Where do other area college students get it cheap, hot and greasy?

UChicago

Drunk Food
Dunkin’ Donuts
1411 E. 53rd
Open 24 hours, Dunkin’ Donuts is to UChicago what the BK Lounge is to Northwestern: greasy food for the hungry and impaired.

Coffee Spot
Hallowed Grounds
Reynolds Club, 5706 S. University, 2nd Floor
Found in the Reynolds Club, UChicago’s student center, Hallowed Grounds is a cozier, less corporate version of Norbucks. Students come to play pool, grab a coffee before class, or snuggle up and study with a handmade muffin.

BYOB
Cedars Mediterranean Kitchen
1206 E. 53rd
Cedars is a little pricey, running $10 to $15 an entrée. Despite being BYOB, it doesn’t have the popularity of Cozy Noodle. “I feel like people just drink at their house,” said sophomore Lauren Burdick.

Bar
Jimmy’s Woodlawn Tap Bar
1172 E. 55th
Likelihood of getting your fake taken away: 5/10
Sketchiness: 9/10
Jimmy’s is a staple for UChicago students. “After election night we all tried to go to Obama’s house, but then the secret service turned us away,” said senior Sydney Chernish. “So we wandered over to Jimmy’s and it was packed with people going crazy on a Tuesday night.”

Ethnic Food
Snail
1649 E. 55th
Thai food is big at UChicago, with three Thai restaurants on one block. Snail is the most popular and reasonably priced: Pad Thai costs $7.50.

Essential
Medici
1327 E. 57th
Medici is known as “The Med” to locals. There is a restaurant on one side, a bakery on the other and even Obama eats here. Stop by for some focaccia and you may meet the Man himself.

Breakfast/Brunch
Salonica
1440 E. 57th
A Greek restaurant that serves breakfast all day, Salonica is a favorite of UChicago students. Eating here for under $15 should be no problem, even if you get an omelet or steak and eggs.

Swank Dining
Calypso
5211 S. Harper
A Caribbean-style café, this eatery is owned by the same people who own Dixie Kitchen. Entrées are fairly expensive but you can scoot out with your wallet still intact if you go for a sandwich or a half-serving of pasta instead.

Loyola

Drunk Food
Dunkin’ Donuts
1200 W. Loyola
A 24-hour establishment right under the Loyola El stop, Loyola students’ love for this place shows that the drunken need for circular pastries extends past Hyde Park.

Coffee Spot
Ennui Café
6981 N. Sheridan
Loyola students gather to drink coffee at this local business with large bay windows and an outdoor patio (open only during warm weather, of course).

BYOB
Blue Elephant
1235 W. Devon
Blue Elephant is like Loyola’s Cozy Noodle: Thai food with the bonuses of delivery and public drunkenness. The only downside is that it costs just a little more than we Northwesterners are used to doling out for bright orange Pad Thai. how much?

Bar
Hamilton’s Bar and Grill
6341 N. Broadway
Likelihood of getting your fake taken away: 2/10
Sketchiness: 7/10
It’s pretty easy to get into Hamilton’s and the beer’s not expensive. However, the crowd may not be to your liking. “It’s like a dad bar,” freshman Rebecca Diaz said. “There’s always old dudes in there.”

Ethnic Food
Hashalom
2905 W. Devon
Students typically spend $10 to $15 on hummus, falafel, lamb or couscous at this Rogers Park Moroccan restaurant. Don’t fret if you are on a tighter budget: there are soups and sandwiches available for less than $5.

Essential
Standees
1133 W. Granville
Standees is the ultimate greasy spoon – it’s sketchier and dirtier than Clarke’s, with fairly mediocre food, according to students. But, it offers a 10 percent student discount. “Everyone who eats there is drunk or going to be drunk,” Diaz says.

Breakfast/Brunch
Heartland Café
7000 N. Glenwood
This vegetarian-friendly café has oodles of options and serves breakfast until 1 p.m. on weekdays and 2:30 p.m. on weekends. Many of their ingredients are organic and locally produced, giving it somewhat of a “hippy dippy” reputation at Loyola.

Swank Dining
Moody’s Pub
5910 N. Broadway
According to Diaz, there aren’t many fancy restaurants around Loyola, but Moody’s is one of the best. The food is not expensive; one of their famous hamburgers will only set you back $6 to $8. Another plus? “It’s really dark in there, so they probably don’t know that they’re serving you alcohol and you’re 12,” Diaz says.

Columbia College

Drunk Food
Pauly’s Pizzeria
719 S. State
Unlike the other schools whose drunk destinations are open 24 hours, Pauly’s is only open until midnight. But according to freshman Brianna Mawcinitt, “It’s really the only thing that’s open relatively late. In the South Loop, things actually close pretty early.”

Coffee Spot
Caribou Coffee
41 E. 8th
Caribou is Starbucks oft-ignored stepsister. But far from being ugly, she is greatly appreciated by Columbia students for her reasonably-priced, refreshing beverages.

BYOB
Yang
28 E. Roosevelt
Yang is the cheapest BYOB place we’ve seen, beating out Cozy Noodle and Olive Mountain in Evanston. Many small entrées are under $6. Even so, according to Mawcinitt, “everyone just goes to parties if they want to drink.”

Bar
South Loop Club
701 S. State
Likelihood of getting your fake taken away: 4/10
Sketchiness: 8/10
Comparably sketchy to most college bars, the South Loop Club is a frequent destination for Columbia students, especially those under 21 whose fakes will not get them into Bar Louie. why do we not comment on the sketchiness of UChicago’s bar, which is higher? just a thought.

Ethnic Food
Tamarind
614 S. Wabash
Described as an “Asian fusion” place, Tamarind has everything from sushi to fish tacos to curry. It boasts an eclectic menu containing Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese and Indian options, with prices ranging anywhere from $5 to $20.

Essential
Eleven City Diner
1112 S. Wabash
This Jewish deli and diner is highly recommended by Columbia students. It has an in-house soda jerk and options for every price range. “It’s owned by a Jewish family, so it’s a really authentic experience when you go there,” Mawcinitt says.

Breakfast/Brunch
Yolk
1120 S. Michigan
This breakfast place is in the style of Le Peep, but open until 3 p.m.. They have some lunch options, but the real reason to go is for their lineups of different delicious crepes and specialty pancakes.

Swank Dining
Fleming’s Steakhouse
25 E. Ohio
Likely the fanciest of our swank dining places, entrées range from $27 to $40, while salads go for around $10. Fleming’s is kind of a splurge, even for a date, so you might just want to come for dessert. Or make your parents take you when they visit.

UIC

Drunk Food
Jim’s Original Hot Dog
1250 S. Union
According to Patrick Tufano, Jim’s serves “messy, gross stuff,” perfect for those with limited motor skills, and is close to UIC’s new dorm.

Coffee Spot
Caribou Coffee
811 W. Maxwell
Despite the seemingly ubiquitous popularity of Starbucks, Caribou seems to be winning out among UIC students.

BYOB
Osaka Sushi Express 2
1311 W. Taylor
Osaka is known for its smoothies and full sushi bar, but also offers soups and salads. They have everything from sake to the champagne of beers too, as long as you bring it in.

Bar
Drum & Monkey
1435 W. Taylor
Likelihood of getting your fake taken away: 3/10
Sketchiness: 2/10
This bar is not bad on the sketchiness front. According to Tufano, that’s because “the town of Little Italy is pretty nice.”

Ethnic Food
Golden Thai
1509 W. Taylor
Taylor Street is home to a variety of ethnic restaurants, but in true college fashion, UIC students believe in the power of Pad Thai. Golden Thai is conveniently located and reasonably priced.

Essential
Taylor Made Pizza
1220 W. Taylor
Any restaurant with a pun in the title is automatically appealing, but if they also offer delicious pizza, student specials and catering, well, that merits some respect.

Breakfast/Brunch
Hashbrowns
731 W. Maxwell
Hashbrown’s offers all kinds of breakfast and lunch foods, including specialty omelets cleverly named after UIC area streets. If you’re ambitious there’s the six egg, $18 “City of Chicago” omelet filled with just about everything you could possibly imagine.

Swank Dining
The Rosebud
1500 W. Taylor
One of the best Italian restaurants in Little Italy, according to UIC students, Rosebud has a cozy atmosphere and a comforting aroma. It manages to be homey and swanky at once, making it a popular destination for a fancy night out.