Jim Gould’s – Champaign, IL (rant)

My friends and I went to the Illini basketball game Saturday. I wanted to have lunch at the Black Dog, but the line was out the door. This surprised us as it was about 1:50.

I wanted to wait. However, the group voted to go to another place. We wound up at Jim Gould’s. One of the group had heard some good things about this restaurant. We got there about 2:10 and the place was empty. I guessed they could easily get 100 people in it, so it looked really empty.

Despite being the only table, the service was horrible. I hope I don’t sound like I am whining too much here.

I ordered an ice tea and I stressed no lemon. I got a tea with lemon. So I sent it back and also asked for some sugar. There were none on our table or any of the ones in the place. We talked among ourselves about the menu, which looked good, but not cheap. After what I thought was too long of a time I got up to see if I could find some sugar. I found some at the bar and grabbed it. As I walked back the waitress saw me and picked up some for the table.

The menu had a French onion soup made with Guinness, so we ordered two bowls. We ordered our entrées too. She brought the soup and left. Both my friend and I noticed that the soup was just broth and onions. He said he thought the menu said it contained flavored croutons.

She returned to fill our ice teas and we complained. She said they were out, but she had told the kitchen and they were making some. Then she left. We didn’t know if that meant she was going to bring some, or what. They didn’t bring any, but we didn’t want to let the soup get cold so we ate it without.

It seems that in a good restaurant she should have told us about the soup when she served it and offered us a chance to accept them or get another soup.

I ordered a Kobe burger. I told her all I wanted was meat, bun, and a raw onion. She asked if I wanted ketchup, mustard, or mayonnaise? I said no, just a raw onion. One of my friends also ordered a burger; he wanted all of the condiments. The other two had a Reuben and a salad.

When she brought the food, my plate had little ramekins of each condiment. My friend only got one of mustard. So I gave him mine. The burger was a nice size and cooked as ordered. My onion was a single ring, and not a big ring, just a sliver. It was one of the smallest onion rings I had seen. The burger had a char crust not covered in the menu that was extremely salty. I scrapped it off and was able to eat it. After that it was very tasty. As the waitress pulled her usual disappearing act I didn’t complain about the onion.

The other guys thought their entrees were good to very good. Two mentioned for the amount of the serving, they thought it was expensive. Since I don’t go to Champaign that often, this will be an easy restaurant to avoid. When we left a couple had come in and were at a table. Sorry for the rant.

D.

Jim Gould’s
1 E. Main St.
Champaign
68120