Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    The Southern Cafe

    3.9 (512 reviews)
    Closed 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?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Outdoor seating

    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

    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.

    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.

    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

    Dr. W.

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

    Menu
    Christy M.

    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!

    See all

    19 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of JP H.
    53
    1193
    24

    3 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 2

    9 months ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 1
    Love this 6
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Brian B.
    39
    1491
    1151

    26 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

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

    7 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    9 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Elise L.
    146
    15
    0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 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

    3 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
    Photo of Nancy M.
    590
    141
    591

    8 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

    7 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

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

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

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

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years 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 Thomas L.
    10
    59
    14

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 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

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    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

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 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
    Photo of Tom K.
    0
    27
    3

    11 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    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 784 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    B's Shrimp & Fish - Homemade coleslaw

    B's Shrimp & Fish

    (100 reviews)

    $$

    Elizabeth is fantastic! The service is as impeccable as the cleanliness of the store. I was very…read moreimpressed with not just the food but the experience over all. I'm looking forward to coming again!

    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.

    Best Truckin' BBQ - Over The Road

    Best Truckin' BBQ

    (36 reviews)

    $

    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.

    The Southern Cafe - southern - Updated May 2026

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