Short Stacks

Service phenomenal…read more Ambiance always clean and bright in there. Food amazing per usual made some updates on my own meal. But I needed to hit all the macros. Food was on target. Portions are huge. If you need a great spot come here and always come here early. Ive been here 11-12 and gets pack if you're a early riser you'll be seated quickly.

I haven't been here in a while and I went today. It was amazing, we got in and got seated right…read moreaway. The atmosphere was good, everyone was enjoying their time and we were looking at the menu and all the food looked delicious. Our server Yesenia was very friendly and kind. She didn't rush us and was always attentive. Our food came quick and everything tasted good. I got the carnivore skillet and I also ordered the classic breakfast. I also bought one of their cups it was only 10 dollars. I will come again to this place. THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO! Everyone here makes you feel at home.

Inside

Chicken and Waffle

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Carmel Frappuccino

Burnt Toast

3.7(315 reviews)

2.2 mi

I was in the area visiting friendly. We tried an unsavory (well-known) breakfast restaurant the day…read morebefore, so we tried to re-do it with a new spot. Buttered Toast is a cozy, chic bistro in the Algonquin/Crystal Lake area. Our waitress's was prompt, although she did disappear when we wanted our check. A simple flag down and someone else was able to help us. The food wasn't bad either. My Dad got a Breakfast with 2 Eggs, Ham and Pancakes. He said it wasn't anything remarkable, but wasn't bad. I enjoyed my Chilaquiles but the chips were rather soggy. It was pretty filling. Very limited coffee options. More staff is needed to have quicker service. We would come back if need-be.

Stopped for breakfast before a fun day of holiday shopping. The restaurant was already decorated…read morebeautifully for the holidays. Amanda was our server and she was delightful. The menu was expansive but it was the seasonal specials that really grabbed my attention. We opted for two oatmeal cookie chai lattes, crepes and a yummy seasonal eggs bendict dish. Great food + great service + great ambiance= great place for breakfast, brunch and lunch!

Spinach and Gruyère omelette with grits and Greek toast

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Daily Projects Cafe & Eatery

4.2(329 reviews)

2.2 mi

•$

Solid coffee shop…read more Breakfast sandwich (sausage), Cortada, black coffee is my go-to. My wife gets the: royal milk tea and or matcha green tea with lavender cold foam. We enjoy the drinks and coffee without a doubt! Service is great and exceptionally fast. I have had some weird service experiences in the past but usually they get corrected quickly. My wife has also and I won't go into that. The place is pretty well kept.

I ordered myself 2 drinks because I just couldn't decide. I ordered the midnight moon lemonade, and…read morethe café au lait. The midnight moon lemonade lasted oks absolutely beautiful. The coffee is my favorite basic coffee drink. Definitely a win in both choices. The staff greeted us upon arrival didn't take long to take an order and promptly started making our drink drinks My husband ordered a the peanut butter mocha hot and he didn't even share so it must have been good!

Ordering counter

Lavender Vanilla Latte & Breakfast Sandwich

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Triple Berry Cafe

4.4(121 reviews)

3.1 mi

Had a great experience at Triple Berry Cafe! Our waitress, Taylor, was super kind, attentive, and…read morehad a great personality. She made us feel welcome and really added to the experience. The food was delicious too. Everything was fresh and flavorful. Definitely a place we'll be coming back to. Highly recommend!

Their strawberry banana crepes were awesome. Had it delivered, so can't speak on the service or…read morerestaurant.

Triple Berry Counter

Light and Fluffy biscuits n gravy!

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Mockingbird Bar + Garden

4.4(175 reviews)

4.5 mi

Chef Patrick slayed our brunch dishes on this beautiful Sunday morning. This was our first time…read morestopping for brunch. We started with mimosas (only way to start a Sunday morning breakfast). What we ordered: * Steak Hash- my husband said this is his new favorite breakfast meal. This is a man who loves breakfast over any other meal. Order the steak hash, you will not be disappointed. * Piquant sausage crostata- I absolutely loved this dish. It was bursting with flavor in each bite. Definitely had a kick of spice, which I love. I think we have found our new Sunday brunch spot! Thank you Chef Patrick and Kathleen for giving us wonderful food and a beautiful atmosphere to enjoy our early Sundays.

Let me start by writing that this place deserves five stars and should be five stars, and I wanted…read moreso badly to give it five stars. But sadly there was a private event that spread the kitchen very thin and it took away from the overall experience. Food: 5.0/5.0 - Everything we ate was awesome. We did the Wood-Fired Artichoke, the Two Pigs in a Basket Crostata, the Steak Hash, and the Arugula Salad. Everything was cooked and flavored nicely but I wish the steak hash had more steak. (See my photos) Service: 4.5/5.0 - The server was kind and Joe was walking around checking in regularly, making sure we were protected from the rain. I dinged half a point because the server didn't have the best explanations for why everything was out. More on that later. Ambiance: 4.0/5.0 - I think on a normal evening on a date, this place would be 5.0/5.0. The decor is rustic/modern and it felt like a vacation spot that you'd visit on the Florida coast. Loved the brassware and the attention to detail in the presentation of food. It was a Sunday afternoon when we were there, so the band across the street was disruptive to the feel outside the restaurant in the garden and patio. By 3:00pm the flies and gnats were becoming annoying. So good scores in general and worthy of 5 stars, but alas, the kitchen was not prepared for the afternoon private party along with the crowd from the night before... apparently. They were "unable to make" or were out of several dishes. From what I can recall, there were no: pizza pies, whitefish, and chimichurri. They also ran out of all soda except a few bottles of Coca Cola. And there was no beer on tap because the keg was broken, so they only had Guinness and Stella bottles. Because of this, it stung to pay the prices we did for our items. I'd say a fair price point with all said and done is probably $3-$4 less on any item here. Crostatas were great, but maybe for $13. I'd pay $16 for the steak hash. I'm sure if we came back on a weeknight, this place would be amazing. Great people, great food, and everything in stock. If we came back, I'd love to upgrade this review to 5 stars. The problem is, the price may keep us from giving this place a second try.

New interior

Website photo of Wood-Fired Hanger Steak. Not sure if this is accurate photo, didn't match mine or description

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Interior

Sunrise Social

4.1(99 reviews)

2.4 mi

The service was great, our kids were given little toys to play with and you get an incredible…read moreamount of food for the price

The food was really quite good. My issue was with the…read moreoverall ambiance of this place. The floor was disgusting. Bits of food everywhere. There is a dirty dish trolley that loops the dining area constantly so you get the visual of other people's dirty dishes and food for your entire meal. It also clinks when it goes past you so prepare for that. There are short benches for the booth so the woman behind me who had very long hair and kept tossing it over her shoulder had her hair lande on MY shoulder each time she adjusted it. Taller benches or a glass partition of sorts would've been nice. The paint is chipping all around, the contact paper covering the table is peeling, it's just very poorly maintained in here. It's giving diner vibes in a place that's meant to look like a nice brunch spot. When I go into a diner I'm expecting a little bit of ick; was not expecting it here. In addition to this, our waitress appeared to not like her job today which added an additional sprinkle of awkward to an already icky experience. We saw her once. Then she came back when I lunged out of the seat to get her attention and she gave us the check. I did tell the people at the front my dining experience was not great and the gentleman was not sure how to respond and said sorry and told me my total. Maybe if we ordered TO GO it would've been great but this was not great.

Dining Area

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Classic Bennie

The Double Yolk Cafe

4.4(134 reviews)

12.9 mi

I am surprised that this restaurant is closed down. It had a great location, friendly service, and…read morea good breakfast. Also, its decor was homeynd it was always packed.

We have never been here before. We were at Heiders Berry Picking and looked for a place to have…read morelunch. Our first choice was closed on Tuesdays so we ended up here. The restaurant is very cute and there are booths and tables. Our waitress was extremely rude. She acted like we knew the menu. My mom was asking her questions and she said I will be right back when your ready and walked away. We were ready to order. My mom is deaf in one ear and the waitress was not facing her so much mom was confused why she left the table. When we were ready to leave the waitress was nice to us. We did not get straws until our food came and I am surprised because it was not even busy. The food was excellent and made up for the horrible service. I think our waitress was just having a bad day (based on other reviews) I don't think I would come out of my way to eat here again, but if your in the area looking for good food, you won't regret dining here.

Chili Omelet

Italian Omelet

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Double Yolk Nachos

Port Edward Restaurant

3.0(618 reviews)

0.2 mi

•$$$

Lunch on the water is always enjoyable…read more Today we stopped in and as usual the experience was a success Service was excellent I had fish tacos on flour tortillas. Along with calamari apps Not a cloud in the sky and washed down my lunch with a rum draped mai tai Always a pleasure to take the drive from the city out to the Fox Thanks guys for an excellent lunch

Saw this place on our drive and decided to go in for a drink. Had the bloodmary and appetizers,…read morethey were amazing. Service was great and nice view.

Windmill dining

Gifts of the Sea Pasta

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Upstairs

Montarra

4.4(646 reviews)

2.2 mi

•$$$

This restaurant is outstanding....as in why bother driving into the city when you can go here…read moreinstead? We've been 7 or 8 times and each time is as good as the last. Every dish we have tried has been excellent. The service is great. The ambiance is lovely. This is absolutely one of our favorites.

We went to Montarra last minute yesterday for dinner and we were able to grab a table…read more This was our first time and the food was wonderful. I was a bit underdressed since this was an unprepared dinner. The ambiance is a nicer steak house. I would say most wore business casual at least. The prices were fair for the portion we got. I really liked their bacon wrapped scallops as well as the crème brûlée. I would for sure recommend for nicer meals.

Dining room

Chilean Sea Bass

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Smoked Manhattan

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19 reviews that are not currently recommended

The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.

Xing L.

12 years ago

What happened to this place???? It used to be my favorite breakfast place until the owner's daughter decided to get a 'corporate' job & leave the restaurant business. I believe that's when it went downhill. From rude waiters & waitresses who could care less if they open the doors on time to sloppy managers who could care less if the tables & chairs are cleaned when you walk in, this place has really gone downhill. I walked in one day to find EVERY TABLE filled with dirty dishes & napkins all over. The guy working there behind the counter stated to his co-worker 'I don't have time to clean all of this up.' I'm sorry, isn't that your JOB?? I recommend that the owners visit their establishment from time to time & check in on their employees before your employees put you out of business. read more

Judith Z.

4 years ago

Still the place to go in Algonquin for breakfast. Always a great special and plenty of food on your plate. Service has always been good. Only issue is parking since the restaurant is in middle of block. Come early and have plans to hang out for awhile and talk. read more

Steph S.

6 years ago

This place is my jam! No pun intended. Seriously, the best denver omelet. It's classic, cheesy and just hits the spot. Everything I've tried has always been excellent including the coffee! It's cozy, cute and local. Do yourself a favor and try Bella's. read more

Colleen S.

12 years ago

Great place for breakfast! Can get packed quite quickly on Sundays and waiting area is quite small. Other than that, food is served quickly, portions are a great size and service is great! read more

Kirsten J.

4 years ago

We absolutely LOVE Bella's! We are here at least twice a month, and they don't ever disappoint! We are so so excited to be able to have such a great place so close to home! read more

Amber S.

12 years ago

That was a great place for breakfast I go ther a lot and I think I tryd everything on the menu and everything was pretty good I like this place a lot it's very family stile read more

Rose M.

4 years ago

Great food. Great service. Cannot say about food things about this place. The only problem is it's small so sometimes there's a wait to get in. read more

Christian R.

9 years ago

Great service. Excellent food. Would definitively go back. They just do breakfast and lunch; close at 2 but definitely worth the trip !

Ryan O.

10 years ago

We've dined in a few times now, and every time it has been great customer service, a short wait time, and really good food! Keep it up!

Renee S.

6 years ago

I love the food here. They are one of the few restaurants still open for indoor dining. My daughters love the stuffed French toast.

Kevin G.

15 years ago

This is an easy one, it's a cute place with great food and great service; if I could give it six stars I would!

Millie Roo S.

111

8 years ago

Everything about this place is awesome. Great service. Great food. Excellent prices. A new family favorite!

Katie L.

5 years ago

Affordable and tasty! It's a small space so it can get cramped on the weekends. Their bacon is amazing

Nikki N.

10 years ago

LOVE the servers and the food is pretty good too. They will make anything off their menu to order.

Steven H.

14 years ago

It's okay- I prefer the restaurant across the street though.

Rich M.

15 years ago

Great breakfast! What else is there to say.

S T.

13 years ago

Wonderful service and great breakfasts!

Donnie B.

5 years ago

Good food good people,quaint location.

Susan R.

5 years ago

I love the food and atmosphere here.

Short Stacks - breakfast_brunch - Updated September 2026

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Arrived Tuesday at 9:00am. Seated immediately by the gracious host…read more Food always pretty good however both hash browns and potatoes needed to be cooked a little better were a bit soft all over. Server wasn't very attentive except for delivery of our tab. Over all still a very good experience.

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We came in around 11:15am on a Sunday, so it was busy -- but we got seated right away. It took a…read morewhile for a server to greet us and take our order, though once she did, she was attentive throughout the meal. Unfortunately, the food missed the mark. My Farmhouse Hash was mostly undercooked potatoes with just a little bacon, a tomato or two, and avocado mixed in. The scrambled eggs I ordered came out badly overcooked and barely resembled scrambled eggs - bland and not something I'd recommend. My mother's lemon ricotta pancakes didn't arrive until a good 10 minutes after my plate showed up. To her credit, the server apologized more than once and comped the pancakes. One bright spot: the donut holes came out piping hot and were genuinely delicious. Overall, I'd give this place some time to iron out the issues before trying it again -- or just stick with one of the local diners in town.

This location opened up on Monday and a friend and I visited today. They have a nice outside…read moresitting area and a beautiful dining area. Staff was friendly and so kind! Our server was absolutely lovely! Wish I had a memory and could tell you her name! I chose a chocolate chip pancake. One pancake. It was massive!! Delicious too! I also had iced tea with blackberry which was amazing. I am an ice tea aholic! Yummy. My friend had a waffle with fruit compote which she enjoyed and an iced coffee. Check this place out! It's a great addition to Crystal Lake!

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Worth the long wait, really good service, very clean cute place. A lot of food options. I really…read moreloved my chicken dish, good selection incase you don't want breakfast but everyone else does. Really good drinks and cocktails.

Very Disappointing Service - Management Needs to Take Responsibility…read more I have been coming to this First Watch location for the past four months, and unfortunately, this is now the fourth time I have experienced terrible service. At this point, it is no longer an isolated incident--it appears to be an ongoing management problem. The servers are frequently inattentive, distracted, and fail to properly check on customers, even when the restaurant is not busy. After experiencing the same problems repeatedly, I believe General Manager Zak Paskvan needs to take responsibility for the way this location is being managed. What made the situation even worse was the way Zak handled customer feedback. When customers are explaining legitimate concerns about the service, a general manager should listen, communicate professionally, and try to resolve the problem--not be rude, dismissive, or give customers attitude. After seeing these issues continue for approximately four months, I do not believe Zak is effectively managing this location. In my opinion, First Watch corporate should seriously review his performance and consider replacing him as general manager. I enjoy First Watch, but this particular location needs immediate improvement in both customer service and management. Four bad experiences are more than enough.

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Need to find us on a Sunday morning? Head to Yolk, that's where we are…read more We each have our favorite meals and tend to order them over and over; however, lately we have stepped out of the box and ordered something new. We have been here for breakfast, lunch AND dinner. Never a bad meal and the service is great. It can be pretty busy on the weekends but just wait a minute or two and a table will open up.

Son of "Food and Service Great - No Yolk"…read more Just providing an update after visit #2. We had great and friendly service from Jan. Once again, the food was very good - coming back gave me a chance to try something else on the menu. Brought my husband and a friend this time and they both enjoyed it as well!

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