I came out here for breakfast because I needed to buy a baby shower gift at Buy Buy Baby and it was on the way. Â The parking lot was crowded so I was expecting good food. Â What we got was only mediocre. Â The restaurant was dated and the salad bar looked pretty weak. Â We ordered coffee and breakfast food off the menu. Â I found it interesting that they charge more for coffee if you are not ordering food. Â I guess they have a big high school and college age population that like to linger in the booths drinking coffee and not eating. Â The food was nothing spectacular.
The reason I went with two stars was because I was really upset by the bakery part. Â I am a huge fan of cupcakes so I wanted to try one. Â It was also my friend's birthday (Ashley A.) and I wanted to bring her a cute Hello Kitty cupcake. Â The first time around I thought I smashed the cupcake because I went to look at it and it was ruined! Â So I went back and got another. Â It was then I realized that the carryout boxes were too small and they were laying the cupcakes on the side and pushing it closed. Â If you are going to take the time to make cute cupcakes, why not get boxes that actually fit them?!
ATC is a hot spot for those in the know. Its the best place to hang out late with friends, talking about life over Waffles Alaska, joking with the waitresses. Tip: The afternoon-night waitresses are younger and have way more energy and pep than the morning staff, and this really makes dinnertime way more enjoyable than breakfast. But don't worry, you can order breakfast all day here. The food is really good if you aren't expecting something exotic and strange from the menu, this is a diner after all. Pancakes and scrambled eggs, the Western Burger, a Reuben sandwich with thousand island, and French Onion soup with baked cheese on top are just a few of my favorites. The prices are pretty great too.
Review Source:Another typical Greek restaurant that has way too many items on the menu. Â Ive had breakfast, lunch, and dinner here and all is just ok. Â The breakfast is average, the burgers taste like their frozen patties and the french onion soup horrible. Â I'm all for family restaurants and supporting local business's but I will not support this business any longer. Â Although i will say their baked goods are very good.
Review Source:Stopped by for breakfast, portions were great, lots of options for your first meal of the day. I have to be honest, the corned beef hash I ordered was on the greasy side and I hated to waste it, but I didn't want to force it down. Hubby ordered the Popeye skillet and deemed it "tasty", however they left big chunks of spinach uncut, so you sorta had the spaghetti effect going...the spinach just kept going and going, making it ackward to eat.
Waitress was great...I accidentally left my sunglasses and was rummaging through my purse as we were driving in the lot, only to see the lovely lady standing outside, waving at us with my sunglasses on. Ha! Shecould have just tossed them in the lost and found, but no...she took the time to track us down outside and I apppreciated that.
We didn't try the baked goods, but they looked awesome! We'll make it a point to go back and partake...:)
So, my big sis and I have been planning to go visit Grandma in the rehab center up in Crystal lake for the past week or so and Saturday evening, we decide there's no time like the present, so let's hit the road!!
Girls visit with Grandma and we'll find somewhere to eat on the way home.
On the way up there, my co-pilot pulls up our go-to Yelp app to start checking places nearby on our journey. She finds this place that everyone is carrying on and on about the French Onion soup. She is sold on the reviews about the soup and their obvious bakery skills. So after our last minute, kinda late visit, we had to come check out Around the Clock. The app says they're open until 1am so we know we can eat even if it's late.
Someone mentioned a 70s porn star-like owner in their review she read to me and I believe I may have spotted him. He was actually sorta hot for an older guy if you ask me. Yeah, I said that.
We walk in, the hostess goes to grab us some menus and my sis stops her in her tracks to tell her to "wait! I just need a minute to review what dessert I need to save space for" and stood there drooling over the pies and cakes and other various treats. "Ok? We're good? Can we go eat now, Jen??"
We sat in the booth by the register, my first thought: I wish this place was closer to home. This is the kind of go-to dinner spot we need in Schaumburg. I mean, we have omega but this is NOT omega. It's a step up...a big step.
Oven warmed pane bread with the flour on the crust! KILLER homemade soups. Seriously!! The kind of soup I wish I knew how to make at home. I do not like onions (I'm sure you know this if you keep up with my reviews at all), but I really had wished I had ordered that French onion soup my sister did. I had quite a few "tastes" she was willing to share, Thanks, sister! She has an aversion to cheese (yes, she'll eat pizza/don't ask I have been her sister for 29 years, and I don't get it) so she orders just the soup- not baked with the cheese! Silly girl, that's the best part. But I made mention to Jessica, our delightful server, that Jen LOVES the croutons so I think she intentionally threw a few extras in there to make up for the lack of cheese. Good call, Jessica! Thanks!!
I ordered the chicken tortellini soup and really enjoyed it but man, that French onion will go down in the books as a favorite soup for me!
I ordered diet coke. I should have mentioned something to Jessica and I take the blame for not saying anything, but she was so kind, I didn't want to bother her but the soda had a weird aftertaste. I don't think it was diet coke at all. This is we're they lost that 5th star. Because I don't think it was their machine. I just don't think it was actually diet coke; I think it was like diet RC or some other generic soda. Not a fan.
Dinner: I wish I had ordered my sisters meal! Like the soup, her dinner was better than mine, too! She had a chicken breast sandwich and onion rings and I went for the double stack quesadilla, as suggested by our server. The pico was made using VERY under-ripened tomatoes (white and green in color) and large pieces of onion that after the fact, I decided they were easier to remove if you wanted but if not, they were quite large pieces to be chewing into. The chicken used to make the quesadilla was big BEAUTIFUL pieces of chicken breast meat so that was delicious. The rice was incredibly bland. The salsa in the little plastic cup was purchased, not made in house and the guacamole was kinda like "Wholly Guacamole" and was just ok.
We ended up ordering 5 desserts to go. One sweet treat for each of us, and one for each of our boys at home. I ordered a peanut butter bar and a slice of the caramel apple pie. I ordered these with the intention of my fiancé and I splitting each, this worked out very well. Next time, I'm getting two of those peanut butter bars, though...they were excellent.
I'm looking forward to another visit soon. I think this place will have to end up on our regular rotation of dining spots when we're up the Northern Suburbs. So proud of us for trying a new place and even more excited to bring back the hubby-to-be very soon!
This review could take me a while to type...I'm eating my chocolate peanut butter bar from their in-house bakery in between typing words. Nom. Nom. Nom.
After visiting our grandma at a facility nearby, my sister and I checked out our Yelp iPhone app for a nearby place to get some casual eats. Around the Clock caught my eye right away. We were in lazy Saturday t-shirts and didn't want to impress anyone. Nor would we have impressed anyone with our frizzy ponytails and overall bum look. Thanks humidity.
It was easy to find with plenty of parking. The staff was all super friendly. I am highly looking forward to heading back soon for another meal served by Jessica. What a sweetheart! Â They have plenty of options and she was kind enough to help us narrow down to what we really wanted (and didn't even know until it arrived).
So here's what we did. We started with soup right away. We both went with a bowl instead of a cup for an extra $.25. That was totally worth the itty bitty up charge. Cath had the chicken tortellini soup (which I tasted and enjoyed). I inhaled the French onion soup. It was fabulous!!! Â Tons of croutons. A very tasty broth. Plenty of properly cooked onions. I'll go back for the soup alone. The bread was warm and soft. I think it was a Turano's Pane Mariano. Maybe.
We moved on to a double decker chicken quesadilla and Greek chicken with a pita. The onions in the pico de gallo were huge. Cath was not a fan. Â I thought large onions were a good thing, so she could pick them out easily. She did not agree. The rice was also bland. My chicken was marinated and flavorful. It may have been slightly overlooked. But, I would rather have overlooked chicken than undercooked chicken. My onion rings were beer battered and very nice. I also enjoyed the thicker than usually cucumber sauce.
Our glasses were replaced with fresh glasses frequently. We were never thirsty. Such a nice change of pace.
Before we left, we decided to bring home freshly made desserts for ourselves and our families. I don't recall what my sister ordered, but we had the previously mentioned chocolate peanut bar, a slice of French silk pie and a slice of carrot cake. The hubby is tasting the cake now...
He didn't love it. :-( It was moist but the spices were a little heavy. The frosting was nice. Unfortunately it was not the best piece of cake that he's ever had. The chocolate peanut butter bar was rich and delicious! Â I shared it with my son, so I won't go into a sugar coma and I will actually finish this review.
I'll absolutely go back. And I will try some new items. Except the French onion soup. I will eat that again and again.
The staff was alright. I went here with my friends and I was going to order a burger, but I decided against it because the fries did not come with it (extra charge). Instead I ordered the breakfast. It was average... but the one thing that I did want to say is that the soup was horrible! I ordered French Onion soup with bread and they used mozzarella, which is not the traditional way to prepare it. The cheese was flavorless, it was just a gooey mess. The bread was soggy and for the amount of salt they put in the soup, you think you would have been able to taste the overcooked onions. Worst soup I've ever had in my life.
Review Source:Their bakery display case is full of pies, cakes, cookies and pastries to drool over...and it's right up front so you can eye what you want to save room for. Â Or, in my case save room for AND take another to go. ;-)
They have a nice menu and everything we've tried here has been good - sandwiches, entrees, soups, you name it. Â The staff are all very friendly with prompt service and since they've redecorated it's even nicer inside. Â They have lots of tables too so it's not often you have to wait for a table, even when they are busy!
OK, full disclosure -- I have not eaten here for several years. Â But, when I used to live in Crystal Lake, we were regulars -- and not because we lived close by. Â
Around the Clock is one of those iconic American places. Â It's kind of like what I imagine the old diners used to be like. Â A place where there are a bunch of regulars who never seem to leave; where the wait staff seem to be on a first name basis with everyone who walks in the door, and where the coffee is always freshly brewed and the eggs are never runny.
Even though I don't get out to Crystal Lake that much anymore, I actually will be in the area this weekend. Â Hmmm. Â Guess I know where I'll be stopping for breakfast! Â :-)
When it comes to breakfast faire it's about average. I usually find the coffee to be mediocre, though, and typically not hot enough. The wait staff is always friendly and they provide decent service. Aside from the dessert options, nothing really jumps out at me as anything special. Even so, it's a nice place with a nice feel and a good standby option when you can't decide on anyplace else.
Review Source:I have to say since Around the Clock has updated their menu, and revamped the restaurant I love it a lot more there. It is fun to hang out and just chat with friends. Great pastries and deserts. The food is really decent.
I think the one thing that really stands out about Around the Clock is their Baked French Onion soup, it is the best. I don't think I've had it anywhere else in the area that makes it as good. Love love love it!
I've been going here off and on since High School, and now I go more often than not. THis is a great diner, that serves anything you could ever want. Breakfast at 10pm? No problem! I like to hit this place up for a late lunch and always leave happy. Some of my favorites are the Mediterranean omelet, the veggie sandwich and my holy grail the Chicken Avocado sandwich! The soup gets pretty good reviews too, but I only splurge if the potato is around. Yes there are a lot of old timers buzzing around the place, but don't let that discourage you, they know what's up! This place is also great to grab a cup of coffee and a pastry or slice of pie. It just feels so homey! I'll be back again and again, and as the name suggests they are open around the clock.
Review Source:This is the best breakfast place in the area. Â It is a hometown diner with an extremely extensive and inexpensive menu. Â It is great anytime of the day. Â I prefer to order from the breakfast menu almost everytime whether it is 10AM or 10PM. Â Also, their baked french onion soup is worth the trip alone. Â I get cravings for it, it is that good. Â Additionally they have a top-notch bakery that makes exceptional pies. Â
On top of all of these excellent offerings is the very low prices. Â You will really get value for your dollar here. Â The atmosphere is excellent as well, and the staff and managers are top notch. Â Also, your food will be there before you know it, it is crazy quick.
One of my favorite places no matter what time of day!
I went here with a friend one night and it was rather late but the service was great. They have a great variety of choices on their menu and I loved the caramel apple pie with ice cream I had for dessert. Â The French Onion Soup was so good, even though I knew it was super unhealthy with all the cheese melted on top of it.
I loved this place and if i'm in the area again I plan to return.
As someone who grew up in Chicago and lived there most of my life, I like to think I know diners. Â Around the Clock stands up to any urban diner. Â I consider myself a regular here, and I have had a number of food items. Â All of them have been good. Â Unlike many diners, they use fresh ingredients for most of their cooking. Â Vegetables that are NOT out of a can? Â I'm in heaven.
The reviewers here all rave about the French Onion soup, and I agree with them, though sometimes it is a bit too salty. Â But this is really a minor complaint.
They make their own desserts and pies on site. Â Dinners are often filling so more often than not I pass on them. Â But when I do have room for dessert, I'm always satisfied, especially with the pie.
Where ATC really stands out is in the staff. Â They go out of their way to make you feel like family. Â The evening crew often has a number of area high school and college kids, and they always seem to be especially friendly and courteous, and they go out of their way to get to know you. Â I'm old school when it comes to tipping, and still think 15% is par, but I always end up tipping 20-25% when I am here.
I've eaten here often over the past few years, and I've never had an unpleasant experience. Â If you want a place in the CL area to just hang out with good diner food and great people, this is the place.
I love Around the Clock! It's a fun, good diner with a great atmosphere and wait staff. We occasionally go for breakfast where we'll order the typical eggs, toast, hash browns, bacon , etc.
For lunch or dinner I always get the open faced turkey on bread, gravy, mashed potatoes.
They have a variety of menu items - sandwiches, soup, salad, even entrees such as steak. Their pies are simply delicious....can't wait to go back again!
Around the Clock is a Crystal Lake institution. County fair winning pies. Great soups. Open all the freakin' time. Greek-run everything-you-can-ever-want-on-the-menu joints are all over the place, and for the most part interchangeable with their hotel lobby-like decor and generally experienced wait staff. But Around the Clock does everything slightly better than those others. They've recently redone their interior. It's a little more open now that the table dividers are lower and less private - which means it is slightly more loud than before. Overall a solid place to grab bite any time of the day or night.
Review Source:This is your basic late night Chicago area Greek restaurant. It's one of the few places in Crystal Lake that has the kitchen open after 10 PM; because of the lack of competition, they are usually packed from 9 PM to midnight most week nights.
The service is fast, selection is large but there was nothing really unusual or inspiring that I saw on the menu. Let's be real here- this is a place to get a quick home style meal; don't expect candles, a linen table cloth or gourmet food, or an overwhelming salad bar for that matter.
I feel it is a plus that you can order breakfast any time of the day and it would appear that reasonable substitutions are no problem if you ask your server nicely.
The serving staff is attentive and polite- I would think that most of their clientèle just want a bite to eat and maybe a coffee, not a hard time.
Like many Greek places they have mouth watering desserts and pastries in a display case that you can't miss when you walk in.
Sun through Thurs they close at midnight. Kind of too bad for the late night crowd.
This place kills it.
The rave reviews of the french onion soup are on par. Make sure you get the bowl (cups of soup are for pussies) and make sure you get it baked. It tastes the way I imagine the female orgasm must feel.
The bakery is surprisingly kick ass. I suggest the carrot cake. It weighs a ton.
At this point if you order anything other than the breakfast food you're an idiot. I mean, you don't go to a chicken joint and order a hamburger, so why go to a diner for anything other than breakfast snacks. The skillets are bomb. Get 'em.
Lastly, some serious creeps have worked here over the course of my lifetime. Â These two girls worked there the span of my high school / college career and they weren't even hot, but tons of my friends wanted to mate with them. Then, one night at a bar across town, we saw them giving these senior citizens sexual back rubs, right at the bar! Gross! Also, there's this really sleazy dude (name with held) who clearly loves getting some stink on his hang down from the barely legal waitresses. It's so blatantly obvious he might as well ask the customers to smell his fingers.
During the day its smelly old people, while at night its smelly young people. FTW, eat at ATC.
I remember when this place was a teeny tiny diner overrun by guys in Harley jackets. Â Now it's pretty big, and I think it sucks that they are rude to teenagers (at least they were a few years back when I was a teenager). Â
The food is standard diner food, but the desserts are good and the coffee is flowing.
And now they're pretty nice to me.
Like the french onion soup, VERY salty. Â The veggie sandwich is huge and delicious. Â A bit of something for everyone. Â Don't go there looking for a gourmet meal. Â Its pretty basic, but still good.
Tons of teenagers at night. Â Big hangout place, so go early. Â If you do go late it is sometimes hard to park.
I love the fact that ATC has free wifi. Large booths for the college student who has a paper to write, and waitress' who don't mind wandering around hour after hour topping off your coffee. The food leaves a bit to be desired, but their deserts are something that I treat myself too every time I go.
Although it is called, "Around the clock", it closes at 11pm on weekdays, but Friday and Saturday they are 24 hours, which makes it the local high school/College kid hang out. If you can deal with large crowds, lewd jokes, and a huge amount of scene kids, then Visit those nights. If you have a paper due Monday and need to pull an all nighter, the crowds tend to thin out around two A.M.
All in All, their food is edible, their staff is friendly (Say hi to Lori!) and their deserts are delicious. The free Wifi is a bonus, and their free bread is the poor student's Savior.
Let's put it this way. Â You have a Greek diner that probably dates back to the '50s. Â Sometime later a huge strip mall moves in across the street, complete with a couple of nationally-known chain restaurants. Â Greek dinner continues to attract the crowds despite the competition. Â That's when you know you're on to something. Â
I've only been here once, and I ordered the veggie sandwich. Â Boring, huh? Â Except it was one of the best veggie sandwiches I've ever had in my life. Â Give it a try.
I've been to Around the clock a few times now and have enjoyed the food they offer. Â They are your typical family restaurant with the typical fare you would see and most of these types of places. Â the food to me was nothing really special, but it was good comfort food. Â
Thier bakery though is VERY good and i would give them 5 stars for that. Â I have ordered 2 cakes from them (sheet cakes for parties) and they were AMAZING. Â LOTS of filling and very moist. Â The decorations were also perfect.
I highly recommend thier baked goods, pies, cakes, ect... And the food is also good. Â You're standard family restaurant with a good bakery.
This is the premiere French Onion Soup in the nation, possibly the world. Â Substantial beef broth, crunchy perfection of croutons, and perfectly browned cheese on top. Â It gets crowded, and sometimes the smoke bleeds over from the smoking side...and sometimes service is slow, but the salads, sandwiches, burgers, and more meal-y meals are genuine and tasty. Â Great late night coffee stop with friends.
Review Source:
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