For upcoming Dads Weekend, my dad gave me the mission of finding the best burger in Champaign-Urbana. The requirements he said were simple: quality grease, flavor and tenderness. The best burger would be one that could rival his own fresh-off-the-grill burgers from back home. My dad thinks very highly of his burgers and is the last one to admit when he encounters one that has surpassed his own. In the words of Barney Stinson, I told him: challenge accepted!

In preparation for locating my burgers, I watched the “How I Met Your Mother” episode in which Marshall spends 22 minutes searching for “The Best Burger in New York.” For Marshall, burgers are so much more than a “mere sandwich of grilled meat and toasted bread.” Oh, no — burgers are a big deal. The burger is the king of American cuisine. The epitome of it’s-so-good-you-gotta-lick-your-fingers indulgence. The burger is The Man.

After watching Marshall crawl through all of NYC with so much passion and fortitude, I was determined to begin my endeavor with just as much zeal. I scoured the Internet until I came across places of promise, and then I laced up my sneakers and ran a few miles (packing in a few pounds to sample the beef would require perspiration). Once the exercise was finished, I was ready to begin my experiment.

In an attempt to create consistency, I ordered a plain burger with lettuce and ketchup from each joint (not a fan of tomato and pickle). Though I didn’t deny myself the fries, I tried my best to avoid letting them sway my results. While this labor of burger love was no easy feat (the proof is in my newly uncovered potbelly), the best burgers passed the test and will move on to compete this weekend against my father’s stubborn taste buds. The victors are as follows:

*Best in Downtown Champaign: Farren’s Pub and Eatery*

Farren’s is the definition of a hole in the wall. After roaming the streets of downtown Champaign for 15 minutes (keep in mind downtown is more or less a street or two), I finally found the place in a hidden corner with a side-street entrance. Dimly lit, the place had an old-fashioned bar feel that I am sure my dad will have a hard time finding fault with. The burgers were juicy and the perfect size — I didn’t feel like my abdomen was on the verge of exploding, but I wasn’t scrapping for extra tortilla chips either.

*Best in Downtown Urbana: Courier Cafe*

I actually discovered Courier Cafe last year when my friend and I were tired of Merry-Ann’s, and looking for a new diner-esque place to go on a Friday night. In short, Merry Ann’s has nothing on Courier Cafe. The first thing that comes to mind when I think of the place are the three C’s: charming, cozy and cheap. If you go after 8 o’clock you’re in for a mouthwatering deal. Not only do you get an amazing, tender, savory burger, you also get thick potato-y fries to die for (I tried my best to resist) and a handmade milkshake that comes with the leftover shake cup, all for less than $7.

*Best in Campustown: Legends*

Legends isn’t exactly a hidden gem like the two burger places featured above, but you can’t ignore its burger. For just under $5, it’s the financially burdened college student’s dream patty. While the place tends to be sort of dead at night, I’m sure my dad will appreciate its atmosphere this weekend for NFL Sunday. And the burger — I’m not sure words can do justice to such goodness. My stomach growled just thinking about it.

_Emily is a junior in LAS._