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| - Thank god for this place. That's really all I can say. Well no, I can say more. But before I get to the meat of my review, no pun intended, let me say that Big Grove Tavern is exactly what this town needed. When Jim Gould's closed I was sad to see it go but what has come in it's place is something really fantastic. From the food to the interior to the crowd, the energy Big Grove gives off is infectious and demonstrates that the confluence of intellect and small-town charm in Champaign can really lead to something amazing.
Now on to the food:
Popcorn: Come for free as a starter. While I was hoping for bread, I was even happier with this. The popcorn really whets your appetite without being too filling. I hear the flavor changes; it was definitely some kind of lime (think the hint of lime you find certain Mexican foods) flavor when I was there.
Tavern Burger: There are so many things I can say about the Tavern Burger. First and most simply, it's delicious. The blend of bison was for me, the most prominent of the three meats that make up the burger but overall I found it to be rich, meaty and just the right amount of gamey given the bison. The onion marmalade, and petite crusty bun complimented the burger without overpowering the taste of the meat. I opted to add the fried egg which led to messy experience given the soft yolk, but a certainly more delicious one. At this point, if I did this right, you are so convinced about the deliciousness of the burger you won't even care to hear about the fries. But hey, if you're still interested: they're completely well-executed- crisp yet still potatoey.
Now... onto my other comment on the Tavern Burger. There was some review on here about how the burger is in limited quantities. That's how you know it's fresh and locally sourced! If I wanted something from a freezer I'd head down by the mall and swallow some hormone-laced, bacon-cheese-blue cheese-fried onion-black forest-ham-ranch dressing-heart attack in a bun. If you want a burger that satisfies your burger craving while still being an appreciable entree and cut of meat, come enjoy the Tavern Burger. And if you've missed it, just come back and try again! And frankly, at 12 bucks, it's not that bad. The downtown Champaign restaurant scene generally errs on the more expensive side. Given what Jim Gould's prices used to be like, Big Grove is far more reasonable price-wise in comparison.
In sum, ignore the hate, embrace the love, Big Grove will have you leaving full, happy and pleasantly surprised by what Champaign has to offer food-wise.
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