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Nacho Trail Around Champaign-Urbana

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It doesn’t have to be Taco Tuesday to enjoy nachos — for lunch, dinner, happy hour, or maybe all three

When we asked where to find Champaign-Urbana’s best nachos, our readers sent us on a tantalizing food journey around the area. We learned that not only do some local businesses serve delicious nachos, they might also hook their fans with large servings or unique ingredients. A few chains (such as La Bamba) received some nacho love from our readers, but as usual, we focus on locally owned businesses in our food trail posts.

We aren’t terribly concerned with whether any of these nacho offerings are “authentic” (whatever that means). As one reader stated, “We need to think about things that bring us all together. Like nachos.”

Nacho Trail around Champaign-Urbana

Several places garnered multiple mentions, but no one’s nachos got more love than Fernando’s — now in its new brick-and-mortar location as well as continuing to operate as a food truck.

Fernando’s, 519 Town Center Blvd., Champaign: “They give you a HUGE portion of nachos loaded with all the toppings and your choice of meat. Sooooo good.” “Fernando’s steak nachos all day long.” “Yessssss with chorizo.” “I don’t really like nachos (sorry, not sorry) but Fernando’s chicken nachos are FIRE.”

Other businesses received multiple mentions for their nachos, a few featuring some surprising ingredients:

83 Vietnamese Cuisine, 2502 Village Green Place, Champaign: “Try the crab rangoon nachos!”

Baxter’s American Grille, 100 Trade Center Dr., Champaign: “Two words: Steak. Nachos.”

Billy Barooz, 2521 Village Green Place, Champaign: “Hands down, I gotta say, Billy Barooz.” “Best steak nachos!!!!” “Huge tasty serving.” “I would sell one of my kids for some nachos from Billy Barooz!”

Burrito King, 408 E. Green St., Champaign; and food truck: The King Nachos topped with beans, beef or chicken, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, onion, cilantro, jalapeños, sour cream, and guacamole received several votes. “Burrito King is the correct answer.”

Cowboy Monkey, 6 E. Taylor St., Champaign: Featuring its Cowboy Nachos with tortilla chips, melted queso, salsa, and guacamole, with optional cilantro lime chicken or steak.

Guido’s Bar & Grill, 2 E. Main St., Champaign: “Their chicken nachos, there is literally no competition. My husband and I have travelled far and wide and lived in three different states and Guido’s ruined us for nachos. They are divine. We can’t find a stand-in!”

Hickory River, 1706 N. Cunningham Ave., Urbana; 3414 Fields South, Champaign: Hickory River’s loaded pulled pork nachos are the request of a reader’s family “every single time” they come into town.

Maize Mexican Grill, 100 N. Chestnut St., Champaign; multiple campus locations and food truck: “Maize’s veggie nachos with their red salsa! Yummy.”  “Maize is great!” “Maize pork nachos are the best!”

Mo’s Burritos, 705 N. Neil St., Champaign; and food truck: “Mo’s has the BEST nachos! a huge portion!” “Mo’s steak nachos!”

Piato, 804 E. Main St., Urbana (catering); and food truck: “Piato has Hawaiian nachos that are amazing!”

Smoky’s House BBQ, 1333 Savoy Plaza Lane, Suite 8, Savoy: “By far the best nachos! The baked beans, the best bbq meat in the area, and the multiple great bbq sauces to choose from move these nachos far beyond any others. We like the meat upgraded to brisket.”

Sun Singer, 1115 W. Windsor Road, Champaign: “Sun Singer’s nachos are simply the best, period.” “Pot Roast Nachos from Sun Singer are my favorite!”

The nacho love reaches beyond Champaign-Urbana to Agave (Rantoul), Breaking Taco and Project 47 Smokehouse (Mahomet), and even Wild Hare Bar & Grill (Fisher). The most unexpected recommendation?

Coffee and friends, 218 N. Market St., Paxton; and food truck: “This doesn’t seem like it would be the nacho place, but they make their chips fresh and are generous with their authentic toppings. So. Good.”

Know of someone that we missed? Tell us what makes their nachos list-worthy via email.

 

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