Easy free 90 minute parking around the corner. When the host saw me taking a photo of the booths as we waited for him to talk to other patrons, he offered to take a photograph of my friend and me! He was very friendly and gracious. The place is far more modern and updated looking with fresh booths and pretty painted walls, despite being a long standing establishment. The coffee is strong and perfect diner coffee - just how I like it. The menu is ample and hard to choose. I had the French toast with berries and banana . The berries and banana were fresh and plentiful. French toast was standard - exactly what I wanted. And the maple syrup was served warm! read more

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Down the street from Ron Onesti's DesPlaines theatre. This is an old skool joint--real gyros & feta omelette, great taters, good coffee in real china cups, decent service. Eat here soon... read more

Stopped in on Mother's Day and they were slammed. Quickly got a booth and kept the coffee flowing while the kitchen caught up. Clean, friendly, solid food and great coffee. read more

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Sugar Bowl is hands down one of our favorite breakfast spots. We've made it part of our weekend routine before our daughter's hockey games, and it never disappoints. The food is consistently great classic breakfast done right!...and the service is always fast, which is perfect when you're on a game-day schedule. There's always someone making the rounds with coffee, and you truly never see the bottom of your cup. What really sets Sugar Bowl apart is the atmosphere. Everyone is friendly and welcoming, and it feels like a true neighborhood diner where you're comfortable the minute you walk in. read more

This was my first visit to this long standing old school diner in downtown Des Plaines. It's been on my to-try list forever but it took a venue change for my neighborhood men's club lunch group to get me here. I enjoyed my lunch and the value is good here. Parking is also easy, either right out front on Miner Street or in their adjacent parking lot. They have an extensive brunch menu. I had their gyros omelette, which comes with hash browns and pancakes. It was $15.95 and everything was generously sized. It was good except for the hash browns which had a powdery taste and were very bland. One lunch mate had a huge cheeseburger with fries for $13.95. Another had French toast with a side of bacon for $14.49. Yet another had two eggs with pancakes and sausage links also for $14.49. All items were generously sized. It wasn't crowded and the noise level was ok for conversation despite some contemporary pop music from the speakers. Naturally the restaurant has dated decor but is clean. Our server was Vickie and she was attentive and friendly and readily prepared individual bills for each of our party of 6. I didn't see a sign or notice but fyi they do charge a 3% credit card fee. Overall, a solid 4 stars, and a thumbs up for our lunch outing at this historic restaurant. read more

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The Sugar Bowl is my favorite spot in Des Plaines. It offers the charm of an old-fashioned diner while remaining clean and well-managed. I frequently meet people there, and our favorite dishes include the homemade Greek yogurt and the crepes. read more

I first began frequenting the Sugar Bowl in 2012. They were terrific then, and they remain every bit as outstanding in 2026. The delicious meals are brought from the kitchen looking just as appealing as they do in the posted photos. The cooks are as good as any I've encountered, and their kitchen creations are just out of this world. The servers are pleasant and quick to take and deliver your orders, and the bus-staff help to keep everything clean and tidy. And the manager keeps everything fresh and appetizing, with daily specials and seasonal and holiday menus. The Sugar Bowl has a storied history in the Des Plaines community, and you and your family are sure to have a marvelous dining experience there. Give them a try - you're certain to go back! read more

A Des Plaines institution...old school diner with a large menu, large portions, and damn good coffee. Great staff. But, I noticed the other day, when I stopped in, the quality of the food has dropped a bit. Maybe I caught the kitchen on a bad day? My eggs were flavorless, tasted stale. The ham off the bone was a bit drier than what I was used to previously. Potatoes came lukewarm, flavorless... not even salt and pepper could rescue them. Prices are still reasonable, portion sizes are large. But they have to up the game in the kitchen a bit. I've had better experiences there in the past. read more

Sugar Bowl - Scrambled eggs, hash browns, ham off the bone, whole wheat toast. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

OK, I weigh 100 pounds more now. I inhaled a tuna melt. Thier food is always good here. I want to sleep on a bed of thier pancakes. Service is always prompt and friendly. Tables are clean. Food is great. Couldn't ask for a better spot. read more

Let's start with the staff who know me by name and always make me feel good when I stop by. Then the food is always tasty, in good portions and always hot. It's a very homey feeling place without extra bells and whistles but they aren't read more

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Went back to Chicago for a family emergency and my mother talked about the Sugar Bowl to me when she was raised at Maryville Academy (when she was there it was called St. Mary's School for Boys and Girls). Outstanding service!!! When I had lunch at Sugar Bowl, waiter left me alone but was quick to relief my coffee. Maybe I have been away from Chicago for too long but the corned beef club was great!!! Asked for directions and driving times to the suburbs and the staff was extremely helpful. If I go back that way will definitely stop the Sugar Bowl when I visit. St. Marys Cemetery in Des Plaines. read more

Awesome experience here. Every staff member was sweet and willing to help! They converse with you, ask to help, and are quick to take your order. I highly recommend this establishment! First time I've ever tried poached eggs and it was runny yoke goodness. I would definitely return here! read more

Sugar Bowl - Poached Egg - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

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When this place reopened years ago, the quality was excellent. Now the quality is sadly quite poor, except for their excellent homemade soups. read more

It's interesting, because Des Plaines' downtown seems to be pretty newly redeveloped for the most part. But there are a couple of old-school remnants that remain, of which the Sugar Bowl is one. We ordered food to go so I can't speak to the eat-in experience. But I was really pleased with the food. I got an omelette of the create your own variety and it was perfect. I'll be happy to come back soon, which may be easy (at least on the weekend) because there is a good deal of parking around here. read more

My experience was truly a 3-1/2 star review, and only on the basis that the service could have been a bit more attentive. Very friendly and approachable staff, however, I did have to get up a few times to ask for items that were needed. Food was delicious, though more of a breakfast spot if that's what you are looking for; I had the grilled chicken delight, seasoned perfectly. Portions were very generous, so you certainly have value in what you are ordering, and the lentil soup was absolutely fantastic. You can tell that it's an establishment that people return to frequently, the retro old school sign is a classic, traditional diner fair with a relaxing vibe. read more

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The Service was acceptable for a take out order. The place looked quite cozy. Unfortunately that's about all I have nice to say. The bill was $21 for a grilled cheese, 3 slices of bacon, and their iteration of hash browns. I ordered a grilled cheese, hash browns, and bacon. The grilled cheese tasted like it used a butter substitute that left it dry and lacking anything for flavor. The bacon tasted strangely like onions. The hash browns were like half the breakfast places in Chicagoland-Terrible (which I don't understand seeing as most potato dishes are wonderful in Chicago. The hash browns were like a sliced up potato hot, but not soft at all, and lacking any flavor whatsoever. Almost like what you would use with a couple of hard boiled eggs, vinegar, sweet onions, mayonnaise, mustard, paprika, dill, and celery to make a great potato salad. read more

My waitress was horrible and should not be in the industry. Her name is Stella I believe. I could barely understand her, she kept filling my coffee despite me telling her not too. She wasn't the one who gave me my food and she never checked on me. Why I didn't tip her. Another table had to get a different waitress to get condiments and a check. The food was bland and thrown together in my opinion. This was nothing compared to the craziness by the kitchen. A lady, I believe to be a manager was constantly yelling at the staff for all the customers to hear. This is the second time I've seen her do this. Other tables were staring as well. Also the older Hispanic bus boy kept beratting his other bus boys. Understand that you can get busy but customers don't want to see this, as I saw several tables looking. Perhaps they should not be in restaurant industry if this is how they treat their staff and Co workers. I will not be returning and have told my neighbors not to either. read more

The service here is unmatched. I always come in feeling welcomed and quite accommodated especially with kids. The ambiance is very family friendly. The food is good; they have a great variety of options. I would love to see some speciality coffees/lattes added to the menu. read more

Nice place for breakfast. Good menu selection and the servers are always circling around with coffee in 2. hands - one for regular and one for decaf. And the coffee is good, too. So are the pancakes, but if I had one suggestion, it would be to get some real maple syrup. (One star ding ) Minor point for an overall good experience at a DesPlaines landmark! read more

My friend picked this spot for lunch and it was nice. Great friendly staff. Lots of food choices. I liked my nutella crepes but I just wish they were stuffed with nutella like in Vegas's crepe spot, the nutella was just drizzled on. Still good though. Love the vintage feel to the place. Everything was yummy! read more

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Good typical diner food.. what sets Sugar Bowl apart from the rest is the amazing personable service you get every single time. They are attentive and kind just overall friendly. Not a fancy diner but it's nice and casual. Great to just sit with friends or family and enjoy a good meal with good company. read more

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The food quality has gone down big time while the prices go up. What a shame. This is a Des Plaines staple and somewhere I grew up going to often. Must have changed owners again!! read more

Average diner breakfast burrito, generous with the coffee, and really good prompt service. Their WiFi is solid and there's plenty of seating. I got the fiesta burrito for breakfast and got the side sour cream and salsa to complete the set. The burrito was hefty and the portion of potatoes was generous. My criticism for the food is that it came out fast, but at the expensive of not enough cooking done. The veggies were almost raw and still had too much bite for being such big cuts. Same with the potatoes, they were cooked enough to eat, but no yummy crusty fried pieces. I was reaching for hot sauce, salt, and pepper to season the food more. Overall a great experience and service, but the cooking could use a little love. read more

Sugar Bowl - Breakfast burrito and coffee - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

Great breakfast or lunch spot! My partner enjoyed the Nutella banana crepes with powdered sugar. We did order to-go and everything came with butter/syrup on the sides. Very nice staff, they were busy and still nice. About 7 tables with only looked like maybe 1 or 2 servers (who were greeting customers as hosts, answering phones for takeout orders and taking tables). They also have a nice little breakfast bar looking into the kitchen which I find if eating alone more comfortable to sit bar style than a table. Free wifi so could enjoy some coffee and get some work done. You can buy a "Sugar Bowl" mug for $5. They are old fashion style diner, they write everything out on paper for the kitchen and type it out when paying. Because of this, they don't give you a receipt, but prices are listed on the menu. Take-out order of "Creamy Nutella Crepes, $9.95" and "Apple Cinnamon French Toast, $9.95" came out to $20.98. Don't forget to tip! (yes, for take out too) read more

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Order the Florence eggs with spinach. It had absolutely no flavor whatsoever. I couldn't eat it had part of it just couldn't finish it. Very disappointed. Whom ever cooked it needs to find another job. Those types of eggs should be full of flavor. Yuck. read more

Service is always good. Huge menu. Great breakfast all day type of place. I like the skillets, scramblers, waffles, turkey club, big portions allow meals for days! read more

First time experience here was... okay. As soon as we sat down, a server brought us some waters and as they were setting the glasses down, another server came and asked us if we'd like any waters...? We just kind of pointed to the waters on the table (that she already saw being put down by someone else) and said no thank you. Then she asked if we were ready to order. We had literally been sat down for maybe 90 seconds, hadn't even opened our menus yet. Both of our dishes were good (protein burger, corned beef hash skillet), although I needed to ask for butter for my toast and the server just walked to another occupied table and stole a couple out of their butter bowl and gave it to me. But I had ordered a macchiato and it was forgotten. The server remembered and asked me if I'd still like it. I said yes. She shrugged her shoulders and said, "Oh. Okay. I guess I'll make it now." My $5 macchiato arrived in an espresso cup, without the vanilla creamer I ordered with it, and was so burnt it had left a black ring around the cup and was so thick it stuck to my spoon when I tried to stir some sugar in into it. I'm unsure of whether I'll give Sugar Bowl another try, but not a great first impression. read more

A Des Plaines staple. Excellent food & service! Family-friendly. Breakfast here is my favorite, but good for lunch, too. read more

The service fenomenal very nice but Lentil soup was so bad dry as a paper and the cup of water taste very bad i didn't drink it and food was cold never back again sorry read more

Great breakfast and lunch spot. It's a Des Plaines gem. Food is amazing and servers are friendly. Highly recommended to come in for a bite to eat! read more

Sugar Bowl - Potato Skin Benedict - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

We lived in Des Plaines for long time but for some reasons, we always skip the breakfast places nearby. Anyway one morning while we're doing our walk ee were at this area and decided to try. The resto is full so that's a good sign. Lits of choices but decided to try their signature combo. Nothing special on how it looks but the yhe taste is good. The price is reasonable too. We will surely comeback here. read more

Food: 4 service: 2 We were a table of 4, my friend arrived early and waited about 15 minutes for the remainder of the party to arrive. The server seemed really nice when we first arrived. Our friends took some time to catch up and browse through the menu to see if we wanted lunch or breakfast items. We were almost ready when our server came and took our order. Since she has taken the order, she came to our table at a very minimum. We asked for water and instead of giving us cups for water, she gave us a pitcher of water and we had to use coffee mugs to fill up the water. The other 2 got water cups prior to my arrival. She brought our food, and one more time when I waved for her attention because I wanted to place more order. Since then, busboy checked in on us to take our plates away. I walked up to her for the check because I wanted to pick up the bill, which then I paid in the front. We were all disappointed with the service, but we were satisfied with the food. The portions were generous. The kid's grilled cheese was quite disappointing though. read more

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frienfly waitstaff traditonal cafe food nothing exciting and mo aurprises dated dining for locals rather spend a little more and get some tasty food read more

Nice comfortable diner that I went with a few others to enjoy brunch after a meeting out there. Had a Denver omelette with pancakes and coffee. The food was good and the waitstaff made sure I stayed caffeinated as well. Very friendly quality service and enjoyed my time in Des Plaines. read more

Great place for breakfast and lunchables - I've had great experiences with their burgers, buffalo chicken wraps, waffles, omelettes, and various scrambled egg dishes, all of them tasty. Fries and hash browns are good if not decent to eat with the other entrees. Plenty of tables and booths, with table service being great the few times I went there. Carryouts are done here too as you can call in, order when there, or use one of the ordering sites - though the first and last time I did a GrubHub order, GH grossly underestimated the pickup time - I had to wait another 10 minutes, which was no big deal, as the food was still very hot & fresh and tasty, worth the wait. Plenty parking nearby, and you can get there by Pace busses and the Metra UPNW Des Plaines train stations are across the street. Mind the traffic as they may not stop for you even if the signs gives you the right of way (AFAIK). A great lunch and breakfast diner-like place, reminds me of my college days, going to places like Steak 'n Egger or Huck Finn's or Tony's. Or even Omega's. read more

This local and homey restaurant is a must try for breakfast, lunch or brunch! It is both affordable and yummy. Note that after you eat, you will get a check from the wait staff and you will pay at the cash register right in front of the door. I came on a Sunday morning around 10:30 AM and was welcomed warmly by the nice lady behind the register. In a minute, I was seated and the waitress was very quick to give me a menu and ask if I wanted anything besides water. That was a great start. Looking at the menu itself, I was amazed by the affordable prices - most dishes were $10 or less and even the pricier dishes were all under $20. A lot of the breakfast dishes came with two slices of toast or two pieces of pancake as a side and potatoes. You can get eggs with potatoes and pancakes or toast for $5.50 - that is unheard of! In terms of food, I was quite satisfied. I had a skillet dish that came with Italian sausage with mozzarella covering the top, two eggs cooked to your liking, potatoes and two pieces of pancake. It was a hearty dish but so good and comforting. The skillet dish was cooked well but not as seasoned as I liked but that was easily fixed with the pepper on the table. The pancakes were so good and tasted like they had vanilla added to them. They were fluffy and not dry! My friend got the house special which included 1 lb of ham, eggs, potatoes and a side of pancakes. The ham was moist and not too salty which I like. The portions here are quite large and the restaurant is very generous with the food they serve. The waitress was very attentive and was there when we needed anything. Service was good! I highly recommend and cannot wait to go back and try their other dishes. read more

Sugar Bowl - Italian sausage skillet - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

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This restaurant never fails always good. Food service is excellent some days you may have to wait for a table but it's well worth it. Highly recommend corn beef hash, or one of their many delicious sandwiches. read more

This place really does take care of their customers. They knew exactly what to recommend for our little ones and my daughters ended up loving their food and we got the avocado egg Benedict and it was perfect. read more

Hadn't been to the "Sugar Bowl" in years! Just remember going there after a movie at the Des Plaines theater. We'd go for ice cream. It's still a vintage-y type place with booths. Love it. Staff very attentive and friendly. Food was delicious. Big portions. Enjoyed it and would definitely go back again. read more

Sugar Bowl - Philly with cheese - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

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This was a very clean diner directly across from the Des Plains metro station. The staff were extremely attentive and always made sure the coffee cup was full and hot ("can I top you off" was asked by all the staff as they walked by). We enjoyed simple breakfast dishes. My only suggestion would be to be sure the cheese in the ham and cheese omelette is evenly distributed (1/4 way in and I thought is was forgotten). Very reasonably priced and well attended by locals. I'll certainly go back when in the area read more