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    Willy and Grace Diner

    4.6 (36 reviews)
    Closed 7:00 am - 2:00 pm

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    Corned beef with American potatoes and eggs
    Johannes P.

    Let me start off by saying the friendliest of the staff is second to none. The food came out hot and fast and was absolutely amazing. The original dinner design was a step back into history and brought a little nostalgia for a time when things seemed a little more peaceful. Thank you for the opportunity to experience the love and friendship. Keep doing what you are doing it is beautiful

    Great food and service. Charming ambiance of a 50s diner. Had a great breakfast of eggs, sausage and American potatoes served by a friendly charming waitress. The value was great. Lots of great food for a fair price. There is parking available across the street at the lot of Walnut Speakeasy. Well worth the visit and we plan on returning.

    'Good enough'
    J P P.

    Mom & Pop joint with a warehouse appeal... Lacking decor but plenty of gray paint, the place could use a splash of excitement! A colorful mural of Spaghetti & Meatballs shining on the wall just might do this place wonders! A basic breakfast blends right in. A few Sunny-Side eggs and a mound of American Potatoes gets it done. Perk it up with some grilled onion and chopped Jalapeno and put some 'zing' on your plate. 'Good enough'...

    Chicken soup
    Felicia K.

    Eggs were on point. Again I'm very picky with my eggs. No brown spots and cooked perfectly. Country fried steak was delicious the gravy on top was very flavorful. My wife had the steak and eggs she enjoyed it her only comment was just a touch more seasoning. Service was fast and helpful. You can tell they have a lot of regulars as the server knew just about everyone who walked in the door. Two older men who seem to come here a lot were too darn cute and seemed like family to the staff. The inside has a truck stop feel to it but definitely older diner feel and that's right up our alley. We will be back and give them a second try. Oh yes the chicken soup was perfect. I'm a soup freak!!

    Huevos Rancheros
    Melissa M.

    Stopped in here again today to try something new! Huevos Rancheros! Woot! Another perfect meal. The place was packed, but I got a little table in the back of the restaurant and had amazing service again. I'm off tomorrow so I am planning another meal! I'm going to try and remember to take pics! Great place, casual dining, family oriented

    Butter bowl!
    Peter T.

    Breakfast perfection. This location was formerly Lark and Owl, and before that, Kendalls Kountry Kitchen. I last visited when it was the latter, in 2014. The good news? The chef thru all those years is now the owner and has plastered his own name on the front. Bravo. Congrats. Best wishes for years of success. A lengthy menu offers breakfast and lunch choices, plus daily specials. Open 7A-2P. I went with the country fried steak and eggs, which, as is the Chicago custom, came with three eggs, gravy, potatoes (choice of American fries or hash browns) and your choice of pancakes or toast (white, wheat, rye, Greek). As is also the Chicago custom, a heaping bowl of butter graced the table along with other condiments. Eggs were done as ordered, steak was flavorful and a large ladle of sausage gravy adorned it. I like Greek toast (similar to "Texas") for it's bulk. Coffee is great and service was superb. I try and support local businesses like Willy's. You should too.

    Busy Sunday
    Mark D.

    First time back for us under the new name. I had been coming often enough when it was Lark and Owl and the restaurant was always good. Under the new name we got in on a Sunday morning. It's a small restaurant and this time it was full, very nice to see. Plenty of wait staff so the service was excellent. Willy and Grace has a very full breakfast menu and the food did not disappoint. Omelettes, biscuits & gravy and the eggs Benedict were all very good. Five stars

    Avocado Toast with poached eggs, spinach and feta cheese.

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    1 month ago

    Food is delicious every time! Fast friendly service and reasonable prices. Would highly recommend.

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    1 month ago

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    10 months ago

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    3 months ago

    It's great service and the food is so delicious and tasty no matter how busy they are the customer service is great !!!

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    4 months ago

    The food, the service, absolutely everything is amazing, such a warm cozy spot, we love it here! Our go to weekend breakfast spot

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    Wilfredo G.

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    1 year ago

    Friendly / Delicious / Old School Diner. What more can you ask for. The menu is huge and the portions are even larger.

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    3 years ago

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    Wilfredo G.

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    2 years ago

    Nice little diner warm and friendly. Food is very comforting with good selections. Service staff is great and friendly!!

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    3 years ago

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    Wilfredo G.

    Thank you for your very kind review Kim! We appreciate you!

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Best in town. Homemade food, everything fresh. Love the girl, very respectful and friendly

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Amazing breakfast! Very friendly service and welcoming atmosphere! Highly recommend Willy and Grace's for breakfast.

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    3 years ago

    Great atmosphere the staff was very attentive and professional, the pancakes were delicious , highly recommend.

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    Wilfredo G.

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    Ask the Community - Willy and Grace Diner

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    Al's Cafe & Creamery

    Al's Cafe & Creamery

    4.5
    (323 reviews)
    0.5 mi
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    We found this gem in downtown Elgin. It's a super quaint nostalgic diner serving up all of your…read morefavorite diner meals for lunch and diner, but they are also serving house made ice cream and malts. What we had: **Tuna Deluxe with fries ** Cheeseburger with fries ** Chocolate malt~ AMAZING The server was so friendly, and explain some history and about the upstairs dining area an invited us to check it out after our meal. During the warmer months they also have outside seating available. This is a must try for just the malts themselves!!

    Better late than never! This review is coming exactly a year after my visit, but the meal was…read morememorable enough that I still remember everything. They started us off with some grilled bread and butter that was perfectly toasty and warm, which I paired with a creamy soup for a great start to the meal. I also finally tried schnitzel for the first time! Along with spatzle, which I enjoyed it so much even though I didn't know what to expect! The dessert was easily the best part, though. We shared a butter pecan malt shake with chocolate fudge and it was amazing . They still use those old-school milkshake machines and bring you the extra in the metal cup, which is such a great nostalgic touch. The atmosphere inside is lovely too, especially all the framed photos of historical buildings that used to be in downtown Elgin! The staff were so friendly too. The waiter was such a sweetheart and made the experience even more enjoyable.

    Photos
    Upstairs dining room area
    Upstairs dining room area
    Al's Cafe & Creamery
    Inside with wine display

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    Inside with wine display
    Paul's Family Restaurant

    Paul's Family Restaurant

    3.6
    (169 reviews)
    1.7 mi
    $$

    When we pulled in the parking lot, it looked like every single spot was taken. We were thinking…read morethat it was gonna be a long wait. Thankfully, we got in and they only made us wait. About three minutes. Our waitlist was a sweet old lady, but when I asked her for prices on soup and bread basket, she was sassy in her reply. Wish the prices on the menu for these items. Just in case you're wondering it was $5.75 for the bowl of soup and the bread basket is included. The soup I ordered was cream of chicken and rice. It was delicious. It was really hot so I had to wait for a while before I could eat it which is fine rather have it too hot and too cold. The bread basket was good, but the bread was kind of chewy. It was hard to eat, but that's OK because we need to dip it in the soup. It's softened up nicely. There are crackers and butter with the bread basket so I was able to add some crackers to my soup as well. I'm so glad we came here for lunch. It was delicious and filling and will be back again. They also have a beautiful dessert selection and the restaurant was decorated for Valentine's Day, which was yesterday. If you're ever in the area looking for a restaurant don't even hesitate to come here. It's perfect. My husband ordered the one egg breakfast with bacon and toast. He said it was great and he would order it again.

    The service was terrific Our server had a great sense of humor. However for me, they were out of…read morepractically every choice I had wanted. So I went with something basic and it came out almost raw. The owner did her best to make things right which I very much appreciated. My daughter did enjoy her food and my wife absolutely enjoyed her soup. This just wasn't the best first impression of the food for me. The restaurant was very busy which is always a sign of good business. So yes I would recommend this place as I believe my experience was not of the norm.

    Photos
    I love the bird houses by our booth
    I love the bird houses by our booth
    Delicious mini waffles! Love Paul's waffles. The best in the area.
    Delicious mini waffles! Love Paul's waffles. The best in the area.
    Exterior

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    Exterior

    Willy and Grace Diner - diners - Updated June 2026

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