The Aurora Pancake House

Thursday at 12:00pm. Very good crowd of locals. Small…read morerestaurant and gets crowded quick. Owners visits table often to make sure all is well (and it was!!) Chicken crispy, flavorful with the eggs. Very good selection of ingredients in the Veggie plate. Was a very delightful experience for this new cuisine.

First discovered their food at the Geneva market where their empanadas became a weekly treat I…read morelooked forward to. This time I brought my uncle who was visiting from out of town. I had the Majadito which is a beef/steak rice with eggs, plantains, tomatoes, onions, and cilantro. A relatively simple dish when described, but the combination of flavors was delightful. And a big portion I ended up bringing some home to have for breakfast the next day. My uncle had the asada en olla, a roasted beef stew with rice that had my uncle pausing repeatedly to comment how delicious it was. And he is less of a foodie than I am, so for him to comment like that was a big compliment. We shared some steak and chicken empanadas. A bite of empanada with some of their house made hot sauce is a bite of heaven. Service was so sweet and kind, attentive but in a respectful way. This is truly a family run spot and I felt like I was a guest in their home being given a home cooked meal made with love. The restaurant is clean and cozy. The bathrooms included. And there is plentiful street parking in front and the surrounding areas. A gem in the suburbs that shouldn't be hidden. While I always look for them at the markets, I will definitely be back to this place.

Milanesa Sandwich

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Passionfruit lemonade!

Altiro Latin Fusion

4.0(124 reviews)

0.3 mi

One of my favorite restaurants. I especially love the Birria and Spicy Margaritas. The service is…read moregood. The tables can be a little small and close together but it's worth it.

Had some cocktails and Mexican food at this restaurant on Stolp Island. It conveniently is located…read moreacross the street from the Paramount Theater and is a popular stop before going to shows. Altiro has a couple locations, including this one in Aurora. Pretty much like a tapas bar with small bites. The prices can get expensive but there's some affordable good things. Came here in the evening and it was busy. It's still got plenty of seating so we were able to get to the bar in front. This is a place where they specialize in tapas. Not as much to eat. Of course the food comes out faster though. It's about $12 for a basic cocktail. The fancier ones are a few bucks more. It's about $10 for an appetizer. We got the Al Trio Salsa. Basically it's a few salsas along with chips. These were made with crudo, habanero, and morita peppers. Ranged from mild to burn your mouth hot. The rest of the menu has the usual things like tacos and stuff. Great place to have Mexican style street food. It's closed Mondays. The menu is pretty limited for vegans and vegetarians.

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Salmon Tacos with Pineapple

Pueblito Escondido

4.5(17 reviews)

19.0 mi

Absolutely yes. I loved the Columbian food here. I only wish I hadn't been so tight on time. I had…read moreto scarf my food down in 15 min and take the rest home. It's a family owned, small business which I love. I always want to suppprt those. Located in the basement with a bakery above it, the location is unique. It's very colorful and festive which adds to its charm. I ordered the Bandeja Paisa and it was enormous and cost $29. Pricey, but I got 3 meals out of it. It had pork belly, columbian sausage, rice, beans, a fried egg, avocado, and a fried plantain . Gigantic portions. We also ordered empanadas and they were the star of the show. I wish I lived closer to Elgin. I have no idea if I'd return, but I do recommend.

Such a great find!! They have Colombian, Guatemalan and Mexican food. I was born in Colombia so we…read moreopted for all Colombian dishes. Forgot to get a pic of the empanadas but they were delish. Was super excited to get jugo de maracuyá. Both entrees were perfect. Will definitely come again!

Fresh shrimp ready to delight your palate

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We have a great variety of dishes and cultures in our experience, come and try Latin America

Beaunique Latin Kitchen

4.4(114 reviews)

18.9 mi

Excellent little spot with flavorful food. Have been going here for 2 years. While the flavors are…read moreconsistent the amount of protein has decreased in the sandwiches. We wished Bea would raise the price a couple of $'s and add more protein. Or offer an option for double meat. The meat makes the flavor pop and is simply delicious! I agree with a previous reviewer who mentioned the bar without alcohol is odd. If this is actually BYOB it should be advertised as such. Overall though I'll keep coming because the food flavor profiles is excellent!

Amazing food! This place is inventive and delicious! We got to speak with Bea after having our…read morelunch and she shared a bit about her and her drive toward her career as a chef. Her marinades are delicious and I hope they become widely available. It did take some time for the food to come out but it was worth the wait. The presentation also made it exciting. There is plenty of indoor seating for groups as well

Garlic shrimp

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Empanadas and tostones, Cuban sandwich with yucca fries

Rio's

4.1(378 reviews)

19.6 mi

Week One of our Random World Culinary Adventure. We have a bowl of about 50 different cuisine and…read morefood types, and once a week (schedule and budget permitting) we draw one and go there. The first week was Peruvian. Having been here years ago (not sure if it was the same name) I already knew at the jump that this was our destination. This is an unassuming place in a strip mall, off Lake street. Upon entering you are greeted with, frankly, a beautiful bar and restaurant. The Alpacas are a great touch. We started off with some yucca cheese balls, tropical ceviche and bruschetta. We are still raving about the bruschetta a few hours later. The cheese balls were also amazing. Ceviche was fantastic, but we could have used a few additional plantains. For our meals we had a Arroz Con Pato (duck), Chaufa (a wok), and a Fettuccine à la Diabla Con Bife (steak and pasta). The best of the 3 was the Fettuccine (aka steak and fettuccine). The steak was cooked perfect, the entire thing had amazing flavor. The Arroz Con Pato looked nothing like the menu. It was very good, albeit with the duck being more on the dry side. Flavorwise though, very good. The wok, same deal - looked nothing like the menu. However the person eating it was pleased and that's all i care about. For dessert we had a passion fruit mango cheesecake which was delicious but so rich, not sure I've ever said that. Benefit to it being rich was that I brought it home to eat at my leisure. The spicy churro cake was also a hit. Service was great, it was lunchtime and one woman running both front and back of house but she did great. We loved it, and will return.

Great service and cute ambience! We ordered the ceviche clásico and the lomo saltado, which were…read moredelicious and similar to what I had in Peru. There aren't many Peruvian places in the Chicagoland area but this is better than the one in the city. We also got the passion fruit cheesecake and that was amazing.

Passion Fruit Cheesecake

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Alpaca Nation

El Asadero Colombiano

4.1(217 reviews)

31.5 mi

Super friendly service, enormous portions, and fair prices -- there's really no better place to get…read moreyour favorite Columbian dishes in this area of the city. As advertised, their chicken is super tender and flavorful here, and the arroz con pollo is a great comfort food dish. There's plenty of different options such as steak and seafood to choose from here, mostly in a grilled or fried preparation. Overall, worth a visit if you're looking for delicious Columbian food in the area. Be prepared to enjoy tender and flavorful meats served in generous portions.

My husband and I went to El Asadero Colombiano with some friends for dinner on a Thursday night…read more The restaurant had pretty good traffic for being early in the evening. The restaurant was painted and decorated with the colors of the Colombian flag. My husband ordered the chicken and rice while I had the breaded shrimp. My plate was 90% rice and French fries and salad. I couldn't tell the difference between this shrimp and what I would find in the freezer section of my grocery store. They charged $21 for this dish!!! My husband's chicken was not flavored very well. I cannot recommend El Asadero Colombiano.

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Delicia Tropical Cafe

3.8(230 reviews)

18.6 mi

$50 for fake Puerto Rican food the community deserves better"…read moreI need to write this review because people in Elgin deserve to know the truth, especially those who may not be familiar with authentic Puerto Rican cuisine. Let me start with the Papas Rellenas potato balls that are supposed to be made with real mashed potatoes, seasoned properly, and filled with well-seasoned meat. What I got was clearly made with INSTANT mashed potatoes. You can taste the difference immediately. It was bland, gummy, and honestly embarrassing to call Puerto Rican food. Then the Alcapurrias which should be packed with flavorful, well-seasoned meat filling. Instead, mine were stuffed almost entirely with green banana (guineo) and barely any meat at all. The only thing that had any flavor WAS the little bit of meat in there, which tells you the issue the base itself had zero seasoning. Eating an alcapurria that tastes like a plain pound of banana is not it. I spent $50 on this meal. FIFTY DOLLARS. As a Puerto Rican, this is a disgrace. This is one of only two Puerto Rican restaurants in Elgin, which means people are counting on places like this to represent our food and culture and this is what they're getting? Authentic Puerto Rican food is rich, flavorful, and made with love and the RIGHT ingredients. This was none of that. Do better. The community deserves authentic food, not a watered-down imitation at premium prices. Not recommended.

I recently tried a Puerto Rican spot out in Elgin and had really high hopes going in…read more I ordered a jibarito with a side of rice, plus an alcapurria and a pastel to try a little bit of everything. Starting with the jibarito, it was honestly a bit of a letdown. The meat was a little chewy and the overall sandwich felt dry, which took away from what should've been a really flavorful dish. The rice also missed the mark for me. It lacked flavor and had a bit of an odd aftertaste, which made it hard to enjoy. For the pricing, I was a little surprised $15 for a small jibarito and $5 for a small side of rice didn't quite match the quality or portion size. That said, not everything was a miss. The alcapurria was definitely the highlight fresh, well-made, and full of flavor. I'd absolutely order that again. The pastel was just okay in my opinion there were a lot of potatoes and not as much meat as I would've liked, so the balance felt a bit off. Overall, it was a mixed experience. There are some strong items on the menu, but between the inconsistency and the pricing, I'm not sure I'd rush back.

Jibarito Delicia (steak, chicken, veggie or pork) Alcapurrias De Guineo

The relleno de papa instant potato ball

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Colombian's Taste

4.3(168 reviews)

19.6 mi

Mediocre at best. Steak was poor quality, rest of meal was so-so. I was just not impressed at $52…read morefor just me with two empanadas and something to drink.

Colombian food in the suburbs is not easy to find. Taste of Colombia is excellent if you don't want…read moreto drive into Chicago, though the parking lot is sometimes reminiscent of something in Chicago. Everything we had was perfect, from the bandeja, the mixed grill, to the mini empanadas appetizer. The service was friendly, and the food came out quickly. I had been here once before when it was at a smaller space in the same strip mall. This new space had several more tables.

Dinning area spacious

Sancocho de Gallina

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Está poco de arroz por casi $4 es un robo total! Ni pedazo de arepita le pudieron poner para completar! Nunca más!

Totopos

4.3(380 reviews)

6.5 mi

The best authentic Mexican food! And the extensive vegan/vegetarian menu options are truly…read moreunmatched. Everything is delicious!

1-Star Review -- This was one of the WORST RESTAURANT EXPERIENCES I have had in Naperville…read more This was one of the worst restaurant experiences I have had in Naperville. It is not the first time I have had a similar experience at a Mexican restaurant in Naperville. This is now the fourth Mexican restaurant in the area where I have experienced problems with my order and poor customer service. Yesterday, I ordered a veggie burrito and a cup of elote. Before placing my order, I specifically asked what vegetables came on the burrito. I was told spinach, tomatoes, grilled onions, and rice. I then asked if they could add green bell peppers, raw onions, and cilantro. I was told there would be an additional $1.75 charge, and I agreed. Because I wanted to make sure my order was correct, I actually called back a second time before leaving my home and asked again what vegetables were included. Instead of simply answering my question, the employee responded in a rude and irritated manner, telling me, "Ma'am, you already asked me that." I explained that I just wanted to make sure everything was correct, and she confirmed the additional vegetables. When I got home and opened the burrito, it was extremely disappointing. There was mostly rice and spinach, with only a few pieces of bell pepper. The green bell peppers, onions, and cilantro I specifically requested--and paid extra for--were not there. The burrito was also very small considering the price. The elote was also incorrect. I specifically requested cheese, mayo, and the chili seasoning. Instead, it had some type of green onion or other ingredient that I did not request, and the taste was horrible. The food was terrible. The burrito was mostly rice and spinach, and the flavor was awful. The elote was also incorrect and tasted horrible. The total was approximately $24 for a small veggie burrito and a cup of elote, which I consider very expensive considering the quality, portion size, and the fact that my order was not prepared as requested. I then called and asked to speak with the manager because I wanted to explain what happened and give the restaurant an opportunity to address it. Unfortunately, the manager was extremely rude, dismissive, argumentative, and would not allow me to finish explaining the problem. She repeatedly interrupted me with "No, no, no" and insisted that the order was correct because she had been there and watched the peppers being prepared. That was not the issue. I was explaining that the ingredients I specifically requested were missing from MY burrito. Instead of listening to the customer and trying to resolve the situation, she argued with me and ultimately told me she didn't care when I said I would report the experience and leave a review. She then hung up on me. I am not someone who expects perfection, but I do expect a restaurant to prepare what I ordered, especially when I specifically confirmed the ingredients twice and paid an additional charge for them. More importantly, when a customer calls with a legitimate concern, the manager should listen and attempt to resolve the issue--not argue with the customer, dismiss the complaint, and hang up. The food was beyond disgusting, the order was incorrect, the price was excessive for what I received, and the customer service from management was unacceptable. One star because I cannot give zero. The food was disgusting, the order was incorrect, the price was excessive for what I received, and the customer service from management was unacceptable. I will not be ordering from this restaurant again. Regardless of anyone's background, every paying customer deserves to be treated with basic courtesy and respect.

Fun interior

Vegan Tamales

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Syrup - Aurora

4.3(248 reviews)

2.5 mi

Delicious food and impeccable service. The portions are huge so come hungry. I highly recommend!read more

Visited family and they recommended Syrup for breakfast, nothing negative to say unless I'm being…read morepicky lol (no military discount) Food was great, haven't had a proper Eggs Benedict in a while and they did not disappoint. Portion sizes are good for the price. Service was swift and I really enjoyed how bright the restaurant felt with the floral decorations. Highly recommend for a quick brekky bite lol

Maple syrup & Vanilla Icing

Mediterranean toast

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10 reviews that are not currently recommended

The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.

Jon D.

0

66

4

4 years ago

If you like bacon that was fried ATLEAST an hour before they slap it on your plate this is the place for you! I have been drinking coffee for 35 years with 2 cream and sugar. In THIS place I used 1 creamer for 3 cups of coffee. Their cooks can't make hash browns to save their life. I'm short if you want a breakfast where EVERY SINGLE shortcut can be made in quality then this is the place for you. For me, I'll drive 3 times as far to go to mothers on the west side. read more

Cynthia P.

0

13

0

9 years ago

I normally love coming here to eat but my last visit wasn't. The waitress was very nice as always but she got my order wrong and when I tried telling her she kept saying no that's what you ordered and I know it wasn't since I order the same thing every time I eat here. read more

David R.

0

5

0

13 years ago

This place just looks plain old and outdated. Too bad as this could have been a nice place to have breakfast and its very big , the only reason I gave 3 stars as the food was ok and relatively low priced read more

Ron S.

1

21

1

10 years ago

Waiting over an hour for our food of four people just breakfast food....still waiting. Update: food came out wrong and cold we left without paying. Maybe the worst experience I've had. read more

Norma P.

6

20

41

4 years ago

Great food, big serving sizes!! Their lunch specials are only 10.99 and such a great value for the $$. Supporting family run business!!!

Kelly S.

36

4

0

11 years ago

Best breakfast I have had at a restaurant in a very long time. Service was really good and the prices are good also.

Jesus B.

2

1

8

11 years ago

Family own restaurant great people. great food and excellent service.

D K.

0

15

0

9 years ago

Good Food, Good service. Recommend to anyone in the area. read more

David S.

0

15

0

9 years ago

friendly, good food, free wifi, clean, and good vibe

Franklin R.

7

8

9

12 years ago

The french toast was actually pretty good.

The Aurora Pancake House - breakfast_brunch - Updated October 2026

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The bonuts were cooked so hard on my takeout it was disappointing. My country fried steak was…read morecooked the same way. They put Chicken Broth in their grits! Waitress got my incorrect. It was a mess. Then while waiting for the bill, the clean up guys were putting down silverware with their fingers on the tynes of the forks and scoos of the spoons! so unsanitary. Who knows where their fingers have been. All in all.... not good. Should be looked at for sanitary stuff

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