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Northern Illinois University - Off-Campus Dining

Off-Campus Dining:

B-

(explain this grade)

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Quick Stats

Best Pizza

  • Pizza Villa

Best Breakfast

  • The Junction

Best Chinese

  • China House Restaurant
  • Great Wall
  • Yen Ching

Best Healthy

  • Pita Pete's

Best Wings

  • Fatty's Bar & Grill

Best Place to Take Your Parents

  • Johnny's Charhouse
  • Ruby Tuesday

College Prowler Take

A few years ago, the popular Midwestern fast food franchise Portillo’s moved into nearby Sycamore, and both locals and homesick students from Chicago flocked to it like it was the Second Coming. That’s how desperate the off-campus dining situation is at NIU—students will drive 20 minutes for a hot dog. Forget good sushi or fresh seafood; you’ll discover neither in DeKalb. What you will find is a lengthy stretch of chain restaurants like the popular Ruby Tuesday and Applebee’s. Their atmospheres are relaxed, their entrees affordable, and their food edible, but distinctiveness and class are not served regularly. Johnny’s Charhouse is deservedly regarded as the best restaurant in DeKalb, and while the prices are steep, the food is fantastic. If you’re looking to impress a date, you can’t do better in the area. Eduardo’s also does a credible job presenting authentic Mexican cuisine at decent prices, and the Junction is the ultimate late-night eatery for hipsters, intellectuals, insomniacs, and people sobering up. Off-campus dining is certainly more appealing than dorm food, but it’s also a more expensive option, especially if you are already committing more than $50 a week to a meal plan. The quantity of eateries in DeKalb doesn’t compensate for the lack of quality and diversity in most menus, but nearly all students end up finding a few places that satisfy their tastes.

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Students Speak Out

Love your school more than free food? Hate your school more than term papers?
Somewhere in between? Show the world what YOU think of YOUR school:

Anonymous says:

I love the food around here. I eat...

I love the food around here. I eat out every night, and it’s not all that more expensive than eating at home if you know the right places and specials. I could make two or three meals out of stuff available on the Ruby Tuesday salad bar. I know people complain that there aren’t more high-class establishments, but college students don’t have the money for those places anyway.

Off-Campus Dining
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Anonymous says:

Johnny’s Charhouse is...

Johnny’s Charhouse is fantastic. It’s very pricey, but I live for their steaks. It’s like the only place to eat around here that isn’t garbage.

Off-Campus Dining
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Anonymous says:

For good food delivered, try Tom...

For good food delivered, try Tom & Jerry’s or Lukulos (the calzones are really good at Lukulos). For someplace to sit down and get a good meal that’s not too far away, try the Junction on Lincoln Highway.

Off-Campus Dining
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Anonymous says:

I wish there were some healthier...

I wish there were some healthier options that weren’t so expensive. It’s so easy to gain weight eating around here because you are surrounded by temptation. If you have the room in your dorm or apartment, shop at a grocery store and make your own meals. It’s cheaper, healthier, and the food is probably better.

Off-Campus Dining
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Anonymous says:

Eating off-campus is...

Eating off-campus is great—Portillo’s, Panera, El Loco Burrito, Burritoville, Tom and Jerry’s. However, they can be a little expensive.

Off-Campus Dining
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Facts

Student Favorites

  • Chipotle
  • Johnny's Charhouse
  • Portillo's
  • Ruby Tuesday
  • Shelley's
  • The Junction

24-Hour Dining

  • White Castle

Grocery Stores

Jewel
1320 Sycamore Rd., DeKalb
(815) 758-5478

Schnucks
975 S. Annie Glidden Rd.
(815) 748-6200

Wal-Mart Supercenter
2300 Sycamore Rd., DeKalb
(815) 758-6225

Restaurant Listing

Applebee's
American
2411 Sycamore Rd.
(815) 748-3222
www.applebees.com
Price: $10-$15
Hours: Sunday–Thursday 11 a.m.–11 p.m., Friday–Saturday 11 a.m.–12 a.m.

Burritoville
Mexican
1026 W. Hillcrest Dr.
(815) 756-8848
Price: $5-$15
Hours: Sunday–Wednesday 8 a.m.–2 a.m., Thursday–Saturday 8 a.m.–4 a.m.

China House
Chinese
1900 Sycamore Rd.
(815) 748-0032
Price: $5-$15
Hours: Sunday–Thursday 11 a.m.–9:30 p.m., Friday–Saturday 11 a.m.–10:30 p.m.

Chipotle
Burritos, Mexican
1013 A Lincoln Hwy.
(815) 756-3715

Domino's Pizza
Pizza
901 Lucinda Ave.
(815) 756-3626
www.dominos.com
Price: $8-$15
Hours: Sunday–Thursday 11 a.m.–1 a.m., Friday–Saturday 11 a.m.–3 a.m.

Eduardo's
Mexican
214 E. Lincoln Hwy.
(815) 758-2677
Price: $8-$15
Hours: Daily 4 p.m.–10 p.m.

El Burrito Loco
Mexican
185 W. Lincoln Hwy.
(815) 756-6060
Price: $5-$15
Hours: Daily 8 a.m.–1 a.m.

Fatty's Bar & Grill
American
1312 W. Lincoln Hwy.
(815) 758-7737
Price: $5-$10
Hours: Monday–Wednesday 11:30 a.m.–10 p.m., Thursday–Friday 11 a.m.–11 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m.–11 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m.–9 p.m.

Fushi Yami Sushi & Hibachi
Japanese
822 W. Lincoln Hwy.
(815) 748-8868

Great Wall
Chinese
901 Lucinda Ave.
(815) 758-0051
Price: $5-$10
Hours: Daily 11 a.m.–11 p.m.

Jimmy John's Gourmet Sandwiches
Sandwiches
1011 W. Hillcrest Dr.
(815) 756-6004
www.jimmyjohns.com
Price: $5-$10
Hours: Sunday–Wednesday 11 a.m.–12 a.m., Thursday–Saturday 11 a.m.–2 a.m.

Johnny's Charhouse
Seafood, grill
1950 DeKalb Ave., Sycamore
(815) 756-1155
Price: $10-$20
Hours: Sunday–Thursday 11 a.m.–10 p.m., Friday–Saturday 11 a.m.–11 p.m.

Lukulos
American, Italian
1101 W. Lincoln Hwy.
(815) 758-2452
Price: $5-$10
Hours: Monday–Wednesday 10 a.m.–3 p.m., Tuesday 10 a.m.–4 a.m., Friday–Saturday 9 a.m.–4 a.m., Sunday 9 a.m.–2 a.m.

Panera Bread
Bakery, deli
2476 Sycamore Rd.
(815) 748-2135
www.panerabread.com
Price: $5-$15
Hours: Monday–Saturday 6 a.m.– 9 p.m., Sunday 7 a.m.–8 p.m.

Pita Pete's
Pitas
901 Lucinda Ave.
(815) 758-3012
Price: $3-$7
Hours: Monday–Thursday 11 a.m.–10 p.m., Friday–Saturday 11 a.m.–11 p.m., Sunday 11:30 a.m.–9 p.m.

Pizza Hut
Pizza
701 W. Lincoln Hwy.
(815) 758-6601
www.pizzahut.com
Price: $10-$15
Hours: Sunday–Thursday 11 a.m.–11 p.m., Friday–Saturday 11 a.m.–12 a.m.

Pizza Pro's
Pizza, wings
1205 W. Lincoln Hwy.
(815) 758-4776

Pizza Villa
Pizza
824 W. Lincoln Hwy.
(815) 758-8116
Price: $8-$15
Hours: Sunday–Thursday 4 p.m.–10 p.m., Friday–Saturday 4 p.m.–11 p.m.

Portillo's
American, hot dogs
1780 DeKalb Ave., Sycamore
(815) 895-0100
Price: $5-$10
Hours: Monday–Friday 10:30 a.m.–10:30 p.m., Saturday–Sunday 10:30 a.m.–11 p.m.

Ruby Tuesday
American
2370 Sycamore Rd.
(815) 748-7900
www.rubytuesday.com
Price: $10-$15
Hours: Sunday–Thursday 11 a.m.–10 p.m., Friday–Saturday 11 a.m.–11 p.m.

Shelley's
American
901 Lucinda Ave.
(815) 787-9823
Price: $5-$10
Hours: Monday–Wednesday 10:30 a.m.–1 a.m., Thursday 10:30 a.m.–2 a.m., Friday–Saturday 10:30 a.m.–3 a.m., Sunday 12 p.m.–12 a.m.

Subway
Subs
901 Lucinda Ave.
(815) 758-6481
www.subway.com
Price: $5-$10
Hours: Monday–Thursday 7 a.m.–9 p.m., Friday 7 a.m.–10 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m.–10 p.m., Sunday 8 a.m.–9 p.m.

The Junction
American
816 W. Lincoln Hwy.
(815) 758-5441
Price: $5-$15
Hours: Sunday–Wednesday 6 a.m.–2 a.m., Thursday 6 a.m.–3 a.m., Friday–Saturday 6 a.m.–4 a.m.

Tom & Jerry's
American
215 W. Lincoln Hwy.
(815) 758-1675
Price: $5-$10
Hours: Sunday–Thursday 10:30 a.m.–2 a.m., Friday–Saturday 10:30 a.m.–3 a.m.

White Castle
Burgers, fast food
1602 Sycamore Rd.
(815) 756-3400

Yen Ching
Chinese
810 W. Lincoln Hwy.
(815) 758-2007

Did You Know?

Unofficially, Johnny’s Charhouse probably holds the DeKalb record for most wedding proposals in an eatery. The upscale establishment has proven to be a very popular place to pop the question.

The popular Midwestern chain Portillo’s opened a new location in nearby Sycamore in 2005 and promptly ended up serving more than 1,250 people in its first four hours of operation.

That Jared guy would love it here. There are four Subways in a five-mile radius of each other.

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