Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    The Southern Cafe

    3.9 (515 reviews)
    Open 6:30 am - 3:00 pm

    Order The Southern Cafe Takeout or Delivery

    The Southern Cafe Photos

    THE SOUTHERN CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - The Southern Cafe

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Beignets, new to the menu.
    Aesha E.

    Note to my fellow parents: 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. 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. 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). 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. 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.

    Bayou Benny
    Kelly G.

    A group of 6 got Southern Cafe out on a Sunday morning around 11. It was packed inside, but luckily all were able to find parking. 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.

    Ryan D.

    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. The restaurant was so loud. The customer's conversations were loud and the music was louder.

    Banana Pudding pancakes
    Miguel C.

    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. Definitely gives that southern feel inside.

    Sherwin C.

    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. The Southern Cafe offers a similar experience though "cafe" might be misleading. 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. 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.

    The Sugga Momma
    Jeannette A.

    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.

    Chilaquiles
    Nancy M.

    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. It's more family oriented.

    JC N.

    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!

    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

    Hersh A.

    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.

    See all

    Photo of Liz V.
    18
    1
    0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 days ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1
    Photo of JP H.
    53
    1216
    24

    5 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 2

    3 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 1
    Love this 6
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Mark H.
    229
    104
    88

    9 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Sherwin C.
    1433
    2394
    73182

    11 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Brian B.
    38
    1494
    1151

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Elise L.
    146
    15
    0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Nancy M.
    590
    142
    603

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

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

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 1
    Love this 6
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Dr. W.
    0
    16
    13

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Greg L.
    78
    49
    0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Thomas L.
    10
    59
    14

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    10 months ago

    Good food and big portions. You get your money worth eating there the. The service was good. I recommend the place.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Tom K.
    0
    27
    3

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 13

    Ask the Community - The Southern Cafe

    Do they take reservations?

    No, but got seated right away on a Sunday morning at 11am!!

    View All 5 Questions

    You might also consider

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for Southern 872 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    B's Shrimp & Fish

    B's Shrimp & Fish

    4.5
    (100 reviews)
    2.3 mi
    $$

    This was one of the best po boys I've ever had in my life!! I'm somewhat of a connoisseur, as I'm…read moreused to the po boys down south in new Orleans and Atlanta. I got -shrimp po boys (x-tomato) with fries -one of each sauce -peach cobbler On my 15 minute drive home everything was still fresh and warm and crispy. -Fries were SO perfectly seasoned I almost didn't even need a sauce, which for me is crazy as I need a sauce with everything (but I always try it first without). -The po boy...my god. It was so crispy, fresh, the shrimps were perfectly battered (hate when they hide the shrimp between 10 layers of batter), the lettuce was fresh and surprisingly not wilted by the time I got to my destination. I'm not one for cheese on my po boys, and almost got it without, but im actually really glad I kept the cheese on. -Sauces were all great, the Roumalade is where it's at though. I could've really just had 10 of those and been happy! The tarter was a bit less zesty/tart than what I'm used to, but I ended up putting the hot sauce in it and it was delicious -peach cobbler i have yet to try, but it looks so glossy and creamy, will be eating tonight! The service was really just the cherry on top. Elizabeth, the owner, is the one who greeted me, and she was just a doll. She's a sauce queen, like me, so she made sure I try every single sauce! And gave me the peach cobbler on the house as it's my first time there. She's just the sweetest! You can tell her, her husband, and her son just have so much fun together. I'm just so warmed by my experience there, as she went so above and beyond, AND my food was impeccable. I'm quite the critique with my food, and only rate honest to what I feel, and this place deserves 5/5 stars hands down.

    I stopped by here recently as this place had been on my radar for a short while. I'm going to…read morepreface a bit by saying there aren't enough great or even good quality places for fried shrimp and fish in the burbs. That said, this place impressed me upon my first visit. I stopped in for lunch to pickup a large order or shrimp and fries. I was greeted by Elizabeth initially. She insisted that I upgrade to the plate instead which included cole slaw and potato salad for a small extra fee so I proceeded to lock it in. Shortly after, her husband Kenny greeted me and we had a friendly talk for a while. They hooked me up with an additional side and drink (they did not have to do that) which I thought was a very kind gesture. My food came out prompt, hot and fresh. I ate a few shrimp and fries while there before hitting the road. Everything was crispy, seasoned well and appetizing. I ate the cole slaw and potato salad later at work and enjoyed each. Overall, this is a business I'd certainly return to in the near future. Cost is very competitive and on par with most places so this is a reason to further recommend them. To the owners, thank you for an excellent first impression. Hope to see you again soon!

    Photos
    Shrimp po boy with fries
    Shrimp po boy with fries
    Shrimp po boy and sauces
    Shrimp po boy and sauces
    B's Shrimp & Fish

    See all

    Byrd’s Hot Chicken

    Byrd’s Hot Chicken

    4.3
    (70 reviews)
    1.2 mi
    $$

    We used the online app to order because they have a rewards program. We ordered and split the 5…read morepiece chicken strips dinner. There are different spice levels. We ordered mild because my husband doesn't like things too spicy (I love spicy foods) it came with a sauce we picked the buffalo sauce. When we got our order the tenders were definitely not mild.... Probably medium. They also gave us the 24k sauce so we had to exchange it for the buffalo sauce. Everything was great but the app automatically adds a tip... I only caught it because the total went from $14.99 to $19.99 and when I checked there was a $2 tip. So I removed it. They don't even bring your food to the table. So be aware if you're ordering on the app.

    Usually love Byrds and and their tenders and fries were great, but ordered through Uber Eats today…read moreand had two major issues. The first is the chicken sandwiches were both inedible because the chicken breast pieces were hard and undercooked. We ended up replacing the the tenders in the sandwiches and throwing out the chicken. Second the Mac and cheese tasted great a few weeks ago but today the sauce / flavor to macaroni ratio was way too high making the Mac and cheese also inedible. They really need quality control to prevent jn the future. I would have rated 1 star but I know they can do better so hoping they use this review to improve their chicken sandwiches and Mac and cheese. Will be getting only the tenders in the future.

    Photos
    Inside
    Inside
    Byrd bomb
    Byrd bomb
    Byrd bomb

    See all

    Byrd bomb
    Best Truckin' BBQ

    Best Truckin' BBQ

    3.3
    (36 reviews)
    4.1 mi
    $

    Best Truckin' BBQ is pretty darn good! And imagine my surprise when I found out they were owned by…read moreDeli Time! Deli Time is the great cafe inside my office building (and inside many buildings in the 'burbs). A friend had told me about them and when I saw the truck recently at a food truck meetup, I was determined to try them right away. I was their first customer of the day (lucky me!) and the staff seemed really energetic and enthusiastic about their items. I love pulled pork morning, noon and night (minus the morning) so I had to get the Interstate BBQ sandwich. The Interstate is $7 and is a BBQ Pork Sandwich-hand seasoned pork shoulder, smoked for twelve hours, chopped, sauced, & served on your choice of bun (according to their menu). You can pick from a brioche roll or pretzel bread. You can also get the sandwich in slider form for just $3.50. I liked the sandwich an awful lot, ever so slightly dry but great flavor. It's left me wanting more! They have a Bacon chocolate brownie....Yea I'm going to need to get that the next time I get Best Truckin' BBQ. And oh yes, there will be a next time. The truck is stationed in Schaumburg and makes a lot of stops in the area - perfect for a weekday lunch for me!

    Tried their jackknife Mac and cheese side. It's a small cup it was ok I had more cheesier and…read moreflavorful Mac in other places. You can taste the red bell peppers and a little spice to it. I ordered the traffic jam two bbq chicken sliders yum with pretzel buns. They now give lays classic bag if chips which I liked better than their homemade chips from last time. They tasted stale and hard. Staff was friendly and quick with my order. I wished they taped my wrapped sandwiches in place because it fell apart in my bag when I was taking them out. I should have asked for more BBQ sauce on the side maybe next time. Overall cost $9 plus $1 tip total $10 bucks. Their office is located 1501 e WOODFIELD rd suite 103e Schaumburg, il.

    Photos
    Cheeseburger with Pulled Pork and Cheese Fries with Pork
    Cheeseburger with Pulled Pork and Cheese Fries with Pork
    Lombard Food Truck Fest
    Lombard Food Truck Fest
    Menu

    See all

    Menu

    The Southern Cafe - southern - Updated July 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...