Great place for straight forward breakfast. Lots of choices available. Portions are large and prices are reasonable. Loved that mini waffles and mini French toast were a choice for a side, as well as the standard pancakes. The place was bustling the whole time we were there. Servers are always moving. Service was okay, but it wasn't hard to flag someone down if needed. Will be back! read more

Great spot for a no frills diner meal. Everyone was super friendly and fun. It seemed like everyone was a regular which was really sweet to see. They knew everyone by name and were hugging and joking with all the patrons. So warm and welcoming. Food was great and a great value. We had the everything skillet, banana bread french toast with grits, and two coffees all for $30! read more

I don't live in Chicago anymore so the fact that Eppel's is still fantastic makes me happy. I couldn't leave without giving them an awesome review. I don't know what other reviews say because I'm already familiar with the restaurant and had no need to read them. So I'll just tell you all the reasons why I love Eppel's. 1. Great coffee 2. Free refills 3. Flavored creamers 4. Waitstaff and management are super, crazy friendly and not in a fake, creepy kind of way. 5. The customers are diverse and I always feel like I fit in. 6. They have great chicken wings (I used to order them for breakfast, but not today). 7. When I order well done hashbrowns, they know what that means. 8. I had a veggie omelet with feta today and it was delish! 9. The food is reasonably priced. 10. They don't try to rush you no matter how busy they are. I'll be gone in a week so I'll probably try to get another meal in before I go. In summary, eat at Eppel's! read more

Liked the waffles a lot but steak and eggs were disappointing. Steak was way over seasoned for me

This unassuming little diner is a gem. Just darling and full of "small diner" atmosphere. The waitress is a lovely sweetheart who will chat with you about your day, or pour your coffee and leave you alone- whatever you encourage. The old guy working the counter, and he cooks is awesome. But come here for the food. Two words. Cheeseburger and fries. Probably the best burger in Chicago. No frills, just goodness. Also pancakes like homemade and really yummy! Come, sit, eat, enjoy. You won't be dissapointed. read more

Eppel's Restaurant - Diners Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I was waiting for some friends that were going to the Uniform company " and I sat in the car waiting. I saw a lot of traffic going to this little PLACE that I have passed oh so many times when I'm on Roosevelt so I googled it and OMG!!! The pictures had me!!!! So I decided to give it a try and OH BOY AM I GLAD I DID!!!! It's small but very home like!!! and you feel the love when you come through the door!!! Everyone's plates were beautiful!!!! I got the patty melt and fresh cut fries DELICIOUS!!!! I can't wait to come back!!! This is a great place to eat and not spend a whole lot!!! read more

Perfect diner food! We were regular customers before we moved out of state. We've looked for an Eppel's equivalent in the west to no avail. We miss everyone there, particularly Lynn. We really miss you. read more

Had the chopped steak, eggs, and French toast. Everything was absolutely delicious. Also tried the Denver omelette and ox tails during another trip. Will definitely make this a regular spot. read more

The worst service that I have ever experienced in my entire life from the woman working the register. She would not give me a manager and she would not even acknowledge if there was one in the building. I will never eat there again. It's a shame because they usually have better service read more

I've lived around the area for years but never knew about this place, just happened to be driving home from up north and I did a search and found this gem! Parking is terrible, only one spot for them in the lot behind but we got lucky and got one of the few street paid parks out front. Inside it's like a cute little small town diner, a nice atmosphere and not something I was expecting given it's location. A great surprise! Service was great and friendly and food was good servings for a good price. The stand out dish was what they're famous for, the banana foster pancakes, mmmhmmm if you are after a sweet (not so guilt free!) breakfast definately get this! We have been to the place banana fosters dessert was invented in New Orleans and this brought us back there with its flavors! A great find :) read more

Eppel's restaurant has been one of my favorite go to restaurants for years. As a government worker me and my staff frequently take out and dine in at Eppel's. I have been a regular customer . I had noticed that the restaurant has lost It's sense of value in giving good service . I had a couple of issues in the past with orders being wrong and having not too good customer service from Lisa a former employee and Jay a current employee. As of today, I am no longer patronizing this restaurant. I came in looking to have breakfast and was asking a question about my order as Jay was my server. When he came over to me he was immediately rude asking me. What do I want as if I was taking too long . I asked a question which I repeated more than once and he repeated it to me. You keep asking the same F question he stated .He began to yell asking lynn other to come complete my order because he is not going to keep explaining to me. Lynn then came and took my order politely. Note I am illegally blind customer that cannot look at the menu and asking questions is what I need to do to ensure my order is correct. After that he then proceeded to mock me, saying I've explained myself seven times. how many f times I gotta say it. I told him he should find different employment if he does not like his job . Lynn proceeded to tell Jay to stop and he refused. He turned around and said I should find another restaurant to go to. I saw the manager and spoke with her telling her I will no longer come to this restaurant and anymore. Eppel's have become to hostel and terrible customer service. Eppel's goal is to provide quality food in a friendly environment and great customer services which they have failed to uphold. read more

This is a go to again spot. My first time I went, I had a skillet called a touch of Greece. It came with Gyro, tomatoes, onions, feta cheese, and with cucumber sauce on the side. It was good, but the thing I didn't like about my skillet was, It didn't have enough tomatoes. I couldn't really taste the gyro meat, because it was cut into small pieces, and the hash browns was a little burnt, which made it a little to crunchy. Overall it's a nice breakfast spot, that's clean with a good vibe read more

Eppel's Restaurant - Gyro skillet called...."A touch of Greece" - Diners Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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One of the best eggs benefit I've had in recent memory. I got the salmon eggs Benedict and it had a great fishy taste. The hollandaise sauce was more tart than I anticipated. However, I was generally pleased with my meal. I will admit, the hash browns were a little cold but had a great potato taste. Lastly, the meal felt heavy (not sure why). I would still recommend this little diner to others. read more

Eppel's Restaurant - Diners Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Nice place for breakfast. Staff were attentive, food came out fast, price was good, parking was easy to get out front. Couldn't ask for much more! read more

Very Tasty Food, arrives hot, Services was Grand waitress Like Family, Awesome Environment people loving people, I'll be Back Very Soon

Fav breakfast restaurant I always get salmon croquettes or salami service is wonderful every time can't beat prices either read more

Eppel's Restaurant - Salmon croquettes fye - Diners Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Love this traditional diner. Fast service, friendly staff (where everyone calls you "hon," and means it :), the portions are HUGE and I've not had one bad thing on the menu (breakfast and lunch). The waffles, grits and hashbrown potatoes are some of the best in the city, honestly. There are also a couple of free parking spots in the back, behind the plaza. I also appreciate they are all wearing masks, the waitstaff come to the table scrubbing sanitizer on their hands, and for seating - they skip booths and tables for social distancing both inside and out on the dining patio. Highly recommend. read more

This is an iconic diner that has been here through neighborhood changes. The service is friendly and exactly what you'd expect from a diner. They flip tables quickly with barely enough time to wipe it down between guests. In fact, we were seated at a dirty table that was cleaned after we sat down. The menu is HUGE; however, I barely found anything I wanted. Finally, after reading through every page, I settled on the spinach pie... and they didn't have it. So then I got the Greek Salad. The Greek Salad comes with sardines. I like canned sardines so I figured that I'd like them on this salad. NOPE. These were very fishy and crusted with salt. Everything they touched (lettuce, tomatoes, whatever) tasted like them. It was a unique experience for me to dislike a salad SO MUCH. I saw my friends' orders and they didn't entice me either; however, they really enjoyed their food. I don't think that Eppel's has healthy menu options. It's probably not their thing and that's okay; however, given the size of the menu it would have been nice to have something. I'll take a pass on Eppel's the next time my friends want to go out but I think it's good for some folks. If you like old fashioned, diner food then this probably a home run for you. read more

Eppel's Restaurant - Biscuits and gravy - Diners Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Good Breakfast, good service. A friend took me here for a celebratory breakfast. They have a good variety of basically anything you would want for breakfast. Surprisingly we didn't have a hard time finding a parking spot. The area is a little to busy for me to bring the hubby and kid, but if I'm just going with friends I would definitely return. read more

Eppel's has a great family atmosphere, huge breakfast menu, excellent specials, and perfect staff! I love the classics: waffles, omelettes, grits, coffee. Eppel's also does a great tuna casserole, and magical things with cinnamon sugar. With all the other breakfast options nearby, I'm coming back to Eppel's repeatedly with no hesitation. read more

Called ahead to order grits and sausage. Lisa answered the phone and said " Hold please", put the phone on the counter and didn't pick back up. So I didn't disconnect the call and drove there to place the order in person. The cashier told me to place the order at the counter with Lisa who proceeds to pick up the phone. I said "turn around". When she turned around I informed her I was the person waiting on the phone and showed her the 13.5 min call. I said it would have been decent to pick the phone back up, say they were busy and ask me to come in to order. There was a guy at the counter eating breakfast and 4 other tables with 2 other waitresses. She then snaps at me , tells me they are busy , says she didn't leave me on the phone despite the active call on my phone and makes a condescending remark... Really? Disappointing bc I really like this place. Always tipped the waitresses well. Not today! read more

Was here recently on a Saturday afternoon. The weather was not so great and I had wanted a later afternoon brunch. This place fit the bill. As this place is on Roosevelt Road, parking can be a bit of a challenge. I managed to find a spot around the corner and I made my way in. I was told to sit where I wanted. As they have menus at the table, I paroused it and found I wanted a skillet and some coffee. The skillet was tasty and the coffee hot...the service was good, but he didn't come around for refills on the coffee. I would come back here sometime to try more of their fare. read more

Great restaurant great weight staff food fresh they've been doing this for a long time and yes they have gotten it right thank you

The food was absolutely delicious. Service was great and fast! The waitress was very attentive. I will definitely be back very often. The shrimp and grits are phenomenal! Waffles fluffy and fresh! They give generous portions for a great price! read more

Eppel's Restaurant - Steak skillet - Diners Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I went here for st Patrick's weekend, picked up the place very randomly and what am experience delicious food, an incredibly nice server, super decent prices. Super cozy atmosphere. I had a pináculo omelet and pancakes!!!! Wow! read more

Eppel's Restaurant - Mini waffles - Diners Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Visited in the early morning and everyone in the restaurant, especially our waitress was wonderful and sweet! She was very helpful in explaining the menu and brought our food out quickly. Between the two of us we ordered the French toast with sides of turkey bacon and hash browns and the Eppel's special #1 omelette with buttermilk pancakes and buttered grits. There was so much food for the price, we had enough for breakfast and lunch! The omelette and French toast were smaller portions than I've had at other restaurants but that's because of the size of the side dishes. I believe it's well worth the price, because of both the meal, its price, and the homey, cozy ambience. There are regulars here and for me, that really speaks to the consistent quality of food and service. If I were to improve anything about the restaurant I would choose a different syrup for the pancakes. It wasn't the best syrup, but thankfully it wasn't the worst either so it still was tasty. I might just be spoiled by Costco's Kirkland's maple syrup though lol Definitely coming again, multiple times! read more

Eppel's Restaurant - Eppel's #1 omelette with buttered grits and pancakes and French toast with hashbrowns and turkey bacon - Diners Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Pick up through grub hub was on time. Provided all the necessary utensils and napkins in the bag. I ordered the egg Benedict Florentine with fruit (other option is hash brown) on the side. Overall, I thought it great for the price. At first I thought they forgot the sauce but it's provided in cup. read more

Eppel's Restaurant - Egg Eggs Benedict Florentine - Diners Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I have been coming here for many years and The food and service is always great. My dad even comes here on Sundays for breakfast and he lives in Dekalb, Illinois. I saw them on CHICAGO'S BEST and I was so happy that they were finally getting some television recognition. EVERONE needs to stop in for a meal. I love the creamy chicken soup and ALL of the BREAKFAST foods!!!!! read more

Feels cozy and homey. since it's my first time there, I actually requested if I could have one pancake and one crepe for the chef special (normally it's two pancakes or two crepes) and it worked out fine. Pancake is literally bigger than my face. Crepe is so soft and fluffy. Enough maple syrup to make this 5 am winter warm in Chicago. Great place to visit if your bus or train arrives early in the morning and don't know where to hang out. read more

Eppel's Restaurant - Diners Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Checked out this little diner on a Saturday morning around 11am after a morning spent on UICs campus. The restaurant is located on a busier street but it was easy to locate as they had a little board sign on the sidewalk. We were able to easily walk from campus. We walked in and it was seat yourself. It was a bustling place but not filled to the brim. We snagged a booth and was greeted with waters right away. We ordered an eggs Benedict Florentine and I ordered the country skillet minus the mushrooms. There's a generous portion served and solid quality! Hubby mentioned the hollandaise sauce was lighter and could've used a bit more flavor, but overall enjoyed his dish. My skillet was excellent, had good portions of potato, cheese, meat and egg. My only ding was that we sat next to the bussing station and it was quite loud. The dishes were thrown into buckets pretty sloppily, resulting in major clinks. They work fast so it's understandable, but next time I'd avoid booths in those area for the sake of my ears and conversation. We don't live super close to come back often, but it was a nice find! read more

Had great breakfast. Friendly and positive vibe to this place. Will not be disappointed stopping here for breakfast.

Country fried steak and gravy was good but the eggs were not. I recommend not ordering eggs for delivery.

Definitely my favorite breakfast restaurant to go to. I've been going here for more than 5 years and order the exact same thing every time. Parking is a little difficult but it's worth it. Never fails to amaze me with their food. The owner is a very sweet and friendly lady. Sometimes the chef would sit down and have a conversation with my family. The staff is very friendly and helpful. I would highly recommend this place if you're ever in a breakfast mood. The people here make me feel at home. Nothing beats their amazing strawberry waffle. read more

This place is great! Perfect diner food selection, as well as daily specials and sandwiches, burgers, even oxtail on some days! The service was great (even at 5:30am!) and so was the coffee. The waffles were made fresh, so fluffy and delicious! Decor is cute and my favorite part is that they gave us a large carafe of water (so great when I just got off a 36hr bus ride! My husband and I spent like $20 and we ate enough for 4 people. They had lots of regulars too, because the waitress knew everyone's name and order. 10/10 would recommend :) read more

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The waitress was so awesome and friendly. I ordered the Italian skillet. Sooooo good! Food arrived fast and hot! There was no wait for service and I had my food within minutes of ordering! read more

Eppel's Restaurant - Diners Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Ive been here a few times now. Each time has been pretty good. Large menu with a ton of selections. It can be overwhelming in a sense. I've made my way through the breakfast offerings and they have all been pretty good. I especially liked the huge omelet and the skillets. Good prices for solid food read more

Had a great anniversary date here last year. We had a really nice server, the service was fast, and the food was absolutely stunning. Will definitely he eating here again. read more

Pros - - Appropriately priced for the quality and quantity - The food is good. It has the old fashioned diner appeal with the stop by your grandma's kitchen flavor. (Thumbs up) - The staff members are very friendly. They make eye contact, smile, and are engaging with everyone who walks in the door. From the cashier to the hosts to the cooks; people will acknowledge you and treat you with respect, and isn't that what we all want? - The menu has a large variety of items to choose from. - Great location near trains, buses, and street parking. Cons - - The decor is dated, dingy, and difficult to clean. Newer restaurants have newer seating without extensive grooves and etc that are difficult to clean. - You have to pay at the box to park. :( read more

So, last week ended up being a pretty bad restaurant week for me. Mediocrity everywhere, and it was capped off with a shitty Sunday breakfast at Eppel's. As mentioned in my previous review, I've been eating at this place for YEARS. Today I take a friend who's never been. I'm raving about this place, right? So we happen to be placed in the section of a server named April. Who "honey" "sugar" and "baby"'ed us to death...and then had the nerve to try to rush us the hell out of there. Rude as hell. Mind you, I'm not a "table squatter." My foodie friends and I are all too sophisticated for that. On a snowy afternoon when it was positively unbusy and NO ONE was waiting for that table, I was absolutely flabbergasted that this server would come over to my dining companion and I and say, "I'm not trying to be rude but..." and ask us to move it a long. Skedaddle. Buh-bye. First, April, yeah. You WERE trying to be rude. Second. Trying to rush us out proves you're inexperienced, classless and tactless. Third, being that rude and bitchy was a guarantee that you killed your tip AND just for that, how about we're gonna stay an extra half-hour and make you serve us coffee the whole time, because you know what? We're.Not.Done.Yet. The owner (who DID recognize me) came over and apologized and told us to stay as long as we wanted. Even he was like, "Hello? We're not even busy today..." In all the years I've been patronizing this place, I've never been treated like that even when it WAS busy. I cannot stand shitty, patronizing service anywhere, let alone what is essentially a cheap diner. I stand by the fact that the food is good -- convenient location, inexpensive, decent, comfort food. I still think you should go. Just don't sit in April's section. In fact, you should ask who April is and where her section is just so that you know NOT to be seated there. read more

There are only two streets in Chicago, that I can think of, that end in the suffix "road." Those are Irving Park and Roosevelt. One often finds him or herself strolling down Roosevelt (named for the founder of the Bull Moose Party, not FDR) in the pursuit of alligator shoes, two-for-one underwear, or a feather for one's fedora, and thinking about why this is so, or if this is so. Inevitably all this thinking and shopping creates ravaging hunger. This is where Eppel's comes in because it is a restaurant. In a section of town that is a mix of classic old shops and soul draining box stores, Eppel's is on the side of the haberdashery over Target. Expect the standard old-time breakfast sort of place that has more character than average. It's more of a greek style restaurant than it is diner, like the nearby White Palace, and they are independently owned in contrast to the robber barons buying up the surrounding property. If you are hungry and in the area, then Eppel's is probably your best option unless you are in the mood for 6 pounds of meat between two half-dollar size pieces of bread, then go around the corner to Manny's. read more