Heard about this place from a local friend. So glad I went! I found a seat at the bar and was immediately greeted with a warm smile, followed by "whatcha drinkin' honey?" At 10:20am, I'm having coffee and cream. I ordered the enormously delicious western omelette. See photo. It was cooked to perfection! Not over cooked, but steaming hot. I went with the hash browns, which were also toasted just enough to be brown and slightly crunchy, which happens to be exactly how I like them. Every seat in the place has napkins, sugar, and salt & pepper, within arms reach. The person before me must've asked for hot sauce, so I didn't need too. With most everything on the menu being under $10, the impeccable service from the front and back of house, Ted's Snack Shop shouldn't be missed! Bring CASH, as nothing else will work. read more

Ted's Snack Shop - American Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

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Back to dine-in! Thanks Ted's! But do you know how much more business you would do in the community if you'd open on Sundays? I look for great breakfast spots on Sunday and so does everybody else. Wish you would consider this. Close on Monday instead! read more

Was my go to breakfast or lunch when I had time. They changed since covid. Took forever to reopen and have dining. It's not the same, got rid of the daily specials. They had good spaghetti, fish, and chicken. Not going back. read more

An outstanding throwback to 40 years ago. Good food at great prices along with down home service.

Cash only, so be prepared. That said, it's a great, unassuming diner that serves up great breakfast at good prices. There's nothing fancy or pretentious here, just good food. The veggie skillet was really well-done - hash browns crisped up just right, veggies sauteed well, and the egg & cheese mix was perfect. read more

Ted's Snack Shop - Veggie skillet -$9 even. Great deal & meal! - American Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

Really solid, fresh diner food. I got the ultimate scramble and it was a perfect balance of potatoes, meat, eggs, and cheese. Just what I was craving. Take out only, cash only. read more

First time going and man was I in for a surprise I have been missing out for years I highly recommended coming and getting some breakfast and the pancakes are so good that I can't wait to come back and get some breakfast from here highly recommended coming in and checking their menu out you won't be disappointed at all read more

Ted's Snack Shop - American Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

At first glance it looks like a convenience store. I was very surprised to realize it was a cute small dinner. It is very cozy and the food is great. I ordered a Denver omelette with hash-browns and my husband had the ultimate skillet. Both were delicious and the portions were very generous in my opinion. I will definitely be going back again. The staff is very friendly, took our orders right away and offered us coffee. The prices are very reasonable and it's cash only. read more

Ted's Snack Shop - Denver omelette with Hash-browns - American Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

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I'm going to say it: this place looks like a Church/Dodge street dump from the street, but it's nothing like it on the inside. Like others, I appreciate this place for its simplicity and low prices. Ana is very nice and accommodating. This is no Le Peep, Walker Bros., or Golden Olympic breakfast, but it's just a really great, reasonably priced neighborhood alternative to cooking up your own breakfast at home. I once saw a woman walk in with a cup of coffee from Dunkin and the staff harassed her about it for a little while. I fully expected to see a snotty review, but really, it's hard to imagine hating on this place. Given the name, I think it's kind of funny the place is called a "snack shop" because I don't usually need a snack before 2pm that comes in the form of a plate of eggs, toast, pancakes, etc. :) Try this place out! You won't regret it. This place is CASH ONLY. For breakfast I go straight to the corned beef hash skillet or meat combo skillet, but everything they make is great. See the picture I attached of their pancake sandwich. They always have about five daily specials going that rotate around the board... Every few Tuesdays or so, they make spaghetti and meatballs and if you ask nicely they'll make you an off-the-menu meatball sandwich with garlic bread! Every Thursday is roast turkey dinner day. It's astounding. Mashed potatoes, cranberry, vegetable, and turkey. On Thursday and Friday (if not gobbled up by then) you can get an amazing turkey club from the leftover roast turkey. Holy hell it's good. Where can you get a home-made sandwich and fries for $6? Nowhere, that's where. Friday is white fish day. I think it's a pollock of some kind. You can order it with grits or baked mac and cheese! Here's a nice article on the place: http://www.evanstonroundtable.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=503&SectionID=4&SubSectionID=4&S=1 read more

Being run like it's 2020. No attempt whatsoever to publish that it's carry out only.

I love this place! A great neighborhood diner, with good food and cheap prices. The staff is very friendly. I always leave full for less than $10. read more

Everything is right with the world when you're eating at Ted's. The staff greets you with a welcoming smile, they know their regulars by name, they crack jokes, and they make sure to keep your cup of Joe fresh and warm. It's a neighborhood spot that's inexpensive and filling, just the way it should be. They have a simple menu but it has all the necessary breakfast and lunch components. Come with friends or sit solo at the bar and let the time pass and your worries fade. read more

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Wow! What a great little hidden shop. This is a very inexpensive place, it has cozy diner feel, kind of reminds me of diners when I was growing up, this is definitely going to become a go to! read more

This restaurant used to be the best place for a meal when we lived in Evanston. As we all know COVID changed that we tried to go there last year and they were still not providing sit down dining we were disappointed by that fact and decided to go to the Sharmain diner another favorite of ours. So let me tell you that this past Saturday we were in Evanston and saw that the Restaurant was open and they were doing sit down dining and I was so happy. But that was only the beginning of our ordeal. I understand that Saturday mornings are busy and we were willing to wait but a meal that should have taken 45 minutes to an 1hour and 15 minutes lasted for 1.5 hours to 2 .15 the problem was they kept working on the call in orders that were being stacked up on counter on the side while the customers that were in the restaurant were being told that it will be 45 minutes to and hour before they would get their food. I'll never go back read more

What a nice surprise. A small diner with good food, very reasonable prices, family run and very friendly. PARKING is easy. VERY clean. If you're looking for a comfortable place to relax and eat some good diner food - breakfasts are terrific, can't beat the bacon and cheese sandwich, good coffee - this is it. What's more to ask? read more

This is a local diner family run, filled with local customers and serving old fashion comfort food. Food arrives just cooked which is very nice when ordering their many egg options with meats & breakfast potatoes, soup of the day, popular hamburger & fries, and hot lunch of the day. I especially like eggs with slab of ham... yummy! My coffee mug is never empty for long, and friendly conversation is always offered at the counter. Yes cash only. read more

As other reviewers said: great diner food, nice people, huge portions and cheaper than McDonalds (almost)... I will definitely be back, as we have just moved about a half mile away from Ted's. Can't wait to eat their breakfast - we had lunch today (the three of us tried the meat loaf, 15 bean soup and spaghetti with meatballs). Ohh to top if off - they had the radio on 93.1 WXRT which is the station I listen to most in Chicago! Rock'n'roll forever. read more

The four stars aren't about the amazing food or chic decorating, because this ain't that sort of place. You to to Ted's for good ol' down-home-style diner food at normal prices served up by genuinely good people. Even after leaving a tip, I rarely spend more than I would have getting a junky breakfast sandwich and coffee from Dunkin or Starbucks... and this is real food, not something nuked fresh from the freezer. read more

This place is a total gem. Don't be fooled by the name "snack shop" -- this is a classic American diner, family owned and run, with a counter and swivel stools and formica-topped tables. Cops, plumbers, students, firefighters, college professors, you-name-it, they all gather here for a truly affordable but hearty breakfast or lunch that never disappoints. Peter does the cooking while Anna and Georgia keep the plates moving and the coffee flowing. Careful, though -- after a visit or two you may find yourself turning into a regular. read more

Our favorite breakfast/lunch place in Evanston, bar none. It's not fancy, in fact, it's a little hard to find. But once you get there, you're enveloped in the small-town diner vibe, with regulars lined up at the counter and families filling the tables. Anna keeps the madness light-hearted, and laughter abounds. Come in here more than twice and the odds are good that Anna has a good idea what you'll order, and after the third visit, she's writing the order down as you walk in. Oh, great food abounds as well. The chopped-steak-and-eggs is my favorite; a big hand-formed beef patty, cooked just right and accompanied by eggs as you like 'em and perfect hash-browns. They also do burgers that rival anything you can get at the gourmet burger joints, and pancakes that defy description more detailed than 'OMG this is so yummy". You'll wait a little longer than at other places, but the results are worth the wait -- the cooks make the food better instead of faster. That's a choice I'll make any day of the week. And the prices? Look at the menu and you'll think you went back five years in time. Great food, great ambiance, what's not to like? Eat at Ted's and fill your tummy without emptying your wallet. You owe it to yourself, your friends, and your future grandkids to make this place one of your go-to places. read more

Great place with awesome food at great prices! Restaurant is run by a family and everyone is very friendly. They also try to get to know every one of their patrons by name and they have a ton of regulars that sit and chat everyone up. I personally love the corned beef hash omelet but wish they would do their pork chops on a daily basis instead of every once in a while. Delicious!! read more

I've lived within 2 miles of this place for 6 years and didn't know it existed until I had to get my tires changed at the nearby Midas and found myself hungry for breakfast. This place is amazing and has a great small-town feel. I ordered blueberry pancakes, bacon and eggs. The blueberries were fresh, the bacon quality excellent and the eggs perfectly cooked. The coffee was good too - not the swilly typical diner coffee. I loved being able to have a small-town experience and hanging with the locals! Will definitely be back. read more

When it comes to a greasy spoon, old school diner I have certain criteria. If the following points aren't important to you this review will likely not be helpful or particularly accurate. 1. Steak and eggs? Do they offer it? Not here. If they did have it we would enter a discussion of skirt vs. butt vs. cheap horse meat, but no need to, they don't have it. Star deduction. 2. Potatoes/hash browns. Are they the real potato/hand sliced variety or the shredded out of a bag frozen variety? Here they are the latter. And please oh please, pretty please make them well done and crispy when I ask you/beg you/cajole you every time several times a week. Do you have an aversion to this method of eating your frozen potato mush? Star deduction. 3. Waitress/server/cook. We all want a place where they know you after a while. Remember your preferences for coffee or toast. Absent that a place where they are friendly. Tough love is fine too. No one expects or wants white glove service at a joint like this. Not here. The single waitress is a surly bitch who enjoys talking about other customers behind their backs when they leave, is borderline rude to their faces and needs to be beckoned for anything you might want from her once the food comes. Except for coffee. She is on the coffee. And the food takes a long time to come out. Pete the cook is a man of few words. Close to none. Lack of personality is part of this place. It's curious that whether it is crowded or empty, your eggs take a while to come out from the kitchen. For "Pete's" sake, we are talking eggs. 2 star deduction. 4. Ambience/newspaper availability. It's cold inside. Despite the single space heater it is still cold inside. Did I mention it's cold inside. No matter where you sit it's cold inside. Places like this must have free newspapers to read. It's part of the ritual. This place has one Sun-times to read. Just one. Sometimes two. You will often need to wait to read it. Why not have a few available? If that extra buck is a struggle they can just steal a few from the box. I don't condone that type of behavior by the way, just saying. Summary: Teds Place sucks. If you like your spuds soggy from a bag, a rag for a server, long wait for food and an experience that leaves you wondering "why?" this is the place for you. And there is no "Ted". Why even one star? Well, there is food. It is close to ETHS. Recommendation: If you want to see what a diner should be like, a place that is the exact opposite of Teds, another local greasy spoon, check out Sparkys. read more

Great place to eat. Every so often. I just have to go grab some breakfast. Everyone is pleasant and the food and coffee are great.

This is a classic neighborhood diner where generally everyone in the place (myself excepted) tends to know each other by name. The food is good, servings are generous, the prices are slightly north of cheap, but still reasonable, and often when I visit during breakfast, they are cranking '80s hard rock or metal. read more

I have been going to Ted's since i was a kid and now i am 40 years old. I first use to go when they were known for there cheeseburgers. Then they closed for a while and when they reopened i was Super Happy!! But service is Top Flight and the food is Tremendous. Go check it out!!! FIVE STAR RATING FROM ME!!! read more

So happy to have stumbled by this spot. All around great breakfast food. Corned beef hash skillet, so good! I will be trying their biscuits and gravy next time. The lady working the bar is delightful. Friendly and polite with that down to earth personality. I enjoy finding a place that has a friendly vibe where all are truly welcome. They do make egg white omelette' for those health conscious folks. The prices can't be beat either. 2 breakfast sandwiches, egg white omelette, and a skillet for 24 bucks. Needless to say I will be visiting again. read more

Very clean, great prices. We liked the sausage a lot and the coffee was good. There was nothing wrong with anything here, it just struck us as average. Service was very friendly but slow, and the food took a LONG time compared to our favorite breakfast joint. I love me some ham off the bone(this Chicago description cracks me up) but this ham was not trimmed of fat, although the ham portion was good. read more

This place is very special. A relic of a bygone era, when you could dine in a place where people knew your name, where food was made with care and the prices are so fair that you wonder how they turn a profit. read more

It's nothing like this place. I always get their sausage, bacon and cheese sandwich with has browns. They are so sweet in there besides one lady don't know her name but she's kind of plum and short. Other then that the food is awesome. read more

Great diner in Evanston. Perfect to dine with others or enjoy your meal solo at the counter. The staff could not be more personable and the food is great too! read more

This place is just down the street from our house, so when we moved to this block, we had to try it. Sure, it doesn't look like much from the outside, but inside, it's always cozy and welcoming. It's the kind of place that makes you want to become a regular. Ana's usually working when we come in, and she's phenomenal - knows you want a refill on coffee before you do, able to keep up a conversation and take orders without skipping a beat. I always get the veggie skillet and my husband gets the corned beef hash skillet, and we've always left with full and happy tummies. The eggs are cooked perfectly, the veggies are grill-seared and flavorful, and the hash browns are nice and crispy. One of these days we'll try something else, but we love the skillets so much that it's hard not to walk in the door wanting one. While Ted's is cash only, the prices are EXCEEDINGLY reasonable for the amount and quality of the food - usually, we'll just run across the street to Dominick's and get cash back on a pack of gum if we don't have cash with us. Bottom line: You'll find neither bells nor whistles, but if you're looking for tasty food cooked well in a comfy, friendly atmosphere at a great price, this place is for you. read more

I love this place. Always feel welcomed. The staff is great and the food even better. If I could I would come every morning with my family

My boyfriend and I eat here every morning the food is cooked in a timely fashion and taste amazing.

My wife did not get a chance to try the food on her first visit today. She overheard that they would be closing down the grill an hour early at one o'clock for a family emergency but ordered her hamburger and fries 20 minutes before the grill was to close. After waiting for 25 minutes, she was told that there was something wrong with the hamburger and she'd have to order something else. She had to go back to work hungry because there was no time to go anywhere else and was very upset. If the cook had been serving burgers for the entire day, why didn't he see that something was wrong with it. Something sounds fishy with this whole scenario. read more

If you're looking for an old-time diner experience, Ted's is the place for you. They open at 6:00 am (Monday-Friday) and 7:00 am on Saturday and close at 2:00 pm. Ana greets you with a smile, fresh, hot coffee, and a glass of water (something you seldom get anymore). Try the ham-off-the-bone or link sausages with your perfectly done eggs. On Saturdays, you can order homemade biscuits and gravy: so good! The lunch menu is limited but there's always a special, such as meatloaf or a turkey place, and everything is tasty. We would eat there every say if we could! read more

Ted's snack shop is Old School.There used to be so many places like this but so many have closed or the neighborhood they were in have had the real estate skyrocket causing them to sell and close up shop.I visited Ted's on Friday around 12:30 pm as I had some stores to go to in the area and I wanted a good meal that would fill me up.Ted's is small;an L shaped counter and about 5 booths.I chose a lunch special;Chopped steak with grilled onions,mashed potatoes,peas,salad(soup was available) and a large long dinner roll.All this for only $7.50. The salad was crisp,the food came right out and was very tasty.And the coffee was good with free refills.Ted's is primarily a breakfast early lunch place as they close early.Lots to like here.The counter Lady is very friendly,there are regulars who come in daily,and the place looks like it gets very busy at times.Ted's is about one block south of Dempster on Dodge across from the mini mall just west of Dodge.Cash only but if you like going to places like this you'll Love Ted's.Old School,Simple,Real Good food at a Really good price.Ad Ted's to your bucket list. read more

We go here nearly every Saturday morning for breakfast. It's got good food reasonable prices. It's very much a neighborhood place. We see the same people every week. Everyone is friendly including the staff. I usually get the veggie skillet or basic scrambled eggs with a side of bacon or ham. The meats are delicious. read more

Standard diner joint with basic diner fare offered at reasonable prices. Not a thing wrong with it, but it's nothing particularly special, either. Suitable if you live in the neighborhood. If you're making a specific trip for a meal, there are better options. read more

After driving past this place for years, I finally decided to give it a try. I stopped in for lunch. The food seems to pretty much a breakfast/lunch diner menu. At noon the place was about 1/3 full. It seems like all the customers are regulars. The food was fine. Nothing so special. I had a tuna sandwich and soup. I don't think the soup was homemade. The place was clean, but extremely run down. It seems like you go there to hang out with the regulars. Food just ok. read more