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    Fresh Start Cafe

    4.1 (148 reviews)
    Closed 6:30 am - 2:30 pm

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    FRESH START CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for kids
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Fresh Start Cafe

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    Aricka D.

    Whenever I'm in Chicago I search for hidden gem foodie spots. I mean Chicago is literally foodie Heaven. We didn't dine in because we were trying to prepare for an event but I'm kind of glad we didn't. It's small and dark inside, and I felt like the tables were too close together. But they made up for it all with an AMAZING breakfast. I got the gyro skillet. Absolutely delicious!! The picture does it absolutely no justice.. I never thought of gyro as a breakfast item and now I know I need it often. There were huge portions of meat and amazing tzatziki sauce and nobody will ever call them stingy with the cheese because for every bite I got delicious feta cheese chunks mixed in. It was amazing. The pancakes were basic, there was nothing wrong with them but I'm not going to reminisce on them. But that gyro skillet!!! I can't wait to get it again

    Build your own including gyro, broccoli, onion, tomatoes, mushrooms and spinach
    Phil P.

    Been in this area for a while, first time here. Great spot for a good old fashion breakfast. Nice service. Loved their radio station . All about positive messages. Which is very much needed today. Enjoyed June's service and recommendations. Spot on!. Like I said, just a good old breakfast. I had pancakes, turkey patties and eggs. My gurl had a build your own omlette with gyro meat. I'll be back for sure!!

    Amazing California focaccia sandwich

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    5 months ago

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    3 years ago

    Large portions, friendly staff & nice touch of wrapped utensils with yarn. Coffee & water refills were plentiful.

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    3 years ago

    Great omelets g very good service fair prices this place is close to home nice people work there we love the food

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    2 years ago

    Good food and really good service for breakfast at a decent price. Meet there Saturday mornings with the guys and always enjoy it.

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    The Original Chickies

    The Original Chickies

    3.7
    (170 reviews)
    2.5 mi

    We recently tried The Original Chickies and had a mixed--but overall decent--experience…read more The staff was friendly and helpful, which definitely made a positive impression right away. The cheeseburger was okay, but the patty was smaller than expected and could have used a bit more seasoning to really stand out. It wasn't bad, just a little underwhelming compared to other spots. The loaded fries were a highlight--topped with cheese, Italian beef, and fresh jalapeños. They were flavorful and absolutely massive, easily a meal on their own. We also had the breaded steak sandwich, which was decent but could have used some jalapeños for extra flavor. Portion-wise, it was very generous and easily enough for two people to share. The chicken fingers were just okay--good size, but again, a bit more seasoning would have helped. The mushrooms were solid, and the onion rings were better than most--big and crispy--but there were quite a few broken pieces. We also tried the famous cannoli shake, which tasted exactly like you'd expect--a cannoli in liquid form. If you like cannolis, you'll probably enjoy it. Overall, not a bad spot with generous portions and friendly service, but some items--especially the burgers--could use a bit more flavor and a larger patty to really stand out.

    Every year during Lent, people ask me where to find the best fish sandwich…read more After trying the Cod Sandwich at The Original Chickie's Beef, I've got my answer--Chickie's in Hillside, Illinois! Perfectly crispy cod with tartar sauce and that classic, no-frills flavor that just hits right. It's only around Fridays during Lent, which makes it even more of a must-have this time of year.

    Photos
    Dining area
    Dining area
    Cannoli x 2
    Cannoli x 2
    Outside view

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    Outside view
    El Tapeo Modern Spanish Kitchen

    El Tapeo Modern Spanish Kitchen

    3.9
    (176 reviews)
    1.4 mi
    $$

    The restaurant you take the elevator up. The view is amazing and can be great to watch the sun set…read more There is high top table for a big group or low lounge seatings available in the bar area. Great place to hang out and mingle. Ladies night or a date night. Had the white Sangria is citrus and refreshing, which was really delicious to have in a warm/hot day. Shared Cordero Asado, lamb lollipops, was expecting small lamb on skewers per the tapas description on the menu. Was juicy and cooked perfectly. Didn't really need the sauce. Also shared the chicken and mushroom empanadas. These were very mini. So there was more dough than filling. It would have been better to offer 3 normal size. Paella de Mariscos is seafood flavor with mussel clam and shrimp. The pan was really small vs wide and shallow. So the rice on the bottom was burnt black and had the burnt taste throughout the whole dish. Didn't get the crispy rice at the bottom.

    This restaurant is on the 9th floor of Le Meridian Hotel in Oak Brook. The hotel is next to…read moreCheesecake Factory. Your GPS will take you to Cheesecake and tell you that you've arrived, but you don't see a stand alone restaurant named El Tapeo. Just enter the hotel and you will find it! It's a lovely setting with floor to ceiling windows facing the shopping campus. It feels upscale, and the server staff behave as such; but it is not a snobby, uncomfortable ambiance. Business casual fits well here, and the sound level is lower than average. The tapas are first rate - delicious and well presented. They had run out of octopus and lamb when we dined there, so we will try again another time. Sangria in a pitcher was just the right amount for the four of us. This place is a gem!

    Photos
    El Tapeo Modern Spanish Kitchen
    El Tapeo Modern Spanish Kitchen
    Cocktails in El Tapeo

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    Cocktails in El Tapeo
    Milkstop Cafe

    Milkstop Cafe

    4.3
    (176 reviews)
    4.7 mi
    $$

    First and foremost - everyone I interacted with was SUPER KIND, and I really liked some aspects of…read morethe experience. But for a premium price, I expect premium product, and this place is rough around the edges in ways that feel easy to fix. I'm pointing them out in hopes they'll be corrected. First the positive - the food was pretty good. Not great for the price, but pretty good. Drip coffee was better than most diners/cafes in the area. The ambience was pleasant. Here's the issues. 1. The furniture needs a refresh and I don't think the place has even been open that long. The side tables by the window are losing their finish - a fragment of wood got caught under my finger nail as I was sitting down and just lightly grazed the table with my hand. I also brushed away a few additional flakes coming up. The chiffon curtains are charming until you look closer and see they're speckled with food from past diners. A moss ball decoration in the bathroom is missing half its moss. It's little stuff, obviously, but when I spot things like this at a place otherwise charging a premium partially for cute aesthetics, I always get concerned that the lack of attention to detail might also be getting reflected in the food. 2. Value for money and food quality are also an issue. $20 for one slice of sourdough cut in half, a rather overdone French omelette with sour cream on top (not mentioned on the menu and a weird choice) a bowl of fruit I wasn't interested in rather than a choice of free side, and sausages I paid extra for, is not good value to me. The bread was good! The omelette was mediocre. The sausage was very solid, had a slight funk to it that I liked and suggested to me it was made in house - but 7 dollars for two sausage patties is absolutely wild. I would suggest Milkstop rethink the combos on its menu to include more and be priced a touch more transparently. 3. Finally, service. Everyone was VERY KIND, again, want to stress that, but service was slow and rather inattentive for most of the meal. The place was only half full, but water and an initial drink order were slow, and I waited for a while for the check while the staff chatted amongst themselves in the corner of the room. Not trying to be a dick, the life of a service worker is tough, but the place was mostly empty and I noticed they already charge a 3% service gratuity on your orders, so I'd expect a little better. Basically this place has a very charming surface with some wonkiness around the edges. I will definitely come back again but guys, come on - ditch the gross chiffon curtains, for both our sakes.

    Stopped in on a Friday for a quick working lunch - very nice environment if you ever need the…read moreopportunity to do so. (and forgot to snap a picture!). I had the red pepper and cheddar quiche -- delicious! It was light and fluffy and came out in great timing. The salad was crisp and fresh, and the dressing was light -- just enough. Service was great and the entire staff was super friendly. I will definitely be back!

    Photos
    Dining and bar area
    Dining and bar area
    Tomato Basil Quiche
    Tomato Basil Quiche
    Mimosa & Bloody Marys

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    Mimosa & Bloody Marys
    Anna's Place

    Anna's Place

    3.9
    (25 reviews)
    2.8 mi
    $$

    The food is not good -Friday fish fry is Gordan's Fisherman you can purchase at grocery store!!…read moreSupported this establishment for 11years -when the food was good and when it is was terrible! Played and loss a ton of money on their machine-no regrets about that -it was what they call gambling -well after all these years -the owners banned 9 ladies from the bar-all in are 60 and 70 years! Didn't like are negative attitudes -I I hope it made him feel like a big man -banned us! We have enjoyed telling people -all are shocked by the stupidity of the owner!!

    NOT ANNAS PLACE ! Please disregard previous reviews as this is no longer the same restaurant. The…read morekitchen has been taken over and is now called NOLA Louisiana Kitchen. There is no Yelp page for this business so these reviews will be misleading. The signage for this place is still Anna's but it is really a whole new restaurant with a new menu. We dined in for lunch today. It is pleasant enough inside with a few tables and about half of the space devoted to a bar and slots. The food is excellent and you wont find anything like it in the immediate area. It is New Orleans style food, things like Po'boy, etouffee, jambalaya, fried seafood and seafood boils.They even have beignets! My husband had the etouffee which he said was delicious. The shrimp Po-boy was excellent. Very crispy and the right amount of heat. The server was very helpful and attentive. The Nutella beignets were wonderful! I hope this restaurant establishes its own Yelp page and gets their own reviews. Unfortunately it is kind of confusing as there is no signage identifying it as a new place with a new menu. It really looks like just a slots place and the parking is confusing because there are two lots adjacent to the building that are not for this place for some reason. They were both empty. There is another lot just to the east where you can park. I hope this place can solve the identity issue because the food is so good and I would like to see it stick around.

    Photos
    Chopped Salad and paired with a Stella
    Chopped Salad and paired with a Stella
    C'mon in!!
    C'mon in!!
    C'mon in!!!

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    C'mon in!!!

    Fresh Start Cafe - breakfast_brunch - Updated August 2026

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