Wow, I'm surprised this place gets such good reviews. I was super excited to brunch here after doing a little yelping. Got there at 11 am on a Sunday and there was only a 10 minute wait for 3 people, so far, AMAZING! Sat down, it was about 5 minutes before we were given our menus and another 5 for water and to take our drink order. 15 minutes after that we got our drinks and ordered (iced coffee and iced tea). 30 minutes later and our starving bellies were served. The waitress mentioned that the BEST thing on the menu were the benedicts, hello! Being my favorite brunch item I of course ordered it. The BF got the italian omelette (my second choice, score!) and our friend ordered the huevos rancheros. This was one of the most sub-par, bleh benny's i've ever had. The english muffin, ham, and egg were fine but that was one of the worst hollandaise sauces I've ever tasted. I'm not sure what they did to it but it was gloppy and stale. There was no hit of buttery rich eggy goodness. The hashbrowns were good but couldn't make up for the benny. The italian omelette was ok but I could make better at home. Overall the combination of SLOW service + mediocre food = Meh. I've experienced better. I will not be going back for brunch. read more

I went here with my dad last night and it was just like old times. We usually come here late night, so I can't comment on what most of the reviews go one about- namely their breakfast/brunch. However, for a mellow place with a great atmosphere and lovely (often live) music playing in the background, you can't do much better than this place at 10pm. It's a nice place to be able to talk and think, and not worry about being rushed out. even if you only order a few coffees. The food and beverage selection is good and everything is always tasty. Their tea selection is awesome. Everything is slightly overpriced for the quality, even considering the area, but the ambiance makes up for that to me. read more

Great food with a great atmosphere! I'll be back every time I'm in Chicago. The staff is very attentive and friendly as well.

We have become devoted regulars to 3rd Coast, dining at this neighborhood gem 1-2 times weekly. I notice the restaurant is full of locals as well! What I love most about the restaurant are the extremely delicious dinner specials--everything cooked to order and to perfection! My husband and I are very particular and I can't think of one meal we've had that hasn't been incredibly delicious. The dinner specials change nightly, you can look them up on the website. Our faves are the Greek pork chop, the meatloaf, and chicken in mustard sauce. The pan sautéed potatoes are the best I've ever tried! Aside from the excellence of the food, the atmosphere is old world, warm, and welcoming. And thank goodness it's incredibly kid friendly! We have a crazy active toddler and the staff always brings crayons and engages our son and even brings him into the kitchen sometimes! I have been meaning to write this review for a while and decided not to put it off any longer because I saw a mom below unhappy with the service and how they purportedly treated their child. Our experience has been one thousand percent the opposite so I had to weigh in. My kid was going pretty crazy hanging from the stair railings and zooming cars on tables and the owner made a point of telling us it was okay and we should treat 3rd Coast like our home! And I once saw her buy some other harried parents of multiple young kids a glass a wine. This cafe is part of a vanishing species of old world charm, delicious food, and service that makes you feel like family. Stay gold, 3rd Coast. read more

I give it four stars for what I think it's trying to be - a sort of laid-back coffee shop that I imagine existed in the Vienna of 100 years ago. If you're expecting a super-hip, modern cafe, you're in the wrong place. Located on quiet Dearborn Street in the heart of the Gold Coast, this place is usually heavy with studying students and locals in for a bite. They have coffee, of course, but also a full bar and nicely prepared cafe-type foods. When I lived a block away, I used to eat there a lot and just chill with something to read and some coffee. I still like to eat there after doing stuff in Lincoln Park (like after the Air Show) or when I want to just relax and have decent food and good drinks. read more

Ambiance: Maybe I didn't read the other reviews or look at the photos that carefully but this place was not what I was expecting at all. When I think wine bar, I picture a somewhat sophisticated, slightly younger, hip crowd getting drinks after work and some tapas-style dishes. This place is more of a coffee house/diner with wine available. It's in an apartment building so it seems like some of the tenants eat here e.g. the 80 yr old guy eating his sundae by himself at the adjacent table or the family with children enjoying cheeseburgers at the other end of the restaurant. Food: It's actually quite good and reasonably priced. I had french toast which is hard to mess up so I can't judge the entire menu, but the menu itself is very extensive (breakfast served all day). My friend got the veggie burger and ate the entire thing even though it was huge. The coffee is good too. Parking: Impossible unless you have a permit. read more

Went there for breakfast today. It's a cute place that was pretty full, so I thought we were in for a real treat. The service was prompt and friendly, and we were seated right away. My boyfriend and I shared the Salmon Benedict and Stuffed French Toast. French toast was pretty good- we got it without the whipped cream. The benedict was ehh, nothing anywhere near special. It comes with salsa verde (random?), which was spicy so we had it with the traditional hollandaise sauce, which was pretty tasteless. Both meals were cold. Definitely nothing special. I want to go back for lunch/dinner because of the reviews but not again for breakfast. read more

This place is fantastic for breakfast lunch or dinner. Great service, location, ambiance, and food of course, even and especially for tons of vegetarian options. It would be a shame for this place to close due to Covid. read more

1st time visiting this location. First impression: super cozy! They were really busy and although the waitress took a while to come to our table, she acknowledged and apologized. Food was delicious! We tried the Veggie Hash, Stuffed French Toast and cappuccino. Everything tasted great. I just didn't give 5 starts because I found the portions a little small for the price they charge. Besides this, great, great, great. read more

Came here for brunch on a late Sunday morning. Food was nothing special. Ordered the eggs Benedict and a coffee. Service was great, though.

I have had breakfast and dinner several times here in the past two years, and last night enjoyed the extra bonus of the Lovely and beautiful Gayle Ritt performing her soulful music! As usual, the food was great and the atmosphere warm and pleasant. I had the mushroom-filled pasta paired with sauteed spinach, which was nicely infused with garlic! During Gayle's break, I was inspired to create a drink while observing a gal in an orange dress...a White Russian with Stoli Oranj. Not bad, huh? Well, then while I'm sipping it, she sits across my table to watch Gayle and introduces herself...turns out she is one of the owners. What a fantastic woman! It was very interesting learning about the history of her establishment, and it impressed me how much she puts her heart into her endeavors! Fantastic evening all around...it IS all about LOVE! read more

Absolutely blew my expectations away - I'd heard nothing but amazing things about this brunch spot and every single one was justified. Came with a friend on Sunday at 11am and had no wait - amazing. Sat down close to the kitchen so it was a bit noisy but nothing unbearable. Ordered a $5 mimosa that was extremely tasty with my blueberry pancakes, pork sausage and scrambled eggs. I knew this place was amazing when they gave me a squirt bottle of syrup - I normally have to beg places for syrup and they gave me a vat! I'd be back here again in a heartbeat. The service was amazing and quick with ridiculously sized portions. I'd go for a 1/2 stack of pancakes - 4 large pancakes were too much for me to finish. Split bill with 2 mimosas and above order came up to $28. read more

This is by far the best dining spot not only in the Gold Coast neighborhood but perhaps the best in the entire downtown area. Food is phenomenal and reasonably priced. Expertly prepared and tastefully served. The staff is efficient and always helpful and polite. I have never had a bad meal here nor have I had poor service. If you haven't been to the "Coast" give it a try and see how it compares with my review. You won't regret your visit. If you come here for dinner,I guarantee you will be back for breakfast in the morning! read more

Highly recommend 3rd Coast. Low key and much cozier than photos reflect. Absolutely wonderful food. Fiola is the perfect wait person. The menu is vast and isn't limited to what they have on their website. Clearly a popular place. I loved it. read more

We had brunch here. There was a little wait but that is expected on Sunday. They meal was just ok. With so many great places to eat in Chicago I was underwhelmed with the meal. read more

I will always leave a tip for sit-down dining and for curbside pick up, but not for pick-up when I have to enter the restaurant and retrieve the order myself. So when I didn't leave a tip on my last pick up order, the staff took it upon themselves to add a $10 tip to my bill after I had already paid and left the restaurant. You may agree with my tipping policy or not, but the restaurant's behavior was outrageous and unconscionable. Needless to say, I will never patronize this restaurant again. I did get the $10 back from my credit card issuer, though. read more

I live in the building upstairs and am constantly over... The food is okay nothing too special and they have screwed up my order several times or forgotten to include something....but the coffee is usually pretty good... they make fresh scones and sweets which are worth trying... one thing i will say is that the service is awesome, the staff are really nice and friendly which can be rare in the city!!! read more

The 3rd Coast offers solid breakfast options and we found it after staying nearby at Hotel Indigo since it was just a few doors down. When you enter from Dearborn, you are in a lobby of an office building and the 3rd Coast is located on the left side. You seat yourself and we had no problems finding a table on a Saturday morning. There were quite a few tables with families with toddlers and it was a nice mixture of Saturday locals and tourists. We both had omelettes and you get a very hearty portion of hash browns (or your choice of fruit) and then you can pick from an English muffin or different types of toast. I had the house omelette with ham and cheese and peppers and it was very tasty. Our waitress was very attentive and friendly. She said y'all and it was nice to be greeted with Southern Charm while in the Windy City. I saw someone order a stack of pancakes and they looked yummy. We did not wait long for our food and were in an out in no time. All in all, the prices are great and you really get a hearty portion for $11. If there were a 3.5 option, that is what I would rate them. read more

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The pancakes here are to die for! Seriously, the best I've ever had. The flavor is amazing. Also had the bacon which is excellent, scrambled eggs and side fruit. Nice selection of fruit, not just the usual grapes & melon. I highly recommend this place. Service was great and quick. Can't wait to come back for more pancakes! read more

Had a very solid brunch here on Sunday! I was very excited to come in here around 11:00 and have there be no wait. Their menu is fairly small, but includes anything you could want for breakfast. Our waitress was attentive and came by frequently throughout the meal to refill coffee and see how everything was going. My only complaint is that some of the items were a little pricey. I had two eggs with bacon and it was $10.75. Even taking the fact that I was in the Gold Coast into consideration, that's a little much. My dining companion had banana pancakes that looked awesome. The full stack was pretty massive, I'd like to see anyone try and dominate that. Overall, great choice if you're in the area. read more

I'd go hear if I lived within 5 minutes walking distance, otherwise 3rd Coast is pretty standard, if not a bit simple for what you're paying for. The clientele is older and more wealthy than you'd find at other brunch places, hence the moderate noise level which is nice. This would be a great place to meet a friend or have a small business meeting for a light breakfast/snack. I appreciate the ambiance inside, which has this upscale, old-time cafe feel to it. You get the sense that maybe a famous author wrote her books in the corner, or that politicians come here regularly to have a coffee while they scheme away. Speaking of which, Rahm just beat Chuy in yesterday's runoff. Shocker. read more

This place is the best! We live near by and frequent weekly! Cozy, relaxed, perfect spot to get away from the hustle and bustle of some of the other restaurants in the area. We love taking friends/family here from out of town. Breakfast favs- freshly made scones, cappuccino to go, breakfast tacos with an amazing avocado cream salsa. Dinner time- Fajitas are great! Great wine selection. Perfect to dine in or take out. read more

Okay, okay, okay.................... True confessions here.....Last week we were staying at the Indigo Hotel, just a stone's throw from this place and my partner and I spent almost the whole day at this lovely venue. We started with a mid-afternoon drink/cup of soup/dessert, and we just.....stayed. Just like the two guys that were playing chess, or the elderly family of four who all had iPads to fiddle with, we stayed, it was comfortable there My husband and I hadn't seen each other for 3 days so we talked a bit and made plans. That night we were to take our son and his wife out for dinner, well, why not stay here and call them to join us? The menu is casual but very tasty. The beautiful homemade cracker that they start you with was unexpected, and soooooo herby and savory, I wanted to take some home with me. We had burgers, great salad and soup and my husband had their homemade key lime pie....twice! And kudos to their servers, thank you so much for letting us camp out at your restaurant, and never once making us feel rushed or over staying our welcome. I only hoped I tipped enough! read more

The 3rd Coast is not short on charm -- the place is delightfully anti-trendy, resembling a cafe you might find in a small town train station, or the lobby of a Comfort Inn. It's so not cool that it's cool. It's a wine bar that also serves breakfast all day and has muffins in saran wrap in a glass display case. You can get a side of blueberry pancake with your burger. I can't say I've really ever been any place like it. The food is better than you would think based on the decor. The New Orleans burger I ordered was juicy and cooked rare, as I requested. Kudos for not overcooking that thin-ish patty, grill guy! Pretzel bun = genius. The Diablos beef sandwich is also great. The breakfast platters are massive. The wine list is perhaps not expansive or interesting enough to earn the title of wine bar. It's probably partially a marketing thing, to establish that they're not just a breakfast joint. The vibe inside is definitely more diner than wine bar. The servers are very chill and super friendly. They actually seem happy to be there, or at least not counting the minutes till they get to leave. Women, you have to use the ladies' room. It contains the most flattering full-length mirror in all of Chicago, I kid you not. read more

Solid and upscale diner that serves wine in the gold coast. Omelets are tasty in the morning and rather satisfying. Service can be on the slow side though. An empty coffee cup sometimes stays empty longer than it should on the downside. read more

two words: veggie hash. Amazing! I can't even begin to say how awesome the veggie hash is. It was served with a side of eggs and toast, which I didn't touch because I loved the veggie hash. I think I may have dreams about the veggie hash. I will be back. The atmosphere is perfect for a brunch. No wait. Alcohol to be had (if you have an id, i left mine in the car... darn). Low key neighborhood restaurant feel. I felt as if I was in someone's basement/house. I really can't rave enough about the veggie hash. It was so good. I think next time I may just ask for a plate of that. read more

The best part about my meal at The 3rd Coast was the conversation at the table. My friend told me how he had just flown a WWII plane the weekend prior. He had a blast. AWESOME! Unfortunately,The 3rd Coast was a big crash and burn. Went here for brunch on the basis of a lot of the great Yelp reviews and was severely disappointed. I'll start with the positives because they're quick... The physical restaurant is pretty cool. It's old school. Also, we only waited about 10 minutes on a Sunday at 11a. Nice. However, I think I know why the wait isn't longer... Once we were seated it took 5-10 minutes for a server to come by...that was just to give us menus. Another 5 minutes later and we ordered our (cold) drinks which took 10 minutes to arrive. THEN we ordered food. There were three of us and none of us were impressed by the food in any way. I had the Italian Omelet. It sounds interesting and tastes like nothing at all. The other dishes at the table were Eggs Benny and Huevos Rancheros. "Gross" was actually thrown around when describing some of the food. It's a very rare day when I eat somewhere and know that I can make better food...but that's what happened on Sunday. It was pretty unfortunate considering how welcoming the place seemed when we got there. Ah well. As a famous poet once said...On to the next one! read more

Solid brunch food. The menu is not overly creative but everything they make is fantastic, even the scrambled eggs! No wait on a Sunday afternoon made my experience even better!!! I had the bobak sausage plate. My boyfriend had the veggie hash. Both were yummy. The only critique I have is their coffee. You can tell it's good coffee (they say it's a locally roasted specifically for them), but it's a tad bit too watered down for my taste. I need my coffee strong after a Saturday night out! Service was excellent. No complaints! :) read more

What a find! We were looking for a quiet spot on a Friday night for a glass of wine, without having to get all dressed up. Stumbled upon this, just up the block from the Indigo hotel. The tables are a little crowded together, but everything else was perfect. We ordered a reasonably descent bottle of wine for $28 and an abundant cheese plate for $10. Included 4 cheeses, apple slices, walnuts, jam, and bread (which they replenished). More than enough for 2 people to linger over. We got a free desert for ordering the bottle. We chose the brownie sundae to share. How can that be anything but great?! Its not fancy, nobody comes there to be "seen" so it was just perfect. read more

Such a wonderful restaurant! I have only been here once, but already have many plans to return. The atmosphere is quaint and comfortable - it does not feel uptight like many of the other wine bars in Chicago. The staff is knowledgable on their wine, as well as wine and food pairings. The food is delicious - our appetizers and main courses were presented beautifully and tasted even better. And of course, you have to get dessert! I highly recommend the key lime pie. What makes this restaurant so dynamic is the owner - she is a kind and caring individual, always ensuring that her guests are happy and satisfied. read more

3rd Coast Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I am not big on leaving reviews but I just have to. I love 3rd Coast! I eat here about 1-2 times a week as they have great food and a decent amount of Gluten Free as well. My absolute favorite is their Big Bowl Chinese Noodle Soup and Key Lime Pie. They have a great dinner menu which changes every night but also great salads and sandwiches on the regular menu. Brunch is great too! Eat here often, you will not be disappointed! read more

Came here for brunch with a fellow yelper on a Friday and we both ordered the breakfast sandwich with bacon. It was good, and the bacon was delicious, and our waiter referred to it as, "the best bacon in Chicago," though it was tough and hard to cut the sandwich or take a proper bite. The chai tea and hash browns were decent too. Our server was goofy and a little off the wall, but entertaining, I suppose. He cracked some kind of joke any time he came to our table. This place has some overpriced items though... for example, their bagel and lox is $11! read more

I used to live a block from this place on Dearborn. Now that I've just moved away for school, I've found myself wishing I could walk in and plop down on one of the booth seats and order some cajun chicken fettuccine and pretend to study. Sometimes the chicken was a little dry, but oh that sauce was fork-licking good. Their burgers & appetizers are pretty good, too. The staff is friendly, if sometimes a little bit 'more hipster than thou'. I can take it, just give me the pasta. read more

I suggested that a fellow Yelper and I hit up brunch on Sunday. I wanted to find somewhere near both of us in case getting out of bed that morning was a challenge. Fortunately, it was not. As I walked up, I realized I had actually been here for dinner once - and I wasn't too much of a fan. I remember the food being unseasoned and it being empty, but this was months ago. Maybe it was perhaps who I was with? End flashback. Brunch was great! I had the veggie hash as someone else had suggested it and I really enjoyed it. I like my potatoes crispy - because really, who likes soggy hash brown texture? The server looked at my funny but the majority of my potatoes ended up crispy when they came out on the plate. You should be hungry when you get here because they give you generous additions to your main plate - like two slices of toast and two eggs. I would come here again for brunch - maybe not dinner. It helps that this place is a no tourist zone - which can be hard to come by when you live where we live. read more

The phrase "wine bar" makes me think of a pretentious, expensive place with snobby staff. Thankfully, The 3rd Coast has none of that, which is a good thing. Most times I've been here for breakfast, and have always enjoyed it. For a wine bar, their Mexican entrees are incredible! I recommend the chilaquiles, or, if you need a little more substance, the skirt steak and eggs (which comes with tortillas, pico, avocado - it's all delicious). The coffee is fantastic, both drip and espresso. While moving out of Chicago I stayed at the hotel next door and finally had an excuse to try the dinner menu here. Once again, despite being a wine bar/coffee shop, I had another excellent Tex-Mex meal and tried the steak fajitas, with a bottle of Pacifico on the side. (Good stuff.) I was pretty impressed with their selections of beer, and the drinks list does a great job describing each one, so it's hard to make an uninformed choice. There's no air conditioning, at least on the summer evening I went there, so if you are a bit delicate you might want to sit by the windows. The waitstaff has always been friendly and attentive. The atmosphere is definitely cozy, but in a good way - not a lot of noise, great for having conversations. If you're looking for a place to have an intimate breakfast with one friend, or five, this is a good spot. read more

Solid all-around breakfast place with simple cafe-like decor. Reasonable prices for the Gold Coast area. The menu is very traditional and the breakfast food is good, but nothing special or out of the ordinary. Hashbrowns are excellent with crispy outside and soft and moist inside. read more

3rd Coast Cafe - Eggs benedict with hashbrowns $11 - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We stopped by here for breakfast on a weekday before making our way out to do more touristy things. Their weekend brunch is obviously a lot fancier and more intriguing, but a solid, well executed basic breakfast is also appreciated. Ambiance: Walking in, it was like I stepped back in time. Brass everywhere and there's an old school register at the counter. When we were there, there was a sign to seat ourselves and it reminded me of and old school coffee shop. Service: Once our waitress came over, you could tell this was a nice, reliable, local go-to spot. Service was friendly, efficient, and professional. Food: We all ordered the Farm Fresh Eggs (with hash browns or fruit, choice of toast). I got my eggs over easy, with fruit, and an english muffin. My eggs were cooked perfectly, the fruit was fresh, and the english muffin hit the spot. Solid place for a good breakfast. read more

Went here sort of blindly for lunch and was blown away. Unpretentious place with a broad menu. Server guided me to the shaved beef sandwich, which was HUGE and delicious read more

We just love this place! The service is exceptional, the coffee is wonderful as well as cappuccino and almond milk cappuccino. Gluten free options are great! Lighter fare options are lovely. Everyone left happy. Sandwiches huge and great! Works for all appetites read more

Awesome place, there's not a single thing on this menu I don't like. Everything is fresh and very tasty. I would dare to say their bacon is one of the best in the city. And Janet is a sweetheart and a awesome person. read more