One of the best breakfast if not the best breakfast in the North Shore. I order the Spicy Cheesy hash browns with the disaster sandwiched. The disaster sausage is a home made sausage that is a Sarkis original. The restaurant has been around since the 60s and it's a very delicious spot to get breakfast. read more

Here's what I don't like about it: -The wait staff is not attentive, welcoming or experienced -The space is not comfortable or spacious (not good for groups over 4) -The smell upon entering is not pleasant -Dirty dishes stay on tables and counters long after being done -Girls aren't wearing their hair up while working over food -Cooks aren't being careful either with simple sanitary rules (you can observe all this while sitting at counter, watching 8 people trying to cook and move within a tiny space) Here's what I like about it: -The breakfast food is delicious, especially the "Disaster Omelet" I think if the kitchen had more space to work with they could improve a lot of these things. I like dives, but this one is too much dive for me. read more

This is pretty much an institution in the North Shore and I had yet to actually go to the restaurant until recently. The experience left a lot to be desired, unfortunately. The food is certainly tasty, however, is pretty unhealthy (you go into it expecting that so that's not a knock on the restaurant from this experience per se). However, the experience didn't exactly reverse that status quo just in terms of presentation. There was a nice big glob of mayo on my bacon loretta right in the middle of the sandwich and not exactly spread around, which was somewhat unappetizing. Biggest issue I had with the experience was the service. Not sure exactly who deserves the blame but I was part of a party of four and they brought out my order pretty much immediately. Then took about 20 minutes to bring out two omelets. Then literally took another 20 minutes to bring out a ham and cheese sandwich. I know they are busy but that is just beyond poor if you ask me. This place definitely has that "hangover cure" vibe to it with an extra dose of dive feel. read more

Hm...was in the area and decided to brunch at Sarkis. It is probably the weirdest place I have ever been in but I am glad I went there. It has the decor of an old diner and only 4 booths in the place (or at least in the front part). The menu is small but they have your normal sandwiches, omelettes, egg combinations and nothing out of the ordinary. The food came out fast and it was delicious. The orange juice was freshly squeezed, the coffee was freshly brewed, the bill was 22 bucks and I had a good time. I shall return! read more

Sarkis Cafe - Over hard eggs with hot potatoes - Diners Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

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For some real quick greasy breakfast and freshening up on on your Spanish foul language. This is the spot! read more

The food is good, the service is not that's why there's 3 stars. Good luck trying to get seated mid afternoon, it gets waaaay to cramped and waaaay to noisy. Not really the best kid environment. Cash only so beware! read more

Terrible customer service. Serving is super unprofessional and you'll always wait a long time to get your food

I've been here several times and it's my favorite for breakfast. I always get the turkey Loretta (I've had bacon and disaster Loretta, but turkey is my fave) and it's delicious every time. The vegetables are crisp and fresh, the turkey is thick cut, and the bread is perfect. Always gotta lather it in the hot sauce as well. Here's a tip that my girlfriend and I do: we order the normal hash browns and soak those in the hot sauce that is basically the same thing as ordering the spicy hash browns. Saves a dollar or two. Also, make sure to get the coffee. It's piping hot and has cinnamon in it. Essential to the meal. This place is ONE OF A KIND, Sarks in the Park in Lincoln park is a rip off and not affiliated in anyway read more

I was at Sarkis last week and while the omelette was great I was hugely disappointed with the portion. I'd insisted with my 13 year old that there was no need for her to order anything because my order would be enough for the two of us. Boy, was I wrong! I wish I'd taken a picture of my plate because while the omelette filled the entire plate, it was sooooo thin. Not what I expected for a place that's known for it's "hangover" food. The guys behind the counter were very nice & friendly though. So my advice is that if you have young kids, go ahead and let them order their own omelette because that will fill them up, while an adult - I'm a woman and I could've eaten two omelettes, hence a $20 order for eggs, a little cheese, and broccoli ----so if you're a man, it'll take 2-3 to fill your belly. At that point, it isn't worth it. read more

Pancakes are a must. Delicious and sweet, you can eat them without syrup. I had the Sarkis omelet, average. Orange juice was not sweet, had a "oranges are too old" taste. Went on a Sunday afternoon, sat in the outdoor patio. Place was quite dirty, birds everywhere picking at all the leftovers, and some benches falling apart. Place definitely needs some tlc. read more

Sarkis Cafe - Awesome pancake! Sweet, no syrup needed! - Diners Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

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Keep your party small. Leave the wife at home. Wash your hands at home. Do not go to the bathroom here. Do not look too closely to the food preparation or the cleanliness of the facility. Take the teens here to eat a weekend breakfast. This can be a teenager, hangover, stoner, haven. All the North Shore kids love this place. I like the breakfast sandwiches here. They are great about special orders. To go orders are great too. Loretta's or Disasters. It's eggs, cheese, mayo, vegetables, all loaded into a soft roll of French bread. Don't forget the cheesy hash browns. read more

BLECH. I have never understood the appeal of this place. It was gross back when I was in high school oh-so-many years ago. Aside from the food being icky, the owner was too - leered at all the young girls. Anyway, I was recently conned into going back in. Trying to be flexible, I thought it couldn't possibly be as bad as I remembered. WRONG. The food was bad and the place is filthy, which I'd managed to forget. One plus, no creepy owner leering at underage girls on this visit. read more

I haven't been back to Sarkis in ages but things were just as good as I remember back in high school. Bacon Loretta with everything, cheesy hashbrowns, d. coke. Set me back about $9 and totally worth clogging my arteries. Can I find all the same ingredients at the supermarket and make it at home? Absolutely. Will it be the same experience? Not on your life. It just wouldn't be the same no matter how hard you try. Not everyone will love the place on their first try but give it some time, you'll come around. read more

still the best hot sauce. Both the quality of the food and the service have gone down hill. I am always hearing stories about how big of a prick the manager is. The old staff and former owners made this place worth the clogged arteries. Even though you went there for the food, you always left with a good experience. Not too mention the prices used to be amazing. Now...forget about it. Not worth my 15minute drive more than once every other year. If that. I took away an extra star simply because of how disappointed i am in the change the business took. read more

I've been wanting to go here for the longest time. I've heard and read amazing reviews. So i finally made it. The parking was good. We walked inside and omg was it horrible. Tight space, no comfortable seating, a waiter cane by and said that there is a back room with more space. We went in the back and saw this full, dirty, low ceiling space. We were seated by a generator that was full of dust. I mean we stuck it out because we figured maybe the food would be good. No, that wasn't the case at all. Our food was over cooked. I think they built their customer base from friendship. The service was good but i would never go back. Also, heads up is cash only. I don't mind cash only but thought i would mention it. read more

The disaster special is good! I've lived in the neighborhood for 20 years and my kids and husband have all been there over the years except for me and finally got to try it this weekend! Much to my surprise, it was a pleasant experience! The wait staff were very friendly and it was definitely bustling. I ordered the disaster special omelet with hash browns and the hash browns were perfectly cooked crispy like I like it! The omelet was plentiful with the Armenian sausage loaded with good fresh vegetables. There wasn't much room left for the eggs. read more

Eh, it was meh. Good hangover food, specially if you get the loretta. Doubt we would make another trip here. Super cramped inside and service is terrible.. read more

Sarkis Cafe - The disaster with cheesy hash - Diners Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

Our expectations were low, though this hole is not to be mistaken for an actual restaurant that cares about adult customer opinions and strives for repeat business. Egg dishes were mediocre at best, the kind of stuff we used to make out of eggs and leftovers in college. The coffee was as though the grounds had been used at least once before. The interior dining areas and men's room were filthy, debris laden, malodorous, and frankly disgusting. Some tables were picnic tables one is understandably expected to share equitably with others, and these remained food and dirty dish-covered, then fly-filled all around us in the heavy, humid July 2012 heat, long after their patrons had gone. This with a queue of customers waiting to be seated. The cloths used to wipe the tables were greasy, slimy, and smelly, smearing rather than cleaning. Food scraps were everywhere on the floors under and surrounding the tables and even on the walls. The menus were revoltingly food and grease laden. The management was rude and dismissive about taking a Groupon, a program THEY OPTED INTO. Sarkis only accepts cash and the server spoke a list of prices and created a total in her head, causing me to request a paper check. Clearly, this smacks of fraud and theft. We will never return. Like so many others, we had heard a lot about this place through the years, and expected a rough-yet-charming experience ala the old days of The Billy Goat in Chicago. Sarkis apparently is coasting on their reputation from past glory days of their original ownership. The sooner they are permanently shut down by an honest health inspector, the better. ~Peter O. read more

Review in Haiku: Cash only. Tiny space. Worlds best omelette, YES, YES! Cinnamon Coffee. read more

This is the perfect place to come after a night of heavy celebratory drinking, e.g. Homecoming, Prom, Graduation, or after any other night of heavy drinking. Girlfriend dumped you? Just get so hammered that you black-out your entire relationship, then head to Sarkis then next morning for a Loretta or two and some cheesy hash browns to kill the ensuing monumental hangover. I can't tell you the number of times, back in my heady days at New Trier, that a group of us would roll up to Sarkis the day after a big night and at least one of us would end up letting loose all over the side of the building abutting the parking lot... I would stay away from that area if I were you. Some quick Sarkis lore/rumors: Have you seen how far back the building goes? The dining area and kitchen take up the first 15-or-so feet, leaving the vast majority of the building for... what exactly? My friends and I used to speculate that it was either housing for illegal immigrants, a drug processing facility, or most likely a drug processing facility staffed by illegal immigrants. Your guess is as good as mine. Also, my younger sister claims to have attended more than a few late-night boozefests at the restaurant. $15 gets you all you can eat and drink, or something to that effect. I can't verify this, but I can tell you that I've been offered a shot of whiskey by the owner on a few cold, slow late winter mornings. read more

If you grew up on the North Shore, then you should already be familiar with Sarks. If you're new to the area, give it a try because it's a local institution. Sark is no longer around, but the dude who runs it now does a nice job. Nostalgia aside, the food is the same and the service is a lot better under his management. You no longer have to worry about Santiago making up the price of your meal; instead, you actually get charged the prices listed on the menu. I know this sounds crazy, but you old-timers know what I'm saying. The omelets are good, but get either the Loretta (preferably ham) or the disaster. Or man up and get the "combo." They're what Sarkis is famous for. That and the huge, unused space in back that we've long suspected was a massive meth lab. read more

Stopped for a Quick lunch here after looking it up on Yelp. Place is a greease joint, full of high school kids. Service.. Meh... Food.. Meh... Experience... Meh... Hubby and I said as we walked out, 'Ok, we checked that box'. read more

Had a yummy hangover breakfast here today. It was really crowded, and tiny inside, but I enjoyed the diner-dive atmosphere. I had the spinach & feta omelet with a side of that crazy Armenian Disaster sausage, and though I was dying to try the cheesy hash browns, the waitron forgot to order it, so I had the regular ones that came with the dish. They were really good; not greasy and cooked just right. My only complaint was the saltiness of my omelet, but I couldn't tell if it was a heavy hand on the griddle or the feta. I'm glad I got to experience this place, but I'm going to have to spend a lot of time at the gym when I get back to Austin. read more

Veggie Loretta! I went to Regina Dominican H.S. back in the day and (among other north shore schools) this place was our hangout! My friend and I were often late for school so we would stop at Sark's first. Sarkis is full of character -- from the tiny, tiny, crowded building to the colorful menu to Sarkis himself! This is definitely a place where you can feel at home even if you've never been there before. From the pictures all over the wall to the open phrenzy behind the counter, you really feel like you're in Sarkis' home or something. The Loretta's are definitely a craving-waiting-to-happen if you've never had one. I can't figure out what it is b/c it's just vegetables, cheese and bread, but there's something about it that I absolutely love! Coffee, a veggie Loretta, and hash browns is the perfect breakfast! read more

Turkey loretta, hold the onion and mayo. Special hash. I die for this place. Been going there 15 years and I'm not that old! I try to go during the week at off hours to avoid the high school kids, even though I too was once one of them. Seating can be a problem on the weekends, cause this is the cure all of hangover helpers. But if you're hungry, they'll make room. I've even sat in the kitchen before, cause they cook in front of the counter I guess they figured let's put them back here. Pull up a stool, booth or bench outside. This place is worth the gas money and $5 breakfast. read more

Decent food, although my eggs were terribly undercooked. The Asshole that was running the place needed to be strung up from a tree and beaten with bamboo. Calling his staff retards because they made a mistake on some stuck up clowns order is not appropriate when there are children or customers in the restaurant. Next time I go I'm going to shove his telephone up his ass. My friend got the spinach omelette and it wasn't bad either, just undercooked. This place has a very stressful environment and I will not be coming back. I left a dollar tip, not for the moron running the place but for his overworked and underappreciated staff. read more

This tiny little restaurant serves some amazing food! Take note - it WILL be packed inside. This is a VERY small dining area but it's worth it for the food. You cannot go wrong with the classic bacon loretta and cheesy hash. The loretta is served on thick french bread and topped with white cheese, mayo, green peppers, tomatoes and onions. It all comes together and is one of the most delicious sandwiches you will ever taste. read more

I ordered Sarkis omelette and it came with French bread (not toast) and hash brown. The food is just like an amateur cooking. Everything was served in disposable foam containers. The omelette got thrown on the hashbrown and they all mushed together. The hash brown is not crunchy at all and mushy. They take cash only and as you eat bees are all over you. The food might be cheaper than other brunch places but really it doesn't worth your time. read more

A friend took me here when I was about 15 years old. It used to be a real dive. It was filthy, the tables were sticky, but the food was always great, a diner like the classic oldstyle new york diners but nothing on the menu but breakfast. Old man Sarki, he would come to your table and put his arm around you, "Hey Buddy, how you doin' buddy". An adorable older guy, he loved the customers. I guess he's not there anymore, but the place was closed down for a few months during the 1999-2000 era, and it re-opened much cleaner. This place makes two things that you want to eat: Bacon Loretta - a french bread roll halved, dusted with salt and pepper, bacon inside, and green/red pepper chopped sauteed, and squished inside. Disaster - the same with no bacon, instead - a sausage patty. They used to have chocolate donuts at the counter, really good donuts. Definitely hit this place up. read more

The only people who like this place are the under 25 crowd. The food is mediocre and it gets zero stars for cleanliness. So many other places to eat, don't waste your time or $. read more

This place was the worst!!!!! The customer service was buns and there was shit in my food. I waited 2 hours for 10 meals to come out. And we had to send them back because they were cold, they didn't apologize and they were horrible. Also you only pay with cash, which is really annoying. Would not recommend, unless you have 3 hours to waste and garbage food. read more

Sarkis Cafe - I'm not sure what this. I ordered sausage and got this. I don't think I would feed this to my dog even. - Diners Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

Some people say Sarkis is gross and some people say Sarkis is fantastic, but the truth is - they are both right. This greasy, hole in the wall, old school diner has to be one of the most efficient restaurants in the world in terms of food pumped out with limited grill space. Always packed on weekends, their frantic cooks make sure you never have to wait long to sink your chomps into their legendary Lorretta - a breakfast sandwich that attacks your taste-buds with the years of grease built up on their tiny grill that has brought joy to thousands. Perhaps the best hangover cure on the North Shore of Chicago, definitely pop into Sarkis for a heavenly treat that will help you recover from all the terrible decisions you made the night before. read more

Jem! Fast and delicious... I'm sure a million people said don't be fooled by the look, the food is outstanding. In fact I'm going in the morning... Can't wait! Thanks guys! read more

I can not visit my home town without a stop at Sarkis. Now that I have subjected my New York boyfriend to the God that is a Bacon Loretta, he REQUIRES us to go at least 2-3 times in the week we are vising my parents. If its not crowded, we'll stay and chat and eat. If it is crowded we'll take it to go, either way is still SO yummy. The staff is amazing, friendly and I'm shocked that they can remember all those orders and and output the food that fast. It is almost looked down upon if you have to look at menu and don't shout "Bacon Loretta (or Disaster), Cheesy Hash and a Coke" the second you step foot in this place. I will be a regular for life!! read more

My fiance grew up not far from Sarkis and has been visiting this establishment for over 15 years. He will drag by butt out of bed on a Sunday and make me drive up here with him, even though they just opened an offshoot, "Sarks in the Park" two blocks from our home.... First of all, this isn't a "restaurant", it's a greasy spoon diner where you need to eat and get out. If you don't like that, don't come here. Sarkis is the perfect place to cure a hangover. I always get a turkey loretta or a disaster- depending on how hungover I am- and some hash (or cheesy hash) browns, which are great. The coffee is delicious, it tastes like there is a hint of cinnamon in it- yum. I love the green pepper/tomato/onion combo that goes on the sandwiches, which I normally add a healthy squirt of hot sauce to. I would give it 5 stars, but it is filled with local high school kids. I'm a teacher and seeing kids on my days off sometimes makes me feel ill. read more

Sarkis is legendary in the area for breakfast. I've been coming here since before I can remember w my older sisters, continued to come here in high school and college, and now into my 20s. The lorettas (the Sarkis breakfast sandwiches) are where it's at. I always get the bacon Loretta with a fried egg on top and cheesy hash browns. It's defiantly not gourmet breakfast food, but it's the best hangover food you'll ever eat. They only take cash but if you forget to bring cash they have an ATM in back. On the weekends it does get very busy though and almost impossible to find a place to sit. The parking lot is not huge either. And if you go don't forgot to try their hot sauce, it's to die for. read more

Sarkis Cafe - bacon Loretta with a fried egg without tomatoes and green peppers and cheesy hashbrowns - Diners Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

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First time Sarkis-ing this past weekend! went with the Bacon Loretta......bacon was tasty, roll was delicious! I could have used some scramble egg on that sucker, so i blamed my friend who didn't tell me i was supposed to order it with egg on it! The place is small, and gets PACKED! i would highly recommend not coming when you have the high school kids there for lunch.....they take over the joint and don't leave. The food itself was good, the hashbrowns were crispy.........good food solid food! I will be back! read more

Fun little breakfast spot! Owner so nice , running around, working along side her staff. Definitely going back! read more

Sarkis Cafe - Breakfast of superhero's ! - Diners Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

I have been hearing about Sarkis for a long time now, so I was eager to try. I live in the city and don't own a car, so I had to rely on a friend for a ride. From what I heard about the place I was expecting more of a diner feel, which you get when you walk in, but the back room looks more like a picnic area in a collapsable house. Another part of the environment that was a bit of a turn-off was the crowd. The place was full of loud high schoolers, sharing the details of the previous evening. Enough negativity. The food was actually pretty good. I ordered the Disaster omelet and cheesy hashbrowns. I think hashbrowns should've came with the omelet anyway, but it was still pretty cheap. I also had a coffee and with tip I spent $12. Aren't many places in the city you can find that price. Their coffee was also a nice surprise. Overall Sarkis is a good brunch spot, but I wouldn't make a huge effort to leave the city for it. read more

It's all right. I can see the appeal of this place. Heck, it's appealing to me every now and then. Straight up greasy diner food. I always eat at the counter and up there I get barely passable service; I can't imagine what it's like when you're at a booth, or when the place is full of kids. I avoid it on the weekends, as all sane advice suggests. Seriously guys, you'd have to be mentally challenged to consider the food here a work of art. "Hangover food" is an apt name for it, because I could slap a hungover frat guy to life and he'd be able to put this together. Hell, I'm pretty sure I could cook this stuff wasted. It's just dead simple. The hash is out of a box and how hard is it to make an omelette? When I was young, drunk, or both, the food here is the kind of stuff I'd make after opening the fridge and deciding I didn't have enough ingredients to constitute a real meal (read: the "disaster" class of dishes with cut peppers, tomato, and onion covering some meat and bread). Like I said, I've been here a lot and I still like it but there's clearly a lot of fanaticism in the reviews here and I think 4+ stars is really for places that might have some wide or unique appeal, which this doesn't have. There are thousands of places like this everywhere. read more