Consistency is key for this review. This establishment has been my go to for a great breakfast when someone is visiting. What keeps me coming back is the quality and consistency of the food. Despite the wait that is sometimes here, I'd say the food and service is worth it. Oh Yams 5 of 5 This is my go to dish. The sweet potato, brussel sprouts, bacon, and peppers go very well with the eggs and havarti cheese. It's a dish I would have never thought I'd like, but the flavors all pop when together. Give it a shot! Biscuit and Gravy 4 of 5: The biscuit had a good flavor, but a bit dry, but the gravy is consistently good and reminds me of Southern cooking. Service 5 of 5 Ambiance 4 of 5 It can be very busy here, but it's great food so plan ahead. read more

Stray Hen Cafe - Oh Yams and side Biscuits and Gravy - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Elmhurst, Illinois

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A solid ok spot for me. I did feel rushed during my visit. Bussers kept trying to take plates when I still was eating. Eggs were small. Their cold brew coffee comes in a can. Pancakes were good. One stall bathrooms in a cramped area of the restaurant. Pricing is reasonable. read more

We visited on a very busy Sunday morning, excited for brunch! We were told the wait would be about an hour, so we decided to walk around and enjoy the sunshine. After an hour we headed back and were told we had just a few more parties ahead of us. Another half hour passed and we checked in again, again being told our table would be ready soon. Another half hour passed, with our wait time now being TWO full hours, when we again checked in and they said we were next in line. After another 15 minutes, we just asked then to be honest since we were dining with 4 (now starving) kids, and they figured something out to be able to seat us (spoiler alert- they sat our party of 7 at a 4 person table). Now on to the positives... service was fantastic, food was fantastic, and the ambiance was lively and very family friendly. The different flavored mimosas were perfect, they had a great kids menu, including Mickey Mouse pancakes, and my whole group left stuffed and happy. Stray Hen would have been such an easy 5 stars had it not been for the more than double wait time with no explanation. Hopefully our next visit is better and I can update accordingly! read more

Stray Hen Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Elmhurst, Illinois

Food was above great for breakfast. Pancakes were thick and light and the omelettes were made to perfect perfection and everything was served nice and hot read more

The chilaquiles are the bomb. Massive portion so be prepared to share. Quite honestly, everything is good here. read more

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Went here for brunch and loved it! The cafe is really cute with mostly table and chairs seating vs. booth seating. Our server was really nice and attentive, even offering to take a picture for us. Everything we ordered tasted so good! Our table had the "Other Side", the "North Side", and the "Hunter"/. Everyone loved their meal. I also had the americano with oat milk and a flavored syrup that I loved. Their americano has 4 shots of espresso for those that must be mindful of their caffeine intake. read more

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We usually head to Stray Hen Cafe in Elmhurst for their great breakfast and coffee--but today we decided to stop in for lunch, and we are happy we did. Tried the Double Cheeseburger and it was phenomenal! Two perfectly grilled patties, melted cheese, raw onion, and mustard on a soft toasted bun -- every bite was juicy and packed with flavor. Friendly service, cozy café vibe, and clearly a lunch menu worth exploring. Whether you're a regular breakfast-goer or just passing through Elmhurst, this spot deserves a visit any time of day. read more

Stray Hen Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Elmhurst, Illinois

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Stopped here on a Saturday morning. Would have been a 30 minute wait for inside but we were able to sit outside right away. Our group ordered a variety of skillets that were tasty and generous portions. The highlight was really a delicious hot latte. Good breakfast spot! read more

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The food is always amazing, though we mostly go for breakfast or brunch. The service is always on point, the waiters are always pleasant and attentive. read more

Stray Hen Cafe - Outside sitting at Stray Hen!!!! Perfect morning for breakfast outside!!!! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Elmhurst, Illinois

My friend and I met here at 10 on a Sunday morning, it was both of our first time here. They do not accept reservations but your name can be added to the wait list. We were initially told the wait would be 25 minutes but we waited less than 10 minutes. The hostesses were so nice and sweet. The restaurant was very busy and we were seated at table for two near the door. The dining room is small but very cute. You know how much I love a mimosa or expresso martini when I'm dining out for breakfast but alas, alcohol is not served in Elmhurst until 11am on Sundays. Kathleen and I both ordered skillets, she made her own with hash browns and I got the un-kosher one with seasoned diced potatoes. Both were delicious, now let's get into my side of pancakes. I am a bit of a pancake snob and the quality of pancakes will make or break my entire experience ‍. The golden brown pancakes were so thick and fluffy that I was surprised that they were cooked all the way through with no wet batter in the middle. They tasted good and I was pleased. I played it safe by ordering a skillet but the next time, I plan to order something different as the French toast that I saw someone had ordered looked good and some items on the menu piqued my interest too. read more

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Great food: a varied breakfast menu, indeed! I had sausage patty/scrambled eggs and cheese sliders on tasty toasted buns w/fruit for $14 and my wife had a bowl that had a poached egg atop sausage, grains, cucumber, avacado, and other goodies! Both entrees were delicious! Service was top notch! Not hovering, but with frequent coffee refills. As first timers, we were a bit shocked finding 105 S York Rd as you have to go through a bank entrance. But no biggie. Only downside, (besides our $34 bill, which was worth it!) was that we oldsters found it rather noisy. But all in all, we will definitely go back! read more

A really great place to meet for a laid back brunch. It's a large space which makes finding a spot easy and the dishes were good! The chilaquiles were a bit soggy when we got them but our other food was good. Service was fast and attentive as well. read more

Stray Hen is one of those brunch spots that stays busy for a reason. Even when there is a wait, the staff keeps things moving and the Google waitlist makes it easy to plan ahead. The food is consistently great with fluffy pancakes, crisp waffles, and everything served hot and fresh. The mimosas are always a highlight too. It is the kind of place where you can count on good food, friendly service, and an upbeat atmosphere every time. read more

My family and I came here for my mother in law's birthday. I didn't know what to expect as the menu had a lot of great options. The environment was very peaceful and decor and lighting set a positive mood for a celebration. Our server was very attentive, positive, and interactive! I ordered the mimosa flight which was tasty. I also had the apple churros French toast which was a bit sweet but I enjoyed it. I wasn't pleased with the caramelized apples with the skin still on it. Overall, i trulu enjoyed my first experience here and would definitely come back to try more options if I am around the area again! read more

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Stopped for lunch. Hostess was a bit dour, but waitstaff was delightful and upbeat. Ordered the salmon salad - great big salad with lots of tasty bits. Many breakfast items around me looked fantastic as well. If I'm ever in Elmhurst again, I'll go back. read more

Stray Hen Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Elmhurst, Illinois

Stray Hen, was a surprise and had large portions with delicious options. Service was excellent, although they were busy and were nicely trying to get us to hurry up. The restaurant is clean and well appointed. It was a full house!! I can see why since the food offerings were great! I had the sweet potato bowl and was pleasantly surprised at the portion and taste. Will be back again for sure! read more

This place makes a pretty good omelette with lots of toppings. The thing I will ding them on though is the service. They took forever to get us our checks or our drinks. The ambiance was ok but way too crowded and it's a bit loud inside. read more

Stray Hen Cafe - Omelette with sausage - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Elmhurst, Illinois

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Great place and a super waiter who went out of his way to provide wonderful service! Susan read more

Great spot! Love that this place has unique and healthy menu options. It's a bit pricy but it kind of fits the typical range for the area. Service was great and restaurant was clean. The food came out timely and fresh. I would come back for sure! read more

Stray Hen Cafe - Rye toast and Breakfast Burrito - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Elmhurst, Illinois

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Food was amazing at the stray. I got the cinnamon French toast with a side of potatoes and bacon! Food came out hot and tasted amazing ! French toast was top tier! read more

The waitress was very friendly and attentive to our needs. Although the restaurant was decently full, our food and drinks came out quickly. They have a decent-sized drink menu with regular drip coffee or lattes with various syrup flavors. My favorite thing on the menu (from their special fall menu) was the fried green tomato sliders and the potato medley (regular & sweet potatoes) that came with it. This place seems better suited for smaller parties. read more

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Apple churro French toast Reese's peanut butter cup pancakes I could stop there but I won't! I've been out to eat brunch over 100 times in lifetime but this is the best blend of unique food offerings, great service, family friendly ambiance, and decent pricing; all of that great food was only $50. If you haven't been here yet you are missing out! read more

nice day and decided to sit outside there was about a 15 minutes wait. the outdoor seating is basic nothing crazy out waiter was really nice and informative. we had our dogs with and they enjoyed the outdoor seating as well. we got a pumpkin iced latte decaf and fresh orange juice, the coffee could use some more flavoring. for food i got ham on the side for the dogs and then got chocolate chip banana pancakes and regular french toast with side a side of bacon. pancakes i only have the top one because it was just super sweet, they seemed a little dry but the chocolate chips and bananas helped. the french toast tasted like the griddle and eggs could of used more flavoring as well. bacon wasn't too bad. and ofcourse the dogs loved the bacon. super great service read more

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This spot continues to hit the marks of warm, inviting, comfort and FULL! Come here often for breakfast. Their service is spot on! Excellent choices, various options. I gotta tell ya..if you want good food, service and an excellent breakfast, great choice! My girl got the sliders today....looked scrumptious!!! I ordered a BLTE, first time for this....excellent balance of egg, protein and stuff! Lolol...love this place, don't say it often read more

Stray Hen Cafe - Breakfast sliders!!! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Elmhurst, Illinois

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Plenty seating options, outdoor as well. Great service and excellent food. Priced appropriately! First visit but not the last. Large menu with a lot of options. Free street parking, car side building, adjacent a train that stops frequently. A beautiful neighborhood to explore after dining. read more

Stray Hen Cafe - Spread - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Elmhurst, Illinois

We came here on a Sunday afternoon and it was packed. The wait was about 40 min but we didn't mind since we weren't in a rush and the staff was trying to accommodate us as much as possible. The food was good but nothing I would come back for or wait that long for again. Our waitress was ok but I'm not sure if she was slammed or what because she would tell us she was coming back with something like coffee or napkins and then disappear for a while. Over it was ok but definitely a one and done for us. read more

This is a obvious choice among metro riders. The service is friendly and well organized. The ambiance is like a diner but with more open seating and had a full view of downtown Elmhurst. The food is what you would expect , except dressed down a tad. read more

Stray Hen Cafe - Double burger - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Elmhurst, Illinois

Met up with some friends here for brunch. The decor and seating were very nice. The seats weren't so jammed packed together, I actually felt like I could enjoy my company without people around me knowing my business. I ordered the cinnamon French toast, bacon and sausage. My other friends ordered a build your own omelette and a bagel sandwich. The French toast was a bit dry but tasty. The bacon was way overcooked and was crunchy crispy. One of the omelettes lacked enough eggs to make it feel like an omelette, the other was mostly potatoes. However, both omelettes were flavorful and filling. I would definitely come back to try some of the other items on the menu. read more

Stray Hen Cafe - Cinnamon French Toast Combo - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Elmhurst, Illinois

In town for a weekend in the Chicago area and stumbled upon this place. I can honestly say it's the best breakfast my wife kids and I have had a long time. My eggs Benedict was incredible. The waffles were great. The potatoes with the onions and peppers were amazing. My son said it was the best pancakes he had ever had. The service was even better. Our waitress was very attentive and checked on us very frequently. Offered us to go cups for everyone. Pretty sure I tipped her about 40%. If your kids like trains (we don't see passenger trains at home), this place is next to some tracks with frequent trains! If you are in this area and need a good breakfast, I would definitely recommend this place!! read more

First time trying this place and was very impressed. Tucked away inside/next to a bank I think on a corner right next to the tracks. Lots of different specialty coffee/tea options which I appreciated. Some very decadent specialty pancake and French toast options. Pretty big menu overall so def want to go back soon. And fast and friendly service read more

Stray Hen Cafe - Not Perfectly Un-Kosher Skillet upgraded to specialty pancake (Cinammon Swirl) and Chilaquiles - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Elmhurst, Illinois

I had a horrible experience today at stray hen cafe. I was greeted by the waiter and sat down in my table waiting for a great experience but to my disappointment the food was just not there. I ordered the chilaquiles with no chorizo sub tofu. First let me start by saying the chips were soggy and had no sauce at all. There was no flavor or taste. I was expecting a saucy, crispy tortilla chip layer with eggs but what I got was a unflavored soft chips and eggs. I also ordered the peanut butter cup pancakes. The pancakes came out looking good. The problem was that the cakes were chalky and doughy. The chocolate was only in one part of the cakes and the rest of the pancake was no flavor and undercooked. I left it all on the plate because I was scared to get sick by the pancakes. Overall, I had been here years ago but this was one of the worst experiences I have ever had. To the management: I hope you can take this back to make improvements but I would not recommend read more

Stray Hen Cafe - Chilaquiles and Reeses Peanut Full Stack - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Elmhurst, Illinois

Went here for a quick lunch and was pleased with the food. Nice little space. Not too loud but not too quiet. Had a seat by the window and could watch the trains go by. For lunch had a scrambler with chicken sausage which I really enjoyed with home fries and the awesome Chocolate banana pancakes. Service could have been more attentive was the only real complaint. read more

Good food. Buoyant Asmus fear. fun time. lots of good people. Nice stop on a rainy day.

This brunch place has everything so be prepared for a wait! I enjoyed my shepherds omelette with goat cheese, pumpkin pancakes (only a small up charge, served with cranberries and pears along with a glaze so no syrup was needed). It was a great place for food and conversation. Keep the coffee coming! read more

Great breakfast/brunch/lunch spot! Highly varied menu offers something for everyone, with endlessly combinable meal options. (Whatever magic they do with scrambled eggs, I will never be able to replicate at home.) Fast, friendly service and a positive vibe among diners and staff alike. An unexpectedly happy discovery! read more

I've been here one before and was in the area so wanted to give it another try . I got THE smallest omelet I've ever gotten at a restaurant. I usually take left overs home of how big they are but this one was so small . It was wet , and had very little of the veggies I requested . It was quite disappointing. I don't think I'll come again . read more

Was looking for places to have brunch at with my friend and this place is very popular in the Downtown Elmhurst area. Stopped in at 10:45 and for two people there was a 45 minute wait, try and use the Yelp waitlist if possible. Pro tip: we walked across the tracks to Beerhead and had some quick mimosas while we waited! Just an option if you do have a long wait ;) Anyways, the service was attentive and quick. Even with how busy they are, they bring out plates pretty fast. I had the Weld omelette with breakfast potatoes and upgraded my pancakes to the cinnamon swirl. The breakfast potatoes were well seasoned and the omelette was tasty. The cinnamon swirl pancakes were good but definitely on the sweeter side - loaded with icing so beware if you don't like too sweet. Honestly my friend's blueberry lemon cheesecake pancakes were better and I almost wished I had gotten those instead. All in all, the place was good but nothing to bring me back for a while. read more

Stray Hen Cafe - The Weld Cinnamon Swirl Cakes Pancake Combo with Blueberry-lemon cheesecake pancakes - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Elmhurst, Illinois

Excellent place! Great food and service! Would definitely recommend but, come early so that you can get a table!

My last visit was unfortunate. Let me say that this rating is purely on the food I got. The service is a 5 star because management took care of it and removed it from our check. So, I excitedly ordered biscuits and gravy which I was craving. The biscuits were like hockey pucks. Maybe 2-3 small bites were edible, but the rest was hard and dry. No idea if it was overcooked or reheated old biscuits. Tried to eat more but not even the gravy was enough to save it so I sadly gave up on them. Still one of my favorite places. Just can't recommend this dish. read more

Well, the food was delicious and the atmosphere was great as well. Even though we called in and joined the waitlist, they did take a little longer to get our table ready. Once we got seated, everything just felt rushed, Even if we had enough time to order and eat. We got there by 1:00 And finished by 2:00. The waitress never mentioned if we wanted to order anything else before they closed the kitchen. This was my first time here. How was I supposed to know they close the kitchen early ?? So I asked her if I can get 2 orders of pancakes to go because they looked so good and I wanted to try them at home. And she abruptly told me the kitchen was closed already. We literally had an hour before they closed. That really turned me off. Anyway, that's my review. I have to say I'm Disappointed, Even if the food was delicious, I feel that they could've made the pancakes for me to go. I wasn't asking for anything out of the ordinary. I'm a paying customer And honestly, if the waitress is Going to tell us, the paying customer, that anything more given than the tip that's already added on the receipt would be appreciated, That's not professional. Honestly, I would've given more, but I felt that she didn't really appreciate us even when the restaurant did not close for another hour there was no communication stating otherwise. read more