Strawberry pancakes , chocolate chip pancakes and omelettes all very delicious! Diner with a lot of character inside and outside patio. Friendly staff! Check out this great restaurant! read more

Pauline's is always curiously disappointing, which is a shame, because it's one of the few places left that isn't on a main drag, but rather embedded in a quaint nook in West Andersonville. And, naturally, it has a friendly, charming vibe befitting the locale. The food, though, is appallingly average and not necessarily cheap. My latest breakfast was eggs over medium and corned-beef hash with a side of bacon. The eggs were fine, but the hash way too greasy and salty. The bacon was over cooked, the potatoes undercooked, the coffee thin. The whole experience reminded me of the last time I was at Pauline's when I had basically the exact same meal at the same quality. Still, the average joe like me is more or less pre-programmed to like places like this and I'm sure I'll drag ass in there again at some point, but it really could be better. Two caveats: I like their ice cream. I love their fresh-squeezed orange juice. read more

With a self-proclaimed title as having "The Awesomest Andersonville Brunch in the Universe", you better deliver. It doesn't matter about the location, the ambience or even the service; to me, the proof is in the pudding. I LOVE eating breakfast foods, so if you can't get fundamentals such as bacon, potatoes and eggs over-medium done right, you shouldn't be in business. Although the ingredients are definitely fresh, the food was definitely mediocre. The potatoes were so painfully boring i think I may had fallen asleep taking bites out of it. Ann Sather's has a similar potato dish done right. And what the crunk is up with the lumberjack portions? I think most people would prefer quality over quantity. The prices are ridiculously inflated. With my 3 eggs, potatoes, toast, bacon, hotcakes (which, actually, were very good) and OJ, my bill came out to $20.25! I have never spent that much on just myself for breakfast (excluding brunch) before only to have food I should had cooked myself. With a budget like that, I could had even fed 2-3 people that would've tasted better. I vaguely remember eating inside the very first time, with my companion and I wondering about the mental well-being of our server. This time, however, I placed an order to go (on a Thursday) and was helped by a very nice lady over the phone and in person. She was the only saving grace for this last experience. Save your money and hit up Ann Sather (not Svea, they suck even harder). That's the only place out of the 3 that accept debit and credit cards. read more

I've been coming here since I was 2. Love coming here especially in the summer to eat on the patio with my doggies. They are pet friendly in the patio. They bring a water bowl for your furry family members. Breakfast is always good. French toast is the best I have ever had! It's a must have. They don't have a overwhelming menu, just the basics with few specialties, but the quality and ingredients are great. I really only go here for breakfast, lunch menu doesn't seem that big. I will probably keep coming here and maybe one day when I have kids will bring my kids here to. Its very family friendly and a tradition for me and my family on Sundays. read more

Wow, the hash was tas-tee! Me like-ee! We walked right in on a Sunday at 11:30 with no wait for a table for two. When we left an hour later, there were 3-4 parties waiting. This is an old school, no frills kinda breakfast place. The has was good and so were the plate sized pancakes. Not too sweet, crispy around the edges and not soggy in the middle. Three HUGE pancakes for $6.75 with a generous amount of whipped cream and fruit. Pitchers of syrup are on the table, so you won't look like a piggy if you need more than just the little pitcher that so many places give you. A great little neighborhood breakfast joint. I can see many a hangover being relieved here. read more

I left wanting more. Good thing I left with leftovers. :) In all seriousness, I'm confused how anyone can have a problem with this Pauline's. It has so much to love that and couldn't find anything wrong. (And trust, me if someone were to find something bad about a place, it would be me.) So let's hit the checklist: Good Food: Check! Actually, I would have to say great food. My pancakes were fantastic and my bacon was crisped to perfection. I mean it. This is the first time I've had a breakfast place get it just right. Service: Check! My order was correct, all condiments were provided as needed and my drink was refreshed without even having to ask. Also, everyone a Pauline's is super friendly. A definite plus! Atmosphere: Check! I love hole-in-the-wall diners so Pauline's is the perfect size as far as I'm concerned. I'm sure if I had dined here on a weekend day I would be telling you the line was miles down the road. However, now that I've have dined here, should I come back and incur a long wait I would have no problem. It's THAT worth it. Hours of Operation: Open 365 days a year. How fabulous is that? Overall, I was extremely pleased with Pauline's and look forward to my next visit. read more

I like Pauline's. The food is pretty solid, it has outside seating, and it's in a convenient location for me. I usually get the Country Time omelette ant it always hits the spot. The reason I can only give it 3 stars is the service. It's consistently poor. Several servers have attitude. I keep going despite of this but it's definitely a turnoff. read more

This is becoming my regular breakfast joint! I have to say that from their omlettes to their french toast, Pauline's will not disappoint. Their sundried tomatoe and goat cheese omlette is heavenly and delicious!!!! My boyfriend is a huge pancake/french toast lover and they offer light and delicious choices (although we are not a fan of the stuffed french toast - tastes more like bread pudding than ft). One word of advice - BRING CASH (they only accept CASH!!!) read more

Had a basic breakfast before heading to the airport. Food was good, good prices and service was great. read more

Pauline's - Friends eating breakfast at Pauline's - Diners Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Pancake Pancake Pancake. Wow I have never been a fan of pancakes but ever since I have been here I am now a fan. There pancakes are so fluffy and light with a little chew to them. It's amazing. They are huge and their topping are so fresh that you just can't go wrong. We had the banana and the banana are mixed into the batter. read more

This place screams "neighborhood brunch spot". Not for my neighborhood, though, but those in Edgewater/Rogers Park. We ended up hear Sunday to try something different from the usual Clarke's/Melrose/The Grove combination we hit up on the weekends. And my honest thought is that it's just OK. The menu has your standards: omelettes, pancakes, sandwiches (for those of us who don't eat breakfast food), and a random spaghetti and a stir fry dish. The French Bread pudding looked divine and the Pauline's potatoes (roasted red potatoes with peppers, onions, and apples) were absolutely delicious, but the rest of my meal was just... OK. Apparently their fresh squeezed orange juice is phenomenal, so I suppose I missed out. The weirdest part of the breakfast was the fact that the waitresses seemed unable to pour water or coffee from the carafes without spilling it everywhere. Whether there was a hole or a leak in the carafes, or they were just super excited to pour it out quickly and care less about a mess, we probably had a quarter cup of coffee on our table and a glass of water on the floor by the time we were done. Slippage!! The prices are super cheap and, while they claim to serve "huge portions", I was easily able to eat everything on my plate. It's a drive for me to go so unless I find the need to be in the area I probably won't be back. I do, however, catch on to the appeal for many of Pauline's fans and can completely understand why people go. read more

Classic American breakfast items can be found here, but there are also some gems that stick out and make coming here more than once worth it every time. Pumpkin pancakes! The best! Omelets are huge and delicious, potatoes are pretty good, and the biscuits and gravy were a little disappointing as far as the flavors and textures go. Just don't miss out on the pancakes! read more

My wonderful wife gave me a Saturday off from parenting a couple of weeks ago. After my chiro appointment at Ravenswood Wellness, I took a stroll up the block (2 blocks actually) and got a nice table for one in a packed house. I think the packedness of said house may have taken away slightly from the service. The place was a zoo, but a pleasant, happy, kid friendly, zoo. Coffee was very good. I chose the South American omelet with chorizo and jalapeno. Since it was the first time ordering this, I was a little put off to see the jalapenos were raw and used as garnish atop the omelet. I prefer my peppers cooked and will ask them to do so, next time I order this. Overall, I found it to be a good breakfast, certainly not unique to the area, but also not without its own charm. The omelets are 5 eggs a piece so they're serious business, but I left full and content, looking forward to coming back with the wife and kid. read more

Pauline's what a great diner. We were waited on by Olga and she was fantastic. It's a great local spot that beats a lot of other Chicago diners. It's cute, local and tasty. Check it out read more

I've lived in the neighborhood for just about a year and live to frequent this diner for a nice affordable brunch or breakfast. Warm and cozy staff and delicious corned beef hash--available in side sizes too! Keep up the great work guys! read more

I'm giving this 5 stars, because it is as good as it gets for what it is: A local "homecookin" diner with a down-home breakfast / brunch. My favorite aspects are: 1) The gentleman who greets you at the front door, offering you his freshly squeezed orange papaya juice if there is a wait. 2) The freshly squeezed orange papaya juice. 3) The fact that all of their pancakes are made with whole grain batter. 4) The fact that their farm-fresh eggs make all of their omelets so delicious that I rarely have leftovers (or is that bad?). 5) Their selection of herbal teas, for when you just don't feel like having coffee. 6) The 1950s kitsch / decor. So, you should definitely try this place out for brunch if you haven't already. If you stop by on a Sunday, I'll probably be there :) read more

The Best Breakfast place in the city! The staff is always nice, and accommodating. I did have a waitress that kept taking my food to another table but it became quite hilarious after a while. Overall, great establishment and the cheese sandwich with soup is my favorite!! Oh! Oh! The orange Juice is super delicious. read more

The breakfast was great, simple and fresh. The only thing that really bugged me was the bug catchers. The entire time I couldn't stop thinking of them, little disturbing, but nonetheless it wasn't bad, the bug thing is the only thing that would keep me from going back. read more

Pauline's - Diners Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We used to go to Pauline's all the time. The food is reliably standard and pretty good for a weekend morning. The owner is a complete freak! This is so funny that it has actually become a family story. The first time we went to Pauline's we were accompanied by my brother who swore by the place. It was the beginning of summer, so we sat outside. There was a line of people waiting-- patiently, mind you-- and all of the tables were close to one another. The owner was freaking out about the wait and decided to push the tables around to make more room for chairs, so he PICKED UP MY BROTHER BY HIS CHAIR AND MOVED HIM! He didn't even say hello! We had several visits to Pauline's before the next incident. At that time we were eating breakfast with my brother again and had just ordered coffee. The spastic owner got too excited about pouring my coffee and splashed some on my hand. It kinda hurt, so I said something. He took my hand and KISSED IT. So now the joke is that it is my husband's turn to be molested by this guy. First, my brother gets bear-hugged, then I get kissed -- we figure it is my husband's turn to get hmmmm..... Instead, the last time we were at Pauline's (and I mean the LAST TIME) the waitress got my order wrong twice, and on the second order of my omelette I found a hair in my food. A long, non-me hair. At that point I was done. My husband finished his food quickly and we started to rush out. The owner noticed that we were in a hurry and asked what was wrong and I told him about the hair. He said, "You have to tell me these things!" in a very loud voice and was very upset. Then he insisted on paying for our entire meal. That was a nice gesture, and the right thing to do, but not enough to entice me to come back. read more

Would like to award 3.5 stars... My BLT was average. Not bad - I'd order it again if I was in a BLT mood (although if I go back, I'm trying the breakfast next time). However, the fries...the fries were amazing (and I don't really like fries). They do this weird batter thing where they cut the potatoes in fry shape and then batter the fries before they fry them. I know you're imagining some thick batter - but it was more like a flaky added bonus on the fries. So delicious. Overall, a fun experience. On a really hot day you should beware though - I don't think they have a/c. read more

Great food, great service! I usually meet my grandpa here right when they open at 7 am on weekends, and they're fully prepared with the fresh juice and serving. Never had a bad experience here. read more

They've the most amazing ham and beans out and that says a lot since I'm not a big soup person. Sadly the hollandaise sauce is a disappointment. You list a traditional eggs Benedict on the menu but the sauce is more of a cream and has dill in it. I hate dill. The chef must not be anything because when asked if he can just make a regular traditional hollandaise sauce, the response was, sorry, we have a batch already done. Its 3 ingredients, com'on. read more

Egads. Why do people eat here? The service is unbelievably slow, the food is average, the wait is too long, and the guy who runs the place seems unhinged. I've seen him curse out elderly women, yell at customers in line for not visiting when he had more staff, and "clean" a table by spraying it and the customers seated at it with copious amounts of windex. Yikes. read more

I've been to Pauline's but have never actually eaten the food. All I wanted was some kind of combo meal that came with eggs, bacon, hash browns, and toast that I was hoping to substitute (and pay extra) for a pancake. They have no such thing on the menu. Not even a variation of that combination. I would have had to order everything a la carte and that would have added up to around $15 or $16 dollars. Nope. Not gonna do it. I paid for the terribly bland coffee and went somewhere else. I'm sorry, but if you're only open for breakfast, then you should really have the most basic breakfast combo on your menu. read more

Service was fast, friendly and there's outdoor seating in nice weather. The portion sizes were a good size. The hash browns very good ! Eggs were done just like I asked and bacon cooked perfectly. The orange juice came in a huge ball jar with handle with a slice of orange on the rim. Nice touch. The decor is really cute with all sorts of little knick knacks. You really feel like your in a little out of the way place and not in Chicago. read more

Pauline's - Diners Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Brunch with really good friends is mostly about the fellowship with those you love, so I enjoyed my time this afternoon at Pauline's. I was also glad to finally try it out, having read about it's uniqueness and been told so much about it by friends. Glad I went and glad I spent time with friends. However, I have no idea how anyone could ever give this Denny's with kitsch anything more than 3 stars. I give it a 2 because, frankly, I've been to so many better brunch spots that Pauline's makes for a poor comparison. I could have just as easily given it a 3 for "effort". Decor: cute, very old school. Waiter table assigments taped to tables or wall, old plastic colorful plates, and cheesy tablecloths like grandma used to have. I tried not to look at the kitchen or too closely at the dishes or tablecloths. Old can sometimes mean years of baked in germs and dirt. Yuk! Service: friendly and efficient. Maui was charming and accomodating. The friendly owner really cares about the place and kept checking on us. Evil woman at entrance was ignorable. Food: average would be best I could give this place for taste. But because my food was also lukewarm I have to say below average. Denny's after a night of drinking comes to mind. Except I was not drinking so food was just disappointing. As for the drinking, again, I think brunch is not brunch without mimosas. Call it lunch, or call it breakfast, but if you don't have a bloddy mary option on the menu, don't front! Value: not bad. 20 bucks per person and we had all the store mix pancakes and bland eggs we wanted. read more

Pretty good omelette- nothing to rave about, but was satisfying. Asked if I could get chorizo in my Mexican omelette (it was right below the South American omelette on the menu which had chorizo, but the Mexican had more things I liked in it). Said yes, was good, etc. Bill came- I was charged for 2 juices (only had 1) and $4.35 for corned beef hash (didn't order). When I told the waitress, politely, of the error she got super defensive and said "yeah, WELL, that's the only way I could ring up the chorizo for your omelette." and grabbed the reciept and returned with only the extra juice taken off. So apparently I was charged $4.35 for chorizo added to an omelette. Seriously dude? Seriously? I assumed extra meat added would be maybe in the $1.75-$2.00 range, like ordering a side of bacon or sausage. SERIOUSLY? $4.35? B.S. If an additional item really costs $4.35 extra I'd expect to be notified about it when I order. Or it better be wearing gold plated diapers. I won't be back. read more

I agree with other reviewers that the service was less than satisfactory. However, the food was quite delicious. It made up for the poor service. My main complaint was the that "5 egg omelet" was definitely made of 3 eggs or less. I ordered the spinach, feta, and tomato omelet with a side of potatoes and wheat toast. I enjoyed all of it, including the free coffee refills! I plan on returning soon, maybe for a good hangover meal read more

This place was a short walk from my old condo in Bowmanville. I frequented it occasionally when I was looking for a no frills, straight up breakfast place. Now I am not a breakfast person, I am a brunch person. I think these are two very different types of people. I would classify this as a breakfast place. It has a cute diner meets grandma appeal. I've had the cheddar bacon waffle which I found to be the perfect salty-sweet-savory combination to satisfy this brunch fiend. Most of the other people I've been here with chose your more typical breakfast items: pancakes, eggs, etc. Everyone I've been here with has said they've enjoyed their food. Pleasant waitstaff, affordable, and satisfying . . . even to a brunch person. read more

I went for breakfast early on a Thur morning and there was almost no one in the restaurant which is completely different from the weekend when it is packed to the gills. Eventhough two people saw me standing at the entrance, obviously waiting to be seated, I had to ask if I could just seat myself. After that the service was perfectly good. The waitress was friendly. I had the omelette special (spinach/tomato/feta) which was good and not too too dry. The potatoes that came with it were fine but I really prefer my potatoes crispy. The coffee was aweful. Truely aweful. It was only drinkable while eating for which the coffee served as a palette cleanser more than anything with a good taste unto itself. I was going to order some bacon but a side of it was $3.95. I could buy two pounds of bacon at a supermarket for that much. Ridiculous! read more

Always a great breakfast. Eaten here many times. In the summers it's a great place to sit outside and bring the pooch.

The food is good, and the price isn't bad. But, the service is ok. I think the menu is pretty good, and there are a good variety of choices. They have some unusual items that I think most people should be pleasantly surprised by, But, I would never go here during brunch. The lines are just too long, and the place isn't exactly large. Go there and treat yourself to a really good meal, but not if you see lines during the wknd brunch. read more

Breakfast was decent, service was abysmal. Ridiculously slow service on a not very busy Friday morning--no menus given when we were seated outside. Had to ask for them. Curt, unfriendly waiter, forgetful service (iced tea refill went MIA--had to ask another server for my refill), overcooked corned beef hash, rare coffee refills. Won't be in any hurry to return. read more

Pauline's is our favorite brunch place in Chicago!! Pat provides that friendly smile and amazing service that we love. We always know that we are going to have a great day when we start here read more

Pauline's - Diners Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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It's hard to give Pauline's three stars, because the servers are friendly and it used to be a favorite for us, but the quality of the food on days when the place is packed (Saturdays and Sundays) suffers. Also, when it's packed, expect to be jostled by other guests, servers, and bussers for the duration of your meal. And the bathroom is in the back of the kitchen, which means you go through the kitchen to get there... and it's not very clean. The whole place could use a major facelift, but I know they like to keep it "diner-kitsch", so I doubt that'll happen. Here's my best and worst experiences; you decide. Best experience: On Christmas Day last year, my dad took my brother, my fiance and I to breakfast at Pauline's because they were one of the only neighborhood places open on Christmas. It was great! We were one of the only tables, everyone loved our meal, our server was really sweet. I have fond memories of that meal. Worst experience: At like 2:45 on a Saturday, we took some friends to Pauline's for a late afternoon snack. The staff did not want us there. They were closing at 3:00, they were cleaning up, they weren't paying attention to us. We all wanted chocolate milkshakes, which are on the menu. They said they couldn't do it, because they were "out of chocolate." Now really. Any place that "runs out of chocolate" (I personally think they just didn't want to make them) on a Saturday when people will be in for belgian waffles on Sunday morning can't call itself a diner. I'm from New Jersey, so I am picky about diners, but I think running out of chocolate sauce or ice cream or whatever on a weekend is on par with running out of eggs or french fries. read more

Kinda surprised at the 3-star rating. I thought I'd be preaching to the choir on this page. Why 4 stars? Probably because I tend to like my breakfast either very early or mid-morning. Which is why I have yet to wait for a table. If I had to wait very long, I probably would mash it down to 3.5 stars. It's such a cute, small neighborhood diner. As one-half of a childless couple, when I normally find children an annoyance at some restaurants, (Sorry parents, but think back to when you were single...) at Pauline's, they're quite endearing. It's like walking into a relatives house for brunch. No frills. And with that understood, I like this place a lot. The food is not phenomenal, but good for weekend mornings when I don't feel like getting up early and cooking omelettes, pancakes, etc. This place definitely hits the spot. They're not looking for that bizarre flavor pairing that will knock your socks off. They just serve good food. I don't find their prices much more than a Denny's or IHOP. And rather than getting that fresh out of the can flavor, Pauline's flavors are fresh. This morning I met my family there for brunch (party of 7), and I'm assuming because of the holiday, they were a lot busier than usual. I loved that our waitress took the time to explain this to us, and instead of serving all our food together, offered to serve it to us as it was ready. In preparation for this, we ordered a stack of pancakes and biscuits and gravy to tie us over for the wait. She didn't bat an eyelash when we asked for small plates so we could all share in the entrees as they arrived. It was a long meal-- I think it took almost an hour and a half. But due to our server's insight and recommendations, it turned what could've been a disastrous visit into a memorable one. I highly recommend the Crabmeat Eggs Benedict. It wasn't served with crabcake, but crab chunk meat, which offered just as much saltiness as ham. Delicious. My brother-in-law had the South American omelette which wasn't greasy, even with all that lovely chorizo packed inside. French Toast was surprisingly toasty, which lended a great texture to what can be an easily soggy dish. The pancakes are buttery and fluffy. (Seeing them on the griddle on our way out on our 1st visit solidified our 2nd visit.) I ordered the asparagus and goat cheese omelette. While still good, I think I might try something else next time. I did bring leftovers home for tomorrow's breakfast. (portions are that big) If you want a home-cooked meal w/o cooking at home, and have that "homey" feeling of it, Pauline's is the place for you. read more

I'm done with this place. Have given them several tries and the food is mediocre, service is weird, and they seem to have raised their prices-- so it's not even worth the cheap greasy spoon angle anymore. Don't get me wrong, I'm not expecting "gourmet", but I never really enjoy the flavor of what I'm eating here or feel compelled to finish it. I've tried the turkey burger and a couple omelettes, all of which were bland. This past time was the last straw. First, my Greek Omelette with Feta and spinach was really dry, and the olives garnishing it were generic canned black olives. I could've done a better job at home, for half the price. Our side of bacon was also grossly undercooked, nearly raw. Finally, after asking if we wanted toast, bagel, or texas toast (neglecting to mention a surcharge for texas toast), our waitress charged us for it and was unapologetic when I explained we would never have ordered it had we known...or had she not specifically listed it as being included. (I realize it's not a huge amount, but it surely wasn't WORTH a surcharge, and her attitude was the most disturbing thing.) What a disappointment! read more

The foods is pretty good. The service was not good what so ever. Our server took 15 mins just to take our order and it took another 30 mins to eat. Not fun when other tables came in after you and are already eating and you have a screaming toddler because they are starving. We will not be returning to Pauline's FYI they do not accept credit cards. read more

There is nothing pretentious, snooty or uppity about Pauline's. I have only been for breakfast - and it is awesome. You get a home-cooked feeling from the food that takes me back to Sunday mornings with my Mom. The service is fast and consistent. The decor at Pauline's is charming, down-home-on-the-farm chic. Do not expect fine dining - that is not what this place is about. Instead, come for the warm memories that come from simple, well-prepared food. read more

Food is above average and service is nice. Good for either breakfast or brunch. Lunch menu does not have as many options. Portions are large. read more