The Bongo Room is nothing special. A friend of mine and I had been dying to try this restaurant. The Bongo Room was shrouded in mystery for us. She had tried a couple times unsuccessfully to get a table. I've walked by on weekends and seen a line out the door, and I've heard of people waiting over an hour to get in. We decided to stop in on a weekday when we were both free at about 1:30. We were excited to see that there was no wait and we were seated right away. They had both the breakfast and lunch menu available, and we both ended up ordered off of the breakfast menu. My roommate got the breakfast burrito. It looked pretty good, eggs, guacamole, and cheese. She seemed to enjoy it. I got the cannoli hotcakes. These were not what I was expecting at all. Firstly, when the said that the hot cakes had "ricotta" in them, I was expecting a lighter, fluffier texture and to be able to taste some of the cheese. These pancakes weren't bad, they were just average in terms of both flavor and texture. Secondly, I did not expect them to be absolutely drenched in the "pistachio" cream, which I wish actually tasted like pistachio rather than just being green, sweet goop that made the pancakes way too soggy. Since the plate was absolutely covered in the cream, when I tried to scrape any of it off the top, I would inevitably be dunking the piece I had cut off in the gooey mess, defeating the purpose. It was drizzled with chocolate, which tasted like the chocolate syrup that come in squeeze bottles. As you can probably tell, I was pretty unimpressed. So the Bongo Room is still shrouded in mystery for me, because I just don't understand what the hype is all about. The food here is not memorable and the atmosphere here is average. I don't think I'll be stopping by here again. read more

The Bongo Room - Cannoli Hotcakes with pistachio cream and chocolate drizzle - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Honesty first...pancakes are my least favorite item for breakfast, BUT damn it Bongo, you converted me to a believer of the pancake! It was a homemade light and fluffy perfection dusted with graham crumbs (like what a touch of angel dust) and smothered with a smooth light lemon and raspberry sauce from the heavens. I felt every bite was like a first kiss. read more

The Bongo Room - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I think that people, myself included, are often under the impression that restaurants with long ass waits = the best places to eat, and Bongo Room definitely falls within the realm of that misconception. I went to the Wicker Park location today and was shook by how crowded and loud the place was and the number of guests who brought luggage with them to brunch. It certainly draws a lot of tourists, but that shouldn't be a reason for below average food. I got the Veggie Croissant Sandwich with a side of fruit. The sandwich had minimal flavor even with the basil mayo smothered on the bread. Aside from the egg, the fillings were mostly cold, the croissant barely toasted. The assortment of fruit was also underwhelming. My friends got different omelettes, and I couldn't help but notice how much ketchup, hot sauce, and salt they had to pour onto their plates. There are a million brunch spots in the city, and I urge you to try any of those before you wait an hour to eat at Bongo Room. read more

The Bongo Room - Veggie croissant sandwich - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Great friendly service. I order the turkey club which was delicious. Bread and veggies were fresh. I enjoyed the vibes and my meal. Can't wait to return on my next trip to Chicago read more

Let's just start this by saying that while we were waiting to be seated (which took about an hour) Dita von Teese was sitting in the corner nonchalantly brunching her little heart out with her bf, so you know this is a classy place. If you come here and are faced with a long wait like us, just wait. It will be worth it. The food is phenomenal. The chocolate tower french toast is basically a cake surrounded by pudding that is socially acceptable to eat for breakfast. So it's the most delicious thing you can ever eat. The croissant sandwich is anything but your basic breakfast sandwich. The bacon is perfectly crunchy, the egg has just the right amount of run, and that croissant! So buttery and flakey I would give 5 stars just for the croissant. The signature flavored mimosas, while not particularly strong, are tasty and refreshing. Read more about the food and Dita sighting here on our blog: http://notjustbrunch.wordpress.com/2014/01/09/beauty-the-bongo-room/ read more

The Bongo Room - Chocolate Tower French Toast... heaven - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

First and foremost, I've been here plenty of times so the issues over waiting and price have not influenced my opinion about The Bongo Room. This place puts on a clinic on how to bring the A game to the breakfast/brunch crowd. I love a good battle between savory and sweets and this place does both real well. I generally get a two egg breakfast so I can squeeze in a single piece order of the Chocolate French toast. So both sides win in my book except for my stomach but that's the price to pay at a trip to this place. The only knock I have with this place is that they are more creative with their sweets than their egg dishes and I would love to see some crazy creations from the kitchen. It is a small knock cause they are solid in that area but I had to be a bit fair somewhat! read more

The Bongo Room - Croissant Sandwich - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I thank the god of living locations that I don't live in Chicago. Otherwise I would probably weigh about 500 lbs thanks to Bongo Room. I found this place on yelp and decided to head on that way. We got there before it opened and we had to make a line to go in... this place is serious about their breakfast. FOOD: AWE-SOME. I had the sweet-potato bean burrito with "hash-browns". the burrito was a welcome surprise every time i bit into it... is this sweet? is this salty? was that a piece of unicorn meat? is this spicy? simply amazing. and then..... we decided to order the Red Velvet Pancakes since everyone mentioned them on yelp. I don't even like pancakes.. but these have ruined my life. Every day I wake up and eat my cereal with non-fat yogurt and it just makes me sad that I have to settle for this when the gods of breakfast have created such a delicious set of pancakes. The only thing I do not recommend is the Orange Juice. SERVICE: They seem experienced to move people along.. not excellent but did the deed read more

The Bongo Room - Red Velvet Pancakes - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The hype is real people, the hype is real. There's no denying the magnificence of their food. From everyone else's reviews I'm pretty glad I stopped in for breakfast on a Wednesday morning, because it seems as though their weekends are pretty packed! However, pretty sure I'd wait an indefinite amount of time for their pancake concoctions. I originally was going to order the strawberry and banana pancakes and just as our server came to the table I noticed there was, wait for it....a menu with SPECIALS. Gotta love specials. I then quickly changed my order to the red velvet pancakes - I mean, how could I have passed that up? I'm sure the other option would have been equally delicious, but if red velvet anything is every an option, I'm in. Brace yourself, because their pancakes are HUGE. I'm talking like bigger than my head. I managed to polish off at least half and that was only to avoid a food coma. If my taste buds were in control that baby would have been gone. So good!! I was with a group of 7 and everything on the table looked delicious. I will fo sho be back to indulge further. read more

The Bongo Room - Red velvet pancakes...breakfast of champions. - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The Bongo Room is a little gem that I found while yelping in Chicago. Being that it was my first time in Chitown and I was craving breakfast food, yelp didn't let me down. This place was only a few miles from where i was and with all the amazing reviews, i had to try it. Walking in the ambiance was really welcoming and the server was very friendly. Here's my star breakdown: +1 star for the music +1 star for attentiveness of server +1 for the food +1 for the portion (very generous portions) +1 for how fast the food came out I ordered the vegetarian croissant sandwich and it was literally the best thing i had all weekend. The croissant was toasted perfectly, just the right amount of flakiness. The aoli wasn't too salty and the veggie combo made it very refreshing and i didn't feel like a fatass after i finished. I really want to try their brunch. maybe the next time i'm here. read more

The Bongo Room - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We've been here multiple times. Used to be one of our favorites when we first moved to the city 4 years ago and were new to big city brunch. After having experienced many other places, my rating has overall gone down for bongo room. You can always expect a wait on the weekend. No reservations. They're quick with food and service. Menu items I'd give 5 stars are the chorizo omelette and the white chocolate caramel pancakes. Those are musts. I've had a chicken sandwich here that was very dry. The turkey sausage sandwich was very one note and dry as well. The egg white Reuben omelette was fluffy but nothing overly special flavor wise. The blueberry cornmeal pancake is well balanced. They don't advertise it but you can get a single pancake to split for $5 which is nice if you don't want to have to order that as your main dish! The iced coffee is bitter and nothing special. So overall- the sweet dishes are always strong. But there are plenty of other options for brunch in the neighborhood as well :) read more

It was what it was when it was. Now, it's just another over-priced, attitude-slinging hash house. Dating myself here (not illegal yet), but when John and Darren had it going under the Damen el in the mid-late 90s, this place was worth waking up for. The move down the street proved a devil's bargain: You were fine if you stayed simple with tasty but un-ridiculous pancakes (though some like them abused with peanut orange mango syrup essence and quail egg excretion butter--on the side--). But the omelettes never worked. Ever. And the breakfast burrito is the one non-ruinable item--but it's not like that should be cause for celebration. The once-interesting rosemary potatoes morphed into an over- or undercooked lump of plate filler. The homemade salsa, however, always rocks. Coffee great. OJ and many other things good but not worth the cost, and certainly not worth waiting around for. Sheesh. Priorities, people. It's like the band you liked for their first couple albums til they got quantity confused with quality. They took their steller reviews to heart. Bongo Room needs a new tune. read more

About a 2-2.5: My friend and I came here for brunch. I got their 'Special Sandwich,' which comes on a ciabatta bread, marinated strips of beef tenderloin, horseradish mayo, and parsley, with a side of hash browns. I wasn't a fan of the beef as it had a weird after taste, so I wasn't a fan of their marinade. The horseradish mayo was not thick and creamy, but more of a watery consistency. There were a lot of parsley, so I think they went a little overboard on that! The hash browns were more dill-oriented, so a little too strong for my taste. My friend had the BBQ chicken salad, and she said that it was pretty decent. The place is very busy during the weekend rush and service can be slightly MIA. I am glad I was able to check this place out! +underwhelming sandwiches read more

Last Sunday my wife, brother-in-law, and my sister went to The Bongo Room for brunch. As I took a sip of my red-eye coffee, I noticed the mug said, The Bongo Room has been cooking breakfast for Wicker Park for 20 years. So I realized, I've been eating brunch at The Bongo Room, almost always at the Wicker Park location, since 2003--wow (Wicker Park has changed a lot since then). In fact, my wife and I had our first breakfast date there. And that's because it is the gold-standard for brunch in Chicago. We love the Original Pancake House, Walker Brothers, Nookies, and of course, Ann Sathers, but none of them top The Bongo Room. Which is why you'll always have to wait for a table. For this particular brunch, I had a red eye coffee, a bloody mary, and the beef tenderloin eggs Benedict. Everything was delicious. We'll return many times in the future. Mazel tov. read more

The Bongo Room - Beef tenderloin eggs Benedict with a basil pesto hollandaise sauce. - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Ok, that was the best Brunch food I have eaten so far. Maybe, I haven't been to many brunch places, so consider my limited understanding of Brunch food. We arrived 20 minutes before the place open, and there was a line forming already. I was like...SERIOUSLY? So I just jumped out of the car and decided to wait in line too. When the place finally opened, there were enough people waiting to fill all the tables. Luckily we were the 4th in line, so we got a table. I didn't like my table that much. Like I said, i hate feeling like the place is too crowded, I feel suffocated. But it's ok this time, and I'm not sure if you should take this in consideration, I believe this is just me and my claustrophobia . We were too excited and wanted to try everything. I ordered the burrito that comes with guac and sweet potato inside. My husband ordered egg and salsa scramble, and for "desert" we had the chocolate tower french toast. I am a fan of sweets, and I was sad that I was too full from the burrito and couldn't enjoy the french toast as much. Dishes in this place are different and interesting (also delicious), service is friendly, quick, and nice... the whole problem is with being too 'popular'. People are just too ridiculous, seriously! We had a couple cutting in front of us with no shame, people using their babies to cut in front of the line, etc. Whatever! People should learn some manners, also we were discussing that the place could open a little earlier - like maybe 8 o'clock ? I don't know, I just HATE waiting in line. Luckily we didn't have to, but I will be thinking twice before planning a "trip" to the Bongo room again, just because of -possible- wait. But, again, this is a personal opinion. Food and everything else was just GREAT. read more

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Here's what you need to know: long waiting lines, , fast service after ordering, average fare. I don't get the hype... I went in on a Sat morning, and the place was packed... as usual. I did ask the server for a recommendation between a croissant sandwich and the scramble egg and guacamole breakfast burrito, and he advised the burrito was surely the one to pick. The food was just meh. Although the scrabbled eggs were soft and well cooked, there was little to no seasoning. There was guac in the Burrito which made the flavors even milder. The spinach wrap was soft and OK, but certainly nothing to write home about. The house potatoes (which are popular) were flavorless and lacked crunch. The salsa they served was straight out of a jar, but their other creamy sauce was decent. I ordered the iced coffee, which turned out to be just regular brewed coffee poured over ice. No cold brew iced coffee. Disappointing. Overall, a mediocre place with no oomph. I would not go back. My scrambled egg guacamole burrito was $10 and the coffee was $3.25. read more

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I love brunch! Who doesn't? Therefore it's my mission in life to identify and review any and every brunch place I go to. I wanted to love the Bongo room, I really did. I read all the reviews and truly wanted to be excited about it. But I was just so underwhelmed by my brunch ;( To be fair, this is a review of the weekday brunch. On the weekends, there is the lobster Benedict which is supposedly very good. My friends and I had the strawberry and banana pancake, the white chocolate pretzel pancake and a vegetarian option. The strawberry pancake was honestly a little dry and really unimpressive. It was just a regular pancake with some cut up strawberries and bananas on top of it. I make better pancakes at home, and so does IHOP. This one was doughy, dry and really gross to eat. The white chocolate pretzel pancake was probably a little better, since it was covered with white chocolate syrup which made it a little less dry, but also made it diabetes inducingly sweet. after about a quarter way, my friend gave up on trying to eat the pancake at all. I didn't have much of the vegetarian option but I did try the side of breakfast potatoes and they were so salty! It was like eating potatoes which had been dunked in and rolled around in salt All in all, I was really unimpressed by the food at the Bongo Room, everything we had was either too sweet, too salty, or too dry. :( read more

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I came to Bongo Room by the recommendations from my family, friends and of course, Yelp. Yes, this place is good but I wouldn't say it's the best I've ever had... I tried the 2 eggs and chicken sausage and the strawberry-banana pancakes (ordered the latter in a half size...love how they offer that!). The first order seems a bit "regular" but it was more than just that. The sausage was really yummy and had a bit of a kick. Definitely recommend trying that. As for my second order, I actually don't like pancakes and I don't ever eat them...but decided to try them anyway, since they seemed to be the popular thing on the menu. I'd say I was pretty satisfied! The sweetness of the cream, strawberries, bananas, and of course, the pancakes all complemented each other well. A little tip: If you're coming here for Sunday brunch, I'd say to come around 11am. The wait will probably be 1 hour no matter when you come; but, at least the stores along Milwaukee will be open by then for you to shop around and kill some time. read more

The Bongo Room - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I come here because the DJs are amazing and the food is solid. It's definitely one of those place where you want to be seen in the crowd is good, but the food is delicious and unpretentious read more

Got takeout. It was amazing !!! Not one item I didnt love. And we couldn't eat it all! read more

The Bongo Room - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Oh Bongo Room and Derek, how I miss you! Are you sure you don't want to open a location in Minneapolis? Please! One will be hard pressed to find a better hollandaise sauce, and believe me I have tried to no avail. It is rich, but not too rich, light and lemony. It is perfection! Paired with perfectly poached eggs, their eggs benedict is a must! If you're like me and like a little sweet with your savory try one of their pancakes or french toast. They're like dessert for breakfast, no syrup necessary. In fact, to add syrup would ruin it. Not in the mood for either? Then try one of two breakfast burritos. Large and stuffed with either sweet potatoes and black beans or traditional eggs and guacamole these two options will definitely leave you full and happy. With regards to the complaints about wait time: Good things come to those who wait! So wait it out and you won't be disappointed! Quick Tip: Both the pancakes and french toast can be ordered in single servings eliminating the need to pick just one!! To summarize: Although I miss living in Chicago, I really, really miss weekend brunches at the Bongo Room and have yet to find any place comparable in Minneapolis or otherwise. read more

The Bongo Room - Caramelized apples and walnut pancake with vanilla anglaise sauce - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Food is delicious and the atmosphere is great. Menu is a bit limited but if something on it peaks your interest it certainly is worth going and trying it. read more

Yes the weekend wait is ridiculous...we waited about 55 minutes to get seated at the counter. The place is small and loud...not too loud since I was able to have a conversation with my friends. I didn't actually mind sitting at the counter...I enjoyed watching them make the bloody Mary's (which looked amazing!!). We ordered tomatillo salsa eggs. It had spinach and grilled chicken. I loved the chicken pieces. They served a big portion because I wasn't able to eat it all. My friend also ordered eggs with potatoes and WOW the potatoes were the best diner potatoes I have ever had...seasoned to perfection. Coffee is good & you can never complain about fresh squeeze juice. I am not sure the wait is worth it...but it was pretty good. read more

The Bongo Room - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My Chicago-based friend brought me here for brunch when I was visiting, and my initial hesitation to wait over an hour (in the c-c-c-cold -- I'm a desert dweller Phoenician who is usually poolside by St. Patrick's day, not in parka gear!) was trumped by my curiosity of what it could be to motivate people huddling together like March of Penguins in the entry. Well, after raiding the vintage shop next door and plundering a boutique on the other side of that, our table was ready, and --- spoiler alert ---The Bongo Room was worth the wait! We came on a Sunday so we had the weekend brunch menu from which to choose, and creatively decadent is the best way to describe what I read on the menu. My friend ordered the white chocolate caramel pretzel pancake and I ordered the lobster roll Benedict. Our server was very busy, but she was attentive and incredibly helpful. My friend has severe (and expansive) food allergies, and the server was able to list all of the ingredients on the couple of menu items my friend was interested in as well as go to the kitchen to confirm details.... I saw some reviews who stated the service was not good; that was not my experience, at all. The wait staff were hustling; it was crowded and busy (particularly near the entrance where patrons were waiting for seats) but I never got the sense the staff here weren't friendly. The Benedict was fantastic! The eggs were poached perfectly, and the hollandaise was light and citrusy; not too heavy. But, the piece de resistance was hands down that white chocolate caramel pretzel pancake! If I have a chance to ever make it back there, I will order the pancake!!!! You should too. read more

The Bongo Room - Lobster roll benedict - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Absolutely delicious brunch. Large portions. Got the croissant sandwich, deconstructed lobster roll, churro french toast and berry lemon pancakes. Every dish was flavorful. Highly recommend. Got pickup due to covid. Ordered online and was ready within 20 minutes. read more

The Bongo Room has been on my Chicago food bucket list for several years now so my husband and I decided that it was time to finally check it off. We woke up early on a Sunday morning and headed to their Wicker Park location. They also have locations in Andersonville and the South Loop (no alcoholic beverages in the South Loop) and all locations open at 9am on Saturdays and Sundays. We arrived around 8:45am and there was already a line forming out front. By the time the doors opened the line was down the block and by 9:10am every seat in the restaurant was full. Moral of the story - get there early or be prepared for a long wait! Before I arrived I already knew one of my must-orders, the White Chocolate Caramel Pretzel Pancakes. These aren't on the menu but they're one of The Bongo Room's most popular items, and now I know why. These giant, plate-sized pancakes are completely drenched in the white chocolate and caramel topping and all I can say is Wow. I don't even like white chocolate, but these pancakes were ridiculously good. They offer a half order so you can have just one pancake if you want to try a few different things, but my guess is you'll be wishing you had the whole stack - I know I did. I've also heard that the Red Velvet pancakes, another off-menu item, are pretty fantastic as well. My husband and I shared the pancakes and also ordered a couple of the savory menu items. He went for the Chorizo Potato Avocado Omelette and I tried the Deconstructed Lobster Roll Benedict. Like the pancakes, both were huge portions and very good. If you're a fan of avocado and chorizo, this omelet is totally stuffed with both. The Eggs Benedict was topped with a green goddess hollandaise that was a really delicious twist on one of my favorites. The buttery buns beneath the eggs could have been a bit more fresh, but I was still happy with my choice. Both of these dishes came with a side of The Bongo Room's House Potatoes that were really great as well. My recommendation - don't miss the sweeter side of things at The Bongo Room. Red velvet pancakes, chocolate French toast, white chocolate caramel pretzel pancakes...they're all winners and they're what makes The Bongo Room extra special. I'm usually more of a savory breakfast girl myself but this is where I will make the exception. Order yourself a side of bacon for the perfect salty/sweet combo and thank me afterwards. read more

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Wow! Great breakfast spot. Gotta check out the pretzel pancakes. Perpetual delivery of strong coffee, as well. Yummy stuff.

Great little one stop spot for brunch! We stopped in to visit with friends on our layover in Chicago! Small menu for both food & drinks however what we had was good! The server talked me out of the Benedict, which was as a surprise since it was a special on the weekends. I love a good Benedict but I hate a bad one so I was thankful for her honesty. I had a Bloody Mary & it was just okay. The toppings, which are usually my favorite part, were a bit off. No celery, but I did have a piece of the end of a salami with something funky on it that kind of grossed me out. The BM mix tasted like just tomato juice. Very "mix heavy". Had I know I wouldn't have gotten one. I like a light, spicy, flavorful mix w a kick and this was more like mix with little vodka. My friends loved the mimosas but I opted for just water after the BM. It was a longer wait but they were slammed. Apparently it's a very popular place. I still never understand why busy places serve cold food but either way it was good. I'm not sure I would go back though. Our server was a delight. read more

Wowsa, what a cool place. Very busy, yet the food was out very fast and was very delicious. The staff was super friendly and very attentive, my glass/cup was never more than half empty. I have to give five stars because the food and staff are A+, but please be forewarned that breakfast is really pricey here. If they are going to charge an arm and a leg for an omelette, at least give us a break and offer cheap beverages. My daughter had an omelette and it was light, fluffy and delicious. The eggs Benidict was out of this world delicious. I had a turkey/egg sandwich on a pretzel bun, and like the others it was great. The sausage on the sandwich was a bit spicy, which I love, but may not appeal to all. Again, I loved this place, and I am sure you will, too! read more

The Bongo Room - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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If you are looking for a tasty and decadent brunch spot - this is a good pick. All of their dishes have that extra something that make them memorable. I love their mimosas too! read more

I love the bongo rooms pancakes! So do my children and ALL of my girlfriends. If you want a healthy option the Tomatillo salsa scramble is my go to and it's delicious. My husband liked the chorizo, potato and avocado omelette. He just reminded me that he actually likes everything at the bongo room so you can order anything and you will probably love it. Every pancake/French toast is yummy and unique in its own way. We typically order four or five different options then share family style with our kids. We have three children so seating is typically finagled but it always works out and they find us a table for five. The wait seems extra short due to all the fun shops in the area and the service is always prompt once seated. read more

Recently visited Chi-town for the first time. Friend, native of Chicago, recommended this cute joint. Agreed! Def. worth the wait!! Must try: Fresh squeezed Orange Juice!!! Chocolate Tower French Toast - yum yum yum! Breakfast Burrito!! Red Velvet Pancakes w. Vanilla Cream - like a warm cupcake (not too sweet). Croissant Sandwich the entrees comes with seasoned potatoes - Oh, so good!! I'm a fan!! Enjoy. read more

brunch brunch brunch! Great after-a-long-night brunch place with great bloody mary options. While my omelet was simple, it was fluffy and one of the best I've ever had. Who would think an omelet could be so memorable? read more

This place reminds me of the Hash House in SD because of their giant portions. I had to have the red velvet pancakes- it was on their special menu, so they probably don't have it all the time. It was super delicious! I tried my friend's breakfast burrito, it was ok. We forgot to look at it more carefully- it didn't contain any meat. :( Luckily one of my other friends ordered a salad- only because it had many pieces of steak. We love meat! ;) The red cornmeal and cranberry hotcakes were also pretty good, it was topped with toasted pecan, honey, and bourbon butter. :) They also gave us complimentary bread, but I didn't try it. read more

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Bongo Room is overrated. I have been here twice and am very underwhelmed. One reason for a star reduction is that they are not very allergy friendly. I told the waitress twice that I had a dairy allergy and my food was still served with dairy. I took away the other star because while the food is decent, I don't think it's worth the wait. It didn't blow me away. Better brunch places with less time to wait. read more

Always a favorite brunch spot! The key is to go right when they open at 9 am in order not to have to wait. We always get a savory and a sweet dish to share and they NEVER disappoint :) Savory recommendations - blt benedict, breakfast burrito that has sweet potatoes in it and ultimate favorite - veggie sandwich that I ask them to put some bacon on. I am very disappointed that they got rid of the tea smoked duck benedict - that was probably my favorite brunch dish in the city - please bring it back! Sweet recommendations - pancakes with pretzel chunks, red velvet hotcakes and anything that has cream anglaise on it :) Everything is absolutely fantastic! Please do not come here and order scrambled eggs and toast because you will have food envy from the rest of the towers and mounds of beautiful food! Service and coffee refills are always top notch. We love Pearl as our waitress!!! Only suggestion - please change your breakfast potatoes to be a little bit more flavorful... read more

Came here on Memorial Day and avoided the wait by arriving/placing a name down for a table of 5 at 9:40AM. Although the hostess said it would be about a 30-40 minute, a table was ready for us within 15 minutes (a smaller seating area was offered). Majority of their breakfast menu items are sweet options, which isn't exactly what I am always in the mood for. Luckily, the deconstructed lobster roll benedict was on the menu and looked super appetizing. The rolls that were used was not on the typical english muffin, but rather soft buttery rolls (similar to the buns used in actual lobster rolls). The eggs were perfectly poached, not too runny where all the yolk would spill out, but solid enough to add onto each bite. You could definitely taste the lobster meat, there was plenty of it! While Bongo Room doesn't have all the typical breakfast options available, this place is more of a novelty and something different than the average breakfast diner. Definitely recommend trying this place atleast once! read more

The Bongo Room - Deconstructed lobster roll Benedict - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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A little cramped seating but the food was great. The menu was pretty basic and I would have liked to see more options. I ordered the breakfast burrito and was pleasantly surprised with how good it was. I would recommend this for a brunch spot to check out. read more

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Wicker Park--one of my favorite neighborhoods in Chicago. Definitely enjoyed my breakfast here. Firstly, they had intelligentsia coffee!! Really delicious, and they refilled it plentifully. :) We wanted to try a few of their pancakes, but didnt want to over stuff ourselves. the server kindly let us know that instead of getting all 3 pancakes like the menu states (arond $10), we can just pay a few bucks for 1 pancake of each flavor/kind. So we ordered 2 different kinds, and even got an omelet. (definitely suggest doing this, since their pancakes, though delicious, are quite heavy, and I dont know what we would have done if we got 3 of each) We got one pancake that was white chocolate cream cheese with berries, and another with cream and caramel. The pancake itself was very fluffy and thick, and the cream was suprisingly not overbearingly sweet. But very heavy, so I had a small slice of each and was happy. You can choose 3 toppings for your omelet (we got spinach, mushroom, and chicken sausage). The omelet was good, but it was more like veggies wrapped in a sheet of egg. The interior was clean, spacious, had bricks and a forest green wallpaper. Very pretty and trendy. Service was excellent. read more

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One of my friends came here for brunch once and highly recommended it. We had to wait for an hour for a table since they don't take reservations. After the wait, we were super hungry. My friend said all of their Eggs Benedict dishes were delicious and a 'must have'. Here's what we ordered: CHOCOLATE TOWER FRENCH TOAST bittersweet chocolate chunk bread stuffed with maple mascarpone, banana crème brulee sauce, bananas & shaved chocolate SPINACH, ROASTED RED PEPPER AND FETA BENEDICT two toasted english muffins topped with poached eggs, fresh spinach, roasted red peppers, feta & classic hollandaise sauce served with hash browns EGGS BENEDICT two toasted english muffins topped with poached eggs, grilled canadian bacon and classic hollandaise sauce served with hash browns ITALIAN SAUSAGE BURRITO tomato tortilla stuffed with crumbled italian sausage, guacamole & scrambled eggs topped with provolone cheese served with tomato-basil salsa & hash browns The Eggs Benedicts were scrumptious. Each bite melts in your mouth. Normally I'm okay with eggs benedicts because they can have too much lemon flavor but these were excellent. The hash browns were also cooked nicely and not too dry. The Chocolate tower was good but a bit too sweet for me. The Italian Sausage was good too but didn't match up to the egg benedicts. They also have fresh squeezed orange juice! Verdict: Might have to wait for a table so get there early. Even if you are not a fan of egg benedicts, you should give one a try, it was so delicious. Service was right on. I will definitely be back. read more

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Love this place! Couldn't decide between the chocolate banana french toast and the lobster roll benedict, so our wonderful waitress suggested I get one piece of the french toast on the side. Both were so insanely delicious - the banana cream sauce was out of this world! read more

The Bongo Room - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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