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Chicago, IL

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Sweet Maple Cafe

4.0 (1k reviews)
Closed • Closed
Updated 2 months ago

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SWEET MAPLE CAFE ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Casual
Dogs allowed
Outdoor seating

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Recommended Reviews - Sweet Maple Cafe

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Table setting
Amber L.

All we wanted was a good, quick breakfast spot and instead we were subjected to an absolutely great one. All jokes aside, Sweet Maple Cafe is a classic, quaint breakfast spot with great service and very good food. We arrived on a Friday morning with a party of 7 and were seated right away. They have both indoor and outdoor seating; we chose indoor and the setting was very homey and comforting. Street parking is the only option available so if you're coming by car then be prepared to circle until you grab a spot. The menu is relatively standard aside from the fact that they offer specials depending on the day of the week. We ordered the not-so-plain buttermilk pancakes with a side of bacon, the catfish nuggets (Friday only special) with an egg and cinnamon raisin toast, and a raspberry latte. The pancakes? Soft and light. Not too thick but not paper thin, butter melted right into it and kept its flavor. Just the way we like pancakes. The bacon could've been a bit better as it was stiff but that's a small miss apart from the main dish. The catfish nuggets were straight up phenomenal. The batter was light and the catfish was cooked perfectly. The eggs were cooked just as requested and hey, even the cinnamon raisin toast was pretty good. Lastly, the latte was great. Smooth and sweet, the syrup not too strong but sweet enough to taste it. A great pairing to any breakfast meal. By the time we finished eating we were incredibly glad we had come into Sweet Maple Cafe. The food, service, and setting; all great. It pains me not to give this place a 5 because 5 should mean something that blows your mind from a taste and experience standpoint. This place is a great example of why reviews should allow for .5 or.1 intervals on rating because this place easily deserves much more than a 4, unfortunately we are limited by Product Engineers, but hey, maybe they'll read this and make a change (yeah, right).

Carmen G's Scramble
Juliana S.

Don't be surprised at the breakfast crowd that this place consistently pulls. I haven't been here in over 15 years, and it was just as good as I remember. The food is AMAZING. The time standards are awesome and the servers are great people. The screened in outdoor expansion was a great touch, too (there was only indoor seating when I visited as a teenager). The indoor area gives the best at home feel. The fact that it hasn't changed is honestly so endearing. The menu is solid and the Carmen G's Scramble offered a great portion with scrumptious sides. I'm excited to try more of the menu on my next trip to Chicago. Parking isn't as easy as it used to be, but that has nothing to do with this amazing place. Just a word to the wise, if you can...do a rideshare. If not, be prepared to search a little for a spot (unless you get lucky like we did)!

Buttermilk Pancakes
Paula N.

Start to finish, the experience felt like I was transported to a small shop in the south. Between the caring staff to the delicious food, I've decided I'll be returning every time I'm in Chicago. The cinnamon pancake is a must have. The home fries were perfectly made. I'm excited to try the menu in full.

The 18th Street
Sung L.

The service here is absolutely warm, attentive, and genuinely welcoming. It has that true homey, old-school diner vibe that makes you feel comfortable as soon as you sit down. The food overall was good, but the real star of the show is the cinnamon roll pancake. Seriously, one of the best pancakes I've ever had. It is fluffy, flavorful, and perfectly sweet without being over the top. I'd come back for that alone.

Just wanted to once again praise this place! Service, ambiance and the food! My goodness the food! Please get here!

I just wanted to reinforce how amazing this place is! Wow! Such pleasant service and the food is ALWAYS incredible! Wow! Such a great place!

Carmen G's scramble.
Kenneth A.

never had a bad meal here. never had bad service here. vibes are always great here. that's is the review.

Be Creative Omelet with a Biscuit
Najah H.

For Juneteenth we had a plan to go have brunch and support a local, Black-owned restaurant. After a quick search, I found Sweet Maple. It's located in the Italian district (W. Taylor Street) and is a homegrown, very charming and old-school type of eatery. The sign out front is worn - it's barely legible but inside is great food, warm smiles and amazing service. Parking is on the street and remember to pay at the machine or use the mobile app. Since it was a holiday, we arrived about 11:15 AM and the wait was outside. It was a mixed crowd of people - that's a good sign that great food awaits! We waited about 30 minutes to be seated and it was well worth it! For brunch we ordered the omelette breakfast, a skillet bowl and one of their buttermilk pancakes they're known for. Also, coffee and an Arnold Palmer (no sweet tea but mixed with lemonade it was great). Standouts: the fresh baked biscuits! Add butter and a little jelly...mouth watering. The buttermilk pancake too! So tasty and cooked just perfect. Our server was attentive and super nice. The food was served quickly and the flavors were delicious. I love breakfast and this was definitely a great start to our holiday weekend!

Naiima D.

A cute quaint place that is celebrating their 25th year anniversary last year. We came in and were seated immediately. The place was half full on a Thursday morning and 9:15. Emmitt, our waiter was fast, efficient and courteous! My mom ordered some scrambled eggs cooked soft and grits. I ordered the Carmen G's Scramble which came with Eggs scrambled with bacon, spinach, mushrooms, and your choice of cheese. I chose cheddar cheese. I had home fries and a biscuit . Everything was fresh and delicious! It was like sitting in a grandma's dining room! Clean, reasonably priced, good food and great service!!!

Coffee was perfect.
Steve B.

Had the corn beef hash and it was delicious! The staff were all very friendly and I felt like family. Definitely worth the trip!

Special of the Day - Raspberry Hot Chocolate
Margie T.

After 20 minute wait for a table, our server was really attentive. We enjoyed the vintage look, like your Grandma's home. Dishes came really quick! They were outstanding! We really loved our experience!!!

Inside

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Reviews are largely positive. People highlight the flavorful breakfast dishes, friendly attentive service, and a cozy homey atmosphere.

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3 years ago

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2 years ago

Absolutely fabulous. Me and my partner picked up some biscuits and gravy here for our particular daughter and she loved them!!!

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1 year ago

this place is mandatory anytime i go to chicago, always good food and cusromee service.

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3 years ago

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Sweet Maple Cafe Reviews in Other Languages

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4.4(9.6k reviews)
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I read all the bad reviews before coming and... they were just hating, having a bad day, or have…read morenever eaten a burger before to be an objective judge! Because no way did we eat at the same place. WOW! It's only been a handful of times that I've had the urge to write a review while I'm still eating because of how amazing the experience is. The ambiance is bustling and will FOR SURE keep you awake as you fill your belly. And the burger? It's not just a burger, it's culinary art and a full on flavor experience. I was full well before my plate was empty, but I simply could not imagine reheating any part of it later. The egg was cooked to sunny-side perfection, and every bite was ridiculous. It's bar-style, so the fries came out first, hot and paired with a garlic aioli that absolutely did what it needed to do. Everyone moves with purpose. The food, the service, the atmosphere--this place is a well-oiled machine of greatness. 1000/10. Will absolutely be back.

The reservation system is up! Making it SO MUCH easier to get a table and get food, so definitely…read moretake advantage of that or be prepared to wait for a while. So the burgers are worth the hype! 5/5 A single is two smash patties, definitely get the bacon and the egg on top of the burger because that what makes it amazing!! So don't skip on it! The bacon is truly the highlight, as most will tell you, not too chewy but a melt in your mouth thick cut bacon! Burger was cooked perfectly to order and The only thing that was a disappointment was the fries. Just not that great, not enough salt, but also the texture was off. Not worth the $8 2/5 Overall, it was a great experiment and I'd totally recommend you trying!

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Little Bad Wolf - Wolf Burger and frites. Duh. Solid meat to face thing.

Little Bad Wolf

4.4(2.6k reviews)
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Had lunch today at Little Bad Wolf in Andersonville and ordered the Bad Burger -- and it was…read morephenomenal! Two juicy patties, American cheese, house-made pickles and red onion mayo. Nothing overly complicated -- just a really well-executed burger. Little Bad Wolf has the accolades to back it up. Time Out ranks its larger Wolf Burger #1 in Chicago, while The Infatuation actually prefers the Bad Burger, saying the simpler version allows the meat to shine. After eating it, I understand the hype.

Have you ever heard the story of the Little Bad Wolf... who huffed, and puffed, and blew my socks…read moreaway because of HOW DELICIOUS of an exerience it was? YUP FOLKS. The Little Bad Wolf isn't just a story... it's a phenom dot com restaurant that you NEED to visit! My family and I visited after a Saturday Cubs game and luckily, there were still a handful of tables available and we were promptly seated. The staff were super friendly and provided excellent service! Almost everyone at our table ordered the Wolf Burger after hearing my sister and her husband rave about it. When our orders came to the table, we were all PLEASANTLY surprised at how beautifully stacked and dressed our burgers were. A triple stack of patties, topped with cheese, bacon, a fried egg, crispy onions, and housemade pickles?! That's a recipe for delicious success right there! The Wolf Burger was indeed SCRUMPTIOUS! My goodness, I am still thinking about it two whole days later and how I can't wait to revisit this restaurant and try some more of their menu items. An honorable mention goes out to the delicious fries on the side!! They were the perfect cut, well-seasoned, and out-of-this-world. I HIGHLY recommend Little Bad Wolf to all folks looking for a delicious experience! The burger is sensational, the environment is impeccable, and this is a great spot if you're going on a date or out with friends.

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The Smith

4.2(830 reviews)
2.1 mi•River North, Near North Side
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Our visit to The Smith was really delicious! We found this place on Resy and it was close to our…read morehotel/ within walking distance. Super welcoming staff and I loved the vibe, super bright and open with really cool lighting and shelving behind the bar. The floor tile was really cool too, modern and comfortable. They had a great special going on for World Cup, a burger and glass of prosecco for $18! My kind of girl dinner :) burger came with fries and was super delicious. Cooked perfectly. We also had some burrata which wad delicious as well. We had a great time- check them out!

I had one of the best salads in recent memory during a business lunch at The Smith…read more I went to The Smith for the first time with a small group of colleagues on a beautiful summer day. We were seated near the open windows in a pleasant and airy space. While I don't normally order salads, the sugar snap chicken salad caught my eye. It had a terrific balance of flavors: a base of arugula nicely dressed with a lemon vinaigrette and tossed with sliced snap peas and fennel, well-seasoned grilled chicken, farro, and pistachios. The ingredients were all very fresh and complemented each other well. Colleagues ordered the chicken sandwich and were very happy with it. Portions all around were generous. This is a place for a pretty hearty lunch rather than light bites. Service was friendly, though a little slow, and one of my colleagues had to remind them of her drink order. Prices were on the high side but not unusual for the neighborhood, and the high quality and size of my salad made me feel like the price point wasn't completely outrageous.

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The Purple Pig - 36 Day Aged Pork Chop

The Purple Pig

4.3(9.1k reviews)
2.4 mi•Near North Side
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I really enjoyed my visit. The ambiance was good. And the food along with the service was great…read more Please note that they specialize in small plates. So the prices you pay isn't designed to have piles of food hanging off the plate. It's not that type of establishment before you rate it negatively. You should know that beforehand. The Half Duck was to die for. And I don't even eat duck like that. I'd recommend & will certainly go back.

I made a reservation here after seeing so many positive reviews on Yelp. Also it was well located…read morealong our walk from the Loop back to our hotel near Water Tower. Alas, although not totally misled by the reviews, the place was good but not great, perhaps the least favourite of our meals during this 6 day trip to Chicago. We reserved at 4 pm but the place gets quite busy. Do know when you reserve, you are charged a $10 per person cancellation fee. Because past reviews said their fee was not refunded, I made sure to make a note with the hostess to ensure my refund. It did appear within a few days on my credit card. Purple Pig has a Mediterranean menu and has daily specials. Many plates are meant to be shared. The space is a combination of regular tables, high tops and a long bar. Our initial server was pretty helpful. However, he disappeared mid-meal; apparently there was a shift change which he did not announce to us, nor did he introduce us to his replacement server, who only appeared when I asked for our waiter. The most attentive staff were the bus people. Here's what we ordered, with recommendations from our (first) waiter as to how much to order: 1) Grilled broccoli. Anchovy vinaigrette, apples, garlic and breadcrumbs. Fine. 2) Bucatini. This was a daily special. It was supposed to come with guanciale, onions, tomatoes and basil. What we got instead was the other pasta special, which was spaghetti with lobster, green beans and tomatoes. This confusion was when we asked for our waiter and had the replacement waiter appear like a stranger at our table. We ended up getting comped the lobster pasta and also received our original order. It also looked like spaghetti, not bucatini, but the ingredients were as expected. Both pastas were fine. I did not notice any green beans in the lobster pasta. Note both pastas were served with a HUGE pepper (poblano?) on top and we were warned they could be spicy. 3) Half duck. Greek yogurt, smoked trout roe + brioche buns. A huge serving. The duck was glazed with a sweet glaze, which I preferred to the yogurt. The alleged brioche buns (there were 3!) tasted not like buttery brioche, but like day-old supermarket dinner rolls. I only took home the unfinished duck, but even that had a strange texture. 4) Halibut. With potatoes, tomatoes, olives, fennel and lobster butter sauce. Only got a taste of this, it was okay. An adjacent table ordered a pistachio panna cotta for dessert that looked good, but perhaps overpriced at $21, so we passed. Again, a good but not great meal. I would return, but would try other things.

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Sweet Maple Cafe - tradamerican - Updated October 2026

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