UIC Student Center West Food Court

This is for the new Pollo kiosk inside UIC dining hall. I had heard they opened this place but I feel like people are not aware of it yet. It is out of the way from the other places inside the old buffet room. I have to say I loved their buffalo chicken salad. It had three buffalo chicken tenders along with lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, and corn. So much food that I could not finish it. I think I found my new favorite lunch spot!

If you are students/​staff/​faculty, avoid the grill area like the plague. Seriously, Subway is better. Or do yourself a favor and go down to Lulu’s if you want decent diner fare, but the grill area here has terrible service, even more terrible (and overpriced) food, and crappy portions. The only semi-​decent place to get somewhat OK food that will fill you up here is the Chinese joint. I am the laziest SOB ever and hiked 2 blocks down to Lulu’s in 4 degree weather just so I don’t waste $ 6 on an advertised «grilled chicken sandwich»; it comes out to little more than a chicken nugget on a bun.

All I can really rate is the Banh Mi at the lotus café inside the student center. I have an addiction problem. I don’t know where else to get my fix. I eat the veggiecado and half my class is addicted to the damn thing. We tried it adding the egg on top, meh, doesn’t need it. Roll is perfect, tofu chewy, sauce nice… yum.

Three stars overall (oh my god overprices; aren’t students supposed to be broke?), but 4.5 stars for the Lotus Café branch inside.
I’ve had several sandwiches and just finished a pork noodle salad (vermicelli bowl). It’s not Nhu Lan, but it’s close! The bread had been fresh each time (I’m always there near closing), and the cilantro and hot peppers have always bee much better than what I find at the store. The servers are also incredibly polite and careful to confirm ingredients. DEFINITELY worth a stop if you’re on West Campus!

This place sucks so much. Everything is cooked with about a liter of oil. If you like your food extra greasy and tasteless then this is the place for you!

I go there because lunch is a tight schedule. The food is way overpriced, the cashier lady always has a massive attitude problem– no matter what day, no matter what time.

Decent food options, however the lines at the cash register are ridiculously long as they always seem to be short-​staffed.

This place is quite awful but is usually crowded. Why the conundrum? The economics of supply and demand. Lots of workers (4 large hospitals!) and students around this area and very few options to eat. Only eat here if you have to. I do twice a week at least. And it’s gross– both the all-​you-​can-​eat section and the «food court» section. Not many healthy or fresh options either. The only fresh fruit I ever saw here was a standard, waxy, small red apple. Oh, and a bruised, under-​sized banana. Each for like $ 1.50. Even the new Papa John’s here is tainted and tastes bad.

Where to begin… My coworkers and I go here because we are too lazy to go anywhere else for lunch.
Cons:
Credit card machine often broken or not in use on more than on checkout line.
Checkout lines are long because they do not have enough people working there.
The servers have no idea what they are servings, and the place charges extra for condiments, such as raita (or as they call it: «that yogurt thing».)
The food is severely overpriced – $ 1.85 for a bottle of soda? Huh? I can go to the vending machine down the hall for cheaper.
The salad bar pricing… gold is cheaper than lettuce. They should do «Cash for Lettuce» or something like that.
Fruit is super pricey.
Breakfast: sucks. Go to Subway or the hospital cafeteria. It is so much cheaper.
They tried to institute a no free plastic ware policy, which failed miserably.
Portion size for the taco place and the grill line are terrible for the price. You are better off walking to De Pasada for fresher and cheaper food, or Sbarro for hamburgers (but see above, we are often too lazy).
The only bright spot is the Chinese food station (Tatami). The chef that runs it is very polite, the portions are hearty, and the food is adequate.
Best bet: Pack your own lunch. Every day. Or starve. It’s cheaper either way, and tastes better.

Just cause its in the epicenter of the health care students, they should know that we know when the quality of food is not improving our lives. However, this facility does serve a basic need. Food consumption.
This facility has your typical eclectic selection of food items. Asian, Indian, pizza, comfort foods, salad bar, subway, burritos, and ready to eat items.
The quality of the food depends on what time of day you go. Go when its slow, and the quality of your food is low.
They also have an All-​You-​Care-​to-​Eat dining option downstairs. I haven’t tried that out, but if I were to judge from the offerings upstairs, it would be mediocre as well.
The offerings available on Taylor Street are so much more plentiful for a better quality only 5 – 10 minute walk away. But when you’re in a time crunch, its either here or the Hospital. It tends to be a coin toss.
Avoid lunch time… Too busy with too few seats.

Dreary worn out design, depressing lighting in the dining areas. Extremely busy at full student times with lines usually overflowing for the few number of cashiers at peak times, who generally are not the most enthusiastic service oriented people. The food choices in general are not that healthy nor that well prepared, with the exception of the asian food choices. Ridiculously overpriced for the low quality of filler food. Its one of the few choices in the quality food vacuum of the medical district, however, so we are all trapped. No competition, no improvement.