We were waiting at the door at 8am. They opened up right on time with amazing positive attitudes. Brianna is are waiter. She is great!!! Thank you for the good food, vibes, and experience. read more

Toast It IZ - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

I really enjoyed the lamb and sweet potato waffles. The service was very good and thorough.

Let me start off with the lovely Breana. When I say she was amazing... she was AMMMAAAAZING! From the moment we walked in, she greeted us with such a warm, welcoming personality and made our entire experience feel special. She was attentive, knowledgeable, checked on us often, and made sure everything was perfect. Customer service like hers is hard to find these days, and she truly went above and beyond. Now let's talk about the food... Chef, you absolutely did your thing! Every dish that came to our table was seasoned to perfection, fresh, flavorful, and beautifully presented. You can tell a lot of love and care goes into every plate. Every single person in our group enjoyed their meal, and there wasn't one complaint at the table. We were already planning what we're going to order on our next visit before we even left! If you're looking for incredible food paired with top-tier customer service, Toast It Iz is definitely the place to be. Thank you, Breana, and the entire kitchen staff, for making our celebration one to remember. We'll definitely be back! read more

See all

Stumbled upon this place from Yelp and looking for places to each brunch. We were greeted when we arrived and seated right away. The waitress was very nice and she had a very comforting tone to her voice. I think her name began with a B. They had a local artist draw on a wall which was pretty cool. They played hip hop music that we enjoyed and also had a sign about free shots that other customers were inquiring about. The food wise wasn't up to our par. We got like the left over of the coffee and it was horrible. We were suppose to get a fresh brew of coffee however that never came around and there was nothing special about it to really follow up about. I got the French toast it iz. I was asked if I wanted strawberry and banana and at first I thought we were getting strawberries with it but it was ended up being jam and I knew I should have just opted for bananas only. The jam was too much for me and overpowered my French toast. I was also given potatoes that I felt were overly seasoned and I had to really eat it with my eggs to enjoy. I felt it was on the pricy side a bit for the food. I would say the service was good but the breakfast food wasn't doing it for me. read more

My man & I were in Chicago visiting & wanted some good brunch & after doing some research on tik tok we decided to stop here. Location was easy to find I believe we had to pay for street parking. We were greatly immediately upon walking in which I loved & the establishment itself was bright and clean. Service was good, we were seated right away. Now for the food, we tried the salmon croquettes, the catfish and grits, and had some mimosas. The croquettes were good, I'd say 7/10. Catfish and grits were amazing the fish was perfectly cooked and grits were seasoned to perfection. My only negative is that I feel the plates & drinks were overpriced, but as a tourist spot downtown, I understand. read more

See all

Nice casual laid back vibes. All of the food was delicious. The service was great. Very attentive and friendly. Would definitely return on my next Chicago visit. read more

See all

Was craving brunch food and came across this spot. It's the typical Chicago brunch restaurant with the good music playing and the faux grass and neon light wall for the IG post. I grabbed a spot at the bar and order the catfish & grits and a beignet flight. The service was good and the food came out pretty fast. I'd overall give the catfish & grits an 8/10. Fish was seasoned well and the sauce was great which complemented the grits well. The beignet flight was 6/10. They weren't the fluffy layered pillow like beignets I really like. I enjoyed my meal and would definitely go back. read more

Toast It IZ - Catfish & Grits - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Visited last week for Sunday afternoon brunch... We had a 1:30 reservation and by 2:10 we were still waiting to be seated. After pulling the hostess to the side again, we were finally seated. Then sat another 10 minutes with no greeting, no water--nothing. Before even sitting, we were told the kitchen was already an hour behind. While waiting, I noticed a lot of staff behind the bar. What stood out though... was a staff member back there taking pictures/videos and having drinks while the restaurant was clearly overwhelmed. At that point, we were ready to leave. I wanted to at least share our concerns with management before going, and a young lady (who I assumed was a manager) convinced us to stay, saying they'd push our order through. The owner came by briefly, but we didn't see her again and wait times didn't improve. It still took about 20 more minutes just for a server to come back and take our order. Even though we were told our food would be expedited, it was still a long wait--and we noticed tables seated before us dealing with the same issue. What I found odd was that after we expressed concerns, the manager kept chasing down a server multiple times instead of just taking our order herself. Now I will say this--the food was good. That's honestly the only reason I'm giving 3 stars. But the service and overall experience? Absolutely disappointing. I had never been to the Evergreen location because I'd heard similar things, but decided to give this one a chance. There's definitely potential for this to be a great spot, but operations need serious improvement ASAP. read more

See all

The crowd was very Roudy and the hostess was very rude not helpful in finding our reservations so we had sit at the bar. We waited 30 until server got our orders. She was sweet no issues with her but the food was very salty I got oysters and oxtails on grits everything was very salty. Best thing was the sweet potato muffins. Also the margaritas flight was good. The bathroom was clean and nice no complaints with that. Just need new hostess and last I checked they don't sit in chairs she truly seemed like she didn't want to be there. read more

Toast It IZ - Sweet potato muffins - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Stopped by around 10-11 am for brunch on a Friday and the place was just starting to fill up. Loved the atmosphere. Its vibrant and fun, with a touches of elegance. Good Playlist of jams were playing, not too loud, but just at the point where you can hear it. OUR server was really nice. She gave recommendations on what she liked on the menu and she didnt miss. THE FOOD! YES LAWD!! The fried catfish was cooked to perfection ! Crispy, juicy, well seasoned. A bit pricey at $16 for one side peice, but it was good. Also good were the lamb chops that came with the Banana pudding waffle. I don't usually eat lamb chops, but I'd have these again and again! The French toast was just French toast, good but nothing special (IMO). Potatoes and eggs were good. The Mimosa flight was pretty good! Pineapple and blueberry were my faves! All in all, this is a solid spot. I'd definitely come back. Enjoyed the food and the atmosphere. Great place for brunch with friends. read more

See all

I had high hopes for Toast It Iz (River North) because I was considering hosting my birthday brunch here in May for about 15 people because I love the aesthetics. I decided to do a trial visit first and I'm really glad I did. We arrived around 1:15 PM and were told there would be a wait, which was fine. However, we were immediately told that even once seated, food wouldn't come out for at least an hour because the kitchen was extremely behind. Not ideal, but we decided to stay, order drinks, and try an appetizer while we waited. After waiting about 10-15 minutes, we noticed parties who came in after us being seated first. We had to flag someone down to get attention, and they eventually seated us with an apology. From there, the experience continued to go downhill: * We initially ordered jerk oxtail egg rolls only to be told about 10 minutes later they were out. * We switched to chicken tacos (which were good), but they took about 30 minutes. * Shortly after, we were told we couldn't order entrees yet because the kitchen needed to catch up... then 15 minutes later, we could, but it would be another hour wait. At this point, it was raining and we didn't want to leave and start over elsewhere, so we stayed. We ordered a catfish dinner, hot honey wings, and red beans & rice, asking for everything to come out together. Unfortunately, communication seemed completely off: * The wings came out early (not as requested), then were taken back. * The entrees later arrived without the wings. * After speaking with multiple staff members (3-4 different people), we asked for the wings to be removed altogether. * Then, right as we were finishing, they brought the wings anyway and they were cold. We were there from 1:15 PM to 4:30 PM... for just two people, one drink each. As for the food: * The tacos were the highlight, definitely the best thing we had. * The catfish looked under-seasoned and lighter than others we saw. * The mac & cheese and greens were okay. * Everything was edible, but nothing stood out enough to make up for the experience. Overall, I'd give the food a B, but the service and overall experience brought this down significantly. I'm really disappointed because I was excited about celebrating my birthday here but based on this visit, I'll be looking elsewhere. read more

See all

We came from out of town and had a reservation for seven. We arrived twenty minutes early with 50% of our party to an empty restaurant and we were told once we were finally greeted that they would not seat us by a rude host. After waiting they finally decided to gahead and seat us. While policies are necessary, we had a reservation, 50% of our party was present with the other three on their way. Not the most welcoming experience and some policies should be revised especially when 50% of the party is present. Darren our waiter was wonderful and very personable. Made great recommendations. The food was delicious. We truly enjoyed the food. The catfish is the star for sure. I did speak with the manager and no accountability was taken, but If the welcoming experience improves we will be back. read more

See all

We had brunch for five; with the space, probably wouldn't do bigger groups but it was perfect for us! This isn't a place for fancy lattes or shaken oatmilk whatevers, it's a place for friendly, helpful service and DELICIOUS food! We had gumbo catfish grits, regular catfish grits, salmon hash, pancakes and chicken and waffles, and everyone was very pleased! Notable shout-outs to the gumbo, the texture and fry of the catfish, the potatoes in the salmon hash, the wings and the texture of the waffles... and those pancakes were huge and had the best texture I've had in a pancake in a long time. Everyone agreed that we would be back to try other things on the menu! (A note to people who are sound-sensitive: the Happy Birthday cowbells are tambourines sound very loud in the space!) read more

Toast It IZ - Catfish, gumbo and grits with cheese - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Wow! The food, service, atmosphere was INCREDIBLE! It was such a vibe! The playlist was We went early on a Saturday afternoon and I suggest you make a reservation. It was packed and we sat at the bar so we didn't have to wait forever. Our server, Kiara, was great! Beautiful inside and out! She was attentive and helpful with what to order on the menu as we were visiting for my friend's bday. Everyone we encounter was friendly and fun! It was such a great experience that we didn't even expect! I had the lamb and waffles and wow! I like my meats well done and it was perfect. Tender and seasoned well. It comes with eggs and red beans and rice. The waffle is a sweet potato waffle that was to die for! I can't wait to go back and visit again! read more

See all

Went here for a birthday brunch with a couple friends. It's one of the newer Toast It IZ locations that's getting a lot of buzz so decided to try it. First thing I noticed is it is crowded! It's a pretty big space for River North and they line the place up with tables, chairs, a private section, and a bar. Not a lot of room in between each seating. Second, the music is loud - great rap and r n b vibes but was hard to hear my friends across from me once we were seated. Had reservations for 1:30 pm but we ended up having to wait until around 2 pm to be seated. We took a bit to decide but weren't served our around entrees until 3 pm. Our server though was really friendly and gave us plenty of recs! We got the fried green tomatoes (deliciously seasoned!), my friend got their expresso martini and I got the lower wacker which was pretty good. For the entree, I got the fried chicken and sweet potato waffles (subbed out instead of the banana pudding waffles) with pecans and eggs with a side of turkey bacon. Everything was good and flavored well and great portions. Probably could have left the turkey bacon out though, the chicken, waffles, and eggs was more than enough. My friend got lamb chops and the french toast flight which she really liked - especially the flight. Lastly, they say they have validated parking on the lot on Rush on the website and my friend asked if there was at time limit but our servers didn't mention any. We ended up staying about 4 hours but found out the validation is actually about 3 so it didn't work. Ended up paying $63. I think they should state this on their website or make sure hosts are better informed b/c that was a lot so patrons beware. Overall minus a couple stars for the noise, crowdedness, wait, and valet but I'd come back maybe on a weekday or to sit at the bar or for take out. The menu is great and varied and I love a good Black-owned business! read more

See all

Simply amazing..... came to Chicago on Easter weekend. My hotel was next door to the restaurant. I walked 3 mins and arrived at toast it IZ. The vibe was grown and sexy. Food was phenomenal. The staff was impeccable. 10/10 I will probably revisit before I leave. read more

Toast It IZ - Catfish po boy - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

1st time visiting & from start to finish 10/10. The atmosphere was warm & welcoming .. clean. I was able to sit where ever I desired. Service was very clean & fast. Our server Soraya was the true definition of " a server " The total package. She answered every question with grace and confidence. Might I add she is a bartender & was working two positions that day. Impressive.. Food was out of this world good. I highly recommend this place. read more

See all

Great food, fast service, and great music! This establishment is photo op worthy. The food was good also. We had the catfish and grits and the lamb with waffles. Both were a 10/10. Kiara is the best! read more

See all

Checked out Toast it iz second location and when I say the vibes are there. Great brunch spot. The music wasn't too loud, but definitely a nice time. The food was good, the wings could have used a bit more loving. I loooove my Gumbo Catfish & grits. The drinks were made to perfection (S/O to Diamond, who was our bartender and her service was GREAT). Now let me get into the Honey buttered biscuits, ... check'em out, you won't be disappointed. read more

See all

I really wanted to enjoy this place because the menu sounded amazing, but unfortunately the overall experience was disappointing, especially for the price point. From the moment we walked in, the hospitality felt off. The hostess barely acknowledged us when we arrived for our reservation and seemed annoyed when speaking to us. We eventually sat at the bar, where it took about 25 minutes just to get our drink order taken. The front door also stayed open constantly, making the restaurant uncomfortably cold throughout the brunch. The food itself was also a letdown. We ordered the catfish & shrimp grits, oxtail grits, oysters, and lobster deviled eggs. Multiple dishes were overwhelmingly salty, especially the grits and oysters. The lobster deviled eggs lacked flavor and balance altogether. The only standout item was the sweet potato corn muffin, which was genuinely delicious. Overall, the experience felt disorganized and not reflective of the $300 we spent. I don't mind paying for a great dining experience, but unfortunately this just didn't feel worth it. read more

Toast It IZ - Gumbo Catfish & Grits and Jerk Oxtails & Grits - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Came here for breakfast for dinner a little after 5pm. The hostess who greeted us, seemed to be over it. She dryly asked us if we had reservations, we did not. It also wasn't that crowded, I think there was a table getting ready to leave & a table who was still dining; pretty empty otherwise. The waitress however was the complete opposite & full of energy and had the menu down packed. We already knew what we wanted though; steak and eggs. That's it. The food was delicious, I honestly have no complaints my steak was perfect. My partner liked that they sprinkled green onion on top for a little razzle dazzle. There was a photographer who offered to take our photos for a small fee. We purchased one and he threw in an extra for free.I enjoyed the r&b vibes however I will say the music was too loud; almost club like. I could feel the base in my back. I'm glad I didn't order any alcoholic beverages as that would have eventually made me nauseous. Important to note that gratuity for our party of 2 was already included in our bill. I don't remember seeing that posted anywhere. Anyways, our breakfast for dinner date was cute, maybe a little bit more pricey than we expected; 2 steak and egg breakfast for $100; but we get that we paid for the vibes, decor and location and happy to support. read more

See all

The place is absolutely beautiful inside with lots of spots for photo ops. The location is accessible. The drinks were good and the food was delicious read more

See all

Terrible experiance! Pretentious rude hostess! Although there was.plenty of open seating, couldn't get a table and was told to sit at the bar. Won't be back read more

I booked a table at their new spot, but man, the wait for food and drinks was super long. I ordered chicken and waffles and asked if they were whole wings, and they said yes. But then my food came, and it was tenders! They told me the menu changed, but nobody told me. I sent it back, and then they brought out wings. Oh, and they ran out of lettuce for my friend's salad. The manager was cool about it, but I'm definitely not going back there. My large party wasn't happy about our experience. I didn't capture pictures of everyone's food because it came so late. read more

See all

This might be one of the worst restaurants I've been to in my life. I got the steak skillet; the steak was so rubbery you could not digest it, the potatoes were still half frozen, and even half a bottle of hot sauce could not drown out the terrible flavor of the seasoning. I live in the building above Toast it iz, to boot they have a guy who works at night that blasts his speakers on the sidewalk all night. Totally disrespectful and unsurprising considering how bad the food was. read more

Great service from start to finish! Our server Kay was friendly, attentive, and made sure we had everything we needed. They helped make our experience enjoyable, and we'll definitely be back! read more

Keiarra is absolutely amazing. Visiting from TX and she made the difference. Great food experience but even greater bar conversation and mixologist. read more

The food was ok. The service and ambience was GREAT!!! I would go back for Mark the busses and Diamond the server and the music. My tomatoes were a bit too hard and lacked seasoning. read more

See all

Love the atmosphere & service was top notch shoutout Ms. Soraya!! We loved everything we had. We got the Hot honey glazed wings, biscuits and gravy, & larine's fried tomatoes 10/10 we will be back for future chicago trips !! read more

See all

This restaurant's food and service was very good. I had the lamb chops and waffle. Both were perfect. Also appreciated the service that Kiera provided. She was very knowledgeable and helpful in explaining the menu and the drinks. read more

In a single word: overrated! Atmosphere, vibe and decor was tacky in my opinion. The food was average at best, but overpriced. Service also left a lot to be desired. They got my order wrong. I asked for wheat toast and I got white. Lastly, a basic breakfast of toast, eggs and sausage with a cup of drip coffee should not cost $32 even with inflation and the current state of the economy. read more

Had a birthday brunch there. Madison was an Amazing server with great customer service. Mark was great he had Amazing customer service. I DEFINITELY RECOMMEND THIS LOCATION! read more

Went here for brunch with a party of three...server brought out one meal and then we had to wait for 20 min for the other two entrees to arrive. When the other entrees were brought out, it looked like they had when sitting there for a while. At the end of the meal, the card reader was given to us at the table, and it wasn't mentioned that 20% gratuity was already added to the bill, and we were prompted to tip an additional amount. Our server was nice, but service was sub par. Wouldn't go back again. read more

We loved this establishment. Kiara was a great server. Extremely professional and and all of our questions.

Good catfish po boy. Right next to hotel. Convenient. Service was helpful with options and suggestions.

wish i took pictures but nonetheless, we had no reservations and staff was able to accommodate so quickly! it was a VIBE, from the music to the tables celebrating different occasions! turkey panini is my recommendation and will be visiting when back in chicago! read more

My overall experience was great. It's a whole vibe. The DJ played all the songs . The food was amazing. Our server Lala was superb. She was attentive and knowledgeable and on top of her game. We loved her .The hostess who checked us in can take notes from her on how to execute excellent service. She checked us in and never came back to see if we were seated or not.I had to get up and go inquire 20 minutes after our reservation time and was graciously seated by the young lady with glasses at 10:55. At 12:00 the initial hostess the bigger one with the blond hair rudely returned to our table informing us about the 90 minute table limit of which I was aware. She was nasty saying " I need this table" very rude. I informed her that we were sat down late and it had only been 65 minutes. She looked and walked off. She needs a retrain in customer service especially on how to talk to paying guests. You don't rush people under the facade that their time limit was over and do nasty about it. Otherwise besides that big hiccup. Everything else was great. I would recommend. She kept me from giving five stars! read more

Toast It IZ - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Atmosphere & food AMAZING!! Host & Server were polite and inviting. The music was great! It was a celebration of life indeed all around!

Awesome EVERY-thing!! Love the decor.. GREAT food... Music & mimosas! What a collab! Cool!! 2 thumbs up

I had an amazing time with my family at this restaurant for my husband's birthday! The food was good. The tables seemed tight and the space was a little small but it was good. The service was good also. read more