Brunch Spots in Chicago: The origins of this beautiful middle between breakfast and lunch are debatable, but Chicago’s love for brunch is undeniable. From classics like pancake and French toast to Southern staple like shrimp and grits to inventive fusions like royal breakfast pies, the greatest Chicago eateries have brunch dishes to satisfy any craving—or hangover.
And, whether you’re cozying up indoors with close friends on a cold winter day, celebrating a Sunday Funday with a bottomless brunch, or fuelling up before touring the city, there’s a spot for you. So continue reading to learn about our favorite brunch spots in Chicago.
Top 25 Brunch Spots in Chicago
Based on our experiences in Chicago, our audience’s most popular selections, and a meticulous assessment of settings and costs, we’ve sifted through the noise to compile the Brunch Spots in Chicago list.
1. Lula Cafe
Location: **2537 N Kedzie Blvd, Chicago, IL 60647
Contact: **773) 489-9554
Website: **https://www.lulacafe.com/
Instagram: **https://www.instagram.com/lulacafe/
Lula Cafe sparked the city’s farm-to-table movement and helped transform Logan Square into a culinary attraction when it opened in 1999.
A more relaxed approach to sample chef Jason Hammel’s cooking is through the brunch menu, which features dishes like a butternut squash french omelet and rotating breakfast sandwiches that highlight seasonal fruit.
Get a Bloody Mary or mimosa to go with it, or get an Irish coffee (made with whiskey and coffee liqueur) to combine your alcohol with caffeine. And if the weather is warm, try to score a spot on the patio.
2. Tzuco
Location: **720 N State St, Chicago, IL 60654
Contact: **(312) 374-8995
Website: **https://www.tzuco.com/
Facebook: **https://www.facebook.com/tzucochicago/
Instagram: **https://www.instagram.com/tzucochicago/?hl=en
You may feel secure in the knowledge that brunch at one of Chicago’s top restaurants is a safe bet. French toast flavored with oranges and served with pink peppercorn ice cream and berries, and Belgian waffles accompanied by duck leg carnitas, sweet potato puree, and poached egg are just a couple of the delectable dishes that chef-owner Carlos Gaytán serves.
Have a pitcher of brandy, hibiscus, and mint-infused sangria with your friends, or go for something spicier with a Cuban michelada. Blueberry pie or horchata tres leches are great ways to end your dinner.
3. m. henry
Location: **5707 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60660
Contact: **(773) 561-1600
Website: **https://www.mhenry.net/
Facebook: **https://www.facebook.com/p/Mhenry-100063258006278/
Instagram: **https://www.instagram.com/mhenrycafe/?hl=en
The food at this lovely, sunny, day-only café is so delicious it’s almost addictive. Although the owners are dedicated to organic food and provide vegetarian options, they don’t mind the occasional bit of cheese, butter, or sugar. An example would be a hearty breakfast sandwich made with a fried egg, Gorgonzola, applewood-smoked bacon, and fresh thyme, as well as thick, rich blackberry pancakes.
Should that be too delicious and luscious for your health-conscious palate, there’s always the Vegan Epiphany, a tofu scramble that might live up to its name.
4. The Publican
Location: **837 W Fulton Market, Chicago, IL 60607
Contact:**(312) 733-9555
Website: **http://www.thepublicanrestaurant.com/
Facebook: **https://www.facebook.com/ThePublicanRestaurant/
Instagram: **https://www.instagram.com/publicanchicago/?hl=en
There’s no need to set an alarm on weekends, and there’s no cause to check calories during brunch. This West Loop tradition serves enticing meals such as shrimp and grits, piri piri chicken schnitzel, and waffles with honey butter, jam, and maple syrup.
When you order the braised bacon for the table to share, you’ll instantly become a hero.
5. S.K.Y.
Location: **1239 W 18th St, Chicago, IL 60608
Contact: **(312) 846-1077
Website: **https://www.skyrestaurantchicago.com/
Facebook: **https://www.facebook.com/chicagosky/
Instagram: **https://www.instagram.com/s.k.y.restaurant/?hl=en
The Pilsen restaurant by Stephen Gillanders offers a classy yet approachable eating experience that is full of delightful surprises.
Gillanders makes mouthwatering mashups like bacon and egg bibimbap, short rib hash, and Maine lobster dumplings by experimenting with Asian-inspired tastes. A must-try appetizer is the cornbread madeleines, but don’t skip the breakfast pastries either.
6. Kasama
Location: **1001 N Winchester Ave, Chicago, IL 60622
Contact: **(773) 697-3790
Website: **https://www.kasamachicago.com/menus
Instagram: **https://www.instagram.com/kasamachicago/
If you’re going to Kasama, you’ll probably have to wait for a table because there are frequent queues out the door and down the block.
If you persevere, though, you’ll be rewarded with delectable Filipino-inspired delicacies like pig belly adobo, an beef-longganisa sausage combo sandwich, and a great breakfast sandwich.
Make room for Genie Kwon’s amazing pastries, which include truffle croissants and Basque cakes with ube and huckleberry. Pro tip: If you order in advance for pickup, you can avoid the line.
7. The Duck Inn
Location: **https://www.facebook.com/DuckInnChicago/
Contact: **(312) 724-8811
Website: **https://theduckinnchicago.com/
Facebook: **https://www.facebook.com/DuckInnChicago/
Instagram: **https://www.instagram.com/duckinnchicago/?hl=en
Go to Bridgeport on Sunday mornings, and you’ll find The Duck Inn waiting with rotisserie duck hash, buttermilk biscuits, orange creamiscle French toast, and an almost limitless supply of Bloody Mary mix. Are you placing a table order?
A must-try for snacking are the fried cheese curds and sticky buns with Bloody Mary sauce. Secret: You can always order Decent Beef and Duck Inn Dogs to get your favorite handhelds.
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8. Maple & Ash
Location: **8 W Maple St, Chicago, IL 60610
Contact: **(312) 944-8888
Website: **https://www.mapleandash.com/
Facebook: **https://www.facebook.com/mapleandash/
Instagram: **https://www.instagram.com/mapleandash/?hl=en
Get your buddies together and travel to this Gold Coast steakhouse for an extravagant brunch experience if you’re seeking for the perfect Sunday Funday.
With selections like lobster avocado toast, king crab benedict, and Boursin cheese omelet, you’ll feel like a boss. Each table also gets limitless sides.
To cap it off and continue the celebration throughout the afternoon, pour yourself a drink of bubbly from the Champagne cart.
9. Etta
Location: **1840 W North Ave, Chicago, IL 60622
Contact: **(312) 847-4614
Website: **https://www.ettarestaurant.com/
Instagram: **https://www.instagram.com/ettarestaurant/
Who are we to say you can’t have pizza for breakfast? This bustling eatery complements its wood-fired pies with brunch favorites like avocado toast and huevos rancheros.
Add a basket of bread and pastries to the table, or get boozy with a bottle of bubbly and complementing juices.
10. Peach’s Restaurant
Location: **4652 S King Dr, Chicago, IL 60653
Contact: **(773) 966-5801
Website: **https://peachson47th.com/
Facebook: **https://www.facebook.com/Peachson47th/
Instagram: **https://www.instagram.com/peachson47th/?hl=en
Whether you dine in or take it to go, Peach’s menu is a study in southern luxury. The garlicky shrimp and grits are a Day One favorite, and the peach-bourbon French toast provides a sweet fix.
Regulars will inform you that the salmon croquettes are an absolute must-have, so include those in your order as well.
11. Lou Mitchell’s Restaurant
Location: **565 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60661
Contact: **(312) 939-3111
Website: **http://www.loumitchells.com/
Instagram: **https://www.instagram.com/loumitchells565/?hl=en
Would you like to spend a Sunday morning at this vintage Chicago diner? You should check the weather. Long into the afternoon, the queue extends beyond the entrance and onto Lou Mitchell Way.
While they wait, patrons are served freshly made, sugar-dusted doughnut holes (and, if you’re a woman, Milk Duds). But, the real feast begins when you take a seat.
Perfectly browned stacks of “meltaway” pancakes, omelets served hot in skillets (savor the rich, sweet apple-and-cheese type), and enormous, juicy, oozy patty melts are all tempting. But there will be room, just like with the other delicious foods.
12. Batter & Berries
Location: **2748 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60614
Contact: **(773) 248-7710
Website: **https://www.batterandberries.com/
Facebook: **https://www.facebook.com/BatterandBerries/
Instagram: **https://www.instagram.com/batterandberries/?hl=en
No matter the time of day, we are hungry for brunch just by hearing the name of this establishment. Given that Batter & Berries sells breakfast sandwiches, pancakes, waffles, and omelets, this sentiment is not baseless.
The four different types of French toast—blueberry, strawberry, caramel, and lemon—are the highlight of this menu.
Frequent customers understand that ordering via the French Toast Flight is the best option because it allows you to sample each.
13. Wake ’n Bacon
Location: **420 W Belmont Ave, Chicago, IL 60657
Contact: **(773) 880-5100
Website: **https://eatwakenbacon.com/
Facebook: **https://www.facebook.com/eatwakenbacon/
Instagram: **https://www.instagram.com/eatwakenbacon/?hl=en
Do you want some CBD in your coffee? The molecule derived from cannabis may be added to almost anything on the menu at Wake ‘n Bacon, a brunch establishment in Lakeview.
Couple Gabriel and Sarah Ayala highlight cuisines from Taiwan, Argentina, El Salvador, the Philippines, and other countries by drawing inspiration from their own backgrounds when creating the menu.
The sunny-side-up eggs, cheddar, bacon, and spiced maple syrup are served atop the purple-hued ube pancakes. Are you in the mood for something sweet? Garnished with granola and sautéed berries, the Berry Bliss Crepes are filled with vanilla-lemon cream cheese.
14. Uncle Mike’s Place
Location: **1700 W Grand Ave, Chicago, IL 60622
Contact: **(312) 226-5318
Website: **https://www.unclemikesplace.com/
Facebook: **https://www.facebook.com/unclemikesplace/
Instagram: **https://www.instagram.com/titomikesplace/
Though Uncle Mike’s Place is renowned as one of the greatest Filipino breakfast restaurants in the city, classics such as Filipino sausage, longganisa, and bangus (the Philippines’ unofficial national fish) were not added to the menu until about 2008.
When the economic downturn forced them to adapt, proprietors Michael Grajewski (Uncle Mike) and Lucie Grajewski drew on Lucie’s Filipino roots. Among old-school leather seats and scorching griddles, you’ll find both American and Filipino cuisine, such as tocino with eggs and spam and egg sandwiches.
15. Longman & Eagle
Location: **2657 N Kedzie Ave, Chicago, IL, United States, Illinois
Contact: **+1 773-276-7110
Website: **https://www.longmanandeagle.com/
Facebook: **https://www.facebook.com/longmanandeagle/
Instagram: **https://www.instagram.com/longmanandeagle/?hl=en
Longman & Eagle is the Holy Grail of Chicago brunch option if you prefer savory over sweet and whiskey over bubbly. The all-day menu includes a few breakfast foods, such as corned duck hash.
Purists will enjoy the PBR breakfast, which includes eggs, bacon, potatoes, and a cold bottle of Pabst Blue Ribbon. That’s one way to begin the day!
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16. Roux
Location: **1055 E 55th St, Chicago, IL 60615
Contact: **(773) 770-4785
Website: **https://rouxdiner.com/
Facebook: **https://www.facebook.com/rouxdiner/
Instagram: **https://www.instagram.com/rouxdiner/?hl=en
This breezy restaurant near the University of Chicago serves a variety of Southern dishes prepared by Lillie’s Q chef Charlie McKenna.
Come in the morning, day, or night for comforting classics and all-day breakfast favorites such as biscuits and gravy, shrimp and grits, fried catfish, and chicken fried steak.
Make sure to order the beignets, which rival some of the best in the city. It’s counter-service, so people in a hurry don’t have to worry about arriving late.
17. Pleasant House Pub
Location: **2119 S Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60608
Contact: **(773) 523-7437
Website: **https://pleasanthousepub.com/
Facebook: **https://www.facebook.com/pleasanthousepub/
Instagram: **https://www.facebook.com/pleasanthousepub/
This charming bar in Pilsen offers a delicious royal breakfast pie on the weekends, stuffed with melt-in-your-mouth sausage, egg, and cheese. It goes well with a pilsner beer back and a gin Bloody Mary.
Get some curry fries or a Scotch egg to complete your lunch. The latter is a fried egg that is wrapped in pork sausage and coated in breadcrumbs.
Get the royal English breakfast if you’re really hungry; it has a lot of food, including fried eggs, bangers and rashers, black pudding, baked beans, grilled tomatoes, roasted mushrooms, sourdough toast, butter, and jam.
18. Pochos
Location: **1727 W 18th St, Chicago, IL 60608
Contact: **(312) 989-3937
Website: **https://www.pochoschicago.com/
Facebook: **https://www.facebook.com/pochos35th/
Instagram: **https://www.instagram.com/pochos_chicago/?hl=en
Both locals and visitors looking for fresh Mexican-American cuisine are welcome at this casual Pilsen brunch restaurant. The most well-liked dish at Pochos is chilaquiles, which are sold in hundreds every day, but you can’t go wrong with any of the other options.
Try the chorizo benedict served on a buttermilk biscuit or the French toast with habanero maple syrup and honey butter chicken for an intriguing take on traditional brunch fare.
19. LH Rooftop
Location: **85 E Wacker Dr 22nd Floor, Chicago, IL 60601
Contact: **(312) 357-1200
Website: **https://londonhousechicago.com/rooftop/
Facebook: **https://www.facebook.com/lhrooftop/
Instagram: **https://www.instagram.com/lhchicago/
There are few things better than the rooftop skyline views at LondonHouse Chicago for brunch with a view. Enjoy a banana split parfait, which consists of fresh banana, Greek yogurt, honey, berries, and edible flowers, then perk up with an espresso martini.
Choose the chicken and waffles with sides of spicy sauce, maple syrup, and truffled jalapeño honey butter for a more substantial meal.
20. Pilsen Yards
Location: **1163 W 18th St, Chicago, IL 60608
Contact: **(312) 243-2410
Website: **https://www.pilsenyards.com/
Facebook: **https://www.facebook.com/PilsenYards/
Instagram: **https://www.instagram.com/pilsenyards/?hl=en
Taking its name from a former lumberyard in the neighborhood, Pilsen Yards is a laid-back, musically-driven idea that serves a wide selection of beers and beverages along with tacos and other Mexican fare.
Try the savory chilaquiles with tomatillo salsa or the sweet concha toast for brunch. For optimal coziness, try to secure a position on the covered outdoor patio, which is adorned with heated cement floors and ceiling heaters.
21. Farm Bar
Location: **1300 W Wellington Ave, Chicago, IL 60657
Contact: **(773) 281-2599
Website: **https://www.farm-bar.com/
Facebook: **https://www.facebook.com/FarmBars/
Instagram: **https://www.instagram.com/farmbar_chi/
The brunch menu at Farm Bar, like everything else here, is made using fresh, regional ingredients, such as fruit and honey from owner TJ Callahan’s Brown Dog Farm in Wisconsin.
Favorites include the Wisconsin pimento sandwich, which consists of sausage, egg, chili-infused honey, and pimento cheese. Other favorites are chilaquiles and shakshouka scramble. Try a drink of cider or a chai cold brew martini to get your spirits up.
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22. Chicago’s Home of Chicken and Waffles
Location: **3947 S King Dr, Chicago, IL, United States, Illinois
Contact: **+1 773-536-3300
Website: **https://chicagoschickenandwaffles.com/
Facebook: **https://www.facebook.com/ChickenAndWaffles.Chicago/
Instagram: **https://www.instagram.com/chicagoschickenandwaffles/?hl=en
This popular Bronzeville restaurant serves much more than chicken and waffles. Tonya Johnson, the proprietor, claims that from-scratch Southern favorites like catfish, candied yams, cornbread, and mac & cheese are prepared using top-secret family recipes.
Celebrities such as Chance the Rapper and Derrick Rose have visited. If you’re craving the namesake dish, try Monique’s Love, a classic combo of fried chicken breast and waffles, or the June Bear, a huge chicken sausage omelet.
23. Nellie’s Restaurant
Location: **2458 W Division St, Chicago, IL 60622
Contact: **(773) 252-5520
Website: **https://www.nelliesrestaurant.com/
Facebook: **https://www.facebook.com/nelliesrestaurant/
Instagram: **https://www.instagram.com/nelliesrestaurant/
This family-run restaurant, which is situated on Humboldt Park’s Paseo Boricua, serves a beloved BYOB Puerto Rican dish. Beautifully illuminated, it serves Chicago specialties such as ham, lettuce, tomato, fried plantain sandwiches topped with eggs, and garlic, and served with a side of coconut oatmeal. Jibarito breakfast sandwiches are one of the offerings.
Breakfast is served here every day, but on Saturdays and Sundays, there’s a Puerto Rican brunch buffet, which is the only one in the city.
Enjoy the pastelon de huevo, a Puerto Rican egg casserole, with pancakes, sweet plantains, and morning potatoes, while sipping café with leche.
24. Ascione Bistro
Location: **1500 E 55th St, Chicago, IL 60615
Contact: **(773) 363-8161
Website: **https://ascionebistro.com/
Facebook: **https://www.facebook.com/ascionebistro/
Instagram: **https://www.instagram.com/ascione_bistro/?hl=en
Gaetano Ascione, a former Gioco vet, founded this Hyde Park bistro in 2019, bringing a genuine Italian flavor to the neighborhood. Savor the rich flavors of the bistro’s weekend brunch menu, which combines conventional brunch fare with Italian cuisine.
It’s hard to choose just one dish when there are breakfast burgers, eggs benedict, and “pancakes al cioccolato” available.
Although the $18 bottomless mimosa offer could make you stumble out of the restaurant, the food and atmosphere will definitely have you return for your next brunch.
25. Summer House Santa Monica
Location: **1954 N Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60614
Contact: **(773) 634-4100
Website: **https://www.summerhouserestaurants.com/lincoln-park/
Facebook: **https://www.facebook.com/summerhouselp/
Instagram: **https://www.facebook.com/summerhouselp/
Lettuce Entertain You’s Lincoln Park restaurant transports customers to sunny California with a bright, airy dining space packed with flora, regardless of the outside weather prediction.
Pick from breakfast tostadas with pulled chicken and black beans, crispy strawberry waffles, or avocado toast stuffed with tomatoes and scallion mascarpone.
Final Words
Chicago is a city where brunch is the most crucial meal of the day, agreeable with both classic versions of American diners and new trendy bistros. Can’t think of a place to spend your leisure time and have a delicious brunch? We’ve got you covered.
There is plenty to choose from, like eggs benedict, and avocado toast, and if you’re looking for something different, Chicago has got you covered.
And so to wrap it up if you get a chance to visit Windy City, do check in some of these good brunch spots. You won’t be disappointed. Happy brunching!
