Reviews of Windy City Cafe (Coffee Shop)

Nancy McAleer

Marvelous menu, large portions and the best staff around! We were visiting our grandson that took us to his favorite breakfast spot. We can see why he likes this restaurant. The omelettes, breakfast burrito, and pancakes are excellent, as is the coffee. We'll be back when we visit again.

Sunada Williams

Very good spot for breakfast... parking is a pain but worth it! I love their pancakes!!

Denise Wilkerson

I really enjoy the Buffalo Chicken Salad here. The service is good and they also have Baker Miller Oats here, which my husband liked when he ordered it today. The menu is fairly extensive and the choice to of what to order is a difficult one with lots of viable options. I've only gone a couple of times and have only ordered the salad but it was good enough to return and order it again. I would definitely go back to order more items from the menu. It wasn't too loud or crowded and that's worth plenty in my book.

Tequila Broker

One of the best breakfast and lunch places in the area. Excellent food, nice portions, friendly staff from the moment you walk in the door. The hostess is friendly and very nice and polite She made our wait for a table very pleasant. The place was packed. Anyone who says anything negative about this place is off their rocker and doesn’t know what they’re talking about. There’s nowhere else I’d rather go for a weekend breakfast.

Paul Forbing

Good food and very cozy. They have a lot of old black and white photos on the walls from the Chicago area. I enjoy this as it adds a nice touch to the atmosphere. Service is not consistent though. Sometimes I go and service is amazing but more often than I like, I might be waiting for my food for 45 minutes. Hasn't stopped me from going but doesn't make me any less frustrated when it happens.

Pat McGrew

Good food and great service!

Dawn Epstein

Favorite place for brunch. Atmosphere isn't the best, but the food is consistently great. Highly recommend.

Dan Kozubal

The host staff was very friendly and accommodating, even bringing extra napkins to our table to help us cool off, as it was a warm and humid day. The service staff was friendly and engaging. The only issue was that there were a couple of forgotten requests, and it seemed like the food came out later than the tables around us. However, when it did come, the food was very good.

Stephen Bassett

Excellent place for a quick brunch

Ralph Loza

Amazing comfort food, fun and friendly staff, good veggie options and bottomless coffee.

Michelle Jones

I was running late and quickly ran through two of their menu items - cornbeef hash and a cinnamon roll. The hash was just like any other hash I ever tried, but the cinnamon roll... That was delicious. It can topped with icing and butter and tasted like a cross between French toast and Pillsbury cinnamon rolls. You know, like the ones mom made. The restaurant was very bright and the large windows at the front allowed fire endless opportunies to people watch. The staff was prompt, attentive, and extremely friendly. Will definitely go back.

Kathryn Butler

The food here is really good, but the coffee isn’t great. Service can be kind of slow too.

niurka vazquez

Amazingly good food and prompt service. Enjoyed every bite of the corn beef eggs Benedict.

Arturo Corona

Great local breakfast spot right around the corner from our apartment. Plenty of parking around, Chicago Blue Line stop right out front, Milwaukee and Chicago Buses out front as well. These guys serve up delicious breakfast delights, and serve Big Shoulders coffee roasts. The FOH staff members are as delightful as their amazing pancakes!

Kristina

Great diner with awesome views and wonderful food and staff! Very clean and organized. Wait times seem long but go quickly!

Nathan Landis

Great local diner with friendly staff and good food

Lily Wood

Excellent neighborhood spot with cute families and construction workers in for terrific diner offerings. I got a big salad and asked for arugula to add and the waitress was super accommodating and friendly. Great vibe and food!

Arianna G

It all started with a York Perpermint Patty... and it kept getting better from there. The staff was extremely friendly and helpful with any questions we had. They seemed to know what we wanted before we even aaked. The food was great! The portions were large. The prices were fair. We will definitely be back again

Antoinette Plescia

Great place! Felt a little like an old dinner. Food was great and alot of it!

Rachel Kendrick

I ordered the cinnamon roll French toast. It was tasty and the hot syrup was a nice touch. Portion was small. I tried the waffle fries which were very good! Service was slow and scatter brained and they were out of gravy.

Susan Elizabeth

Smells amazing the moment you step in the door. Prompt and friendly greeting, seat yourself style. The coffee is the bomb!!! Ordered cinnamon roll french toast with a side of hickory smoked bacon.... Mmmmmmm yummy yummy yummy

Megan Ray

Great selection, friendly staff, and by far one of the greatest breakfasts I've ever had.

Dakotah Reyes

My favorite diner in all of Chicago. Prices are good considering the amount of food you get. Their biscuits and gravy are phenomenal! Country fried steak is the best classic, and their fried chicken plate is great.

Amie Nichols

Worst service. Expect to be seated in a horrible table. Entire restaurant is overcrowded. From the host to the waitresses unfriendly & unwelcoming. Food is not delicious very basic can be made at home. Recommend finding another place.

Chris Johnston

Always tasty

Lissette Alvarez

Great food and lots to pick from. Coffee is from Big Shoulders.

Megan Wade

Great service. Good food. Quick!

David Demray

This is one of the best cafes for those who live in the Loop. It's a great balance of a happy neighborhood feel and accessible location off the blue line (Chicago stop).

Dulce Ramos

Love the a.m. salad! I can't get enough of it. They have cinnamon rolls baked daily--you may have it with or without creme cheese frosting. Small parking lot in rear draws me every time!!

Lane Greer

Absolutely delicious and unpretentious little cafe. Food is incredible!

Jacob Wilson

Great food, amazing staff and awesome coffee. I'd highly recommend their country fried steak or Edgars Skillet.

gelayol moradzadeh

This is our local restaurant. I like their food and their staff is friendly.

Chris Asmar

Great food and very friendly staff. We had the country fried steak and chicken and waffles. Loved them both. It was just a little warm in there, that's my only complaint.

Nathan Meginnes

Prices can be a bit high and it seems like the menu is constantly changing, but Windy City delivers. I love the skillets and wraps, but tend to go with the turkey club with waffle fries most every time. Wait staff is friendly and attentive. It seems like the portions have been somewhat inconsistent lately, but it's not enough to keep me away.

ROBIN SHANE

Great staff, cute location, awesome fresh food! Parking is a little iffy.

elma Abesamis

Great place for breakfast. The best steak and eggs I've eaten! Service is excellent. This is now our favorite place to dine.

Ismael estrada

I really like it, but the breakfast potatoes, kind of hard, will be very the hashbrowns instead.

Desmond Martin

Really solid option for breakfast and lunch. Small mom and pop shop in a world of chains, this place is super for grabbing food that's cooked really well at a moderate price. Friendly and time-sensitive waitstaff makes this a good place to go if you're on a tight schedule.

Marc Chandler

Small diner. Good service.

Eugenia Gomez

Amazing food and amazing service. Great experience!

JT Helms

Food is surprisingly good, if not a little pricey. Nice people but service can be a little slow. Good neighborhood spot overall.

John Hoch

Wow really nice place. Adam was our server and he was very professional yet very personable. Food was great and fresh. Not often do you find a place that has such a great atmosphere with good music in a breakfast cafe. Good clean place and would highly recommend this cafe!

Bill Reed

Lots and lots of great food in every order. Nice, fast, and friendly staff! Wonderful place to eat. You will not be disappointed.

Frances Munasque

We came for a midweek brunch. Service was friendly and efficient. Food and coffee were very good. Ambiance was lovely.

David Shih

Right next to the subway station. Great place to grab a hearty meal before your flight!

Sacred Music

Great food and wonderful folks

Paa A

Great staff, good food, and relaxed environment

Matt Slack

Always a great experience when I go here!

Dorothy Samuel

The bf just called this place "incredible". Our server was very nice, we said she'd be a great kindergarten teacher, bc that's how nice and sweet she was. I ordered a scrambler with fresh mozzarella, tomato, green pepper, and onion, bf got an omelette. The food was great, really delicious and large portions. They had good coffee too, and we all know how important good coffee is for a breakfast joint. Prices were fair. There's easy parking south of the restaurant on Ogden. The only reason I'm not giving it 5 stars is that the interior of the restaurant could prob use a facelift. Otherwise, i'm a huge fan, definitely coming back!

LeKeia Williamson

Tasty breakfast! Fair prices. Quiet and cozy atmosphere.

Lizzet Proa

Love their brunch

Jeffrey F. Lukman

Big portion. Very reasonable price. Nice American food. Nice place to hangout.

Dani Juarez

Excellent omelet, delicious potatoes, I didn't even have to put any condiments on them

Roger Bricker

Great food, good for breakfast and brunch.

Randy Kim

Great service, nice breakfast options though it is quite pricey. Right off the Chicago blue line stop.

Michael Anuzis

Great value on breakfast meals, super friendly staff, excellent overall.

Savannah Mendoza

Best food ever! this place just gets more and more popular for good reason. hidden gem!

Alex Cohen

Food and service were great! Would highly recommend

Rodrigo De Luna

Great food and service, everything was fresh and delicious. Service was very good.

Yuri Gallegos

Good home food and the service is nice. The skillets are a must have.

Mike Williams

Absolutely fantastic food and staff. Ate breakfast and it was stupendous. Laura and Norma took great care of us.

Neil Chamness

Traditional breakfast cafe, great menu full of normal breakfast food nothing fancy. Very nice staff and they have a parking lot.

William Reigle

Great neighborhood diner. Fresh breakfast items and really good specials including sweet and savory options. Good place for families. Very reasonable prices. Have been back a handful of times and will continue to be a regular.

Brian Phillips

Tasty, well made sandwich and wrap. We'll likely be back to try the yummy sounding breakfast items.

Allen Pratt

An unusual experience at Windy City Cafe. ??? Service was good but the Eggs Benedict, not the best. The cook used an unusual recipe for the holindaise sauce. Skip it and the little potato squares. The fruit can't be that bad.

David B

Little pricey for breakfast, staff slow and inattentive, portions are large/satisfieying,like it, don't love it

Dale Jacques

Great

Ken

We always go after mass at St John Cantius. The staff here is always friendly and helpful. The food here is all great; I've had omlettes, scramblers, breakfast burritos, chicken fried steak, and the friend chicken with biscuits and gravy (called southern comfort on the menu). The portions are huge, the food is amazing, and we always leave feeling good. Great place, and I highly recommend for a lunch or brunch.

Jamal Zayyad

I really like this place especially since it's local and consistently provides high quality breakfast. Rounding up from a 4.5 here. ;)

Margaret Larkin

This is a diner, so the food is what it is. The special decor and cleanliness would make you think you're going to get something a bit more special, but it's not like that. So I had to adjust my expectations when I first went here. The service is always friendly, and now that I've read the reviews, I should try the coffee next time. What I find misleading is what are really toasted sandwiches that they call "panini." Panini are supposed to be pressed down. But my food was fine.

Brooke Blyth

Windy City is my go to. It is so delicious and the staff is consistently nice and prompt in the dozen or so times that I've been there.

Lillian Hill

My daughter took me out for Mother's Day brunch and it was awesome the food was great. I'm recommending that you all should try it.

Chad Corbley

Good music and friendly atmosphere. Amazing pancakes!

Stephanie S.

Super rude hostess. Don't waste your time or money to get there.

Joe Sawicki

Very poor service and rude waitstaff. Would not come back

jeff ludden

Food is excellent! Service 5 stars and the food is expensive, but if you can spend $5 for a coffee at Starbucks you can afford $20 for breakfast!

Jeff Mota

Best breakfast in River West. Long time family run restaurant, with recent updates to the decor and menu. Super friendly service. Excellent food.

Laura Stone

Excellent food, great service. The Eggs Benedict was so good, I almost cried.

Madeline Negron

Nice place, friendly atmosphere, staff is very attentive to your needs. Definitely going back.

Randall Kooistra

Really good diner - big menu with a lot of options, always have several seasonal specials. Service is always very good, friendly, efficient, and timely. Prices are reasonable. Great breakfast spot. IIRC, they serve coffee from Big Shoulders (coffee roaster right across the street).

Valerie Cutrone

Quality food. Quality staff. Its the best diner around!

Miguel Jimenez

Great food and service

Ines Yupanqui

Best brunch in Chicago! We order the farmers omelette and the banana bread French toast. Everything was so delicious, not oily at all, perfect flavor and great portions. Our waitress, Valerie, was extremely nice. I highly recommend this place!

Sylvia Massuda

Good food and good service

Dean Costopoulos

Oatmeal, oatmeal, oatmeal. If I want to mention anything here, its the oatmeal! That's all I have to say about that. What a fantastic corner restaurant!! Stopped here while my car was being serviced. I told the hostess what I was doing and said I may be here awhile, if you need the table, kick me out. She responded, you take as long as you like. Never eating here before, I had no clue how busy they would be on a Saturday morning at 10am. By 10:45am, I'm glad my car was done early because the people were flowing in the front door. Did I mention the oatmeal? If I did, this is what I started with. I completed it with an omelette, hashbrowns and toast. One word... FRESH! From start to finish, the food was incredible. You can taste each ingredient, nothing overwhelming and nothing missing. You want tea? A handy wooden service tray with glass tubes is brought to the table so you can see what they have to offer and take a whiff before you decide. Fairly priced for the food you get; your wallet and stomach will not complain whatsoever. Awesome staff, quick service, attentive, talkative, friendly and just all-around good peeps. Windy City Cafe, next time my car is in for service, I will be back. Thank you!!

G. Dillon Murphy

Came in at a slow time. Service was really good. Had the breakfast burrito, which was unremarkable. The hash browns were greasy. Although they did serve Big Shoulders Coffee which I really enjoyed.

Arielle Grupe

Best place if you like paying $16.50 for a skillet and being passed up for seating multiple times.

Diego Herrera

Restaurant is at a really convenient location right off the Chicago blue line. Service is always outstanding. The food is just amazing and the portions are great for the price. I recommend the country fried steak and eggs with potatoes if you love meat.

Phil Held

Our favorite brunch spot! Always ready. Always delicious. Great for friends, families, and couples. Good with kids but not annoying if you don't have kids. Pancakes are awesome. Always leave stuffed. Team is really nice as well. Gets packed on weekend so be ready but still they are fast

Liz Jasper

Love the diner feel of this place. The cafe draws a lot of regulars. The omelets are massive and delicious. Sandwiches and wraps are good as well. The food here is a bit overpriced, but is decent quality.

Clay Harding

Coffee is excellent! Service was quick and the food was quite good. Reasonably priced.

Juan Cano

Good food! Excellent service!

Mark Lacy

Awesome, we always eat here when we visit.

Jordan Francisco

The staff and servers are so warm and welcoming, the service was great, and their pancake servings are huge. Well worth every dollar!!! I highly recommend their hot apple cider too.

Brooke Perkins

I have been here several times since moving in the area. The food is good and the service is great but they recently changed their menu… The positive is that they now have mimosas and Bloody Mary's which is awesome for brunch, but… My veggie omelette just cost me $17! With their new charges for a "build your own omelette" ( since they took my old omelette off the menu) , I just ordered an omelette with three vegetables and cheese with egg whites… I didn't add anything else and it was more than $17! I'm pretty sure I can get lobster hash at Siena Tavern for around that much. Hopefully they will reevaluate their prices soon.

Cynthia-Val Chapman

If all I could ever eat were the Windy City Cafe's multigrain pancakes I wouldn't be mad. The service is great, the portions generous, and the staff friendly... and they serve veggie sausage! My second favorite place to consume the Sunday New York Times.

C Hayes

Always enjoy my meal and time when I'm here and over the years I've always brought newbies with me (just by happenstance). Alas, I live off I-57 in the city and don't live in the area, so my visits are infrequent. Friendly staff and owners make the experience a joy as I've been to more than my fair share of places with cold food, lack of coffee refills (when offered as a courtesy), absentee staff and substandard service. Side note: Eggs are seemingly a simple food to prepare, yet can/do/will make or break a breakfast spot! ^_^

Michael Simborg

Best fried chicken in River North or whatever someone calls this area arbitrarily.

Anne Pratt

I eat here every time I go to Chicago. The staff is amazing and the food, as well.

Valli Funk

Everything from the eggs to the bacon to the pancakes were super delicious! Cute little cafe with great service too.

Herb Zite

Great food, fair prices. I need to update this a bit..... Oct. 10, 2017 The prices have gone up. $11.50 for a burger and $1 for every topping, even onion. I ordered a patty melt so basically a burger with onions and cheese.... $13.50. The food and service are wonderful but it is expensive.

Michael Wasserman

Great local diner with a ton of stuff and a rotating seasonal menu. Great friendly staff and never had a bad meal. Get the homemade ranch with your potatoes ;)

marta iwanaszko

Great vibe and delicious food! Corned beef eggs Benedict are fantastic, waffles are light and crispy... you just can't go wrong here - breakfast at Windy City Cafe will make your day :)

Ben Russell

Great selection of breakfast entrees across the board. Drink menu updated freuently and very delicious.

Megan Pool

Great brunch spot! I've been here several times and have enjoyed myself at every visit. There's never a long wait and there's always great food! I'd certainly recommend it!

Helljumper

I came here about 2 months ago, it was really good! I didn't quite like the prices but you get what you pay for, quality. I decided to pop in back here last Friday 10/27 and it wasn't quite the same. The food definitely doesn't justify the price anymore. Though, service was pretty good (the only redeeming quality) thus the two stars and not zero.

damian flores

Amazing. They are very nice and the food was amazing.

Stephen Krotseng

Great food, great ambiance, friendly service. But their new prices are absurd. I probably won't be coming back any time soon. I got a buffalo chicken wrap and a glass of water and it ended up being $15, then with a reasonable tip for the good service it was $18. For a wrap which was good, but not gourmet or life changing. I hope they re-evaluate the new prices because I really do like this spot but until then this is going to be an infrequent stop for me at best.

Justin Santiago

Victoria was a very nice, informed waitress. Great food and service, would highly recommend.

Jeff Owens

Solid but simple menu. Very clean. Two sides, traditional diner side and a more quiet side. The food was fantastic.

German Gutierrez

Their food is phenomenal!

Jon Banks

Always a good meal and service

Eric Cortes

Great food great staff good prices i am definitely coming back

Kyle Bacon

Giant pancakes

Daniel Simpson

Very clean place, good food and portions. A little pricey but always willing to pay for quality food and good service.

Karen Baker

Good homecooked meals with large portions.

Ziv Fang

Lovely place for neighborhood breakfast choice

Jeremy Watt

This place is just great. Great food, great small-town diner vibe. Highly recommended.

Drew Gasser

Food is great love this place

Chris Kachele

The food was great, and the staff was friendly.

Jessica Liou

Sounds like a touristy place but it was actually bustling with locals. Delicious simple food with massive portions.

Andrew De Regnier

FANTASTIC food, great drinks, the portions are huge, and they have great music! One person in our group said; “ I want to know how they found an avocado the perfect ripeness! It’s not too hard, not too mushy. Do you know how impossible that is?” So if you’re into avocados, apparently this is your place !

Renato Guzman

Delicious baked cinnamon apple pancakes!!!! And amazing salted caramel hot chocolate!!! Definitely recommend!

Emma Sorenson

My favorite neighborhood breakfast restaurant. I always leave full and happy, and usually with a doggie bag full of leftovers. The healthy options are fantastic, and the guilty-pleasure options are amazing too.

Dan Rubenstein

My triathlon team and I come here every Wednesday after we train in the morning. The food is great and the service is even better.

Bev Rachal

Food still good!!

Jennifer Miller

Terrible service by host. Was absolutely rude to the family in front of us. Once it was our turn made us feel unwelcomed so we left. Too bad. We wanted to try this place because reviews are high. Management should fire this mean lady who looked like she smokes 50 cigaretes a day and hire someone friendly with a smile.

Sara Hadwiger

Pretty yummy breakfast. The portions a huge so you won't feel hungry. Also, on the off chance you're looking for alcohol in the morning they do beer mimosa's.

Julian Gomez

Feels like a classic diner. All the breakfast and diner essentials, great for kids.

Kimberly Mosberg Chicago

Great food and lovely staff. Perfect place to go for an omelette.

Becky Rainey

A little pricey, but it is local Chicago! Like most of Chicago, not many places to park. (I was lucky enough to find street parking) Friendly enough service - it’s not “the south” kind of friendly. Cozy, quaint festival decorated cafe. I enjoyed the experience. Glad I mapped it out! Give it a try.

Mark West

One of my favorite breakfast spots in the city. The historic charm of the building with the friendly staff and Cartoons or Food Network playing unnoticed in the corners tops this off as a great family breakfast spot. Everything is very good and when my dad posted on Facebook that we were there for breakfast on my birthday, they surprised me with a birthday order of cinnamon roll french toast!

Its T

Chicken and waffles are good.. its not chicken tenders like a lot of places ..

Oscar Grissett

Homey yet open and spacious. Can actually hear your conversation without yelling over others from other tables. And the service amd food are both great. Will be back several times for sure.

Ann witek

Excellent service and variety

Samuel Sharp

Food was delicious and the service was excellent ... There was lipstick on my glass and a hair in my fried chicken but that just adds to the ambience. 10/10 would get free makeup again

cristian Novoa

Best staff ever. Waitresses are the best in the world

Samuel Escobar

Came here for my pre work out breakfast, pretty good for the price

Emese Markovics

Great food, great staff, nice music. Daily specials and breakfast food is delicious

Bill Garcia

Delicious sandwiches. I especially like the southwest chicken sandwich and the waffle fries. Quiet, relaxing spot for a late lunch.

Mike Thompson

Delicious food and AWESOME tea selection!

Amy Pennock

My favorite local breakfast! Small town cafe feel in the big city!

Nicole Callan

I'm a regular, never found a better breakfast spot in the city in 5 years. Definitely recommend checking it out

Kara J. Andersen

Friendly staff, great service and excellent food--seems made-to-order with fresh, good quality ingredients. I love the fajita skillet and English muffins!

Jordan von Kluck

Windy City is the quintessential neighborhood diner. The food is great, the portions are very generous and the staff is always friendly.

Felicia Lampkin Jones

I really enjoy lunch at this spot. It has become my go-to when seeking comfort food. The lunch is fresh and made to order, the staff is friendly and helpful. Such a cozy spot to visit, try the Buffalo chicken wrap, just enough heat.

Mac Sochor

Quite possibly the worst bagel in Chicago. My breakfast sandwich tasted like it was made from a week old grocery store bagel. I assume there's something edible on the menu but it's not the bagels

Dennis Lee

So nice we ate there twice. Great service, friendly staff, never ending coffee and a good menu with great execution. Fair warning, the banana bread French toast is for those with nothing else to do that day but nap. More like an entree sized dessert than breakfast.

Brian Ulrich

Stopped here on a Sunday for a quick bite and some coffee. Very crowded but a Pleasant atmosphere and friendly staff. Highly recommend.

Alex Zajac

Great place ...good food.. awesome service

james livergood

Jennifer was the best...

Andrea Hillebert

Great food and great service!

John Knapp

Great food, fair prices.

Matt

Had the Huevos Rancheros with Avocado and was really impressed. It wasn't too crowded, the staff was extremely friendly. I'll be back next time I visit Chicago

Peter Aiura

Service is great, but their prices are significantly higher than they used to be. :( I miss the $6:50 pepper-and-egg sandwich I used to get there. No sure I want to spend $14 on an omelette.

Michael Mazur

Decent prices, good service, and good food. That's all I want from a diner experience and this place has it. Recommended if you're looking for a nice diner spot.

Charles Nicholson

Excellent atmosphere....Friendly staff. The food was great!! Outstanding choice! I would highly recommend.

Steven Kolhouse

Not bad not great but the have parking in the back!