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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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

Very very disappointed in food quality, the menu and reviews look impressive. Ordered corn beef hash, was from canned puree style and tasteless, cheese slices were plastic sheets. Blintzes were 2 inches long and must of been frozen, came pan fried and boiling hot, were tasteless, worst I have ever had. Atmosphere and decora are great, wish they put that into there food. read more

My family and I enjoyed this restaurant. The food was good and the atmosphere was also nice. The service was decent too. I will be going back. read more

This breakfast place was fully decked out in beautiful holiday decorations with a train food delivery section! Menu had a ton of options and came out so quick! Staff are very friendly and welcoming. I would definitely recommend for people of all ages. read more

Windhill McHenry - French vanilla Cappuccino - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - McHenry, Illinois

First time eating here, even though I have lived in the area for 19 years! The restaurant is quaint, lots of unique decorations on the walls, and a variety of unique "goodies" for sale by the register. The menu has a wide selection of food and is reasonably priced. My daughter and I ordered breakfast food: Belgium waffle for her, and eggs, French toast, hash browns with onions for me. The food was very good and portions were large! Service was below average, as our waitress kept telling us how much longer it would be until she got off work. Other than that, it was a good experience, and I would definitely return! read more

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To start the decor was amazing!! From the gigantic aloe plants in the window (which are awesome) to the cup and spoon light fixtures. So cute!! The food was really good. I had an omelette and hash brown and toast, my friend had a burrito with a petite waffle. Both were really good. The petite waffle was the cutest thing ever. I had to take food home and I'm good with that. Our waitress was amazing, everyone was very friendly. read more

Looked for a new breakfast spot in lake county and what a treat! This place beat my expectations and will be back as it made me feel like a kid again! Christmas Decor exploded all over the walls, and I love Christmas! Instantly brought me back to my childhood and watching Christmas movies and all the holiday decor of my moms house. All the menus are taped inside old children's or historical books and the menu options is better than most. I had the steak and eggs, my wife pancakes and biscuits and gravy. I'd say the prices and the taste throw in the decor, definitely a top choice for breakfast spots in lake county. Pancakes better than Walker Brothers? No, but I'd say better compared to Whistle Stop, Wauconda Cafe, Island Lake Cafe! Have children stop in and sit by the train as it drops off your drinks and food my Train car! Again memorable spot that your kids will love and will bring back childhood memories! Love this place! read more

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Ambiance is cozy and reminiscent of the good ole days. Good food but do wish portions were a bit more generous. Take the kids here for Halloween or Christmas seasons. They're decorating is top notch and kids will get a kick sitting at counter waiting for miniature train to deliver their food! read more

Cute but....when I go to eat at a mom and pop "parlor" I expect home cooking. I ordered cheese blintzes and they are the exact same ones that I have bought refrigerated at the grocery store/Costco (the "Kasia" brand) Says on their website they use only "fresh high quality ingredients". I personally don't put store bought in this category. They also came with frozen strawberries which when I asked the waitress she did explain they were in fact frozen. Disappointed to say the least. But I do believe in second chances. read more

Adorable old timey breakfast parlor- they rotate the decorations with the season and it's so cute and cozy. Lots of choices on the menu- something for everyone read more

I've been here A LOT. Every single time the food is perfect, but the part I like the best is how awesome all of the employees are. No matter how busy they are, they make time to have a laugh with our table. The seasonal decorations are so fun, too. read more

Worst service ever. We called to do a breakfast carry out and the man that answered the phone said hold on one minute and then left the phone sitting on the counter for over 15 minutes. We called back and got a very nice woman who said our meal would be five minutes and she placed our order. However, when going in to pick up our meal the inside of the actual location is a complete eyesore. Not really sure what they were trying to do with the decor or the theme as there doesn't seem to be much of either. And what there is, is way too much. We were then also asked to wait in line which we feel was completely inappropriate considering we had a carry out meal that was getting cold. Definitely would not recommend again. Food was sub par, cold and bacon was raw. read more

My only time I've eaten here was fantastic. Im heavy in the hospitality industry working with restaurants in person training and installation of restaurant Point of sale and loyalty.. My point is I give my clients the best of everything without increasing cost.. Recently I was told that you charge your customer for using a credit card? Totally get off setting your cost but not in a restaurant. In a small town like McHenry I can go anywhere and get a meal without paying more. Like all overhead should be a fixed cost in your pricing. Food is good..its been a while I'll hope this is not true.. It hurts restaurants. read more

Wonderful ambiance (especially around Christmas!) and good food that is comforting and inviting. The menus are glued onto the front pages of coffee books and the servers were kind and helpful. Overall a good experience and am looking forward to going back! read more

This place blows! So Overrated! Owners are total A-holes and the food isn't all that good either. I'd love to see this place go under. Brunch Cafe has better everything! Food is great and the customer service is fantastic there! Go there if want a delicious breakfast with a very caring snd friendly staff. read more

Service was average - our server was crying at one point. Food was awful. No flavor and WAY over priced. We just had soup which tasted like water and a few sandwiches. I honestly think they need a new chef or someone who cooks with salt. The restaurant is decorated adorable but we had the rotating Christmas tree by us and it was making a terrible noise so it was distracting. The owner has a big heart and is super friendly. read more

A bit overpriced. A family of four with two kids meals is going to cost you close to $60-$70 with tip. Now the reason I'm giving it low stars is the last time I was in there we got our water and sat there and waited and waited and the waitress was taking other people's orders who came in after us, so we just got up and left. Most people go there for the decorations, which are nice. read more

We LOVE this place! The decorations and ambiance are 2nd to none. So fun to visit for each holiday season or on any occasion. It's like a country/antique/memorabilia feel. And the food... it's always SO good! I honestly don't know how a simple turkey club is always so good, but it really is. We've tried many other dishes too and all have been excellent. And how about the saganaki! How can a pancake place have one of the best saganaki's we've ever had? I'm not sure but it really is. With the pita and lemon wedges, oh so good. We've actually driven up from Niles just to enjoy the food and atmosphere. And if you've got kids, the train is a must see. read more

Best pancakes in town and a train to delivery your meal at the bar. Lots if fun for the kids.

This was just what we were looking for! We wanted to support a small business so we drove by about 25 chain restaurants till we saw this place. Charming atmosphere and delicious food. Highly recommend! read more

A must to go to if you love breakfast. Pancakes are out of this world and the syrup is amazing. Great choice as well as challenges and interior leaves you with something to always discover. A true treat to dine at read more

The food is amazing, but the service is terrible. We had 7 people, 2 kids and one infant. When we were seated, they sat us at the "train" table and we proceeded to order drinks. 10 minutes later they came over and said we cant sit at the "train" table and had to be moved. YOU SAT US HERE NOT US, now you interrupt a families breakfast and love us with kids and a baby? Talk about heartless. Own up to your mistakes when you make them. The whole time the owner was giving a fake smile. Pro tip: let the owner sleep in and have the rest of the staff run the morning service. We didnt care about where we sat, we did care about being moved. Most definitely the last time we will be here after visiting regularly for 15 years. read more

OMG, the Halloween decorations were out of this world. Everywhere you looked was decorated beautifully, or should I say horribly, lol! Ok, let's talk about the food. The food was delicious! Highly recommend stopping by for a good breakfast and scary sight. read more

Just left and fell on the sidewalk outside as it wasn't shoveled well. Thankfully I'm not as "mature" as some of the patrons. Business need to keep their sidewalks clear. Other than that I enjoy this place. Food is great and a huge menu. My husband loves their swedish pancakes. read more

The fact that this isn't the highest rated breakfast place in mchenry is a Black eye on yelp reviewer. This is the best option, little chef is second. That is all read more

My wife and I recently had breakfast at this spot. Really good food and service plus there is a lot to take in visually while you wait for your food. We enjoyed our visit and look forward to the next one. read more

Love this place. Food was great. Tried my wife's Caramelized French Toast. You gotta try these things. I don't even like French Toast but I had several bites. Decadent but not too sweet. But even if the food was horrible, the ambiance, decor and service was enough to warrant 5 stars for this establishment. Definitely returning. read more

Pancakes = Windhill. Simple as that. Get here early, or wait in line. They "over" decorate for holidays, and the menus are in old books, so cute! And the background music is exactly that, we can have a conversation without yelling!! Love it. More places should pay attention ! read more

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

I'm not sure why anyone would give this place more than one star other than the train on the inside is pretty cool for kids. Terrible food though. I went there about 6 months ago and refuse to go back again. The cheese on my eggs wasn't even close to being melted and the hash browns were burnt to a crisp. When I let the server know, she took the meal away and about a half hour later I got my fixed food. My friend finished her meal before I was even starting so that just made our breakfast uncomfortable. Usually people like to eat together. When it came to the bill, they didn't even apologize or care about the inconvenience. I let the person in charge know I was disappointed in the lack of customer service but they just said that's how they operate and that's how they cook their food...and charged it full price. (The second round was ok, the cheese at least melted and the hash browns weren't burnt so I'm not sure why the manager defended the situation as that's how it's done there...but the staff was just rude) My friend and I gambled a bit while they determined whether or not they were going to knock off a few bucks for the inconvenience...but nope, I got charged full and not even an apology. I'm not upset over it, I will just never go back. Every other cafe in the area has better customer service. My friend said she was a regular there until that experience. They lost two local customers and anyone that asks my opinion of the place won't be a positive response. Tom, I appreciate you taking the time to respond as the owner. However, please read my post again. I think you skipped over most of the post on why I was actually upset. So let me repeat the key points...the part where I said "about a half hour later I got my fixed food" and "my friend finished her meal before I even started." -I'm not sure how you would consider your response appropriate; you said your staff fixed the issue in a timely manner? That response confirms I'll never go back if you don't take your business very serious. Most restaurants bump the messed up food to the front of the line so the person doesn't fume that long and the issue gets resolved ASAP. (Keep in mind, the initial mistake was made by your cooks on the preparation, then your waitress for serving it, then management for taking forever to fix it.) Then you offer an apology when you clearly didn't read the entirety of this review. These reviews are here to inform consumers on experiences and allow business owners to receive good and bad feedback; it appears as though you are taking the reviews as a way to deceivingly apologize and ask for the customer to come back when you never even acknowledged the initial complaint. Disappointing but thanks for the effort. read more

We came in early on a Friday morning so it was nice and quiet and there were lots of open tables. The decor alone is worth popping in for. I don't know how they managed to fit so much stuff inside such a small space but it is definitely kitschy. There was an entire wall of fancy cups and saucers. There's a train in the back that brings your food if you sit there. I would love to come back during the holidays and see what they do with the place. Service was good. Food was quick and everything came out great. Our coffees were full the whole time. The omelettes are huge. I got the Monte Carlo crepes and my boyfriend got the Lemon French Toast. Both were delicious. Prices are a little higher than your average breakfast place, but not ridiculous. It was $33 for the two of us. I would definitely recommend coming early or on a weekday because I can see how this place would get crazy when it was full. read more

Excellent Breakfast and service!! Very cool theme menus and atmosphere. Highly recommend for families. read more

I host a business mixer here once a quarter and we are always greeted kindly and have a wonderful experience. The food is amazing. I have also brought my grandson for breakfast with the train! He loves it! read more

Honestly I was really looking forward to this place and my friend and I was excited to try the place out. Our server who wasn't welcoming never said her name was the most disappointing part of the experience. I know no one wants to work but she looked unwelcoming and not approachable. She never asked how our meal was or if wanted refills , then dropped off the check while we were in the middle of eating and never asked if we wanted boxes. When paying the lady at the front desk whom seemed liked management didn't have any customer service either. Overall the food was alright but the service just kinda ruined our experience to something we were looking forward too. read more

I've been excited to try Windhill for a while now but what an absolute disappointment. The ambiance is 10/10. It's so cute and so fun for the kids. The food was a totally different story though. Worst pancakes we've ever had and they didn't even bring out regular butter as an option, just a 48% vegetable oil spread. Wtf?! I ordered the Western Mess and the description said it was topped with cheddar cheese but instead had some sort of gelatinous goo on top. It literally jiggled. Coffee was decent. The best part of the meal and really the only palatable part was their homemade toast. read more

We made a reservation at Windhill for my cousins 21st birthday. We went to order our drinks and we were informed that this business does not accept vertical IDs, so if you're planning to stop by for a mimosa and you don't have a horizontal ID, you can forget about it. I understand that businesses have policies in place for protection and that is not the reason I'm leaving this review for this establishment. It was the attitude of the wait staff. Our waitress was extremely rude about the entire situation and the entire interaction left us extremely uncomfortable. We decided to take our business elsewhere. read more

Had a wonderful time with my grandson. Perfect blueberry pancakes. Loved the train delivery.

Beautiful during winter time. They have cute little menus and delicious hot chocolate. I suggest going in during the winter and looking at all their decorations. Me and my boyfriend come here for their pancakes and hot chocolate for a birthday or special event. Cute and quiet place. read more

Stopped in on short notice for brunch and mimosas- let me tell you this place does not disappoint!! My son loves every inch of it, and the owner was sweet as can be! We WILL be coming back again :) read more

I am not from McHenry, nor would I ever claim to be, but my boyfriend is. This is his favorite breakfast place and it has quickly become a favorite of mine as well. It is usually crowded but if you know the correct times to go, you won't have to wait very long. In fact, now that I think about it, I don't think I've ever had to wait, which is always a big plus. I consistently always get the same thing-I am a creature of habit, but I also just enjoy savory breakfasts. Enter their skillets or "mess" as they like to call them. I get the veggie one every time, with egg whites, and they are always accommodating of this fact and it is ALWAYS exactly how I want it. I also get a side of bacon, because as a carnivore, it is hard for me to not get breakfast meat. They have all of these different crazy sweet things that I would like to get but can't, because sweet breakfast is tough for me to digest. However, one time the boyfriend I did split a cinnamon roll and it was quite delicious and exactly what I wanted. The atmosphere here is great, really cozy and comforting, as though you were eating breakfast in your grandma's house and she has a ton of crazy things around. They have also recently installed a bar area with a train that goes around and brings food for their patrons-perfect for kids! Will I continue to keep coming back here? Yes-as long as the boyfriend's family still lives in McHenry. read more