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    Valois

    4.2 (794 reviews)
    Closed 6:00 am - 3:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Valois Photos

    Business Info

    VALOIS ATMOSPHERE

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

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    Recommended Reviews - Valois

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    mediterranean omelette
    Lina L.

    came here bright and early around 9 am so there wasn't really a wait. food came super quick and they make it in front of you which is nice. the portions are huge so you def get your money's worth and tasted pretty delish. it was pretty spacious inside actually for a cafe. i enjoyed it here (esp seeing obama on the wall)

    ny steak and eggs, pancake breakfast
    Vanessa M.

    food (4/5) - no one does pancakes quite like valois, they're fluffy without being too dry, and the syrup is sweet without being overpowering or too heavy on the pancake. eggs and sausage and steak are all fine too. price (3/5) - cash only but anything other than pancakes can still rack it up. average for the area ambiance (3/5) - typical diner, good for a big group as well. can be a little sticky. service (3/5) - prompt, but can be tough if you got your order wrong, the conveyor just keeps moving.

    Tequila J.

    This place was on my visit list but when I looked out my hotel window and saw it. I knew it was a go. I didn't see the sign that showed cash only because I was so excited. I ordered one of President Obama's favorites. It was so amazing. And S/O to the lady who paid for my food!

    Option 3 (2 eggs, pancakes, and bacon or sausage)
    Jesy T.

    Mainly came here because it's known to be President Obama's favorite. This place is cafeteria style and super efficient. As someone else said, the food here is warm, familiar, and comforting. Don't expect anything fancy. I really enjoyed the pancakes, they didnt taste too plain and had a nice sweetness to it. Cash only!

    Eric W.

    No frills cash only- diner that is known as one of President Obama's favorites. In a bustling part of Hyde Park neighborhood popular with both residents and students of University of Chicago. Get a whole assortment of classic diner food . I got the All vegi omelette part of Obama's fave list

    Jasmine C.

    I was really excited to try Valois after reading about it, especially since it's known to be one of Obama's favorites. I went on Black Friday and was surprised to find it not busy at all. The setup is cafeteria-style, where you line up and order as you go. It was a bit confusing at first because they have a menu to look at, but the staff takes your order on the spot while the main guy shouts "next." I ordered the Mediterranean omelet and was supposed to get a choice of hashbrowns or grits, but no one asked, and I was just served hashbrowns. For the price, it's a good deal, but I found the flavor lacking. That said, I loved the warm, family atmosphere, and it seemed like a favorite spot for happy locals. I'd probably go back to give it another shot and try something different.

    Montage of images from Valois
    Ed U.

    Valois was already 63 years old by the time I discovered it as a fresh-faced grad student at the University of Chicago nearby. It provided many a homestyle comfort food meal when I was far away from home, so I wanted to bring Jamie W. here to acquaint him with the haunts of my youth. Now Valois is over a century old, so don't bother doing the math. The cafeteria set-up and wide variety of all-American food are exactly the same as I remembered. The dining space looked expanded but the tables were the same formica tops. The veteran staff knows exactly what they're doing, so just follow their direction to move down to the register while your food is being prepared. I ordered the $11.75 Hot Beef plate. It consisted of four thick slabs of beef brisket piled on top of a couple of slices of wheat bread. There was a huge side of whipped mashed potatoes, and all of it was covered with hot gravy (photo: https://yelp.to/yQsGkqaV52). There was also a side of corn (photo: https://yelp.to/LgmvWrLaUE), and a big tumbler of Diet Pepsi (no Coke please) for the price. I was awestruck by the amount of food they served especially nowadays versus my youth. Jamie decided on the $3.25 Grilled Cheese Sandwich and the $2.50 order of French Fries (photo: https://yelp.to/hWkQzIr-ON). Delicious. Along with his Diet Pepsi, his meal only added up to $7.60. Such a deal that a struggling student would be grateful. Apparently native son Barack Obama eats here when he's in town as his foundation is on the next block. His favorite dishes are highlighted on its own menu. FOOD - 5 stars...awesome comfort food that hasn't changed over the years AMBIANCE - 4.5 stars...plenty of elbow room now SERVICE - 5 stars... shut up,they know what they're doing TOTAL - 5 stars..."See Your Food" is their legacy slogan, and they mean it RELATED - Exploring Chicago? Here's my collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/44c4CZO

    Steak omelette (comes with toast and hashbrowns)
    Clarissa C.

    Former President Obama's favorite restaurant! They even have a menu with Obama's favorite dishes there. It's a cafeteria style restaurant. You order at the front, watch them make your food, slide your tray down to the cashier, pay in cash (cash only!!), then enjoy your food! There are separate servers that will bring you water after you choose your seats. The food came out incredibly efficiently!! We got the steak omelette (also comes with toast), everything omelette, and the southwest chicken wrap. The wrap was warmed up but used chicken breast, so it felt a bit dry after a few bites. We added French fries to it, and loved that they were shoestring fries. The everything omelette was so so juicy and filled with melty cheese - I loved it! The omelette comes with hashbrowns, but they're a bit of a hit or miss depending on which chef made them. Some felt more like smashed potato's.

    Rachel A.

    I love this place. I come here for breakfast a lot. Love the cafeteria style food and the service is always friendly and welcoming. Parking can sometimes be difficult, its best to come early or pay street parking or nearby lot parking. Would recommend.

    Steal omelette
    Jen S.

    How cool is it to live in President Obama's stomping grounds. New here. Finally got to go to here. We each got an Obama favorite : the husband a steak omelette. I got 2 eggs w bacon. Served cafeteria style. Lots of seating. If you come before 10 on Sunday you'll just miss the hangover crowd. Ha. Can't wait to come back.

    Amber A.

    Everything was good and very reasonably priced. The biscuits were the only thing we didn't like. They need a new recipe stat. Very old school feel and cafeteria style service and ordering. Also cash only.

    Feels warm, familiar, comforting. Okay food, great place to eat and chat with friends and family.

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    2 months ago

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    5 months ago

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    9 days ago

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    18 days ago

    They are beginning to slip a bit. Price increase food quality decrease. However stick with the French toast.

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    1 month ago

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    7 months ago

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    10 months ago

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    11 months ago

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    1 month ago

    My kids got hand, foot, mouth disease from their high chairs. Food is good for the price.

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    8 months ago

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    2 years ago

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    5 months ago

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    11 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    4 months ago

    My daughter: "I give it 5 out of 5. They are like magical magicians" The food was super good and fast!

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    4 months ago

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    8 months ago

    No frills spot but consistently good food. Grab a tray and select what you'd like. Note it's cash only.

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    1 year ago

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    1 year ago

    Solid diner food. Good prices. Quick service. The French Toast with strawberries was good.

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    2 years ago

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    1 year ago

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    6 months ago

    Excellent food comes out of this cozy neighborhood staple. The service is cafeteria style, but the staff is usually pleasant.

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    2 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    Page 1 of 20

    Valois Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Valois

    Do you take debit cards?

    They only accept cash.But there is an ATM inside

    How long is the typical wait for a table on Sunday morning?

    It can be anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour. It's worth the wait, though.

    How is parking? Where should I park for this place?

    We parked on the street, metered parking

    View All 4 Questions

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    Peach's Restaurant - Bayou Breakfast Bowl was awesome!....that chicken sausage gravy was like heaven

    Peach's Restaurant

    (539 reviews)

    $$

    Grand Boulevard

    Tam and Trillis forgive the spelling Tam was an amazing…read morechampion for our first experience, of Peaches as it was our first time. She recommended the dark roast coffee first off. Excellent recommendation, you smelled the brew before it arrived fully at the table. Stating that the coffee was on point would minimize the cup's perfection!!! Now to the food OMG!!! First DUCK BACON excellent I don't eat pork except bacon. Yes, I'm on the team that bacon is not pork LOL!!! The duck back to was good. I couldn't taste the difference. I hate turkey bacon, EVERY TIME Ive tried turkey bacon, it was tasteless and expensive. The duck bacon was lean and tasty. I highly recommend trying it. Second for me is the biscuit. The biscuit was so good, I sat long enough to know I needed to take one home. I had the catfish, grits and greens. Everything delicious. The catfish was mouth watering. My friend had the peaches' special. First of all, those potatoes called my name!! Delicious. The icing on the cake was the Chef's visit. Trellis or Trillis, I'm from the country, so that's what I heard!! He visited our table, and we shared our delight in the well-prepared meals. It's evident that the meals were prepared with love and care. Everyone at the restaurant was pleasant. The staff were all professional and taking care of business. The space is open you don't feel as if you are seated with a neighboring table. It was bright and well lit. We had an amazing experience. I highly recommend! The portions are generous. I had lots of extras do I have dinner for tonight. When you visit, let them know I said Hi!!! Yes, Im going back so others have an opportunity to experience; great food, excellent service and phenomenal space!!!

    One of the best restaurants I've been too in a min. Starbucks snob here. The peach infused coffee…read morewas worth every drop. No cream needed. The initial host was interesting but warmed up eventually. The servers were PHENOMENAL!...I'm not exaggerating. Dont give that out very much. She was excellent with her recommendations as well as sending backup if she was not able. And her backup was ALSO great as well. The decorum is simple. My brothers and I sat in a nice booth. I'm glad cuz they put all their effort into their food. Enjoyed the Bayou breakfast bowl. Different. And also worth every bite. My guys all enjoyed their meals as well.

    Dixiepura Kitchen - PEPPER LAMB BOUDIN
 Chili Collard Greens Chimichurri, Garlic Crema, Chili Crisp Tahini

    Dixiepura Kitchen

    (17 reviews)

    Grand Boulevard

    Wow! Wow! WOW! This place is great! The food was truly…read moreexceptional. We tried about seven or eight different dishes at our table and all were excellent. I think our favorite was the catfish! If you go be sure to try Ernie's fingers. So so good. But the Jambalaya, Vegetarian Rice w/Jack Fruit, Fried Chicken, Roasted Carrots, Yeast Rolls, Pea Flower Tea Lemonade and all the other stuff was simply wonderful. Chloe, who is the proprietor, Did a great job of helping us out. We had some great conversation with her and everyone just loved the food. We definitely plan to go back!

    Haven't ever had a meal like this! We had the exquisite privilege to dine at DixiePura Kitchen…read more tonight. It was a wonderful blend of Southeast Asian and American Southern flavors. Chef Chloe Gould had us from the first bite! Service was wonderful and the space was such a intimate and chill vibe. Absolutely great date spot!! Here is some of what we had, but I honestly doubt you could go wrong with anything there. 1) Salmon Croquettes which were so delicate and delicious. 2) Southern Curry Braised Curry Greens Eggrolls. Had us hooked with flavor and spices from the first bite. 3)Cajun Seafood Gumbo Laksa. Full of flavor, tender seafood and rice. Southern Curry Potlikker Cornbread. Pot Likker and cornbread....what more could you want? Creole Do Chua (Marinated Cabbage & Vegetables) wonderfully crisp and just the right balance of acid and sweet. 4) Braised Southern Smoked Baby Back Rib, Hainanese Style Rice, Soy Garlic Chili Crisp, Charred Green Onion. Fall of the bone ribs with sauce so good we literally saved the leftovers to take home and eat it with the rice. Can't wait to come back and try the brunch menu!

    14 Parish Restaurant and Rhum Bar - Spinach Dip

    14 Parish Restaurant and Rhum Bar

    (629 reviews)

    $$

    Hyde Park

    My first visit to 14 Parish Restaurant and Rhum Bar was unfortunately a very uncomfortable…read moreexperience. From the start, the bartender's attitude seemed off, but what stood out most was the difference in how I was treated compared to the rest of my group. He was friendly, attentive, and even offered complimentary drinks and shots to my friends, while I was largely ignored. Things escalated when the check came. After I paid, my receipt was held up in a way that drew attention to the fact that I hadn't left a tip on the card. And, then he mocked me and said, "I'm sorry my service was that bad to the point, I didn't get a tip." Shortly after, my friends continued receiving drinks on the house--again excluding me out. This created an awkward and embarrassing situation, especially since I was sitting right there with them. For clarity, I tip in cash as a personal preference, but regardless, no one should be singled out or treated differently like that. He laughed, and kept showing my receipt. I'm sharing this in hopes that it's taken seriously, because professionalism and consistency in service matter. P.S- The server/bartender name was Jaquez or Jaquees (not 100% sure on the proper spelling but, he has long locs with a nose ring, and ear gauges.

    I came across 14 Parish on IG and knew I had to check it out. My friend and I stopped in on a…read moreSaturday afternoon for light bites and cocktails. There was a nice crowd, but we were seated right away and chose to sit at the bar. The bartender was very helpful and recommended a few shareable options since we weren't looking for full meals. We went with the chicken wings, fries, and fried plantains. Everything came out hot, fresh, and looked great. We were really happy with our selections and even considered ordering more. Overall, we really enjoyed our visit and look forward to coming back.

    The Cove Lounge - Bar

    The Cove Lounge

    (104 reviews)

    $

    Hyde Park

    This used to be the go-to local bar to blow off steam after a tough day at work. The clientele is…read morecomprised of a really cool mix of local south- siders (read: White Sox fans!) and UChicago staff/students. There is an epic wall mural that features different aspects of the city, including a huge Barack Obama head. As I said: epic. The bar is separated into two distinct parts, divided by a counter/tables in the center (you have to walk all the way around if you want to switch sides or move at the tables). On one side is the bar and a few TVs to watch the games, giving it a louder sports bar kind of vibe. On the other side there are a bunch of tables--almost like picnic tables. It feels very communal and laid-back. It's a place you can sip on drinks and easily spend time with a group of friends. The Cove is very group-friendly. My favorite part? My friend brings his dog there and it's no problem. Is this bar a dive? Yes. Do I care? No. Do I actually love it? Absolutely. Best bar on the area, hands down.

    Owner Sonnie and DJ/Security Milton brutally beat up a customer outdise of the bar April 23, 2026…read morewhich started with the DJ/Security using excessive force on the customer inside of the bar. The young man was outside talking to associates about the situation and the owner came out and attacked him and the DJ joined in and beat him. Customer left in ambulance and is seeking medical care. The owner and DJ needs to be arrested! There were numerous witnesses to this incident

    Valois - breakfast_brunch - Updated May 2026

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