The food was good! The fruit was fresh. I enjoyed the fresh cut hash browns..The home style potato are to die for..the coffee was hot. They also have freshly squeezed orange juice. The pancakes were really fluffy. They cook the sautéed vegetables in my omelette to perfection... would definitely go back again! read more

Fresh Start Cafe - Gyro Omelette n pancakes - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Elmhurst, Illinois

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Hidden away in a strip mall in Elmhurst, Fresh Start Cafe has plenty of free parking (gotta love the burbs!) and offers up a wide array of breakfast and lunch offerings. We stopped in on a Saturday morning. While busy- the place was not packed so we were seated in one of the booths along the front windows with no wait.. Definitely the best seats in the house! Our server was busy but managed to get our coffee served all the while bantering with other customers who were obviously regulars. Families and seniors make up the majority of the crowd. The menu includes all of my breakfast favorites so it was hard for me to choose what I wanted. I finally went with the ham. cheese and tomato omelet that was served with hash browns, toast and jam. And my friend ordered the Southern Eggs Benedict which looked alot like biscuits and gravy but on a muffin instead. He said it was good but it didn't look all that appetizing . . .sort of a "white on white" display. As for my omelet- it was overcooked (darn!) and I prefer chunks of ham and this was more like ground up ham. But it was tasty if I didn't eat the bottom and it came up quickly. Breakfast for two ran about $25. The manager (owner?) was pleasant and welcoming and even took a few minutes at the end of our visit to talk with us. If you are looking for a place for breakfast or lunch in the burbs- Fresh Start is a solid choice. read more

My wife is big on breakfast, so she Yelp'd Fresh Start and we decided to try it out...except for take out, which is unusual for breakfast...but anways....we go there and are delighted to see a huge menu (I personally like smaller menus because selection is easier, but I digress)... We ordered a bunch of dishes for our family and the food came out relatively quick...the prices were good and the waitress was SUPER MIDWESTERN NICE! There is an amazing family feel to the place and it is very cozy and welcoming at the same time, with some awesome murals on the walls...got check it out ppl! The food all tasted really good too: I got the crepes and a veggie sandwich...portions are HUMONGOUS! read more

We've eaten here more times than I can count. The food is generally good and it's close to home. I had the Denver omelet, fruit, and pancakes. The omelet was good, though I ended up with a chunk of ham cartilage. I'm not a fan of spitting out food ... discretely. The cantaloupe was good, but the watermelon looked sad ... I thought watermelon was supposed to be red, not orange. The pancakes were good. My wife had the oatmeal, which she said tasted good, but it came lukewarm and runny. She had to send it back to get reheated. It was as hot as lava when it came back. If I was a first time customer, I probably wouldn't go back. Step up the game Fresh Start! You're still the best breakfast in South Elmhurst, but only because you don't have much competition. As of this writing there are ninety-six restaurants in Elmhurst. I plan on eating at, and reviewing, every one. Follow me on Yelp! read more

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I have passed by this establishment many times, not realizing what a gem it is. I am also afraid to tell of how good the food is here, I don't want everyone going there and making it impossible for me to get in. The food and service here is absolutely amazing. The pancakes are my favorite. The staff is friendly and service is quick. If you live in the area, forgo some of the bigger places and come here. You will enjoy it. read more

What a wonderful surprise to find delicious crepes, varieties of French toast and very friendly service at this neighborhood cafe.

Ordered here from UberEats. Got the Gyro omelette... cucumber sauce is visibly watery and gross. Shouldn't even offer takeout if this is what you deliver. Had no problem heeding my request to not send fruit. Still sent the bread I also requested they didn't send. Def won't order from here again. read more

Fresh Start Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Elmhurst, Illinois

I really wanted to like this place! The staff are great. Very friendly. And I can tell there are many regulars here so they must enjoy the atmosphere and food. It is very convenient to Elmhurst Hospital, one of only a handful of restaurants within walking distance. But I just didn't like the food- grilled cheese, fries and cream of broccoli soup. With a few tweaks I think they could deliver a much better meal but the Wonder bread and Kraft cheese slices make for a very bland sandwich. Soup was also too salty. Homemade soup and a grilled cheese on French or Italian bread with a nice cheese would have been great. I'll give them another try since they are so convenient to the hospital and I'll provide an update if the food improves. read more

I don't find myself in the suburbs often, but this cute little cafe met my out-of-the-city breakfast needs. This cafe offers a great variety of breakfast and lunch items for your weekday and weekend brunch/lunch preferences. I came here for breakfast on a Saturday morning around 9am. We were seated immediately and did not have to wait long for our server or our food. The menu is extensive, with unique takes on classic breakfast dishes.They have everything from skillets and Benedict's to crepes on the breakfast menu. My partner ordered the Belgium waffle, and I had the Simple skillet. We didn't have to wait more than 10 minutes for our food, and it was very delicious! We both enjoyed our breakfasts and the quaint environment of the cafe. read more

Love the BLT and the pancakes. Service with a smile. Family own and run. Best part of the day.

I absolutely love it here. The staff (especially Dimitri) is SO nice. I would recommend it here to everyone. Absolutely great hash browns too. read more

Love this place! Excellent service that puts you in a good mood even if it's too early in the morning. The menu is very large and diverse, for both breakfast and lunch. I always bring my family and friends to eat here when they're in town visiting. read more

It is my second time here. It's next to the Elmhurst Health Center, so I find it convenient to stop by when I'm early for an appointment. Breakfast is served apparently through the day, which appeals to me. Today I indulged in oatmeal pancakes covered in pecan and chased with brown sugar (First time I've ever tried that anywhere) and coffee. I was totally satisfied and pleasantly full. That is no small feat as I'm 210 lbs of certified eating machine. (OK... toss in another 5 lbs for my shadow) Thumbs up on cleanliness and politeness of the staff. I think I could rate this place higher after a few more similar visits. read more

Great local breakfast or lunch spot - Service with a Greek smile - very family, very local - seems to be a place where the business crowd can enjoy for lunch where they may even feel like their "going home for lunch." I particularly like the omelets and Greek potatoes - fair price - easy to park and walk right in. read more

I've been here twice. It is a basic breakfast place, with nothing hugely special. That's just fine by me. I like basic breakfast. I like omelets and skillets and they have those. The service is good and speedy. As is typical with many "family" restaurants in the Chicago area, you're going to find that the menu variations tend to be Greek or Hispanic touches. Nothing wrong with that. I ordered an omelet with chorizo and the waitress brought me some home made salsa. This is very much a neighborhood joint. Lots of regular customers and a few folks drawn from the hospital. One morning, there was a crowd of football players from York HS. Nice kids and they were treated well by the staff. Prices are reasonable. We'll be back. read more

I chose this restaurant based on the good reviews. I saw in the pictures posted on yelp that they had red velvet French toast, which was another reason I wanted to go here. When we arrived I looked at the menu and I didn't see the red velvet French toast. I asked the waitress if they had the red velvet French toast she quickly replied no and walked away. I was not deterred though and chose the Banana Fosters French Toast instead. My fiancé ordered the potato Pancakes and we both ordered a side of bacon. Once the food arrived I could smell his potato pancakes it was a strong smell and kind of made my stomach turn. I started eating my French Toast covered in bananas and pecans. It was a very underwhelming experience as the bananas didn't taste very caramelized, instead they just tasted old and mushy. The pecans were just plain pecans, I was hoping they would have at least used candied pecans. They syrup had no flavor at all! I then tried some of the bacon, the bacon was awful, very thin and had no flavor at all. The bacon at McDonalds has more flavor than this place!!! If you specialize I. breakfast and Brunch you should have some phenomenal bacon!!! I was very disappointed. The actual French toast itself was mediocre. My fiancé couldn't even finish his Potato Pancakes, as other reviewers had stated the potato pancakes were undercooked and over seasoned!!! They looked like mashed potatoes rather than the properly shredded potatoes that potato pancakes should be, the consistency was gross and the flavor of onion and garlic was overpowering!! I would have had a better breakfast at a fast food drive thru. Very disappointed, food was mediocre and flavorless. read more

All I have to say is wow. Although the restauraunt doesn't look like much from the outside, the customer service is great and so was the food. I had the Morning Wrap with the spinach tortilla and it was absolutely amazing. I finished it so quick, every bite was filled with flavor. Mom had the belgian waffle which just melts in your mouth. Definitely recommend coming here for a nice breakfast/brunch. read more

Started working pretty close to this cafe and I had to check it out. I love the food and service. I go in and carry out. They offer breakfast and lunch items and both are great!! I love their chicken pita filled with feta cheese!! It's great!!! I recommend this Cafe for breakfast and lunch!! read more

Great breakfast food. Food made to order, fresh squeezed OJ, excellent coffee, great prices and good service. What more can you ask for from a brunch/breakfast spot? My entire party (dining from out of the area) enjoyed what we had, immensely. read more

We were in town for a Reds/Cubs game at the same time Lollapalooza was going on. We ended up staying in Elmhurst and found The Fresh Start Cafe on Yelp. We took a cab from downtown as soon as we arrived in Chicago and had a great breakfast early Saturday morning, but then found ourselves at a loss for how to get to our hotel four miles down the road. I asked the owner, Dimitri, if he had any suggestions. To our surprise, Dimitri offered to give us a ride! The food was good, the service was good, and we got to the hotel ready for a nap. I recommend The Fresh Start Cafe if you're out in Elmhurst. Tell Dimitri that the firefighters from Cincinnati sent you! read more

Holy cow does this place have the best French Toast and fresh squeezed orange juice that I have ever had! Super cute with super friendly service. I highly recommend for your suburban breakfast needs read more

Ohhhhhhhhh Mmmmmmmmmmm GGGGGGGGG!!! Found this place because of yelp and I couldn't be happier! I got the Eggadilla and it is to die for! Perfectly cooked eggs, melted cheese, peppers & onions with a side of sour cream, salsa, guacamole & jalapeños! If you are in the neighborhood definitely stop for breakfast! read more

Fresh Start Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Elmhurst, Illinois

I'm from Elmhurst originally, and when I go back to the burbs to see my folks, we often grab breakfast at Fresh Start. The service is always really nice and efficient. The restaurant is big, which is good because I hate waiting for breakfast. Everything is true to their name - fresh. I usually get the same thing, the Simple Skillet with poached eggs. Their spinach and tomatoes are always nice and again, fresh, and their rye toast is yummy and actually toasted. I love a good breakfast place, and in Elmhurst, this is the go-to place. The coffee does leave a little to be desired, but I'm pretty particular about my coffee. Get some juice and perfectly cooked eggs, and then go take a nap at my mom's house. read more

This is my second time here and it did not disappoint. Fresh Start is on the smaller end but a homey breakfast/brunch café in a strip mall. Service has always been good and the waitresses and hosts are very friendly. They do get busy but the wait wasn't very long, maybe 15 minutes at most. I've had the Gyro Skillet and The Works Omelette and both were generous in portion and made with fresh ingredients. I will definitely be back to try more of their menu! read more

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You can always count on a great breakfast here. The biscuits and gravy and the Pancakes (regular and oatmeal) are my fav's. If your local they'll even Deliver. I live 5min away and it always makes it to me warm. But dining in is always my first choice. read more

Fresh start is located in a strip mall like too much of the suburbs. Nice small America breakfast place.  Wood floors with about 12 tables and 10 booths.  There was also a small platform with a few more booths.  The Decor had a farm feel but this was pulled off with some photos of old farms as opposed to the tacky faux weathered knick knacks.   I love knick knacks when they are genuine, so with this being a new place in a strip mall, they made the right choice. The coffee was good and strong.  They brought out a personal pot which is nice.  They had flavored creamers on the table.  Also they only had standard pacets of sweetener.  So overall coffee was good but not exceptional.   I can at noon on a Saturday.  There was 3-4 waitresses as well as manager and a couple bussers.  The staff was young friendly and energetic.  They were engaged with all customers at all tables with little bits of small talk.  They stopped by each table several times to make sure all was well, even though they were not running around with coffee which is how most places run. I ordered the biscuit and grab with eggs over easy on top.  The biscuit was not leaven correctly.  That is it was thick and did not rise so it was more hockey puck like.  The gravy was light with a good thickness.  It did have real bits of sausage in it but it was not all that flavorful.   The eggs were done perfectly and were the highlight of the meal.  I also had aside of sausage patties.  3 pieces that came pre formed.  Meh ok but not great.   Overall great service and meh food.  At least the bng was meh.  I will stop back by and try again with something new.  The price was also on the more expensive side for breakfast. read more

great local restaurant for breakfast or lunch. Standard menu with the food you'd find most places.. Their soups are good.

I have waited such a long time to try this cafe and finally did so. This review is based on 1 review only. It was lunch time and I wasn't up for breakfast so I perused the lunch menu and honestly had a hard time finding something that appealed to me. The lunch menu has a lot of wraps, sandwiches, and a few salads that are so common in their approach that I was simply not interested. I opted for a burger on a pretzel roll for $9, figuring it must be really a nice burger for $9. I was, in truth, disappointed in the overall burger - it was made from a frozen patty instead of fresh, and I did not care for the flavor. It was also overcooked - and I recalled that the server did not actually ask me how I wanted it cooked (medium please). The service was very good. The server asked if I wanted mustard and even a slice of fresh onion. She brought me a second glass of water, and was overall attentive. I have a feeling that breakfast the the better option here. I don't know if I will return, but only because I just did not find the menu to appeal and I think they should revisit their salad selections. read more

I was offered 5 dollars in a refund For an order that was almost 3 dollars. The majority of the food was inedible, only ate the sandwich and the drinks. Potato pancake was so rubbery. There's a video that's been posted. Super frustrated. Food today was gross. Order was wrong, missing sauces for potato pancake and the chips were a soggy mess. Restaurant claimed it was from condensation but this was much more than that. I'll post the picture. Potato chips, even with condensation shouldn't be soft enough they ALL could be skewered through a plastic knife. I will not order from here again. read more

Fresh Start Cafe - Fountain drink-put it next to a bottle of contact solution for comparison. Considering half the cup is ice, not worth my 2.55. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Elmhurst, Illinois

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We now live about five minutes from here so we've gone a few times for breakfast and lunch. Primarily because it's so close and and we never have to wait to be seated. Staff is friendly, the restaurant is clean and the food is fine. Nothing great. Nothing bad. Several places nearby with much better food but as I mentioned- it's so convenient. read more

Great place, great people. They kindly helped my father in a time of need. Priceless! And a great place for breakfast and lunch!

I've been here now around 5 times. I've never had an issue with their food at all - its actually quite good. Big portions. I got lunch one time, but all the other times I've gotten breakfast (that you can get all day). I really like their omelettes. I like that you can get pancakes instead of toast. I took away 2 stars because of the service. I've had a different server every time and the service is very forgettable. I've had waitresses from young too older and all were like robots and never even cracked a smile. Not very welcoming. I don't go out of my way to come here. Its more out of convenience when I am in the area. read more

My daughter and I were in town for a sports competition and we found Fresh Start on Yelp. Cute cafe, very clean and bright. Staff is very friendly and helpful. Everything on the menu sounded delicious but I saw the waffle going to another table and I was sold. The Belgian waffle with FRESH strawberry compote was absolutely amazing! My daughter ordered the "Bear" and she actually ate every bite! The star of the show has got to be the fresh squeezed Orange Juice! I think we could have had a few more glasses, each! Total for the both of us, before tax/tip, was under $20. Not fasting of cheap but still within budget. Fresh start will definitely be a must-visit place for us in the future! read more

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Me and my family really loved this place! Our experience here at this place is really great! All of the employees are professional, decent, and very accommodating. They all really know how to treat their customers so well and serve the right order/s. Outstanding customer service! Both staff and managers are great to be with! Their menu here is incredibly affordable, all of their food has fair prices, and the quality says it all. This place won't disappoint you! Their offers are great, they have pancakes, omelets, tacos, pita, salads, fries, burgers, and other breakfast and brunch selections. They also have different kinds of drinks such as coffee, tea, soda, and others. This is probably the best food spot in this whole town. Such a great place to eat anytime you want. Great customer service, wonderful staff, wide and clean place, and also phenomenal choices of food! Would really love to go back here again soon with my family and friends! See you guys again soon! Please keep up the good work! Cheers! read more

Great little place. Nothing too fancy but what they have is very good. My favorite is the oatmeal pancakes! Delicious. Only issue I have is the free wifi seems to be a little hit and miss. But probably a sign that I don't need to be on the internet at breakfast. Definitely a staple in my breakfast rotation. read more

Our favorite breakfast place in Elmhurst. My husband and I both like to get the breakfast sampler - choose an omelette, a crepe, and Pancakes/waffles/French Toast. Very good food at a good price. Whenever we take friends or family here, they're always happy too. Even when the place is packed, it's not too crowded and overpacked like some restaurants... Which makes it very baby friendly and enjoyable! Try this place out if you haven't! read more

Small, family owned restaurant. My family frequents this place and LOVES the breakfast there. Service is great and prices are reasonable. Menu includes breakfast and lunch options - I usually opt for the breakfast skillet. Good portion of fresh food! This is the top spot for breakfast in Elmhurst! read more

This place has a great family environment and not to mention delicious food! I love little mom & pop restaurants and this reminds me of one. My family & I eat here often. Has been one of our favorites for years! read more

Love the friendly atmosphere and staff. Breakfast was great! Definitely work checking out.

Really good consistent food. We've been coming to Fresh Start for years - have found that the staff is always friendly, the food is always good and hot, you're never rushed but everything is delivered quickly. I recommend you give it a try! read more