STORY BY CHRISTIAN ATWATER, GRACIE TRULOVE, HALEIGH FERRETTI, JUSTIN CENNAME, AND PARKER BALTAZAR

College students are notorious for being up late, and Honors Students here at UA are no exception! When it comes to being up late and being in desperate need of food, where should you go? Well, if you’re in Tuscaloosa, look no further than Late Night Bites. Scroll to see where some of our Mosaic Staffers and fellow students go when they want to grab some grub in the middle of the night.

Quick Grill

Located in the heart of the Strip, Quick Grill is the perfect place to spill chilly, cheese, and fries all over yourself during the late hours of the night! This hut serves anything from hamburgers and hotdogs to kabobs and falafels. If you decide to stop by, it’s worth the $5 to get their most popular menu item: the Messy Fries! These are heaven on Earth: salted fries covered in chilly and topped with melted cheese. Quick Grill is open from 6 PM to midnight on Sunday, 6 PM – 3 AM Monday thru Friday, and is closed on Saturdays. You can’t miss it between CVS and Publix, but if you need an address, you can find Quick Grill at 1208 University Boulevard.

Cook Out

You don’t know what time it is, but you see the full moon and twin lines of running cars flowing under the bright red of neon lights. Scores of people enter and exit, and where chaos is expected, there is order. Congratulations, you’ve made it to the Mecca of fast food restaurants: Cook Out. This is the epitome of what all quick service restaurants should aim to be. They’re fast, have high quality food, and, most important, they’re CHEAP. These facts along with its late hours make Cook Out one of the most visited restaurants in Tuscaloosa. No matter the appetite, it’s going to be cheap and easy. The Cook Out tray allows you to pick an entree, 2 sides, and a drink for only $6, but the best thing is that many “sides” are actually entrees. The food is still served in large quantities, and the double drive-thru moves with remarkable expediency. Whether you’re out late after attending a concert or up studying for finals, keep Cook Out in mind for a quick, cheap, and satisfying bite. Try them out at 100 15th Street East, on Sundays thru Thursdays from 10:30 AM to 3:30 AM, and on Fridays thru Saturdays from 10:30 AM to 4:30 AM.

Little Italy

Right off the strip between Publix and Moe’s Southwest, Little Italy is where it’s at for pizza and Italian food. Open as late as 3 AM, you can get everything Italian, from pizza and calzones to stromboli and parmesana. The best part: you can get 2 giant slices of Sicilian Pizza for just 4 dollars. Find it at 1130 University Blvd and get the cheapest slice in town.

Taco Bell

Taco Bell has got it all-from their hot Mexican boxes to their “Happier Hour” of frozen drinks for just $1, this spot can cure all of your cravings. It is located right off of 15th St at 236 15th Street, and its drive through stays open through the late night. I recommend the Cravings Deal– for just $5 you get a Beefy 5-layer burrito, a crunchy taco, a cheesy gordita crunch, cinnamon twists and a drink! Also worth trying is their newest addition to the menu, nacho fries for just $1. If you’re feeling breakfast they’ve got you covered as well with their new egg tacos! The inside is open from 7 AM to 10 PM on every day of the week, and the drive-thru is open from 7 AM to 5 AM!

Whataburger

Craving a burger and fries? What about a milkshake? Whataburger is the place to go! The brand new location off at 820 Skyland Boulevard near the Cobb movie theater is one of the most popular bites in town, with 24-hour dine-in and drive-thru all 7 days of the week! Go check it out and see what all the hype is about, but be prepared to wait in the lengthy drive-thru line, which features two lanes that both usually wrap around the building. However, the long wait times will surely lighten up when the next Tuscaloosa Whataburger location opens near the Lofts at City Center on McFarland Blvd. Not in the mood for the classic burger and fries? No problem! Try their amazing Honey-Butter Chicken Biscuit, served from 11 PM to 11 AM. No matter what the craving, follow the Tuscaloosa crowd and hit up Whataburger!