Good food, good service and good atmosphere. I felt like I was having Thanksgiving dinner at my mom's house. I will definitely return.

Since much of Northwest Indiana was dealing with horrific storms that passed through causing power outages and great damage, I headed north to Johnel's and to find an open gas station. It was my first visit to Johnel's restaurant. It was packed in there because they had an inhouse generator that kept the place open for business. It was like Brookfield zoo in there, very crowded and it appears some the animals escaped captivity and came here for breakfast. My breakfast was adequate but nothing above and beyond. The ham was thin, with burned areas and not off the bone as I like it, but oh well. The coffee was bitter, I probably could have scrubbed and cleaned a frying pan with it. I was hungry, the price was right and I was satisfied. The service was good. My server was painfully pierced and tattooed and if the wind got a hold of her, she's look like a sheet of wallpaper flying down the street. There is no accounting for good taste in presentation these days. Johnel's wasn't bad but sure wasn't the best! All depends on how hungry or picky you are. Bon Appetite! read more

Very nice eggs Benedict with thick slice of ham and luscious Hollandaise sauce. Pecan roll was home-baked and loaded! I'd rather they'd asked if I wanted it toasted cuz it was a little too well-done but the leftover will be delicious French toast Christina gave us great service; sorry we sat so long catching up! Cute little place in need of some touch-ups but super convenient and we left full with leftovers. Thanks Johnel, whoever you are! read more

Johnel's Restaurant - Benny & pecan roll - American Near Me - Hammond, Indiana

The food was good. As expected for diner type food. They were very accommodating. Staff was amazing! So friendly, happy to help out with whatever we needed and were happy to let me sit and talk with with my aunt after we finished eating, who I was visiting while on a work trip. Definitely would go back again! read more

My omelet was o.k., my wife ordered a vegetarian omelet with cheese. Her Hadh browns were crunchy in places. She didn't like it. Her omelet had to be sent back because no cheese as she ordered. When it came back, 4 slices of cheese wad put on the top not melted. She was turned off. Yoli served us, and she was actually the highlight of the Breakfast. Prompt service, she was nice, and did all to accommodate. The ambiance cas family friendly, clean, and a beautiful staff. I recommend this place if your money is low, and you are balling on a budget. Beautiful people, and service, but the food was o.k. read more

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Took my family there 2/13/26 for breakfast. We were a party of 6 including my 5 year old daughter. We got sat in a separate area from everyone else, all of our food was cold and it wasn't busy at all. My wife advised me to complain but I didn't want to be looked at as the angry black guy trying to be difficult. Well I got home and ended up getting sick from something I ate there. I most definitely will never visit again! read more

This could have been handled very easy. My order was wrong I contacted the restaurant and they offered me a refund or remake and I accepted and told them I will come in the morning. When I go in the morning the manager tells me to wait for the owner which is a 2 hour wait and after I tell her that's not why I'm here and talked about she then finally offers me a cash refund. She keeps going on and on and I tell her I don't care just issue refund she then denied me and called cops that were in the restaurant lol . Horrible service Johnel's do better read more

Johnel's Restaurant - Fat manager - American Near Me - Hammond, Indiana

I went with my grandkids. We had a very enjoyable meal and the waitress was extremely pleasant. She made us feel at home. The food was great. read more

A really solid diner. Excellent service and food. I usually get the BLT but everything I've had over the years is good.

I was recently in this establishment and the little short lady was racist towards me. What I mean is I came in with a white customer and she took my order for a slice of strawberry cheesecake first, then took his lengthy breakfast order. I paid for my cheesecake first which was located in a front counter. She proceeded to go around the other side of the restaurant then came back to the counter to take care of three other customers at which time.. Finally after taking care of the other three customers I finally got my cheesecake. This was unacceptable and I will recommend people don't patronize this establishment due to poor customer service. read more

Food was lacking since our last visit here just 2 years ago. Worse yet we found an insect in the cottage cheese with the stuffed tomato and tuna salad plate. Reported to the manager, showed her the plate, and promptly left. We have the photo but will refrain from uploading it here. That was the last time we will ever eat at Johnel's. read more

Not a bad place at all. Grabbed breakfast here one morning. Service was very good. Food was tasty. Nothing spectacular to report, but then again, nothing horrible to report either. I'd go back. read more

Johnel's Restaurant - Breakfast before Thanksgiving dinner. - American Near Me - Hammond, Indiana

This was our first time out to dine in as a family since the shelter in place started. We chose this spot cause it had good reviews and wasn't too far from our home. They made sure to keep everyone at a good distance from each other and all the employees had on gloves and masks. The food was good and very inexpensive and there's portions were big. Restaurant was very clean and had a nice family feel, definitely good for a meal out with the kids. They have a parking lot and is connected to a Ramada Inn. I think if you're in Indiana looking for a family breakfast spot this place is worth a try. read more

. I just placed a to-go order and well the host can't hear a thing. I asked for a skirt steak and eggs but they had no skirt steak, so I asked what did they have, she listed sirloin and rib eye, so I'm alright cool I'll just get the sirloin and eggs, she said which steak, I said sirloin, she said "rib-eye?" I said again no sirloin... now once she got that, I asked that the sirloin be MW, after that I also requested the rib-eye for a separate meal, and for that to be medium. When I came to pick up I checked to make sure things were good, because I expected them to not be, and with no surprise the rib-eye was well done, and the sirloin was medium.. like dude how . Now I got myself a skillet and asked for my eggs to be over easy & mfs made them over medium, I just wanted my yolk to spill out. My boyfriend and best friend who had the steaks both said their steaks were each very bland , I myself tried each of theirs and yes I can tell you it tasted like they just grabbed the cut up cow and threw it on the grill to cook in its own juice. Seriously not even a pinch of the chefs salt touched that steak. I knew too cause I had the same experience a year ago but gave them the benefit of the doubt, I hate that I do this to myself honestly just don't be me you'll regret it every time. And also please note their prices on their website are inaccurate they charge way more than presented. Just absolutely not worth it. read more

Johnel's is one of those restaurants I've been patronizing for years. They have a wide variety of food (breakfast served all day) and its not small portions. With the free refills on soft drinks and coffee, you can't go wrong. Their prices are average for the area so no complaints there, neither. Generally when I go (like most recently) it will be on a weekend morning so am always in the mood for either a skillet or omelette which they serve fresh out of the kitchen with toast or pancakes. They also serve alcoholic beverages and have man desserts to choose from. So if you are looking for a great family style restaurant in Hammond, check them out. read more

We ordered take out. the person who took our order was not trained properly. I had a feeling they would mess up once again. However, since this is a neighborhood establishment....I went forward with my order. When we didn't receive a piece of our order, my assumption stood correct. Poor work ethics from their employ and the response is poor. I see post covid is affecting them. No condiments and lower quality ingredients. The beef barley came from a CAN!! read more

The coffee was cold, the salad was brown, the ranch dressing was watery,most of the waitresses stood around playing on their phones, the store was neat and quiet...... read more

The veal Parmigian was really good as well as the service, apparently the cook was behind, about a 25 minute wait. I would definitely go again. read more

Food was decent and plentiful but restaurant has not been updated since it opened. Dirty torn carpet, ripped vinyl seats. No covid spacing protocols. Bulbs out in some of the chandeliers. read more

Working at the refinery on nights. Stopped for chow with my pal. Enjoyed a nice breakfast. Coffee still good, service better still! French toast was doing it for me. read more

I gotta say, I was pleasantly surprised! I walked in thinking this would be a Denny's type experience, had all the trappings. Johnel's is a huge restaurant, it was Saturday at about 10:45am and I was sure I'd be there for an hour with the wait. I ordered the Denver omelet, with pancakes, with little expectation more than hot food. The order came out in about fifteen minutes, impressive because there must have been close to a hundred people there. The food was piping hot, homemade, and delicious! The Denver omelet was filled to the brim with ham, green pepper, and onions. The pancakes were small (it was a short stack, mind you), but they were perfectly cooked and so tasty. The coffee was just "meh," but you don't come to Johnel's for the coffee. The food (at least the breakfast) is outstanding, and so affordable! My bill was $11. I live in Chicago where you can't sneeze for less than $20! Will for sure be returning! read more

Admittedly I just stopped in for a coffee meeting, but the menu looks great. I really like Johnel's atmosphere. Classic old school diner, nice and clean with friendly service. The coffee was really good and my server kept it coming with the refills. They also included a small basket of rolls even though we just did the coffee thing. Definitely a place worth checking out again when I'm in the area for a meal. read more

The food was amazing but our server accused us of robbing the money that was left on the table we were seated at. She didn't say it to our face but she was telling her coworker. I don't know if she assumed we stole it due to being Latinos but I felt racially attacked. read more

got seated immediately which was good but there was a bug crawling on our table. Noticed a bug in our salt shaker which was disgusting and also had a hair in my omelette. We waited long for our food and the waitress apologized and said something about the chef missing our ticket. The restaurant is in dire need of a remodel and just seems unclean overall. i won't be returning read more

Crazy huge family restaurant off the major interstates just south of Chicago! I-80 exit towards Iowa was close so we had to veer towards the city, I figured out if we got off at this exit we could drive south and hit back up with 80! But yes we had a crying baby... with a full diaper and a hungry mom, also a dad who could take a pee! We got off the exit and spotted Johnel's... we thought maybe Family soul food, but what we found was a huge family diner type place where I think breakfast is served all the time! Ashley got a veggie skillet, with toast, after cleaning our sons diaper in the bathroom, which apparently was one for the record books! I got an OJ and called it a day! The place was big and they let us sit in a private, so my wife could nurse our baby while rocking the skillet.. The staff was super nice. Only bummer really was they had Fox News playing on the tv, which naturally I couldn't keep my eyes off of, because of the bat crap crazy talk they were talking! All in all. This was a much needed spot and I really enjoyed our time here! read more

Johnel's Restaurant - American Near Me - Hammond, Indiana

Good breakfast spot for when we are passing through. The waitress was very nice and we got seated quickly since we beat the Sunday rush. Bacon was crispy and my eggs were done right- over easy. Coffee was good but small cups so needed refills regularly but the waitress filled them quickly. They have a bar that serves liquor after four Mon-Sat til close. Other than that it's a regular diner atmosphere and food choices. read more

Stayed at the hotel next door and wanted a Blue Moon and some food before I went to my room to sleep. The waitress, who treated me more like I was an inconvenience than a guest, told me curtly that they didn't have Blue Moon and then ratted off the list of all the beers they had that were nothing like Blue Moon. So, I told her I'd just take a vodka and pineapple juice cocktail then; she again curtly told me they only have orange and cranberry juice. So I ordered an orange and vodka; when I got the drink I assumed the white stuff on the glass was just condensation but as I drank I realized it was just scum. I asked for a clean glass but was given another cocktail instead for which they charged me! I asked for seltzer with lime as well and was told they don't have seltzer; I asked for soda water instead and was told that their new soda machine no longer has the soda water option... I asked for tonic and they said they also don't have tonic... all of these are very basic offerings in even the worst of bars let alone in a restaurant. Keep in mind that to get through the steps detailed above I had to get the attention of other staff because the waitress paid no attention to me. I ordered the Grecian Salad to go as I really wanted the mixed greens they advertised on the menu under this salad. When I finally opened my salad I found no mixed greens, just cheap iceberg lettuce... So, I guess if you have extremely low expectations for your food and drinks and especially for the service, this would be the place for you; but if you want just some basic service and drinks and have the great expectation that what you read on the menu would actually be put in the dish you order, this place might not be worth your time and money. They have a good location and with a different crew this restaurant could do well but currently that's not happening. read more

Super nice staff. We were starving when we got there so my high rating may be bumped up b/c of the hunger talking. We stopped by on our drive across Indiana at around 9:30 pm. The Greek chicken dinner was great, and the parmesan chicken sandwich was super moist. Both meals came with french fries. The lemon chicken & rice soup was delicious - apparently it's their specialty. The portions are generous & the overall experience was positive. read more

Ate here on New Year's Eve before the festivities at Horseshoe Casino. I had already read some reviews here before we went, and was hoping they'd have the lemon rice soup. They did! And it was GOOD! I ordered from their specials of the day -- a Grecian style chicken breast served over rice. The sauce on top of the chicken was much like the lemon soup -- paired with the Grecian seasonings and the char of the grill -- it was delicious!! I devoured my meal and left happily stuffed. My friend had the roast turkey -- and she couldn't finish there was so much food. I just wish Johnel's was closer!!! I'm about an hour and 20 minutes from there, but you better believe that I will be looking for a reason to make my way out there again soon. Next time I'm ordering the skirt steak and eggs!! I'm a SUCKER for skirt steak, and I have high expectations.... sooooo..... we'll see if they can fill it. read more

Johnel's food was okay. The customer Service was wonderful but the restaurant seemed to be a little outdated. I did not care for the dish I had. I feel as if they offered better desserts than food. The Oreo cheesecake was pretty decent. Maybe I'll try the restaurant one more time to formulate a better assessment about the quality of food. read more

Johnel's Restaurant - American Near Me - Hammond, Indiana

Great place to have breakfast, lunch, and dinner with family. Very fast service. The waiters are very nice and always check up on you to ask if you need anything else. The bread rolls and croissants are delicious. The soup wasn't that great I had the creme of chicken and rice. I also ordered the johnels special sandwich with turkey breast and turkey bacon. I love turkey! It was alright not all that great as it sounded maybe bc the tomatoes tasted too soggy. The raspberry ice tea was delicious!!!! Other than that the waiters make you feel very welcome and bring your food right away. I was surprised it was fast service especially on a Sunday it was a little packed there. I recommend if you're looking for a breakfast, lunch, or dinner place to eat for the whole family and are looking for fast service. read more

Johnel's Restaurant - Yummy - American Near Me - Hammond, Indiana

Good family style restaurant, with a huge menu. I also recently had for lunch an amazing amount food for $10.00. I had their fried smelt lunch for $8.75, which was ok, but the smelt basically was a generous serving of heavily battered fried frozen fish sticks. For another $1.25, I made it a complete dinner, which meant in addition I got a vegetable noodle soup, a salad, a small bowl of cottage cheese, and a dessert - a huge slice of carrot cake. Probably the most non-buffet amount of food I've ever gotten for $10. read more

Johnel's Restaurant - Storefront - American Near Me - Hammond, Indiana

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Cheap good food Veggie omelet and crepes Come here every day Mom loves it Next to chase bank read more

the lady with the blue eyes is very rude and racist if you ask me. her attitude the way she talked to me and I was just asking about the foid it was my first time read more

Worst meal ever today at Johnel's. My over medium eggs came out raw so I sent them back and the came back steaming hot like they had been in the microwave and were like rubber. I was not charged for the eggs but no one apologized either. My drink was never refilled. The carpet is dirty and torn in several places. This used to be a pretty good place. Not anymore. Not a good experience and I will not go back. read more

My wife and I pulled off the highway after a stay in Chicago and this place was waiting at the bottom of the exit. They were so nice and friendly. My wife wanted root beer but wanted to know what kind they had. The waitress went and got her a drink to let her know and try it all on her own free will. The food was amazing and the service was quick. I definitely recommend stopping at this's "mom and pop " gem. read more

Johnel's Restaurant is a diner style restaurant with a large menu. The food is good, the restaurant is clean, and the dining area always has customers. This is clearly a neighborhood staple! read more

Love this place classic Greek diner , The bad - not open 24 hours , most of the seafood is frozen , put in the deep fryer (reason for only 4 stars ) Lets get to the Good - burgers , sandwiches , lemon Rice soup , Really good breakfast on par with purple Steer and A Round the clock . I just found a new Favorite which is 5+ !! Lamb Chops with lemon rice soup , baked potato and a little side of lemon , olives , tomato, feta !! Ordered it for carry out ready in 20 minutes (sandwiches , burgers ready in 10 ) back to the Lamb chops carry out around 19 bucks with tax which isn't bad , cheap for the quality !! Long story short check out the breakfast, burgers , sandwiches ,Soup and Specials - Lamb Chops 5+ I've gotta check out the prime rib and a few other specials !! read more

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A friend of mine lives down the block from this place and I insist that we go there every time I'm in town. Holy cheapness! I forget how expensive living in Chicago can be. A giant plate of AMAZING biscuits and gravy with a side of suspiciously good (ie: most likely filled with butter/sooo fattening) scrambled eggs set me back $6. Coffee hit the spot after a night of insomnia: also cheap, constantly refilled, freshly brewed and strooong. And the cornbread! The freakin' cornbread! I'm no size zero but I can see why I was one of the most petite patrons here... Heh... I had to. Hammond might not have JapaneseThaiMiddleEasternIndianLatin&so on like we do, but they have Johnel's. Touché, Indiana. Touché. read more

Well, I was only here once today, but if I move to this area, I'll probably be seeing a fair amount of this place. Only like 3 blocks from the expressway, it's convenient to get to if you're visting Hammond or heading out. And if you're in a hurry, that's good too, since I think I was in and out in a half hour. I came around 3pm and had a $10.95 breakfast of a marinated skirt steak, 2 eggs scrambled and a healthy side of hash browns...what John T. also cited in his review. While I wouldn't say that anything was the best I've had, it was all very solid and four stars in every aspect. While I'm sitting here talking about breakfast food, let me turn 180 and also say they've also got a bar on the other side. read more