I've eaten at Pauline's twice. Both times I felt like I was being hurried up and pushed out. The staff kept running up and down the aisle next to me, brushing past and bumping me. Then they started furiously sweeping up the floor and piling the chairs on the tables even before I got my food. I timed my visit so that I could eat from 2 to 3 p.m., as it closed at 3 p.m. The decor is an absolutely hideous red and green, and the oil table cloths are equally as ugly. The food was very average, calorie-laden fare and over-priced for the neighborhood and quality of food. Nothing on the menu was for a person interested in healthy eating. I agree with the other interviewer on Yelp who doesn't understand how this place stays in business. On the plus side, Pauline's is located on a very nostalgic corner on Ravenswood Street across from the Metra train line. Plenty of trees abound forming a very pleasant outdoor seating area. The outdoor tables have umbrellas for shade. However, I can find a lot better places (with much better food) to eat in Anderson for the same prices that this place charges! P.S. They don't take credit cards, but they have an ATM on the outside of the building. read more

The world needs more breakfast places like this. Completeley unpretentious and laid back, while given the quality of food and in Chicago, you might expect a different mood. Try it, you won't be disappointed. read more

I had the egg and pancake special and it was pretty good. The portions were big for the cost. I asked for the strawberries and whipped cream on my pancakes and I literally got like 4 thinly sliced slivers of strawberries and a dollop of whipped cream. My eggs were not cooked as I ordered but I ate them anyway. I would go again just because it is within walking distance of my house but the food and service were just okay. The information says that they don't take credit cards, but on the door they have a Visa, Mastercard, and Discover sticker so they apparently do now. read more

Something has changed here. I have lived conveniently around the corner from Pauline's for over 8 years. Love that it was so close, and the food was great. It was always a big favorite among visiting out-of-towners. However, the food during the last few visits has been disappointing, and I'm not planning to return unless I hear of any changes. Eggs were a little under done. Sausage...you know if you were to put a sausage link in the microwave, and the middle is barely cooked and the ends have the hell cooked out of them...all hard and overcooked? That's what my sausage was like. Not sure if they were microwaved or not. If so, I'm perfectly happy waiting a little longer to have it grilled. Toast...had a greasy/grill taste, as if it were cooked on the grill and not in a toaster. Maybe that's why the sausage was microwaved, cuz the toast was hogging up the whole grill. Their famous potatoes...potatoes were fine, but the peppers had a wicked chemical taste. So I picked those out. It's like every item in my breakfast had an issue with it. So sad because it's so close and used to be so good. read more

I love this spot! Thank you for always providing such great service!!! We can make reservations! The food is good! What more can you ask for?!? read more

Do I really need 5 eggs in my omelette? This place used to be a lot trashier back in the day, with pictures of patrons stuck everywhere, Elvis and Marilyn posters mixed in with ads for Pork products. Lots of pancakes and bread and meat products here, not a lot for those doing an ass-reduction diet. The plates are big, the coffee is very good enough and you better bring cash cause they have not yet entered the credit/debit card era. read more

Hello Pauline? It's me Heather. Weight Watchers or no Weight Watchers, I CANNOT depreive myself of Sunday Morning Breakfast. It's like a weekly holiday. I would walk across Hell's half acre for biscuits and gravy. Split wine, walk on water.... you name it, I'd do it. Gimme the fluffy biscuits and savory gravy. Pauline's is the cutest little neighborhood diner, providing some of the most stellar breakfast I've had in this city to date.... and I've been here for a solid 400 Sunday's, so, that's a LOT of desayuno. The portions are borderline offensive, and I mean that in a good way. You could EASILY feed 2 people with 1 breakfast entree. The menu will tell you they make "5 egg omlettes". This is a lie. It's like a dozen, and STUFFED with veggies and meats and cheeses galore. All breakfast's come with "Pauline's famous potatoes" and a side of toast. Pauline's potatoes are not that famous in my book. Standard red skins cut into chunks, and put on a griddle with peppers and onions. I prefer my hashies to be of the frozen, more glutenous variety, i.e. cooked in a vat of grease and salt, and served to me piping hot and crispy. These just don't make the cut, but the other food is totally worth accepting her sub par potatoes. I've only seen their lunch entrees, but never sampled. I can't NOT get the biscuits n' gravy when I'm there. The lunch stuff looks equally appealing. Pretty sure I threatened a waitress's life for the Patty Melt she had on her tray, but don't worry, I haven't been black listed. Pauline's is worth the drive if you don't live near Andersonville. There is plenty of easy street parking, service is always outstanding and FAST, food is ALWAYS delicious, and I always roll out smiling. I mean roll is its most literal sense. Please do not count on your pants fitting you after a visit to Pauline's. read more

I LOVE Pauline's! I was first brought here when I moved to Chicago back in 1999 and I have been a regular ever since. I don't order much more than the Old Favorite and breakfast so I don't know how their lunches are, but overall it's a great place! I also have my meetings there with my staff sometimes and they all love it too! I am sure every business has it's bad days, but I would check it out again if you didn't like it before. :)))))) XOX read more

I have been here many times so I wanted to give this a review. I have only eaten breakfast here. Every time I went it was outstanding! It's a hidden gem on Ravenswood Ave. Parking can be tough but circle the block for Pauline's! Their eggs and pancakes are delicious. The decor of the restaurant is quirky and fun. The staff here is very sweet. I haven't been here in a while but I'm craving me some Pauline's :) read more

If this place wasn't so darn far North I would be here every weekend. Eggs, guaranteed 5 days old? Hell yes, I love some runny ass eggs washing over my breakfast and the fresher the better. Peach pancakes? This is an easy thing to screw up and they didn't, fresh ripe peaches and a perfect pancake. In house made corned beef hash? Hell yeah! I hate that canned crap so don't even bother putting it on a menu. Biscuits and gravy! Too bad for the haters they don't have that pasty floury crap that is so prevalent, they only have the silky kind with fresh Italian sausage in it. The potatoes were cooked perfectly and the coffee was great. Any time I can sneak around the kitchen while searching for the bathroom is a plus. read more

My friend recommended this place and we walked there - but I can imagine that parking in the immediate area would be a potential problem.The decorating is so quirky & fun! :)) It definitely looks like a diner though - almost looks to the point of maybe it is not clean or just maybe it is old??? But quaint & cute. But the service was fantastic -they were friendly & we were not rushed at all. They were pouring coffee in our cups as we were sitting down. (b/4 we asked for it even!) My friend is a regular and has mentioned that the service is really hit or miss. The coffee was great, and the food was very yummy, and the omelets were gigantic!!! OMG enough for 2 people for sure. Decent menu too if you are not into eggs & omelets. It was awesome! I LOVED IT!!!! read more

I've been to Pauline's a couple of times, for brunch and lunch. It's a cute, homey family-feel diner with a lot of comfort food, with checkered tablecloths. The food is a little greasy and heavy for me. I'm a health-conscious vegetarian, so when food seems too greasy I'm disappointed. A huge plus: it's not at all pretentious. read more

It's what to expect from a diner joint. It's a gem in the neighborhood and I remember going here with my dad when i was younger so I've been here many times. I haven't been here during the weekend in years but i hear its pretty busy. I usually go during the weekdays and well getting a table is easy. Coffee is good. Staff is nice. Food is diner food so its just OK. For me its really the history that I come back for. read more

I've lived down the street from this place for a while, but never got a chance to actually go. Sunday morning, I figured, would be terribly crowded, and we only waited 3 minutes for a seat outside. As soon as we are in the waiting area, we are offered Dixie cups of fresh OJ. LOVE it. I turn and look out the front door as see my favorite red sticker of all "Find Us on Yelp" and I was sold. We sat down, and enjoyed lovely omelette's and hash browns quickly without any interruptions. The tables outside are a bit tight, but they move quick and makes for an imtimate dining experience. My ONLY complaint is that there were tons of dogs around the food, where people were sitting. Fine, call me rude, but I just don't want dogs sniffing at my food. Cute, nice staff, and great fresh OJ. Can't beat it. read more

I did not like this place. Michelle O is dead on...it's dirty and cramped. The food was really blah, service was pushy. The biscuits and gravy was gross...dry biscuits and tasteless, gloppy gravy. Runny scrambled eggs. The water even tasted bad! No, no, no. Bad restaurant! Oh, I just read Andrea's review and yes, that guy was there and was super pushy with us. I think he's the owner. read more

I really want to like Pauline's because it's right around the corner from my house. However, the two experiences I've had just turned me off. The service is AWFUL. The wait staff is rude and basically ignore you unless you flag them down. The food come out as it's ready, which meant waiting 20 minutes between my friend's dish and mine. I gazed longingly at his plate while I sat there with a grumbling stomach and nothing to put in it. For 20 minutes. The food is typical breakfast fare (their potatoes are yummy), but I just can't suffer through bad service for average food. The outdoor patio is really nice, and it opens really early which is great when I have out of town visitors who need to get to the airport. There are just so many better choices in the neighborhood, though, (Ann Sather, M. Henry, Big Jones, etc.) that I can't suffer through Pauline's. read more

The food was decent. I had the country breakfast- gravy wasn't very flavorful and needed to more sausage. The biscuits tasted like they came from a can. Decent. Not great. The service was not good! Our waitress Gloria was so slow!!! I'm sure she's Sweet, but she never checked on us. Took forever to order or to get our check. The other waitrons helped us and they were more attentive to us. They were amazing! Especially the bald man with a hat- amazing service! Decent food. Good portions... Not great service from Gloria! The others were good though. read more

I went to Paulines just to patronize an independant business. The sign outside said "comfort food at comfort prices" The decor was very nice, it reminds you of yesteryear. The food I ordered reminded me of yesterday. I ordered the country biscuits and gravy for breakfast and immediately I was put off. The gravy and sausage were great but the biscuits were lacking integrity. I was unable to cut them with a fork. I had to use a knife to cut them. It was as if they were stale or they were microwaved before serving. If they were microwaved it dries them out and thus makes them the way they were presented. Customer service was great. The waiter was very nice he comped me for the issue with the biscuits. I also question the statement about comfort food. I saw no mac and cheese, meatloaf, or even country fried steak for breakfast. I'm not positive if I will try this place again. read more

I can't get enough of this place on a Sunday morning. The service is typically with a smile and it's the perfect starting point for a day of junking (shopping for crap I don't need in junk shops) in Andersonville. My partner recommends the Egg and Pancake special with extra whipped cream. It's homemade and turns the pancakes into a little chunk of heaven in every bite. I tend towards one of their many omelets. The tomato and goat cheese is fantastic as is the old favorite. I tend to move away from the cheese unless it's specialized as I just don't jive with Velvetta slices melted on what is otherwise a heart-healthy set of options. Finally, the juice is always fresh, the staff is always excited to see you there, the wait time is typically 10 minutes or less on busy days and the atmosphere is the kind of small-town diner that makes you forget you're in the 3rd largest city for a breakfast at a time. read more

I visited Pauline's for a late brunch with my wife. It has a great neighborhood location and feel to it, which I love. I ended up ordering a coffee, 3 eggs over easy, Pauline's potatoes, and side of ham. It was a pretty simple order, which may be the reason why I was not all that impressed. The table we sat at was right next to the entrance and was certainly uncomfortable at best. The coffee was mediocre...I was hoping for Julius Meinl, Metropolitan, or Intelligentsia. My food was cooked just fine, but it just didn't live up to my expectations. Pauline's is not bad, but it is not nearly as good as Over Easy Cafe. read more

I drove by Pauline's once and wanted to give it a try the next time I was in the area. It looks like once of those cute, small neighborhood diners where you can get a nice homecooked breakfast. It was Sunday morning around 9 AM. We were given the option to eat outside or sit indoors. It would have been nice to sit outdoors but with the humidity, inside was more appealing. Our waitress came right away to take our drink orders and was pretty friendly. When my fiance's orange juice came, we were told that it was just squeezed that morning. The juice looked so fresh, that I decided to order one for myself. I have to say that it was one of the best tasting freshly squeezed OJ that I've had. For our meals, we ordered the South American omelette and the Corned Beef Hash and Eggs. The chorizo in my omelette could have used more flavor. The eggs were fresh and super fluffy. The corned beef has was really good and had a nice crisp texture to parts of it. All in all, we had a good meal at Pauline's. Will probably return but only if we are in the area. Definitely not good enough to drive from downtown for sole purpose of dining at Pauline's. Dining room felt dirty but probably because it was old. Restroom locations were also suspect because you have to walk through kitchen but they were clean and that's all that mattered to me. read more

First off, I like the fact that it's just down the street from my apartment and that we can walk to it no matter what the weather (although we were slipping and sliding on the ice the whole walk over). It's your typical breakfast type place with generous portions and AMAZING orange/papaya juice. If you go, and especially if you have a hangover, order this juice. It's fresh squeezed (although i have no idea how you squeeze a papaya) and yummy. Your body will thank you. This place is usually jammed on the weekends however peacefully quiet during the week. The owner (or who I'm assuming is the owner) has always been friendly and accommodating but I agree that the wait staff is more interested in getting the job done than being super friendly. The food is good. I've only had breakfast here. Nothing remarkable. All in all, it's a cute little local place I like to take our out-of-town guests for a little local flavor. read more

The only bad thing about Pauline's is that it's not closer to my house!! Ok, sure, it's still within walking distance but who can possibly walk home after eating the generous portions served up in this neighborhood diner? Not me; that's my story and I'm sticking to it. Much like the omelettes stick to my ribs. Huge and fluffy and delicious! Corned beef in an omelette is the best thing since corned beef plain! French toast is AWESOME! I'm not usually a sweets person at breakfast but I had a hankering for French toast while there and ordered it as a side (yes, I said a side) to my omelette (can't pass'em up!) and I was in heaven! The servers are good enough but nothing special. They get the job done and sometimes with a smile. You can definitely tell who are the regulars and who are the not-so-regulars (yeah, I'm the latter) by the interaction with the wait staff. Although they aren't rude or off putting, they definitely know where their bread and butter is and cater to them; as they should! They do work for tips after all. There's outdoor seating in partial shade on those lovely Chicago Summer mornings when being inside is the last place you want to be. I have seen dogs tied up near outside tables occupied by their caretakers, so if that's your thing you might like to know. I personally don't think dogs (or any animal) should be allowed anywhere near food or beverage service areas. Restaurants or bars. They're dogs!! I haven't had to wait more than about 15 minutes to eat here which is a definite plus to other places in the neighborhood that experience long wait times. This is probably because this is a diner that knows how to short order cook breakfast and get people moving. Don't lollygag or you might find some growling bellies scowling at you! Pauline's is THE place for breakfast! read more

I will pre-empt this review by stating that we decided to bike over here for a brunch in 85 degree heat. I did not take a shower that morning, which would have certainly cooled me down. I decided to wear gym shoes with socks and my trusty Blackhawks hat for the ride as well. Needless to say I was sufficiently overheated by the time we arrived. Getting a seat outside was our goal, but not having anticipated how dang hot I was going to end up, sitting in the direct sun made me even more cranky pants than when we first got there. That all being said, I like the place. The servers were very attentive and prompt. I could have used a bucket of water instead of the smallish glasses they served, but I digress. I had a short stack of pancakes and a side of sausage links. They list what they put in their pancake batter on the menu and I must admit that those pancakes were some sort of special kind of love. Delicious. The sausage links were regular old sausage links. Girlfriend had the eggs benedict sandwich with ham, she said it was really good and made easy work of it; I'm not sure it was worth $8 but whatever. We just drank water and our bill was about $20, which I think was a fair price for a good breakfast. I'd definitely go back here again, and recommend it to others in the area. It's not really worth a drive but if you're around the hood give it a shot. read more

My experience here was pretty mediocre. The food was fine. As far as diner breakfast food goes, this was higher on the quality spectrum than many places, but still not amazing. The fresh squeezed orange juice was really tasty, just like any fresh squeezed OJ always is, but the price made me feel like I should savor every tiny sip. The real kicker here was the bad service. Our waitress must have been having a bad day because she basically ignored us. Everyone at my table was sitting with empty coffee and water cups for several minutes, it got to the point where our topic of conversation was how thirsty we were. Finally a different server came by to refill our cups. I eventually could have had yet another cup, but we didn't see our server again until she came to drop the check. It was kind of sad to sit and watch everyone around us get better service. read more

Can't believe this is my first visit to this place. I have been by here so many times and heard such great things about this place before. It is a great breakfast place with anything you can think of to eat. They have delicious omelettes with fresh veggies and other ingredients. The hotcakes were delicious as well and the regular stack is a large serving. Service was decent. The decor is great with an old diner type feel. They have outdoor seating, which on a rainy day is not important :-(. I will definitely go back to sit outside on a sunny weekend morning. read more

Sunday morning breakfast usually stresses me out trying to figure out where to go. I took a stroll down Ravenswood over the summer and made a mental note to check out Pauline's on a chilly, autumn morning. Today was that day! I went with my mom and I knew she'd like it because the diner style decor reminded me of Door County. We arrived at 9AM and I stunned by how crowded it was! They must be doing something right. We were seated right away which was nice because I was starving. Our waitress took our orders quickly. I started with the freshly squeezed orange juice. I've been sick so I could just a shot of Vitamin C. I went with the special of the day which was scrambled eggs, French toast, and potatoes. Not bad! Pretty straightforward food. I can't say I was blown away or disappointed, but it was fairly basic. I'd probably go back just because the service is friendly and the atmosphere is very homey. It's nice to find a place like Pauline's over the barrage of trendy brunch spots in the city. read more

I've been going here for years and every time I go it gets a little bit better! They've been slowly upgrading for the past few years without losing quality in the food they serve and I have to say I am very grateful. Where do I start? The coffee is always great, the atmosphere is adorable and welcoming, the service is very personal, and the food is just scrumptious. They have heavy home-spun options (biscuits and gravy that would make my Arkansas farm girl grandma jealous) and healthier options (greek yogurt and fruit, etc). I took four of my friends here and they are ALL itching to go back. And can I stop for a second to mention the potatoes? My God, they are delicious. Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, tons of lovely veggies (and possibly apple?) mixed in. So delightful. My one caveat is that it's cash only, so think ahead. I've never had to wait longer than 5 minutes for a table, even on the weekends, so it's a great alternative to a lot of those crazy Andersonville haunts that take hours to find a table. Have fun and enjoy the neighborhood! read more

Pauline's, Pauline's we love you! So glad you are our neighborhood breakfast place. We often go there. Love the staff and the food is good. I usually take asparagus spinach omelet and kids go with egg and pancakes special. Good every time. Please Live Forever! read more

Someone below said, "Poor reviews of this classic breakfast place reflect a Starbucks-like desire for uniformity. " which is an ignorant, condescending comment. I have zero desire to go to Starbucks-like chains, especially for breakfast thank you very much. But the uniqueness of this place was one of its only redeeming qualities. That and the fresh squeezed OJ while we waited. Granted, it was father's day when I went, so I expected to wait, and having seen the decor and the crowds, was really excited about the breakfast I was about to order. But chaos reigns in this place. The owner was running around the various groups of people waiting outside like a chicken with his head cut off. Dude- don't you think a- I don't know- LIST would be helpful? We were seated outside at a table so close to other people that we were almost on top of each other. We ordered immediately and my goat cheese and sun dried tomato omlette came---RUNNY on one end. Ewwww. I almost sent it back but was so hungry at this point that I just kind of ate around it. Eggs in omelettes should never be runny, I think. There was no butter for the toast, but i didn't even bother to try and get it. Not that we would have known who our waitress was anyway. My friend waited too long for a fork (she had no silverware) and it only took me 10 minutes to get a box. To top it all off, they don't take plastic? WHAT? Crazy and annoying. Yes, it was Father's Day. Yes, it was busy. But I felt anything but relaxing. Im sorry, but they should know how to handle crowds by now. The food was ok, but not enough to merit a trip back here. Which is really too bad! It LOOKS like my kind of place. read more

This place is what it is... an easy neighborhood diner style breakfast place for family. The up side: They give you fresh eggs, promised to be less than 5 days old from Michigan. The down side: I don't know what possessed me to try the salmon eggs benedict today but it really was awful. It's like someone made eggs benedict without reading the recipe. Large chunk of poaches salmon under the eggs, the hollandaise sauce was not what it should be, icky. I shouldn't have risked ordering it but I love eggs benedict. If you go, just stick with what they are good at, eggs and pancakes. read more

I love finding random little places like this. I was perusing Yelp to get some inspiration on where I could take my parents for breakfast, knowing they are from Michigan and really prefer the basics. Lo and behold, there's Pauline's which I never heard of and was just one block from where my parents were staying Perfecto! Went there on a late Friday morning and it was great. It wasn't empty and wasn't filled with all senior citizens - it was a nice mix of people for a work day. My mom got her basic eggs and hash browns (no complaints), my dad got the whole wheat pancakes (he said they were great), and I got the crab eggs benedict. I was a little surprised, because I was expecting crab cakes benedict, but it's my fault for not reading the menu properly. It was essentially a traditional eggs benedict with crab instead of ham. It was very tasty though and I really liked the fresh fruit that came with it. Made me feel a little healthier :) I probably won't be back in the near future, simply because I have a huge list of brunch spots to try out, but would recommend you check it out if you've ever been. read more

Sunny and warm. This restaurant is one of my favorite places to eat on a balmy early summer weekend morning. I love eating outside, sipping coffee and watching the neighborhood slowly hum around me. The pancakes are huge. We usually get an omlette to share (the best whole wheat toast around) and a stack of pancakes. More than enough food for two. The only negative about this place is they only take cash... but fortunately they have an ATM right outside. read more

I really like Pauline's. The food is good, the breakfast potatos are awesome and the service is typically very good. If the weather is agreeable, you can't beat eating breakfast on the patio--even if the tables are a little close together. The decor lends to the charm of the experience. Give it a try if you are looking for a laid back place to have breakfast on the weekend. read more

The customer service is great and so is the outdoor seating area, but that's about it. The food is mediocre and the prices are too high for only ok food. I feel bad on only giving it two stars as the waitresses are great and friendly. I live around the corner from here and wish the food was better. read more

Great bereakfast, although pricey. Spinich omlet was excellent. Pankcake was 2nd best I have ever had. Paulines potatoes were very good. Toast was cold, dry and burnt. Excellent service. Spinach mushroom Omlet, 1 pancack, coffee.....$14.50 read more

I love to go to Pauline's on the snowy day and order their breakfast special-always fresh and surprising, like their bread pudding and great bacon-where in Chicago do they get their bacon from??? The food is fresh and good and the service caring and personal. Be back here anytime. read more

Brekfast was good. I had a half order of the french toast. I like that it comes in a half order, because you know you can't eat all that much sweet breakfast. Reletively cheap, millions of staff keeping your water glass always full. I like that they have fresh squeezed orange juice. The only thing I did not appreciate is that they do not take credit cards. BUT conveniently their is an ATM right in the building (on the outside wall really). So instead of paying a small fee to be able to run credit cards they collect a fee for every person that uses their ATM. It's brilliant really. It's ok, but bring cash! read more

Best Specials! Reasonable prices. Great pancakes! Fresh squeezed juices. Amazing staff. Everyone there is so friendly and personable! I would recommend you give it a try. It's a favorite place of ours...we eat there almost every Sunday. If not, we squeeze in a trip during the week. Oh yeah, TRY THE SLAB BACON!!! Thanks to all who work at Pauline's and make it what it is!!! WE LOVE YOU! read more

My first time there this morning and it will most likely be my last. Food was not great....dried out hash browns, eggs were okay. Toast was supposed to be sourdough but wasn't really toasted and didn't taste like sourdough. Certainly not worth the price. More than anything though was the unpleasant vibe from the server. Not very pleasant or welcoming from the beginning, certainly not what you expect from a diner kind of place. And he seemed eager to have me leave...again, for the type of place it is you kind of expect to be able to hang out in a relaxed manner, drink more coffee, maybe order something else, but he seemed to be rushing me along. read more