My Favorite Campus Restaurants

Having ran out of ideas, I've decided to make my next blog on the one topic everyone's interested in: food. Here's a list of my favorite campus restaurants.
This list is obviously super subjective, and I've only eaten once at a few of the places. I've also not eaten at every restaurant on campus, so your favorite restaurant might not be on here.


8. Wendy’s
I’ve only eaten a meal at Wendy’s once, and I wasn’t too impressed. I got a soggy mayo chicken sandwich for around $5 when I could get the equivalent or better at McDonalds for half the price. Anyways, I didn’t put Wendy’s on here for the sandwiches. Wendy’s is here because of the fifty-cent frosty deal, a true blessing. While the fifty-cent frosty is the “small” size, it’s comparable to a medium or perhaps even a large size at Dairy Queen, where the same amount of soft serve ice cream would cost you four or five dollars. While the deal is over now, it was great while it lasted- I remember one week where I got one every day.
7. Potbelly
If I was asked to describe Potbelly in two words, it would be “upgraded subway”. I’d rate the sandwiches to be slightly better than subways, and the place in general is more pleasant to sit down and eat at. Plus, if I remember correctly, the shop has some unique sodas.
However, one piece of advice: there’s a mystery orange pepper that has some next level spice. Don’t add it to your sandwich.
6. Subway
While Potbelly's sandwiches taste better, Subway has a key advantage: price. There’s usually some type of sale going on (a few years back, I vaguely remember the meatball sandwich being around two bucks, which is a steal). Currently, they have some six-inch sandwiches for $3. Paying double the price at Potbelly isn’t worth the small upgrade.
5. Ozu Ramen
Ramen has a reputation as being cheap and low quality but tasty. So, when I decided to eat there during the summer, I was expecting to get a decent bowl of noodles for five bucks or so. I was wrong- this restaurant is the closest thing to fine dining in the Green Street area. It’s a dark but clean sit-down restaurant that serves water in mason jars. I walked in hoping for a cheap meal, and I left feeling the loss of thirteen dollars plus tip. To be fair, the soup is quite good. I recall ordering “spicy miso” which was, to my surprise, actually spicy. Apart from the noodles themselves, the dish had tender beef and a tasty mushroom I don’t know the name of.
4. Panda Express
Panda Express is the most convenient restaurant on Green Street. It’s pretty close to Uni, and as I discovered one day, possible to eat at during lunch period without missing a fifth period class. With the buffet style, you can get your food in two minutes and be on your way. The prices are reasonable as well; a plate of a side and two entrees costs around seven bucks.
However, I’m not the biggest fan of Panda Express. Firstly, there’s little variety, with only fifteen or so dishes to choose from. After going there a dozen times, the food has become somewhat tasteless.  Secondly, the food is very Americanized, which is to be expected with a large chain in America. For example, the Orange Chicken dish, which I’d say is sweet.
3. Cravings
This might be a controversial pick, as Cravings was shut down over what I believe to be food safety issues a couple years back. Regardless, I find the food to be quite tasty. In comparison to Panda Express, Cravings has a larger and more diverse menu. The food is also a little less Americanized and sweet. Something I learned a while back is to always ask for your food to be “spicy”. When I asked for spicy Mongolian Beef, I got almost an entirely different dish than the regular Mongolian Beef, and it tasted a lot better.
Personally, what sets Cravings apart from Panda the most is the rice. All dishes come with plenty of plain white rice, instead of Panda Express where you can only have fried rice.
2. Niro’s Gyros
Niro’s Gyros is an almost shabby restaurant that’s mostly a drive-thru. The seating area inside can fit a full four people, and it’s not exactly pleasant as you’ll be eating within a couple feet of the owner yelling out orders.
While Niro’s Gyros specializes in making the messy, drippy Greek Gyro, I’m there for the best food deal on campus: two Chicago-style hot dogs and a sack of fries for $4. Four dollars at Cracked would get me some tater tots. The hot dogs aren’t out-of-this-world good or anything, but they’re comparable to hot dogs you’d get at a good hot dog joint in Chicago, having plenty of mustard, sweet pickle relish, and two sport peppers. On top of that, they’re technically a dollar each if you get the deal, which is a deal no other campus restaurant can compete with.
1. Jib Bap
This place is literally an upgraded Korean version of Panda express. There are around twenty items on the menu, which are all served in a large paper bowl (a lot larger than Panda Express's bowl by the way). Prices range from around seven to nine dollars. Other than price and quantity, there are a few excellent qualities of this restaurant. Firstly, you always specify how spicy you want your food (mild, sorta mild?, spicy, extra spicy) which helps people avoid sweet food (don't worry though, none of the food is *that* spicy). Secondly, the dishes I've ordered all had rice, noodles, and lettuce as well as meat. This is nice, especially compared to Panda Express where you're only given one side. Lastly, there's one table with comfy chairs.