When my ex-wife came in town to see her godmother, we met for lunch at Dawn AM Eatery before having a go of the town. We shared the smoked salmon deviled eggs. The yolk didn't have a strong mustard base, but it was still good. The saltiness of the capers would have been a bit much on them. My ex ordered the catfish with collard greens and a side of slaw. I must admit that they scored high for the crust in terms of crunchiness and flavor. The greens could have used a little more seasoning. I am no fan of slaw, so I cannot speak to how it tasted. I ordered the pot roast and jalapeno grits. You can have shrimp and grits. Give me pot roast and jalapeno grits any day. The pot roast was tender and the grits were creamy without being runny. Dawn AM Eatery packs out fast. The website recommends making reservations. Because we were playing by ear, we went as a walk-in and had a 30-minute wait. It was well worth the wait, from service to good eating. Next time we will make a reservation. Note: I was so in the moment that I didn't photograph our other dishes. read more

Dawn AM Eatery - Smoked Salmon Deviled Eggs - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This is a good review because of the service provided by our waiter Mario, and the food which was well-prepared. Don't be confused--I WAS DISAPPOINTED! There were three major misses: 1) NO COFFEE was available until we were halfway through our meal--10am breakfast on a Sunday and no coffee is available//REALLY(?); 2) It was much more humid inside than was necessary given the temperature outside--turn on your air//it was stuffy; and, 3) I specifically asked in the reservation notes to be seated as privately as possible as this was an HR-related business meeting. I was seated one foot away from another table when other seating possibilities were available that were more private--clearly my note was not looked at before I was seated even though I asked if she'd seen my reservation. After being seated I asked if I could slide my table over as there was a wide open table to my right but a table a foot away to the left. The hostess accommodated the request, but 15 minutes later someone slid a table from the row in front of us to the space directly next to our table. The breakfast was good--"Big Benny" (Eggs Benedict's) was delicious according to my guest, and the "Make It A Classic" (2 eggs, hash browns, toast, bacon or sausage) was as advertised. My only negative on the food is the hash-browns tasted like potatoes out of a bag and were not warm so definitely not cooked to order despite the wait. read more

See all

We decided to eat here after visiting the Presidential Obama Center, my first time. The service was good but I think the chefs were struggling with the orders as something was missing from each of our entree or added something that we omitted. Anyway I got the Gumbo and by golly it was delicious and had a nice kick to it. I also got the shrimp po-boy it was okay but I asked for onions and there were none. I will come back for breakfast/brunch and try again though! It's nestled at the bottom of a beautiful condo building and parking on the street. read more

See all

This has been on my list to try for years. I will say its great to see the longevity this business has. The place was decorated beautifully and the staff were pleasant. We ordered pancakes for the kids. Then we had salmon croquette meal. We also had the basic breakfast. The food was good. We ordered a biscuit with our meals. Those biscuits were the best I've ever had. They have some special butters they serve with the biscuits the plan whipped butter was good enough for me. Overall I would definitely come back and I recommend read more

See all

My experience at Dawn has Pros and Cons. The food was so good. I have the devil eggs, the breakfast sandwich, ground turkey patty on a biscuit, Yummy. However my server was lack luster. She was not attentive and forgot us on several occasions. A hostess who noticed our servers lack of attention had to start helping us and pouring water and taking our order. I would go again but I will make a point to share any concerns immediately. read more

Dawn AM Eatery - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

I really enjoyed this place. I don't get much soul food so maybe I'm just excited. But the greens, cabbage, Mac n cheese with the fried catfish is absolutely delicious read more

Dawn AM Eatery - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Dawn Eatery was excellent. The decor is beautiful. The entrees are unique. I had the lemon raspberry waffle, it was delicious. My husband had the cornbread French toast with fried chicken. He liked it, the chicken was moist, but the chef stopped seasoning it a little bit before the ancestors told them to. So the chicken could have been a bit more flavorful. Our friend had the lemon pancakes and she loved them. The restaurant was full, but so was our coffee and water glasses. The server was attentive. read more

See all

I would have given this place 4 stars but I strongly dislike restaurants with a "whole party must be present before we seat you policy". We made a reservation and my friend arrived before me. Mind you we are visiting this area and aren't sure about parking and I have a baby so coordinating those things can make you delayed. Needless to say my friend was unable to be seated until we arrived. Once I did arrive it still took about 15 minutes to actually be seated because the hostess is backed up helping other people. Seems like a staffing issue as well the experience was chaotic to start. Now our server was very nice and had good recommendations. I got a cookie butter latte and it was so good! Over priced for basically a 8 oz drink though. We all got the Big Benny and it was really good I enjoyed the fried green tomato as the base instead of an English muffin. I got a side of hash browns and my friend got a side of pancakes and both were good as well. Someone else brought our food out but we didn't have any silverware so we had to wait a few minutes before we could actually eat. I might come back here but was turned off by the initial seating experience. read more

Dawn AM Eatery - The Big Benny - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

### Dawn AM Eatery Review Got up this morning and everyone decided to have breakfast at Dawn AM Eatery. My sister made reservations for our family. She initially tried to make one reservation for 12 people but was told she could only make **two reservations for six people each**, both for 9:00 AM. That was the first red flag. I walked in at 9:00 AM, and as a Kenwood Academy alum, I saw the Kenwood Academy sign and thought to myself, *"This place is going to be good!"* Boy, was I wrong! Everyone who was already there had been seated, but our family was split up--half on one side of the restaurant and the other half on the complete opposite side. One side had a long bench with approximately 16 tables, and that entire section was practically empty. I asked the manager if our family could be seated together on that side since the tables were empty. She told us **no**. I asked why, since there were plenty of open tables. She simply said, *"We have other reservations."* I explained that there would still be plenty of tables available for those reservations, but she remained firm and completely unwilling to accommodate us. Then she told us that if we wanted to sit together, we could sit **outside**. Keep in mind--it was raining, and we had my **80-year-old mother** with us. Needless to say, sitting outside was not an option. What really bothered me was the manager's attitude. There was no apology, no attempt to find a reasonable solution, and no sympathy for the situation. She was rude and completely unaccommodating. We also had three additional people join our group unexpectedly, and they were told they would have to sit outside because we had more people than originally reserved. Then came the service. Our waiter was extremely inattentive and acted as though he didn't really want to serve our group. He took our order, and then we waited...and waited...and waited. At one point, I went outside to check on our other family members who were seated separately. They weren't waiting for their food--they were **well into their meals**. It was around **10:20 AM** when our waiter finally came over and said, *"Your food will be out shortly."* Our food finally arrived at approximately **10:25 AM--an hour and a half after we arrived!** Unfortunately, some of my family members were visiting from out of town and had plans to go to the **Obama Presidential Center** after breakfast. Because of the extremely long wait, they had to leave immediately after eating and couldn't enjoy the rest of the day with us as planned. So, unfortunately, our experience was: Poor service Rude and inattentive waiter Unaccommodating management No apology or attempt to resolve the situation Family unnecessarily separated 1 1/2-hour wait for our food** The only reason I'm giving Dawn AM Eatery **one star** is because the food itself was decent. For a family gathering of 16 people, this was a very disappointing experience. We came together to enjoy breakfast and spend time with family, including relatives visiting from out of town. Instead, we spent most of our time waiting, being separated, and dealing with poor customer service. **Needless to say, I will not be returning anytime soon.** Dawn AM Eatery--you can do better. read more

Dawn AM Eatery - Dawn AM Eatery - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Great brunch with my granddaughter .Food ,service and ambiance were excellent . All 5 stars !! read more

See all

Very nice establishment. Elevated diner vibes. The have real mixologists on staff and the cocktails are delightful. I enjoy the food. I've had the shrimp po' boy, breakfast croissant, fried chicken and fried catfish. However, I love the pot roast and jalapeño grits. Divine! You will want to make a reservation to eat here...even for one. They stay busy. read more

The hubs and I ate here on our last morning in Chicago. The atmosphere was bright & airy and a bit on the 50's beach-y side. Our server was friendly and kind. I ordered the Fried Green Tomatoes to start with and they were fantastic! We shared a Texas Duroc Bacon Flight while we ate our respective breakfasts of Bananas Foster Pancakes (me) and Cinnamon Roll French Toast (hubs). read more

Dawn AM Eatery - Cinnamon Roll French Toast, Texas Duroc Bacon Flight, Bananas Foster Pancakes - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Hear me out! As a south Louisiana woman, I want my food to remind me of home. This place is so beautiful inside with large windows. Love seeing people enjoying good food and conversations. The neighborhood was also so beautiful and it was perfect weather. Back to the star of the show, the food and coffee were so good. I cleaned my bowl and the French toast my God!!! Please make a reservation a day or two before you go. We had a wait but the park across the street was a pretty walk until our table was ready. read more

See all

This place was truly outstanding. Everyone from the host, to our server was really nice and welcoming. Our server was excellent and it was so cutesy! I loved the color of the walls, the painting, the lighting it has a feel and a vibe . There were so many people but it didn't take away from enjoying our intimate seating. I enjoyed the yams they had a strong hit of cinnamon and the fried green tomatoes were so pretty I almost didn't want to eat them. The fried chicken was in good portion and i felt the prices were appropriate to what is being served. EVERYTHING was fresh and the lavender and cucumber lemonade was fabulous! read more

See all

Loved our experience here! Food was very fresh and unique. We ordered a salad and fries and it felt fresh and not too greasy. The inside is very small but we liked the diner feel. Definitely recommend for a lunch spot if you're in wicker park! read more

I've been here a few times, and they never disappoint! The ambiance is so bright and inviting. I love how the place is decorated. The bar is full, and they make great drinks as well. The servers are great and attentive. The food does not disappoint! I love the pot roast and jalapeño cheddar grits. That is sooooo good you cannot go wrong ordering that. I've also had the fried catfish on top of the jalapeño cheddar grits, and it was delicious as well! The French toast is very good as well. I tried the fried chicken for the first time during my last visit, and it was impressed. Overall, this is a nice establishment with good food options. They serve breakfast all day, so you don't have to go at a certain time of day to try it. I recommend booking a reservation during the weekends because they can get pretty busy. Parking on the streets is limited, but there is a parking garage around the corner that allows visitors to park on the top floor. Go check them out for some delicious food and drinks! read more

I would highly suggest making a reservation before you go because it was super crowded. They were able to seat me relatively quickly which was great. April was a great server. The food was really good. I love that they let you split the catfish to do blackened and fried, both were delicious as well as the sides. The chicken and waffle bites were my least favorite. The flavor was good but I wasn't a fan of the batter. I would definitely go back and try more things on the menu. read more

Dawn AM Eatery - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Brunch Review Went to Dawn AM Eatery for brunch and overall had a good experience. The food was solid, though I'm personally not a fan of catfish or chicken fried in egg, it can take away from the seasoning for me (just my opinion). Portions were generous. Must-try: the pot roast and grits...absolutely amazing and the standout dish. The cinnamon roll French toast was good, mac and cheese was decent, and the greens were well seasoned. Drinks were good too; I had the martini flight. Service was excellent, great customer service across the board. The vibe is exactly what the name suggests...a clean, neat, casual eatery. Bar service can be a little slow when they're busy, and parking in the area can be tight, so be prepared to park on nearby streets. Would I go back? Yes, and again, if you love pot roast, don't skip the pot roast and grits. read more

See all

Wonderful neighborhood brunch spot. Delicious food generous portions and beautiful relaxing atmosphere. The one thing that could use lots of attention is.. the wait times.. if you are with a group of 4+ the slowness could really ruin your experience. However I have never had a problem dining solo or with 2. Especially when I choose to sit at the bar area. Great servers and bartenders by the way . Give it a try! read more

Dawn AM Eatery - Cobb Salad - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

When arriving I was warmly greeted by the hostess, Victoria. I let her know we had a reservation and she got us to our table quickly and let us know our server Desiree (hopefully I'm spelling it right) would be with us shortly. Desiree was great! Welcoming, full of energy and personable and professional. She truly was a 10 out of 10. Food recommendations were in point and she just seemed like a cool person who wanted to make sure we had a great experience. The restaurant itself is nice, clean and just a nice chill vibe. Music is low enough where you can enjoy but also have a conversation. Again 10 out of 10. The food was EXCELLENT!! I mean so good I almost got an order to go so I could bring back on the flight home. Also the price point was great compared. This place is now a staple for every time I visit Chicago. read more

After spending a few hours at the griffin museum, this was the perfect spot to refuel. The ambiance is super brightly colored and cute. Service was so kind and homey. I ordered a Cajun Cobb salad which was largge haha I loved how saucy it was, and the chicken was perfectly cooked and seasoned. Solid salad and amazing portion sizes given the price. Overall, a nice restaurant to stop by and have a little bite. Especially loved the service and ambiance. read more

Dawn AM Eatery - Cajun Cobb Salad - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Can't believe I just now discovered this place, but I'm so glad I did! I've been two weeks in a row now. Not only is the inside and patio absolutely gorgeous, but the food is amazing. Being vegan, my boyfriend finds it difficult to find vegan "fried chicken" options, so he loved this! I tried it and really liked it too. I'm a classic gal, so I stuck with pancakes, bacon, and hash browns -- ALL delicious! The staff is very personable and takes good care of customers. Last week when I went, they were super busy, so the kitchen was backed up. The owner came out to talk to everyone, apologized, and thanked us for our patience. The wait staff was also very apologetic and on top of what they could be. I love Dawn AM Eatery! It has become my go-to breakfast place. read more

See all

This place was amazing!!! If I lived here I would come once a week to try a different dish. Our party of 4 was well taken care of by the staff. The vibe was bright and beautiful. There is outdoor seating as well. It's a linen cloth type establishment. The parking is a chore as it's in the Hyde Park area. It's swanky and the food prices are affordable. The food and sweet strawberry tea was so good, I will be dreaming about this place for a few days. I totally recommend it, and great vibes, good, and environment. read more

See all

Good Food, but the Customer Service Was Unacceptable My family and I ate at Dawn's Eateries on Saturday morning, August 8, 2026, and unfortunately, our experience was extremely disappointing. From the moment we checked in, we were met with an unpleasant attitude at the hostess area. Thankfully, our waitress initially greeted us warmly, and the food itself was good. However, the customer service issues quickly overshadowed the meal. We ordered a coffee and a latte but were brought two coffees instead. After waiting approximately 20 minutes to have the issue corrected, our server explained that she would get the manager because the situation was out of her control. Unfortunately, the manager's response made the experience even worse. Instead of approaching our table professionally and trying to resolve a simple issue, she came across as rude, dismissive, condescending, and argumentative. My Uncle attempted to explain what had happened, but rather than listening and acknowledging our concerns, her demeanor felt very defensive and unprofessional. Eventually, we simply wanted to make sure the correct drink was made. As the manager of an establishment, I would expect someone to de-escalate a situation, listen to the customer, and find a reasonable solution not make customers feel as though they are the problem for bringing an issue to their attention. The food was good, but when you are paying good money to dine somewhere, you expect both good food AND good service. Unfortunately, we only received one of those. Lastly, the restroom situation was also surprising. The restaurant does not appear to have its own dedicated restroom for customers. We were given a key and/or instructed to go knock on a separate restroom door, which was inconvenient and not what we expected from the overall dining experience. I really wanted to enjoy Dawn's Eateries, especially because the food was good, but the attitude and lack of professionalism we experienced particularly from management left a very negative impression. Good food can bring customers through the door, but great customer service is what makes them want to return. Unfortunately, based on this experience, we would not return. read more

Service is ridiculous! We had 1pm reservations for 9 people and weren't seated until almost 1:30; reservations were for inside but we had to sit outside. Then we waited over 1/2 hour to get water and more time to get our orders taken. We had to complain to even get our drinks. Finally we got some of our food after 2:30 and never got a couple servings and one drink. The food was good once we got it but I can't recommend this place if you do not have patience. read more

The food at this place was so good! This is not a fast place, so if you're trying to get a quick meal, it's not going to happen. I was a little irritated that my food took so long, but once it came and it was so perfect, I forgave it. I had the fish fry. Two large catfish fillets and it came with two sides; I chose the jalapeno cheese grits and the yams. Amazing!!! My friend had the vegan fried chicken (mushrooms) and blueberry waffles, which she also loved. I was a little disappointed in the drink. I ordered a cosmo and it was tiny! The area can be a little tricky with parking, but if you have a little patience, you can typically find a spot within a few minutes. The place is bright and airy, the servers are very nice, and I will absolutely be back! read more

See all

Wow! The ambiance of this restaurant is amazing and has a hint of southern charm. The service was pretty standard, but the real star was the food. I had the pot roast and jalapeño grits *chefs kiss* I would order over again and again. I also ordered the banana pudding pancakes (could've done without them) My friend orde d the southern plate and stated that the chicken was really well seasoned a fresh. read more

See all

We came here for breakfast and we had a great meal. We started with salmon deviled eggs and a biscuit basket which were wonderful. I had the Jambalaya skillet delish! My Daughter had French toast yummy. My Wife had eggs. Service was friendly. My only complaint is that the bathroom was far and if someone evils using it you have a long wait. Not big enough for a place this size. Still would come back here again. read more

Second time coming here during restaurant week and it was great again. I even got to meet the owner this time and he sent my aunt out a free dessert for her birthday. read more

See all

I've been to Don A.M. Eatery twice now. The first time I tried the salmon croquettes with garlic/butter rice both were pretty good. On my second visit, I had the shrimp and grits with added jalapeños, and wow... easily the best shrimp and grits I've ever had! And I've had a lot. The jalapeño added so much flavor without being spicy...absolutely delicious and worth going back for. The deviled eggs with shrimp were really tasty, though the portion of shrimp felt like a bit much. I also tried the banana pudding pancakes, which weren't for me...the pudding flavor just didn't hit. The ambiance is cute and airy, with pink bar seating and a clean feel, though the non booth floor space is a little tight. Service was slow and I had to ask for things more than once, and parking in the area is tough. Overall: despite slow service and tricky parking, the jalapeño shrimp and grits alone make this place worth a return. read more

See all

Yesterday Z was our waiter again! He's a great attentive waiter! The place is always clean and the ambiance very cute! I love the pink chairs at the bar and the cute turquoise glasses at the tables. I had the salmon croquettes which came with rice, your style of scrambled eggs and a phenomenal remoulade sauce (please get it in stores if possible). My mom had the make it a classic breakfast which is two eggs, your style with your choice of sausage or bacon, toast or an English muffin. We also ordered a kid's order of pancakes to split! We each had a Greyhound drink which is coconut, rum, lime, grapefruit, and Marchino cherry. Delishhhhhh! Everything was great as always. Just have the chef to watch his cooking times. My mom's breakfast came out like five minutes before mine. We met the owner and he was very nice. He individually greeted everyone at the restaurant. He said his daughter curated the menu. It's amazing so she did thatttttt! Pro Tips: Parking is a tight as elementary teacher school Principal's braids but they do having parking on at the Solstice on the Park on the 5th floor (which is right across the street West of them) Full service bar starts serving at 10am so hold your horses!! read more

See all

First food stop after the airport and they did not disappoint. I decided to try this place out based on the previous reviewes. I went on a Thursday morning but I'm sure on the weekend a reservation is required. You will have to drive around to find street parking. The place looks really nice inside. Very big and they have a nice outside eating area. The staff was great! Our server was good as well and the food was even better. All of the flavors were coming through. I really enjoyed the raspberry lemons waffle. A must try! read more

Dawn AM Eatery - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Finally had the chance to check out Dawn. Word of warning...Be prepared to struggle finding parking (Hyde Park is notorious for terrible parking)! The restaurant itself is very cute, but rather small. We had reservations so we didn't have an incredible wait time. We were seated directly underneath the air conditioner, but they accommodated us and moved us to a different table. The food came out fairly quickly, but was only average tasting, except for the grits, the grits were amazing! I probably will not return, but I do recommend you give it a try try! read more

Overall, the place was nice and had a good atmosphere. When we were first seated, our table was dirty, but the staff came over and cleaned it right away, which I appreciated. I ordered the chicken with two sides. Everything could have used a lot more seasoning. It had potential, but the flavors were pretty mild. Overall, it was a decent experience, but there's definitely room for improvement when it comes to the food. read more

Dawn Am Eatery is located in the Hyde Park neighborhood. They have great breakfast and brunch options and the menu is very southern inspired. They have very creative entree and drink options. The food is really delicious and have both sweet and savory options. I highly recommend the Georgia peach pancakes as a sweet option. The place is very vibrant and the service was great and a place I would go back to again. read more

See all

I'd been to Dawn once before and recommended to my friends from out of town that we go there for brunch before heading to the Obama Presidential Center. I regret going to Dawn and wish I patronized another establishment. We were seated at 10:30am, received water and waited. Orders were taken at 11am. Had nothing but water until about 11:15. At that point, my friend's 6yo son's food came out with our biscuit basket because she specifically requested it come out asap so he could eat. Then we waited. And waited. Had to call attention to our table so we could request utensils for her son and ourselves. We kept waiting to the point where we debated letting our server know to cancel everything. Our tickets for the OPC were 12:15 and we didn't want to risk being extremely late. As we were having this talk, food came out at 12:05. Unfortunately, we could not enjoy it because of the abysmal service, and needing to eat quickly to leave and make it to the center. And they had the nerve to tell us before we were seated that there was a 90-minute table limit. My friend and I ordered the fried catfish and we enjoyed it. Her partner ordered the southern dish and did not finish, lost his appetite. Mac and cheese side was good. Yams were not. I felt embarrassed for recommending this place to my close friend who came with her family from the east coast. I will not be recommending Dawn again to any other patrons nor will I be back. read more

I checked in at the hostess stand this past Sunday at 10:00 AM, and it was easily the worst restaurant experience I've ever had. We wanted to wait for the bar, but the blonde hostess was incredibly rude, unprofessional, and unkind. She told us the wait would be 30 minutes. At the 28-minute mark, we checked back in because we noticed other people walking right in and being seated at the bar. Instead of handling it professionally, she became aggressive and mean, completely embarrassing us in front of the entire lobby. She finally yelled, "Just go to the bar and sit down at the end," clearly performing because she had an audience. Patrons should never be spoken to this way. I try hard to support local Chicago businesses, but treatment like this makes it impossible. I am never going back, and I advise you to skip this place too. There are way too many fantastic brunch options in Chicago to waste your time and money being degraded here. read more

A great Restaurant Week pick! The deviled eggs were great and I appreciated the generous smoked salmon portion on top of each egg. The lamb and grits special was great - while the lamb was a bit overcooked, it still tasted great and the grits were magnificent. For dessert, we had the crunch cake, which had a nice balance between sweet, creamy, and tart. Portion sizes were so generous and I left feeling satisfied! Service was slow, but we actually liked it because it gave us ample time to chat without many interruptions. Vibes were great, it's a beautiful space with great decor, but the seating stands out because it's chic and super comfortable! Overall a really great experience! read more

See all

EVERYTHING IS ALWAYS TOP NOTCH!!! Never disappointed!! There is a 90 minute seating limit, reservations are highly recommended!!

Food was amazing, ambiance is always inviting, and the crew are polite and professional. I couldn't ask for a better experience. We traveled twice in a month just to have the fried green tomatoes again and fell in love with more! read more

See all