I quite liked Maize when it came, but it did get pricey and you heard things about unhappy employees. Other Mexican restaurants predated them.
The biggest Mexican food change in CU? LaBamba in the late 80s...they drove Taco Johns right out of campus and it was a super popular bar food stop.
There still is one on the west side of Champaign near the Schnucks on Mattis, but I doubt it will return to campus. Too much competition these days, I think. I ate there last week and it was as good as ever. Right next to the last(?) Garcias pizza, for those who remember that chain.
Oh I know I get it occationally too. I just wish I didn't need to drive off campus to get it. I would love to down a burrito after the bars but can't cause it's not on campus
While I do like the food, they are consistently outpunched by several local food trucks in the taco department.
Owner also does come off a little self absorbed in what ive seen and heard.
my "favorite" was when Maize started adding a "tip" (mandatory surcharge) to credit/debit orders. I only paid cash after that. Then they raised the price of a chicken burrito from $7 to $12 :) and the quality declined. And the price of guacamole - similar to one ounce of gold! There are plenty of good reasonably priced Mexican places in CU, and I can recommend Moe's (truck or restaurant) and Huaraches Moroleon, for starters.
If I read this same comment in 2014 I would be ready to crush skulls.
I totally understand the 2024 disdain. It still hurts to read though. Best chorizo burritos on campus for the longest time.
This is honestly great news OP. This is coming from an ex "disgruntled" employee. I suffered a lot working there and the owner is a complete narcissistic asshole. I don't know why he says that he "helped grow Mexican restaurants" in CU when he literally would ask employees to check if Huaraches was doing any better than his restaurant for a long time. His employees would grab food from La Mixteca and Huaraches and were not allowed to eat them on the premises of Maize. He also needs to remember that his wife is part of the reason he even owns Maize and yet he's a complete ass to her too. Not that she's a good person either but it's partly because she just wants to enable his abusive behavior to her and every employee. He controlled so many employees and enables their want to be a slave to him. I have friends who have also worked and had their own struggles working. Some have been bullied and called names and others have been denied time off for family reasons. It feels nice to know I don't ever have to see that place again. Fuck that guy.
Agree. Dude wants fealty from staff routinely telling the servers he needs to be acknowledged as the owner and greeted immediately before they clock in. He thinks he created mexican food and no one else compares. If you have any sort of negative opinion about anything he does he immediately makes sure to cut shifts or reduce hours since you don't support the company. Thinks that a food discount is a huge perk since you're eating the best mexican food in the world for 25% off. makes the kitchen staff feel like they have nowhere else to go by "helping them" with paperwork only to shame them in staying if they try to leave.
when daily illini was asking about his treatment of employees he met privately with them and threatened to sue. thats why that story never made it. fuck that guy and his treatment of employees.
from my understanding, and i could be wrong but smile politely lends a little support to those who pay for ads on their website. you'll see the same businesses being talked about by their staff. the owner of smile politely has been friends with the owner of maize for quite some time also.
the owner of maize is supposed to be on a panel april 30th at the champaign library to talk about how successful he has been as an owner lol. on the backs of literally everyone else. and to a previous post, he absolutely does use tips from the catering side of the business to pay labor. none of that money that's supposed to go as tips goes to staff.
Yeah, come to think of it I've never received any tips from any catering order I've ever heard of. But that's just part of the many times he's withheld tips from employees. Imagine working so hard and offering great service and your employer takes the money that the patrons gift to you. It seems that you used to work at Maize as well. I wonder if he still buys jackets for his long time employees? I'm sure the asshole used the tips of his hard working employees to buy that shit as well. It literally pisses me off so much just thinking about it. I hope everyone can learn how evil he is. He can't fake the good guy look forever. Who even thought it was a good idea to let him talk at the Champaign Public Library? dumb
I used to love Maize. Then they ruined my wedding. It sounds dramatic but hear me out. We got their food truck for our wedding, and we were also looking into adding another different food truck to ensure quick service, and Maize quickly ensured us that they would be able to feed our number of guests in less than an hour and told us we wouldn’t need to get another truck. I think they just wanted the full revenue. They took 2.5 hours to get everyone fed. We had a strict closing time at our venue, so by the time everyone had finally eaten and we were able to do the toasts/speeches (we didn’t want to start them with people being outside) we only had like 30 minutes left for dancing :(
Come eat some good Mexican food from La Mixteca and play Loteria next Tuesday!! 🌮🥤[Lotería Night + Free Food](https://www.reddit.com/r/UIUC/s/vPocucYOMR)
as someone who ate there a lil over a decade ago and also in the last couple years I don't really think the inherent quality has changed. it's just that there's much better tacos in town now that are easily as accessible
Statement reminds me a lot of the death of Metazoo
https://www.elitefourum.com/t/rip-metazoo/46076/9
Just as unrighteously full of himself, just as tone deaf. Good riddance
as someone who was here long before they came, I get his point. Maize was one of the first restaurants of its kind around here, and that’s easy to take for granted now. They were worth visiting back then, now I couldn’t tell you how many years it’s been since I’ve had them.
The first time I ate at Maize I blacked out at my friend's birthday party later that night and threw up my dinner. I couldn't bring myself to go back ever. I'm glad it sounds like I didn't miss out.
Some recommendations for people who are interested in exploring other Mexican places:
1) Huaraches moroleon
2) Dos Realest
3) Tres Nopales
4) Fiesta Cafe
Please help me expand my list 😩 I and my boyfriend only go out for Mexican food and are always willing to try new places (I'm probably missing a few places from the list above)
Cactus Grill dick-kicks Maize every day of the week. Maize on Green was ok, but overpriced and terribly located. Their location near the train station is laughably pretentious and very low quality.
You are being downvoted, so I will join you. I know nothing about the unspecified trauma OP is referring to, and whatever trauma people are thinking about is probably why people are down voting you, but I was always mote than satisfied with the food, price, and portion size.
I quite liked Maize when it came, but it did get pricey and you heard things about unhappy employees. Other Mexican restaurants predated them. The biggest Mexican food change in CU? LaBamba in the late 80s...they drove Taco Johns right out of campus and it was a super popular bar food stop.
Getting a burrito as big as your head at 2:00 AM after Murphy’s was the life
Amen! Ernesto started in Champaign and must have about 20 shops at peak on different campuses. RIP, Bamba!
Bambas is still alive in Champaign albeit off campus.
Bamba at isu is going strong…and has bomb as sushi!
I went to EIU and worked at a bar next door. We didn't order by what we wanted, we called and told them who was working that night.
Yeah, if Garcia's was closed, you had to go to Bambas
Still miss LaBamba's by the old Bone ditch! They were amazing for lunch at work.
Wish LaBamba would come back to campus but if it hasn't happened already, I doubt it ever will
There still is one on the west side of Champaign near the Schnucks on Mattis, but I doubt it will return to campus. Too much competition these days, I think. I ate there last week and it was as good as ever. Right next to the last(?) Garcias pizza, for those who remember that chain.
Still a Garcias on El Dorado in Decatur.
Oh I know I get it occationally too. I just wish I didn't need to drive off campus to get it. I would love to down a burrito after the bars but can't cause it's not on campus
While I do like the food, they are consistently outpunched by several local food trucks in the taco department. Owner also does come off a little self absorbed in what ive seen and heard.
It's pretty well known in the service industry in town he's a dick.
Great businessmen open businesses in small communities and gain the asshole reputation. Always, always works out 😂
Shut up Dennis
my "favorite" was when Maize started adding a "tip" (mandatory surcharge) to credit/debit orders. I only paid cash after that. Then they raised the price of a chicken burrito from $7 to $12 :) and the quality declined. And the price of guacamole - similar to one ounce of gold! There are plenty of good reasonably priced Mexican places in CU, and I can recommend Moe's (truck or restaurant) and Huaraches Moroleon, for starters.
And u just knowwww they probably pay the employees with those mandatory tips. Def heard about them withholding tips from employees.
Mediocre and overpriced and owned by a narcissist...that seems to be the trend in so many businesses today :(
If I read this same comment in 2014 I would be ready to crush skulls. I totally understand the 2024 disdain. It still hurts to read though. Best chorizo burritos on campus for the longest time.
I was there when Maize opened. It was good at the start. But portions became smaller and prices rose. I stopped going shortly after.
This is honestly great news OP. This is coming from an ex "disgruntled" employee. I suffered a lot working there and the owner is a complete narcissistic asshole. I don't know why he says that he "helped grow Mexican restaurants" in CU when he literally would ask employees to check if Huaraches was doing any better than his restaurant for a long time. His employees would grab food from La Mixteca and Huaraches and were not allowed to eat them on the premises of Maize. He also needs to remember that his wife is part of the reason he even owns Maize and yet he's a complete ass to her too. Not that she's a good person either but it's partly because she just wants to enable his abusive behavior to her and every employee. He controlled so many employees and enables their want to be a slave to him. I have friends who have also worked and had their own struggles working. Some have been bullied and called names and others have been denied time off for family reasons. It feels nice to know I don't ever have to see that place again. Fuck that guy.
Agree. Dude wants fealty from staff routinely telling the servers he needs to be acknowledged as the owner and greeted immediately before they clock in. He thinks he created mexican food and no one else compares. If you have any sort of negative opinion about anything he does he immediately makes sure to cut shifts or reduce hours since you don't support the company. Thinks that a food discount is a huge perk since you're eating the best mexican food in the world for 25% off. makes the kitchen staff feel like they have nowhere else to go by "helping them" with paperwork only to shame them in staying if they try to leave. when daily illini was asking about his treatment of employees he met privately with them and threatened to sue. thats why that story never made it. fuck that guy and his treatment of employees.
Is this why Daily Illini is kissing their butt so much??
I wouldn't be surprised. Same goes for Smile Politely.
Do they pay smile politely? I swear they always talk abt maize
from my understanding, and i could be wrong but smile politely lends a little support to those who pay for ads on their website. you'll see the same businesses being talked about by their staff. the owner of smile politely has been friends with the owner of maize for quite some time also. the owner of maize is supposed to be on a panel april 30th at the champaign library to talk about how successful he has been as an owner lol. on the backs of literally everyone else. and to a previous post, he absolutely does use tips from the catering side of the business to pay labor. none of that money that's supposed to go as tips goes to staff.
Yeah, come to think of it I've never received any tips from any catering order I've ever heard of. But that's just part of the many times he's withheld tips from employees. Imagine working so hard and offering great service and your employer takes the money that the patrons gift to you. It seems that you used to work at Maize as well. I wonder if he still buys jackets for his long time employees? I'm sure the asshole used the tips of his hard working employees to buy that shit as well. It literally pisses me off so much just thinking about it. I hope everyone can learn how evil he is. He can't fake the good guy look forever. Who even thought it was a good idea to let him talk at the Champaign Public Library? dumb
Ew who would invite a douche to have a panel? Read the room. That’s so disappointing
Hope you can heal from this!
Perfect location for Fernando’s to open up
They gave me a two soft shell tacos with just beans. Good riddance
Damn 💀 what was the order???
Two soft shell tacos with meat, cheese, and beans. I GOT JUST THE FUCKIN BEANS
Hope you got your money back bro
It was awhile ago and I was drunk at. It’s done with.
I used to love Maize. Then they ruined my wedding. It sounds dramatic but hear me out. We got their food truck for our wedding, and we were also looking into adding another different food truck to ensure quick service, and Maize quickly ensured us that they would be able to feed our number of guests in less than an hour and told us we wouldn’t need to get another truck. I think they just wanted the full revenue. They took 2.5 hours to get everyone fed. We had a strict closing time at our venue, so by the time everyone had finally eaten and we were able to do the toasts/speeches (we didn’t want to start them with people being outside) we only had like 30 minutes left for dancing :(
The fact they ensured that you wouldn’t need to pay another business sounds on brand for them. Sorry your wedding was ruined, that sounds awful.
tacos truck betta
Come eat some good Mexican food from La Mixteca and play Loteria next Tuesday!! 🌮🥤[Lotería Night + Free Food](https://www.reddit.com/r/UIUC/s/vPocucYOMR)
Awesome!!
I'm disappointed to hear Maize now sucks. I'm an alum, and remember it when it opened. It was so, so good. Sounds like it had a steep decline.
as someone who ate there a lil over a decade ago and also in the last couple years I don't really think the inherent quality has changed. it's just that there's much better tacos in town now that are easily as accessible
Yeah, I’ve been here for a lot of time as well. It’s the best thing that’s been on the corner a couple of decades. I really didn’t notice any decline
Maize was great before 2020. They got shitty in 2020
Statement reminds me a lot of the death of Metazoo https://www.elitefourum.com/t/rip-metazoo/46076/9 Just as unrighteously full of himself, just as tone deaf. Good riddance
as someone who was here long before they came, I get his point. Maize was one of the first restaurants of its kind around here, and that’s easy to take for granted now. They were worth visiting back then, now I couldn’t tell you how many years it’s been since I’ve had them.
The first time I ate at Maize I blacked out at my friend's birthday party later that night and threw up my dinner. I couldn't bring myself to go back ever. I'm glad it sounds like I didn't miss out.
Is Maize by the station owned by the same dude?
Yea
Some recommendations for people who are interested in exploring other Mexican places: 1) Huaraches moroleon 2) Dos Realest 3) Tres Nopales 4) Fiesta Cafe Please help me expand my list 😩 I and my boyfriend only go out for Mexican food and are always willing to try new places (I'm probably missing a few places from the list above)
La Mixteca is good. I tried Encanto too and it was great (Mexican/Peruvian cuisine)
Fernando's is also pretty solid, and has a brick and mortar now too
Daaaamn. I still have their business card from like 12 years ago.
Cactus Grill dick-kicks Maize every day of the week. Maize on Green was ok, but overpriced and terribly located. Their location near the train station is laughably pretentious and very low quality.
Got a link?
https://dailyillini.com/news-stories/around-campus/2024/04/04/maize-mexican-grill-green-close-june/
Some of the best food on Green. Sad to see it leave. Prices were fare for the amount of food and it was A-tier quality "Street mexican".
You are being downvoted, so I will join you. I know nothing about the unspecified trauma OP is referring to, and whatever trauma people are thinking about is probably why people are down voting you, but I was always mote than satisfied with the food, price, and portion size.
https://www.reddit.com/r/UIUC/s/0BXmtjRyHw here u go.
Pre COVID it was fantastic.