As a broke college student with almost no time to spare, I often find myself gravitating toward cheap but delicious eats. Throughout my freshman and sophomore years, there are four local, lesser-known restaurants I’ve discovered that satisfied my cravings when dorm food or leftovers weren’t enough. While most of these restaurants aren’t on Green Street, they’re definitely worth the extra 2 minutes of walking time to get there.

J. Gumbo’s

700 S. Gregory St., Urbana

With arguably the friendliest restaurant staff on campus, J. Gumbo’s, located at 700 S. Gregory St. in Urbana, offers Louisiana cooking at a cheap price. My personal favorite is the voodoo chicken, but I say this with full confidence that the dish is exceptionally spicy. If it’s your first time, definitely consider getting their most popular dish: drunken chicken, which is pretty much the same meal without all the spices. Of course, there are so many other items to try here. From jambalaya to po’ boys, this hidden gem ensures you leave with a happy tummy.

bb.q Premium Chicken

700 S. Gregory St., Urbana

For about $7, you can get a filling rice bowl with the best tasting, cheap (but quality) chicken on campus. The bowl comes with some greens, fried eggs and your choice of sauce. While their other items are decent, such as the wings and fries, try sticking to the rice bowls; it blows everything else out of the water in terms of taste, portion size and price.

D.P. Dough

33B E. Green St., Champaign

This college campus calzone chain (what a tongue twister) will change any previous thoughts you had on pizza’s younger brother. You’re probably wondering, “Why would I get a calzone if I could just get a slice of pizza?” D.P Dough’s calzones beg to differ and they certainly changed my mind. If you feel like you could eat a horse, D.P. Dough offers a hot box deal, which includes a calzone, drink and your choice of side for only $9. Just a note, however: this particular establishment offers little seating, so it’s best to get their calzones to go.

Joe’s Brewery

706 S. Fifth St., Champaign

Every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, Joe’s offers half-price burgers. And these aren’t small burgers, by the way — they’re pretty big and are always tasty. The deal comes with a good portion of fries. Plus, there are 18 burgers to choose from, which makes it even harder not to come back a second time. And the best part is that this deal will continue as long as Joe’s is open for business. This is, without a doubt, one of the best deals on campus.

Tyler is a junior in Media. 

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