Loved this spot in Jefferson Park! The food was really good, and I recommend the Chicken and Waffles, Crème Brûlée French Toast, and La Mexicana. My favorite was the Chicken and Waffles because the sauce paired so well with the breaded chicken. Service was great considering how busy it was on a Saturday morning. Our waitress gave thoughtful suggestions and was very kind. I also loved the natural light in the space, it was such an amazing start to my day! I would recommend this place to anyone looking for a good brunch spot in Jefferson Park! read more

Sweet Cafe - Chicken & Waffles, La Mexicana, Crème Brûlée Style French Toast - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My niece recommended Sweet Café, and it turned out to be a lovely choice. As soon as we walked in, the hostess greeted us warmly and asked if it was our first visit. After confirming it was, she offered us the option of sitting indoors or out on the heated, covered patio. We chose the patio, which was comfortable and inviting. The menus arrived quickly--breakfast, lunch, daily specials, and a full coffee drink menu. Water was served right away, and we were asked for our beverage order. We decided on breakfast and chose the Denver omelet and the Mexicana omelet. Each entrée comes with your choice of fruit or hash browns, plus toast or pancakes. Our food arrived surprisingly fast. The hash browns were a bit overdone but still enjoyable. Our server was attentive throughout the meal, and my iced tea was refilled twice without needing to ask. The restaurant was spotless and had a steady flow of customers for a Tuesday mid‑morning, which says a lot about its popularity. As we were leaving, the hostess checked in to make sure everything was good--which it was. We definitely plan to return, especially to try their lunch menu next time. read more

Sweet Cafe is a cute and perfect place for breakfast, brunch, or lunch. It's brightly lit and our server was so patient and helpful. I ordered the vegetarian skillet. My friend ordered the south of the border Benedict. And we shared an order of the ricotta pancakes - our server suggested we do a side order if we didn't want a full stack and I'm glad she presented that as an option. The food was great, our coffee stayed hot, and we even got coffee to go before we left! There's a small lot that we were able to park in since we got there early (8:30 on a Sunday morning). They will valet your car if the lot is full. We had a great experience here. read more

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Nice clean restaurant. When I came through the front door The host and I believe the manager or owner was at the front counter. They both looked at me very unfriendly. I was there alone so I was guided to the table. The server was very quick with serving me but the carnitas skillet I ordered was full of grease and had no flavor. Pancakes were good! As I left I saw the same manager/owner greet some incoming guests with a warm fuzzy hello! I felt insulted becuase I did not receive that type of greeting when I arrived.I won't be back!!!! read more

Been here a couple times now and me and my wife both agree that is a pretty good place for food. We've had breakfast both times. The food is always cooked well and looks delicious. Omg, the beef short rid breakfast bowl was so good!Of course the food actually taste delicious as well. The service was professional. Our server was very nice and patient. They have complimentary valet parking (tip your valet guy). We will be back. read more

Sweet Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great food and prompt service. Nicely remodeled restaurant. Staff is very friendly. Great for breakfast.

It was my second visit to this restaurant and it was a very good experience. We had a family brunch. I ordered the berry crepes. My brother had the corned beef sandwich, his wife had the Monte cristo sandwich and my nephew had the Denver omelette. Everyone enjoyed their meal, the service was excellent. We will definitely return. read more

Sweet Cafe - Berry crepe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I love this breakfast brunch lunch place . The server sets are most accomodating ! Friendly and kind to my sister with ADA needs . It's a family style type resturant . I like the patio indoor seating arrangement . Board menu things to choose from. Great signature coffees and petite desserts . read more

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Solid option for breakfast. My uncle took my sisters here last time and decided to take all of us plus my cousin to check it out. It was a bit past 9am on a Monday so there were groups here and there but no wait for a table. Free coffee refills which was nice. I ordered the breakfast tacos: eggs, pico, chorizo, hold the sour cream. I added avocado and it came with salsa verde on the side. Generous on the eggs! Typically breakfast tacos can be kinda skimpy. I was pretty full! My table mates got: huevos rancheros, ham and cheese omelet with pancakes, one of the skillet bowls, and the sweet cafe egg plate (eggs, fruit, chocolate pancakes) with bacon. Food was delicious. Good portion sizes for the price. One of my sisters tried the hot chocolate. She enjoyed it! The server told us that she could get a to go cup if needed and that if we needed another refill on coffee to go we could do that too. Not bad! The server actually remembered my sisters although they hadn't been there in 4-5 months ish? Love that! Great service here! Not a ton of parking spots in their parking lot but there's lots of street parking. Can't wait to come back! read more

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I've been a huge supporter of SC since they opened. I haven't been in for a while and today we stopped in and I have to say I was tremendously underwhelmed. One of the people in my party ordered a Poe Boy sandwich and fries. The sandwich was cold and lacked flavor and the fries were cold. I had an omelette and another person had a veggie omelette. The food was disappointing. The service was average and the price was high. To say I was surprised would be accurate. C mon guys , I know you can do better ! read more

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Extensive menu with breakfast + lunch options. Good food; staff are friendly. Parking is tough, but it's Chicago. read more

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Visited 11/09/2024: I came here for breakfast with my friend on an early Saturday morning. Upon entry, I checked in and was seated. Chileeee the decor, ambiance and scenery and quite gorgeous. I mean whoever did the layout, did an amazing job. There's also a bakery to the side when you first enter. Looks like something out of a magazine. Our server was sweet and patient with us as we selected what we were interested in. I decided on the Mediterranean Benedict. Our food arrived to us fairly quickly. I liked the dish but I felt the benefit lacked depth and texture. It all felt slimy and squishy. I believe chopping up the spinach instead of globs of it would've helped. I didn't feel the flavors meshed together. They just sat on top one another. The hash browns could've been cooked/ grilled much longer and a pinch of salt couldn't hurt. I'm inclined to return to try another dish and a pastry as the portions I saw from other tables were quite large. read more

Sweet Cafe - Mediterranan Benedict - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

One of the best breakfast spots I've been too! Service is great , food is even better . I just wish they would add turkey bacon to the menu, I think a lot of people would appreciate it . read more

we have been coming here for a while and I have been disappointed with the lack of professionalism from certain staff.... I ordered the tiramisu French toast and it was saturated in icing no marzipan nothing like tiramisu but what upset me was our server had the audacity to mock me to the staff about wanting my food made over I wish I had taken a picture of that mess..... i reordered it with everything on the side read more

This was an overall great experience. The service was very fast and food was so yummy. The servers were all so kind and helpful. . They also offered complementary valet parking which is amazing. read more

Sweet Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Chose this spot for weekend breakfast with a friend who lives in Chicago. It was a nice halfway point via drive for the two of us. Parking was limited in their lot; certainly there is not enough parking to even half fill their dining room. When the bank next door is closed, they allow customers to use that parking lot as well. We had to use street parking. When we arrived, seating for our party of three was quick, just two minutes(!), and service was similarly fast. We ordered within 5 minutes of receiving our menus and the servers were good at checking in on us regularly. The food was delicious, especially my Brussels sprouts salad. The chorizo hash bowl was also a hit, but we found the veggie bowl to be drastically understated. Prices were low for a Chicago suburb and the food was fresh quality. Would absolutely return for some good eats and hometown corner restaurant atmosphere. read more

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Great new place - many food options - didn't have an appetite but kids did - we'll be back to try the eggs read more

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Food: 8/10 It took about 10-20 minutes for the food to arrive. The ham off the bone had a smoky and a bit sweet flavor. Best ham that I've ever eaten! The chicken paired well with the sriracha aioli sauce, and the waffles became spicy after putting the spicy Memphis syrup on top of it. The guiltless omelette was delicious and had many sorts of vegetables and meats put in it. The steak and eggs were juicy and woke me up in this beautiful morning of St. Patty's day. Lastly, the Nutella crepe satisfied my sweet tooth craving and had a lot of strawberries in it. Every dish was presented beautifully for a breakfast house. Service: 10/10 We were seated right away! Hostesses were very kind and attentive. Ambiance: 10/10 It was very brightly lit and very modern inside. There was even outdoor seating! The bathrooms were surprisingly nice, just be wary of its size, because each bathroom is a half circle. read more

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This is a newer restaurant in Jefferson Park. The place still has the gleam of a brand new restaurant but it's been around for seven or eight months now. It was a surprise to me given there was a fair number of tables in and outside the restaurant. You might be tipped off by the name but their menu leans heavily to the sweet side. I didn't feel like anything sweet at the time so opted for something savory and it was very good. I'm looking forward to coming back and trying something else, from the longer section of the menu. There is a small parking lot, and there's also some street parking around the place too. read more

This place has delicious food and all the servers are wonderful. Good vibes and yummy food to comfort your soul.

Best breakfast in the area. Friendly people and affordable prices. I've become somewhat of a regular and I always get treated well. Love it! read more

Was there for breakfast with my husband. I had the Greek omelet with breakfast potatoes and he had the egg plate. The omelet was huge (could only eat half of it), but good (next time I'd get it without onions). The breakfast potatoes were really good (also took half of them home). My husband liked his eggs and the side of chicken sausage he had. Servers were nice, but took a while to get our food. read more

Sweet Cafe - Greek omelet and breakfast potatoes (love the potatoes). - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Decent enough food for a local place to go to and great atmosphere as well. Price is a little bit on the high side, but I'm gonna take another shot and go again to see if I can find something a little more tasty. It wasn't as pleased, but willing to give her another try. read more

Came here for a Sunday brunch. It was packed when we arrived and it continued to get packed as we were enjoying our breakfast food. The service was quick with putting in your order, getting your food out, and having you pay. The restaurant itself is modern style with a hint of warmth vibe. Great place to come for a breakfast/brunch with friends and family. read more

Sweet Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I've been coming here for several months now and it is always excellent! I've tried many of their dishes including omelettes, pancakes, crepes, skillets and their Greek Freddo cappuccino! Love this place and Kathy is the nicest waitress! I love that they also have a huge selection of fresh juices and coffees! Modern environment and very comfortable seating too! read more

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Sweet Cafe is one of my favorite breakfast places. The food is always great whether it is breakfast or lunch. I love the french toast there because it is full of flavor, The servers are friendly , ambiance upscale, and parking plentiful. read more

Casual dining option with lots of seating. Very large menu with an abundance of breakfast, lunch and drink options. read more

Sweet Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This restaurant has only been open a few months and I have already visited about 6/7 times. It's officially my new breakfast spot. I have tried several things on the menu and all are delicious. My personal favorite are the biscuits and gravy or crepes. Service is quick and good. The newly remodeled location is nice. Seems busy with tight parking lot but haven't had a wait yet. read more

Sweet Cafe - Denver Omelet - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Visiting from out of state. A friend of mine suggested eating here. Breakfast time. I had the charred Skirt steak with eggs. Delicious Ordered specifically on how I wanted it and the chef delivered. Our server was a very nice young lady who was exceptional at her job. Friend had one of the omelets and it was on point. The only hiccup, the fruit wasn't ripe enough to serve in my opinion and I happen to be a chef. Overall I will eat here again before leaving IL it was that good. Cheers! read more

Sweet Cafe - Skirt steak and eggs.. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Solid place for brunch. Tables turn around pretty quickly so that on Mother's Day we didn't have to wait too long. Lots of delicious options. I had the Southern Benedict, which interestingly came on four biscuit halves, two with sausage patties and two with the poached eggs. Hubby enjoyed his omelette, and pancakes were delicious and fluffy and not too sweet. The ambiance is bright and modern. There are high chairs but no boosters for kids. Only two bathrooms (both gender-neutral), which isn't really enough for the number of tables there. Parking lot is small and cramped but we managed to find a spot. read more

Sweet Cafe - Southern Benedict - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Food was delicious! My kids had the chocolate pancakes with a side of fruit. My husband had the chilaquiles with skirt steak and I had the chicken and waffles! Everything was delicious, fresh and arrived at our table promptly. Our waitress was excellent! The service she provided was prompt, concise and extremely helpful, she kept our glasses full and continuously checked in to see if we needed anything else. The cafe is absolutely adorable! Great for families, brunch with friends or in my case I have come in even alone at times with my kids and it's always a wonderful experience! So glad they're 2 blocks from my home! read more

Sweet Cafe - Adobe Chilaquiles but with steak - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

service food location environment server quite pleased fresh food bathroom cleaner table clean read more

Came here about a week ago, and it was a pretty good experience. The food was MUCH better than the service we had. When we came here, it was pretty busy because public schools were on spring break, so many families were enjoying their day off together. This made the parking lot packed, as well, and honestly, the parking lot for this place is kinda a nightmare. It's small, and the rows are close together, so it's hard to get in and out of the parking spots, especially because cars are constantly coming and going. When we walked in, my mom and I were meeting our friends here, so we told the nicest hostess that. She suggested that she could seat us at a table instead of having us wait on the bench at the front of the restaurant, so we were seated at the last open booth table. All 4 of us fit comfortably at the table, but it is important to note that this restaurant is small inside. You do end up sitting fairly close to the tables next to you. I ordered a mean green juice (9 oz for $3.5). It was delicious and had kale, spinach, romaine, green apple, cucumber, lime, and pineapple inside. Such great flavors combined! My mom and her friend ordered Bloody Marys, but when they came to the table, our waitress who also made the drink, filled the cup so high that the drink spilled onto the table and all over the cup itself. She didn't even grab anything to clean up the table until my mom asked for napkins... That was red flag #1 for the waitress. As for food, all 3 people I was with ordered Denver omelettes ($15). They all enjoyed it, especially the ham that was inside. It included green pepper, onion, ham off the bone, and Wisconsin cheddar cheese. The omelettes also come with a side of toast, pancakes, breakfast potatoes, or hash browns. I ordered the Veg Head ($12), which was absolutely magnificent. Everything was fresh, and the textures worked well together, such as the crunch of the greens combined with the soft pita and smooth hummus. This pita comes with organic mesclun greens, sauteed mushrooms, zucchini, tomatoes (which I excluded from mine), green peppers, onions, hummus, and Gruyere cheese. I will crave this again, so I know I will be back here for it. During our meal, our waitress wasn't attentive and seemed to skip our table multiple times while going to others instead. She also took a while to give us our check because she never checked back in with us after we got our food, so we had to wave her down. But she acted sweet and nice when she gave us our bill so she could get a nice tip LOL. Overall, I would come back here again, and it's conveniently located. The food is delicious and I would recommend it to others. The service needs to get better, especially because it's such an intimate and small place, but I'll give her the benefit of the doubt, and maybe she was just having a bad day. I'm not sure what her name was, but she was an older lady. read more

Sweet Cafe - Veg Head - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My brother and cousin took me out for a birthday brunch. We walked in and was seated right away. My brother and cousin ordered the steak and eggs which I have ordered in the past and was amazing and they serve it with a chimichurri sauce that is amazing. I was gonna order the turkey and bacon club sandwich but right when I was gonna order someone walked past me with a brunch burger that looked good so I ordered one. A hamburger with cheese bacon and a fried egg served with fries. Overall I never had anything bad here. I will continue to come back. The place is very clean and 2 gender neutral bathrooms. read more

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A great place to eat, with a courteous and respectful staff. Some restaurants in the area "can and do" screw up breakfast, but not the Sweet Cafe. This is my go-to place for tasty breakfast fare and well-proportioned salads. The staff is attentive and always smiling, which creates a nice, professional atmosphere. Even when things aren't perfect, the staff and GM don't become "argumentative." They just try to identify the root cause so they can make improvements. My friend complained about cold hash browns once, and within a minute or two, he had a fresh plate of hash browns right off the grill. This place is worth a try. read more

02/16/24 - I finally made it to Sweet Cafe for breakfast. This use to be Big Top for many years. I live right down the street about 2miles away I wondered what was going here. I found out one of my former colleagues was the architect on this project. Ivan posts many of their projects on Facebook so I knew this was coming. Ivan & his partner Manny have been very prolific with/many projects being built. Well Sweet Cafe is finally done & open about 16 days ago and I got a chance to stop by & check it out. The existing building was pretty hideous. Ivan & Manny created a beautiful new restaurant that is a welcome addition to my neighborhood. The exterior got a complete makeover & is a huge improvement to what was here before. The interior is a large spacious dining room can probably accommodate about 50 people. Very sleek w/2 large dining areas. One is in a brightly lit area w/a large glass wall facing the parking lot & Higgins Ave. The other large dining space is adjacent to the exterior space & is about the same size right by the serving station & kitchen I ordered the meat lovers skillet that came with pancakes or toast. The skillet is very good but a little too greasy. The bottom was swimming in oil (fat from the bacon & meat?). Like I said I had the meat lovers skillet that came with/bacon, ham, sausage, cheddar cheese & potatoes. I got the pancakes which proved to be too much for me to finish. Great job w/the restaurant Ivan & Manny nice clean brightly lit w/nice brown & tan tone interiors. The service &'food We're both very good & I will be back again if I can navigate the long journey from where I live (2 miles) read more

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The veggie skillet was hard to eat (especially if you get an omelet and they put big pieces of potatoes) and not as flavorful as I thought it would be. The creme brulee french toast was amazing and would recommend that. The ambiance was nice as well. read more

Sweet Cafe - Vegetarian Skillet Bowl Creme Brulee Style French Toast - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We came here on a Sunday morning around 10:30am; table for four. We called and asked about the wait before coming in. They do not take names over the phone for the waitlist, but we only waited five to ten minutes, so this was no big deal. To start: complimentary valet parking! I believe this is only on weekends, but I could be wrong. Double-check before going if it's important to you. Yes, you will tip, but, on this hot! hot! day, this was a GODSEND. The lot was full, so we were more than happy to hand over the keys. Also, when leaving, we didn't wait more than three minutes for our car. Upon entering, the hostess was very courteous. The restaurant is bright and airy, contemporary and clean. I was actually worried it would be too hot because of the big windows, but they have transparent shades that keep the bright sun and heat out. I would call the atmosphere lively! It can be a bit loud, but I didn't mind it at all, and I usually do! It gives you that feeling of knowing you're in a popular spot, so you look forward to your meal even more! And it's the very opposite of depressing! I had the pleasure of facing the kitchen where it was fun to watch all of the action. After witnessing the way they all work together...I can tell you one thing: these people are professionals. They have done this before. Our waitress, Ashley, was seriously one of the best servers I've ever had. She was friendly, helpful, knowledgeable, forthcoming, and just ON IT. She made us feel immediately at ease, never pressuring or rushing us in any way. She guided us around the menu and made suggestions without being pushy or overbearing. She explained some unknowns with patience and clarity and made us feel confident in our selections. She anticipated our needs before we even knew we had them, and she did ALL of this with a beautiful smile and a super-friendly demeanor. What an asset she is to Sweet Cafe! Okay... the drinks: we had coffee and iced vanilla lattes. The coffee is really good (which sadly cannot be said for most breakfast spots these days), and the lattes were made perfectly - just the right amount of coffee and vanilla, not too much ice, and topped with delicious whipped cream! The food: we ordered a seasonal skillet bowl with carnitas and crème brûlée French toast on the side (for a $3 up-charge); ham off the bone and eggs; seasonal strawberry shortcake pancakes; and chicken and waffles. I personally tasted everything except the ham and eggs, because that's how we roll. Everything was perfectly cooked as ordered, plentiful, HOT, and deeeeelicious. The seasonable carnitas skillet bowl was like nothing I have ever had, but somehow they managed to make it familiar and comforting, too. There was so. much. meat. YUM! I chose the breakfast potatoes (over hash-browns) and asked for them to be extra crispy. They were perfection. The eggs were cooked just right and the gruyère was exactly the right choice of cheese to finish this dish. I would not be one bit mad if this became a permanent fixture on the menu! The crème brûlée French toast were something to write home about! I've had crème brûlée french toast before, but they never seem to get the crisp right. Well, these guys nailed it. And the fresh berries on top completed the delicious dish. The ham off the bone and eggs with hash-browns was just exactly as ordered, and according to my husband, delicious. He is rarely happy with portions, but he left here full and happy and was still talking about it three hours later! The strawberry shortcake pancakes were a sweet delight! They came topped with a marscarpone sauce, strawberry compote, and some crumbly bits of deliciousness, with whipped cream on the side (topped with a sweet little flower). I am hoping these beauties also find a permanent place on the menu! So, so, so good. Finally, the chicken and waffles...the three chicken tenders were plump and juicy, with just the right amount of crisp. The waffle was yummy and the hot (warm AND spicy) maple syrup was a nice touch while the spice was not at all overpowering. (Not waiting to be asked, Ashley had also brought some not-spicy-but-still-warm maple syrup in case she didn't want the spice. She was right.) While I did not, others in my party used the restroom and reported it was spotless. One even remarked, "That's the cleanest restaurant bathroom I've ever seen!" Ashley was sure to let us know you can take a to-go cup of coffee with you, included in the purchase of your coffee while seated. I got a cup to go, but was sad to realize (once we had already pulled away) that I had forgotten it on the table! Next time! And I can assure you...there WILL be a next time! I want to eat here every week from now on! If you go and Ashley is not available, don't be sad. You'll be fine. The other servers seem very on their game as well. But Ashley is seriously the GOAT. Get her if you can! read more

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Big fans of the place. Got to meet some great people there, George and Stefania. This beautiful restaurant and very spacious with plenty of sunlight serving up some pretty good eats. This is a breakfast and lunch spot located where the old Big Top is, a lot of us were sad to see it go but Sweet Cafe is here to stay! There is a parking lot and plentiful street parking. Huge selection of breakfast and lunch options. We had the Nutella French toast which is my little boy's favorite, my favorite is the ham and eggs, the breakfast potatoes are absolutely delicious. They also serve soups and salads as well. All the food I have tried there is fresh and cooked to perfection. The service is top notch with a great location to boot! Welcome to the neighborhood! read more

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We live in Old Irving/Portage Park, a bit further away from Sweet Cafe and were looking to try a new breakfast place. So glad we found this place. The food was awesome. And the service was amazing. Our server Ashley was the best. We told her we wish we could clone her and have Ashleys at every restaurant. We liked the outdoor seating since we have a dog. We will definitely make a trip back!! read more