10/10 every time!!!!!!!!!! we love the disaster and bacon loretta's with cheesy spicy hash.

I found Sarkis Cafe in Evanston on Yelp. The pictures of the food looked amazing. I mentioned Sarkis to my sister who also Yelps a lot and she mentioned her son goes there and loves it. The cafe is nothing fancy. From the parking lot there is an outdoor dining area with picnic benches. You go inside and up about 3 or 4 stairs into a very small dining area. There is a counter with bar stools and immediately behind the counter so where the food is cooked. There are also a few tables inside. The food looked amazing in the pictures and hearing that my nephew loved the place, maybe I had high expectations. I ordered the disaster special. This is an omlet with homemade ground beef, cheese, peppers, tomatoes, onions, & mushrooms (nothing special) & hash browns with cheese (again nothing remarkable). It's decent food, but nothing that really stands out. The coffee was a little unusual. I tasted a hint of cinnamon in the coffee. Our waitress Ester was very nice and a living doll. I asked her how long the restaurant had been there. Check out her T-shirt. read more

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The food is 5 stars. No question about it. I went today and ordered a Disaster sandwich with cheesy hash, it was just as great as the first time I ordered it. The physical condition of the place is what knocked a couple stars off. Their attempt at enclosing their patio makes it look like a shanty straight out of the third world. It's not 2020 anymore, there's no need for your restaurant to look like this. Having people eating inside, including behind the kitchen is what gave this place its character. Maybe it's run by a germophobe or something now but they only have a handful of seats on the patio and most of their business is takeout. Very sad to see. Tear down the crappy looking shanty and let people eat inside. We'll be fine. Literally every other restaurant is back to normal. read more

The service was great, food was amazing. Prices are worth it. The employees really care about their customers. They only take cash so there is an ATM in the restaurant which really makes it easier, and there are two water jugs there to help yourself with water for free. I like the variety of seats outside, with all the sauces and seasonings there already on each table. I really recommend going here. And the pancakes really hit the spot! read more

Not sure what the hype is about this place the food was ok not great. Coffee tasted like it was yesterday's brew. We ordered a side of ham with food when we asked if it was ham off the bone server said yes. Disappointed because it sure wasn't ham off the bone. The hash browns need to be cooked longer they were undercooked. The steak sandwich was ok bread was semi hard. Pancakes dry not moist overall not somewhere I would go again. read more

Sarkis Cafe - Steak sandwich with cheese hash browns bussssssssin - Diners Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

A north shore staple, especially for hungover highschool & college kids. If you're looking for greasy delicious food that might give you a heart attack then this is the place for you. Do yourself a favor and order the Bacon Loretta. There's no better option in my opinion. I add an egg to the sandwich to give it a little extra substance. Make sure to order your hash browns well done so they're extra crispy! Sarkis has been great with outdoor seating during COVID since the restaurant is so small. Once COVID is over I highly recommend eating inside because wow is that an experience. read more

Sarkis Cafe - Bacon Loretta with Egg - Diners Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

Place is an institution. I do feel the bacon Loretta's are not as good as they used to be though. And you have to take a nap after. But this place is Forsure worth a try read more

Stopped in on a Sunday to try. Read the reviews. Solid sandwich, unsure if I like that the French is soft and chewy. I'm more of a fan of crusty. Got the Loretta and the disaster. Definitely worth trying, cheese was tasty, decent amount of flavor. However felt like the sandwich was a bit gimmicky, not really based on flavors. 3.5 stars read more

Sarkis Cafe - Loretta and disaster - Diners Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

I can only speak of the food. The original Sarkis sandwiches are pretty solid. It hits the spot when you want a breakfast sandwich in the morning. It's flavorful, it warms your belly, and fills you up. I personally like adding a bit of ketchup and hot sauce to mine. I'd recommend adding your favorite condiment to their sandwiches. It definitely elevates each bite. It's located in a small humble diner, which is one of its charms and appeals in my opinion. Love the fact that it doesn't take too long to make their breakfast sandwiches too. You can be in and out. The sandwiches travel pretty well but if you're unsure be sure to grab some extra napkins just in case. If you do have the time to just sit down and relax the dining there. It's kind of a nice way to start your morning. read more

Sarkis has been a staple on the North Shore for decades. It looks like a dump, but that doesn't matter. The parking lot has more pot holes than a Chicago street in February, but that doesn't keep crowds away. It is cash only - still no problem for me. They do diner food right and that's what matters! There is a limited menu of breakfast items and everything I have ever had has been amazing. This is not fancy brunch kind of place and do not expect to find diet food here. They make amazing sandwiches and egg dishes on a small stove top right in front of you. The cooks know exactly how to make everything perfectly and quicker than anyone else in town. My go to is a Bacon Loretta sandwich. This is a huge Italian roll piled with a bunch of crispy bacon, brick cheese and diced peppers. They are quickly cooked together and come out as one tremendous sandwich. I cover it with their hot sauce and walk out full and happy. The omlettes are pretty good too, but I don't consider them best in the world (or even best on the North Shore). If you haven't been here yet then don't worry about the exterior - just stop on in and give it a try. You will be very happy you did! read more

Sarkis Cafe - Bacon Loretta - a thing of beauty! - Diners Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

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Best spot for greasy breakfast! Nothing like it! Bacon and ham Loretta combo with cheesy hash is unbeatable.

Sarkis is a great breakfast spot. I'd recommend the bacon loretta with a cheesy hash on the side. Very filling and very good. Sarkis was also featured in the podcast below: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4ap4dQQZTllC4LUHP3yNUC read more

If you ever come to the north shore suburbs and want to try a local, hole in a wall diner, this is the place to go! Environment: Very small indoor seating. There's an outdoor seating area reserved for the warmer months, but I can imagine it can get pretty cramped inside when busy. You can also take your food to go. The food is very heavy and very filling. I love their Loretta's. I usually get either the bacon or animal (if I'm really hungry) Loretta. The hot sauce is bomb. Definitely try the cheesy hash browns as well. The disaster omelette was equally as good and is one of their most popular items. Took off one star for the small seating area and cash only. Otherwise, would give 5 stars for the food! read more

Sarkis Cafe - Animal Loretta and cheesy hashbrowns - Diners Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

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Pretty darn good. Good cheeseburger. The cheese is like a mix of American and Velveeta. So melty and yummy. The hashbrowns are darn near perfect. Cooked with just enough onions to give them a good flavor, but not overwhelming. If you're looking save calories...then you shouldn't come here. But seriously, don't get the "iced tea." It is Nestea Lemon in a can at 130 calories. Hubby notes that he is pleased the omelettes are "old school style" meaning that they saute the veggies in a pan, then pour the eggs over it so it all mixes together. He proclaimed the omelette great and the coffee "acceptable." The patio is dog friendly. The busboy brought out a container of water for them and the owner came out to pet them. read more

This place is a Chicago staple and needs to be protected at all costs. Unreal breakfast food. Stands the true test of time. Come here to cure a hangover or to get more drunk, it does both. Service is awesome every time. read more

Avery casual but comfortable and service focused restaurant. Breakfast is a definite plus and worth repeat visits

This place used to be a fun and unique greasy spoon with decent food and a fun atmosphere. Now it's a joke of what it once was. Instead of eating inside at a nice counter, they make you eat outside in a gross tent, with dust everywhere, plastic furniture, and the overwhelming smell of disinfectant. It's like dining in a third world country. Their prices for a spam sandwich has increased to an absolutely absurd level, but yet their portions have shrunk drastically. There is no wait staff, just a couple of clueless teenagers acting like deer in headlights. What was once a local institution is now a shit show motivated by greed. Want to experience what restaurant dining was like at the peak of the pandemic? This is your place. read more

Food is 5 star, staff are polite and friendly . But wait times are so long! I don't think phone orders are any better. But I wait anyways because it's that good! read more

Some of the best food around. Quality service! The breakfast sandwiches are a must try!

I've been coming here since high school. I'm now 43. Came here pregnant. Best food, best memories Its an institution

An institution. Cheap and delicious food. Quirky as all get out. Food comes out fast and service is insanely friendly.

Don't know what happened here but I grew up on sarkis. Was the best diner I've ever been to, ham Loretta cheesy hash and very affordable. For some reason, this new owner decided to double the ham on the Loretta and charge twice the price. A Loretta hash and drink is now $16? No thanks. They lost a customer that's been going there since 1990. They turned the Loretta into a torta. read more

Best breakfast ever. Bacon Loretta is amazing. Cheese hash is amazing. Omelettes are great. Evanston / Wilmette / north shore classic spot.

I didn't have much faith in omelets before Sarkis', but now I'm a believer. The Mexican surprise ($9) is a mouthful of chorizo, peppers, onions and tomato enveloped in fluffy egg. Order a side of special hashbrowns ($3.50), which also comes with peppers, onions, tomatoes and cheese and you're set for a delicious brunch. Other great things to order: the rib-eye steak sandwich ($9), crammed with onions, tomatoes, peppers and cheese. Are you noticing a trend here? Brandon's Grilled Cheese ($8.50) is an upgraded grilled cheese filled with bacon and a fried egg, pressed between two pieces of French Toast. A bit lighter than the omelets, but only by a bit. During the warmer months, this quaint cafe has cheery outdoor seating on picnic tables under a roof, but you're also welcome to sit inside a booth or at the counter, where I prefer to watch them do their thing. (cash only!) Check out my blog Cat the Critic! https://catthecritic.wordpress.com/2017/08/07/drive-me-crazy-3-places-worth-the-drive/ read more

Sarkis Cafe - The Disaster Omelet and Special Hashbrowns - Diners Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

I ate here one time back in 1997 when I was still in high school. The food was average and the owner was a jackass. They would add hashbrown even if you didn't order it and add $1 extra. I told them I didn't order hashbrown and I didn't even eat it and the jackass yelled at me and called me cheap when I was a freaking high school student back then. He got away with ripping off customers and cheating on his tax for years apparently read more

5 star spot for breakfast really good and fast everything here is really good even the pancakes I come here so much they know what I like highly recommended coming to the food awesome staff they make u you comfortable all the time everything is on point here read more

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Best place for brunch in the Midwest. Bacon Loretta everything with an egg/ cheesy hash browns and an Orange Fanta soda- the coffee tastes like cinnamon toast crunch and it's the complete hangover meal. The entire veggie hashbrown situation needs to go on the Loretta and you'll have the best breakfast Sammy of your life. read more

Simply put: Loretta! The GOAT for breakfast. If you say there is a place that serves better food, I say you're lying

Place was eh. No seating. Food was bad - could've made a better version at home. Very popular place, but I don't see why. Maybe the convenience? Not worth the trip here unfortunately. read more

The Armenian sausage is very good, but the cash only policy took me off guard. Fortunately, friends were able to scrape enough change together to buy my breakfast, but I'd planned on buying THEIR breakfasts. (That part embarrassed me and truly sucked, but it ended up being OK once the meal was over.) Four stars with some wiggle room for improvement. read more

Been coming here since I was a baby. Bacon Loretta with cheesy hash. That's it. That's your order. Don't deviate. Enjoy read more

Awesome. Best omelette anywhere. Consistently excellent. Highly recommended. I have been a customer for decades.

This is more of diner than a cafe, but the Loretta is the most popular menu item. Knowing that, I got the bacon Loretta, but I was with 3 friends and she brought each of our meals at different times (about 5-10 minutes apart), except for one. She forgot one of my friends items completely, then brought two wrong items, then forgot again and finally 40 minutes later she got what she ordered. We also ordered a pitcher of orange juice, which was on the menu, and after we asked where our orange juice was, she said they didn't have pitchers but she could bring us some glasses of oj. The orange juice glasses are tinyyyy. The Loretta was definitely very easy to make, but it was pretty good (especially with the seasoning they have on the table). My main complaint was that they skimped on the meat. I didn't want to get a bite of only veggies and bread, but that was unfortunately about half of my meal. The iced coffee is grossly thick and wayyy too sweet. Overall, the service absolutely sucked, the place itself was pretty tight and gross, and the food was mediocre. I wouldn't go again after this experience. read more

Sarkis Cafe - Bacon Loretta (try the seasoning!!) - Diners Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

I have been eating at Sarkis for more than half my life now. That's over 15 years of Lorettas. I would drive to Loyola Academy from the city and this place was my daily spot so I could beat rush hour and get some breakfast before school. The original crew is still serving up the best breakfast in the Midwest. If you are leaving reviews about toast or pancakes or the place being crowded then you don't belong at Sarkis or just don't get the vibe. Although everything they make is made with love and is delicious, the Lorettas are their Superstar items. I grew up taking down 2 bacon lorettas in one sitting and now I eat veggie Lorettas so you can find healthy options too! Or go ham literally and feast! Thank you Sarkis! Don't pay attention to any reviews under 5 Stars! And also understand this isn't your normal breakfast joint, it's one of a kind. read more

Sarkis Cafe - Sarkis Cafe - Diners Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

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Good god, food is basically good. Pro tip: call them and place your order versus ordering online. Online food ordering means you're paying ~$5 more per plate & it doesn't go to Sarkis. It will go to Yelp! DoorDash. GrubHub instead. Save your chips and call with your order. read more

Who doesn't love a good cheesy meal! This place is so underrated! The sandwich was so delicious but wish I got the Bacon Loretta instead bc apparently that's the most popular! The hash brown was heaven especially with the cheese & hot sauce. read more

Sarkis Cafe - Diners Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

AMAZING!! =) I went here for the first time with my Dad and sis about a month ago and got the infamous Bacon Loretta with a fried egg, even though many other menu options looked appetizing as well. I was pleasantly surprised. The combination of flavors and the softness of the french bread made it a very unique breakfast sandwich filled with goodness. I loved it so much, I came back this past weekend with my boyfriend and he LOVED it as well. Easy to get to, great prices for what you get, and friendly staff! They play fun jams in the background too. Will definitely come back again one day! read more

Sarkis Cafe - 3 Bacon Lorettas all with a fried egg added with crispy hash browns. Heaven in my mouth. - Diners Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

Every time I go to Sarkis to give them another chance, they disappoint. Over 50% of the time, the order has been wrong. The portion sizes keep getting smaller every time as well but the prices are the same or higher. It's getting to be ridiculous how much smaller the portions are. I guess I need to make my own or find somewhere else - it's no longer worth it to go to Sarkis - no matter how much I love the Loretta. Sad. read more

Foods good. Service is ok. You're not coming for the service though. You're coming for the food! Had waffles bacon eggs. Typical breakfast. They're very well known for the breakfast sandwiches. This place is caught only which I like because it's an easier process for both the customer and the restaurant. The food was delicious and service was fast. I would only eat here if I was in the area. Easily $10/per person (this includes tip n tax) read more

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Boy, I sure miss the good old days when Sarkis was there to greet you first thing in the morning. I made the old ritual of starting my Xmas Eve morning with breakfast at Sarkis and shopping at Northbrook Court. I lived a good part of my life on the Northshore and Sarkis' is a one of a kind destination. You're not going to receive 5 star service but I've come to expect that. The magic happens on the grill. It's not your standard dive establishment food but a unique blend of items that just tastes great. Perhaps not the most healthy thing but I've always enjoyed breakfast here. Since I moved out to the western burbs in '99, the hour trek (on a good day) is tough to make with any frequency. The newest owner has made some changes and it looks like the patio area now seats as many people as humanly possible. The inside is certainly tight and I always just belly up to the cramped counter area. You might see 80# of bacon next to you waiting to be grilled if you arrive first thing and witness the ritual of slicing the french bread and buttering them for the sandwiches for the day. All the ingredients are chopped fresh daily and I've never had a bad meal here. The coffee usually has a nice hint of cinnamon and you tend to have to beg for a refill or sit at the end of the counter and serve yourself. I'm still amazed the lack of any paper trail and the cash amount is always inclusive of tax and is typical rounded to a full dollar amount. You will need to tell them what you had to eat when you finished and pay up with cash only. They have an ATM in the back. It appears the old days of a can of soda are gone. I remember the old days of Sarkis giving someone $20 to go and load up on a 12 pack special somewhere near by. It appears they have a soda machine in the back. My appetite size has diminished over the years from an omelet with a disaster patty or two disaster sandwiches. I have a hard time just finishing their omelet. You won't get a conventional slice of toast or pancakes with you eggs but a chewy piece of toasted french bread. Always tastes great smeared with a bit of their grape jelly. It is an honor system here. I've often wondered what percentage of patrons fudge their order when they tell them what they had. Also gone are the days when Sarkis' floating scale would come into effect. He sure liked kissing the girls and a splash of Crown Royal in your coffee if he liked you. Often too Sarkis would bring in something sweet and you get a sliver. read more

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