Bella's Short Stack came highly recommended from people on Yelp. I personally live 300 miles away in St. Louis, but my extended family lives in this area. So, when visiting them, we decided to stop by here for breakfast. The atmosphere is cute, I guess. Neighborhood greasy-spoon/diner vibe, with obvious regulars and staff greeting them. Our waitress was brash and frankly, barely came around, so maybe they favor the regulars here? Not sure. I asked for an Iced Coffee, was given bland cold brew. The food was decent but not great. The Irish Benedict was very heavy, and the hollandaise sauce tasted like grease. My Dad got a Traditional Breakfast. He said the eggs were fine but the sausage was slick with grease. The best item was the pancakes, so I guess this restaurant is named accordingly. No, I wouldn't come back, due to the mediocre service and food. However, this location has shut down/is shutting down since I visited a few weeks ago. Can't say I'm surprised! read more

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As soon as we walked in we were seated. Coffee and a Coca-Cola were on the table within seconds. Several waitresses waited on us. Refills were plentiful and frequent. We put our order in and received it within minutes. I ordered an ham and cheese omelette with Wheat bread. My wife got an egg fried hard and sourdough bread. The hash browns were hot, salty and crispy. Just the way they should be. The place is new and decorated with old antique toasters. It has about ten or more counter seats. The overall experience was excellent. Reasonable prices. Nice read more

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Best pancakes I've ever had! Staff is amazing and the entire cafe feels very small town and welcoming. read more

Arrived in a Saturday Morning at 8:55am. Got seated (come early, they fill up fast). Nikki our server was very cordial and attentive. (She deserves a raise folks!) Order the hash browns crispy, the pot roast was most excellent and pancakes nice, fluffy and large. One does NOT go hungry after coming here. A must stop for breakfast or brunch in Algonquin! read more

Bella's Short Stack - Pot Roast, scrambled eggs, Hash browns with Pancakes! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Algonquin, Illinois

Went there on a Sunday morning. Place was full but we got seated immediately and was greeted with a welcome. Place was very clean and had a dinner charm to it. Staff was excellent and attended to our requests in a timely manner, this was in part to the full staffing. Observed waitress covered for each other to make their operation look seamless. The food was excellent, served hot and good quantities. Pancakes are some of the best in area too. Found prices more than reasonable generally about two to three dollars less than other breakfast places in area. A real hidden gem in Algonquin. We will definitely return with family and out of town guests for a wonderful breakfast and experience. read more

Nice little cafe with nice people in the sweet spot of scenic downtown Algonquin. Recommended.

2.5 stars food is really good service was not good and they weren't busy waited on drinks found a piece of paper in my country fried steak was told ohh I'll let the cooks know and got a check half way into my meal read more

Bella's Short Stack - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Algonquin, Illinois

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Amazing Service! Great Food! Eggs Benedict, breakfast sandwich, Belt Buster Skillet will all not disappoint! Very busy before 8 a.m. says a lot! read more

Bella's Short Stack - Fluffy buttermilk pancakes! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Algonquin, Illinois

We love this place! Great food, amazing staff, cute, comfortable and clean! A winner all around!

Nice small breakfast place in downtown Algonquin. The skillets were great and the coffee and service was good. Prices were reasonable and people were friendly. read more

First time visit but not the last! Hannah and her staff were attentive and very pleasant. Food was top notch. What a hidden gem on Main St!

Stopped for breakfast before Doctor appointment. Don't live near here but high rank on Yelp. Did not disappoint. French toast was perfect. Coffee very good. Cool vibe. Sat at counter. Big menu. read more

Bella's Short Stack - French toast stuffed with mascarpone. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Algonquin, Illinois

A great bang for your buck kind of place with good old American brunch options. It's a cute little dinner decorated with eclectic Knick knacks. The service is fast and good. I ordered the Famous Belt Buster with Avocado, which was $7.50! It came with two over easy eggs, crispy hash browns, 2 slices of thick cut firm bacon, avocado and 2 decently sized pancakes. It was absolutely delicious and very filling! I over stuffed myself, because I couldn't stop eating; under normal conditions usually I'd take left overs home, but I really enjoyed it so much I kept eating! My date had the southwestern skilled which contained 2 over easy eggs on top of chorizo, green peppers, onion, breakfast potatoes and cheese. A side of short stacks was also included with no extra charge. The flavors of the skillet dish were nice except our only complaint would be the green pepper and onion were a little too undercooked for our preference. All in all, I'd recommend this place for breakfast and brunch! It's a cute little cheap spot with good food! read more

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You want to like Short Stacks. Nothing remarkable about the atmosphere but it feels like.a hometown Breakfast place. This family restaurant truly is a disappointment. The Pancakes were tasteless -to much dough along with the maple syrup being thinned down & subpar. Link sausage were greasy and not cooked enough, hashbrowns were tasteless frozen quality. Nothing was memorable except for the coffee. read more

I'm not sure where you're going for breakfast but turn around and head here!! I promise you will not regret it. From the cute interior, the very polite and friendly staff, and the unbelievable fresh and homemade food, this place is my new breakfast spot! Pictured is the homemade steak chilaquiles (homemade chips and verde sauce) and pumpkin pancakes (yes, pumpkin, year round). read more

Bella's Short Stack - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Algonquin, Illinois

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we love Short Stacks and visit almost every Saturday. Food is always good and staff make us feel like family. We went on a recent Thursday and they only had 2 waitstaff, they were hustling to a full restaurant. they were still their pleasant selves but we suggest adding another person for weekdays. the more positive reviews you keep receiving the more popular your restaurant will be. read more

Small and tight and just right. Worth the wait! Most excellent breakfast. Rhonda our waitress very pleasant and attentive. (Give her a raise!) sat at the counter which had a good spacing. Country steak nice and crisp, eggs great, huge pancakes that I could not finish. When in Algonquin for breakfast or lunch, make the stop! read more

Bella's Short Stack - Country fried steak with pancakes - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Algonquin, Illinois

Went their for Father's Day and OMG!!!! Easily the best breakfast I've had in years. Everything was so fresh and delicious. The staff their was ridiculously courteous, attentive and experts in the details of their menu; they knew EVERYTHING on there (bacon or sausage, toast or pancakes, etc.). Yes, knowing the menu should be a given but how many places have you gone to where you had to prompt the waiter/waitress on a choice in your order that they did not acknowledge. The ambiance there was phenomenal; small hometown feel from decades ago. Pretty sure I'm never going back to any of those national chains again for breakfast. read more

Brunch is a great thing especially when you find a little gem like Bella ' s Short Stack. Appearance: It is a nice little place. Very nice and comfortable. Service: The service is good. Our waitress was attentive and made sure we had a refill on our drinks. Food: Delicious food. I ordered the breakfast burrito which had eggs, peppers, and came with breakfast potatoes. I tried their pancakes, as well. It was like eating a marshmallow (very fluffy pancake). Overall: There are times I wonder, why I bother writing a review since the reviews I saw basically say it is a great place to go to. This has been the 3rd time I have been to short stacks and I have had a great experience everytime. I really recommend going if you have a chance. They have one of the best pancakes I have ever had. read more

Bella's Short Stack - Breakfast burrito - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Algonquin, Illinois

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I love small breakfast places like this, and you know it's good when they're always packed. People that have been reviewing this place about wait times are way too impatient. Sit and enjoy yourself. Yeah you might have to wait a bit longer during busy times but that's the risk you run leaving the house to do anything nowadays. We've been here several times, food is always great, coffee is excellent, and the pancakes... I normally hate pancakes as they're too thick and doughy, but these are light and fluffy and taste incredible. Not since I was 6 have I had a plate of pancakes that I was able to finish in a sitting. Have not had any lunch items yet, just went in for breakfasts so far. Maybe I'll venture over for their lunch menu one day... read more

We love this place. The food is good, but it's the heart that really makes the difference. The staff genuinely care for their guests. Having breakfast T Bella's is a highlight! read more

Best gluten free pancakes this side of the Rocky Mountains! Great omelettes and friendly servers! I pick up breakfast almost every Sunday, love it! read more

My go to place for breakfast! They also serve a great patty melt. Great food great service

I have been stopping in here quite a bit lately because the trail I enjoy hiking intersects with downtown Algonquin, so Short Stack is a nice place for a pit stop to fill my tank. They also have counter seating available so I don't feel like nearly as much of a goober for dining alone. While they serve both breakfast and lunch items here, breakfast is all I have ever ordered regardless of the time of day. I am pretty much always down for breakfast. You could probably guess the types of greasy spoon approved items in store for you at this diner before even looking at the menu, and you would not be far from the mark. All the traditional staples are here: pancake combos, omelets, corned beef hash, biscuits and gravy, etc. The type of typical diner food many people claim to hate but secretly adore. As for me, I am unapologetic in my love for diner food, and you have about everything here to scratch that itch. My two favorite items to date are the country fried steak and eggs (pictured) and the homemade corned beef hash. The hash here is not overly salty, which is a complaint I commonly have with most diner hash out there. Mix in a couple of over easy eggs and a dash of tabasco it's game on. They have specials on the board above the counter each day that I have been in, and these have always included a unique pancake combo. The wait staff here is super sweet and the kitchen kicks out food rapidly. Keep in mind that this place is relatively small, and it tends to get rushed by locals at the typical times you would expect, so altering your normal eating schedule to account for this will mean less wait and a more relaxing experience. read more

Bella's Short Stack - Country fried steak and eggs - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Algonquin, Illinois

Be a part of the clean plate club at Bella's! Seems like the best indication of a good meal is eating every single bite! We have enjoyed Bella's for years, and we've never not enjoyed our food. Cooking an over easy egg is no small feat, and Bella's is one of the few places that actually cooks it correctly! They also have the best bacon in town, along with a solid menu with plenty of choices for the whole family. It's a small place and sometimes the wait is long, but it's worth it. If you want a solid breakfast joint, Bella's is an excellent option! read more

Bella's Short Stack - a white plate with a fork and knife on it - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Algonquin, Illinois

Nom Nom Nom!!! This place was delicious! My boyfriend and I woke up and we were feeling lazy and decided to go to Bella's Short Stack for a late Sunday Breakfast (it was a lazy Sunday...we had to sleep in first!). There was a bit of a wait when we arrived, but since it was just us two they were able to sneak us into seats that just opened at the bar (do you even call it that in a breakfast place?!). It was a nice change of pace. This place had super friendly and attentive service. It was also super clean. I loved the retro decor with the vintage toasters. I ordered one of the daily specials... a bacon and avocado omelet... and here is the awesome part since it is Autumn you could get pumpkin pancakes instead of regular ones. These was amazing. I am salivating thinking about how delicious they were! There was way too much food to eat, but I ate until my belly could not fit one more bite. I think we found our new favorite breakfast place! read more

Bella's Short Stack - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Algonquin, Illinois

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We are new to the area and have been trying breakfast joints in and around Cary. Our first visit to Bella's Short Stack in Algonquin on Tuesday morning was auspicious. The Fiesta skillet was huge and among the best we've ever had. A generous amount of avacado was a pleasant surprise! And the included blueberry pancakes (in lieu of toast) were fluffy and delicious. Service was attentive and accommodating. We'll be back! read more

Great place with amazing people and food. Very reasonable prices. Hannah provided exceptional service as always. Thank you for being a friend. read more

If you press me for the numbers its overall 6.8 outta 10. I'd return. Had the steak and eggs with rye bread and coffee. PROS: -Great coffee [ and I've always said great coffee = 70% of the time, great food] -I asked hash brown to be cooked crunchy and they listened!! Crunchy texture added so much to the bites of steak, eggs, and bread. =] -rye bread was perfectly thicccc..gotta love em thick . -had a very very nice server; I developed a girl crush I think. it's in a very cute area ; enjoyed the change. CONS: -steak was under seasoned. But I literally added a pinch of salt and it was fixed. -the wait was an hour and 15ish min. total. Included time to be seated and food to be brought. But they did warn u upfront because their cook called in. Which was much appreciated. read more

We drove over an hour to get here and an hour back home and it was WELL WORTH every minute of our time! Coffee was excellent, the over-medium eggs were great, the chili was incredible, and all of the food was hot, fresh, and fast! Hannah, our server was A+ across the board and they even gave us two big cups of hot coffee for the road. 100% coming back and 100% recommended!! read more

Excellent breakfast/brunch spot in quaint downtown Algonquin. Sit at a table or at the counter. Service is always friendly even when they are packed. Highly recommended. read more

My family has dined at Bella's Short Stack about once a month on Sunday after church. Food has been consistently good and is reasonably priced. We had the Belt Buster and the Sweet Potato Special with pumpkin pancakes. Both were excellent. Our server was Amanda and she was on top of her game. Never saw the bottom of my cup. We'll be back. read more

The Italian eggs Benedict was good, honestly I'm not even sure it was the right order but whatever I got was good. I wish it was served on an English muffin instead of toast, the toast was really out of place, a little soggy and stale tasting. My wife got the banana nut French toast with added strawberries on top, this was very good but came with very little fruit on top, especially since we ordered extra toppings. Overall this place was good and could easily be great. Outside is dated and the inside is a little plain. read more

Bella's Short Stack - Italian eggs Benedict, atleast that's what I ordered, not sure if this is that dish. Still it was good. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Algonquin, Illinois

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Our first time there and breakfast of eggs, hashbrowns and sausage were delicious. Service was wonderful. Only critique is that the air conditioning was up so high the tables and chairs were cold. We did bring it to their attention but nothing was done. read more

Belt Buster is the way to go!! 2 eggs, bacon or sausage, hash browns or breakfast potatoes, toast or a SHORT STACK...$6.50!! Get the SHORT STACK...so good!! read more

Bella's Short Stack - Counter seating - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Algonquin, Illinois

I always enjoyed the food here..but this is the first time I have been here on a saturday morning for breakfast since corivd concerns.. I will not be back since the owner and staff are NOT following CDC guidelines at all.. come on even try a little.. waitress are not totally wearing mask.. there allow people to sit close to another table that is occupied already.. tables have all the condiments kepted on them between guests.. all the waiters due is do a quick wipe down.. read more

Place absolutely never disappoints. If you go, you'll see why people wait for others to finish their meal. They make the simplest of things taste amazing. Coffee is one of the best you'll try. Generous portions on everything for a great price. Any breakfast place should see them as an example on how to run your business. read more

This spectacular home-feel cafe has great service with fantastic food. I came here with my family and enjoyed their well-renowned breakfast. The waitresses are nice and my coffee was always full. From the wide variety of breakfast food, it came out hot and great all together. Overall, would recommend for a nice Sunday breakfast! read more

Great food and enjoyable atmosphere. Love coming here with the wife and kids for a relaxing breakfast.

My boyfriend and I went here for the first time today and it was delicious! Cute, small, cozy little restaurant... Servers were very nice and polite. Only had to wait about 10 minutes for a table. Ordered the filled French toast and bacon, which was delicious. My boyfriend ordered the country fried steak...so good! Service was very fast, got our food so quickly. Definitely will be coming back to try all the other delicious items on the menu. read more

Bella's Short Stack - Filled French toast and bacon - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Algonquin, Illinois

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