Chicago Bears Camp Bourbonnais - Best Places to Eat

With Summer approaching, most people think more in terms of baseball than they do of football, but Bourbonnais is already teeming with excitement over football. Chicago Bears Camp Training in Bourbonnais is scheduled to begin in July, 2010.

Fifty minutes south of Chicago off I-57, Bourbonnais made national news on March 15, 1999, when a train derailed there. Now Bourbonnais, Illinois, is known as The Home of the Bears, and 2010 is Olivet Nazarene University's ninth consecutive year of hosting The Chicago Bears Training Camp. Bourbonnais residents anticipate not only the return of the Chicago Bears, but also the return of Chicago Bears fans.

As of this date, the Chicago Bears players report for duty on July 29, 2010, and their first training camp practice will be held Friday, July 30 at Olivet Nazarene University (Rt. 45 & Rt. 102). Signs are always posted near the exits of I-57 to get Chicago Bears fans to their destination.

But who is going to feed those hungry-as-Bears fans, and what does Bourbonnais have to offer in the form of eateries?

Who better to ask than the Bourbonnais residents themselves? After interviewing several Bourbonnais residents for a list of their favorite eat-in and fast food restaurants, I've compiled a list of the most commonly mentioned establishments. Listed below are their favorite spots. If restaurants have a web presence, clicking their name will take you directly to their web site.

BEST FAMILY RESTAURANTS FOR BREAKFAST

Family House
312 North Kennedy Drive, Bradley
815-936-1160

Vips
505 N. Kinzie Avenue, Bradley
815-935-1501

BEST SNACK or LUNCH ALTERNATIVE

Here is a frozen yogurt and smoothie shop that allows you to create your own yogurts and smoothies. A tasty alternative for lunch, you might discover that frozen yogurt is better than ice cream (definitely healthier):

FroYo Creations (next to Honey Baked Ham in the Walgreens Shopping Center)
509 N. Convent Street, Bourbonnais
815-937-9000

BEST DINER

A cozy newly-remodeled diner:

Bill's Diner
597 Kennedy Drive, Bradley
815-935-2064

BEST RESTAURANT WITH ITS OWN BREWERY

If a restaurant with a bar is more to your liking, try one of everybody's favorites:

BrickStone Restaurant & Brewery (Chicken, Ribs, Steak, Chops, Seafood)
557 William R Latham Sr. Drive, Bourbonnais
815-936-9277

BEST ITALIAN RESTAURANT

If Italian cuisine with an award-winning wine sounds delectable, try:

LaVilletta Restaurant Italian Cuisine (Pasta, Chicken, Veal, Steak & Seafood)
801 W. Broadway, Bradley
815-939-4960

BEST MEXICAN RESTAURANT

Maybe you're in the mood for a Mexican restaurant that serves great margaritas. Try:

La Siesta
180 Kennedy Drive, Bradley
815-939-0074

BEST CHINESE RESTAURANT

This buffet-style restaurant was everybody's favorite:

China Chef
331 S. Kennedy Drive, Bradley
815-932-4461

BEST PIZZA

Three favorite pizza restaurants include:

Aurelio's (family owned and operated in the Chicago suburbs)
1600 N. Convent Street, Bourbonnais
815-935-1212

Nancy's Pizza (Walgreens Shopping Center near FroYo Creations & Honey Baked Ham)
513 North Convent Street, Bourbonnais
815-933-0900

Monicals (try their Family Pleaser)
597 William R. Latham Sr. Drive, Bourbonnais
815-932-9100

BEST SANDWICHES

Four favorite sandwich places include the following:

Jimmy John's Gourmet Sandwich (located directly across the street from the Chicago Bears Camp - they deliver)
225 S Main Street, Bourbonnais
815-929-9620

Subway (with lots of lo-cal sandwiches)
646 S Main Street, Bourbonnais
815-939-1300

Honey Baked Ham (next to FroYo Creations in the Walgreens Shopping Center)
507 N Convent St, Bourbonnais
815-935-9700

Mancino's Pizza and Grinders
200 N. Kennedy Drive, Bradley
815-935-7200

BEST GYROS

If you want something other than a sandwich, try a gyros or a giant slab of BBQ ribs with some French fries:

Mickey's Gyros (located directly across the street from the Chicago Bears Camp)
409 South Main Street, Bourbonnais
815-933-1300

BEST HOT DOGS

If you crave a chili cheese dog or a sauce bun (what's a sauce bun, you ask? Ask anyone who frequents Jaenicke's - pronounced "yon uh keys"), try one of these two places:

Jaenicke's Drive-In
605 Armour Road, Bourbonnais
815-932-2884

Boz's Hot Dogs (not Bozo's)
220 North Convent Street, Bourbonnais
815-932-2811

BEST FAST FOOD TACOS

Two close fast food taco places are:

Taco Bell
582 Main Street Northwest, Bourbonnais
815-935-1758

Taco Johns (two close locations)
562 William R Latham Senior Drive, Bourbonnais
815-929-1333 and
‪484 North Kennedy Drive‬, Bradley
‪815-939-3064‬‎

There you have it - the top-voted eateries close to the Chicago Bears Camp in Bourbonnais, Illinois.

For directions on how to get to the Chicago Bears Camp, click Mapquest Guide.