Second time visiting here. I had to bring my mom since the last time she wasn't with us when we came. She ordered the shrimp omelette and I had the prime rib French dipped sandwich since it was so good the last time I tried it. I let my mom have a bite, she looked at me and said I hope you don't expect to get this back! She ate half my sandwich! Sooo good! Sue was amazing. This place really feels like home, great ambiance amazing food and the staff are so nice and friendly! read more

Alexanders Cafe - Prime Rib French Dip - Diners Near Me - Elgin, Illinois

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Great Food!!! They are only open until 2:00 but serve both breakfast and lunch. I usually go with corn beef hash skillet. They make the corn beef fresh so it's nothing like the canned corned beef hash. read more

Wow. Great experience. Gia was an excellent server and the shrimp avocado omelette was delicious. The servings were huge and the atmosphere was awesome. I cannot wait to go back.!!! read more

Nice modern restaurant. Seasoned staff was welcoming and engaging. Biscuit was made from scratch and was light and fluffy. The gravy was light and seasoned ok. It was not the best gravy but it was pretty good. Needed more sausage chunks. Eggs were perfect, crispy hashbrowns were actually cooked crispy then onion added, which was the highlight. Usually you say crispy hash-browns with onion and you get mushy crap. Sausage links were ok. The bacon was very good, but small pieces. Overall I would stop again. ALSO reasonable prices. read more

Went here on a weekday, expected a typical Greek type of family restaurant. I was impressed upon entering, it is very nice inside. Good breakfast & service but nothing that blew me away. read more

Very disappointed , prices have gone way up ! & the food was mediocre . Although the service was very good . Probably won't be back .

Finally tried this place. At first I didn't want to wait, I am so impatient, but hearing the regulars make comments like : Typical Alexanders so full because it's so good etc SO that made me hold on and wait. And yep it was worth it. I had the greek bloody mary, which I thought it was nice to see a simple drinks menu that pairs great with breakfast, it's mainly breakfast items I noticed. Anyways usually bloody Mary's in the area are your typical, too much tomato juice and barely any vodka. This one was perfect, the cucumber vodka they use was really good and I liked the garnishments. We had the Elvis waffles that are stuffed with bacon, very good. Ham on the side which was really good and then chicken tenders. I really liked the batter they used. Anyways will come back. And highly recommend. Also they were so attentive and nice. read more

Awesome breakfast and excellent service!!! Food portions are larger than what I expected, everything was served quickly and tasted great!

Kayrn is the best server at Alexanders. She remembers how I like my Chai Latte, and is quick to accommodate our large group. The kids are always happy with their meals and the price doesn't strain our budget. Their wide selection never fails us. They have something for everyone without sacrificing quality; which can be hard to do. We can't wait to sit out on the new outdoor patio! read more

Arrived at 11:05 A on a Saturday with our family of 4 and were told we had a 15min wait. Checked in after 30min and was told we were next. Another 15 min later someone was seated that arrived after us. Went back to the host stand was told that they had us down for 6 instead of 4. Three staff members at the host stand and they completely dropped the ball. We were seated after 45 min and greeted by our server. Said she'd be right back. Another 15 min goes by and she returns we provide our entire order. She brings our drinks quickly and we waited 20 more min for our food. The food was as expected - tasty. Spent another 20 min looking for our server to pay our bill and ended up going to the bar to pay. Could have easily walked out without paying at 1PM. The food is decent but order to go -- the staffing here is extremely lacking. read more

Had the Farmers Market skillet and it was absolutely delicious. Also had the gluten free pancakes which were probably some of the best I've had ! read more

Alexanders Cafe - GF pancakes - Diners Near Me - Elgin, Illinois

The ambience the staff the food was very well set... if yous are anywhere near the Dundee Elgin Illinois stop in ask for hailee (our server) very kind and polite and a great smile greeting everyone ... had biscuits n gravy and applewood smoked bacon... now I can say that Illinois and the chicago and surrounding areas have the best food but then I biased about chicago and it's foods... just stop here you won't be disappointed.... Peace out be safe people... read more

Update: we finally got to try it in person and dine in. The inside is very beautiful and cozy. The environment is warm and took us by surprise! The hostess in the front was something else. We had to repeat the groups name at check in multiple times because she was too busy listening to something on her air pods. She doesn't greet anyone that comes in because she's on her phone. The worst thing is that the restaurant is completely busy! There was no down time but she made sure after every name given at the podium, she went to her phone. Then another young gentleman walked by, possibly a busboy also with headphones in. At the lobby, you can also see at least half of the kitchen staff working on the food either don't have a mask on, or using it as a chin diaper. The food was actually good and the restaurant was surprisingly very nice. The service was utter garbage and that is about it for us. We probably won't be back. read more

So I've been debating lately whether to rate a place over all or to rate it for what it is. This is basically a greek diner, but it is the best greek diner we have been to. It is classier, has more unique items, and generally better quality than any others we have been to. Now it isn't like going to Lowry's or Gene and Georgetti's, but they do what they do well. My father-in-law swears by the prime rib, I loved the braised beef tacos, the soups are outstanding, the schzitzel was delicious. My mother-in-law said the pork chops were tough though. The prime rib dip was tasty too. One great thing is they have breakfast all day, which the kids love. Have to recommend the place. read more

We had a fantastic brunch the morning we went the service was great and food was fantastic as well!!

I love going to diners and I was so happy we found this gem. It appears as though they use all fresh ingredients and everything we had tasted delicious. I got one of the healthy omelettes and the crème brûlée oatmeal with fruit and whole wheat toast and my husband got the butcher block skillet with white toast and we both loved our meals. :) The server was really nice and the meals came out very quick. Everything was very clean. It looks like they remodeled the whole place recently and it looks sharp in there. Also they're adding an outdoor area and if we're ever back in this area, I'll be excited to come back and sit outside. :) read more

Great food! Love their shrimp omelette and strawberry mimosas. They have a piano in the hall, so it has a nice ambiance and make waiting for a table much more enjoyable. Service is also great. Have been there multiple times and would definitely recommend. read more

I truly enjoyed my chance meeting with Alexander Cafe. I stopped off for lunch driving from Chicago and came across this gem, a classic midwestern diner serving a huge menu of homey favorites from breakfast to meatloaf to salads to pie. I had a special of the day, the Darn Gouda." You just have to try it with that name, right?! It was a grilled cheese with havarti, cheddar and Gouda with brisket and grilled red onion with a homemade tomato soup dipping cup. I loved that the sandwich wasn't huge or overdone, but a reasonable, balanced portion. The only thing I would have changed was having it on rye instead of white, but that's really quibbling. The hostess and waitress both treated me like family with warm smiles and great service. A delight! Update: liked this place so much, I came back for breakfast on the way back to Chicago. I had the chipotle Benedict with hash browns. This dish smashes the idea that midwesterners can't bring the flavor. Spicy crumbled chorizo over English muffins topped with grilled fresh jalapeños (haven't seen that before on an egg dish), a slice of tomato, a perfectly poached egg, chipotle hollandaise and fresh avocado. The hash browns were perfectly crispy and not the slightest bit greasy. So happy I came back. I highly recommend. Prices are great too! read more

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Amazing brunch! This place is really nice. I stopped in after visiting the Elgin area. Alexander's cafe deserved to be in more cities. I hope to visit in the future again. Shout out to Lizzy.. she was great!! read more

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Yes, this is a diner with an all-day breakfast menu, lunch and dinner comfort foods, and the obligatory entrance display of tall cakes. However, it's not a typical diner. Think about a marriage between Applebee's and Panera producing a diner with just a tad more elegance than either parent, and you've got Alexander's. There's the chicken and meat with veggie medley entrees Applebee's is known for, there's also the healthier soup, salad and sandwich options akin to Panera's menu. Yet pricing is more in the range of a typical diner. Oh, and don't forget there are breakfast and diner dessert choices. This is all in a dark wood and exposed lamps space that looks like a newer Panera. Meal? Mixed results. A terrific Greek salad was balanced with a salmon entree that didn't quite deliver in its promise. Grilled salmon wasn't an option and the pan-fried alternative lacked the crispness--despite a light flour coating--and benefit of cooking in oil at high temperature. Broccoli was just, just barely cooked, resulting in difficulty sawing through the branches to separate the florets. Eventually I gave up. Baby carrots were soft. Spinach over a cream sauce was acceptable. Despite what seemed a high dining ambition Alexander's execution landed back at its diner roots. read more

Alexanders Cafe - There's salmon in this entree--beneath the sauce, beneath the spinach. - Diners Near Me - Elgin, Illinois

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If you like your meals big (and tasty) Alexander's has got you covered! They have an equally huge menu with so many choices - I can't imagine someone not finding something they'd enjoy. They also have surprisingly good Mexican food! While this time we went for more classic fare, we have seriously enjoyed their chilaquiles and such! The food is great, the staff is attentive and it's a great spot for the old and young alike. They do get super busy on the weekends, but they are well worth the wait! read more

Alexanders Cafe - Grand Cafe with chihuahua cheese on the eggs. - Diners Near Me - Elgin, Illinois

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Great breakfast food, large portions and friendly service every time I have ordered takeout.

Paid $15 for a Blt... maybe 4 pieces . The service was great and I usually like this place. Way to much bread for four pieces of bacon waste of money read more

Alexanders Cafe - Not bacon! - Diners Near Me - Elgin, Illinois

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I have not been here since 2012. Haha It was definitely busy when we arrived for dinner. We were seated as soon as we walked in. A lot of good options on the menu ! I gotten the sriracha chicken panini with sweet potato fries. It was tasty ! The Cajun chicken Alfredo my brother received was super bland. My son gotten the cheeseburger melt ! He was a fan ! The Kraft Mac n cheese my niece gotten was just....Kraft mac n cheese. Can't mess that up lol The server was attentive and sweet . read more

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Your fairly standard Chicago local diner fare, open early for the local business coffee crowd, and just off the tollway for travelers. Probably does a brisker business since a local Cracker Barrel relocated out of the area. We didn't vary from the norm, went with bacon and eggs, at 5.99, including hash browns and toast. Coffee extra. Order was prepared promptly and done to the table's specifications. We liked the fact that there was butter on the table, and coffee refills came in abundance. read more

Alexanders Cafe - Bacon and egg breakfast - Diners Near Me - Elgin, Illinois

Cute fall outdoor decor led to beautiful live piano music as we entered. Cute decor, wooden floors & tables, plus an overall energetic vibe! Thanks to Yelp's Waitlist feature, our 25-30 minute wait was cut to less than 10 minutes. They have an extensive menu (eggs, pancakes, mimosas, oh my!), but we finally settled on the Alexander omelette, hash browns and pumpkin pancakes, as well as the requisite cafe Bloody Mary & mimosa. This is, after all, vacation! Our food arrived VERY quickly (felt like we blinked & it was there). The server knew we were splitting the meal, so she had the order on 2 plates when it was served (without our even asking - thank you!). The omelette, with bacon, goat cheese, caramelized onions & roasted red peppers melted in our mouths. The hash browns were crispy. The star of the meal were the pumpkin pancakes, accompanied by cinnamon butter. WARNING - the pancakes contain walnuts (we weren't made aware when we ordered nor was it posted on the entry chalkboard). However, this didn't detract too badly from our overall enjoyment. Side note - don't mistake the mason jar with blue liquid in the bathroom as soap. It's Listerine! read more

Alexanders Cafe - Alexander omelette, hash browns & pumpkin pancakes. - Diners Near Me - Elgin, Illinois

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Alexanders is our go to place for breakfast and lunch. The staff is always welcoming and the food is amble and delicious every time. No matter what we order, we leave with a take home container and it's really nice when the server always asks if we want coffee to go, we just love this restaurant and miss their dinner service as well but understand how things have been. read more

This is only my second time dining in, but so far I really like this place. The menu has a great selection and I really like the modern decor. Also, they serve intelligentsia coffee, so that's a huge plus in my book. The first time dining, I had a salad which was pretty average. But, the second time, I had the "berry good" crepes and they were delicious!! I loved them. I also had a taste of the "s'moreo" pancakes and they were really good - you'll love them if you like cookies n cream. Oh yeah, I also tried their soup - I believe it was vegetable beef noodle, and it was very good. They actually had four soups to choose from, which was pretty cool. Most diners usually only have two. Service was fantastic. I wasn't there for more than 30 minutes, and my coffee was refilled multiple times. Will definitely return! read more

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They need to close the booth the sits right by the kitchen and where the waitress go to cash out and talk smack. I don't want to hear all hustle and bustle I. The kitchen and the constant traffic. The last two times I was here I had stomach problems that started right after eating. Not going back. read more

Alexander's has been a long time staple in the area. Every time I've gone there I've enjoyed the breakfast and service!

Alexanders made me sooo happy. Had a tough week. Put up with idiots and Jerks. I needed to be pampered. Alexanders soothed the savage beast within. Food was outstanding. Best Cobb salad ever! French onion soup and warm bread. Ahhhhhhhhhh... My waiter was a bit quirky, but well mannered, attentive, well groomed and really nice! I needed that. Ahhhhhhhhhh.... read more

Alexanders Cafe - Diners Near Me - Elgin, Illinois

Been here just twice since their big remodeling and grand reopening. It's DEFINITELY changed for the better. Gone are the old-school dark vinyl booths and club seating and IN with a real bar and a contemporary interior. Sunday crowds are a bit big at prime time and I think the volume is overwhelming the kitchen. My omelet was good but not great. The side order pancakes are a bit small. The cinnamon butter they're serve with is fantastic. Others in our group had good breakfasts also. One downside? Don't bother asking for crispy hash browns. We all did and what we got were basically raw potatoes barely browned on one side. Not what we ordered and evidence the kitchen didn't take their time. Crappy thoughtless hash browns lost this place a star. Another one lost to the barely above average food. Three stars. read more

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Alexander's is a great place to go for any meal of the day. The food is tasty, the menu is beautiful and refined, and the wait staff are really great at what they do. Whether you're coming for an early breakfast or midday meal, you're sure to receive true quality all around. I ordered the cinnamon roll French toast with an extra side of bacon. Everything was great, except the frosting glaze seemed a bit stale and wasn't the freshest. Everyone else seemed to enjoy their meals overall. My family loves this place, and I'm sure I haven't seen the last of it. Next time I'm in town, I'll be right back through those doors to try something new. read more

Alexanders Cafe - Diners Near Me - Elgin, Illinois

Brunch is one of my favorite things on the planet. What's not to like!? While I have a few favorites in the area, we also love checking out new places, mainly to conquer unknown Bloody Marys. Alexander's Cafe had piqued my interest due to the several bloody Mary's they offer, so at first the man and I went alone, and we've already been back several times with the little monsters and other family. First of all, the inside was way nicer than I expected based on the exterior. The morning wait is also not bad at all. The tables have a quick turnover, and there will usually be someone playing piano in the waiting area, which makes it a pleasant experience and distracts the little monsters. One time we walked in to a piano version of 'Where is my mind?' It was awesome. But let's get to it- the Bloody Marys are great. They have regular, spicy (which comes with a meat stick), Santa Maria (tequila), and Greek. The Greek Bloody Mary is my personal fav as it is made with cucumber effen vodka, has feta stuffed olives, and pepperoncini. I'm usually not a fan of cucumber vodka in Bloody Marys because I feel like it's too over powering, but there's a really great balance. The skillets and breakfast platters are great, but the absolute heroes are the pancakes. I don't particularly like or dislike pancakes, I wouldn't order them as a main course, and usually when I get them on the side I'll bring them home to heat up for one of the little people for breakfast the next day (MOMMING LIKE A BOSS), but these pancakes have never made it home. They're fluffy and light, and come with some whipped cinnamon butter on top, and they're fluffy clouds of happiness. Sorry kids, you'll just have to eat whatever the hell we have at home because there is no such thing as leftovers here, the food is too good. The man has tried some of the specialty pancakes, and his favorites are the tiramisu and bananas foster. They have a bunch of different varieties of pancakes and waffles. TL;DR Hell yeah brunch! Kick ass Bloody Marys, pancakes that make your stomach cry with joy, fast turnover for tables, free high fives. read more

Alexanders Cafe - Diners Near Me - Elgin, Illinois

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You just cannot go wrong with the breakfast here! The strawberry orange juice is so delicious and refreshing. The skillets are a little on the small side. I usually take home half, but I was able to finish the whole thing pretty easily. I like how small all of the meats and peppers were chopped up though, making it easy to get a bite-full of everything at once. I learned a while ago that I am absolutely not a fan of Intelligentsia coffee, so I made sure to pick up some Starbucks on my way over. We were seated in timely manner even though it was a really busy Sunday morning. Our waitress was very friendly and quick with the service. Overall we had a lovely breakfast and enjoyed a nice Sunday morning together. Their specialty pancakes are always a hit! read more

Alexanders Cafe - Specialty pancakes are always a hit! The skillets were a little small in size compared to other places. - Diners Near Me - Elgin, Illinois

First timer from out of town and boy was it good. Had the shrimp and avocado omelette! Honestly it was one of the top breakfast joints I've been to in a long time. read more

Alexanders Cafe - Diners Near Me - Elgin, Illinois

Today we had brunch at Alexanders, its becoming sort of our favorite place to have breakfast because the food is really good and service was great until today, our server kept mentioning how our bill was ready and that whenever we were, we could pay... my husband and I came here not only to eat but to talk, it is like a date to us, so this insistent waitress was a little bit annoying and then my husband asked for more coffee and she kind of rolled her eyes to him. There was no one waiting in the lobby and the place is huge, so I dont get why she rushed us to go... Now the bright side, food here is amazing. Ive tried the Bagel & Smoked Salmon plate before which was really delicious and as usual, today I ate my favorite dish the Strawberry + Banana Bread French Toast, which is scrumptious, the flavors blend perfect together, the banana bread is moist and combined with the strawberries and whipped cream is absolute perfection! The only bad thing is today the whipped cream was already melting. My husband tried The Grand Caffe Breakfast again and everything looked delicious, he said it was, I only tried the bacon which was really good. The only thing we were disappointed today was the waitress, she started happy and welcoming, but once we finished our meal, she was impatient for us to leave and we did not like that at all. Maybe is time to visit another restaurant for our morning dates. read more

Alexanders Cafe - Today I tried the white chocolate mocha (I am not a coffee person but I wanted to try this) it was good but i would not have it again. - Diners Near Me - Elgin, Illinois

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Our go to lunch spot when we drive through Elgin on road trips. We ate here the first time just because it was a convenient stop across from the gas station, but we were blown away by the awesome food. Best Buffalo chicken wrap I've had and husband loved his massive club sandwich. And the fries! Oh the fries! They also have a lot of comfort food and salads so there's something for everyone. Will definitely keep coming back! read more

This review is for a meal my girlfriend brought me home last night after work. I am not sure if the owner will see this or not, Please just know I am not trying to be picky with the food, just honest is all, because I never sat down in your establishment, just had foods too go, because my partner works out in Elgin, IL. So last night My Lady brought home the Steak Fajita with flour tortillas. The food was so so. What I mean is, it was hard to determine the taste, because there was too much a salty taste than being able to taste each ingredient. I am unsure if the cook / chef, that made this meal is a smoker, and if so their sense of taste is not there or taste buds may be destroyed. I know this from experience as a family member of mine smokes and they have done the same thing. Being a person with kidney issues, and recently started dialysis, well I try to watch what I eat. I thought that meal would be ok to try and have since I had not had meat in a long long time. But the salt just ruined the meal. I am being nice by giving 3 stars, mainly because of the meal, My Lady has never had a bad experience going in there as the staff she has spoken to has been nice to her. Note to the Owner: I may not knwo how it is in your shoes, but in mine it is hard to pick meals sometimes, because sometimes you can pick a meal and is A-OK and then other times it is not. I am not sure if new staff was hired, maybe someone had a bad day. I am not giving up on your restaurant, as you have some breakfast items I still love, but if possible someone needs to lay off the salt, it is ok to use it to help flavor, but someone is over doing it. read more

We always have a great experience when dining here. The fools is always fresh, and flavorful. I absolutely love the breakfast skillets, and my husband enjoys the chicken and waffles. We've had other dishes that are delicious, but this are our favorites. Our last visit we had mimosas, and they were good too. They have more options than your standard OJ and champagne. It's nice to mix it up sometimes. read more