Sarah L.

Update: I recently had the WORST SERVICE I HAVE EVER HAD AT A BAR at Boltini. I have never been as insulted by a waiter in my life as I was last night, when our waiter threw our checks at us and then went to the trouble of getting cash out of the register to RETURN OUR TIP, also throwing it at us, even though we paid with credit card. Not only was this guy completely out of line, when I began reciting this story to friends later in the night "We almost got in a fight with our waiter..." everyone I told it to knew which waiter I was talking about from previous experience. I won't be going back to Boltini for a while, and it gets demoted to 2 stars. That kind of treatment is unacceptable. I think Boltini is my favorite bar in CU since it is essentially the only one that does not pander to Illini sports and skeezy undergrad men trying to get 18 year old sorority girls drunk, but it's hard to get my friends to go there because they think this makes it "pretentious" and "snobby," preferring to get barfed upon at Mike and Molly's or wherever. Personally I do not think it is pretentious, and I tend to think that the staff are only snobby when the patrons are acting like they are at a kegger and not like normal human beings trying to enjoy a non-Keystone Beverage. Notably, when I first visited Boltini on a grad school visit whileI was living in Boston, I was SHOCKED at how cheap the drinks were. I did not expect such low prices from such a well-appointed bar. I would EXPECT Boltini to have the best cocktails of any place downtown but I think that award , bizzarely, goes instead to Guido's. The other factor contributing to the four star rating is the terrible, omnipresent, cigar-doused in ammonia smell that is even detectable out on the patio. Perhaps this will improve when Champaign becomes smoke-free.
(2)
Sam A.

I've only had pizza from their menu and it was amazing. We had a very rude server and when I brought it to the manager's attention, he was very nice and apologized for her being rude. When there is a DJ, the music is just way tooooooo loud with low quality! I love loud music but on lower quality sound systems it gets very annoying. Add the noise from everyone trying to scream into each others ears to outdo the music, and that should give you an idea of what I'm talking about. With all that, I still give it 4 stars until someone opens a new place around here :)
(4)
Ariel G.

oh, boltini, i hate everything about you except your delicious, delicious drinks. in short: metro-yuppie atmosphere [bad] live dj's spinning house music [bad] mediocre bar food [overpriced and bad] delicious martinis [overpriced and good].
(3)
M B.

Hate to say it, but I've noticed a decrease in quality here - this is probably more like a 3.5, truth be told. I would never come in just for their food, but as a snacking option that has slipped. And I just don't think my cocktails have been as good lately as they were when past bartenders prepared them - not quite as full, not quite as tasty. I'm not willing to give up on them yet - a guy still needs a Hot n Dirty Martini on a Friday once in a while - but I do notice that this has now slid into me "B" List of places I want to go.
(4)
Eunice K.

pros: They had a huge selection of drinks, tiramisu martini was good. Drinks were strong. cons: the service was VERY slow and food wasn't good. We sat down and ordered two drinks and buffalo chicken dip. They took more than 20 mins to bring out the drinks. Also, the buffalo dipping sauce wasn't enough. It ran out before we even finished half the chips. Pepperoni pizza definitely tasted like cheap frozen pizza.
(2)
Naomi L.

If I could rate this place a negative I totally would! Do not come here if you are looking to be ignored and having to hunt down staff/bartenders. I understand that Champaign is a small town with literally nothing to do but come on now! My boyfriend and I drove down to visit his son that attends UIUC. After having a horrible dinner we decided to stop at this place. The only reason we stopped here was because it looked cozy from the outside and it was right next to our hotel. Now I liked the decor and the people that were in there were just "ok". This is were this place screwed up and pissed me off !!!!!!!! 1. We sat at the bar and it was a pretty slow night. WE WERE IGNORED BY THE RUDE A$$ BARTENDER! 2. I had to catch an attitude to get his attention and after that he was still a d&#%! 3. He SNATCHED my credit card out of my hand to open a tab - NO! DONT EVER SNATCH ANYTHING THATS MINE OUT OF MY HAND 4. He was pissed because I requested Titos vodka in my Cosmopolitan - how do I know? He looked at me, rolled his eyes, threw cup the old vodka was in, looked at me again, said something bitchy under his breath, aggressively grabbed the Titos bottle and then charged me for drinking a Cosmopolitan that tasted like baby juice. 5. HIS NAME IS VERY INSIGNIFICANT AND IRRELEVANT BUT HE WAS WORKING (Saturday, March 8th at 9:30 pm) I can't believe the nasty attitudes and horrible customer service I have received in this place. I wasn't asking to have my ass kissed; all I wanted was a drink and enjoy my time. What really surprised me was that another PAYING client wanted to order a drink and he had to literally get nasty with the staff and bartenders to get anyone's attention. I thought I was nasty and bitchy but clearly this is what they do at this bar. Every single person that was behind this bar on March 8th, needs to be severely disciplined. You work in the service industry and should never act towards your clients the way they've acted this night. I will never ever come back to this place and I will tell everyone!
(1)
Jess H.

My girlfriends and I come in every other Tuesday night for Trivia Tuesday! (They do trivia every Tuesday at 7:00, and we all love Holly and Chris!) Great place to meet up with friends for drinks! It's very small and cozy. We don't usually order food because they serve free pizza for the night; however, we do order our fair share of drinks for the night :) They offer a good variety of mixed drinks, but their wine selection is pretty limited. Love this lounge!
(5)
Ben B.

A cool lounge with an enormous drink menu. The one on their website doesn't even scratch the surface. I had something called a lime ku-ade and it was solid, if unremarkable. I hit a home run with my second drink, a lemonade concoction that was equal parts boozy and smooth. I expected to find it on their website, but it's not there. Our server was nice and prompt and had several recommendations for our group. Wasn't a fan of the layout. It's just a long bar with a few booths. Our booth faced the door to the kitchen, so the dark atmosphere was frequently punctured by the bright light of the kitchen. That's a small drawback. If you're in this part of town, it's worth dropping in for a killer cocktail.
(4)
Barbara B.

My drink, pumpkin spice latte martini, was awesome. Husband's wine had gone bad & the spinach dip was not tasty at all. Don't go by the menu on Yelp. Current menu is tiny & not worth it. If you want hard liquor, this is the place. Otherwise, there are plenty of places within walking distance to get GREAT wine & AWESOME food.
(2)
Hunter J.

I really enjoy this place. It's low-key and upscale. Drinks are expensive but they're made on the strong side. The food is really go too. I've never had a dish I didn't enjoy. It's a great place to sit down and enjoy a cocktail and have a conversation. The crowd looks like 26 and up. I consistently have a positive experience here.
(4)
Tim S.

You are a prominent bar in downtown Champaign. Why are you serving lousy chips out of a bag and bad salsa out of a jar?
(2)
Pete K.

A group of us have been coming to Champaign for our work to do some concentrated training 1-2x/month so we wanted to start checking out the local, non-college scene. We checked out Boltini twice, each time deciding on Wed. since it's their half-price-drink night. The first try was a few weeks ago and relatively early in the night I guess (9pm). We all, especially me, really liked the place itself; a loungey, chill vibe. I'm not a beer guy so I was very pleased with their great drink selections AND all 1/2 price! I thought this was a sure winner. It was kinda slow, and the main reason we left that time after only one drink was that the demographics threw us off. After some shifting during the 20mins. or so, there ended up being 5 couples there: all same-sex, 4 of the 5 were guys. Being new to the area, we didn't know if we found ourselves in a gay bar. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that, but it's just not conducive to keeping single straight guys around. This past week we came back because I was assured that it was a place open to all, so I talked the others into trying it again. On this, our second attempt (and third; we ended up coming back later), we got there around 10pm. It was later than the last time so I expected a bit more of a crowd. I guess that's my only complaint about this place. We gave it more of a chance, sticking around for just under an hour. It was worthwhile, but just not getting as active as we hoped. It did seem to start to shift as we were heading out, but he others had decided to move on. We ended up back there an hour later. The scene was about the same as when we were leaving; still just on the brink of happenin'. We stayed for about 45min, and I easily could have spent the rest of the night there but the others wanted to go back to the clubby place we closed at on our previous night. When we go back next week I think I WILL be sticking around if the vibe is right letting the others move on. I really want to love this place cuz it has all the right attributes for me (almost). Here's to hoping my next review will be 5 stars!
(4)
Matthew L.

Still 4-stars, but I really need to say that the Cheese plates are awesome at Boltini... I love the options, and that you can choose any number of cheeses. The Cheese plate and the half-price appetizers n Thursday are definitely the highlights of the food menu.
(4)
Angela L.

People say they are too pricey, but they also make the strongest drinks in town and the service is wonderful. I love the people that work there. So friendly.
(5)
Lisa B.

Kind of a dark place to be. The building is long and skinny. When we walked in we were not greeted in a friendly manner actually we were not greeted at all. We noticed there were reserved signs on all the tables that had daylight on them so we were directed to the back where they have creepy crescent shaped booths. They have daily specials and the special was $5 cosmos so we all ordered one. It was really good and really strong! One is all you need. We also ordered the margherita pizza, artichoke dip & the fancy mac & cheese. The pizza was good, the dip was fabulous and the mac & cheese was gross. I do not know why they called it fancy mac & cheese. The noodles were too big and chewy and the cheese did not have any flavor. It was bland and boring and sticky. Nothing fancy about it all so that was misleading. The dip had some hotness to it and had good flavor and consistency. None of the food came out hot. The pizza cheese was luke warm at best so I think it was sitting in the kitchen waiting to be brought out for a while. Our waitress was really nice and very helpful with helping us select menu items. Would I go back? Yes, I would go back and try something different and hopefully we could sit somewhere towards the front and the light of day. This place is really dark.
(2)
Chris M.

I love cocktails, and small plate restaurants, so I was very excited to try Boltini. I was unfortunately disappointed by the food. There was nothing wrong with the dishes per se, but there was definitely not anything remarkable. For the portions they were definitely not worth the price. The flavors tended to be fairly bland, and I was really not impressed. The presentation was well done, however. On another note, the martinis were great, and reasonably priced. I got a dirty martini, and substituted Stolichnaya for the Svedka, and it turned out really well. The waiter forgot to specify the vodka change on the second round, and while service was slow, the food came fast once the order was in. The experience was not unpleasant, but I doubt I'll be back. There are better places elsewhere in downtown Champaign.
(2)
Nick C.

Over priced vodka and gin drinks in martini glasses. I thought for the price you would get a really good martini but they didnt even make it correctly. A little pretentious but the servers are nice, just too expensive for poorly made cocktails.
(2)
Matthis H.

I can really only rate on drinks. Good bar staff that makes one feel comfy and good. They make a quality drink, and have a damn good pour going on. I'm not talking about a crazy large pour that is borderline theft, i'm talking a quality pour. I will check out some food one of these days. The tunes can be a bit busy sometimes. Good to see Boltini still doing it's thing.
(4)
Elizabeth P.

Favorite place to go out for drinks in Champaign! Fun atmosphere and great wait staff. Wednesday and Thursday half price martinis!!
(5)
Lily T.

Classy bar hidden in a small town. Came here during the weekday, we ordered a hummus plate, the fancy mac n cheese, 2 bottles of veuve cliquot and a some mixed drinks and shots. Everything was great and the staff are a group of really chill and fun people. I definitely recommend this place, especially if you're a student at uiuc and want to get away from the frat bars on campus.
(4)
David T.

It's a bit expensive and often crowded, and the booze can be low-quality (they recently switched from Beefeater to New Amsterdam as their well gin). Now that that's out of the way, the praise: Oh man, is the decor great. This place has wonderful ambiance, with great service and fantastic staff. The food's only okay (I liked the chicken quesadila but not a lot), but it's pretty cheap and, honestly, you don't come to Boltini for the food. You come for the cocktails. The martinis are great, and if you don't like vodka martinis, there are plenty of great drinks on the menu (personally, I get dirty martinis and Old Fashioned when I don't want to drink sugary stuff). The bar is gorgeous, and they almost always have some sort of music, whether it's a live DJ or a guy and a keyboard (okay, that's not always the best sort of thing). The specials are also fantastic; Wednesdays feature half-price cocktails, and Thursdays feature half price martinis. While I wish they'd tell me what qualifies as a "martini," I'm not going to complain. $15 can get you three really good drinks and a very strong buzz.
(4)
Aeri B.

Been here plenty of times before my last visit and I promise you after Monday night, I will NEVER be back. Our waitress, Sarah, I think, was TERRIBLE. We sat down at one of the small tables and it was much smaller than we thought so I asked her if she had a bigger table...she pointed to her left and looked that way pretty much saying "that way"...okay fine...our entire service she seemed really standoffish and not willing to get into the service. We asked her questions about a certain dish, she just stared at us as though we should know what it was and said "its just 6 pieces on there".... Then everything came out nice that we ordered, except my friends tapas dish. It wasnt even hot at all. So he told the waitress that he no longer wanted it and if he could order something else (this is when the attitude sparked ALL the way up). She began to question him as to why he didnt like it, and what he didnt like about it and this and that. After he stated that it was cold (for the 10th time) she said we can reheat it in the oven but he cannot have anything else. I got the manager. (Come on now, Ive been to OLIVE GARDEN, and had better service...they are always willing to switch something out if its cold or you do not like it, even though the reason he didnt want it was because it came out cold and unappetizing) When I got the manager she was really nice to me at the bar, but before she could get back to our table, our waitress talked to her. Which resulted in the manager now having an attitude with us. Mind you, it was 5 of us so they can all attest to this and will NOT be returning either, and we have told all of our friends as well. Why the manager was arguing with us, I WILL NEVER KNOW. very long story short, good drinks, terrible service, and even worse management. Honestly, servers can act that way, hey you never know who is having a bad night, but management SHOULD NEVER EVER act that way.
(1)
Natasha A.

Jelly donut shots, ooooo! O_O Ah-mazing. Dips were delicious, we got the basil pesto and the tomato one. They have a huge selection of shots and other drinks (I'm a shots person, get the job done with as little pain and time involved ;-)) The ambiance is nice, and if you have a group of 5 or more and can snag some couches/chairs in the back I can guarantee you'll be there a while. It's so comfy and cozy. A wonderful place to go with friends.
(5)
Pete B.

4.5 I went to Boltini for dinner twice, and the food was good! We ordered a ton of appetizers and they were all good. My two favorites were the artichoke dip and the ahi tuna wonton (but again, I like everything with ahi tuna). The sandwiches were also really good too. We also got all their desserts (they had like 3 to choose from), and I loved the creme brulees. Best of all, the price was surprisingly cheap! The drinks were mostly good. Their beer of the month was good and cheap at $3. Other than that, their drinks fall in the $6-9 range which is a little steep for a town like Champaign. However, they make their drinks really strong, so you kinda have to pace yourself through the drinks. Overall, I like this place a lot. Great ambient, great food, great drinks, reasonable price. It's quite a rarity in Champaign. 4 stars if you want to go there for drinks 5 stars if you want to go there for dinner (because it's a bargain for the quality of food you get, especially when you have a gift certificate from restaurant.com ).
(5)
Jan E.

HH declared his drink one of the best martinis of his life. Grilled dates wrapped in bacon to die for. Nice find in Champaign.
(4)
Patrick B.

Possibly the best food in town hidden away in a classy bar. You can never go wrong with catering from Boltini's for your event; given the quality of the food and chef's ability to present, I think you could even use them at an upscale wedding and be quite happy! Also, props for being an Illinois Green-Certified Business!
(5)
Jason C.

Chic, chill atmosphere to have some of the best martinis in town! Love that it's more downtown and away from campus!
(4)
April S.

The drinks were awesome but the food was only okay.
(3)
Ryan A.

I gave the bartender a $1 tip for a single $4 drink for a total of $5. Closed my tab signed the receipt and then I see on my credit card statement a week later a $15.00 charge. The bartender added a extra 1 to make his tip $11 on a $4 drink so now I have to go through the trouble of getting my credit card company to file fraudulent chargers paperwork and not pay them. I had a good time while I was there and good drinks with good species but now all that is ruined!
(1)
Lester B.

There are tons of bars in downtown Champaign and this place is fortunate enough for me to have walked into it! Met up a couple of friends here for a drink and ehh it was alright. My mojito was too sour and the leaves are grinded up pretty good so you can sip up a herb and not even know it. I sipped an herb and chewed on it by accident and YACKCKK!! My friend's martini was too strong for her so she asked to have it re-mixed, the waiter said he was too busy but questioned her for 3 minutes about her drink saying he couldn't do it, and wadda-ya-know, he did it! He was friendly overall, however, but saying one thing and then the truth comes out is a slight pet-peeve for me. Environment was nice; music really cranked up at 10 on the dot. Good place to chill and have a few drinks, what i really liked were the prices. They were very moderate and not overpriced. I would come back again but next time i'll pre-drink so I can babysit another mojito that i don't enjoy. :). P.S. I received a follow up message; this goes to show that this restaurant really shows effort to tend to the comforts of the customers. Great service!
(4)
Angela G.

I went here last night and had a great time. The place is pretty chill with a friendly waitstaff. It has an extensive food and drink menu. I'd be surprised if someone couldn't find something to their liking. We got the K.C. Poppers, grilled cheese, a hummus plate, and a flat bread pizza, along with a gimlet and a martini. Everything was great, but I may not do hummus plate again. It wasn't bad, it just didn't stand up to the rest of the dishes. If you want to go out for drinks and a snack (or even dinner), and have a diverse group with a bunch of different cravings with you, you can't go wrong with Boltini.
(5)
James B.

I really, really loved this place. Fantastic ambiance, fantastic martinis, fantastic service, fantastic food. I love the variety of martinis here, which you don't see often at this level, and I especially love the dirty martinis (the Bloody Hot and Dirty). Appetizers are fantastic to share, especially the pub pretzel fondue and "Euro Crostini." This all leads me to the only reason I knocked this place down to four stars: My girlfriend got the pub pretzel fondue for me as takeout one day, and the dip was just dumped into the cardboard container with the pretzel, where it inevitably began to seep through. Why a place that is usually as top-notch as Boltini would just dump a sauce into a cardboard container, I don't know.
(4)
Melissa M.

The bar here isn't really my scene. I'm not a fan of house music or their prententious bartenders. I do like the food though and you can actually enjoy a good early dinner or late lunch at Boltini before the bar crowd saunters in and it gets loud. My favorite is the "adult" grilled cheeses because the cheese they use is amazing. Smoked gouda and bacon alongside shots of vodka tomato soup? Heaven. However, the cheese plates themselves are less satisfying. I wish they had more cheese and fewer garnishes.
(4)
Sassy O.

I love Boltini and Boltini loves me :)
(5)
Eva S.

In the middle of February when the snow decides to attack us, my friend decides to go to Boltini for a birthday dinner. I didn't even know this place had a dinner menu since all their drinks have the spotlight, but it's not too bad, depending on what you get. For a cold night like this, a selection from their 'hot drinks' looks perfect to warm you up, and someone ordered a 'Peppermint Patty.' A bunch of others got their $4 specials of Razzmo's and Clementine Cosmo's. I just stuck with water. But back the the food. It is cheaper than most of their drinks! Pastas started at $6.50 and sandwiches were up to $10. The Liar's Club Sandwich caught my eye because of the raw ahi tuna, avacado, and sriracha aioli sauce. Everything was tucked inside of a soft sun-dried tomato bun cushioned with a bed of sprouts. They could have spiced the tuna a bit more, and added some more sriracha. I was searching for more flavor with each bite and before I knew it the sandwich was gone. It was easy to eat because the softness of the sandwich, but needed a stronger punch ... and maybe some crunch. My friend had to add hot pepper flakes to everything. I'd say get the pizza or pesto pasta if you want something that is guaranteed to be good. Their ahi tuna tacos and "grown up grilled cheese" looked interesting. They have something called the 'Brownie Tower' which is self-explained heaven and served with a shot of chocolate milk. The ambiance is alright, they have cool names for everything and an endless list of classy drinks. However it's funny I felt like the menu was trying to assure me that eating here made me "grown up." Hence the "grown up" grilled cheese or a "grown up" shot of chocolate milk. It's a creative twist to kiddish foods but thanks for the reminder. A word of advice, order the things that are listed the most on the menu. The 10 pages of drinks and 5 pages of cheese were no accident.
(3)
Melissa K.

Nice, dark late-night atmosphere. It was a little hard to find a table (the place was packed), and we had to seat ourselves (boo). Food was great. We shared a mushroom/goat cheese crostini appetizer. The mushrooms and cheese were sort of creamed together, which I wasn't happy with at first, but liked it once I tasted it. I had the lobster bisque, which was a special, and it was a nice price (I think $5 for a nicely sized bowl). The drinks will kick your ass... in a good way. Our waiter was SO FUN. Only downside is that we were checked on a little too often, and weren't really given enough privacy to chow down.
(4)
Baub A.

Boltini is my go to bar. The staff is always friendly and accommodating. It is dimly lit, but it goes with the vibe of the place. The staff are always friendly. Get a pineapple gimlet, cosmo or mojito (when the heat is on).
(5)
Rachel R.

I love that I come into this place, order a couple of the oh-so-tasty drinks, and get tanked. You get your money's worth here. The waitstaff is always nice and helpful, and the seating is comfy. It's a rarity to not find a spot for a small group of people. Plus you're guaranteed to see some hilariously drunk girls falling out of their tiny dresses. Always entertaining. My only problem with the place is that the music gets a little loud sometimes. If you're craving cocktails, this is THE place to go. The atmosphere is classy but not overly so, and there's always a good mix of people hanging out. If you know of any place comparable to it in Chicago, let me know!
(4)
Allison V.

I came here for the first time on Saturday for a friends birthday on what Boltini's calendar called an "Epic Saturday." I can't believe I have lived her for more than 5 years and I had never been! We came with a huge group for a friend's birthday and even though all the round tables were taken, the manager sat us at a bar height table and provided us all with barstools to wait for an open table. The manager was AMAZING - so friendly. Even though the bar was completely packed, he still came to check on us throughout the night even after he found us a round table. My wine was delicious and well-priced and after trying a few of my friends specialty cocktails, I will definitely try a martini next time. Also, the decor and atmosphere is extremely stylish and chic. It's a nice little escape from the sometimes ho-hum Champaign-Urbana atmosphere. It would be amazing for a girls night out.
(4)
Anne W.

The place looks posh.. but the people that work there and go there are a little weird. In the winter, the place is small so you might have to wait in line and stand when you get inside (because there aren't any tables or chairs available). Oh.. and sometimes the people are rude there.. but not often. So that's why they get four stars. I do think they serve the best martinis in town. I like the lemon drop and appletini.
(4)
Sarah H.

The first time I came to boltini, I knew it wasn't my scene.. the thumpin music, the extensive cocktail list, the prices! This past Friday has changed my mind. I went out with the ladies, and was a few drinks in by the time we got to boltini. I had the strawberry gimlet, which was a homemade mixture of strawberry puree and vodka, topped off with a healthy pour of chambord ($7.25). I don't usually like paying this much for a cocktail but you really do get what you pay for! The drink did not taste of sugar or artificial strawberries... it tasted fresh and was absolutely fantastic! Also, the drinks are strong. They really aren't messing around. All of the employees were nice and accommodating too! I might not bring the boy for a quiet night out, but for me and my girls, boltini is a nice treat :)
(4)
Michael G.

Small plates. Big cheese. Had a wonderful date night at Boltini. Decided on a three course culinary adventure. Started by sharing a huge bowl of Roasted Red Pepper & Smoked Gouda soup. Towards the bottom of the bowl, it started to get spicy. The spice was nicely counterbalanced by bits of bacon. Next, we shared a generous cheese plate with baguettes and fresh fruits. We chose three cheeses that would not be incorporated into other portions of our meal. Porter Cheese, Goat Cheese, and Bacon-Encrusted Brie. The Brie was excellent. It might be related to my obsession with bacon. I will tell you that somehow I passed on ordering their 12 perfectly cooked pieces of bacon appetizer. Finally, we ordered three small plates. Mushroom crostinis, crab cakes and bacon-wrapped blue affine stuffed dates. Crab cakes had a tropical feel because of a light slaw with fruit incorporated. The dates were delicious but heavy and rich. The portion included six dates. That would be great for six people as one was enough. Great night with great service. However, we got the feeling that we needed to initially command the attention of a server. The restaurant's tables are first come first serve and that chaotic feeling carried over into getting a server's attention that we were at the restaurant to eat and not just drink. If you aren't assertive, you may find it hard to get a table and to get service.
(4)
S H.

AMAZING food for a good price. Good alcohol available. Bar tenders are legit! Everyone is very nice. Loved it!
(5)
Marjie T.

I love Boltini! It's such a great place to sit and chat and have a glass of wine. I've been here a couple times and I will say that going in warmer weather is so much better because of their nice patio. The inside is nice, too, but can get incredibly loud after 10ish on the weekends and cancels my original statement of being able to have a nice conversation. However, before the music gets turned way up and it gets packed with college students, the inside has a really great ambiance. I've only tasted a few small bites on the menu, but they seem to have a really great offering, including desserts. I'd recommend Boltini for a date night or a night out with the girls.
(5)
Amanda K.

Stiff and very tasty drinks! You definitely get your monies worth! The atmosphere is very relaxing as well. I tried the strawberry bellini martini and it was ok. I thought the grapefruit one was very good but sour. The cherry one tasted like a sweet tart and I liked it a lot. Our group ordered oysters (which I did not eat but they liked), the cheese plate and brushetta. The brushetta was my favorite. I would definitely return to this cute bar/restaurant!
(4)
Tim J.

This is a solid 4.5-5 star place. The prices may be higher than we all want to pay, but they are right for the value delivered. The servers are as good or better than any other bar in CU that comes to mind (and, for better or worse, I drink nearly everywhere). The place where Boltini really stands apart (for me) are their martinis and mixed drinks. If you order a dirty martini, for example, but specify that you want it only a little dirty they'll get it just right. Their Old Fashioned is quite a production. I forget what all Robb (mgr) put in it, but it was delightful. My absolute favorite mixed drink at Boltini is their Sugar Plum. It sounds pretty froofy, and it is indeed delightfully delish, but this straight arrow stands behind this very strong and very purple (tasting) beverage. I am not sure if the fact that I order mine without sugar on the rim of the glass makes my Sugar Plum swilling any less emasculating, but I do want that fact noted for the record. Lastly, Boltini's hosts 'Tuesday Night Trivia', starting every Tuesday night at 7pm. It is a lot of fun and all you have to do is come with a friend or two or 4 (I think 5 is the max, but it may be 6) and let them know your team name. At this trivia night, as opposed to Canopy Club's, which takes place at the exact same time, team names are punny, but not perverse. The host(s) pass out answer sheets for you to fill in and ask several rounds of questions over the PA. Dont be afraid to ask questions if you are curious. Competition is fun, and the whole thing lasts about 2-2.5 hours. Winners get prizes, including free drinks, appetizers, and even massages. The crowd is good: think professionals, teachers, librarians, grad students and profs. I don't go regularly anymore because it is just a 'lil too dear and also a 'lil to slow. Canopy Club's questions come faster. NTN trivia at BW3's is faster still. Park behind Boltini's in the lot.
(5)
Chelsey S.

Definitely not quiet by any means but it is a great place to go if you are looking for something more upscale than the local tavern. The martinis, of course, are to die for and the servers are always a joy to be around!
(4)
James H.

This place is pretentious and snobby, but that's exactly it's appeal. It's just doesn't appeal to me. If you like laid back beer-bars like Esquire or Mike and Molly's, you'll be confronted with something entirely different at Boltini. If you're interested in paying a bit more for girly, froo-froo cocktails, food that looks like food only smaller, or an entirely different experience this is the place for you. My most memorable moment at Boltini: asking for a Blue Moon and being handed a bottle (it's on draft everywhere else), and nearly spitting it out when I was told it would cost $4.75! (UPDATE: Blue Moon's are $4.25, not $4.75). They also assigned a single waitress to a group of over 20. When the clearly over-worked waitress couldn't keep up with the groups demands for drinks, I went to bar, and was rudely told by the snobby bartender woman that she couldn't add my beer to my tab because I had started the tab with the waitress. Again, I feel this would be an easy request for any other downtown pub to fill; but Boltini staff are too good to add one number to another number. That being said, if you're interested in fancy cocktails and fancy food--and are willing to pay extra for it--you'll probably like this place. If you're not a cocktail drinker, then skip this place. UPDATE: Thanks to Robb for responding to my concerns. Like I said, it's not my taste, but many people seem to like it. I'd rather have a diverse downtown than have everything the same.
(2)
Cat C.

I love the atmosphere in Boltini - it's an amazing place to just relax and have a few drinks with friends over some food. Inside is dimly lit with strategically placed candles and intriguing local artwork hung throughout. Intimate booths up front for a date night and plush couches in the back for larger groups - I'm a fan of both. Drinks are priced relatively high for Champaign-Urbana standards at around $7-10 a cocktail, but they are made strong and well so it's worth it in my opinion. Food there is alright - I'm trying hard to remember it but failing ... which means it must not have been that spectacular. Summary: Go to Boltini if you want to get away and relax in an intimate setting. Not if you wanna get wasted and start dancing on the tables. Go to Joe's or Murphy's for that.
(4)
Sarah M.

HELLO, new favorite place in Champaign. We decided as a family to go here for dinner on a recent visit. My brother is newly 21, so why not go somewhere with an amazing looking drink menu as well as an amazing looking menu? We got there relatively early on a Saturday, roughly 645pm. There were only a few individuals when we got there. We started the night with drinks, continued the night with drinks, and ended the night with drinks. Oh, and maybe some food. We each had martinis to start and were fairly pleased. Then I stumbled upon this gem of a mojito - strawberry basil. There were no mint mojitos due to the seasonality of mint - I love when restaurants acknowledge this fact. However, strawberries are in season, and made the most delicious drink. Maybe this is why I had 3. Oh, yeah, there's food. Do yourself a favor and order a cheese plate. A lot of the cheeses are from local farms and DELICIOUS. I continued the cheese parade with the Mac and Cheese. Cheddar and strong blue cheese? YUM. By the time we left (about 9:45pm - we take our time!) this place was PACKED, and much louder. Maybe since I'm used to paying Chicago prices for drinks, I found this place to be very reasonable. My mojitos were $8. We spent $95 on drinks, $50 on food, and were stuffed and well "hydrated" and very pleased. Very pleasant service, although as Boltini got busier, we saw our waitress less (she was also doubling as a bartender). I will be back, Boltini.
(5)
Helena B.

So - stop me if you've heard this one - a Beer Girl walks into a Martini Bar... Ok, couldn't help myself. So yes, Boltini is known for their martinis, but they have quite an awesome (and oft overlooked) beer list. I got a Shipyard Pumpkin Ale - that stuff's hard to find in Chicago, so points to the C-U mini-metropolis on that one! For dinner, we went with the crab cake appetizer (as a Child of the Chesapeake, I am honor-bound to try any crab dish heralded as "best in town"). I must say, this appetizer held its own. While these were not traditional Chesapeake cakes, they took on a sort of Asian flair with the sauce and the vegetable pairings (I had no idea what to expect when I read that this came with "Asian Slaw". What is that? Eh, I'm still not sure, but it was delicious). We definitely cleaned the plate. For my entree, I ordered the Blue Crab salad. It was basically the appetizer salad-ified. Without my asking, the dressing was on the side (gold star!). Overall, everything was fresh, tasty, and a touch unexpected (you never know when it comes to "bar food"). While their drink menu far surpasses their dinner menu, Boltini is still a decent spot to grab a bite downtown.
(4)
kate c.

Tomato soup with vodka and grilled cheese? Yes please! Awesome cheese plates? Thank you! Stiff-ass cocktails (made correctly)? For sure. Excellent service. Great bar.
(5)
Teej T.

Imagine that you live in what is, for all intents and purposes, a farm town with pretensions due to a large university. Imagine that students and faculty remember their snooty martini bars from back home. Now imagine them building it in aforementioned farm town. Congratulations, you've found boltini, which shouldn't be as awesome as it is. While Boltini might not pass muster in San Francisco or L.A., it's amazing here, and the staff are friendly, accomodating, and the mood is light. Spinning music, low lighting, amazing martinis, fantastic cheese platters--yeah, Boltini is a good life choice. I've enjoyed all my boltini visits, and marveled at the joys of pretentiously sippin' strong drinks in triangular glasses while glancing all about me. Nicely done, Boltini.
(4)
Will K.

I was in town for a short period of time and this place came highly recommended. I was told it had 'an extensive martini menu,' so of course I had to go! The vibe here was interesting. You could tell it was one of the posher places in town, but it felt like one part dive bar and one part lounge. I must admit I liked the music. They were playing Jamie Cullum as I entered the place. I tried the Pomegranate Martini. It was okay. It was pretty sweet for a martini... but I felt pretty buzzed afterwards. So I'm sure it had a decent amount of alcohol in it. The bathroom was quite nice, though. I would go back and try the food next time. It had several things I would have wanted to try had I not eaten earlier.
(4)
Kenny T.

horrible horrible horrible! the servers are inexperience and disrespectful due to the unprofessional management. i honestly felt like i stepped into "dick's last resort". everything felt like a joke and was unbelievable. i won't recommend their food but i will say the drinks are excellent if you prefer hard alcoholic beverages.
(1)
Steve M.

Faux upscale bar in C-U. Not my cup of tea, often with bad dance music and DJs involved as well. That said, if it's your thing, I would say you could do much, much worse in C-U. I must admit I've never had the food.
(3)
Christine Y.

Definitely one of my favorite places to come drink and look pretty with my girlfriends. The interior is pretty chic, the drinks are good (love their house strawberry infused vodka!), it's off campus (aka fewer undergrads, no offense), servers actually walk around with some semblance of regularity, and there's a bit more seating here than at other places. It can get very crowded and loud especially on the weekends, but if you can manage to grab a booth/table it's a pretty fun place to be.
(4)
Lydia M.

Last time I went, I had a subpar experience. The cocktails were good, as usual. However, my favorite dish, the liar's club sandwich, was nowhere near as good as it used to be. One of my dining companions agreed, she got the same thing. What used to be a wonderful seared sushi grade tuna steak reminded me more of canning grade tuna that wasn't cooked long enough. I finished it anyways, my dining companion couldn't cope and didn't eat it. We mentioned this to the server, and I hope she passed the concern to the kitchen. I might try the place again for dinner, because I used to really like it, but I'm really disappointed they messed up my favorite.
(3)
Jason L.

Even back home in the San Francisco Bay Area, it's hard to find a lounge where good drinks, small crowds, great ambiance, and plenty of good seating mesh. The seating at Boltinis is comfortable and intimate. Think black leather semi-circle booths with high backs in the middle of the room. Towards the back of the room are black leather rectangular IKEA couches with glass tables and candlelight everywhere. The drinks are large, mixed well, strong, and tasty. Personally, I prefer a perfect (half dry, half sweet vermouth) gin martini, shaken. You CANNOT go wrong with the cheese plates here. Make sure to come at least in a group of four so you can order the 3 cheese plate. You choose from a cheese list and it is brought out with sliced baguettes (toasted and non-toasted), fruit (green apple slices, grapes), and olives. I would highly recommend the gueyere, euro cream, and the cheese infused with port wine. But seriously, pick and choose to your hearts content because the pairing of great cheese with great drinks will make you feel reallll sexy. I exposed my friends for the first time to Boltinis last weekend and they were highly impressed with the classy setting, quick servers, and amazing cheese and drinks. Even on a hectic Saturday night, we found a nice seating area in the back of the pit for all 8 of us. Boltini Lounge is a place that should stay hidden (thank God it's in dtown Champaign and not on campus) for its adventurous, sick-of-underage-teenybopper-gangsta-wannabes, discriminating clientele. I tell my friends that Boltini Lounge is where the people sick of the same scene at Joe's, Fubar, or even SoMa turn to. We will be there again tomorrow night for a birthday :) EDIT: Only downside is that they don't serve wine... So unfortunately you can't bring your own bottle of nice wine to enjoy here. But I guess you're supposed to be here for the martinis right?
(5)
Ashley B.

This is one of those places, downtown Champaign that most people go to grab a drink and don't think much about eating here. I've had friends who didn't even know this place sold food, but the food here is amazing! The cheese plates are awesome and I love getting the cheese plate/wine combo. They also have great flatbread pizzas and a turkey sandwich that has BBQ sauce on it? yes please. The only thing that sucks is the fact that it IS a downtown bar therefore if you go to eat after 9pm you end up trying to enjoy dinner seated next to people who are downtown only for drinks (you know what I mean). Overall, one of my favorite places to eat in Champaign.
(5)
Heather T.

This place may get 4 stars after a future visit. But for now, it stands at just okay. So, you go in for the first time ever, and there's a huge list of fancy schmancy cocktails for your perusal. You read through it, and are interrupted no fewer than 3 times by impatient bartenders. You try to be polite, but dammit, they are really all up in your shit. I appreciate the effort to be efficient, but it was so obnoxious. I finally order my relatively overpriced elitist martini drink, and the very unfriendly lady bartender goes off to make it. It was not particularly good. It was all grapefruit and very little liquor. In fact, it looked like a cosmo, because it was so laden with grapefruit juice. Later on, someone else in my party ordered what I had, because it sounded good. Hers came ruby red in color, because it had more liquor than juice. It completed my theory that Bitchy McWaitress had a thing against me for looking through the menu. But whatever. The perks to this bar: Lots of seating, nice & helpful waitstaff if you're seated away from the bar, insanely excellent gin gimlet (I mean, really, really awesome) served in a martini glass which was an unexpectedly classy touch, and great cheese plates. I'll probably be back.
(3)
John B.

Boltini is the bar with a sexual orientation crisis. The staff is mostly gay, the clientel is mostly gay, the music is gay, the decor is gay, etc. When I'm home in the 'Paign and I have extra money to burn I love to sit outside at Boltini and watch the people pass by in Downtown Champaign. Boltini is pretty much the bar you go to when you "graduate" from C Street so I'm always bound to run into someone I know. Sitting outside isn't as amusing as it used to be when "Three Dollar Margaret" used to roam Neil Street hitting people up for money, but it's still fun to watch everyone thinking Downtown Champaign is Chicago....it's not. If you're in Champaign and want to avoid Highdive (do so at ALL costs) and don't want to deal with the high school reunion at Guido's go to Boltini. You'll leave broke but you'll have a great time!
(5)
Aaron M.

Skip the food, just go here for the cocktails. Impress your parents this is what you do for the weekend, not KAM's.
(4)
Rob L.

After a fun filled fish fry rehearsal dinner, friends and I gathered here for a night cap or two... or three. It was mentioned to us by the beautiful bride to be to try this place. Wonderful high ceilings, comfy curled couches, interesting bar seats, cute bar staff, (well... okay the girls behind the bar), and a very mixed crowd. But what were we here for? Well, myself and the rest of the crowd wanted a beer, my friend wanted some girls he could hit on. I won. Were there girls he could hit on here? Yes, so don't get me wrong on that account, but not the skanky girls he was interested in. We sat at the bar, I poured over their menu, rather impressive. About 8 to 10 different dirty martinis as well as a multitude of drinks and wines. Plenty of imported and micro brews abound, Food looked pretty good as well, but my stomach was full from munching earlier, but on the other hand if it wasn't, I would have chowed down. I do have to say the staff behind the bar was hustling their butts off, so I allow the waiting a bit to get some attention to slide. Yet, I didn't understand why the bartenders were also serving tables as well, perhaps some one called in sick. Yet, they were still friendly and even made sure my friend's martini was just right when he said it was too dirty for him. Even a DJ was spinning some tracks. I do have a weird feeling that this place is trying to do too much, perhaps with the competition of bars in the area they are trying to serve an everything under the sun atmosphere in a more upscale college town. I really liked it and if I ever find myself in town again, I want to stop by here. However I need to find a driver for this town to whisk me away back to my hotel. Finding a cab is harder than finding a Michigan Wolverine fan here.
(4)
Bev h.

this bar has given me impossibly high standards. i have been in chicago for over a year now, and have yet to find its' equivalent. i lived here for a good year or 2- they have great prices and i'm still good friends with many of the staff! robb the manager really makes an effort to make everyone feel welcome, and he always makes sure everything runs smoothly! the decor, the loungy atmosphere, the knowledgeable staff dressed in black....top notch. outdoor patio. dancing on weekends, great djs, good mix of people- young and old. the drinks and food? OMFG! martinis that will knock your socks off for $8! amazing drink specials every night! an executive chef who always has a great rotation of AMAZING gourmet food that would be hella expensive up here, but is almost always less then $10. used to go every tuesday for boltini bingo and lounge variety show- now i believe they have tueday night trivia (TNT). so much fun! marv the host will make you laugh and get you drunk! bingo was the best happy hour activity i've ever experienced, and i miss it! in fact, i still get emails with their weekly specials, and i'm sometimes tempted to drive the 2 hours and make a night of it! there is even a drink named after me! try the bailey ballbuster: patron reposado, gran marnier, oj, lime. SOOOOOO GOOD!
(5)
RJ D.

remember when you saw your mom get drunk at a wedding and things got awkward? well, that's boltini's at dinner time. i'm in my early 30's and go to boltini's for dinner with my husband sometimes. we usually have to fight the throng of 30-40-somethings dressed in ill fitting clothes from wet seal to find a seat. chicago it's not, but it tries... soooo hard. that's the problem. this place tries TOO hard. i get it. the downtown area needs a trendy place to serve martinis, but it is like watching a five year old play dress up. you know what they're aiming for, but it's a long way off. the cons: the music/ambiance is way too loud for dinner time. if you want to eat and carry on a conversation with your party, forget it. it's not going to happen. if you know sign language or can psychically connect with your date, awesome, you'll be fine. also, the servers are okay at best. i know the odd design and lay out of this building makes it difficult to navigate for people who just go there to eat. if i had to carry plates or worry about a platter full of drinks, i'd probably make only the necessary trips to tables, too. it's dark in there, too.... so so dark. be prepared to hold the menu to the candle on the table. at first i thought that it was on the table for ambiance. i know realize it was there out of necessity. the pros: the food is really pretty decent, which is why i have returned several times. the cheese platter is good and the creme brulee was super. if you want some decadent food, you'll get it. the martini's are alright. i have tried the sweeter ones on a few occasions, and they are good. strong? i don't know. they were ah-ight. my suggestion? if you want to eat here and enjoy it, go during a weekday night. even better, go when it's warm outside so you can sit outside. there is nice seating outside and it's far easier to have a conversation with your companion.
(3)
melina l.

This is an excellent place to have an adult beverage. Until the Blind Pig reopened it had the best beer in town - small selection, but CHOICE. This is where I learned the love of Three Floyd's Alpha King. The decor is cool, the round booths are cool, the clientele thinks it is cooler than it really is, but that's the case almost everywhere. I just wish it were open in the afternoons! Always my favorite time to hit a bar, when it's deserted, quiet, and smoke-free.
(4)
Helen H.

Good fruity drinks... cheese plates.. all great. Dark booths that gets rowdy. It's really down to the company you're entertaining. I wasn't blown away by their menu or the ambience, but rumor has it that the pineapple gimlet is all you need...
(3)
Jenna H.

One of my favorite bars...anywhere. Boltini consistently has delicious food that surpasses traditional pub fare ( try the Liar's Club, it's a favorite :) ) and highest quality cocktails. This bar exceeds the expectations of most downtown spots with it's superior service and atmosphere. Sure, the drinks might cost you a dollar or two more - but trust me, you're getting more bang ( ahem, booze) for your buck.
(5)
H T.

this is a really nice bar that you wouldn't expect to find in the middle of a college town but that you would find in a big city. we came here for drinks on sat night. they have a ton of drinks, and they are reasonably priced (compared to sf, ny, etc). if you can snag some seats in the back, it's a nice place to relax. i left early, but i guess a dj comes later in the evening.
(4)
Amanda W.

I'd never even heard of this place, despite having lived in Champaign for three years (drinking wasn't my thing as a student) until a couple of weeks ago, when we went there to celebrate the birthday of a friend of mine. I had no idea there were so many different kinds of martinis, and each one I tried was just sublime. The baked brie/cranberry was fabulous, too. I took off a star for the slightly disturbing decor and the pervasive odor of smoke, but come January 31, that shouldn't be a problem anymore!
(4)
Margot F.

My idyllic memories of Boltini are almost assuredly the product of imperfect memory and undiscerning taste, reader beware. But even the particulars I can recall still sound objectively wonderful. Metal baby feet for door handles, internally-lit glass panes that trap splays of branches and project Tim Burtonesque shadows on the walls above the intimate circular booths and swank cushions in the recessed lounge, Bells on tap, a full array of top shelf liquors (not normally a special attraction, but it's in Central Illinois after all), and a martini list I used to adore. This is really where the lovely memory gets shaky: I was horribly fond of the "Hollywood": Absolute Mandarin, Chambord, and orange juice, which now just sounds heinously sweet and I seem to remember them costing far more than I ever wanted to pay for a drink in Champaign. It makes me wonder if perhaps I would be disappointed were I to return, but I suspect that Boltini is still the only bar in Champaign that manages to be sort of hip, almost pulls off posh, even seems legitimately urbane. And once in a while, in a college town, that's absolutely worth the slightly higher prices. Light appetizers are available until 10pm, and the menu aspires to a cheese-plate and pesto bruschetta sort of class, but I never got there early enough to judge the execution. Oh, and don't miss the doll's head in the banister....and it suddenly occurs to me that maybe I'm just squicky about the dismembered infant parts. Regardless, four stars.
(4)
Naomi L.

If I could rate this place a negative I totally would! Do not come here if you are looking to be ignored and having to hunt down staff/bartenders. I understand that Champaign is a small town with literally nothing to do but come on now! My boyfriend and I drove down to visit his son that attends UIUC. After having a horrible dinner we decided to stop at this place. The only reason we stopped here was because it looked cozy from the outside and it was right next to our hotel. Now I liked the decor and the people that were in there were just "ok". This is were this place screwed up and pissed me off !!!!!!!! 1. We sat at the bar and it was a pretty slow night. WE WERE IGNORED BY THE RUDE A$$ BARTENDER! 2. I had to catch an attitude to get his attention and after that he was still a d&#%! 3. He SNATCHED my credit card out of my hand to open a tab - NO! DONT EVER SNATCH ANYTHING THATS MINE OUT OF MY HAND 4. He was pissed because I requested Titos vodka in my Cosmopolitan - how do I know? He looked at me, rolled his eyes, threw cup the old vodka was in, looked at me again, said something bitchy under his breath, aggressively grabbed the Titos bottle and then charged me for drinking a Cosmopolitan that tasted like baby juice. 5. HIS NAME IS VERY INSIGNIFICANT AND IRRELEVANT BUT HE WAS WORKING (Saturday, March 8th at 9:30 pm) I can't believe the nasty attitudes and horrible customer service I have received in this place. I wasn't asking to have my ass kissed; all I wanted was a drink and enjoy my time. What really surprised me was that another PAYING client wanted to order a drink and he had to literally get nasty with the staff and bartenders to get anyone's attention. I thought I was nasty and bitchy but clearly this is what they do at this bar. Every single person that was behind this bar on March 8th, needs to be severely disciplined. You work in the service industry and should never act towards your clients the way they've acted this night. I will never ever come back to this place and I will tell everyone!
(1)
Jess H.

My girlfriends and I come in every other Tuesday night for Trivia Tuesday! (They do trivia every Tuesday at 7:00, and we all love Holly and Chris!) Great place to meet up with friends for drinks! It's very small and cozy. We don't usually order food because they serve free pizza for the night; however, we do order our fair share of drinks for the night :) They offer a good variety of mixed drinks, but their wine selection is pretty limited. Love this lounge!
(5)
Ben B.

A cool lounge with an enormous drink menu. The one on their website doesn't even scratch the surface. I had something called a lime ku-ade and it was solid, if unremarkable. I hit a home run with my second drink, a lemonade concoction that was equal parts boozy and smooth. I expected to find it on their website, but it's not there. Our server was nice and prompt and had several recommendations for our group. Wasn't a fan of the layout. It's just a long bar with a few booths. Our booth faced the door to the kitchen, so the dark atmosphere was frequently punctured by the bright light of the kitchen. That's a small drawback. If you're in this part of town, it's worth dropping in for a killer cocktail.
(4)
Barbara B.

My drink, pumpkin spice latte martini, was awesome. Husband's wine had gone bad & the spinach dip was not tasty at all. Don't go by the menu on Yelp. Current menu is tiny & not worth it. If you want hard liquor, this is the place. Otherwise, there are plenty of places within walking distance to get GREAT wine & AWESOME food.
(2)
Hunter J.

I really enjoy this place. It's low-key and upscale. Drinks are expensive but they're made on the strong side. The food is really go too. I've never had a dish I didn't enjoy. It's a great place to sit down and enjoy a cocktail and have a conversation. The crowd looks like 26 and up. I consistently have a positive experience here.
(4)
Tim S.

You are a prominent bar in downtown Champaign. Why are you serving lousy chips out of a bag and bad salsa out of a jar?
(2)
Jan E.

HH declared his drink one of the best martinis of his life. Grilled dates wrapped in bacon to die for. Nice find in Champaign.
(4)
Patrick B.

Possibly the best food in town hidden away in a classy bar. You can never go wrong with catering from Boltini's for your event; given the quality of the food and chef's ability to present, I think you could even use them at an upscale wedding and be quite happy! Also, props for being an Illinois Green-Certified Business!
(5)
Jason C.

Chic, chill atmosphere to have some of the best martinis in town! Love that it's more downtown and away from campus!
(4)
April S.

The drinks were awesome but the food was only okay.
(3)
Pete K.

A group of us have been coming to Champaign for our work to do some concentrated training 1-2x/month so we wanted to start checking out the local, non-college scene. We checked out Boltini twice, each time deciding on Wed. since it's their half-price-drink night. The first try was a few weeks ago and relatively early in the night I guess (9pm). We all, especially me, really liked the place itself; a loungey, chill vibe. I'm not a beer guy so I was very pleased with their great drink selections AND all 1/2 price! I thought this was a sure winner. It was kinda slow, and the main reason we left that time after only one drink was that the demographics threw us off. After some shifting during the 20mins. or so, there ended up being 5 couples there: all same-sex, 4 of the 5 were guys. Being new to the area, we didn't know if we found ourselves in a gay bar. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that, but it's just not conducive to keeping single straight guys around. This past week we came back because I was assured that it was a place open to all, so I talked the others into trying it again. On this, our second attempt (and third; we ended up coming back later), we got there around 10pm. It was later than the last time so I expected a bit more of a crowd. I guess that's my only complaint about this place. We gave it more of a chance, sticking around for just under an hour. It was worthwhile, but just not getting as active as we hoped. It did seem to start to shift as we were heading out, but he others had decided to move on. We ended up back there an hour later. The scene was about the same as when we were leaving; still just on the brink of happenin'. We stayed for about 45min, and I easily could have spent the rest of the night there but the others wanted to go back to the clubby place we closed at on our previous night. When we go back next week I think I WILL be sticking around if the vibe is right letting the others move on. I really want to love this place cuz it has all the right attributes for me (almost). Here's to hoping my next review will be 5 stars!
(4)
Lisa B.

Kind of a dark place to be. The building is long and skinny. When we walked in we were not greeted in a friendly manner actually we were not greeted at all. We noticed there were reserved signs on all the tables that had daylight on them so we were directed to the back where they have creepy crescent shaped booths. They have daily specials and the special was $5 cosmos so we all ordered one. It was really good and really strong! One is all you need. We also ordered the margherita pizza, artichoke dip & the fancy mac & cheese. The pizza was good, the dip was fabulous and the mac & cheese was gross. I do not know why they called it fancy mac & cheese. The noodles were too big and chewy and the cheese did not have any flavor. It was bland and boring and sticky. Nothing fancy about it all so that was misleading. The dip had some hotness to it and had good flavor and consistency. None of the food came out hot. The pizza cheese was luke warm at best so I think it was sitting in the kitchen waiting to be brought out for a while. Our waitress was really nice and very helpful with helping us select menu items. Would I go back? Yes, I would go back and try something different and hopefully we could sit somewhere towards the front and the light of day. This place is really dark.
(2)
Chris M.

I love cocktails, and small plate restaurants, so I was very excited to try Boltini. I was unfortunately disappointed by the food. There was nothing wrong with the dishes per se, but there was definitely not anything remarkable. For the portions they were definitely not worth the price. The flavors tended to be fairly bland, and I was really not impressed. The presentation was well done, however. On another note, the martinis were great, and reasonably priced. I got a dirty martini, and substituted Stolichnaya for the Svedka, and it turned out really well. The waiter forgot to specify the vodka change on the second round, and while service was slow, the food came fast once the order was in. The experience was not unpleasant, but I doubt I'll be back. There are better places elsewhere in downtown Champaign.
(2)
Nick C.

Over priced vodka and gin drinks in martini glasses. I thought for the price you would get a really good martini but they didnt even make it correctly. A little pretentious but the servers are nice, just too expensive for poorly made cocktails.
(2)
Matthis H.

I can really only rate on drinks. Good bar staff that makes one feel comfy and good. They make a quality drink, and have a damn good pour going on. I'm not talking about a crazy large pour that is borderline theft, i'm talking a quality pour. I will check out some food one of these days. The tunes can be a bit busy sometimes. Good to see Boltini still doing it's thing.
(4)
Elizabeth P.

Favorite place to go out for drinks in Champaign! Fun atmosphere and great wait staff. Wednesday and Thursday half price martinis!!
(5)
Lily T.

Classy bar hidden in a small town. Came here during the weekday, we ordered a hummus plate, the fancy mac n cheese, 2 bottles of veuve cliquot and a some mixed drinks and shots. Everything was great and the staff are a group of really chill and fun people. I definitely recommend this place, especially if you're a student at uiuc and want to get away from the frat bars on campus.
(4)
David T.

It's a bit expensive and often crowded, and the booze can be low-quality (they recently switched from Beefeater to New Amsterdam as their well gin). Now that that's out of the way, the praise: Oh man, is the decor great. This place has wonderful ambiance, with great service and fantastic staff. The food's only okay (I liked the chicken quesadila but not a lot), but it's pretty cheap and, honestly, you don't come to Boltini for the food. You come for the cocktails. The martinis are great, and if you don't like vodka martinis, there are plenty of great drinks on the menu (personally, I get dirty martinis and Old Fashioned when I don't want to drink sugary stuff). The bar is gorgeous, and they almost always have some sort of music, whether it's a live DJ or a guy and a keyboard (okay, that's not always the best sort of thing). The specials are also fantastic; Wednesdays feature half-price cocktails, and Thursdays feature half price martinis. While I wish they'd tell me what qualifies as a "martini," I'm not going to complain. $15 can get you three really good drinks and a very strong buzz.
(4)
Aeri B.

Been here plenty of times before my last visit and I promise you after Monday night, I will NEVER be back. Our waitress, Sarah, I think, was TERRIBLE. We sat down at one of the small tables and it was much smaller than we thought so I asked her if she had a bigger table...she pointed to her left and looked that way pretty much saying "that way"...okay fine...our entire service she seemed really standoffish and not willing to get into the service. We asked her questions about a certain dish, she just stared at us as though we should know what it was and said "its just 6 pieces on there".... Then everything came out nice that we ordered, except my friends tapas dish. It wasnt even hot at all. So he told the waitress that he no longer wanted it and if he could order something else (this is when the attitude sparked ALL the way up). She began to question him as to why he didnt like it, and what he didnt like about it and this and that. After he stated that it was cold (for the 10th time) she said we can reheat it in the oven but he cannot have anything else. I got the manager. (Come on now, Ive been to OLIVE GARDEN, and had better service...they are always willing to switch something out if its cold or you do not like it, even though the reason he didnt want it was because it came out cold and unappetizing) When I got the manager she was really nice to me at the bar, but before she could get back to our table, our waitress talked to her. Which resulted in the manager now having an attitude with us. Mind you, it was 5 of us so they can all attest to this and will NOT be returning either, and we have told all of our friends as well. Why the manager was arguing with us, I WILL NEVER KNOW. very long story short, good drinks, terrible service, and even worse management. Honestly, servers can act that way, hey you never know who is having a bad night, but management SHOULD NEVER EVER act that way.
(1)
Natasha A.

Jelly donut shots, ooooo! O_O Ah-mazing. Dips were delicious, we got the basil pesto and the tomato one. They have a huge selection of shots and other drinks (I'm a shots person, get the job done with as little pain and time involved ;-)) The ambiance is nice, and if you have a group of 5 or more and can snag some couches/chairs in the back I can guarantee you'll be there a while. It's so comfy and cozy. A wonderful place to go with friends.
(5)
Pete B.

4.5 I went to Boltini for dinner twice, and the food was good! We ordered a ton of appetizers and they were all good. My two favorites were the artichoke dip and the ahi tuna wonton (but again, I like everything with ahi tuna). The sandwiches were also really good too. We also got all their desserts (they had like 3 to choose from), and I loved the creme brulees. Best of all, the price was surprisingly cheap! The drinks were mostly good. Their beer of the month was good and cheap at $3. Other than that, their drinks fall in the $6-9 range which is a little steep for a town like Champaign. However, they make their drinks really strong, so you kinda have to pace yourself through the drinks. Overall, I like this place a lot. Great ambient, great food, great drinks, reasonable price. It's quite a rarity in Champaign. 4 stars if you want to go there for drinks 5 stars if you want to go there for dinner (because it's a bargain for the quality of food you get, especially when you have a gift certificate from restaurant.com ).
(5)
Ryan A.

I gave the bartender a $1 tip for a single $4 drink for a total of $5. Closed my tab signed the receipt and then I see on my credit card statement a week later a $15.00 charge. The bartender added a extra 1 to make his tip $11 on a $4 drink so now I have to go through the trouble of getting my credit card company to file fraudulent chargers paperwork and not pay them. I had a good time while I was there and good drinks with good species but now all that is ruined!
(1)
kate c.

Tomato soup with vodka and grilled cheese? Yes please! Awesome cheese plates? Thank you! Stiff-ass cocktails (made correctly)? For sure. Excellent service. Great bar.
(5)
Anne W.

The place looks posh.. but the people that work there and go there are a little weird. In the winter, the place is small so you might have to wait in line and stand when you get inside (because there aren't any tables or chairs available). Oh.. and sometimes the people are rude there.. but not often. So that's why they get four stars. I do think they serve the best martinis in town. I like the lemon drop and appletini.
(4)
Lester B.

There are tons of bars in downtown Champaign and this place is fortunate enough for me to have walked into it! Met up a couple of friends here for a drink and ehh it was alright. My mojito was too sour and the leaves are grinded up pretty good so you can sip up a herb and not even know it. I sipped an herb and chewed on it by accident and YACKCKK!! My friend's martini was too strong for her so she asked to have it re-mixed, the waiter said he was too busy but questioned her for 3 minutes about her drink saying he couldn't do it, and wadda-ya-know, he did it! He was friendly overall, however, but saying one thing and then the truth comes out is a slight pet-peeve for me. Environment was nice; music really cranked up at 10 on the dot. Good place to chill and have a few drinks, what i really liked were the prices. They were very moderate and not overpriced. I would come back again but next time i'll pre-drink so I can babysit another mojito that i don't enjoy. :). P.S. I received a follow up message; this goes to show that this restaurant really shows effort to tend to the comforts of the customers. Great service!
(4)
Angela G.

I went here last night and had a great time. The place is pretty chill with a friendly waitstaff. It has an extensive food and drink menu. I'd be surprised if someone couldn't find something to their liking. We got the K.C. Poppers, grilled cheese, a hummus plate, and a flat bread pizza, along with a gimlet and a martini. Everything was great, but I may not do hummus plate again. It wasn't bad, it just didn't stand up to the rest of the dishes. If you want to go out for drinks and a snack (or even dinner), and have a diverse group with a bunch of different cravings with you, you can't go wrong with Boltini.
(5)
James B.

I really, really loved this place. Fantastic ambiance, fantastic martinis, fantastic service, fantastic food. I love the variety of martinis here, which you don't see often at this level, and I especially love the dirty martinis (the Bloody Hot and Dirty). Appetizers are fantastic to share, especially the pub pretzel fondue and "Euro Crostini." This all leads me to the only reason I knocked this place down to four stars: My girlfriend got the pub pretzel fondue for me as takeout one day, and the dip was just dumped into the cardboard container with the pretzel, where it inevitably began to seep through. Why a place that is usually as top-notch as Boltini would just dump a sauce into a cardboard container, I don't know.
(4)
M B.

Hate to say it, but I've noticed a decrease in quality here - this is probably more like a 3.5, truth be told. I would never come in just for their food, but as a snacking option that has slipped. And I just don't think my cocktails have been as good lately as they were when past bartenders prepared them - not quite as full, not quite as tasty. I'm not willing to give up on them yet - a guy still needs a Hot n Dirty Martini on a Friday once in a while - but I do notice that this has now slid into me "B" List of places I want to go.
(4)
Eunice K.

pros: They had a huge selection of drinks, tiramisu martini was good. Drinks were strong. cons: the service was VERY slow and food wasn't good. We sat down and ordered two drinks and buffalo chicken dip. They took more than 20 mins to bring out the drinks. Also, the buffalo dipping sauce wasn't enough. It ran out before we even finished half the chips. Pepperoni pizza definitely tasted like cheap frozen pizza.
(2)
RJ D.

remember when you saw your mom get drunk at a wedding and things got awkward? well, that's boltini's at dinner time. i'm in my early 30's and go to boltini's for dinner with my husband sometimes. we usually have to fight the throng of 30-40-somethings dressed in ill fitting clothes from wet seal to find a seat. chicago it's not, but it tries... soooo hard. that's the problem. this place tries TOO hard. i get it. the downtown area needs a trendy place to serve martinis, but it is like watching a five year old play dress up. you know what they're aiming for, but it's a long way off. the cons: the music/ambiance is way too loud for dinner time. if you want to eat and carry on a conversation with your party, forget it. it's not going to happen. if you know sign language or can psychically connect with your date, awesome, you'll be fine. also, the servers are okay at best. i know the odd design and lay out of this building makes it difficult to navigate for people who just go there to eat. if i had to carry plates or worry about a platter full of drinks, i'd probably make only the necessary trips to tables, too. it's dark in there, too.... so so dark. be prepared to hold the menu to the candle on the table. at first i thought that it was on the table for ambiance. i know realize it was there out of necessity. the pros: the food is really pretty decent, which is why i have returned several times. the cheese platter is good and the creme brulee was super. if you want some decadent food, you'll get it. the martini's are alright. i have tried the sweeter ones on a few occasions, and they are good. strong? i don't know. they were ah-ight. my suggestion? if you want to eat here and enjoy it, go during a weekday night. even better, go when it's warm outside so you can sit outside. there is nice seating outside and it's far easier to have a conversation with your companion.
(3)
James H.

This place is pretentious and snobby, but that's exactly it's appeal. It's just doesn't appeal to me. If you like laid back beer-bars like Esquire or Mike and Molly's, you'll be confronted with something entirely different at Boltini. If you're interested in paying a bit more for girly, froo-froo cocktails, food that looks like food only smaller, or an entirely different experience this is the place for you. My most memorable moment at Boltini: asking for a Blue Moon and being handed a bottle (it's on draft everywhere else), and nearly spitting it out when I was told it would cost $4.75! (UPDATE: Blue Moon's are $4.25, not $4.75). They also assigned a single waitress to a group of over 20. When the clearly over-worked waitress couldn't keep up with the groups demands for drinks, I went to bar, and was rudely told by the snobby bartender woman that she couldn't add my beer to my tab because I had started the tab with the waitress. Again, I feel this would be an easy request for any other downtown pub to fill; but Boltini staff are too good to add one number to another number. That being said, if you're interested in fancy cocktails and fancy food--and are willing to pay extra for it--you'll probably like this place. If you're not a cocktail drinker, then skip this place. UPDATE: Thanks to Robb for responding to my concerns. Like I said, it's not my taste, but many people seem to like it. I'd rather have a diverse downtown than have everything the same.
(2)
Melissa M.

The bar here isn't really my scene. I'm not a fan of house music or their prententious bartenders. I do like the food though and you can actually enjoy a good early dinner or late lunch at Boltini before the bar crowd saunters in and it gets loud. My favorite is the "adult" grilled cheeses because the cheese they use is amazing. Smoked gouda and bacon alongside shots of vodka tomato soup? Heaven. However, the cheese plates themselves are less satisfying. I wish they had more cheese and fewer garnishes.
(4)
Sassy O.

I love Boltini and Boltini loves me :)
(5)
Eva S.

In the middle of February when the snow decides to attack us, my friend decides to go to Boltini for a birthday dinner. I didn't even know this place had a dinner menu since all their drinks have the spotlight, but it's not too bad, depending on what you get. For a cold night like this, a selection from their 'hot drinks' looks perfect to warm you up, and someone ordered a 'Peppermint Patty.' A bunch of others got their $4 specials of Razzmo's and Clementine Cosmo's. I just stuck with water. But back the the food. It is cheaper than most of their drinks! Pastas started at $6.50 and sandwiches were up to $10. The Liar's Club Sandwich caught my eye because of the raw ahi tuna, avacado, and sriracha aioli sauce. Everything was tucked inside of a soft sun-dried tomato bun cushioned with a bed of sprouts. They could have spiced the tuna a bit more, and added some more sriracha. I was searching for more flavor with each bite and before I knew it the sandwich was gone. It was easy to eat because the softness of the sandwich, but needed a stronger punch ... and maybe some crunch. My friend had to add hot pepper flakes to everything. I'd say get the pizza or pesto pasta if you want something that is guaranteed to be good. Their ahi tuna tacos and "grown up grilled cheese" looked interesting. They have something called the 'Brownie Tower' which is self-explained heaven and served with a shot of chocolate milk. The ambiance is alright, they have cool names for everything and an endless list of classy drinks. However it's funny I felt like the menu was trying to assure me that eating here made me "grown up." Hence the "grown up" grilled cheese or a "grown up" shot of chocolate milk. It's a creative twist to kiddish foods but thanks for the reminder. A word of advice, order the things that are listed the most on the menu. The 10 pages of drinks and 5 pages of cheese were no accident.
(3)
Melissa K.

Nice, dark late-night atmosphere. It was a little hard to find a table (the place was packed), and we had to seat ourselves (boo). Food was great. We shared a mushroom/goat cheese crostini appetizer. The mushrooms and cheese were sort of creamed together, which I wasn't happy with at first, but liked it once I tasted it. I had the lobster bisque, which was a special, and it was a nice price (I think $5 for a nicely sized bowl). The drinks will kick your ass... in a good way. Our waiter was SO FUN. Only downside is that we were checked on a little too often, and weren't really given enough privacy to chow down.
(4)
Baub A.

Boltini is my go to bar. The staff is always friendly and accommodating. It is dimly lit, but it goes with the vibe of the place. The staff are always friendly. Get a pineapple gimlet, cosmo or mojito (when the heat is on).
(5)
Rachel R.

I love that I come into this place, order a couple of the oh-so-tasty drinks, and get tanked. You get your money's worth here. The waitstaff is always nice and helpful, and the seating is comfy. It's a rarity to not find a spot for a small group of people. Plus you're guaranteed to see some hilariously drunk girls falling out of their tiny dresses. Always entertaining. My only problem with the place is that the music gets a little loud sometimes. If you're craving cocktails, this is THE place to go. The atmosphere is classy but not overly so, and there's always a good mix of people hanging out. If you know of any place comparable to it in Chicago, let me know!
(4)
Allison V.

I came here for the first time on Saturday for a friends birthday on what Boltini's calendar called an "Epic Saturday." I can't believe I have lived her for more than 5 years and I had never been! We came with a huge group for a friend's birthday and even though all the round tables were taken, the manager sat us at a bar height table and provided us all with barstools to wait for an open table. The manager was AMAZING - so friendly. Even though the bar was completely packed, he still came to check on us throughout the night even after he found us a round table. My wine was delicious and well-priced and after trying a few of my friends specialty cocktails, I will definitely try a martini next time. Also, the decor and atmosphere is extremely stylish and chic. It's a nice little escape from the sometimes ho-hum Champaign-Urbana atmosphere. It would be amazing for a girls night out.
(4)
Chelsey S.

Definitely not quiet by any means but it is a great place to go if you are looking for something more upscale than the local tavern. The martinis, of course, are to die for and the servers are always a joy to be around!
(4)
Tim J.

This is a solid 4.5-5 star place. The prices may be higher than we all want to pay, but they are right for the value delivered. The servers are as good or better than any other bar in CU that comes to mind (and, for better or worse, I drink nearly everywhere). The place where Boltini really stands apart (for me) are their martinis and mixed drinks. If you order a dirty martini, for example, but specify that you want it only a little dirty they'll get it just right. Their Old Fashioned is quite a production. I forget what all Robb (mgr) put in it, but it was delightful. My absolute favorite mixed drink at Boltini is their Sugar Plum. It sounds pretty froofy, and it is indeed delightfully delish, but this straight arrow stands behind this very strong and very purple (tasting) beverage. I am not sure if the fact that I order mine without sugar on the rim of the glass makes my Sugar Plum swilling any less emasculating, but I do want that fact noted for the record. Lastly, Boltini's hosts 'Tuesday Night Trivia', starting every Tuesday night at 7pm. It is a lot of fun and all you have to do is come with a friend or two or 4 (I think 5 is the max, but it may be 6) and let them know your team name. At this trivia night, as opposed to Canopy Club's, which takes place at the exact same time, team names are punny, but not perverse. The host(s) pass out answer sheets for you to fill in and ask several rounds of questions over the PA. Dont be afraid to ask questions if you are curious. Competition is fun, and the whole thing lasts about 2-2.5 hours. Winners get prizes, including free drinks, appetizers, and even massages. The crowd is good: think professionals, teachers, librarians, grad students and profs. I don't go regularly anymore because it is just a 'lil too dear and also a 'lil to slow. Canopy Club's questions come faster. NTN trivia at BW3's is faster still. Park behind Boltini's in the lot.
(5)
Helena B.

So - stop me if you've heard this one - a Beer Girl walks into a Martini Bar... Ok, couldn't help myself. So yes, Boltini is known for their martinis, but they have quite an awesome (and oft overlooked) beer list. I got a Shipyard Pumpkin Ale - that stuff's hard to find in Chicago, so points to the C-U mini-metropolis on that one! For dinner, we went with the crab cake appetizer (as a Child of the Chesapeake, I am honor-bound to try any crab dish heralded as "best in town"). I must say, this appetizer held its own. While these were not traditional Chesapeake cakes, they took on a sort of Asian flair with the sauce and the vegetable pairings (I had no idea what to expect when I read that this came with "Asian Slaw". What is that? Eh, I'm still not sure, but it was delicious). We definitely cleaned the plate. For my entree, I ordered the Blue Crab salad. It was basically the appetizer salad-ified. Without my asking, the dressing was on the side (gold star!). Overall, everything was fresh, tasty, and a touch unexpected (you never know when it comes to "bar food"). While their drink menu far surpasses their dinner menu, Boltini is still a decent spot to grab a bite downtown.
(4)
Cat C.

I love the atmosphere in Boltini - it's an amazing place to just relax and have a few drinks with friends over some food. Inside is dimly lit with strategically placed candles and intriguing local artwork hung throughout. Intimate booths up front for a date night and plush couches in the back for larger groups - I'm a fan of both. Drinks are priced relatively high for Champaign-Urbana standards at around $7-10 a cocktail, but they are made strong and well so it's worth it in my opinion. Food there is alright - I'm trying hard to remember it but failing ... which means it must not have been that spectacular. Summary: Go to Boltini if you want to get away and relax in an intimate setting. Not if you wanna get wasted and start dancing on the tables. Go to Joe's or Murphy's for that.
(4)
Sarah M.

HELLO, new favorite place in Champaign. We decided as a family to go here for dinner on a recent visit. My brother is newly 21, so why not go somewhere with an amazing looking drink menu as well as an amazing looking menu? We got there relatively early on a Saturday, roughly 645pm. There were only a few individuals when we got there. We started the night with drinks, continued the night with drinks, and ended the night with drinks. Oh, and maybe some food. We each had martinis to start and were fairly pleased. Then I stumbled upon this gem of a mojito - strawberry basil. There were no mint mojitos due to the seasonality of mint - I love when restaurants acknowledge this fact. However, strawberries are in season, and made the most delicious drink. Maybe this is why I had 3. Oh, yeah, there's food. Do yourself a favor and order a cheese plate. A lot of the cheeses are from local farms and DELICIOUS. I continued the cheese parade with the Mac and Cheese. Cheddar and strong blue cheese? YUM. By the time we left (about 9:45pm - we take our time!) this place was PACKED, and much louder. Maybe since I'm used to paying Chicago prices for drinks, I found this place to be very reasonable. My mojitos were $8. We spent $95 on drinks, $50 on food, and were stuffed and well "hydrated" and very pleased. Very pleasant service, although as Boltini got busier, we saw our waitress less (she was also doubling as a bartender). I will be back, Boltini.
(5)
Michael G.

Small plates. Big cheese. Had a wonderful date night at Boltini. Decided on a three course culinary adventure. Started by sharing a huge bowl of Roasted Red Pepper & Smoked Gouda soup. Towards the bottom of the bowl, it started to get spicy. The spice was nicely counterbalanced by bits of bacon. Next, we shared a generous cheese plate with baguettes and fresh fruits. We chose three cheeses that would not be incorporated into other portions of our meal. Porter Cheese, Goat Cheese, and Bacon-Encrusted Brie. The Brie was excellent. It might be related to my obsession with bacon. I will tell you that somehow I passed on ordering their 12 perfectly cooked pieces of bacon appetizer. Finally, we ordered three small plates. Mushroom crostinis, crab cakes and bacon-wrapped blue affine stuffed dates. Crab cakes had a tropical feel because of a light slaw with fruit incorporated. The dates were delicious but heavy and rich. The portion included six dates. That would be great for six people as one was enough. Great night with great service. However, we got the feeling that we needed to initially command the attention of a server. The restaurant's tables are first come first serve and that chaotic feeling carried over into getting a server's attention that we were at the restaurant to eat and not just drink. If you aren't assertive, you may find it hard to get a table and to get service.
(4)
S H.

AMAZING food for a good price. Good alcohol available. Bar tenders are legit! Everyone is very nice. Loved it!
(5)
Marjie T.

I love Boltini! It's such a great place to sit and chat and have a glass of wine. I've been here a couple times and I will say that going in warmer weather is so much better because of their nice patio. The inside is nice, too, but can get incredibly loud after 10ish on the weekends and cancels my original statement of being able to have a nice conversation. However, before the music gets turned way up and it gets packed with college students, the inside has a really great ambiance. I've only tasted a few small bites on the menu, but they seem to have a really great offering, including desserts. I'd recommend Boltini for a date night or a night out with the girls.
(5)
Teej T.

Imagine that you live in what is, for all intents and purposes, a farm town with pretensions due to a large university. Imagine that students and faculty remember their snooty martini bars from back home. Now imagine them building it in aforementioned farm town. Congratulations, you've found boltini, which shouldn't be as awesome as it is. While Boltini might not pass muster in San Francisco or L.A., it's amazing here, and the staff are friendly, accomodating, and the mood is light. Spinning music, low lighting, amazing martinis, fantastic cheese platters--yeah, Boltini is a good life choice. I've enjoyed all my boltini visits, and marveled at the joys of pretentiously sippin' strong drinks in triangular glasses while glancing all about me. Nicely done, Boltini.
(4)
Amanda K.

Stiff and very tasty drinks! You definitely get your monies worth! The atmosphere is very relaxing as well. I tried the strawberry bellini martini and it was ok. I thought the grapefruit one was very good but sour. The cherry one tasted like a sweet tart and I liked it a lot. Our group ordered oysters (which I did not eat but they liked), the cheese plate and brushetta. The brushetta was my favorite. I would definitely return to this cute bar/restaurant!
(4)
Matthew L.

Still 4-stars, but I really need to say that the Cheese plates are awesome at Boltini... I love the options, and that you can choose any number of cheeses. The Cheese plate and the half-price appetizers n Thursday are definitely the highlights of the food menu.
(4)
Angela L.

People say they are too pricey, but they also make the strongest drinks in town and the service is wonderful. I love the people that work there. So friendly.
(5)
Will K.

I was in town for a short period of time and this place came highly recommended. I was told it had 'an extensive martini menu,' so of course I had to go! The vibe here was interesting. You could tell it was one of the posher places in town, but it felt like one part dive bar and one part lounge. I must admit I liked the music. They were playing Jamie Cullum as I entered the place. I tried the Pomegranate Martini. It was okay. It was pretty sweet for a martini... but I felt pretty buzzed afterwards. So I'm sure it had a decent amount of alcohol in it. The bathroom was quite nice, though. I would go back and try the food next time. It had several things I would have wanted to try had I not eaten earlier.
(4)
Kenny T.

horrible horrible horrible! the servers are inexperience and disrespectful due to the unprofessional management. i honestly felt like i stepped into "dick's last resort". everything felt like a joke and was unbelievable. i won't recommend their food but i will say the drinks are excellent if you prefer hard alcoholic beverages.
(1)
Steve M.

Faux upscale bar in C-U. Not my cup of tea, often with bad dance music and DJs involved as well. That said, if it's your thing, I would say you could do much, much worse in C-U. I must admit I've never had the food.
(3)
Christine Y.

Definitely one of my favorite places to come drink and look pretty with my girlfriends. The interior is pretty chic, the drinks are good (love their house strawberry infused vodka!), it's off campus (aka fewer undergrads, no offense), servers actually walk around with some semblance of regularity, and there's a bit more seating here than at other places. It can get very crowded and loud especially on the weekends, but if you can manage to grab a booth/table it's a pretty fun place to be.
(4)
Lydia M.

Last time I went, I had a subpar experience. The cocktails were good, as usual. However, my favorite dish, the liar's club sandwich, was nowhere near as good as it used to be. One of my dining companions agreed, she got the same thing. What used to be a wonderful seared sushi grade tuna steak reminded me more of canning grade tuna that wasn't cooked long enough. I finished it anyways, my dining companion couldn't cope and didn't eat it. We mentioned this to the server, and I hope she passed the concern to the kitchen. I might try the place again for dinner, because I used to really like it, but I'm really disappointed they messed up my favorite.
(3)
Sarah H.

The first time I came to boltini, I knew it wasn't my scene.. the thumpin music, the extensive cocktail list, the prices! This past Friday has changed my mind. I went out with the ladies, and was a few drinks in by the time we got to boltini. I had the strawberry gimlet, which was a homemade mixture of strawberry puree and vodka, topped off with a healthy pour of chambord ($7.25). I don't usually like paying this much for a cocktail but you really do get what you pay for! The drink did not taste of sugar or artificial strawberries... it tasted fresh and was absolutely fantastic! Also, the drinks are strong. They really aren't messing around. All of the employees were nice and accommodating too! I might not bring the boy for a quiet night out, but for me and my girls, boltini is a nice treat :)
(4)
Jason L.

Even back home in the San Francisco Bay Area, it's hard to find a lounge where good drinks, small crowds, great ambiance, and plenty of good seating mesh. The seating at Boltinis is comfortable and intimate. Think black leather semi-circle booths with high backs in the middle of the room. Towards the back of the room are black leather rectangular IKEA couches with glass tables and candlelight everywhere. The drinks are large, mixed well, strong, and tasty. Personally, I prefer a perfect (half dry, half sweet vermouth) gin martini, shaken. You CANNOT go wrong with the cheese plates here. Make sure to come at least in a group of four so you can order the 3 cheese plate. You choose from a cheese list and it is brought out with sliced baguettes (toasted and non-toasted), fruit (green apple slices, grapes), and olives. I would highly recommend the gueyere, euro cream, and the cheese infused with port wine. But seriously, pick and choose to your hearts content because the pairing of great cheese with great drinks will make you feel reallll sexy. I exposed my friends for the first time to Boltinis last weekend and they were highly impressed with the classy setting, quick servers, and amazing cheese and drinks. Even on a hectic Saturday night, we found a nice seating area in the back of the pit for all 8 of us. Boltini Lounge is a place that should stay hidden (thank God it's in dtown Champaign and not on campus) for its adventurous, sick-of-underage-teenybopper-gangsta-wannabes, discriminating clientele. I tell my friends that Boltini Lounge is where the people sick of the same scene at Joe's, Fubar, or even SoMa turn to. We will be there again tomorrow night for a birthday :) EDIT: Only downside is that they don't serve wine... So unfortunately you can't bring your own bottle of nice wine to enjoy here. But I guess you're supposed to be here for the martinis right?
(5)
Ashley B.

This is one of those places, downtown Champaign that most people go to grab a drink and don't think much about eating here. I've had friends who didn't even know this place sold food, but the food here is amazing! The cheese plates are awesome and I love getting the cheese plate/wine combo. They also have great flatbread pizzas and a turkey sandwich that has BBQ sauce on it? yes please. The only thing that sucks is the fact that it IS a downtown bar therefore if you go to eat after 9pm you end up trying to enjoy dinner seated next to people who are downtown only for drinks (you know what I mean). Overall, one of my favorite places to eat in Champaign.
(5)
Amanda W.

I'd never even heard of this place, despite having lived in Champaign for three years (drinking wasn't my thing as a student) until a couple of weeks ago, when we went there to celebrate the birthday of a friend of mine. I had no idea there were so many different kinds of martinis, and each one I tried was just sublime. The baked brie/cranberry was fabulous, too. I took off a star for the slightly disturbing decor and the pervasive odor of smoke, but come January 31, that shouldn't be a problem anymore!
(4)
Heather T.

This place may get 4 stars after a future visit. But for now, it stands at just okay. So, you go in for the first time ever, and there's a huge list of fancy schmancy cocktails for your perusal. You read through it, and are interrupted no fewer than 3 times by impatient bartenders. You try to be polite, but dammit, they are really all up in your shit. I appreciate the effort to be efficient, but it was so obnoxious. I finally order my relatively overpriced elitist martini drink, and the very unfriendly lady bartender goes off to make it. It was not particularly good. It was all grapefruit and very little liquor. In fact, it looked like a cosmo, because it was so laden with grapefruit juice. Later on, someone else in my party ordered what I had, because it sounded good. Hers came ruby red in color, because it had more liquor than juice. It completed my theory that Bitchy McWaitress had a thing against me for looking through the menu. But whatever. The perks to this bar: Lots of seating, nice & helpful waitstaff if you're seated away from the bar, insanely excellent gin gimlet (I mean, really, really awesome) served in a martini glass which was an unexpectedly classy touch, and great cheese plates. I'll probably be back.
(3)
Aaron M.

Skip the food, just go here for the cocktails. Impress your parents this is what you do for the weekend, not KAM's.
(4)
John B.

Boltini is the bar with a sexual orientation crisis. The staff is mostly gay, the clientel is mostly gay, the music is gay, the decor is gay, etc. When I'm home in the 'Paign and I have extra money to burn I love to sit outside at Boltini and watch the people pass by in Downtown Champaign. Boltini is pretty much the bar you go to when you "graduate" from C Street so I'm always bound to run into someone I know. Sitting outside isn't as amusing as it used to be when "Three Dollar Margaret" used to roam Neil Street hitting people up for money, but it's still fun to watch everyone thinking Downtown Champaign is Chicago....it's not. If you're in Champaign and want to avoid Highdive (do so at ALL costs) and don't want to deal with the high school reunion at Guido's go to Boltini. You'll leave broke but you'll have a great time!
(5)
Jenna H.

One of my favorite bars...anywhere. Boltini consistently has delicious food that surpasses traditional pub fare ( try the Liar's Club, it's a favorite :) ) and highest quality cocktails. This bar exceeds the expectations of most downtown spots with it's superior service and atmosphere. Sure, the drinks might cost you a dollar or two more - but trust me, you're getting more bang ( ahem, booze) for your buck.
(5)
H T.

this is a really nice bar that you wouldn't expect to find in the middle of a college town but that you would find in a big city. we came here for drinks on sat night. they have a ton of drinks, and they are reasonably priced (compared to sf, ny, etc). if you can snag some seats in the back, it's a nice place to relax. i left early, but i guess a dj comes later in the evening.
(4)
Rob L.

After a fun filled fish fry rehearsal dinner, friends and I gathered here for a night cap or two... or three. It was mentioned to us by the beautiful bride to be to try this place. Wonderful high ceilings, comfy curled couches, interesting bar seats, cute bar staff, (well... okay the girls behind the bar), and a very mixed crowd. But what were we here for? Well, myself and the rest of the crowd wanted a beer, my friend wanted some girls he could hit on. I won. Were there girls he could hit on here? Yes, so don't get me wrong on that account, but not the skanky girls he was interested in. We sat at the bar, I poured over their menu, rather impressive. About 8 to 10 different dirty martinis as well as a multitude of drinks and wines. Plenty of imported and micro brews abound, Food looked pretty good as well, but my stomach was full from munching earlier, but on the other hand if it wasn't, I would have chowed down. I do have to say the staff behind the bar was hustling their butts off, so I allow the waiting a bit to get some attention to slide. Yet, I didn't understand why the bartenders were also serving tables as well, perhaps some one called in sick. Yet, they were still friendly and even made sure my friend's martini was just right when he said it was too dirty for him. Even a DJ was spinning some tracks. I do have a weird feeling that this place is trying to do too much, perhaps with the competition of bars in the area they are trying to serve an everything under the sun atmosphere in a more upscale college town. I really liked it and if I ever find myself in town again, I want to stop by here. However I need to find a driver for this town to whisk me away back to my hotel. Finding a cab is harder than finding a Michigan Wolverine fan here.
(4)
Bev h.

this bar has given me impossibly high standards. i have been in chicago for over a year now, and have yet to find its' equivalent. i lived here for a good year or 2- they have great prices and i'm still good friends with many of the staff! robb the manager really makes an effort to make everyone feel welcome, and he always makes sure everything runs smoothly! the decor, the loungy atmosphere, the knowledgeable staff dressed in black....top notch. outdoor patio. dancing on weekends, great djs, good mix of people- young and old. the drinks and food? OMFG! martinis that will knock your socks off for $8! amazing drink specials every night! an executive chef who always has a great rotation of AMAZING gourmet food that would be hella expensive up here, but is almost always less then $10. used to go every tuesday for boltini bingo and lounge variety show- now i believe they have tueday night trivia (TNT). so much fun! marv the host will make you laugh and get you drunk! bingo was the best happy hour activity i've ever experienced, and i miss it! in fact, i still get emails with their weekly specials, and i'm sometimes tempted to drive the 2 hours and make a night of it! there is even a drink named after me! try the bailey ballbuster: patron reposado, gran marnier, oj, lime. SOOOOOO GOOD!
(5)
Sarah L.

Update: I recently had the WORST SERVICE I HAVE EVER HAD AT A BAR at Boltini. I have never been as insulted by a waiter in my life as I was last night, when our waiter threw our checks at us and then went to the trouble of getting cash out of the register to RETURN OUR TIP, also throwing it at us, even though we paid with credit card. Not only was this guy completely out of line, when I began reciting this story to friends later in the night "We almost got in a fight with our waiter..." everyone I told it to knew which waiter I was talking about from previous experience. I won't be going back to Boltini for a while, and it gets demoted to 2 stars. That kind of treatment is unacceptable. I think Boltini is my favorite bar in CU since it is essentially the only one that does not pander to Illini sports and skeezy undergrad men trying to get 18 year old sorority girls drunk, but it's hard to get my friends to go there because they think this makes it "pretentious" and "snobby," preferring to get barfed upon at Mike and Molly's or wherever. Personally I do not think it is pretentious, and I tend to think that the staff are only snobby when the patrons are acting like they are at a kegger and not like normal human beings trying to enjoy a non-Keystone Beverage. Notably, when I first visited Boltini on a grad school visit whileI was living in Boston, I was SHOCKED at how cheap the drinks were. I did not expect such low prices from such a well-appointed bar. I would EXPECT Boltini to have the best cocktails of any place downtown but I think that award , bizzarely, goes instead to Guido's. The other factor contributing to the four star rating is the terrible, omnipresent, cigar-doused in ammonia smell that is even detectable out on the patio. Perhaps this will improve when Champaign becomes smoke-free.
(2)
Sam A.

I've only had pizza from their menu and it was amazing. We had a very rude server and when I brought it to the manager's attention, he was very nice and apologized for her being rude. When there is a DJ, the music is just way tooooooo loud with low quality! I love loud music but on lower quality sound systems it gets very annoying. Add the noise from everyone trying to scream into each others ears to outdo the music, and that should give you an idea of what I'm talking about. With all that, I still give it 4 stars until someone opens a new place around here :)
(4)
Ariel G.

oh, boltini, i hate everything about you except your delicious, delicious drinks. in short: metro-yuppie atmosphere [bad] live dj's spinning house music [bad] mediocre bar food [overpriced and bad] delicious martinis [overpriced and good].
(3)
melina l.

This is an excellent place to have an adult beverage. Until the Blind Pig reopened it had the best beer in town - small selection, but CHOICE. This is where I learned the love of Three Floyd's Alpha King. The decor is cool, the round booths are cool, the clientele thinks it is cooler than it really is, but that's the case almost everywhere. I just wish it were open in the afternoons! Always my favorite time to hit a bar, when it's deserted, quiet, and smoke-free.
(4)
Helen H.

Good fruity drinks... cheese plates.. all great. Dark booths that gets rowdy. It's really down to the company you're entertaining. I wasn't blown away by their menu or the ambience, but rumor has it that the pineapple gimlet is all you need...
(3)
Margot F.

My idyllic memories of Boltini are almost assuredly the product of imperfect memory and undiscerning taste, reader beware. But even the particulars I can recall still sound objectively wonderful. Metal baby feet for door handles, internally-lit glass panes that trap splays of branches and project Tim Burtonesque shadows on the walls above the intimate circular booths and swank cushions in the recessed lounge, Bells on tap, a full array of top shelf liquors (not normally a special attraction, but it's in Central Illinois after all), and a martini list I used to adore. This is really where the lovely memory gets shaky: I was horribly fond of the "Hollywood": Absolute Mandarin, Chambord, and orange juice, which now just sounds heinously sweet and I seem to remember them costing far more than I ever wanted to pay for a drink in Champaign. It makes me wonder if perhaps I would be disappointed were I to return, but I suspect that Boltini is still the only bar in Champaign that manages to be sort of hip, almost pulls off posh, even seems legitimately urbane. And once in a while, in a college town, that's absolutely worth the slightly higher prices. Light appetizers are available until 10pm, and the menu aspires to a cheese-plate and pesto bruschetta sort of class, but I never got there early enough to judge the execution. Oh, and don't miss the doll's head in the banister....and it suddenly occurs to me that maybe I'm just squicky about the dismembered infant parts. Regardless, four stars.
(4)

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Address : 211 N Neil St
Champaign, IL, 61820
Phone (217) 378-8001
Website https://www.boltinilounge.com/
Click To Get Directions

Opening Hours

Sorry, Store hours have not been updated. If you are the owner of this restaurants. Please update the store hours.

Specialities

Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : No
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Trendy
Noise Level : Loud
Music : DJ
Good For Dancing : No
Alcohol : Full Bar
Happy Hour : Yes
Best Nights : Thu, Fri, Sat
Coat Check : No
Smoking : Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No

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Boltini Lounge

211 N Neil St, Champaign, IL, 61820

Boltini Lounge Menu

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