The waiter is very nice and helpful. I really appreciate how much he cares about my food. Excellent service.

This place is just meh.... husband and I went for breakfast on Sunday morning, Alexander's was closed for remodeling so we thought we'd try this place. My husband liked his omelette but his potatoes were warm on one half and ice cold on the other. I got an awful waffle.. when the server brought it, my husband started laughing and asked if I ordered it off the child's menu. It was not crispy at all, totally mushy and my side of 3.25 ham was about 1$ worth. Our bill was 25$, and I couldn't even eat my waffle so to add insult to injury I had to go eat elsewhere, not worth it, won't be back. read more

This place is super fun and weird. The whole decor inside is really weird and wacky, but don't let that scare you. The food is really good! I would highly recommend the frenchtoast, which was huge and well priced. read more

OH Pauline's! What happened to you? The quality of the food and service used to be so good that it made up for the fact that there was no room to sit down. Now, the waitresses are huffy, snotty, and just plain rude. They hustle you to order and ignore you after they bring you your plate. Jam? More cream? forget it. This place has become a hangover nightmare. They pretty much refuse to pour you a post-meal cup of coffee because they're so desperate to turn the tables over to get more tips. I've always lingered over breakfast and as a former waitress I always tip VERY generously because I know it sucks to have someone tying up your table (though, when I say "linger" i mean, maybe an hour, tops). The bad service and the constant hustle have me avoiding the place all together. But, if that isn't bad enough, the quality of the food has just seriously crumbled. They use groceries and condiments from ALDI now and on top of that cutback on quality (what?!? no more Bays english muffins?) the prices have actually gone up. read more

The biscuits are refigerated dough, poppin' fresh style. Don't bother. This place has good beverages and eager service - but the food is no better than mediocre at best, and it is not cheap. read more

I had a chance to visit Pauline's over the weekend. I am sorry I did. I have been hearing about it from a lot of people I have met in the neighborhood. And I think that is the draw. It is super-kitschy and not much else. It has that retro, old-timey diner thing going for it. And I will admit, it does indeed do that well. But the food and service left so much more to be desired. The menu consisted of your basic breakfast items and that is fine, if you are going to do them right. The whole meal was sub-par. I am not going to blame the food exactly, but I wasn't feeling too good stomach wise a couple of hours later either. I probably won't be going again. I couldn't resist its charming look and good reviews from friends, but it looks like I should have checked Yelp first. read more

A friend and I came in here about a month ago and we loved it! My friend had the french toast and I had the pancake trifecta. The pancakes were delicious and way too much for me to finish! My friend and I both loved the french toast and when I come back, and I'LL BE BACK, I'm definitely ordering the french toast! Our service was quite pleasant, though she didn't point out the specials, which we couldn't see from our seats, which was disappointing as I would have changed my order. Also, important to note, CASH ONLY! read more

Pauline's - French toast - Diners Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Pauline's has quickly became my favorite part of living t in Andersonville. This place defines cozy. Saying that Pauline's has a "small town diner" vibe does not do it's atmosphere justice. When you walk in, one of the servers walking by will let you know that you can have a seat wherever you would like. You are immediately asked what you would like to drink. Then, comes the food. All the food is seasonal, fresh, and delicious. September and October have meant pumpkin pancakes and caramel apple pancakes. Standbys include the biscuits and gravy, and omelettes loaded with ham, chorizo, asparagus, broccoli, spinach, sun dried tomatoes. . . You name it. The best part? It's cheap, cheap cheap. read more

I had breakfast last saturday 1/18/14. I had the make your own omelet with feta cheese, spinach, and sundried tomatoes. Everything was hot and very tasty. Mike UpCycle with Michael read more

So good. Honestly I do not care for breakfast food and it was excellent! PS order the pancakes read more

Solid breakfast place. Good service and good coffee. The sandwiches are also really good. This is a perfect neighborhood spot. Would I drive out of my way to come eat here, probably not. But when I'm in the area, I wouldn't hesitate to stop in. read more

Still wonderful. How did I not mention before how good the coffee is at Pauline's? Love it!

With the loss of JoAnne's Diner on Sunnyside/Ravenswood & the Heartland Cafe, there aren't many old, authentic places for breakfast with great kitschy atmosphere left on Chicago's north side. So I am praying that Pauline's on Balmoral never changes or (gasp!) closes. Very good food, generous portions, friendly & prompt service, fun atmosphere...what's not to love. Thank you Pauline's and see you soon! read more

I've been here a lot and have loved this place until today and this happened: About 5 minutes before we left a man came by and stuck something right next to our table and mentioned something about us leaving soon. We told him yes we were leaving shortly. Right as we got our money in order he comes back with a bus boy in tow. Starts to clear our table and asks if it's okay. We say yes go ahead. We were leaving anyways. He then begins to clear our table in the most aggressive way possible in a complete rush. All of a sudden we felt rushed in our departure. While knocking stuff in my lap he says "I hope this okay". After the third time I finally looked at him saying "I'm sorry but it's not okay. This can be done in a nicer way without knocking stuff on us." His voice immediately raised and as my friends and I leave the restaurant he follows us screaming "I am 69 years old and the owner of this place I don't need any of your shit." This was said to a large crowd outside waiting to get seated. Our waitress stood on the stoop horrified and she mouthed an apology. It hurts to think of not coming back to one of my favorite places but with customer service like that I just don't think I can support an establishment like this. read more

Wake up, roll out of bed, chug water, take aspirin, walk around the corner to Pauline's for brunch. This is the way I like to start my Sunday. If you are looking for some hearty and delicious down home breakfast, then you must try Pauline's. It is hard to put your finger on what exactly sets Pauline's apart from other brunch spots...but that's part of her charm. Every time you go it feels a little more like mom's kitchen. Everyone there is very friendly, and there is always an upbeat feeling to the place. Most importantly, the food is good. When you need a big breakfast like mom used to make...Pauline is right there. From your standard selection of egg dishes, to the fresh and hearty omelets, to the fantastic pancakes...Pauline knows how to give you that home cooked breakfast feelin'. Go ahead and give her a try, it will make your Sunday. read more

I can't believe I haven't reviewed Pauline's before. I've been there quite a few times since I work right down the street. I work with adults that have developmental disabilities and mental illness. Unfortunately, the clients we serve do not get the opportunity to go out to eat very often and when they do, most likely the staff will take them to a fast food joint. In my classroom we had been working on learning and practicing table manners. My clients were doing so well that I decided they should be treated to a tasty meal, in a relaxed setting where they could sit down and enjoy themselves. Today was the birthday of one of the clients in my classroom, so we thought today was the perfect day to walk down to Pauline's for lunch. It was pretty busy and we were told that they were short on servers, but they service was still great. I can tell you from experience that the individuals I work with are not always treated as they should be. This was definitely not the case at Pauline's. Our waiter was very patient with them as they ordered (as it took more time than most parties of 5). He did a great job explaining that they only had lentil soup today when one of my clients said they wanted tomato, and again when that same client said they wanted cream of mushroom. When the waiter found out that we were also celebrating a bday, he brought a bowl of ice cream out to the bday girl with enough for everyone at the table to have some. He started singing "Happy Birthday" and the entire section of the restaurant sang along. I cannot say enough about the great service and kindness that we all received. Just like every time I've been there, the food was great. I think it was a great experience for the individuals I went with and I would recommend this place for anyone that is in the area that wants a tasty, filling meal. read more

When I lived on the north side there was once a time where I visit this place once a week for breakfast. I love the diner feel and of course great food. read more

I want to love Pauline's, but it's getting harder. The last few times have been average at best. The quality of the food has gone down a bit, and I think most people are returning because they remember how good it used to be. I'm glad to have a little diner in the 'hood within walking distance, but that motivation alone won't last forever. read more

Wow- I didn't even eat here and I am disgusted. First i waited forever for a table, then we waited forever for a server. Then when one came they were out of soup and it was only 12:00- and lunch started at 11:30 and they said they were out of about 1/2 of the menu. What a joke- I said forget this and went to a restaraunt where they knew what they were doing. read more

I really wanted to like this place. I enjoy supporting Mom and Pops but this breakfast was lackluster. My Eggs and Bacon where tasty but my Blueberry Pancakes had no taste at all. They were extremely bland. Even the syrup didn't help :( My Boyfriends Steak was bland no seasoning what so ever and his Potatoes smelt like they were soaked in meat sauce for while. His regular Pancakes were just as bland as my Blueberry Pancakes. I really hope that they improve their baked goods and how they season the meat and potatoes because I think they could really stand out as an awesome breakfast diner. read more

My favorite breakfast place in Chicago. The place is packed, but it's worth it. Everything's good. Go soon and often.

So, I past this place every morning before heading to work in Evanston. I decided to stop in around 3:30-ish on a weekend. I missed the huge sign pointing out their open-close time(7am-3pm). I walk in clueless, every worker is enjoying a meal with the owner. The owner tells me that they're closed and asks me what'd I want from the menu. I say "All I really wanted was some ice cream". He asks "What kind?". "Chocolate". He gets a large foam cup and scoops it to the top, hands it to me and says "This one's on me, come by next time." Amazing, huh? read more

There has been some updates and changes to Paulines with the unfortunate passing of the original owners. The most noticeable is they accept credit and debit cards. The place is still popular and the patio is slammed during the warm weather. at times service can be spotty and a little unfriendly at times. This has resulted in us ordering take out. Food comes out fast and hot and the gentleman that takes the phone orders is very nice. read more

Great staff, food taste great when i eat here good soup too. Love it mmmmmm. I usaully come here to eat with my boss while working. Nice seeing the parrots the the bird man brings there. I highly recommend it. Check it out. read more

Do not order the biscuits and gravy unless you want to pay $7 for two from a can Pillsbury biscuits. Come on Pauline.

The food is great, owners are nice, place is kept really clean. Just one problem... My only issue is some of the bickering between the wait staff. This morning one of the waiters, a man probably in his forties -- kept on talking in a loud voice in the kitchen how another waitress (Rachel I think it was) - was not "getting it", him speaking rapidly and loud voice, and kept on saying "it is what it is", one of the most passive aggressive comments a person can make. While his colleague, a younger person with a gentler, quiet demeanor, tried to politely listen to him, he was clearly not looking to engage. This attempt to find people to commiserate with is absolutely something that should never take place, in private or public if he cares about the greater good of the operation. If he was my employee he would be fired, because this kind of gossip is absolutely toxic. I'll still eat here, but it would be so much more pleasant if someone like that commiserating waiter would not lash out so ruthlessly in a public setting (earshot of everyone in the restaurant) against his colleagues, even if there is some truth. His conduct was completely unprofessional and only made me feel like he is a very angry person. Not something I want to ever endure when I'm here to simply start my morning. read more

Blueberry pancakes were delicious. Coffee was constantly refilled. It was busy but we got a table for two quickly.

This is an old school diner and I love it for this. You walk in and can pretend you don't live in the scary present. Food is basic but good...always enjoyed the omelets I ordered. Sweet place. read more

Been there 3 times and the first was the only good time. Second time there was in April 2010 when it was cold out and after a 15 minute wait we were seated by the door, and it was freezing. The wait was miserable as the woman "managing" the area doesn't take names but simply yells to the crowd "who's next?" so it's utter confusion. Once seated I ordered and omelet and the simpleminded waitress asked "how would you like your eggs". Um, duh - it's an omelet. And her reply was "Oh, I'm new here" as if that answered it. Today, the third trip, was unacceptable. Empty tables all around and the woman up front said we'd have to wait because evidently the booths are reserved for 3 or more. We're 2, no one else waiting, empty tables, and she makes us wait!? NFW! See ya! read more

Paulines has huge breakfasts at decent prices. during the week this restaurant is not as packed as the elbow to elbow on the weekend. The fresh squeezed orange juice is amazing and just yum. read more

They don't take credit cards!!! Really in today's world?? Long wait, longer wait for coffee and service. Won't be back.

Ordered the Biscuits and Gravy (Country Breakfast). It was hamburger buns with gravy on it. They didn't even apologize. read more

Pauline's - Country Breakfast ("biscuits" and gravy). Really just hamburger buns - Diners Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Pauline's is a staple for weekend breakfast! Every time I have family or friends visiting from out of town, we must go to Pauline's for the blueberry pancakes! I don't have a big sweet tooth so I usually order the Mexican omelet which is delicious. I just tried their new special, the southwestern omelet with spicy chorizo, and I fell in love. The coffee keeps coming non-stop which is a godsend after a long Saturday night. If you get to Pauline's early enough on a Saturday or Sunday you will be seated immediately but beware of the brunch crowd and expect a long wait on holidays. Even if you have to hang around a bit before breakfast, Pauline's is definitely worth it! read more

I'm glad to see Elizabeth H. indicate that Pauline's has changed ownership. Having just moved back to Chicago after 8 years in the Bay Area, I was excited to visit Pauline's again. It was a place I had fond memories of. I was greeted with a dirty restaurant (sticky tables and chairs, dirty silverware), mediocre food, and rude service. I won't go back. read more

I live down the street and have gone here many times. The food is average at best and more expensive than it should be. I hate paying outrageous amounts of money for a tiny glass of orange juice. I don't really like their potatoes and over half my plate is always taken up by them no matter what I order. Forget about going there on the weekends, you will wait forever. If you can go mid-mornings during the week, the place is actually pretty nice, but there are many other breakfast places around that I would recommend over this. read more

I wish I could give this place 0 stars. I came here with family recently and the service was horrible. We waited 20 minutes and no one attended us until one of us had to ask a waitress when we would have our orders taken. A few minutes later, our waiter showed up and was very rude. He was impatient and you could see that he was annoyed. Not only was the service horrible, but the food was horrendous. I will never come back here again. The food was complete shit, it's overpriced for no damn reason, and the employees are so rude. Save your money! read more

What a letdown. Mediocre and unacceptable. The food was terrible. Had the whole wheat pancakes and eggs. Dry and clinging to the plate. My husband's omelette looked good but tasted like unsalted, unflavored raw egg. His toast came out at the end of his meal and was hardly toasted and old. My daughter's eggs were good as eggs go-- but we asked for them first and that was a no go. It took someone ten minutes to come by with coffee and water. Instead of attending to the few customers they had, the waitstaff just lazily hung out in the kitchen. When the waitress finally came by, she was less than pleased. She clearly didn't want to be there on a Sunday morning. The coffee is God-awful. It tastes like tar water laced with arsenic. Four creams in the cup won't lighten that baby up. Not going back here again. I remember it being much much better years ago. Now it's gone down the drain-- like what they should do with their coffee. read more

I've been attempting to enjoy myself at Pauline's for more than 10-ish years now (and when it was still Reva's Place) and have never had a completely pleasant experience. I love that it's 2 blks from my house...that it's cute and nestled in a quiet neighborhood...that there's outside seating. Why is it you can't have it all? Why can't the service be at least competent? Everytime I go it seems there are ridiculous numbers of staff around but none knows what to do. Why can't the food come out hot and together? I've never had a meal there without having to remind them about bringing an item or just gave up on it all together because there were too many wait staff standing around ignoring my attempts to be noticed. And, how come every time I go there (which is about once a year just to see if anything's changed) I feel like I just ate at my surly aunts house and I should have said 'please' and 'thank you' more? I could go on and on but here are my thoughts on why this is true. Pauline's is trying to be something that it's really not...It only has the capacity to be a simple diner - what Reva's was - but has tried to become a restaurant without making the necessary investments to do it right. It also has an owner that most likely does more harm than good when he's around. Bottom line, you can get a much, much, much better breakfast for less money at other restaurants nearby and you'll leave feeling like they were happy you came. read more

I go everday this place,they have perfect breakfast and employees always smiling...try here

Despite reading some of the mediocre reviews of Pauline's, I decided to go anyway since it's so damn cute from the outside (and yes, I judge books by their cover). I'm SO glad I did though. I had the most delicious breakfast! It has diner prices but with really great food. I went on a Saturday morning so there was a wait to get service but we were seated immediately so it was no big deal. It's cute, it's tasty, and it's cheap! If you're in the neighborhood, you should definitely make your way to Pauline's. read more