So good I had to return for brunch. The portions here are huge and you'll have enough to share or bring home. I love that there are unique Southern dishes like chicken and waffles, Southern fried chicken, and shrimp and grits. The coffee is hot, strong and accompanied by cute little baskets with individual creamers. The pancakes are super fluffy and served with a warm bottle of syrup. I am not a big fan of hot sauces as I don't eat spicy foods but had to dip a bite of chicken in the jalapeno hot sauce. It was really tasty and a tolerable amount of heat. I look forward to returning and trying even more versions of waffle or egg dishes here. read more

See all

Went to Southern Cafe and overall it was a mixed experience. I got the veggie skillet and it was sooo good--definitely the highlight, super flavorful and honestly fire. The frappe was also really good. My friend ordered the avocado toast, which she liked, but her caramel macchiato was off at first it tasted mostly like milk with a little caramel. They did fix it though, so I'll give them credit for that. Only downside was she ended up feeling like she got food poisoning afterward. The egg on her dish had a thin film on it, so we're thinking it might not have been fully cooked, which is concerning. Service itself was good and the staff was nice. Parking was also easy, which is always a plus. Good food overall, but that situation definitely threw things off a bit. read more

The Southern Cafe - Southern Near Me - Roselle, Illinois

Note to my fellow parents: [[HIGHLIGHT]]they don't have crayons and coloring sheets or anything, which is somewhat standard at restaurants (maybe especially breakfast ones), so make sure to bring something for your children to keep them occupied if need be.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Luckily our food was out in maybe 10 minutes once we ordered so there wasn't too much time to be idle. I had the biscuit omelet on this visit and it was okay. It didn't taste bad, and I'm glad I had it, but I'm not sure I would get it again. I think I'd rather have a different texture in my omelet. But everything tasted good together. The biscuits are good, but I'm not sure I like them to take home. We ordered some and they were just ok once reheated. It could be a me problem; perhaps I don't know how to reheat them properly. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Seating is weird. It was just me and my toddler here and they placed us all the way in the back, and gave us a weird high chair that I wasn't able to get her into (I think it must be for smaller children, because either she was too tall to get the tray over her head or there's a secret I couldn't figure out to make it work).[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] So she sat in the high chair band luckily I was able to pull her up to the booth enough that she could use the table. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Their booths are pretty terrible for anyone with some extra meat on their bones, so I'll ask for a table if we go again or with a bigger party.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

See all

I thought it was part of Buttermilk, but it is not. The dishes were tasty and the portions huge. I ended up ordering the speciality pancakes for home and my son loved them. My omelette was very hearty. read more

A group of 6 got Southern Cafe out on a Sunday morning around 11. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It was packed inside, but luckily all were able to find parking.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The wait was 30 minutes which for brunch on a weekend is pretty good. I deviated from my usual order of the Nasty Skillet, and got a special- Bayou Benny which is similar to the Crab Cake Benny, but with Andouille Sausage. It had a tasty sauce, but the crab cakes were mostly filler. It didn't really taste like crab at all, just a fritter. When I cut up my fritters there were teeny tiny pieces of what I assume were crab in it. Maybe less than 5 per fritter. The portion sizes are huge, and our waiter was super knowledgeable informing our tablemate what options would fit her dietary restrictions. I will likely go back to the Nasty Skillet next time I visit, but overall I am still a fan of Southern Cafe. read more

The Southern Cafe - Bayou Benny - Southern Near Me - Roselle, Illinois

[[HIGHLIGHT]]So cute.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Great service. Awesome food. They had GG and DF for me. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The ambiance was adorable[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

The portions are humongous! The food is really good. I had the smores pancakes and biscuit and gravy. The pancakes are BIG and fluffy. The biscuit and gravy was excellent but I was charged separately for the biscuit and gravy. $7 for a side order is too much. Our server was super friendly. It was crowded and we had to wait 20 minutes for a table. It was worth the wait. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The restaurant was so loud. The customer's conversations were loud and the music was louder.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

See all

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Great food, service, and vibes![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]If you're looking for a comfy farmhouse brunch spot with some tasty biscuits and grits, I'd definitely recommend this place![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The spicy shrimp and grits were to die for, and really satisfy my craving whenever I'm missing true southern breakfast. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Very spacious, but packs up fast![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Great breakfast spot with plenty of parking. It does get busy on the weekends but not bad wait with plenty of seating inside. If you're looking for a good biscuit this is the spot. I got a nasty biscuit 8/10, it's heavy and banana pudding pancakes 10/10. Didn't even need syrup it was so tasty how it came. Staff was super nice and attentive. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Definitely gives that southern feel inside.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

See all

If I could give zero stars, I would. This was one of the worst dining experiences I've ever had. The restaurant was almost empty (maybe four or five tables), yet my order of chicken and waffles took nearly 45 minutes to arrive. When it finally came, the chicken was extremely dry. I politely mentioned this to the waitress, and she said she'd get the manager. Instead of coming himself, the manager first sent her back with word of a "small discount." I told her I didn't even want the food. Only then did the manager come over--and he was shockingly rude. He accused me of lying, even after I showed him the dried-out chicken. His response was to offer making me another dish, but when I explained I didn't have another 45 minutes to wait, he dismissively said, "Not my problem." To make matters worse, when I asked his name, he told me it was "Joe." Which was more than likely a lie. I believe one of the owners. An older gentleman with gray hair and a grey beard--unprofessional and dishonest. Terrible food, and an even worse attitude from management. Save yourself the time and frustration--go anywhere else. In the end he still made me pay for half the dish. read more

If you've been to any of the Southern breakfast restaurants in the suburbs, you will be familiar with the offering of enormous portions of comfort food at very reasonable price. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The Southern Cafe offers a similar experience though "cafe" might be misleading.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]This spot is quite large, with plenty of parking, decor that is fairly nice, and an atmosphere that is like a busy city restaurant rather than a relaxed cafe experience.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Despite being so busy, service is actually quite fast here and our server was preemptively handling drinks, silverwares, sauces, and other items without being asked. The food here really shines, not only for the huge portions but also for the consistently good quality. The pancakes are enormous and fluffy, with plenty of toppings and a great flavor. These can definitely be split into a take home portion. The biscuits and gravy are awesome as well. The biscuit is fairly fluffy with a great texture and a nice buttery flavor, with gravy that is really the star with a very creamy texture and intense flavors of butter, salt, milk, and pepper. The chicken and waffles are good here as well, though the waffle is a little soft for my liking, but the flavor is good. The chicken breast that I had it with was tasty with a nice batter though I wish I'd gotten a thigh and leg instead (based on the excellent preparation at Southern Kitchen in Arlington Heights). The hash browns were nice and soft and cooked well, sausage was plump and not too salty, and the scrambled eggs had a good fluffy texture. Overall, great experience from start to end with comfortable seating, good service, but most importantly consistently delicious food served up in large portions but at very reasonable prices. Even though you'll likely run into a wait on weekends, it's worth it for the consistently reliable good experience. read more

See all

We were seated at a booth with a high chair for our daughter. Another worker came over while staring at us and speaking in another dialect to our waitress clearly about us. She then approached and let us know that we could not have a high chair at a booth. We were given the option of a high chair when seated in said booth. Why did it matter? We were one of 2 patrons on the entire establishment. [[HIGHLIGHT]]No wonder why at 930 am the place is empty and looked closed down.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Absolutely ridiculous rule if it is indeed a rule. They wanted us to move tables if we were to keep the high chair. So instead we moved restaurants and won't be back. read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]A place like many nowadays, great atmosphere and decor.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The food itself like the Nasty Biscuit and omellettes look amazing. Upon eating, THE WORST biscuit ever though it is dressed up nicely with all types of other foods with with. It's okay. The omelette was just okay, VERY plain regardless of all that was there. Oversized and big for nothing like alot of things in America. Red flag, they didn't do their own fresh orange juice, and usually great breakfast places juice their own juices. There's was again, just okay. And for the prices I can't give em an average rating at all and won't be back. [[HIGHLIGHT]]I'm glad that years ago I could from the outside know these types of establishments just by look from the outside.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] It's the same with alot of things in this world read more

I have been to this restaurant a couple of times and I must say, [[HIGHLIGHT]]I love the food as well as the ambience.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]The white decor gives it a more relaxed, mediterranean vibe to it.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I also enjoyed the shrimp and grits- light and very flavorful. read more

The Southern Cafe was recommended by friends that live in the area. What a wonderful recommendation. The ambiance is very inviting. There are many seating options available in the restaurant. Service was very efficient. We shared fried green tomatoes. The breading was good but the tomatoes were not as firm as I like them and they needed some kind of dip. My date had the shrimp and grits. It was a huge portion. This was definitely a shareable item or good for leftovers. I had the Benny. The eggs were perfectly cooked and a great addition to the ham and English muffin. This is my usual brunch go to. I would definitely rank this in my top 2 egg Benedict's that I've had. The side of fruit was fresh and yummy. The biscuits are also huge and yummy. read more

The service is incredibly slow, the chicken was dry, the fried green tomatoes were undercooked, and the collard greens were flavorless. The atmosphere is nice. read more

Very good breakfast. Had a benny with guacamole, fried green tomatoes, bacon and remoulade which was surprisingly a great combination with the poached eggs. Real good hash browns and great service. Would go again. read more

Try something new every time you go! Wide variety of good food, including rotating seasonals. Service is normally spot on, expected longer waits on the weekends. read more

See all

Hoping to help others, this was not a good experience. For context, I ordered via GrubHub and retrieved the meal as soon as it was delivered. I ordered a chicken salad sandwich with a green salad on the side. I ended up throwing it away and I HATE to waste food. The chicken salad was comprised of more grapes than chicken, ridiculously sweet and the hash browns were very undercooked. Raw potatoes, yummy. Do not recommend. read more

This place is phenomenal! Everything is serve in big portions you will definitely take home leftovers. The service was pleasant and the flavor of every dish is delicious. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It's more family oriented.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

See all

Gotta say, I was not expecting some southern cooking in the Chicago suburbs. We were in town visiting some friends and before heading back Home they wanted to take us here for breakfast. Building inside and out, looks like good old southern charm. Menu had some very good selections, I went with the special a cornbread Benedict with pulled pork and a bbq hollandaise sauce, with a side of cheese grits. The food was amazing! read more

See all

This review is from my visit over Mother's Day in 2023. It was my first visit to this restaurant and I had a good experience. My party and I got here a little after 1 P.M. on Sunday afternoon. Due to Mother's Day, the restaurant was pretty busy, and reservations were not accepted. We had to wait a bit, but a table was about to be open soon. It was a big table for a party of 11 or two groups of up to 11 people. We were asked if that table was okay, or we would prefer to wait for a smaller table because there was a possibility that someone else would share that table with us. We got seated at a large table that is good for communal dining experience. Since my visit was a while ago and I do not have my food photos available to attach to the review, my memory of what all was ordered is a bit sketchy. However, I do remember some of the ordered items, such as a bloody mary, a hazelnut cappuccino, two omlettes (one was veggie and the other was a chorizo one) with pancakes, fried chicken & biscuits with gravy, etc. The food and drinks were good. The portion size was good as well. I had ordered the fried chicken and biscuits with gravy, and it hit the spot. We all enjoyed our meal and received good service. I recommend checking out this nice establishment. It's worth a visit and more. read more

The Southern Cafe - Southern Near Me - Roselle, Illinois

Hello, I just had the worst customer service experience at your restaurant. When we walked in, it was clear the server was new, but after placing our order she came back to the table three separate times to re-verify the order (pancakes, how we wanted our eggs, and what type of meat). Then, on the fourth time, a manager came over and told me I was not allowed to modify the scrambler to have hashbrowns on the side. At that point, we decided to leave due to the poor service. The server gave different names when asked -- first "Cassandra," then another employee said her name was "Emily" -- which makes the situation even more confusing. I would really appreciate it if a manager could contact me regarding this matter, as I'd like to get to the bottom of it. Thank you read more

The Southern Cafe - Southern Near Me - Roselle, Illinois

John is the guy you wanna talk to? You cannot visit this restaurant without trying to shrimp and grits read more

The Southern Cafe - Southern Near Me - Roselle, Illinois

I have been twice in the last weeks and within this week I will be going again! I've had two different servers and both were excellent. Patient and attentive as we had people with us who couldn't decide, and made sure coffee, tea and side didn't go empty. Now I love grits and this place does them well and the fact that I get to have shrimp and grits made me happy! There were done well seasoned correctly and my wife ordered them as well on our second visit. The decor is very country and simple in the black and white theme that is used. The possibility of outdoor seating wa a nice plus. I didn't think the menu was overpriced and in fact we commented it was in line with what you pay elsewhere. read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Only issue is how loud it is in there.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] As food and service, I have no issues. The coffee was decent but the food was tasty. read more

Today was our first visit to The Southern Cafe. I'd been wanting to try it for a long time and we literally drove past it and turned back around and headed inside. Love the decor and the food is top notch! Hubby said 3.5 stars and I said four. Your biscuits are AMAZING! I had a skillet and it was five stars. Hubby had the biscuits and gravy. Adam had a cheeseburger (as usual). Service could have been faster but the place was packed so the staff was running. I'd love to return and bring my mom who is a huge breakfast person. This place is definitely worth a visit! Convenient location as well! read more

See all

The biscuits were huge and delicious! [[HIGHLIGHT]]Went with my kids and they loved the food and atmosphere.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Service was excellent, I can't wait to go back!! read more

Always huge portions. Always delicious. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Know beforehand - when the place is busy, it gets really loud- as was my last visit.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]If you don't mind shouting to have conversation while you eat, it's worth the trip to experience the great food.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Had a great experience at this location. Did not have reservation just walked in. Was out on the waist list and it was about 25 minutes. It seemed less than that, in the meantime i ordered a caramel iced chai tea. 10/10 the caramel in it gives a different taste where it compliments the chai. We got seated and they brought my drink up to me after I mentioned it to them. We had ordered simply thick french toast with blueberry compote and extra crispy hash on the side. another simply french toast with extra crispy hash on the side. both were 8/10, there could have been a little more flavoring to the actual french toast. hasbrown we're good with some salt and pepper. The syrup that they sell is also at the table and it's got some good flavor. Will be back. read more

See all

This is a breakfast and lunch spot that offers everything southern. The decor is just that, southern - rustic, farm house, simple and elegant. The service here was fast. We were in and out within an hour and 15 mins. As soon as we walked in we were seated within seconds. Right after we were seated our server took our drink order as well. She was very sweet and friendly. My friend ordered a mimosa which she thought was mostly orange juice and I ordered an espresso martini which was good however nothing special. Going forward I won't be ordering cocktails from here. For food I got the Carolina Benny which was delicious - very savory and satisfying. My friend ordered the dirty bird eggs Benedict and it was loaaaaaded with mashed potatoes. She enjoyed it and said she would order it again. Side note - signature items do not offer a side, season fruit and/or hash-browns are in up charge for signature items. read more

See all

We had a brunch with a group of 7 family members on a late Sunday morning. The service was great and everyone liked their meals - particularly the Nasty Biscuit. Prices seemed high initially- but when the food came out it was clear they were reasonable for the serving size. I'm usually a fairly heavy eater and needed to split my leftover nasty biscuits over two days... read more

The Southern Cafe - "The Nasty" Biscuit - Southern Near Me - Roselle, Illinois

Sunday Brunch at Southern Cafe! My husband and I have previously been to Southern Cafe but did not realize this restaurant is the sister brand the Southern Belles. We love the magnolia styling and variety of the menu. Their coffee selections also vary with about 10-15 flavors to choose from. Our visit today was for food only. While their Biscuits and Gravy normally steal the show for us, we decided to switch it up. My husband got the Eggs Your Way with toast, fruit, and turkey sausage ($12). We are big fans of a simple breakfast that has everything one could want for a good price. I decided to go with the BYO Skillet with crispy bacon, spinach, mozzarella cheese, and added avocado ($17). This also came with a side of toast or pancakes; I opted for the pancakes to take home. The butter tasty freshly whipped and all jellies are homemade. My only reason for the not perfect score was because my skillet did not have bacon crispy as requested; however, the server was accommodating and remade the dish. The prices are a bit steep but one does get a decent amount of food. Note that this place can get VERY busy on weekends and does not offer reservations nor a waitlist. One also pays the bill at the register on the way out. read more

The Southern Cafe - Pancakes - Southern Near Me - Roselle, Illinois

See all

The last time we ate here will be the last time. From poorly timed coffee and food (ten minutes for coffee and server acknowledgement), our visit was less than ideal. The food was expensive and just ok. I've had better biscuits from a can and my scrambled eggs had shells in them. I told the server and they said "sorry." They offered to replace the meal but I was already turned off, so I declined. We had to ask the manager to remove the dish from our bill and they were resistant. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The place is cute and large enough for the weekend crowd, but a miss on food and service (again).[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Ordered the specialty chicken sandwich today- fries were unsalted and came to find out that the other dish we ordered had unsalted hashbrowns. what a weird choice by the kitchen? also could not get a side of honey mustard for my specialty chicken sandwich. came for bloody's- they were weak at best if they had anything in them. [[HIGHLIGHT]]$80 for a very loud and unsettling environment, wobbly table, minimal contact with server, and unsalted fries.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] disappointing because this restaurant has the potential to offer great value, but instead underdelivers and overcharges. read more

My coworkers and I celebrated a birthday at the Southern Cafe. The Southern Cafe has a menu packed with lots of choices. I ordered grits, catfish, and that famous "nasty biscuit." Everything was delicious! The restaurant has a welcoming vibe with friendly staff and quick service, even on a busy weekend. I will bring my family for brunch soon! read more

The food is really tasty and the service is very nice. The portions are HUMONGOUS! Would give five stars if they allowed you to make reservations. I also wished they had a couple more vegetarian options. read more

Chicken fried chicken was incredible. Restaurant is beautiful, and the staff is very friendly. Also extremely quick, there were only a few open parking spots but we were still seated right away and got our food super fast! Will definitely be bringing any guests that visit me here every time. read more

The Southern Cafe - Chicken Fried Chicken & Eggs - Southern Near Me - Roselle, Illinois

This place did not disappoint. If you love southern food, definitely check this place out. The menu is huge with wide range of options to choose from. The portion is amazing for the price in my opinion. The interior design is so cute and modern farm house vibes. The service was great! Definitely check this place out when you have the chance. You will not be disappointed. read more

See all

When you first walk in it is so clean and decorated beautifully! Definitely a good first impression. This is definitely a kid friendly restaurant there are plenty of high chairs for babies. They have a room that closes off in the back so perhaps you can have a party here. There is also an outdoor area... will have to come back when it is summertime to see if they have outdoor dining. Our waitress Skyla, L was nice but she never came back to our table to see if everything was ok. My husband drinks a lot of water and we ordered biscuits along with our meals and I thought he was going to choke from the dryness. If you drink a lot when you eat, I recommend asking for a pitcher full or perhaps mention to your server to keep checking in with you. They play music in the background and it was loud enough not to hear the person at the next table which we love. My husband ordered the corned beef hash with eggs and said he would definitely eat it again! I had the 1/2 sandwich (Corned Beef) and a bowl of chicken and rice soup. The sandwich did not have any mustard or mayo on it... just came with slices of corned beef, tomato, and lettuce. So if you want condiments on them please make sure to tell them that when ordering. The soup was a large portion which l loved! I would definitely order this again. The biscuits were huge and there was not enough of the honey butter and apple butter... the menu says it came with Jam but there was none on our table now was any given or offered to us. So the biscuits were dry and hard to enjoy this way. We do recommend coming here and giving this place a try! Just be sure to question what you got before the waitress leaves the table. read more

See all