Smile Politely

Find big portions and laid-back atmosphere at Billy Barooz

Anyone who knows me, knows that I am a big fan of nachos. There is something irresistible about tortilla chips covered in cheese and topped with delicious garnishes. When exploring Champaign-Urbana, I needed to get my hands on some good nachos, and let me tell you: Billy Barooz nachos are where it’s at.

Billy Barooz is a favorite restaurant of mine for cold beer, yummy food, and good times. Billy Barooz offers a pub-like atmosphere, making it a laid-back and casual restaurant, perfect for a weeknight dinner.

The bar inside Billy Barooz is busy with masked staff serving the many patrons around the bar. Photo by Anya Uppal.

Photo by Anya Uppal.

I made a visit to Billy Barooz for a Thursday date night.

On a white plate, there are fried cheese sticks beside a cup of marinara. Photo by Anya Uppal.

Photo by Anya Uppal.

We started off with Mozzarella sticks ($9.50). The order came with seven fried sticks with a warm marinara dipping sauce on the side. The Mozzarella sticks were the perfect balance of a crisp outside and gooey cheese on the inside.

On a brown table, there is a pile of nachos from Billy Barooz. There is cheese, tomatoes, jalapeno, and toppings on many chips. Photo by Anya Uppal.

Photo by Anya Uppal.

For my entree, I ordered the nachos ($13). Every time I’m at Billy Barooz, I have to get the nachos. They are so tasty every time, and the thing I crave most when I go to Billy Barooz. Billy Barooz’s nachos are listed on the menu as an appetizer, however, the restaurant doesn’t skimp on the portion size, so it can actually make a good diner.

The nachos consisted of corn tortilla chips piled high, smothered with creamy cheese sauce, and topped with tomato, green onions, jalapeño, and your choice of protein. The nachos were a perfect combination of cheesy, crunchy, and spicy. I always ask for extra jalapeño on the side since I really love spicy food. 

On a black plate, there are lots of fries and three chicken strips. Photo by Anya Uppal.

Photo by Anya Uppal.

My boyfriend also has a favorite there: the chicken strips ($10.50). The chicken strips do not come with fries, but come on, you can’t have chicken strips without fries, so he got fries to go with it for $2.79. Let me tell you, the fries are also to die for; they have a crispy exterior with a fluffy potato interior. The chicken tenders had a very crispy breaded exterior with juicy white chicken on the inside, and it’s pretty much a perfect chicken tender.

Inside Billy Barooz, there are tall tables with diners enjoying dinner. The tvs are on and playing sports. Photo by Anya Uppal.

Photo by Anya Uppal.

All in all, Billy Barooz is a great combination of delicious food and a laid-back atmosphere. It is the perfect place for dinner with friends, a casual date night, and a place that won’t leave you hungry.

Billy Barooz
2521 Village Green Pl
Champaign
Su-Th 11:00 a.m. to 9 p.m.
F+Sa 11:00 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Top image by Anya Uppal.

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