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    The Southern Cafe

    3.5 (125 reviews)
    Closed • 6:30 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated 3 weeks ago

    Order The Southern Cafe Takeout or Delivery

    The Southern Cafe Photos

    THE SOUTHERN CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Trendy
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - The Southern Cafe

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    Stacked & Loaded
    Nerina B.

    The ambience is old fashioned country farmhouse. It's very nice and clean. Lots of seating. I ordered the nasty skillet, it came with sausage, ham, cheese, eggs, biscuit and gravy. It was delicious! And you get a lot! It's a huge dish you can split it with someone. The gravy and biscuit were very tasty. The whole dish was tasty. The waitress was very nice and attentive. Made sure my coffee cup was always filled.

    Marta M.

    This was our first time trying The Southern Cafe and mentioned it to our server when we arrived because he noticed that we immediately started gawking at the front setup/layout with mimosa/coffee bar along with wall of bagged Kona coffee, hot sauces, and other branded merch. We got sat right away (it was a Wed morning about 930/10am) and our server was very nice and prompt - checked on us often. Decided on ordering the BoNuts to share that comes with a blueberry marscapone and chocolate sauce to dip. They also brought us a complimentary biscuit with cinnamon butter (the manager overhead our conversation about it being our first time there) to share and both were DELICIOUS. The biscuit was fluffy and not dried out and the BoNuts were warm and sweet! I had to try the "Nasty Biscuit" which is their signature. It comes with the biggest juiciest fried chicken breast ever (took me 3 sittings to finish eating haha) between a massive biscuit with cheesy eggs and southern gravy on top of hashbrowns. The seasoning of the batter on the chicken was so good I was tempted to see if I could just order a chicken breast to-go! My BF ordered the Sugga Baby which had bacon, ham, and thick sausage patty between 2 glazed waffles with cheesy eggs and hash browns. Even he had to take leftovers and he NEVER does. It was just the right amount of sweetness and savory, no extra syrup needed. We asked to try their hot sauce so they brought us one of each - cayenne, jalapeno, and habanero chipotle (my fav out of the 3 - flavor profile is excellent). Everything came out quickly and tasted very fresh. The inside is very interestingly laid out and had a chill vibe. We've been looking to replace our old go-to breakfast place since moving to the area and I think this may be it. I honestly wanted to try everything on the menu haha. Great experience so far!!

    Warm maple syrup
    Rachel H.

    I LOVE the loaded cornmeal pancakes with the pork belly bacon. Freaking delicious. Hubs got the breakfast tacos and would get again! The restaurant itself is a nice brunch spot. We've been to its sister restaurant in Barrington (The Southern Belle) and both were fantastic food wise. Drink wise we got a hot vanilla latte and a cold brew coffee, and both were fine. Interestingly Southern rustic in decor, and very pleasant staff. Definitely going on our shortlist for warm comforting brunch food! The next real test will be when we bring the chaos toddlers. But I saw some lids on cups of the kiddos at the next table over and that's always a good family friendly sign!

    Upstairs deco for private party

    Had my daughter's bridal shower and it was amazing. Perfect setting for it , so cute. Food was great and the service was outstanding. Would recommend this place to anyone.

    Chicken Fried Chicken Skillet
    Dan N.

    It had been quite awhile since we were last here. So round 2, this time I got the Chicken Fried Chicken skillet with a side of specialty pancakes the Granny's Streusel cakes with apple butter and fried apples and a lot of Streusel. They were pretty good, that's what their pancakes needs....a bunch of stuff on them. There still huge and i took home half and they were still good the next day. On to the skillet, it was a good size, the chicken was well cooked, not too dry. My wife loves their catshead drop biscuits, they have a lot of surface area that gets nice and crunchy. Eggs were cooked to order, they have really good sausage gravy. Overall its a really good skillet. My wife likes her omelets cooked soft and they did a good job of cooking it the way she wanted it. He grits were creamy and good. The sizes of the portions are large and its not cheap, but the food is very good and fun and unique

    Marisol H.

    Thoroughly enjoyed my visit at the Southern Cafe in St Charles. With a delicate southern vibe, the restaurant does a good job of providing the southern elements but still keeping it bright and modern. The daddy breakfast was delicious and extremely filling. It was a great combination of sweet and savory, come hungry because it is a huge portion. The service was fast and friendly. Definitely will stop by again!

    Buffalo Chicken Wrap
    Jessica S.

    My family and I eagerly awaited our visit to the southern cafe for months, finally we got the opportunity on Memorial Weekend. However, our experience fell short. 15-20 minute wait for our server, Grace. The coffee tasted burnt, and my sister's skirt steak skillet was off. Despite Grace's efforts, the manager's response was dismissive. manager's response left us disappointed. Only a 20% discount was offered, despite the unpleasant taste of the meat. Overall The experience was not pleasant and with the indifferent management, we won't be returning. We'll be seeking better dining experiences elsewhere, like across the street at Colonial Cafe.

    Inside the restaurant
    Katherine C.

    If you're looking for southern style cooking and large portions to start your day, I recommend this place. The farm style decor was charming, and the vast breakfast menu is sure to satisfy most. They proudly boast they are home of the Big Nasty Biscuit, so I opted for the biscuit and gravy with 2 eggs and hash browns. My husband selected the chicken and waffles. The waffles had a unique twist and had bacon in it. His dish was topped with cheesy scrambled eggs. Both were very fulfilling with generous portions. Although we did not enjoy any of their unique coffees and beverages, they had what looked like many delicious offerings.

    This is how much you waste
    Jon D.

    Food - this is the second time we tried this place. Food was worse than that of IHOP (if you're in debate go to IHOP). 1st time tried French toast. Was okay. Nothing memorable. 2nd time was an omelet, avocado, bacon, tomato, onion, and pepper jack cheese. Avocado should never be baked into anything. The texture is that of baby food. All the cheese was in the middle and basically made it inedible. Hash browns were burnt beyond belief, also inedible. Only thing that was good was the bacon and the toast... I'll include price here. Very overpriced for the quality. Not worth the $70 for something I could mess up on my own at home. Will NEVER come back. Everyone gets one... never a second. Service - very polite and kind staff. Food was pretty quick. Ambiance - a mix of Hispanic and popular pop music playing. Looks modern and nice!

    Cajun Cheese steak biscuit

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    1 year ago

    Food was great, our server was super friendly. I recommend trying their homemade hot sauces!

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    1 year ago

    Starting to slip , quality is not there anymore. Had stale rye bread and a watery omelette. Biscuit and gravy was lacking dept of flavor.

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    1 year ago

    The food is so great! Come hungry because the food portions are huge! The omelettes are so good.

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    Page 1 of 4

    Ask the Community - The Southern Cafe

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    Barrel + Rye

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    Fun spot with unique cuisine, this restaurant may be small but the food packs big flavor. On my…read morevisit here, I had the opportunity to try two dishes off the shareables menu and was super impressed with both of them. Service was also quick and friendly throughout the entire meal. The Birria egg rolls were a bit on the smaller side but made a big impression with its preparation. I've never had birria wrapped in anything as crispy as the wonton wrapper this was wrapped in. The birria was flavorful while being tender and not being too salty. The white cheddar and chihuahua cheese added a small amount of extra saltiness and a bit more fat, which matched well with the chipotle aiola. The duck poutine was incredibly flavorful, while sitting on the edge of potentially being too bold. The fries were incredibly crispy though there was quite a bit of gravy on the dish and the white cheddar cheese curds did a great job of keeping the entire dish hot throughout the meal, while adding a little bit of extra flavor. The bacon and onion added some umami though it almost made the dish a bit too salty and the duck confit added a nice protein element. Overall a little pricey, but given the more unique menu and quality of both the flavors and textures, it's worth the premium. The food here is definitely memorable and in line with excellent options available in Geneva.

    All around had an amazing time! Visiting in town for work…read moreand wondered along this place that was delightful and charming. Henry was our server/bartender and gave us excellent service. He was naturally humorous and humble. The best part was my Tuna Tartare. I order it everywhere I go & I must say - it was the best I've had this year! Thank you Barrel + Rye!

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    SYRUP - St Charles - Cinnamon Roll (3) French Toast (Delivery)

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    Staff was very attentive, even the general manager stopped by to say hi to us…read more The atmosphere is very spacious and bright. The food was great. The one comment I would have is that we ordered thick cut bacon, but was not thick cut. I think it cost $5.75 for three strips so you might want to change that to just regular bacon, that's my only comment but it was very nice Restaurant.

    Met up with my friend for brunch at 10am. The place was packed and we waited about 25 minutes…read more There was plenty of parking. We sat in a corner booth and their menu was huge. They did list some items as gluten-free. I asked the server if the gluten-free pancakes were cooked separately and she said yes and that they had gluten-free toast. I ordered an orange juice. It was really bitter. Not my type at all. I ordered the short stack of gluten-free pancakes with strawberries and hash browns. She said she would put in an allergy alert and not have any seasoning added just to be safe. My food came and the pancakes looked like buttermilk pancakes. I asked the server and she did confirm. I tried them and they tasted like buttermilk pancakes. I didn't eat much as I was worried. When the check came it did say buttermilk pancakes and nothing about gluten-free. But also the hash browns said seasoning on the ticket when they came out with none. I did tell the server I had a gluten allergy. I was just so suspicious that I didn't eat much at all. They could have gluten-free options, but it would have been nice for the server to confirm when setting down the food or putting an allergy stick in. I did have mild symptoms after I left, but they were different than I had experienced before so I was not sure.

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    Fire Water BBQ - Firewater BBQ in Geneva

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    We recently tried this restaurant and the experience was a bit mixed. When we first ordered, we…read morewere told they were out of ribs, which was disappointing but understandable, so we changed the order. Then they had to come back again to let us know they were also out of potato salad. We also noticed that many of the drink options were out of order. At checkout, I noticed an extra charge on the bill that wasn't explained upfront. When I asked about it, I was told it was an added fee to account for inflation instead of raising menu prices. I understand businesses needing to adjust pricing, but extra charges should be communicated ahead of time rather than being a surprise at checkout. While waiting for our food, I used the restroom and noticed there was no soap in either dispenser, and one dispenser was sitting broken on the counter. The back area you through was cluttered with boxes and open cleaning supplies. I was really hoping the food would turn things around. The price for the food was reasonable. My boyfriend enjoyed his meal, but my smoked chicken was a dry and overall I didn't find the food particularly memorable.

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    The James - Burrata Flatbread

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    We came by for a late lunch on a Friday and it looked as though it was going to rain soon so we…read moreopted to sit inside. We walked through the whole restaurant to be seated in the glass window room overlooking the patio. For lunch I got the pick 2 and did the ceasar salad and the chimi beef sandwich. It also came with chips. The salad was light and refreshing and the sandwich was delicious. Service was a tad slow, I'm thinking it was because it was midday and they were prepping for dinner but overall a good experience. We loved the fun cozy vibes of the restaurant, and would love to come back for dinner one of these days. We overheard a nearby table talk about the prime rib being a must try!

    We had a reservation for a party of eight at 8:15 and were seated out on the patio. The inside of…read morethe restaurant is super cute, and they have very elegant bathrooms. I informed our server that I have celiac disease, and she was helpful in confirming that the cocktails were gluten-free. I ordered the Pineapple Express sangria, and it was absolutely delicious. When it comes to the food, most items on the menu can actually be made gluten-free, but they aren't marked on the menu and they do not offer a separate gluten-free menu. Our server did let us know right away that they were out of three of their entree items. For my meal, I started with the gluten-free soup which comes with gluten-free noodles, and it was really good. However, I didn't really like any of the remaining entrees they had left available, so I decided to order sides instead. The server mentioned that most of the sides are or can be made gluten-free. I chose the creamy mashed potatoes and the brussel sprouts, specifically requesting the sprouts without croutons. When the food arrived, the brussel sprouts unfortunately had croutons on them. I pointed it out to the server, and she immediately said she would have them remade for me. While I am very glad I caught the mistake before eating them, it is something to watch out for. Overall, the experience was mediocre.

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    The Graceful Ordinary - Frisee salad with crusted soft boiled egg

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    Short answer: Yes! Would recommend!…read more Long answer: Came to celebrate 2 birthdays and was sat at "the chefs table" which is a high-top table right in front of the kitchen. It was just too hot sitting there and also noisy from the kitchen and orders being called out, etc. Asked (I think) the manager, Amanda, if there's any way we can move to another table cause we are just sweating and wouldn't be able to survive through dinner, haha! We also had our 83 year old grandma there so we were even more concerned for her well being. Amanda was accomadating with offering us a different table as long as we could finish in 90 minutes. I told her I'll take it! She felt bad for the time limit also, but I told her I appreciate her accommodation even more. The food and drinks turned out great and the service was superb along with a unique ambiance! Definitely recommend!

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    Nosh - Half biscuits and gravy

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    4.0(423 reviews)
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    We came here for a final breakfast before leaving town. It was a Monday morning, so we were one of…read morethe only three tables occupied in the entire place, which suited us fine. Our waitress greeted us warmly and quickly brought out water and coffee. She did a great job of keeping both glasses and mugs full throughout the meal. We did not wait long for our food after we ordered it. I got their brunch burrito with a side of fruit. The burrito was a good size, not too small but not so big that I could not finish it. I got it with bacon as my meat and dipped it in the chipotle vinaigrette on the side as I ate it. It was awesome! I really loved that instead of black beans, there were refried beans in it, as they added a great creaminess to the meal. The fruit bowl was also impressive to me, as it was full of diverse fresh fruit. It was better than the normal assorted melons I am used to at restaurants. I got an iced salted caramel latte to go before leaving since we had a long car ride ahead of us. It was on the sweet side, with little espresso flavor coming through, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I would love to come back on a busier weekend when the place is more lively and try their huge lunch menu!

    This was probably one of the worst breakfast places I have ever gone to. The crepe I got was…read moreextremely dry and plain even though it was supposed to have strawberry and nutella with it. The inside of the restaurant was fine the tables were sticky but after they cleaned it again it was fine. The service was great but the food really just ruined it especially because it was $25 per person for my family. Somebody in my family also had to return their food back the steak was extremely rubbery and dry will not be coming back.

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    Craft Urban - Menu+old fashioned. The menu is seasonal, hence the date.

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    3.9(332 reviews)
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    Came here today as I had the day off. My experience is from a late 1:00 pm, Thursday brunch just as…read moreSwedish Days started. Two people served, Bryanna K and another gentleman in the which I did get his name. Bryanna was our main server. Both were super nice and not overbearing which I liked. It was hot and I was in the sun all morning so we only ordered water no other drinks. My daughter got the beet salad and I got the Korean Tacos. A lot of places have good presentation without the flavor to follow up. This did not happened here. My daughter really enjoyed her salad and I equally enjoyed the tacos. I am a fan of steak fries, so I was excited to have some nice thick fries with my lunch. The tortilla soup was just as good. I have not set place in this spot since it was Nosh. I don't know why I waited so long. The service and food were great.

    The food here was great - we both ordered the steak frites. I appreciated that the drink list…read moreincluded non alcoholic options, as it's always nice to have the option for a fancy drink that isn't alcoholic. The service was both very attentive and never there when you needed it. Our waitress asked a LOT of questions and was really up in our business, asking about allergies that she thought she saw on our Resy account that did not exist and I didn't even know were an option. The place was a cool vibe, but pretty empty compared to all the other packed restaurants downtown. While the offer reservations, it didn't seem like you'd need one.

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    Craft Urban - Fried Chicken Sammie. The truffle mayo is a nice touch.

    Fried Chicken Sammie. The truffle mayo is a nice touch.

    Craft Urban - Back of the menu some cool art!

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    The Southern Cafe - breakfast_brunch - Updated October 2026

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