We'll didn't feel like cooking again, lol. Had to come back for more. Came in for breakfast, but ended up with Linner. My wife had the $5.00 Cheese Burger. ($5 Burger Day today) and she had to have their Potato Pancakes she seems to crave almost every day. She loved the Cheese Burger and of course the potato pancakes. I tried the Chicken Ranch Quesadillas. They were very tasty, of course I had the have the Saganaki. Both were fantastic. I sent pics to my brother and all I received WS "OMG". Today our waitress was Allison, she is very friendly and a very good waitress! read more

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We loved the Windhill Pancake Parlor. It has been quite awhile since I have visited here but I was definitely not disappointed. The staff was very friendly from the time we got there till the time we left and the waitress kept my coffee full! The menus are really fun as they're iSpy or other fun books with the menu inside. A fun twist. There are plenty of food options to keep you full as well. We weren't disappointed with the selections. Our table got a little bit of everything from the menu and it all looked great and tasted great with no complaints. I didn't see it but I heard the train that'll serve you food on the other side stop a few times. Will definitely be back to see this! read more

Amazing food, great staff, and cute decor. Wish I had found this place years before.

Whimsical décor that goes with the season or holiday. A nice Family restaurant with good service and unmemorable food.

Overpriced breakfast food small portions. Nicely decorated for children Like a theme restaurant Pick four hungry man breakfast is hardly enough food. read more

Decorations are great! Food is better than average Lots of choices. Service is adequate. read more

The first time my husband went to the Windhill, we had breakfast on a Saturday. The breakfast was good and the coffee was excellent! The server told us how they grind their own beans. I must say, that really makes a difference. The second time we went was on a Monday afternoon for an early dinner. My husband enjoyed his cheeseburger. However, when I got my chicken fingers, they smelled like that had been fried in old oil. They tasted tgat way too. I sent them back and had some eggs which were good. The reason my rating is only a 3 is because the Halloween decorations are so over the top, they are disturbing. In addition to the witches, spiders and normal creepy stuff, there are fake bloody knives and clothing hanging from the ceiling. The public hygiene practices also left a lot to be desired. My server on Monday brought my drink with a completely unwrapped straw in it and the menus are not wiped down in between customers. These were the things that I saw. It makes me wonder what could be going on in the kitchen. As an added bonus, the chairs are pretty uncomfortable. read more

Great food, fair prices, quick service, friendly staff. Always well decorated and they always have interesting new things hung up.

This is a GREAT place to take kids. There are so many decorations to look at. The kids menu has things to color and the main menu has search and find pages. If you sit at the counter, a model train delivers your food. The staff is super friendly and the foods pretty good. read more

The food was delicious and fabulous and the service was excellent and the ambience definitely got me in the Christmas spirit

Everything top notch. Greeted on arrival. Well wishes on departure. Italian Beef, Ruben, Philly Cheese-Steak, Chopped Steak. All fresh. All very well prepared. Reasonable prices. Super server. Outstanding interior decor. Second time around. we'll be back. read more

Rude. Daughter was looking at stuff at register while I held baby and woman who came out of no where very rudely says "are you coming up or not" While daughter was "shopping" all their stuff around register. She clearly didn't look to see that I was standing right there holding the baby. Funny because I haven't been back since the time the train derailed and the waitress was so terrified of getting in trouble that she asked if she could blame us. read more

Omg the atmosphere!! Felt like I should salute as I walked in. The BLT salad was ok. Mom had the crepes and really liked them. The river walk is a block away to walk off your meal!! read more

Windhill McHenry - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - McHenry, Illinois

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Omg!!! This place is a notch up "pancake parlor" the decor changes with the holiday. Family owned and don't forget to try the lobster eggs Benedict. read more

I moved here a little over a year ago. The Windhill was the first restaurant I tried and it did not disappoint. It's the perfect local, place to go for great food, great service, and friendly staff. Breakfast is my favorite thing to have there. You will not leave hungry. The best part is the atmosphere. They decorate, and I mean DECORATE for every holiday. My first time it was Halloween season and I thought, wow, that must be their favorite time! and Jenny the owner said, just wait... they go all out for everything. So much to look at. This picture is just what's over the doorway to the kitchen. Love this place. Try it! read more

Windhill McHenry - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - McHenry, Illinois

I was not expecting to have such an amazing experience. First of all, the menus are books, and I ended up with a book about herding dogs (Great Pyrenees). Not only was the menu a little intimidating (it was HUGE!!!) but entertaining, too! Now let's get down to the food. OMG, the food! I started with a camp fire drink (hot chocolate with Baileys) and I ordered the S.A.D. Omelet-spinach and artichoke dip slathered on an egg and topped with tortilla chip strips. For my sides, I upgraded to the hash brown casserole and chocolate chip pancakes. Lord have mercy. I was anything but S.A.D. about my food (See what I did there?) It was amazing and delicious, but I could've done without the strips. My friends ordered the Works. The plate was cleared and he was thrilled. My other friend ordered the Special - Monkey Cakes. She said they were yummy but too sweet (it's important to note this same person ordered a strawberry shake with the meal, so.... duh) I also learned they serve breakfast for dinner, so I will be back! read more

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For starters the place is decked out in decorations. They go all out for the holidays like ceiling to floor, which is something that makes this place stand out. Their menus are stuck onto the pages of books which is super unique and cool. The servers are nice and welcoming. We got to sit at the bar and have the train deliver our food which was awesome. The bar however is a bit crowded, like the seats were too close. This type of seating is understandable it doesn't make the experience bad. Now for the food. I got some cream of chicken and rice soup and the belly buster: two eggs over medium, hashbrowns, bacon and two pancakes. The soup was good and tasted like they added lemon. I personally am not a fan of the added lemony flavor but that does not mean that it was not delicious. The belly buster was delicious my only issue was the pancakes. The pancakes tasted like they had too much baking soda??? They fell apart very quickly and were dry. They taste like Busquick box pancakes, which isn't bad. My partner got the million dollar bacon, toast, jalapeño popper omelette, and hashbrowns. According to him the omelette was pretty okay but missing the wow factor. The hashbrowns were missing some flavor but nothing some tobasco can't fix. The soup was delicious. For him the million dollar bacon was the highlight of his meal. He really enjoyed it, I however am not a fan of sweet bacon. If you love sweet bacon I highly recommend the million dollar bacon. Overall, our experience was pretty good especially because the owners son (is what we heard him say), who was our server, was attentive, polite, and welcoming. 7/10 would recommend this place. It does get packed often and can get loud but it just adds to the dinning experience. :) read more

Excellent food and service and a big menu. We also love the seasonal decorations. This is a really nice restaurant to go to. Highly recommended. read more

Wonderful breakfast place. Good bloody Marys and a quaint atmosphere. Friendly service.

Service was great. Food was just okay. Stopped by for brunch on the Saturday before Easter. The kids wanted a choo choo restaurant but the one we frequent is 40 minutes away. We didn't get to sit at the train counter, but the kids were able to see it from where we were sitting. The place has decor all over. Floor to ceiling, wall to wall- making it very unique. Menus are inside different books- also very unique. Since it was close to Easter, they had an Easter bunny going around greeting and taking pictures with the kids which was a nice touch. And as an added bonus, the Easter bunny was giving each child an egg with candy, so there were lots of happy kids. Food wise- it was okay. Nothing to impressive about anything we ordered. Kids pancakes were thin, and a bit in the mushy side. Chicken fried steak had a nice breading to it, but lacked some flavor. We also had steak and eggs, and the steak was small and also lacked flavor. Our waitress was super nice and checked on us frequently. She also made sure our drinks were always full- which was much appreciated especially by my 6 year old who got another chocolate milk. This was actually the first place we've ever eaten at, to offer a second chocolate milk. She didn't even ask she just brought it when she saw he didn't have anymore and my sons eyes just lit up- usually we just have drink water, so he was pretty happy. Food may be mediocre, but they know how to provide great customer service and sometimes that goes a long way... read more

Our entire family loved this quaint little jewel in the heart of McHenry. From the down home feel to the choo choo train we enjoyed the atmosphere. On top of all that the food was excellent and I'd recommend one of the combo plates where you can choose up to 6 items. Can't wait to go back! read more

Meh.... the hash browns didn't seem fresh. Like frozen from a grocery store maybe.... not crispy. I ordered cheese crepes, they were mushy and store bought. I could taste the freezer on them..... I wish I would have taken a picture. I will never understand why restaurants put stuff on the menu that they didn't make fresh. I seriously had better ones at a buffet. All they gave was 4 small and short crepes with frozen strawberries on top. Also the kids drink cup was joke. So super tiny. read more

Windhill McHenry - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - McHenry, Illinois

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The Windhill Pancake Parlor is some good food but a bit on the pricey side. We had a party of 5 and didn't have anything out of the norm. My wife and I both had bacon and eggs, she had a side of oatmeal and was just drinking water. I was drinking iced tea. My son and daughter in law both had a corned beef hash and eggs skillet and both had a soda. My granddaughter had bacon, eggs, and pancakes with a soda. Our bill came to $84 with tip. Don't get me wrong, the food was good but $84 for eggs and bacon. read more

Love the seasonal decorations. Food is prepared made to order, no problem! Nice local cafe. read more

This place has been on my breakfast bucket list for probably 20 years - no joke. Well my husband and I were back in town visiting and we finally tried it. And guess what? It was amazing and was so worth the wait. The staff was amazing, and the environment (although a bit of a sensory overload) was really fun to observe. We went in October so the whole restaurant was decked out in everything Halloween themed - including little dolls that had wheels and rolled in between the tables scaring the kids! Their menus are inside books too- which is definitely an interesting touch. For the food, we both got skillets and shared a pancake sampler. My husband got a Hot Mess Skillet (country biscuits and gravy) and I got a Mexican Mess (cheesy, hash browns, Mexican style), and we shared an apple, blueberry and chocolate chip pancake with a side of cheesy hash browns. Also, their coffee is the bomb. All the food was superb. This place will be an absolute must when we are back in town. read more

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Everything tasted store bought. The coffee was okay but for 2 visits we were very disappointed with our food. The cheese on my husband's potato pancakes looked like plastic and tasted like plastic. The crepe I had ordered was covered in a orange sauce that was extremely sweet. It had no taste, as if it were sitting in the kitchen for months. Overall most of the food we ordered was not fresh and it was definitely was noticeable. Plus, the meals were too pricey for us. You'd think you'd get what you pay for but not here. You are better off making better food at home. read more

This is a very cute breakfast/lunch restaurant with a creative menu and some good theming! The decoration inside can best be described as cluttered and homey with some nice seasonal touches, menus in assorted books (weird, but cute) and a small train display at the bar in the back. Usually food at a place like this is an afterthought, but it is solid and well thought out here. Lots of creative and indulgent menu items. The standards of pancakes, eggs, etc are very good and we also sampled the lemon cake French toast which was very indulgent but good. Service was good and prompt for this type of restaurant. Worth checking out for a good breakfast option if you find yourself in the area! read more

I have been eating at Windhill for the past couple of years the food is delicious and the service is good. The Friday fish fry is a must! They just added a bunch of new menu items, the Cheeseburger in Paradise Savory Crepes were unique and delicious! read more

Windhill McHenry - Cheeseburger in Paradise Savory Crepes Ground beef, bacon, cheese, lettuce, onion, tomato, pickle, chipotle mayo, and ketchup. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - McHenry, Illinois

Food was good. Had the bang bang Benedict which was good. I love spice and for me could have used more but it was good. Service was attentive and it's a nice small town place. Definitely recommend read more

Delicious food. Different choices on the menu. Nice atmosphere with the historical pictures/trains & such. A nice nostalgic restaurant near the river. Nice place to go. read more

Amazing food and service. So much history packed in one little building. They go all with their holiday decor and menu as well. read more

Windhill McHenry - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - McHenry, Illinois

Fantastic place all around! We got a seat at the counter so we really had primo seats with the kiddos. Got to watch the train a few times and they really make a fun great deal out of it. The food was outstanding. My husband had steak and eggs, I had the biscuits and gravy he and the kiddos shared the ninja turtles plate. Everything came out quickly the service was spectacular and we will be back many times again. read more

It's ok. Expensive. Raspberry crepes are loaded with syrup and just ok. Blintzes are from a box. The ambiance is the only charm. Coffee and a treat then its a nice place to go. Family dinner be ready to shell out $50 or more. It's not bad just average and a little pricy. read more

Windhill is always a favorite breakfast place for us. Great atmosphere. Good quality food. I appreciate the gluten free options.

Food is decent. Service is great. Decorations are great. The train table in the back is perfect for families with children as a novelty to have your food delivered on the train! Staff is always super friendly and prompt even on busy holidays. They're running around and still as friendly and smiley as possible. This is our fourth Christmas Day visit. Happy to find such a fun place to eat and be entertained as a treat on special days. On Tuesdays, I think, they have discounted kids meals and a great balloon artist. Worth the trip! read more

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The food was phenomenal! Our group had lobster omelets with hollandaise sauce, fruit crepes and waffles. Everything tasted great. Our servers were super attentive and did a great job. We would definitely go back. The restaurant was crowded though. I'm glad we were there early and would probably get a reservation for a large group. read more

We love this historic restaurant! Great food any time of the day with holiday themed decor!

I love this restaurant. It has a LOT of variety on the menu. I had apple crepes with raisins and pecans. It was so tasty!! My son had two scrambled eggs that looked like three. Portions are generous. read more

More than ever I seek out restaurants and eateries that have unforced character and charm. Windhill Pancake Parlor fits the bill perfectly. Windhill does a bang-up business, especially on weekend mornings, and I know why: their menu is diverse enough to satisfy even the pickiest of breakfast eaters. On a previous visit, my first, I ordered the Apple Pancake and it was out of this world (and worth the $10 price tag). Last Saturday, I brought a friend, in from Chicago, to Windhill for breakfast, and she was as delighted by my choice as I. I ordered the Portabella Eggs Benedict, which was light and flavorful and surprisingly well-presented. I need sugar with my salt, so two warm and delicious cakes were my side (and if I didn't know any better, I'd say their syrup was real maple syrup, it was that good). With water as my beverage, and after tip, I got out of there for $13. Prices are higher than average on the basic plates, but the cozy and intimate atmosphere more than makes up for that. Parking is plentiful. Service was great during both my visits. Two thumbs-up! read more

Windhill McHenry - In the waiting room. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - McHenry, Illinois

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Yesterday we took my 4 year-old nephew and 92 year-old great aunt to Windhill because we were ravenous, the ol' lady loves the place, and I thought the kiddo would love the train. When we arrived there was a party of 4 (also with a 4 or 5 year old) ahead of us. They were told there was about a 15 minute wait, so I was thinking we'd be told the same; however, we were seated right away. (Perhaps the other party requested to sit at the counter where the train delivers the food?). We had some issues getting the kiddo a booster seat - it took 4 tries of being told we'd get one..then apparently we were forgotten about... we asked again, but still didn't get a booster...rinse + repeat. The lady was very apologetic when she finally brought it. Their menus are printed out on white printer paper and literally cut and pasted into the first few pages of old hardcover books. It's a nice way to repurpose the books AND you have reading material if the chatzkies and decor on the walls around you aren't mesmerizing enough. The kiddie menu has a lot of options for breakfast and lunch - they pick from 3 categories (main dish, side, drink). My nephew got a TMNT pancake with 2 strips of bacon and a milk. Yes, you saw that right: a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle pancake! Definitely blew the ol' Mikey Mouse pancake out of the water! Like other restaurants, he got some crayons and could color on his menu. I ordered the Tuna Salad Melt with seasoned fries ($8.45). Mom got the Garden Mess Skillet with a slice of American cheese in place of that "cheese sauce." Aunt Norma went with the Chichen Salad Melt. I liked that there were a ton of side options for sandwiches - regular fries, seasoned waffle fries, onion blossoms, cottage cheese, salad...the list goes on. The food was good this time around and the kiddo cleared his plate which, to date, has NOT happened in a restaurant. He watched the train a few times, but it didn't seem like a huge deal to him. Service wasn't particularly friendly and the location we were seated in was cluttered with a stack of wooden high chairs in the aisle that, even when an employee pushed them back towards a stool between our table and the next, blocked my nephew and another patron in by their respective seats. Seems that'd be a fire code violation.. It was definitely a better food experience this time around; I thought it was pricey, though, for what it was. (My unmelted Melt was probably the cheapest sandwich option at $8.45.) The train was neat to watch, but unless you're sitting right at the counter, the novelty might be lost on younger ones with shorter attention spans. read more

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