Good breakfast
Short wait on a Saturday morning but it's such a big restaurant it's not a bad wait. The florentine Benedict was delicious according to the table. The bacon and cheese omelette are pretty good too. I made my own skillet with turkey sausage, asparagus, and feta. I love the option to build my own skillet with healthier options. We also got a vanilla shake which was pretty damn good. Decent prices, large portions, and friendly service.
Elly's is amazing and a perfect warm and cozy escape from the windy city. My husband and I found this place while on vacation and came back everyday for breakfast. The coffee is good- no complaints, but the real winner is the pancakes! I tried chocolate chip ones and also the apple spice. By far the most amazing pancakes I've ever ordered. The apple spice ones where stacked tall and topped with apples that had been cooked in a cinnamon spice glaze. Pretty much like the inside of an apple pie was poured over my plate. What made the pancakes so good was that they were fluffy and not heavy, but still had flavor and substance to them without tasting like cake. I wish I lived in Chicago so I could eat at Elly's every weekend. :-)
Review Source:I'm giving this business two stars because I think their food is delicious. Â The two stars is really because the service that you get here. Â They have no respect for anybody who walks through their doors and it's a real shame. Â I came in wanting to meet some friends and to buy some delicious pancakes but the waiters and the management on the early morning of Feb 17th 2013 at 5 am were the most disrespectful group of restaurant staff I have ever encountered. Â I overheard their rudeness to other customers and they left without buying anything. Â And then when I suggested food to a couple next to me, the waiter came at me (in my face) and told me to stop harassing the customers. Â I asked these customers if I was bothering them and they said "not at all. Â In fact, thank you for the suggestion". Then the manager proceeded to try to intimidate me for "harassing customers". Â This place is a joke. Â He got in my face and my friends face even after I bought such delicious pancakes. Â This place needs a lesson in customer service. Â Please don't go here for at least a year until they learn some manners.
Review Source:I LOVE Elly's! This place has become a staple for me and family, I don't live in Chicago anymore, but I try to come back here almost every time I'm in town. Go for a skillet...or one of the sweet options. The portions are huge, and the line is never as long here as other places. They are open 24 hours, and I'm sure it would be great after a night of bing drinking, not that I know from experience ;)
Review Source:I love this place. Great menu, service, and it's big so that means less of a wait on busy brunch weekends. Hand down my favorite "make your own omelette" in the city. The ingredients are so fresh and they offer healthier alternatives. Plus the menu is diverse so if you want pancakes or something "naughty" they've got you covered. And the price is perfect. One downside for some... no liquor.
Review Source:I LOVE this place. I was here at least once a week during the summer. The service is always excellent and so are the pancakes. This is by no means fine dining or gourmet, but you can expect to be satisfied every time! I always get the build your own omelette. It's under $10 and can feed 2 people with some left over usually. You just can't beat that!
The smoothies are GREAT! No milk, no additives, just fruits and fruit juices. Perfect. The strawberry banana smoothie is where it's at. Try it!
This place is good at any time of day, any day of the week. It's pretty busy on the weekends, but you never wait more than 15 minutes.
My girlfriend is a huge breakfast diner fan, and she often suggests that we go here for lunch or late breakfast. Â Her opinion of Elly's is much higher than mine, but we both enjoy it.
The food is good, but just good. Â Nothing to write home about. Â Looking at the menu will give you high expectations, but the actual dishes fall short for some reason. Â There just isn't much flavor. Â Still, the shakes are excellent, and the food is satisfying, even though it isn't mind-blowing.
The prices are reasonable and the service and staff are great. Â The atmosphere is very minimal and modern, atypical for a breakfast joint, but still pleasant. Â I'd recommend giving it a try if you wake up late and hungry.
Elly's is a typical diner. Very sterile, and well run. Somewhat odd decor, but great waitstaff and large space.
Elly's has a bunch of random chairs at every table. The lack of uniformity doesn't bother me but some of the chairs just aren't that comfortable. The actual dining area is pretty large, but it is just one open space. This means that it can get pretty loud at times with no barriers to muffle sound. Also, they, like a lot of places in the city, try to pack a ton of people in there. The result is that sometimes you end up sitting very close to people on each side of you. If you frequently dine in the city you probably wouldn't even notice. But, if you are accustomed to some space when you eat, it may be a little surprising.
Elly's is open all night and you can get breakfast at anytime. The food is always good and comes out fast. The waitstaff is very accommodating and friendly, professional. I've never had a problem here with our orders, the bill or service.
While the food is good, it isn't all that creative or spectacular. As far as diners go this is a 4/5 but when taking into account a rating against all restaurants, it's a 3.5/4.
Check out more of my reviews at: <a href="http://www.ShawnKemp.yelp.com">http://www.ShawnKemp.yel…</a>
My boyfriend and I went for breakfast for dinner on a Saturday night and it was not busy at all. We seated ourselves and were greeted promptly. I was actually surprised on how quickly we received our food. I had the Bacon Waffle and Fred had some sort of breakfast platter. The bacon waffle was delicious. The staff were friendly and courteous but gave us time alone and weren't always there at the table (which is nice). Anyway, if were were in the area again, we would definitely return.
On a side note, no wireless here, but you can access the wireless network from the Latin school across the street.
Very quality diner.
Much nicer on the inside than expected. I went with some buddies the morning after a night of drinking and it was the perfect breakfast.
For some reason (we still don't know why) everything we ordered came with twice as many eggs as it said on the menu and did not cost extra. Also they do poached eggs here which is awesome and some diners don't do.
Our food was delicious and we could barely finish it and the waitress was nice enough to split our checks for us.
P.S. you pay at the cash register, the waitress doesn't collect the money.
Awesome, awesome place. I came here a little hungover and ready for some food. I had a fritatta (sp?) only because I had no idea what they were. I think they're a baked omelette. I made my own with chorizo, bacon, and gouda. SOOOO GOOD. The service was fantastic, the fresh squeezed juice was delicious, and the hash browns were to die for. It's an awkward looking place. Tables everywhere and the artwork's kind of cool...but what gets me is that every chair is different. Idk about the pancakes which is funny because it was a pancake house but my friends said they were amazing.
Review Source:This is a really fun place to eat. Â I've been there a few times now and am never disappointed. Â I love the decor and ambiance- the lighting and the plates on the walls are super fun and catchy. Â Lots of natural light comes through the windows during the day.
The menu is big and reasonably varied, including many breakfast and lunchtime options. Â It's open 24/7 which is a huge plus and the servers are competent if not always the most friendly. Â All the food I've ever had here has been good, though the pancakes themselves were not as awesome as I expected considering that it bills itself as a pancake house. Â There are fantastic omelets and salads.
Beware:this place is super busy certain times (such as early Sunday afternoons) and you may be in for a long wait. Â It also can get very noisy indeed, and you may have a hard time getting seated (even if there are available tables) when you first come in because they are not the most on top of that. Â However, these are minor complaints and I definitely recommend this place.
This place deserves to be 5 stars because it is open 24 hours! For a college student and someone who works night shifts, that is frickin amazing! It is more a breakfast-y joint but they do have some nice lunch and dinner options for the breakfast haters.
The service is always polite and prompt and even helped me when i couldn't get the ketchup out of the bottle...
I love cool, funky diners and Elly's was no different.
I was drawn here by a Sunday night pancake craving. I went with the chocolate chip pancakes. They are more than happy to give extra whipped cream on my pancakes. Had I wanted, I could have easily gotten powdered sugar on them as well. I was concerned that the combination of the two would be too much sugar to handle in a public setting.
It was a lot of yummy pancakes brought very quickly. While not listed on the menu, the waitress informed us after the fact that we can order half stacks in the future. YEAH!!
Elly's is a great place to have in my neighborhood. They are open 24 hours, so I can always get something good to eat at 2am or whenever hunger strikes. More than just a pancake house, they also make excellent salads, sandwiches and have some nice dinner options.
The service is very good, from the waiters to the busboys to the managers.
The only reason I didn't give them a higher rating is because of a recent menu change. They used to offer some Greek dishes like Pasticcio and Greek chicken that were fantastic  - way better than one expects to get at the average 24 hour diner. No other place in the neighborhood serves those kind of dishes, so I was very sad to see them go. I honestly haven't been there quite as much since the menu change. I can only eat waffles once in a while, and there are lots of places that serve burgers. The Greek specialties were something different, and something delicious. I miss them and hope Elly's will bring them back.
Came here late night on a Friday for some post-bar grub.  The service was great and the food was tasty.  Portion size was quite large too.  I had a Migas Frittata which was on special and included Chorizo, onion, hash browns, tomato, green onions, avocado, jalapeño, cilantro, topped with chihuahua cheese.  This thing was HOT!  I suggest no jalapenos!  I ended up picking each one out of the meal.  Other than that it was quite tasty.  My boyfriend had a meat lover skillet with fried eggs on top.  We shared some french fries to start because we were so hungry!  I'd be back for sure... this place has a great location near my apartment and love that it is open all night.
Review Source:Elly's is a really cute place, I have always wanted to stop in and eat. I thought the food was really good, but it's hard to mess up french toast. The menu is large and diverse, lots of stuff to choose from. There is a reason it gets only three stars.... coffee is sooooooo terrible! Dishwater coffee, totally was a bummer on the whole meal. I'm not going to lie, I probably will not eat here again for breakfast because the coffee was so bad, there are so many brunch places with amazing coffee that it's not worth the trip.
Review Source:3.5 stars.
First time being here, and was drawn here by the nice reviews. First impression, cool diner! A little offset by the fact that when you walk in, you're not really greeted by anyone and it's a bustling place, until you walk across the room to the cash register and they flag a table down for you. Another reviewer warned of this, so I wasn't too off-put.
I ordered the DIY skillet, and added sausage links, avocado, mushrooms, onions, and provolone cheese. I topped it with scrambled eggs and a side of fresh-squeezed orange juice. The skillet came out on the pan itself set on a wooden board (nice touch!) as well as a bonus set of Elly's pancakes that come with the skillet. Sweet! The pancakes were fluffy and nicely crisp on the outside. The skillet ingredients weren't bad, largely chopped, and avocado didn't taste fully ripe... but I was satisfied b/c all my favorite ingredients were in it :) Also... I tasted an eggshell in my scrambled eggs.
All in all, I would recommend this place because the food is more than decent and it's open 24 hours. It kind of reminds me of Norms, a family owned restaurant that serves great breakfast food and other dishes, and also opens 24 hours. Service wasn't bad, but wasn't anything spectacular either. The server whose task was to refill our water cups spilled a large chunk of ice and some water on the table, and mere muttered, "Oh" before walking away. No apology or attempt to clean up. I thought that was weird. Wouldn't the normal person at least say sorry?
We love Elly's. Â Whenever we are in the mood for breakfast, we love going here! Â My boyfriend eats like a tank and always orders two full meals. Â He gets the fritatas (yum!) and an order of chocolate chip pancakes. Â He is always happy to have these! Â I change it up--I get the skillet (bacon and onion) or I go for a chicken sandwich from the lunch menu (which is also pretty good). Â
Overall, the service is usually great. Â We've only had one bad experience out of about 10 visits, but even then, the food was consistent and good!
Talk about customer service. I love this place!
I work at one of the bars on Division so I came here around 5am for some breakfast. I ordered the Ole Skillet and it was delish! I would ask for less onions next time. I made 3 meals out of that skillet. I ordered pancakes, but was unable to eat them til a few days later and they were still good.
I enjoyed my food so much I went back the next day after work. This time I got the minced ham & eggs with toast. The food was just as good, but oh my the butter! That stuff was light and fluffy. I wanted more toast just so I could eat the butter, but was way too stuffed.
The 2nd time I went the service was awesome. The host was chatting with us asking where we worked. The waiter was really nice and before we left he told us to never change. What a sweetheart. To top it off some random guys paid for our bill. Thanks whoever you were!
Yeah it's a 24 hour diner, but it's not filled with obnoxious drunks at 5am.
Across from the Chicago History Museum and Latin School. Â
We had a light sandwich and a salad. Â Both great. Â The service and attention was very good, but then again it was 2 in the afternoon.
Open 24/7 and other locations around town
Clean.
We'll be back since we usually stay in Old Town.
When you are famished from staying up until dawn to observe neat universal happenings in the sky with yr naked eye on the lake, the existence of a 24 hour diner downtown is pretty great. I got a special item, the Migas Frittata, and it was pretty yummy despite lacking avocado (which was, after all, one of the main reasons I ordered it, but, oh, well!)
We got regular coffee and water refills, so I have to say the service was prompt, if not especially compelling otherwise. There was no story.
Now to matters of visual/aural aesthetics. According to Bernard, in his delightful French accent, Elly's Pancake House "is the ugliest place [he] has ever seen." The whole place is baby blue, which is quite an unfortunate color. The main interior extravagances are a wall display of different retro-looking plates, and a weird picture that is hung like 3/4s up the wall, at odds with the window.The design and decoration of the interior leaves much to be desired, and you need to be ready to sit through a lot of Nickelback and Train before your food arrives. You can amuse and distract yourself from the ugliness of Elly's while you wait for your food, however, by playing a game Bernard made up: look for the plates on the wall that do not have any others which match them.
Huzzah! Elly's Pancake House!
Just an ok place for me. I found it to be a glorified Denny's. I mainly didnt like the freshness of the food which was clearly lacking. All the food looked and tasted like it had been sitting out for a while.
Went there late one night after a night out with a group. Even at 2 am the lack of freshness was noticeable. The service and everything else was fine. For me it was a forgettable experience.
This place deserves more stars than it has. I looked through some of the reviews and I can't put my finger on what the issue might be.
But I heard they have the best pancakes, and I was pretty skeptical, since I've had some pretty yummy pancakes. And I mean how good could a pancake be.
We went late night, which is awesome that they're open 24/7. There are fewer places that are open late. The space is nice, eclectic and a little kitschy, simple yet modern. So I basically just ordered the pancakes with fruit. The waiter who was nice and knowledgeable told us that we wouldn't need syrup. Whaaa? My expectations, although low, were starting to grow!
My expectations were met and exceeded. Those were the best damn pancakes I've ever had and no i didn't use syrup.
I love brunch places where you can pretty much order and/or customize whatever you want and Elly's is one of those places. Along with Tempo, it's one of the closest places you can get to a diner downtown.
Recently, I returned on a Sunday morning for brunch with some visitors in town. We were seated within five minutes of arriving which was pretty great for a Sunday morning. Â I usually stick with eggs. The omelettes are huge and you can order your eggs with pam vs oil. This time I kept it simple and went with the two eggs scrambled, subbing the potatoes for fruit. I do wish they would step it up in terms of the fruit they give you. It's not very fresh and one of the best parts of summer is how much fresh fruit is available.
One of my friends decided to make up her own concoction (which I admit was pretty gross/weird and included items such as eggs and tuna). While I wish my friend had stuck with something similar to what was one the menu, I also wish our server had been a little more willing to help my friend with her request. She was visibly annoyed and gave my friend a very dirty look. She also commented how it was a busy Sunday morning -- Â which normally I'd agree with but half of the tables around us were empty. The manager was much nicer about the situation. The waitress also took a very long time to greet us.
Despite this one failed time, I am still an Elly's fan. I love that they offer healthy brunch options such as the Elly's Health Club and Elly's Delight and are open all day and night. One not so great server can't steer me clear of this place!
I found the food that they served pretty different from the average brunch spot. Went here on Easter Sunday with Mum and Mo. Of course, none of us ordered the pancakes, (who would do that in a pancake house?) But instead I got the Migan frittata, mum got the Ole omlette and mo got the scrambled egg. I must say I really enjoyed mine, though I did think there was a lot of cheese. All brekkies come with either toast or buttermilk pancakes and they were generous with the butter when we asked for more. The omlette had an interesting texture since the chorizo was mixed with the egg in the beginning and even had a braised crust on it. The OJ is freshly squeezed and I loved the look of the place with its pastel green walls and cute flowers on plates. The lighting was interesting too... and I wonder if the baskets above the register are for sale.
Odd that you have to pay at the register, given that there is table service, but our waitress was nice :) $32 to feed 3 people and there were a few leftovers
I've only been once, but I felt compelled to write. I had a chorizo omelet that might be one of the best things I ever ate.
I would order this if I were on death row and had to pick a last meal.
The omelet was thick and fluffy and was more chorizo than egg. It was so rich with the flavorful, spicy sausage I thought about taking half of it home. But it was too good to stop eating.
I was there at an off time, so it was slow. My service was great, coffee was refilled constantly, and the sides were flawless.
I'll be back.
Hands down, the best place to go for late night dining. For me, that's anytime after 9pm. It's never crowded when we arrive.
It's wide, open and airy. I prefer to sit on the cushion along the perimeter. Not only is this seat comfortable, my boyfriend is able to enjoy the view from the wall-to-wall windows. In the dead of night, the street lights, lamp posts and car headlightts provide a nice visual of the outside.
We come for the value of a meal. A side of coleslaw, French fries and a cup of soup seem to be included with every meal.
I prefer not to eat this much food. They serve really awesome mac 'n' cheese and their portion of a homemade apple pie is too much for even Jason and I to share!
I like diner food. I like diners. I like this place. We took a LONG walk to the area and we ended up here in the late morning on a Sunday. Almost every table was filled and we did not have to wait for a seat. I noticed throughout my visit that they did a great job turning tables. When one party left the table was cleared and cleaned, re-set, and a party was sat very quickly. They did not waste any time at all.
I just ordered a simple gourmet burger and it was really hit the spot! It was more than enough to more than fill me up and it was good value for the price I paid. Our server was not rude but she just had that "I-just-need-to-take-a break" kind of attitude. She did a decent job though as by the time we came in there the morning rush was just about over as the place started to clear out a bit.
I enjoyed my visit here and will be back when i am in the area.
Before Elly's, I can't even remember the last time I had breakfast at 2:30 am. Â It's been a few years. Â These days I go to bed too early to be hungry again late at night. Â But after a friend's birthday in River North, we found ourselves hungry. Â Somebody suggested Elly's, and we jumped in a cab.
At 2:30 am, Elly's is populated by drunk people and cops, which is kind of a hilarious blend. Â The server was definitely "tolerating" our antics, not particularly enjoying them, but I wouldn't have a sense of humor at that hour either. Â My boyfriend and I split 2 eggs sunnyside up, with bacon, hashbrowns, and two pancakes. Â We inhaled it, as only people with late night munchies can do. Â Everything was perfectly decent but nothing was particularly great. Â Eggs a bit underdone, bacon not quite as crisp as I'd like, hashbrowns were crispy however and tasty, and the pancakes were very sweet - even without syrup! Â They only had fake syrup on the tables as far as I could tell, so we didn't bother with it - I hate that stuff! Â Nast. Â I think it was about 8 bucks. Â Water glasses were refilled often.
I think it's a fine place for a drunk breakfast, or even a sober breakfast if your expectations aren't too high. Â Just don't say anything dumb in front of the cops.
Seeing as I consider breakfast at dinnertime to be one of my minor passions, I'm pretty sure I was destined to like Elly's. And having Elly's within walking distance and willing to serve me breakfast at 3 am? Done deal.
Everything I've had here has been good and the service is always friendly (just putting up with my intoxicated and almost certainly obnoxious group deserves a good degree of credit).
Elly's offers all your typical breakfast options like pancakes, omelets, skillets, etc, but I love the fact that there are some healthier options on the menu. Yes, I know, who wants healthy food after a hard night on the town, but my theory is that all food tastes pretty good at 3 am so why not bring my next-day regret level down a bit?
For the record, I have been here at normal breakfast hours as well and the food and service are always above average. I've also never had to wait more than 10 minutes. All around Elly's is a solid choice if you're in the neighborhood.
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