Checked this place out based on the 5 star reviews! It did NOT DISAPPOINT! Everything scratch made including soups, sauces, quiches and even the salad dressing! Pulled pork is Chef & owner's pride & joy, smoked in-house of course. Our table of three enjoyed the beef stroganoff soup, Italian wedding soup, Julienne salad, Panini and pulled pork sandwich and roasted veggie focaccia grinder all of which were OUTSTANDING. Chef sat and chatted with house and explained he makes everything from scratch except the buns and bread - those he gets from Turano Bakery. He even buys his produce from farms nearby. We will definitely be coming back time and time again. We especially want to try his "almost every" Friday Fish Fry. He doesn't run it every Friday but check the website and it will give you the next date. He said it is legendary and has sort of a cult following. Even recommended to order your fish orders a few days ahead as they often sell out. He will have fried and baked haddock and then a few other fish specials that change each time. Sometimes a shrimp or a scallop or a walleye feature. Service was terrific. Donna was very attentive and helpful! Plenty of parking! Don't let the exterior deter you...this is a terrific GEM of a place. Very small and cozy...about 7 tables. Definitely Recommend! read more

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A friend and I were shopping in Elgin and decided to get something different for lunch. We noticed Culinary Fox Cafe had the type of sandwiches we wanted. The location was on the back of a building along Randall Rd. There was a lighted sign which helped. Yelp directions got us there. The cafe was modest size with about 6 tables. Food was ordered along a counter. Ingredients were fresh and good quality. The service was good and the staff very pleasant. The wait time for the food was appropriate considering everything was made from scratch. I ordered a Cuban sandwich. It was delicious and was served with a side (I chose potato salad). There were cucumbers, tomato, and pickle as a garnish. My friend had the California Chicken Club and commented that there was fresh chicken breast not just lunch meat. We both enjoyed having lunch there and would return again. I recommend this little cafe. They also seemed to have many customers who picked up food for carry out. read more

Culinary Fox Cafe - View of the entrance - Cafes Near Me - Elgin, Illinois

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The Culinary Fox Café is a true hidden gem -- the kind of place you might miss if you blink. Inside, you'll find thoughtfully prepared, seasonal dishes that feel genuinely cooked from the heart. One of the best fish fry's around, but get there early; because they'll be sold out in an hour. Brings an upscale twist on everyday menu items. A must try read more

This was NOT good at all. Food tasted greasy and also tasted and smelled like fries. We ordered the haddock dinners with potato wedges. The fish and potatoes tasted the same. The greasy smell was a little over powering. If I could give them zero stars, I would. It was a total waste of our $45.90. Do NOT visit this establishment, you're better off flushing your money down the toilet. read more

This place is amazing, the best ingredients around...you can really taste the quality here. What is normally a somewhat boring sandwich at another sandwich shop will shine here. I had the California chicken Club and it was phenomenal. Might be my new favorite sandwich. Oven roasted potatoes too! read more

We stopped in based on a recommendation of a friend and glad we did. The sandwiches were fresh and tasty but what really makes this place special are the owners. They were super friendly and clearly had a lot of regulars stopping in to chat as much as eat. Great to find a place like this. read more

Excellent sandwich shop for an impromptu lunch with my sisters. I had the Cuban sandwich which was delish and my sisters also raved about their sandwiches (don't remember what they were). The bathroom is an adventure to get to but clean. Highly recommended! read more

this place is always been excellent. The food is super fresh. The chef here always makes plenty for you to eat. This service is excellence and the ambience is nice and quiet. They also do a lot of large party catering with a fish fry on Fridays. That is incredible! Be Aware that other than Fish Fry Fridays they are only open from 9-3pm Monday-Friday read more

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What an adorable little sandwich place! Definitely stop in to check this place out. I got a delicious turkey sandwich & salad to go. They definitely don't skimp on lunch meat! Next time, I will dine in. It has a feeling like you're in your grandmother's home! read more

Decided to try this spot, because our normal fish fry shut down. Anywho the shrimp was delicious, really big pieces! The beer battered haddock fish was too good. I wonder if they do cat fish though? I know many think cat fish is a poor man's fish BUT I love cat fish. So hopefully they do? I dunno I will keep checking. Friendly and fast curbside pick up. read more

Culinary Fox Cafe - a plate of fried shrimp and potatoes - Cafes Near Me - Elgin, Illinois

I've passed by this place so many times but for whatever reason I just never made it in. Thankfully I finally came to my senses. I couldn't resist the Friday fish frys any longer and I'm so glad I couldn't. I opened my to-go container and found two jumbo pieces of haddock. It was delicious. I also really enjoyed the garlic potato wedges. Now normally I'm not one for tarter sauce. I actually hate it. But after reading the other reviews I decided to give it a try and it did not disappoint. It definitely kicked the haddock up a notch. The clam chowder was also very good. This place is a winner. read more

Cute little cafe right in Elgin off Larkin. Right by my office so I figured I'd stop in after driving by everyday and then my Yelp investigation, of course! Small but cozy on inside. Cooler full of drinks- no fountain. They have take out, dine in and catering. My turkey and cheddar came on pretzel roll(fresh!) and was not dry one bit. Good size portions. They have a big menu selection for how small they are. I'll be back to try other items! Park in the back and walk in thru back- it's easier. They have menus to take with you and have lots of daily & weekly specials read more

Good local place for lunch. They have a good variety of choices as well and my husband loves their fish fry.

very good place with really good food. everything i have had from them is good. also had their fish fry and that was also very good. i like the fact that it is a smaller place and not so noisy like other restaurants. whenever i drop my wife off at st joseph hospital for tests I always go the culinary fox for coffee. read more

A BIG 5 stars We have the fish fry every Friday sometimes it is walleye and the usual we just tried the bang bang shrimp. It's not like bonefish grill it's Chef Gene's original recipe. Very very tasty. Wonderful desserts They are on like you can get anywhere else. Just wonderful. You need to try his barbecue ribs sometimes he will change it up and have that on Fridays read more

Not bad for a quick lunch run. Came here with my boss and one of my coworkers for lunch. This place has a good location; back in the cut, not too crowded. Good for me but I'm not sure if that's good for business. Anywho, came here, got the pulled pork sandwich for lunch with the baked Potatoe wedges. The pulled pork itself was cooked well, not overly dry. They used their in-house BBQ sauce which was ok, not the most flavorful but well enough to get the job done. The Potatoe wedges were ok. All in all, everything was well enough and reasonably priced to merit a return. read more

Culinary Fox Cafe - Pulled pork with Potatoe wedges - Cafes Near Me - Elgin, Illinois

I really didn't want to give three stars but I felt I needed to because of the amount of corn beef on the sandwich. I had called ahead and in the process mentioned that my dad really likes sour crout. When I opened up the container I was disappointed with the lack of crout. For my dad it's just as important as the beef. Maybe next time I will check before I leave the restaurant. read more

First time finding this hidden cafe yesterday. Southwestern wrap was very tasty and filling. Cuban sandwich while maybe not authentic was packed with meat, flavor, and a meal in itself. Chef Gene? takes pride in the quality and service. I'm definately going back again! read more

This place is a hidden gem. A coworker recommended this place, we ordered lunch for take out. I ordered the turkey cheddar hand crafted sandwich, sliced turkey breast, cheddar cheese, bacon mayo served on a pretzel roll. I always get their side of potato salad because it is very light and tasty. This is my second time here and I cannot wait to try other things. Also they are fast for easy quick pick up. Here is the picture sorry I ate half of it. read more

Culinary Fox Cafe - Turkey cheddar with potato salad side. - Cafes Near Me - Elgin, Illinois

A friend suggested them so We ordered sandwiches for lunch while Quarantined. They have a great selection with unique ingredients. I loved the food and will definitely go back. So many more things to try. read more

We were hungry for fish. I called into the restaurant and order 2 dinner meals (the walleye and the haddock). They were ready within 10 minutes. I picked up the food as ordered. The food was excellent. They are open til 6:30 on Fridays. Overall good experience and reasonable prices. read more

chef Gene did an amazing job on the luncheon for Elgin Academy. The food and presentation of the food was a 10 out of 10. He is easy to work with and very communicative throughout order, delivery and set up. Also very reasonably priced. Highly recommend. read more

Seeing the sign around, driving by noticing it's near a gaming store. With covid we are getting out to support more of the local mom and pop types of places. Friday night fish fry sounds great, but we are doing keto. Stop inside just to check it out quaint place, like the breakfast place in a small town feel. Walk up asking for options, they have a baked halibut, and we substituted slaw, to go. Running out into the monsoon. All the way home I kept saying "Damn something smells awesome" Once home braving the storm, we sat down opened the containers... Oh...My... Goodness!!!! So delicious, the fish was cooked perfectly, everything was home made. Even the slaw was great like I remember mom saying let the cabbage be the sweetener. Not too sweet. And the Tartar sauce blew me away so smooth, almost luxurious. All I can say is we are looking forward to Next Friday and Friday's in the near future!!! Thanks again. read more

Excellent place for lunch. High quality food, fresh ingredients and great service. Small, unassuming comfortable little place, not easy to find, but worth the search. I had a delicious Cuban sandwich. They have special menus and events here like fish fry and barbecue. read more

This is hands down one of the best lunch spots that I've ever been to. Kudos to the staff and whoever creates this menu and selects the extraordinary ingredients for it! Must try if you're in the area! read more

Had the Italian Grilled beef - delicious. I'm surprised this place isn't consistently packed. Every time I'm in the area I stop by and am always delighted. read more

We saw the sign for the fish fry and thought we would give it a try. Wow! One of the better haddock dinners we've ever had.. another surprise was the coleslaw, which was reminiscent of Yaney's. We will definitely be back. read more

Nice little place. Tried the California chicken sandwich. Was good, I like the sprouts on it. the side of potafos really stood out, very tasty. Coffee was good as well but nothing amazing. I'd give it another visit to try their bbq pulled pork. read more

Culinary Fox Cafe - California chicken with delicious potatos - Cafes Near Me - Elgin, Illinois

Stopped here as we were driving through town. We wanted soup on this cold day and the Chicken Meatball Romano did not disappoint! Paired with a Cuban it was a great meal! read more

Stopped in to the culinary fox café for the first time. Don't be fooled by it's modest size, they make a great Cuban sandwich. Staff is friendly and brought my food to the table which I think is a nice perk. She also offered to clear my plate when I was done, extra nice. There is a different soup and sandwich of the day every day. In addition to soups, sandwiches and salads, they also serve quiche. I'll have to try one of those next time because I will certainly be back! read more

Culinary Fox Cafe - Cuban sandwich-warm, melted cheese, yum! - Cafes Near Me - Elgin, Illinois

I have wanted to try this location for a number of years. It was Delight to go in there. The split pea soup was some of the best I've ever had. Very friendly serving staff. Interesting looking men you anxious to try a few other items soon. read more

I had the Cuban sandwich with potato wedges. They even garnished with fresh tomato and cucumber. I will be trying the chicken meatball Romano soup next time. Excellent Cuban. read more

Culinary Fox Cafe - Cuban sandwich with potato wedges, and fresh veggies. Everything was good. - Cafes Near Me - Elgin, Illinois

Wow! Gene made the bridal shower I hosted absolutely perfect! The food was amazing -- everyone raved about the quality and the attention to detail. Gene personally came to set up the serving ware and all of the food at the venue. I couldn't be happier with the service and the product! I highly recommend Culinary Fox for any and all catering! read more

The food here is very good, and tastes so fresh. All the veggies still have that crispness and crunch that I demand in a sandwich. Even the coleslaw and potato salad (which I don't generally enjoy from most places because they are often runny and soupy) are still so crunchy and fresh-tasting here. The prices are typically a bit high for gourmet sandwiches, and the shop closes at 3pm, so I often miss them, but I can't hold those things against the store. My only real complaint is that I wish they offered more veggie sandwich options. The veggie wrap and veggie sandwich, while both good, are basically the same thing. If you're an actual vegetarian, you'd get pretty bored with the menu. (Although there's also an amazing grilled cheese.) However, most sandwich places can't make a decent veggie or fish sandwich at all, and this place can. I'd love another veggie sandwich option though - pesto, caprese, olive salad, falafel, hummus, bean patties, etc are all on my veggie sandwich wishlist. The chef here is so talented, I know he could whip up something yummy. My husband usually gets a reuben or something with corned beef on pump rye. The man loves pumpernickel, and not a lot of sandwich places offer that as an option. Their fish frys are amazing, their tartar sauce delicious and the fish is realllllly heavy and filling. Still always gotta give this place 5 stars. read more

Tried this place about a week ago. Had always wanted to try it. But alway ended up going elsewhere and found that was a huge mistake. The food here is awsome. The cook makes magic from just a sandwich. So don't overlook look this quaint little cafe. For its one of the best places to eat at out here. read more

The special salad today is so simple and so delicious!! I cannot praise this place enough. It's reaaal goooood.

Best monthly fish fry ever. Everything is great. It's a "must try" place. Perfect for lunch with friends.

Great soups and sandwiches. Friendly. Love the tomato and rice soup special on Thursdays!

What a great find when your at St. Joes hospital! Less than 3 min away and every bite very tasty! We both had the potato leek soup and 1/2 corn beef on rye sandwich! The soup was so yummy that I almost licked the bowl and was so big could have been my meal! The 1/2 sandwich was so fresh and tasteful! We could have shared the 1/2 sandwich n soup but both finished all the food bc it was so good! Highly recommend for the small town feel of good food! The name culinary fox is very fitting! read more

This has to be one of the best little cafes you do not know about. I have eaten at this cafe over two dozen times and NEVER once have I been disappointed. They have the best sandwiches in Elgin. I highly suggest the Portabella and Mozzarella Focaccia Bread sandwich it is to die for. If your looking for the best sandwiches in town for lunch check them out you will not regret it. read more