Good food, clean, reasonably priced. This is a decent diner through and through. However, what kicks it up a few notches in my estimation? FOUR KINDS OF OATMEAL. Well, okay, four different ways oatmeal is served. I love oatmeal. I order it for brunch whenever I can, and usually it's just a big heaping bowl with some brown sugar, milk, and maybe a few dessicated raisins. Not so at West River. I got myself a heaping bowl with strawberries, blue berries, and granola. I also got some eggs and bacon, both of which were tasty. I'm definitely hitting this place up again. read more

Neighborhood cozy corner diner Breakfast food is my family's favorite. Always served what we order quick friendly waitresses clean always a pleasant way to start your day off there. read more

Eggs, eggs, eggs in everything! When I ordered an array of sides, but no eggs, the waitress seemed genuinely startled. The hashbrowns and bacon were, well, hashbrowns and bacon. The coffee was coffee. Nothing spectacular, but nothing wrong, either. The food was served on mismatched plastic plates and bowls. Any kitschiness in the cute, worn-down decor is purely unironic. The price is definitely right. If you just want some solid, no-frills food for a decent price, in a clean neighborhood place, go here. If you want a cutesy, upscale brunch place, go somewhere else. read more

This is our favorite neighborhood breakfast spot. We always get awesome service and great-tasting food. So, give this place a try and help out a local business. read more

The chicken noodle soup here is amazing! I've been coming here for 2 years and absolutely love it. They offer it every day. Bonus: The staff is friendly! read more

West River Cafe - Diners Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This is a good, classic diner. Food was good, service was friendly, and environment was nice. Their menu is not imaginative, just a regular cafe/diner with classic menu items that were satisfying. read more

Good a d decent food. I did not like the decor to the restaurant at all, it seemed a little out of date, but very grounded feeling. I LIKE THE Foods, and they get super busy on the weekends, so come fast. I LIKE THEIE SKILLETS AND PANCAKES. I DONT LIKE THER burgers and salads. They need to work on flavoring this...not creating plain tasting food read more

Been a customer since 2014. Solid place. Clean and friendly. Traditional diner choices. Bring the kids.

I think in all honesty it's about a 3.5 but half stars don't count for yelp so I'll round up. Our waitress was prompt, bringing coffee with her as she greeted us. She answered questions we had and overall just did her job well. Service was consistently fast, she took our order and brought food quickly and with a smile. My only complaint is that the table wasn't bussed very well (kind of sticky) and the plastic plates felt old (a few burn marks) so it didn't feel the *cleanest*. We'll go back for speed and service, and go hopefully see the cleanliness issue was a one off. read more

Awesome find in the neighborhood. Had a sleepover w some BFFs and they made me leave the house on a Sunday and walk (a mile) nonetheless! But I was glad I did. The place was super busy at 11am but we were seated in a few minutes. I ordered the chilaquiles, one ordered a bfast burrito (she said it was the best she ever had), one got a multigrain pancake and another got a traditional eggs and bacon meal. It was plenty of food and served quickly with nice customer service. Its a great spot if you're a fan of no frills diners. I'm sure we'll be back! read more

Overall really good! Love to order here during brunch hours. Only open till 3. Ordered the country friend steak and it was a little underdone. But other than that time, really good food that's like a home cooked hug read more

First time at the West River Cafe. My wife and daughters loved their breakfasts. I had the best breakfast sandwich ever. Next time in Chicago we will definitely have breakfast from the West River Cafe again. read more

Food was good, but owner was arguing with a customer about the principles and benefits of herd immunity. He seemed to think that Covid was just a flu and did not wear a mask. Won't go back. I don't need a case of Covid with my breakfast even though I'm vaxxed. read more

One of my fav places in the neighborhood to grab a cup of coffee. it's been my to go to place every time I come home. Its been there since I was in my teens years. STILL continues to have that same cozy, and welcoming feeling. Great for quality breakfast time with the fam! or alone, Good folks!! Great service!!! read more

I ordered the Greek skillet and it came with dirty uncooked mushrooms, you could clearly see chunks of dirt on top. They probably never bother to wash or peel the vegetables before cooking. The service wasn't great either. Never again. read more

Hands down my favorite mom and pop breakfast diner in Chicago. Go here on Sundays regularly, ok ok ok at least 2-3 weeks out of the month. I have literally had just about every breakfast item on the menu. Buttttt, like my other reviews I'll make it quick so you don't salivate too much... I'll start with their fluffy outstanding pancakes, yes that's right best in the city! Jalisco skillet is filled with chorizo, cheese, and potatoes. Outstanding portion especially for the price. Next up, a must have. Chicken (I can't spell) Chilikilllas... killas, because they are to die for. A must MUST have. Filled with chicken, tortilla chips, and verde salsa. Salsa has just the right heat for all tastes buds. Make sure you toss that sour cream on there. Great service! Waitress are always coming around with coffee and place is very clean. See you guys in a couple days! read more

The cook Juan can cook and he will make it pretty for you. Oatmeal is good. The service is friendly and I go there to play my instant tickets. I go where the service is good and the food is good. It is a small place and you have a place to read and do a puzzle. I love the family setting that is here. It is a family business of a husband and wife and I have make the three daughter and the other family and I feel like a family member. You will like the place because it is peaceful and the radio have a older station on and now Christmas songs are being played. Janice the head waitress does a great job and she know what you like. I am there i can get good and healthy or just let the diet go out the door. Ask for the Nelie's special if you like oatmeal. Now Gyro Burger is real delightful. 7 am - 4 p.m. only you can take dinner with with lunch menu. Submarine Sandwich are there now. read more

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Very good, fast food service and very friendly. Everything was delicious. Parking is a little hard on Sundays with all the nearby churches. Would definitely come back again. read more

Ingredients are fresh and food is swiftly made to order. Quality over quantity for their Philly steak and well worth it. Fries came crispy on the outside with a soft interior. Friendly staff, solid choice for lunch. read more

A most acceptable diner in Albany Park! Very old-school, but with enough spiffing to keep it off the "dive" list. Waitresses that refer to one as "hun" and "sugar," and keep the hot coffee a comin'. Big ol' plates of potatoes, eggs and various breakfast meats...perhaps a short stack here and there, and big huge fountain sodas with precisely the right carbonation. Ahhhhhhhhh, fizzy. If you like a good diner meal, West River Cafe is sure to please. Gyro skillet was somewhat ridiculous in its proportions...and tasty in its execution. Huge pile of hashbrowns topped with gyro meat, tomatoes and feta....mmmm, scarf. Brekkie all day, every day. Just the way it should be! At the corner of Kedzie and Montrose, parking (meters) is quite easy. Friendly staff, good coffee, hot breakfasts. Bill for 5: $62, and we ate like diner kings! read more

"You're an asshole" from Tony A. That is one of several "compliments" I have gotten for my previous review of this restaurant from this individual. His 5 star review is below. He's clearly the owner or employee. Since my previous review complained about the service I got here, these e-mails only reinforce my initial impression of this place. By all means, visit the West River Cafe and you too can be called an asshole. Better yet, skip it altogether! read more

This review is based off on one visit during lunchtime so maybe we can try again for breakfast and update review. We just moved to the area and were hoping this place could be our staple 'diner' spot but boy our experience was bad. We came for a late lunch (maybe 2pmish?) and there was only one other table there. There were two women working but neither acknowledged us at all for quite a long time (5-10 minutes) and we were at the counter. God I feel bad to say it because I wanted to like this place but the food was straight up bad. I got the turkey club, my husband got a chicken sandwich and our son got the cheeseburger. All of it was just bad - flavorless and bland. I wasn't expecting a trendy culinary creation from a diner but this was just not good. We are pretty close so maybe we'll try again for breakfast but not super excited about this idea read more

West River Cafe is the closest diner to my place so I've been there a few times for breakfast despite the fact that it is pretty lackluster overall. The prices are mid-range and the food is okay, for the most part. The hash browns are tasteless and rubbery, and asking for them extra crispy is usually ignored, or possibly the cook doesn't know how to do it. The service, though, is why I won't be returning. When I go to a diner, I like to have breakfast, read my paper, and drink coffee. This means I might not jump up and leave as soon as I've eaten my last bite of omelet (unless there's a line at the door - I'm not a monster).However, the older waitress with short hair (who I suspect might be one of the owners) is in the habit of dropping your check on the table after 2 coffee refills and then completely ignoring you in order to make you leave. Even when she is pouring coffee at the tables on either side of you, and you are flagging her down, cup in hand, she will straight up refuse to serve you. Again, if the place were busy, or if I'd been there over an hour or something, I'd understand her wanting me to leave. As it is, this is just super passive aggressive nonsense and I'm not going to reward it with more of my money. Any recommendations for other breakfast places near Montrose/Kimball/Kedzie? read more

What a sigh of relief after leaving the rude service at Kuma's. We walked in, and had a server in less than three minutes, our food was ordered an served in under 10. I had the breakfast burrito, which for $7 was enormous. Girlfriend had the poached egg sandwich which she said was very good as well. Prompt coffee and water refills by a friendly and nice waitress made this place quite enjoyable. While it was an older, smaller establishment, it wasn't dirty and seemed to be run very well. I'd definately go back and definately recommend for a nice relaxing breakfast/brunch. read more

My husband took me here for breakfast. Honestly I'm a bit of a "greasy spoon" snob so based on the neighborhood and outside appearance I never would have tried it. I'm glad I did. I liked it! I ordered pancakes and some bacon. Pancakes were fluffy and large - but they really need to warm up the syrup for you, cold syrup just doesn't taste good. Bacon was good, nice and crisp. My husband ordered a skillet - I think it was the Montrose Skillet - Wow! Huge plate of food arrives! He didn't even finish it all. Looked really yummy so I stole a bite and it was delicious. I didn't know this before we went but apparently he's a regular w/ the guys from work so the owner and waitresses chatted him up a bit. :) I would go again because it's neighborhood-y feeling (if that's a word), not too pricey (our bill was just about $20) and the food was pretty good. read more

This has been my go-to breakfast and brunch spot since moving to Albany Park. The servers are super nice, the food is super good and plentiful for the price. I rotate between the benedicts, skillets and the biscuits and gravy. Beware, however, the B&G is big enough to keep you full all day, so maybe go lighter if you have late lunch or dinner plans. read more

I was searching for a place to have lunch with a friend, and when I asked her about West River, she said it was a couple of blocks from her condo yet she didn't know it existed. Well then, I insisted we try it. I liked it from the minute I set foot in it, it had a diner-ish feel to it. I ordered the manager's special: 2 eggs, 2 sausage links, hash browns, and 2 of the lightest, yummiest pancakes I have ever tasted. My friend had a skillet and enjoyed it too. Prices reasonable, service quick. My only complaint is that I thought the hash browns weren't browned enough, but easily remedied, I will simply ask them next time to make them crispier. And there will indeed be a next time! read more

Trying to patronize more businesses in "the hood" (and by "the hood", I mean "my hood", as opposed to The Hood), we decided to check this place out for a little late-afternoon Sunday brunch. I found the interior to be, well, f'ing adorable. Obviously not a hand has touched it in 30 years, and yet it looks almost new. The little green bar stools made me giddy for a hot minute. Adam had the juevos rancheros, which swiftly disappeared. I had the chicken ceasar pita with fries and some chicken and rice soup. The chicken ceasar pita had great flavor, but was really difficult to eat. Once I did manage to shove some in my face--rather gracelessly--I discovered gristly bits in my chicken. That effectively ended my consumption of said pita. The fries were good, and the soup was tasty (though there was evidence that it came from a can). Very clean, very prompt service. Total check, with tip, $22. I'd go back. I just wouldn't get the chicken! read more

You can't go wrong with large portion size and reasonable pricing. What makes this a 5 star breakfast joint, in my opinion, is the customer service and true diner experience. No frills, just consistent coffee refills and fluffy short stacks. Me and FeFe will be back! read more

The coffee here is pretty good (my benchmark for breakfast places). Food here is pretty standard, nothing out of this world, but solid and filling. Service is a little bit scatterbrained but not offensively so; during a not very busy period it took a while to get our menus, but after that it was smooth sailing. My guy had that omelette with big chunks of breakfast links sticking out of it, and while it looks comical he said it was tasty! Everything I've ever had there has been prepared well, and is never overly greasy. Good place for when you're not feeling adventurous or in the mood to wait for breaky. read more

When I moved into this neighborhood 5 years ago, it was somewhat diner-less. I prayed and prayed for a nice little breakfast joint to open up near by. Well, my prayers were answered cause this little gem open it's door a month later :D Service: Fantastic. I love the waitresses there. They ALWAYS greet me with a smile and the owners are really nice people as well. I had to move out of my neighborhood for about a year (long story) but when I moved back, and strolled through their doors for breakfast, they all looked up and said, "THERE she is! Where have you been?" Food: Good. I'm not blown away by the food, but it's good. The chicken dishes always seems dry, but the eggs, BLT's, or Gyros never disappoint. If you're in the area for breakfast, I recommend this place! Update (3/13/2014): This place has really gone downhill. The food seems like everything is frozen, nothing fresh. I had an egg dish with cottage cheese and it was the grossest cottage cheese I've ever seen....like it had expired...it was WAY to thick to be considered cottage cheese. They also let the decor go to crap. The booths kinda slant now and it looks really run down. Finally, on a weird note, I was having breakfast one day and the owner served me coffee and asked, "Where have you been?". I said I was doing more cooking at home these days. He smiled and said something like (this is not verbatim), "Well if you don't come back I'll go out of business." I thought that was soooo weird to say to a customer! Guilt trip me into coming back? I don't think so! I mean, I think he was just joking around, and it wasn't meant to be taken personally, but it was weird. I try to avoid that place at all costs now. read more

I pass this place every morning on my way to the gym! Figured one day after a good workout I'll give it a whirl!! So today I did! Was there early about 7:30am. It's a nice small place, got there early sat at the counter! Love sitting at a counter!! Good bacon & eggs & had sour dough toast, hash browns (next time I'll order them extra crispy)! Huge points on the coffee refills! Great CR's!!! Waitress were friendly & fun to talk too! Tab was much cheaper than last weeks $19 breakfast at Golden Nugget! Found out they have a $4.99 week day special! I'll be back! read more

Cute cheerful place - I'd go so far as to say a step up from regular diner food. They give huge portions, I don't think I've ever finished all the food on my plate, and breakfast is my favorite meal. They oven-bake their omelets, which is healthy, but sometimes I'm just in the mood for a nice buttery greasy one - you won't get that here. Oh, and they have TONS of benedict's - my favorite is the avocado, I swear, they put a whole avocado on it - yummy goodness (I usually ask for less hollandaise sauce, it's not the best, but not terrible either). Because it's in my neighborhood, and walking distance, we come here a few times a month. Not sure it's worth a special drive out, but the lack of breakfast places around me is sad, so it's nice to have this one in the 'hood. read more

I found this place on Yelp today 'cause I was craving an omelette. I saw that the reviews were good so I decided to check it out.... it's great! it's fast, it's local, it's delicious! the ladies working there were very friendly. we got our food to go but still got great service. I had the Sante Fe Omelette-- it was great! My boyfriend had the Mushroom and Swiss burger and it was amazing! Of Course, I ate some. ;) We're new to the neighborhood and we definitely will be going back. The food was great and it was a great value! We spent $15 for two people! We brought home a menu so that we can plan our next couple meals there so that we can try everything! Ha! :) read more

Neighborhood diner - win. Diner that's a straight up diner and not an international festival of foods - win. As Johnny T has said before me - strung out looking locals - win. All of this means that I can roll out of bed with a mild hangover, not worry about having to look like anything other than exactly that and just eat. While that wasn't me today, I did enjoy the breakfast. The french toast wasn't very traditional but it had an interesting and pleasant citrus-y scent. The staff is very friendly, the dining room is clean and my coffee was always topped off. I sat by the window, read the paper, enjoyed my breakfast and drank my many cups of coffee for under $10. read more

Waking up the morning after Obamapalooza at Grant Park, I was hungover (we managed to sneak in whiskey), exhilarated, exhausted, and not in the mood to take any public transportation to get some grub. Used Yelp to find "breakfast" in the area, and realized I lived blocks away from the West River Cafe. My friend and I were promptly seated, served, and stuffed. I got biscuits and gravy (though pancakes are in my future) and he got the breakfast burrito. I couldn't finish my full portion, but it was good. Maury was playing on mute on the t.v., everyone was extremely laid back, and a family came in and were greeted as regulars which made me smile. I like a sense of familial relations in a diner. It was a good morning after, and I plan to come back again rather than hiking to the Irving Park G-Nug. read more

Small cozy diner. Staff was exceptionally friendly and very courteous. portions are big but the prices are very reasonable. Food was really good. Had the Montrose breakfast special. Delicious! Will definitely be returning to try some of the other breakfast items and lunch specials. read more

West River Cafe - Diners Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great place if you are hungry for some eggs. It's a diner with a variety of plates and specials. Service is fast and food comes out fast too. I've tried the Huevos rancheros which were just ok. Rice and sauce tasted like it was from a can but eggs and tortilla were good. My son had the chocolate chip pancakes and he really did like those. Place is a little divvy but kid friendly for sure. Plus, while packed, it was fairly easy to find a seat on a late Sunday morning. Prices were a little higher than I would expect but again...if you're in the area, this will do. read more

West River Cafe - Kids chocolate chip pancakes. - Diners Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I really like this place ! I came here lay weekend for the first time after living in Albany Park for years! & the service here is really good & our food came out pretty fast too even though we came on a Saturday morning for breakfast! Food was great & Service was great read more

Wasn't the best. If you wanna go to a hood breakfast diner try alps off irving. Otherwise don't really recommend