tim J.
Esquire is a gym-class all star: it performs reasonably well in most areas, and can be counted on not to kick the ball into its own goal, but isn't going to catch the eye of any out-of-town talent scouts or date cheerleaders. Its journeyman efforts will win friends and a few high fives, but it is not the flashy varsity letterman. Food here is just fine, and very reasonably priced. I have been disappointed with the size of their appetizers once or twice, but their entrees are a solid value, cooked dependably to be exactly what you expect in pub grub. Prices are very good for downtown Champaign, but they lack the booze selection of a Radio Maria or Blind Pig. The gross looking jar on the bar is infused vodka. Service is always friendly, and fastest at the bar. If you sit at their pretty awesome outside tables, the trade off is that you're gonna get ignored. You can order lunch ahead and pick up 15 minutes later. The free peanuts are priceless, as are the friendly patrons who are more likely than other crowds in town to strike up a convo with you. All this sounds pretty complimentary, but the fact is that this place is not stand-out awesome in any particular way. If you want to take your friends from Chicago to visit 4 places in downtown Champaign that are all different from each other, to give them an idea of what the "new" Champaign has to offer, you aren't going to stop at Esquire. Of course, that's just fine with me. I'll at the end of the bar eating peanuts and saying to some dude I just met holy shit the White Sox sure are Cubbing it hard this September.
(3)L H.
Just got back from a great party at Esquire. The food was fantastic! Their fried chicken is out of this world and they also had really good Greek salad and potato salad. They have a good bar selection too...I had good German beer. It's just a friendly, fun place to hang out and they have a back room for private gatherings.
(4)Ruthie H.
Ruthie AW Harper (unregistered) says: LadyLuv The Place Where Everyone Feels @ Home... You get the complete package; Good Food, Good Drinks, Friendly Servers and a welcoming atmosphere.
(5)Shawna O.
New to town, I got in with a group of Masters students that meet up here every Friday, and so far, this place is awesome. Lots of room outside and in, cheap drinks and good food at a good price. Its great to have veggie food at a bar that isn't cheese and/or deep fried! The portobello mushroom sandwich is delicious. The staff is always available to take more orders, don't mind splitting checks for groups, and there is a wide selection of drinks available.
(4)Dar'Keith L.
Staff are great, though service can be slow if the place is very busy, which is understandable because the food is amazing. I tried the steak garden salad and the meat was cooked to perfection. Most restaurants serve bland salads or poor cuts of red meat, but not Esquire!
(4)Erin Y.
I'm liking this spot! Not quite a dive; you can eat free peanuts and toss shells on the floor, so almost. Most reasonable damn drink prices in town. Cheap good noms: black bean burger, daily soups, fried brocco, and best of all asian dumplings. Larger inside than seems it'd be- there are many pool tables, 2 bars, lots of booths. Music low enough to hold conversation if so inclined. Not a shit-ton of kids (undergrads) around to annoy. Good spot to get your grown-folks drink on. Did I mention the most reasonable drink prices around? Three pints of PBR under 5 bucks for the win!
(4)Ashley R.
Holy hell. What have I been doing with my life? My grad program loves to party here, but for whatever reason I had never come. I am regretting all the times I went to campus bars. I'm not a grown up by any stretch of the imagination, but this place had no undergrads in sight. Plus, the deals! 18 Asian dumplings for around 5-6 dollars? Delicious black bean burger for about 5 bucks? Gin and tonic (my standard drink) for less than 4 bucks? What is not to love? Add in the great service, the nice sized televisions for sporting events, pool tables that I am dying to try, and quiet music so we can actually talk to each other and hear ourselves think, and I'm still kicking myself for only checking this place out now. Plus free peanuts! I LOVE FREE PEANUTS. Now, granted, this was a rather quiet Thursday, so we'll have to see what happens if/when it gets busy. But so far, all systems go.
(5)Brigitte M.
We were looking for a place to eat and grab a beer with little kids after a long drive. We were also looking for something with a "college" feel considering its a college town and we are about 10 years out of college. Nostalgia gets me every time. This place had a much older crowd (on a Monday)...think 45 year old regulars, but what do you expect on a Monday night? The draft beer selection was ok. They have one Bell's, Guiness and Harp on tap, but that's as "crafty" as it gets at the front bar (the back bar was closed and may have had more available). The food was only OK. We got a small personal pizza and a steak sandwich. Neither one was that great. The staff was super friendly and GREAT with the kids. The price was also right.
(3)Deanna C.
I came back here with a friend on a random Thursday night as we both felt it was too early to call it a night, but weren't looking for a venue with dance music blaring in our ears nor were we interested in having to shove through the crowds to get a drink. At Esquire, we managed to secure a pool table (only $6 an hour!!), got cheap drinks, and just had a relaxing low-key night. Plus, I got to work on honing my pool-skills (or lack thereof =P).
(4)David K.
My number 1 "go-to" place. Great food, great drinks, and a great place to just hang out. The "Cheers" of Champaign! Not too long after moving here I stopped in for lunch one day, and that had me hooked. Lots of friendly regulars hanging out at the bar! And unlike many bars, the kitchen is open until closing, great for a late night snack or late meal.
(5)Teej T.
Cheap beer, dive bar, great company, and holy crap--did everyone just eat a hojillion peanuts and dump their shells on the floor? Really? What the hell, it's a great dive bar. I cant' even hate on it. The booths are big and comfy, the setting is as nonpretentious as it gets, and the peeps are chill as hell--and most likely you're not gonna run into many undergrads ;)
(4)S Y.
This place is the most laid-back, chill, bar that I have ever been to. The people here are mostly an older crowd, but they make you feel right at home. I like this place because their burgers are cheap and you can get the side stuff (lettuce, tomato, etc.) yourself at a different table and can therefore get allllll the pickles that your heart desires. Not to mention, unlimited peanuts!
(4)Michel B.
Where else can you get 2 polish sausages, fries and 2 beers for $13? Good food, great prices- nice relaxed atmosphere. Esquire is definitely a place to be visited when in Champaign!
(4)Dominique S.
Delicious pineapple margarita and burgers. Can't go wrong!
(5)David Z.
I stopped into Esquire Lounge for a couple hours in the evening while waiting for the 7:59 PM Amtrak train back to Chicago. This place is right across the street from the station. I sat by myself at the bar, but there were plenty of others riding solo as well. It was THAT kind of place - where the locals can come and drown away their sorrows. Actually, it was much more than that - this place seems to have a little bit of everything. There are pool tables in the back, so you can get that sort of crowd. There are larger tables as well, so you can see some large groups of students gabbing away. There are a good amount of TV's, so there were some people watching the evening college football games. There are decent sized booths, so I saw a couple people typing away on laptops. And there's a jukebox, so some people are silently rocking out to the classics. And perhaps best of all, there were plenty of townies around for some great people watching. At one point of the locals who had clearly had too much to drink began serenading a nearby booth with the Canadian National Anthem. Although he didn't get the words right, I gave him an A+ for effort. The bartenders called the guy a cab and made sure he got home okay. It felt like I was inside some sort of insider club where everybody is friends, and even the students are cool with the townies. The beer selection was surprisingly good. There were a lot of good import options available, although I stuck with $2.25 Bud Light drafts. Remember, I was taking the Amtrak home, so that shows you how much money I wanted to spend.... They have $1.50 PBR drafts too, which is what the locals stuck to. The food was pretty good as well. I had a simple cheeseburger and fries. Although not my favorite burger/fries combo, it was definitely worth the $4.50 I paid. The "fixin's table" they have is nothing more than onions, pickles, and tomatoes next to some condiments and sauces - Nothing special there. But there was something cool about being able to put that stuff on yourself, I guess. The charm of this place lies in the characters that visit, and for that alone, I am giving a 5 star rating. The cheap food and beer is an added bonus. And I almost forgot, free peanuts! If I return to Champaign any time soon, I will definitely be back to this place.
(5)The P.
The food was awful. Reheated frozen food that made me ill afterwards. I'll be avoiding the cuisine in the future...
(2)Michael L.
I only went there once but I really liked it. I have never been to a place where it felt so comfortable. I got a burger which was pretty good and reasonably priced. They have free peanuts and the atmosphere is great. I sat outside and it was just a really comfortable place to be. Everyone there was friendly and just relaxing. Service and atmosphere is the best part of the place.
(5)Travis M.
Best bar in Champaign (IMHO) and the closest thing to "Cheers" in Champaign. Decent beer selection. Peanuts in the shell, eat them and throw the shells on the floor. 4 pool tables. Relaxed and laid back. Used to be a townie bar, then they expanded it and all types hang out there. Just your basic, no frills, hang out with your buddies, BAR.
(5)Avy F.
This is the first bar I visited when I moved here five years ago. It's also the place I had my first legal drink, the place I arranged my first (extremely underwhelming) one-night stand, the place I had my first post-breakup talk ... the list goes on and on. In short, the Esquire is a place of firsts for me, and for that reason it holds an unimpeachable place in my heart. It's a good place, even taking none of the above into account. The prices are reasonable, the service is friendly, the drinks are stiff, the food is tasty, the jukebox kicks much ass (except on one night a few years back when some doucherocket fed about a million dollars into the machine and played Pogues records all night, but I am willing to let bygones be bygones). There's a nice array of seating options: small tables, mid-size tables, large booths, and the bar itself, which is the best place to sit if you want super-fast service and a good vantage point for eavesdropping and people-watching. There are also some tables outside, which are nice places to park your ass if you're a smoker or like keeping an eye on the goings-on along Walnut. The outdoors is heated during chilly weather, and although it doesn't too a ton of good in the dead of winter, it's lovely on brisk autumn nights. The people who frequent this place are an interesting mix. Some townies, some students, some regulars, some noobs. You're just as likely to see a gaggle of hipsters looking vaguely out of place as you are to see a group of middle-aged business types in dad jeans. Every once in a while some truly fresh and interesting personalities will be present, such as a trio of cackling cougars sipping pineapple margaritas and flirting with any male under the age of 26, or two sharply-dressed men having a snappy but ultimately friendly conversation you ache to be a part of, or a crusty old man with a walrus mustache who will pound your table with a hammy fist and yell something that sounds friendly but is completely unintelligible. Oh, and every once in a while Tim Lash of Hum fame will be hanging around, which I think we can all agree is pretty delightful. (I do not advocate drunkenly pestering him, of course, but if you do want to say hi be assured that he's about the nicest dude on earth and will receive your attention with much grace and warmth.) One of the best, most endearing things about this bar is its all-around friendliness. I often go here by myself in the evening with whatever book I'm currently reading, fold myself into a corner, and order a few beers. Not once has any patron or staff member given me grief over this, and for that I am truly grateful. Yes, the linoleum is hideous and yes, the bathrooms are a little iffy, but all the bartenders remember my name, and that's something that can't be beat.
(5)Jim R.
Excellent food, very reasonable prices, friendly staff, nice atmosphere with a wide range of customers. Will come again.
(5)Anne W.
It used to be a towny bar but I think more recently there are younger people who frequent. It's not trendy.. it's more laid back. They do make good drinks and you get free peanuts. When I say drinks.. I mean things like rum and coke. If you ask for a mojito or margherita..those can be disasters. The service is also excellent. The reason why I keep going back.. their fried broccoli (even if you don't like broccoli) or fried dumplings (even if you're Asian). I go back all the time because of that. The other stuff is just average in my opinion.
(4)Beth D.
I love this place so much... It's my favorite bar in town. The grilled cheese and fried broccoli is where it's AT, and the drinks are inexpensive. It can be quiet enough to have lots of talking with friends, loud enough to chill by yourself and have some food. One drawback is it's hard to find seating on weekends, but with two rooms and two bars, it just takes a bit of time but not too long, and that happens with any bar in downtown on the weekend.
(5)Steve M.
I really enjoyed Esquire and went here quite a bit to play pool and have a very average (but cheap!) pub food experience. The main problem is that it doesn't have great beer. It is pretty townie and older for the most part, which is actually kind of nice coming from the Pig or M+Ms, and it does have a decent unpretentious neighborhood vibe (despite not being in a neighborhood). They do have pineapple infused tequila they make themselves, which is delicious, so make sure to order a contusion. It's a fairly versatile place, good for happy hours.
(4)Bob N.
Not so bad, and definitely not traditional bar food. That said, we opt for better food in the downtown area.
(3)Tim H.
It's a great bar with a great drink selection. The feel of the bar makes it acceptable for both 21 year olds and 60 year olds. You never feel too young or too old here, and that's a plus in my book!
(5)Rachel K.
The staff is extremely friendly and attentive. The food is cheap and is great, drunk or sober. I recommend the Asian Dumplings, or a burger. Their Contusions are amazing (Pineapple infused tequila)!! Plus, who can go wrong with free peanuts, pool tables, and a Jukebox?
(4)Bailey B.
After a stressful day of test taking, my friend and I just wanted to relax, eat, and it was a beautiful day so we preferred somewhere outside. She had been to Esquire before and said the burgers were good. I really like the place. I had the chicken tender sandwich with fries, and it was FABULOUS. Everything a fried chicken finger sandwich could be. At first it was delivered to the table empty, just a bun and chicken fingers. But then I was told of the "Fixin's Table" where I got to add my own lettuce, tomatoes, onions, pickles, and a sauce(s) of my choosing. I enjoyed sitting outside and watching the people walk by. And when my other friend showed up with her dogs, they didn't mind at all. And she loved that they had Fat Tire on tap. Overall, I would definitely recommend this place. The only problem with sitting outside is that you do not get to throw your peanut shells on the floor- you have to bring a bowl outside for the shells... ah well... On those cold winter nights I can throw my shells on the floor inside.
(4)Emily O.
Esquire is one of our favorite places to go! Friendly staff, great pizzas and appetizers, well-kept pool tables and $1.50 PBR drafts! The in-house pineapple tequila is fantastic as well. They always have a decent sized crowd with a variety of ages, even during odd hours.
(5)Erin D.
There is nothing better than fried food, specifically broccoli, after some (or many) drinks at the Pig. Service is usually good, great considering the fact that they're putting up with a lot of drunken shenanigans. Also, you can get fried food to go and take it back to the Pig or Mike and Molly's.
(4)Bev h.
you know you're in a sweet bar when you spend more money on the jukebox than you do on drinks. esquire has one of the best jukeboxes i've ever come across, and over the years i have probably played every song at least twice! great divey bar. students, regulars, pool sharks. peanut shells on the floor. pinball machine, old school table bowling, pool tables, and plenty of booths and tables to relax in. they make their own pineapple infused tequila- get some in a margarita and you won't be disappointed! also excellent bar food- dumplings and fried broccoli are some of my drunk favorites. the only reason they don't get 5 stars is because the pool is a bit pricey. $9 for 2 hours? lame.
(4)Aaron M.
Surprisingly good bar food. Good sandwiches and bag of chips. Cheap beer.
(4)John B.
Esquire pretty much kicks ass. I first discovered it while I was working for the city across the street and would come over for lunch quite a bit to get a steak sandwich while I was in the process of packing on the pounds. I've since lost weight and now I eat the black bean veggie burger (absolutely delicious). Esquire has grown and changed (a bit) over the years to accomodate the changes in downtown Champaign, but it still retains much of its original character. I think it and the Brass Rail are the only two places left where you can really hang with the hardcore downtown alcoholics. I mean HARDCORE! Esquire is awesome!
(4)Tadd B.
My fiancé and I go here all of the time and love it. It is a great bar for relaxing and enjoying some cheap drinks. The food is typical bar food, but is also priced right. Overall, this is, by far, my favorite bar in Champaign (if not anywhere)!
(5)Paige D.
I had the greatest experience at Esquire. We went for lunch, and had a waiter who was friendly, talkative and helpful, but not overbearing. Our food was delicious, came hot, and was inexpensive. The BEST thing was that we were talking about how we love Strongbow on draft, and our waiter chimed in that he thought Bentley's had it-- and actually CALLED over there to make sure! It was a wonderful experience.
(5)Ignacio D.
Are you a functioning alcoholic looking for cheap, strong drinks? Are you an elephant looking for a source of all you can eat peanuts? If you answered yes to one of these questions, then Esquire is the place for you. Strong drinks,. free peanuts, powerful outdoor heat lamps. The only downside is the 2am cut off.
(5)Jake T.
Great pizza, great atmosphere, free peanuts, and $4.75 pitchers of PBR? ... Can't go wrong here!
(4)Joseph B.
Esquire rocks. The place is dirt cheap and the food is simple and good. 1.50 pints of old style and 3 dollar grilled cheese sandwiches make this place my cheap go to in Champaign. They also have free peanuts which are good when you are too cheap to buy the cheap food, like I am sometimes. It's a bit of an old man bar but the cheapness makes up for it in my mind. Also, they have a number of large pool tables. The place can be pretty packed on a Fri or Sat night as well so it makes for a good time.
(5)Kate R.
love love love this place. after moving here in september, me and my boy went looking for a bar where we could totally relax, actually hear each other (even at 12 am), have some cheap beer, and possibly even play some pool. welp, we found all of that, and some, at esquire. they have the cheapest (and strongest) drinks in the area, tons of seating (though can get crowded later on on the weekends), a juke box with some great tunes, and awesome service (try to get art as a server and you will be extremely content all night long). oh, and did i mention they have free peanuts? or that you simply spit the peanut shells out on the floor? yeah, it's that type of place....i love it. all of it. and i also love their special pineapple-induced tequila. to die for. basically they put tequila and pineapple in some sort of jar for a week and then serve it out and it is simply delicious...can't get enough of them. this is the perfect place to go at night, or during the day to watch a game and have a few beers/pitchers ($5 red stripe pitchers cannot be beat). the mix of people is also nice to see...everyone from people sitting at the bar flying solo to couples at a table and to groups of 12 sitting around a larger table in the back room. awesome awesome awesome. the only reason i am not giving this place 5 stars is because i haven't tried the food. once i do, i'll be back to recap on that....
(4)A W.
The Esquire is an excellent place for delicious bar food, peanuts, and Strongbow. If, for some reason, you do not like Strongbow, they have a decent beer and alcohol selection otherwise. It's not the most sanitary place in the world -- which if you're sober can be kind of off-putting -- but otherwise it's a great place to go any day of the week.
(4)Reza F.
A friend of mine told me this place has some fantastic Pizza (she being of the skinny eat nothing calorie-full type), and well, I made a mistake of listening to her! It was a Saturday night, when the bar is super crowded. We were a group of 4, and as always finding parking spots on downtown Champaign can be a such a chore in weekends. Anyway, you order your food to the bartenders. Waiting for the bartender to notice you in a crowded bar could be ok if you want to order a beer or shot, but for food? I don't like the idea. I ordered a Greek Pizza, while the aforementioned friend ordered a garden pizza (I can't remember the name now, but it was their vegetarian pizza) . To be honest, I dodn't like either of them. The Greek one was a disaster. It had clusters of feta cheese spread over a thin crust, and almost nothing else. It was supposed to have sausage, but I couldn't taste any. The vegetarian one, although being the better one, was kind of juicy. A juicy pizza is NOT my favorite. I'm not against non-American-style thin crust pizzas. As a matter of fact, I love Jupiter's pizzas. But these ones, well, you heard me. There should be a reason these were so cheap (I guess around $7), and I now know it.
(2)Ellen M.
Nice lounge with real people. The patrons are friendly, easy going and mature, and the music is eclectic - James Brown, Tom Waits, the Black Crowes...keep going. Good hamburgers and cheddar broccoli. Also a great black bean burger. Excellent place to grab lunch. Reminds me of Southport Avenue in Chicago.
(4)Sonny S.
Came to this place to end the night after celebrating a friend's birthday. Shared fries, fried potstickers, pizza and chicken tenders. The food was decent. Either that or I was starving - probably the latter. The server was a bit pushy and had an attitude. After we ate, we played a few rounds of pool. At this point I probably would've gave this place 3 stars but it's what happened at the end of the night that completely turned my night sour. As we were leaving, a staff member came and started screaming bloody murder at us. I was stunned and asked my friends what was going on. From how she was acting you would've thought someone had gotten killed. Turns out my friend forgot to pay for pool. She was out her damn mind yelling at us like she was crazy! The way this woman acted was completely rude and unprofessional. There are numerous ways she could've dealt with this situation and the way she chose was completely and utterly unacceptable. Honestly don't know how this place is still in business. Wish I could give this place 0 stars. Yeah, it's THAT bad. I will NOT be coming back!!
(1)James B.
I really don't understand how this place can be held in such high regard. There isn't a particularly good drink selection, the food is terribly mediocre (the burgers are just terrible), and the bar itself has not a remarkable characteristic in sight. While all that is bad enough, I've always felt that the employees here are tremendously standoffish with anyone under 40, and this is the only place I've been to downtown where they'll chase your party down after you walk in the door. With so many fantastic places in downtown Champaign, the only reason this one hasn't gone out of business has to be the location.
(1)Mike S.
This place is vastly different from any of the other restaurants downtown because its atmosphere is neither pretentious nor dumpy. It somehow manages to straddle the line in such a way that nobody really seems to feel out of place there. The burgers are some of the best in Champaign. They have a good char-grilled taste to them that so many other, more pretentious, places lack. There are a large number of sides to select from, including fried mushrooms, onion rings, french fries, potato chips (which, sadly, just come from a bag), fried broccoli, and Asian dumplings (which my friends tell me are fantastic). I've had the polish sausage once, and it was passable, but nothing special. The pizza is good and comes in a number of varieties. The one complaint I have is that the service can be especially hit-and-miss. There have been times I've been served wonderfully, and there have been times I've been ignored for a half-hour just to refill my drink. Overall, Esquire is a down-to-earth place with good prices and good food.
(4)L H.
Just got back from a great party at Esquire. The food was fantastic! Their fried chicken is out of this world and they also had really good Greek salad and potato salad. They have a good bar selection too...I had good German beer. It's just a friendly, fun place to hang out and they have a back room for private gatherings.
(4)Ruthie H.
Ruthie AW Harper (unregistered) says: LadyLuv The Place Where Everyone Feels @ Home... You get the complete package; Good Food, Good Drinks, Friendly Servers and a welcoming atmosphere.
(5)Mark C.
Gotta admit that the name of the place belies what's actually inside. When I hear the word "Esquire," I think formal and gentlemen. What I got was scattered peanut shells all over the floor and a normal bar scene. Despite this, this place features some cool billiards. It's a great place to watch sports games and the prices are quite reasonable for the amount of food they serve. They have a condiment bar so you can put as much tomatoes, lettuce, pickles, and/or onions on your food. My burger and fried mushroom meal came out to be $8.49. And if you're feeling like a hipster, they have PBR pints for a dollar on Sunday.
(4)Matthew W.
Cheap, good pub food. Don't expect fancy. This is a great little local watering hole with pretty good food options for an extremely reasonable price. They have a surprisingly good beer selection and infuse their own liquors. Seriously a must-try in Chambana.
(5)Jessica K.
I frequent the bar next door, so I thought I might like this place. Erm. I was floored when I walked in, and the first time I came here, I left immediately. Esquire is rather hideous with an atmosphere not to my taste. Light wood? Really? Okay, that's not a big deal. I guess I'm just not used to this feel. I personally think their drink menu is shot. The positive: this is the only place I've found near campus that serves chicken tenders! Kudos.
(2)Kenny J.
Although I enjoy coming to the Esquire, I have sat on the side where the bartender Rich works. On more than one occasion this man acts as if we are in his way rather than welcoming us as guests. Last time we were there he was in a particularly bad mood, being nasty to his fellow workers and acting as if the patrons were in his way. I come to a bar to have a relaxed fun evening, Rich has more than once made the evening very uncomfortable. I have been in the bar when Rich wasn't working, and when he is not there the people behind the bar are relaxed, they smile, and seem to have fun, but when Rich is there everyone is on edge and grumpy. God forbid anyone does anything in his "territory", they get a nasty look. This man is more worried about making sure that everything behind the bar is in its place and perfect, than he is about giving good service to his customers, he will walk by an empty glass many times without asking if you need another drink, you have to flag him down. I think he has been there much too long, and has lost the knowledge that the customer comes first.
(3)Michaela K.
Great alcohol. However I was with a group of 3 and we ordered multiple drinks because we are all semi alcoholics and they told us we could only have one drink each. You all have lint butt.
(2)Elorie K.
Why, yes, I would like to drink a lot, play pool, AND watch the game, all at the same time! Because, really, they have everything here at the Esquire. Cheap drinks, good service, pool, and TVs everywhere; what more could you ask for?! I love the peanuts thing they do, and I love the whole feel of throwing the shells on the floor! I feel like a rebel for making a mess, hehe. Their fries are wonderful to chow down on when you're feeling pretty happy, and their honey mustard is ridiculously good (not sure what kind they use, but I need that in my life!). I was a little disappointed they didn't have Bulleit bourbon, but it could just be a southern thing. I got over it quickly, Makers is a good substitution in my Old Fashioneds. Two thumbs up for Esquire! Will definitely be back next time I'm visiting Champaign
(5)Daniella B.
This is a great place for quick cheap bar food and drinks.The ambiance can be a little trashy at times but whenever we find ourselves downtown and craving some quick food, this is our go to. The menu is surprisingly diverse and high quality for the prices and you can't beat the free peanuts. Their drink specials are pretty great and they have a pretty impressive selection of beer. I wouldn't make a special trip for it but if you want a cheap place to meet up with friends or find yourself hungry in downtown champaign, it's worth checking out.
(4)Macy W.
Came on a Friday night and it was really packed. Our waitress was really busy and it took her about 20 minutes to ask us what we wanted. The seating area is kind of cramped; chairs were often back-to-back. Their pizza is good, though, and they had decent drink prices.
(2)Natalie M.
Their pizzas are pretty good -- thin crust. Get the BBQ chicken. The food isn't amazing but it's pretty good for a lounge/bar. I've tried their sandwich as well with pulled pork. This was very tasty! Had it during lunch time when it's not too busy. Apparently they have a buffet lunch or something. Cool, chill place to check out in downtown Champaign.
(4)Daniel J.
I have been here many times and have never been disappointed in their Bleu Pear Pizza. It is an amazing amalgam of cheese, pear and pine nuts that surprises you from the first bite. Don't come out to the Esquire and not try this pizza! Oh, and if you enjoy smoking cigars, (as I do) they allow smoking out on the patio which is always fun on a warm summer night. The people that sit out on the patio are always so friendly and the staff is quite attentive to your needs as well. This place is situated right in downtown Champaign which is such a nice place to be, and there are dozens of other things to do if you are starting your night here.
(5)Sherry Y.
There's something quite nice about this place. I've heard they're quite cheap with the drinks here, but I'm more a fan of the food. Every pizza I've had here has been really delicious. The ambiance is worth the visit as well, a traditional joint with pool tables on the side. But the bathrooms...avoid the bathrooms.
(4)Mb A.
Giving all the props because we were at Guidos bar & had terrible service & warm beer. Came here after ,.,Jessica was excellent bartender. Quick, concerned ,,really knows how to make money! Greet guests, talk to them even when you r so busy & suggest items. Let's you drink a little before. killing u with ordering ..at the bar!!!!. She is awesome!! And will be on our 40% tip group. We may be in our 50's but we're in bar biz & know what one should expect. We spend money,..sorry 019 at Guidos,,,you lost out & need to learn the biz
(5)Kailey O.
Coming from California, these are the cheapest drinks I've ever encountered! We called ahead of time to ask them to play the niners game, even though the bears / packers were the favored game of the day (and time). They had a TV set up all ready with the niners game when I got there. There are peanut shells all over the ground, which I find a little tacky and dangerous. The Pizza was pretty decent - thin crust. We ordered the Hawaiian although we substituted BBQ sauce for regular pizza tomato sauce. There are fun pool tables and other arcade games. A jukebox for your favorite tunes can be found near the bar, i think. This place seems to be a staple of downtown champaign.
(4)Debby R.
My favorite bar. Great mix of people combined with the best thin crust pizza around (love the garden pizza) and topped off with a Crooked Tree on tap. I've never left disappointed!
(5)Eriecola19 _.
Blue Cheese Burgers. That's all you need to know.
(4)Preston B.
Kind of underwhelming place overall. Average beer selection and limited food selection (their pizza is probably the best thing I've had). Feels like a 90's bar that hasn't done a great job of staying with the times. That being said, there is a nice energy throughout. Staff is great and service is prompt and friendly. The News Gazette has an Illini-based sports talk radio show there on mondays that is always a good time.
(3)Paul D.
This will be a review down memory lane. I grew up in this bar, much like Jackie H's review. One of the bartenders was my little league baseball coach, then I played on the bars soft ball team. Even though I have not lived in Chamaign for about 10 years, I can still find people I know, and bartenders that remember me. When I was little I would order kiddy cocktails from the bar, then get change to play on the only pinball machine. Then stomp on all the peanut shells on the floor. I have seen expansion many times. Originally from one bar and a few booths, to a wrap around bar, then finally to the pool hall and extra bar area that you see now. I have met U of I basketball coaches here, there are pictures of former Cubs players kissing my Mom (wait, what). My parents originally met here. It is safe to say my family has a mullti generational history here. Anyway, beyond the nostalgia, it is one of the best pubs to visit in the downtown area. Just a great place to relax and have a few drinks. Along with the evolution of the bar, so has the menu. Now there is a mix of pub grub like burgers, fish sandwiches, etc. Which I don't think are that great. Though the various pizzas are very good. As are the wings, which I am not typically a fan of. Though these are baked, not fried and battered like most. The Asian Dumplings are great as well. The service can be hit or miss. Depending on the time you come, and where you order. Bar service is pretty good, but the waitresses can be a bit confused when trying to find you after you place the order. Though they work hard, and always take care of anything that might be wrong. Drinks are pretty standard. There are a handful of good micros on tap. Usually something from Two Brothers or Dark Horse as the main micros available on tap. A bit more extensive selection in bottles. The rest is typical drinks for a neighborhood bar. Overall, not perfect. Though the goods far out way the bad. An institution in the downtown Champaign area, and a place I will always love.
(4)Gail T.
Great prices on drinks and food. The thin crust pizza is delicious. Good selection of draft beers.
(4)Nava N.
First off let me say that I am definitely a city girl so restaurants like Esquire are not really my type. I have dietary restrictions and I need to be picky. I came here with my mom and sister to grab some food on Sunday. It seemed to be the only place open. I ordered the portabella mushroom sandwich (super bland), my sister got the chicken salad (she said it was pretty good), and my mom ordered the salmon. Overall the food was nothing special to me however coming from the city to this little suburb area the price for the food was pretty amazing. The salmon only cost $7 and it was a fairly big portion. The servers were nice but the atmosphere was too load. I wont be back here but that mostly has to do with the lack of food options.
(2)Ashley B.
I go to this bar every single time I'm in Champaign. They have an actual jukebox that's loaded with good stuff, you can eat peanuts and throw the shells on the floor, they have pool tables, and lets not forget, the CONTUSIONS. They're just shots of pineapple infused tequila and even my friends who hate tequila seem to love them. I also really like this bar because they have some good bar food (lots of fried stuff) and they serve fried food pretty late. This place is also big, so it can feel busy without being shoulder-to-shoulder like some bars. It's just an all around nice place for a chill night or a party with a big group. Probably one of my favorite bars in Champaign. Just make sure you have your ID because they WILL card you! UPDATE: The jukebox is now gone. I am not happy.
(5)Jinho P.
Atmosphere is fun and a great place to come out and shoot pool with friends but I can't stand coming here for lunch. I don't know why I bothered trying a second time. So my main complaint about the lunch dining experience is sanitation. I ordered the burger the first time and a hot dog the second. I guess some people don't mind having a communal condiments station but I have a problem with this. The fresh produce like pickles, onions, and lettuce are not refrigerated at all at the communal condiments station. I mean at least puts some cold ice under the box of pickles, lettuce, and onions at least! The ketchup bottle and mustard container all looked like it was ready for the dump. The tips were hardened and crustified and it just looked out of date because no one bothered to keep em clean. Stickyness galore. Wash your hands if you still decide to go. Anyway, minus food but fun joint. Proceed with caution cuz after a few beers you might just make a drunk order of food and realize you got yourself into a bigger mess then you had planned.
(2)Kassie L.
Love this place. I eat here at least 4 times a week. It has it's own charm and staff are all friendly once you get to know them.
(5)David T.
I go to Esquire a fair amount, but mostly for the pineapple tequila margaritas. They're to die for, and often the only thing I order here. Otherwise, the spirits and beer selections are okay. It's about on par with the rest of the downtown bars (similar to Jupiters, for instance). The pool space is nice and open as well. I'm not a huge fan of the aesthetic (my inner OCD hates the peanut shell on the floor schtick) but it's a pretty good bar. The food, on the other hand, has been consistently underwhelming. I haven't tried the pizza yet, but that's because I've been unimpressed by the other stuff I have tried. The appetizers tend to be greasy, and the chicken fingers were weak. Plus food normally takes forever to come out of the oven. In short, come for the booze, but eat beforehand.
(3)Daniel W.
Synopsis: This place is a dive which alot of people find happen to find sentimentally appealing. ..........MMM OK- it's actually more of a watering hole. You know, an acceptable environment within which to get your drank on. It's just impersonal enough that townies, transplants, and recent grads can tolerate one another- and low enough on the ego scale that they may let their guard down enough to interact with one another for a moment. The food and the men's bathroom share some compelling similarities- they are both occasionally necessary, routinely "less-than-fresh", and exist in the same realm between offensive and forgettable.
(3)Mona H.
You know you're going to have an interesting night when some random dude swipes some of your fries while you're playing pool. ha! Needless to say the first time I went to Esquire there was a bachelor party and it was hilarious to watch the crazy activities. The selection of booze is fine, there is even a batch of peanuts to grab and munch on while you're hanging out. I tried their fried broccoli recently, it's soooo addicting. The place can be a tad messy, obviously because of the peanuts, and it definitely has a mix of townies and college kids, but it's a pretty fun place to go to for a hang out with friends.
(4)Jackie H.
I don't remember my first visit to the Esquire. I suspect I'm not alone, but my reasons probably differ. See, I was less than a year old at the time, and I likely wasn't into doing much more than staring out the window at the buses or blinking up at the moving Hamm's sign. Luckily for me, I have been to Esquire many more times since. You could say I grew up throwing peanut shells on the floor and stomping on them. (For the record, I still throw the shells on the floor, but I no longer do the accompanying dance--that stopped being cute around age eight.) Before my family moved away from Champaign, this was the number one place we would take out of town relatives visiting. Even as objectively yummier, cooler places opened up around town, Aunt So-and-so and Uncle Whatshisface would always demand to be taken back to Esquire, and we were always happy to oblige. It's a comfortable, unpretentious bar, and that's what you needs sometimes. It's all about the ambiance, really. There are better burgers in town, but at Esquire it's the whole package that keeps me coming back. That and those peanuts. For real.
(4)Beth K.
Mostly great venue. Beer selection is good. Easy to get to. Food is ok. Salmon is awesome. Just a few times there was an issue with either too much noise from the TV or jukebox so I couldn't hear the person next to me.
(4)Adam N.
My last visit to Champaign treated me to some wonderful places to spend some quality time with friends. Murphy's Pub, The Blind Pig, and others. I would not put Esquire on that list. The decor is uninteresting at best. There is no personality. It's designed to appeal to a crowd that just wants a nice bright place to hang out and drink. Not being a drinker, I can't rate the Esquire on that, but I can rate them on the food, and the food is so forgettable, I forgot to review it. Our group had a couple of burgers, some wings, and a chicken sandwich. I was told the burgers were good. The chicken must be avoided at all costs. The sandwich is one of those strange creations that takes chicken strips and puts them on a bun. I'm not entirely sure why, as this makes an awkward eating experience. The strips were nearly tasteless. Thank goodness for mayonaise. My wife had the wings. After one or two, she was trying to figure out why they didn't seem right. I was going to eat them, but I couldn't, and I LOVE wings. These things had enough salt to turn Lake Michigan into a salt lake. They were awful. I would not go back at all. I'll eat diner food, fast food, and other kinds of food, but not Esquire Food. Meh.
(2)Matthew M.
Location is good, drinks are usually on the strong side...HOWEVER, the rude service you can expect to receive here, far outweigh the positives. Every single visit to the esquire, I received unfriendly, uninviting service. The crowd in this place is 40+ and unless you fall into this category, the staff will make you feel very unwelcome. Every trip downtown, I want to give esquire another chance, and every time I'm disappointed.
(1)Tim J.
Esquire is a gym-class all star: it performs reasonably well in most areas, and can be counted on not to kick the ball into its own goal, but isn't going to catch the eye of any out-of-town talent scouts or date cheerleaders. Its journeyman efforts will win friends and a few high fives, but it is not the flashy varsity letterman. Food here is just fine, and very reasonably priced. I have been disappointed with the size of their appetizers once or twice, but their entrees are a solid value, cooked dependably to be exactly what you expect in pub grub. Prices are very good for downtown Champaign, but they lack the booze selection of a Radio Maria or Blind Pig. The gross looking jar on the bar is infused vodka. Service is always friendly, and fastest at the bar. If you sit at their pretty awesome outside tables, the trade off is that you're gonna get ignored. You can order lunch ahead and pick up 15 minutes later. The free peanuts are priceless, as are the friendly patrons who are more likely than other crowds in town to strike up a convo with you. All this sounds pretty complimentary, but the fact is that this place is not stand-out awesome in any particular way. If you want to take your friends from Chicago to visit 4 places in downtown Champaign that are all different from each other, to give them an idea of what the "new" Champaign has to offer, you aren't going to stop at Esquire. Of course, that's just fine with me. I'll at the end of the bar eating peanuts and saying to some dude I just met holy shit the White Sox sure are Cubbing it hard this September.
(3)Shawna O.
New to town, I got in with a group of Masters students that meet up here every Friday, and so far, this place is awesome. Lots of room outside and in, cheap drinks and good food at a good price. Its great to have veggie food at a bar that isn't cheese and/or deep fried! The portobello mushroom sandwich is delicious. The staff is always available to take more orders, don't mind splitting checks for groups, and there is a wide selection of drinks available.
(4)Dar'Keith L.
Staff are great, though service can be slow if the place is very busy, which is understandable because the food is amazing. I tried the steak garden salad and the meat was cooked to perfection. Most restaurants serve bland salads or poor cuts of red meat, but not Esquire!
(4)Erin Y.
I'm liking this spot! Not quite a dive; you can eat free peanuts and toss shells on the floor, so almost. Most reasonable damn drink prices in town. Cheap good noms: black bean burger, daily soups, fried brocco, and best of all asian dumplings. Larger inside than seems it'd be- there are many pool tables, 2 bars, lots of booths. Music low enough to hold conversation if so inclined. Not a shit-ton of kids (undergrads) around to annoy. Good spot to get your grown-folks drink on. Did I mention the most reasonable drink prices around? Three pints of PBR under 5 bucks for the win!
(4)Ashley R.
Holy hell. What have I been doing with my life? My grad program loves to party here, but for whatever reason I had never come. I am regretting all the times I went to campus bars. I'm not a grown up by any stretch of the imagination, but this place had no undergrads in sight. Plus, the deals! 18 Asian dumplings for around 5-6 dollars? Delicious black bean burger for about 5 bucks? Gin and tonic (my standard drink) for less than 4 bucks? What is not to love? Add in the great service, the nice sized televisions for sporting events, pool tables that I am dying to try, and quiet music so we can actually talk to each other and hear ourselves think, and I'm still kicking myself for only checking this place out now. Plus free peanuts! I LOVE FREE PEANUTS. Now, granted, this was a rather quiet Thursday, so we'll have to see what happens if/when it gets busy. But so far, all systems go.
(5)Brigitte M.
We were looking for a place to eat and grab a beer with little kids after a long drive. We were also looking for something with a "college" feel considering its a college town and we are about 10 years out of college. Nostalgia gets me every time. This place had a much older crowd (on a Monday)...think 45 year old regulars, but what do you expect on a Monday night? The draft beer selection was ok. They have one Bell's, Guiness and Harp on tap, but that's as "crafty" as it gets at the front bar (the back bar was closed and may have had more available). The food was only OK. We got a small personal pizza and a steak sandwich. Neither one was that great. The staff was super friendly and GREAT with the kids. The price was also right.
(3)Deanna C.
I came back here with a friend on a random Thursday night as we both felt it was too early to call it a night, but weren't looking for a venue with dance music blaring in our ears nor were we interested in having to shove through the crowds to get a drink. At Esquire, we managed to secure a pool table (only $6 an hour!!), got cheap drinks, and just had a relaxing low-key night. Plus, I got to work on honing my pool-skills (or lack thereof =P).
(4)David K.
My number 1 "go-to" place. Great food, great drinks, and a great place to just hang out. The "Cheers" of Champaign! Not too long after moving here I stopped in for lunch one day, and that had me hooked. Lots of friendly regulars hanging out at the bar! And unlike many bars, the kitchen is open until closing, great for a late night snack or late meal.
(5)David Z.
I stopped into Esquire Lounge for a couple hours in the evening while waiting for the 7:59 PM Amtrak train back to Chicago. This place is right across the street from the station. I sat by myself at the bar, but there were plenty of others riding solo as well. It was THAT kind of place - where the locals can come and drown away their sorrows. Actually, it was much more than that - this place seems to have a little bit of everything. There are pool tables in the back, so you can get that sort of crowd. There are larger tables as well, so you can see some large groups of students gabbing away. There are a good amount of TV's, so there were some people watching the evening college football games. There are decent sized booths, so I saw a couple people typing away on laptops. And there's a jukebox, so some people are silently rocking out to the classics. And perhaps best of all, there were plenty of townies around for some great people watching. At one point of the locals who had clearly had too much to drink began serenading a nearby booth with the Canadian National Anthem. Although he didn't get the words right, I gave him an A+ for effort. The bartenders called the guy a cab and made sure he got home okay. It felt like I was inside some sort of insider club where everybody is friends, and even the students are cool with the townies. The beer selection was surprisingly good. There were a lot of good import options available, although I stuck with $2.25 Bud Light drafts. Remember, I was taking the Amtrak home, so that shows you how much money I wanted to spend.... They have $1.50 PBR drafts too, which is what the locals stuck to. The food was pretty good as well. I had a simple cheeseburger and fries. Although not my favorite burger/fries combo, it was definitely worth the $4.50 I paid. The "fixin's table" they have is nothing more than onions, pickles, and tomatoes next to some condiments and sauces - Nothing special there. But there was something cool about being able to put that stuff on yourself, I guess. The charm of this place lies in the characters that visit, and for that alone, I am giving a 5 star rating. The cheap food and beer is an added bonus. And I almost forgot, free peanuts! If I return to Champaign any time soon, I will definitely be back to this place.
(5)The P.
The food was awful. Reheated frozen food that made me ill afterwards. I'll be avoiding the cuisine in the future...
(2)Tim H.
It's a great bar with a great drink selection. The feel of the bar makes it acceptable for both 21 year olds and 60 year olds. You never feel too young or too old here, and that's a plus in my book!
(5)Rachel K.
The staff is extremely friendly and attentive. The food is cheap and is great, drunk or sober. I recommend the Asian Dumplings, or a burger. Their Contusions are amazing (Pineapple infused tequila)!! Plus, who can go wrong with free peanuts, pool tables, and a Jukebox?
(4)Tadd B.
My fiancé and I go here all of the time and love it. It is a great bar for relaxing and enjoying some cheap drinks. The food is typical bar food, but is also priced right. Overall, this is, by far, my favorite bar in Champaign (if not anywhere)!
(5)Paige D.
I had the greatest experience at Esquire. We went for lunch, and had a waiter who was friendly, talkative and helpful, but not overbearing. Our food was delicious, came hot, and was inexpensive. The BEST thing was that we were talking about how we love Strongbow on draft, and our waiter chimed in that he thought Bentley's had it-- and actually CALLED over there to make sure! It was a wonderful experience.
(5)Ignacio D.
Are you a functioning alcoholic looking for cheap, strong drinks? Are you an elephant looking for a source of all you can eat peanuts? If you answered yes to one of these questions, then Esquire is the place for you. Strong drinks,. free peanuts, powerful outdoor heat lamps. The only downside is the 2am cut off.
(5)Jake T.
Great pizza, great atmosphere, free peanuts, and $4.75 pitchers of PBR? ... Can't go wrong here!
(4)Joseph B.
Esquire rocks. The place is dirt cheap and the food is simple and good. 1.50 pints of old style and 3 dollar grilled cheese sandwiches make this place my cheap go to in Champaign. They also have free peanuts which are good when you are too cheap to buy the cheap food, like I am sometimes. It's a bit of an old man bar but the cheapness makes up for it in my mind. Also, they have a number of large pool tables. The place can be pretty packed on a Fri or Sat night as well so it makes for a good time.
(5)Michael L.
I only went there once but I really liked it. I have never been to a place where it felt so comfortable. I got a burger which was pretty good and reasonably priced. They have free peanuts and the atmosphere is great. I sat outside and it was just a really comfortable place to be. Everyone there was friendly and just relaxing. Service and atmosphere is the best part of the place.
(5)Avy F.
This is the first bar I visited when I moved here five years ago. It's also the place I had my first legal drink, the place I arranged my first (extremely underwhelming) one-night stand, the place I had my first post-breakup talk ... the list goes on and on. In short, the Esquire is a place of firsts for me, and for that reason it holds an unimpeachable place in my heart. It's a good place, even taking none of the above into account. The prices are reasonable, the service is friendly, the drinks are stiff, the food is tasty, the jukebox kicks much ass (except on one night a few years back when some doucherocket fed about a million dollars into the machine and played Pogues records all night, but I am willing to let bygones be bygones). There's a nice array of seating options: small tables, mid-size tables, large booths, and the bar itself, which is the best place to sit if you want super-fast service and a good vantage point for eavesdropping and people-watching. There are also some tables outside, which are nice places to park your ass if you're a smoker or like keeping an eye on the goings-on along Walnut. The outdoors is heated during chilly weather, and although it doesn't too a ton of good in the dead of winter, it's lovely on brisk autumn nights. The people who frequent this place are an interesting mix. Some townies, some students, some regulars, some noobs. You're just as likely to see a gaggle of hipsters looking vaguely out of place as you are to see a group of middle-aged business types in dad jeans. Every once in a while some truly fresh and interesting personalities will be present, such as a trio of cackling cougars sipping pineapple margaritas and flirting with any male under the age of 26, or two sharply-dressed men having a snappy but ultimately friendly conversation you ache to be a part of, or a crusty old man with a walrus mustache who will pound your table with a hammy fist and yell something that sounds friendly but is completely unintelligible. Oh, and every once in a while Tim Lash of Hum fame will be hanging around, which I think we can all agree is pretty delightful. (I do not advocate drunkenly pestering him, of course, but if you do want to say hi be assured that he's about the nicest dude on earth and will receive your attention with much grace and warmth.) One of the best, most endearing things about this bar is its all-around friendliness. I often go here by myself in the evening with whatever book I'm currently reading, fold myself into a corner, and order a few beers. Not once has any patron or staff member given me grief over this, and for that I am truly grateful. Yes, the linoleum is hideous and yes, the bathrooms are a little iffy, but all the bartenders remember my name, and that's something that can't be beat.
(5)Jim R.
Excellent food, very reasonable prices, friendly staff, nice atmosphere with a wide range of customers. Will come again.
(5)Anne W.
It used to be a towny bar but I think more recently there are younger people who frequent. It's not trendy.. it's more laid back. They do make good drinks and you get free peanuts. When I say drinks.. I mean things like rum and coke. If you ask for a mojito or margherita..those can be disasters. The service is also excellent. The reason why I keep going back.. their fried broccoli (even if you don't like broccoli) or fried dumplings (even if you're Asian). I go back all the time because of that. The other stuff is just average in my opinion.
(4)Travis M.
Best bar in Champaign (IMHO) and the closest thing to "Cheers" in Champaign. Decent beer selection. Peanuts in the shell, eat them and throw the shells on the floor. 4 pool tables. Relaxed and laid back. Used to be a townie bar, then they expanded it and all types hang out there. Just your basic, no frills, hang out with your buddies, BAR.
(5)Teej T.
Cheap beer, dive bar, great company, and holy crap--did everyone just eat a hojillion peanuts and dump their shells on the floor? Really? What the hell, it's a great dive bar. I cant' even hate on it. The booths are big and comfy, the setting is as nonpretentious as it gets, and the peeps are chill as hell--and most likely you're not gonna run into many undergrads ;)
(4)S Y.
This place is the most laid-back, chill, bar that I have ever been to. The people here are mostly an older crowd, but they make you feel right at home. I like this place because their burgers are cheap and you can get the side stuff (lettuce, tomato, etc.) yourself at a different table and can therefore get allllll the pickles that your heart desires. Not to mention, unlimited peanuts!
(4)Michel B.
Where else can you get 2 polish sausages, fries and 2 beers for $13? Good food, great prices- nice relaxed atmosphere. Esquire is definitely a place to be visited when in Champaign!
(4)Dominique S.
Delicious pineapple margarita and burgers. Can't go wrong!
(5)Beth D.
I love this place so much... It's my favorite bar in town. The grilled cheese and fried broccoli is where it's AT, and the drinks are inexpensive. It can be quiet enough to have lots of talking with friends, loud enough to chill by yourself and have some food. One drawback is it's hard to find seating on weekends, but with two rooms and two bars, it just takes a bit of time but not too long, and that happens with any bar in downtown on the weekend.
(5)Steve M.
I really enjoyed Esquire and went here quite a bit to play pool and have a very average (but cheap!) pub food experience. The main problem is that it doesn't have great beer. It is pretty townie and older for the most part, which is actually kind of nice coming from the Pig or M+Ms, and it does have a decent unpretentious neighborhood vibe (despite not being in a neighborhood). They do have pineapple infused tequila they make themselves, which is delicious, so make sure to order a contusion. It's a fairly versatile place, good for happy hours.
(4)Bob N.
Not so bad, and definitely not traditional bar food. That said, we opt for better food in the downtown area.
(3)Bailey B.
After a stressful day of test taking, my friend and I just wanted to relax, eat, and it was a beautiful day so we preferred somewhere outside. She had been to Esquire before and said the burgers were good. I really like the place. I had the chicken tender sandwich with fries, and it was FABULOUS. Everything a fried chicken finger sandwich could be. At first it was delivered to the table empty, just a bun and chicken fingers. But then I was told of the "Fixin's Table" where I got to add my own lettuce, tomatoes, onions, pickles, and a sauce(s) of my choosing. I enjoyed sitting outside and watching the people walk by. And when my other friend showed up with her dogs, they didn't mind at all. And she loved that they had Fat Tire on tap. Overall, I would definitely recommend this place. The only problem with sitting outside is that you do not get to throw your peanut shells on the floor- you have to bring a bowl outside for the shells... ah well... On those cold winter nights I can throw my shells on the floor inside.
(4)Emily O.
Esquire is one of our favorite places to go! Friendly staff, great pizzas and appetizers, well-kept pool tables and $1.50 PBR drafts! The in-house pineapple tequila is fantastic as well. They always have a decent sized crowd with a variety of ages, even during odd hours.
(5)Erin D.
There is nothing better than fried food, specifically broccoli, after some (or many) drinks at the Pig. Service is usually good, great considering the fact that they're putting up with a lot of drunken shenanigans. Also, you can get fried food to go and take it back to the Pig or Mike and Molly's.
(4)Bev h.
you know you're in a sweet bar when you spend more money on the jukebox than you do on drinks. esquire has one of the best jukeboxes i've ever come across, and over the years i have probably played every song at least twice! great divey bar. students, regulars, pool sharks. peanut shells on the floor. pinball machine, old school table bowling, pool tables, and plenty of booths and tables to relax in. they make their own pineapple infused tequila- get some in a margarita and you won't be disappointed! also excellent bar food- dumplings and fried broccoli are some of my drunk favorites. the only reason they don't get 5 stars is because the pool is a bit pricey. $9 for 2 hours? lame.
(4)Aaron M.
Surprisingly good bar food. Good sandwiches and bag of chips. Cheap beer.
(4)John B.
Esquire pretty much kicks ass. I first discovered it while I was working for the city across the street and would come over for lunch quite a bit to get a steak sandwich while I was in the process of packing on the pounds. I've since lost weight and now I eat the black bean veggie burger (absolutely delicious). Esquire has grown and changed (a bit) over the years to accomodate the changes in downtown Champaign, but it still retains much of its original character. I think it and the Brass Rail are the only two places left where you can really hang with the hardcore downtown alcoholics. I mean HARDCORE! Esquire is awesome!
(4)Kate R.
love love love this place. after moving here in september, me and my boy went looking for a bar where we could totally relax, actually hear each other (even at 12 am), have some cheap beer, and possibly even play some pool. welp, we found all of that, and some, at esquire. they have the cheapest (and strongest) drinks in the area, tons of seating (though can get crowded later on on the weekends), a juke box with some great tunes, and awesome service (try to get art as a server and you will be extremely content all night long). oh, and did i mention they have free peanuts? or that you simply spit the peanut shells out on the floor? yeah, it's that type of place....i love it. all of it. and i also love their special pineapple-induced tequila. to die for. basically they put tequila and pineapple in some sort of jar for a week and then serve it out and it is simply delicious...can't get enough of them. this is the perfect place to go at night, or during the day to watch a game and have a few beers/pitchers ($5 red stripe pitchers cannot be beat). the mix of people is also nice to see...everyone from people sitting at the bar flying solo to couples at a table and to groups of 12 sitting around a larger table in the back room. awesome awesome awesome. the only reason i am not giving this place 5 stars is because i haven't tried the food. once i do, i'll be back to recap on that....
(4)A W.
The Esquire is an excellent place for delicious bar food, peanuts, and Strongbow. If, for some reason, you do not like Strongbow, they have a decent beer and alcohol selection otherwise. It's not the most sanitary place in the world -- which if you're sober can be kind of off-putting -- but otherwise it's a great place to go any day of the week.
(4)Reza F.
A friend of mine told me this place has some fantastic Pizza (she being of the skinny eat nothing calorie-full type), and well, I made a mistake of listening to her! It was a Saturday night, when the bar is super crowded. We were a group of 4, and as always finding parking spots on downtown Champaign can be a such a chore in weekends. Anyway, you order your food to the bartenders. Waiting for the bartender to notice you in a crowded bar could be ok if you want to order a beer or shot, but for food? I don't like the idea. I ordered a Greek Pizza, while the aforementioned friend ordered a garden pizza (I can't remember the name now, but it was their vegetarian pizza) . To be honest, I dodn't like either of them. The Greek one was a disaster. It had clusters of feta cheese spread over a thin crust, and almost nothing else. It was supposed to have sausage, but I couldn't taste any. The vegetarian one, although being the better one, was kind of juicy. A juicy pizza is NOT my favorite. I'm not against non-American-style thin crust pizzas. As a matter of fact, I love Jupiter's pizzas. But these ones, well, you heard me. There should be a reason these were so cheap (I guess around $7), and I now know it.
(2)Ellen M.
Nice lounge with real people. The patrons are friendly, easy going and mature, and the music is eclectic - James Brown, Tom Waits, the Black Crowes...keep going. Good hamburgers and cheddar broccoli. Also a great black bean burger. Excellent place to grab lunch. Reminds me of Southport Avenue in Chicago.
(4)