Was downtown this past weekend, looking to go to Seven Saints, but they had like a 30 min wait so stumbled into this restaurant. I went to the other one back in my college days, but this one I didn't even know existed. Walked in and it's seat yourself tables to the left, a bunch of pool tables to the front, and a long bar in the middle.
Very limited seating, but it wasn't packed at all so that wasn't a problem. There was a weird draft hitting our table though, so we moved to one deeper in the corner since we thought it was the door, but the draft was there too. We just had to wear our coats throughout dinner.
For 6 people, we ordered 2 large pizzas, one buffalo chicken, and one prosciutto. I didn't care much for the prosciutto, but the buffalo was pretty bomb. Ordered some small ranches (50 cents per though, what a rip) and it was delicious. It's deceptive that they cut their pizzas into smaller squares because you feel like you can eat so much more. We had 6 slices left over and it was about 42-ish dollars with tax and tip. So a large probably feeds 4 people comfortably, 3 uncomfortably.
Weird thing though is when we asked for a box, the waitress asked if we wanted anything else. We said no and assumed she would bring us the check. But didn't and we sat there for like 10 more minutes. Had to grab her attention and then ask for the check. We weren't drinking or anything so I'm not sure why she thought we would want to just hang out. Minor inconvenience though so it's whatever.
The Pranzo mustard-cream based thin-crust pizza is pretty unique and the reason I keep coming back. Awesome.
There's always a few decent craft beers on tap, although this is a place where you learn from experience the printed menu tap list usually isn't accurate. :(
The service is always a little hit and miss--it'd be nice if the wait staff knew the beers better and had a better sense of timing (waiting for the check seems normal). But staff are usually friendly. For a place to get a chill dinner downtown, I'm a fan regardless of its shortcomings.
Another institution in downtown Champaign that has been here forever. Â The bar area is nice with a few tables and big booths. Â There is not a lot of sitting area if you come at peak hours. Â So be warned. Â Great billiard tables that go the length of this great old building, and people are serious about their pool here. Â There is even a patio out back. Â The building itself is ancient, and tons of character.
The servers work hard, and are very friendly. Â Though can get swamped during peak hours. Â Just a couple of decent beers on tap. Â Usually an offering from Bells, or Summit, and just recently I noticed Lagunitas. Â The pizzas are great. Â Crispy, thin crust that is awesome. Â The specialty pizzas like Pizza Pesto is great. Â Can't go wrong making your own as well. Â They come in personal, 14", and 16." Â Always a good stop downtown for pizza, beer, and fun.
Oh, I am a Lou Malnati's fan all the way - it's extremely difficult for me to find a pizza that stacks up to my Chicago style first love, so I was surprised to find pizza that I adored just as much in Jupiter's. Â The original location in downtown Champaign is a lot of fun, complete with a well-stocked bar, a few pool tables, and a CD juke box which all adds to the low-key atmosphere. My hubby and I went there on our first date and have been back many times since then. Â It's not a dive bar, it's not super ritzy, it's always clean and to me, being there feels kind of like you've just gone over to your best friend's house to hang out for awhile. Â It's never too loud, never too crazy, they have great service and they do a fantastic thin crust pizza. Â My personal faves lie in a dead heat between their "margherita" and "fajita" pizza. Â Though this isn't the only place to offer these selections, they blow away the competition. Â Jup's isn't even in the same class with anyone else, it just is what it is (awesome) and I love that about the place. Â They just get it perfect every time.
Review Source:I like this place. I have gone multiple times for pizza around dinner and a couple times to play pool later in the evening. Go on tuesdays after 8pm-- half price pizza makes it totally worth it. The Pizza Preferito is one of the best mix of toppings I've ever had, and all the other varieties I've tried have been good too.
My one complaint is that it wasn't very full when we went-- there was a creepy old guy watching us play pool and it was a bit weird.
one of my favorite places in downtown champaign. so much to do, so little time. if you wanna play pool, get there early...tables fill up faast. they have a waiting list at the bar, so make sure you get on it. we had to learn that the hard way. no worries, you have a dart board and a couple other arcade games while waiting.
pizzas are solid. hawaiian is my go to. a normal person could easily down two of these bad boys, but i'm quite content with just one.
Really like the pizza, really like the beer selection, don't love the sitting situation or the pool tables. It's too small to be able to really play. Go to Jupiter's II if you really want to be able to play pool. Come here for some pizza before and after a night of drinking.
To this day it is the only bar my friends have ever been kicked out of for being too loud. It was a Saturday night and we were kicked out of a bar for being too loud.
I sort of feel like an outcast since the reviews for this place are generally flowering, but I really dislike the pizza. Â To each their own I suppose, but quite frankly, it's probably my least favorite pizza around. Â
Pizza is way overpriced. A small personal 9" pizza costs about $8, and I equate the taste to that of your microwaveable pizza bites. If you like pizza bites, well heck, then dig in. Their pizza to me is just like saltine crackers with mediocre sauce and stale cheese. Not only that, but food takes forever to come out.
I get drug to this place with co-workers every now and then, and our small 9" pizzas take 45 minutes to come out... That's ridiculous considering a pizza like this should cook in about 6 minutes....
On a plus note though, the servers are great and the atmosphere is nice, but ultimately I go out to eat for good food, and Jupiter's does not deliver.
Had a fantastic late Saturday evening here. Â After 10pm, a large two topping pizza is $10. Â This allowed me to get a large smoked salmon pizza for $10. Â While it might not sound like a great combination, this pizza was fantastic. Â I expected skimpy or shredded salmon, but received fairly large pieces strewn across the pizza generously. Â
Drinks weren't expensive, and overall there was a good selection. Â A $4.50 Lindeman's Framboise is about $1.50 cheaper than the equivalent size at the Blind Pig, if that gives you an idea of the pricing. Â
I can't wait to go again, fantastic pizza and reasonable drinks.
Jupiter's Pizza is awesome. A place where you can swap your favorite pizza toppings with friends, enjoy your go-to beer on the side, chat with friends, and watch the basketball game on their large TVs. They also have pool tables and arcade games. My favorite night to go is Tuesday because they have half off large pizzas and it's a popular night to go.
Warning to Chicago-native-deep-dish lovers: these pizzas are thin-crust pizzas and I'm from St. Louis, so we love thin crust pizzas, but this place does not rip you off on toppings. Jupiter's specialty pizzas are great! Â There's no need to stress about perfecting your pizzas toppings since they already have specialty pizzas with your already-favorite toppings. If you want to make your own crazy masterpiece, you can customize your pizza with four toppings maximum (meat toppings count as two). More importantly, the price is very reasonable.
Also this place has a clean, friendly, fun atmosphere. It's definitely one of my favorite places to go in downtown champaign. I recommend every U of I student to check this place out with friends there before graduation .
This place is great. First, I love their new location because it has an entire basement area with arcade games, mini bowling arenas, and pool tables. It makes it a great restaurant to bring anyone - friends, family, and all ages.
I have come here different times with different groups of different sizes. Every single time, they were very accomodating, fast, and nice. I once came there having reserved a dinner spot about 2 hours in advance for 30+ people and when we got there they were super prepared!! It was nice having tons of games to play while we were waiting for the food also!
Although it is pretty awesome, I give this place 4 stars because besides Tuesday nights (which are half price pizza nights!) the place is pretty pricey for thin crust pizza which is not that filling. Furthermore, it is pretty far from campustown, which makes it hard for a college girl to access!
Amaaazing pizza! Some of the best in town, and probably my favorite thin-crust. I think it's better here than at Jupiter's 2 for some reason. Unlike some of the bars downtown, this one also usually has a drink special every night. I also love the pool-hall setup. Overall one of my fav bars in Champaign.
Review Source:Food, service, and atmosphere of this place are all a huge draw for me here. Probably the best thin crust pizza in town, and a good drink selection, too. Ambiance is great, and sometimes it is just nice to get away from campus restaurants and bars! I would definitely make a trip to Jupiters the next time I'm in 'paign.
Review Source:I always make a stop here whenever I'm in town. A perfect place to grab a bite with an old friend. I'm particular to the smoked salmon and dill pizza, but back in college I used to show much love to the BBQ chicken as well. Tuesday nights - half price large pizzas! Everything here seems cheap compared to my current location of NYC, but I still love a good deal!
Review Source:I'd heard it was the best (thin crust) pizza in town, so I checked it out, and I'd say it lived up to my expectations.
I went with a big group of friends, and we ordered the Special K pizza (sausage, mushrooms, cream sauce, some other stuff... no drugs or cereal though) and the Pizza Bianca (olive oil, artichokes, onions, other vegetables). Both were great, though the Bianca needed the parmesan cheese I added on top for saltiness.
I'd like to go back and try the plain cheese (after all, that's what I usually get and judge pizza places by), and the smoked salmon pizza just sounds too interesting to pass up!
Yes. Â You win, Jupiters. Â Happy hour special providing me with cheap yet delicious beer? Â Check.
Super cheap pizza, making life amazing? Â Double check.
Okay, Jupiter's has happy hour specials that are WONDROUS.  I got a magnificent large pizza for only $8.  And it was huuuuge.  How huge?  It was so big I ate  leftovers for lunch, dinner and another lunch during the week.  For eight dollars!
Jupiters, I will sing your praises on the harp, lyre, and xylophone. Â Seriously.
This is the 2nd time I had to post a review of Jupiters. Yelp took it down, though I have no idea why. Â I wish we had a Jupiters or equivalent in California. My favorite is their sausage, schroom, bell pepper and onion pizza. They manage to deliver a wonderful, thin crust pizza that's not too greasy, but oh-so-tasty. Â I hope Yelp doesn't take this review down this time.
Review Source:Jupiters is great! Really great thin-crust pizza, (Italia would be proud) awesome sophisticated toppings (my fav is the Prosciutto and Artichoke...YUM!). The only downside for me (hence not 5 stars) is the small number of outside tables, BUT I have always been able to sit outside.
I reckon it would be cooler if there was more of an outside 'vibe' there, especially being a block out of the way from the other downtown restaurants... I am still a fan.
This was always one of my favorite bars in downtown Champaign. Â The pizza is quite good I think, and had a very unique light crackery crust. Â Some of the best thin crust I think I have had. Â Bar is nice and roomy, good place to play pool. Â The bar could get very crowded on weekends though, nothing aproaching green street bars though. Â Nice segueway bar on the transition from "college" bar patrion to normal bar patrion. Â Sadly many don't make this transition.
Review Source:Thank goodness the Blind Pig had no room for us and we were able to make a stop at Jupiters. This is a great stop towards the end of the night. Still one of the best pizza places in town. Great place to play pool. And drinks are quickly refreshed since it doesn't get as crowded as some of the other places.
Review Source:It's a delicious place to begin or end a bar run in the downtown Champaign area. Â They have fantastic pizzas and drinks, with great seating. Â It's very spacious and the wait staff is usually very friendly.
I never thought I'd say this, but I love BBQ chicken pizza, and I only have Jupiters to blame.
Nothing like coming back to my old alma matter and hitting up parts of town that I never went to. Jupiters is in that part of town.
As I sat there, you would see the staff flying all around the place taking care of customers and never just hanging out. Our drinks were refreshed quickly, the pizza we ordered was hot, and I got to hang out with my old friend and not have to yell above bad music.
I used to go to Jupiter's more but now I frequent other bars. Â I think it has pretty good thin crust pizza. Make your own or choose one of their signature pizzas. Â They are good for pool and drinks. Â Good service though... waitress comes around all the time.
I think people empty out near midnight on the weekends.. so I don't like that so much.
There is better pizza to be had, and there are places with better beer selections. There is no place in Champaign-Urbana with a better beer selection that also serves pizza, though, and the pizza is not half bad, if you like your crust cracker-thin and crisp. I like the smoked salmon.
I was very sad on my recent visit home to find that Bell's no longer distributes in Illinois. That is tragic. You can still get Lindeman's on draft though; I'm not sure you can even get that at the Blind Pig.
I can't wait to go home again now that C-U is smoke-free. I will be able to enjoy this place at times other than 2 PM when there are actually other humans there.
When CU goes smoke free in January I fully expect myself to go to Jupiter's like 100 times a month. Â Although I don't really like thin crust pizza, for some reason the Jupiter's topping combinations always hit me just right. Â Especially the pizzas with meat on them. Â Yes. Â Meat Pizza.
I wish there were more seating, so I could bring more massive groups with me. Â Jupiter's is an extremely popular departmental happy hour site, and when even 20 of us show up we pretty much fill up all the seating in the entire bar.
Pizza is good, beer is good, not too loud, lots of pool tables, very few skanks!
I love Jupiter's pizza. Lots of different excellent combinations available.
Lots of good drinks to be had. (Bell's!)
Lots of pool to be played.
Why not 5 stars? Every time I go the service is horrendous. Absolutely terrible. Not because the server is inherently bad at what he/she does but the place is understaffed and our server was most likely a bit overwhelmed.
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