Another solid brunch option on the under-appreciated stretch of Chicago Ave east of Damen. Â Flo's brunch menu has a mexican flare and consists of food you'd typically find at a Mexican Restaurant (think lots of chorizo, breakfast burritos, and dishes like huevos rancheros). Â
The wait is usually reasonable and they serve free coffee to occupy your time (albeit w/o much of a waiting area). Â But honestly, if you have to wait at all you'd be better off walking the half a block to Mexique.
Inventive New Mexican brunch options that I've never found outside of Santa Fe or a handful of more creative places in Albuquerque.
Try the Huevos Rancheros with green chile sauce instead of red and don't miss the burger with Hatch green chiles and a fried egg on top. Delicious.
Other highlights include the bloody marys, free coffee while you wait, often no line, and the fact that you can get single orders of their bacon and chocolate chip pancakes (and all the other awesome pancakes and French toasts).
They have great service and host. You get to drink free coffee while you wait. The bloody mary's were way too spicy. The food is just okay. I have had the cocoa crisp french toast - which I wished would have split with the table. The chilaquiles was essentially corn chips with salsa on them. We might give them another try...
Review Source:I wouldn't say that I wear the pants in my relationship but if there's anything I'm in charge of (besides litter box duty), it's picking where we go out to eat... except for just this one time, when my boo chose Flo and admittedly, I kind of expected to be underwhelmed.
You see, I wouldn't say I'm picky, but I have a few caveats.
1. I won't eat at chain restaurants. I feel my money is much better spent elsewhere and that if chain is the ONLY option, I think my stomach real estate would be better rented by emptiness than soulless food.
2. I don't eat meat. Okay, okay. I definitely cheat on fish from time to time, but otherwise, no meat. Not that I'm offended by meat, because I'm not- I LOVE meat and of the past 6 or 7 years since I went veg, I've missed meat absolutely every.single.day.
3. It has to be something really spectacular for me to patronize a business I've already been to, but otherwise, I like going to places I've never been before, broadening my horizons, yadda yadda.
4. I follow what a Yelp rating tells me pretty closely and at the time, Flo was dangling in the 3-3.5 star range. Not terrible by any means, but I'm never really running to a 3-star establishment.
So anyway, the manz picks Flo and we walk on over. It was pretty empty, but it was reeeeaaally early for dinner and by the time we left the place definitely filled out quite a bit.
We started off with a pitcher of red sangria, of which I have to cop to not doing my part on, though not for lack of trying. I just get all stopped up on fruit chunks in my straw and my date, well, I guess he just sucks better than I do... i keed, i keed. The rest of our meal was carefully guided along by incredible service and one hell of a specials menu- most notably the vegetable short-stack, which was kind of like a paleo lasagna. No pasta, no junk, just straight veggies and seasoning and flavor that was far bolder than I expected. It was certainly a heated battle over the last few bites, but that's no to sell their Flobimbop (a menu staple) short, as I'm a sucker for an over easy egg and bit of spice, so I think if I had make Sophie's choice style decision, I'd go back for the Flobimbop.
For dessert we got the sopapillas, which we ate so quickly I can't even remember how they taste, but I'll just have to assume that they were on par with the level excellence that came through in the rest of our meal. And I'd say the treat beyond the dessert had to be the price. Our Sangria pitcher added a $20 spot (give or take) to our bill, but our meals and dessert were less than $30.
I left wondering how my experience at Flo's seemed to be so incredibly above and beyond what the Yelp rating had suggested and noticed after reading through reviews that most of the lesser experiences were for breakfast and brunch service, which appears to be what Flo is primarily known for. I probably won't ever make it in to Flo for their breakfast or brunch service to see if the gossip is true- nothing against Flo, I'm just not a morning or breakfast person, but I'll definitely make it a point to return to Flo for dinner in the very near future... and maybe even let the dude-man pick a few more places since he's obvi proved himself worthy of the honor.
Flo = my favorite local restaurant. Â We live less than a block away and Flo has been our go-to brunch place for years! Â During the evenings, you'll want to make reservations. Â We often bring our out-of-town guests here for breakfast / brunch and have never had an experience that wasn't wonderful. Â Every single time: the food is delicious, the wait staff is attentive, the host is very sweet, the drinks are strong & yummy. Â You won't regret going here. Â I highly recommend the Cholula Bloody Mary if you like a smoke flavor to your bloody mary, and for food: the Low Rider is my favorite. Flo is the best.
Review Source:I felt a lot of pressure prior to visiting Flo for brunch. Me and my roommates had great experiences brunch hoping prior. This week one of their girlfriends came to town and she was aware of our awesome eating. So I felt the heat to not screw it up this time. I definitely got it right, everyone loved Flo.
I couldn't tell you what everyone got, all I can say is we got a bunch of eggs that came with various meats, tortillas, sauces and stuff. We also got the fruity pebbles french toast. I think I got the chilaquiles which was awesome for only $8. The french toast was effective, although you have to eat it prior to the cereal becoming soggy(just like eating a bowl of it!)
Affordable, plenty of parking in the area, free coffee, what's not to love?
I stopped in here for a quick snack and drink while in the midst of shopping. This is a nice street to check out with plenty of shops, boutiques, restaurants, and a little personality too. This restaurant had an awesome menu; but I just went for the fruit, yogurt, and granola mix. The brunch drinks were tasty. Nice patio area outside.
Review Source:This place is great! Ive been here several times for brunch and it has always been really good. Great Bloody Marys, three different kinds! Also, I recently went there for dinner and that was great! Had tacos and drinks. Friendly and quick service, nice atmosphere. I like it as much as staring at paintings of naked ladies.
Review Source:I've been to New Mexico numerous times, I think Flo lives up to their specialty claim. Â Most places pass off Americanized Mexican as "New Mexican," but Flo even gets the chili sauce right (Christmas style!). Â The noise level and wait always kill it for me, though.
Highlights:
- Chilaquiles - best hangover medicine. Cheesy, spicy, and filling.
- Breakfast burrito - hard to imagine a better egg-based burrito. Â Ingredients are super fresh with minimal grease, which is rare.
- Carnitas Hash - VERY nicely done carnitas with just the right amount of heat. Â Ask for extra guac on the side to perfect this winner.
- Margaritas - though pricey, they do it right with their own sour mix, not that pre-made sugary dreck that most places sling
Lowlights:
- Crowd - don't bring groups here or expect a table within an hour on weekends
- Volume - don't expect to converse with people more than 3 feet away
- Service - Flo's popularity leads to servers pressuring you to move along
Bottom line:
I love this place for New Mexican when I have 3 hours to spare for weekend brunch, but that's rarely the case. They do little to compensate for this drawback in terms of service or ambience once you're seated.
The latest ownership is great. Â They have introduced some great new "New Mexican" dishes like the red chile sopapillas and hatch green chile. Â The New Mexico red chile is better than my grandma's (I am from new mexico) but don't tell her I said that anyone! Â Great beer list, dinner is underrated and brunch is amazing.
Review Source:Went here the first time for brunch this weekend and it was amazing! I love bloody marys and the cholula bloody mary was perfect spicy and delicious! I had the chorizo scramble with potatoes and black beans- it was amazing. The hot sauces were amazing also, and the servers and staff were so friendly. Food came out so fast, and even though we had to wait a few mins for a table they give you complimentary coffee while you wait! Can't wait to go back and try more things!
Review Source:I've been here for brunch twice. Â The first time was a few years back, and the second time was last weekend. Â It's Mexican-inspired food, so if you like that there's a solid chance you'll enjoy the menu. Â There are 3 types of bloody mary's (I went original which has a bit of a kick), and a flight of mimosa options, and probably other stuff.
Big time perk though: Â When you walk in and have to (inevitably, even at 11:30am) wait for a table you can treat yo'self to some Big Shoulders coffee while you huddle in the vestibule.
This spot is always crowded. Â The food is decent. Â For me, it wasn't stellar. Â I had huevos rancheros, a traditional brunch dish. Â It was a bit bland for me, but not terrible. Â The service wasn't amazing, but then again, we were sitting at the bar and the bartender was making said bloody's and mimo's for the whole restaurant. Â I am also turned off by just HOW crowded it is. Â Unless you get a table in the back, dining up front or at the bar means you're sharing every story from last night with both your BFF and the party of 5 hovering behind you. Â
I'll probably try them again, as it's just down the road, but it was A-OK, nothing more, for me.
I hadn't been to Flo in quite some time....so I quite frankly forgot their menu and how well they threw down in the kitchen! Â I was thoroughly impressed with my dish. Â I had the Smothered Ranchero burrito with potatoes and it was excellent! Â
I can see why this place gets the reviews and has the following that it does (it was fairly packed). Â Flo will definitely be a part of my monthly rotation for breakfast / brunch!
First time visit for me, with my sister and friends from Chicago Tuesday Nov 20, early afternoon. The food and ambiance were excellent; fresh ingredients, southwestern spices delicious, vegan friendly and the service was excellent. Â I will go back and explore other menu items. Â Your taste buds will be pleased with the visit and I highly recommend a stop in for a bite to eat, a drink, and with very reasonable prices too!
- Rob Grass
This is my neighborhood brunch spot, and I couldn't be luckier. First off, the food is Mexican inspired and they do an amazing job perfecting it all. Also, the drinks are great and they have a verde bloody mary that is beyond amazing. I also love the host who seats you on weekends, such a friendly great guy. One of the best brunch spots in Chicago.
Review Source:Went here on Sunday at about 11:30 and the place was pretty packed. That's an excellent sign, yes.. especially after some of our waiting-mates mentioned they went across the street whose only patron was the cook.
I walked in and was pleasantly greeted by the host! Super friendly and helpful. I told him it was our first time and he offered up a menu and some tips to consider when we are sat. *loving this place already*. The most important was that there are mimosa flights you can choose from that change from week to week. How cool is that?
The restaurant is cute and cozy and you can tell long after people have eaten, fullness and conversations set in and extends their stay.
When we sat down, we were greeted by our waiter, who unfortunately, was really hard to understand, but was very nice. After some back and forth, I settled on the smothered ranchero burrito with chicken apple sausage as opposed to the stewed beef, and scrambled egg whites.This was amazing! It was filling but light? How can that be? Well the black beans, fresh pico, spinach wrap were all helpful in the effort.
My dining mate had the skirt steak eggs benedict and said it was delicious, but my burrito may have won out!
Then lastly the mimosa flight -- it was a traditional mimosa, a peach mimosa, and a rose' mimosa (my favorite). Each flight was $12 but I felt it was worth it.
The other plus was how friendly everyone else was although they were not assigned to your table. That's always a plus.
Overall great experience and I can't wait to come back and continue to peruse the menu.
We visited Flo with guests for a weekend brunch recently, and it was terrific. The ambiance is just right for brunch -- relaxed, good natural light, congenial staff. A smothered ranchero burrito lit up my life: plump, tender, tasty -- could not have been better. My dining companions were similarly pleased with their choice. And the coffee was excellent. I never get over that way for brunch, but if I do, Flo will be my #1 destination.
Review Source:I hadn't been to Flo in many years and the last time was for brunch.
A couple of weeks ago, a girl friend and I went on a Saturday night for dinner around 8. The restaurant was filled, but not crowded (read: no wait).
Great music (someone's impeccable iTunes playlist?), great service, and most importantly, excellent food at reasonable prices.
We are both vegetarians and split the frito pie and Flobimbop. We also had the sopapilla and pumpkin bread pudding for dessert.
Their house margarita is a very affordable $5.
One drink, two entrees and two desserts came to about $50 after tax and tip.
The atmosphere is casual, but modern. This is great place for a date, group dinner or to catch up with a friend.
It's everything one could want in a dining experience without pretentiousness or confusion.
So, Flo has been one of my favorites for brunch and dinner the last year. This week, I tried their catering ... Wow!! Â For an unbelievably reasonable total cost, we had a huge plate of absolutely delicious veggie quesadillas with really quality ingredients, huge plate of pulled pork mini-sandwiches and yet another of beef mini-sandwiches that melted in your mouth, a huge plate of guacamole with Flo chips (that I never got to taste because my guests gobbled it up), and a huge plate of gourmet cheeses and artisan meats. Â Delivery was exactly on time, and everything tasted perfect ... Even the leftovers the next day! Â If things hadn't gone our way Tuesday night, we could have taken solace in very full, happy tummies!!
Review Source:Went here post-work with colleagues recently and had a fantastic time. Margs were excellent all around. The prosecco margarita was my favorite - just a subtle taste of the prosecco - surprisingly good.
We loved 95% of what we ordered, which is quite an accomplishment in my book. The shrimp sopapilla was out of this world, as were the chicken enchiladas and the carnitas.
Service was great - very attentive. We went around 5:30 on a Tuesday night, so it was very quiet when we arrived. Got a bit busier as the night went on, but was never packed. Hope this place makes it, because it's great food in an area that needs a great restaurant.
mmmmmm mmmm goood. Mexican breakfast--who couldnt love this idea?
The chili verde bloody mary is incredibly spicy and flavorful. So great! Skip the rojo bloody mary!
I started with sharing the Triple Berry-Zabione French Toast. Perfect!
Then I got the ranchero burrito with chicken instead of beef and my boyfriend got the Chorizo Hash. We loved both dishes! The hash came on top of polenta instead of potatoes was a really interesting take on the dish. My burrito was huge and flavorful with lots of goodness inside!
Aunt Flo is in town baby! Â And I like it! Â Okay, sorry but I just can't possibly be the only person who loves this place to make that stupid joke, can I?
I have now done breakfast (albiet extremely hung over) and dinner at Flo and each experience was uniquely awesome. Â Just the right touch of latin flavor while doing something new and interesting.
Love the margs
Back in the day of the early gentrification "the Bongo Room" showed up , and has been packed since.
Further South on Chicago Ave. its seems quite possible to get a table a little easier in the morning than over on Milwaukee Ave.
This place blew my breakfast expectations away just as bongo room did almost 15 years ago.
The egg sandwich is absolutely mouth watering and the cocktails impeccable.
Ahh Im sorry. I wanted to like this place but nothing did it for me. Â I came here on a Sunday for brunch because I saw that they had fruity pebbles french toast.. Whaaaaaaa! So i had to get it. So we drive over. get seated and here are the results
Pros:
::we got seated right away (at the bar but we didn't care. thee reallll Hunger games was in action! nah mean?)
::the bartender/server was very quick to get us coffee and was friendly.
::full bar. :-)
::homemade hot sauce(Mexican vibe to this place)
Cons:
::the coffee was ehh. Not very good
::the menu was sorta of limited. or maybe should i say nothing jumped out besides the French toast
::my gf got the guacamole omelette but there was very little avocado in it. It seemed more like pico de gallo omelet. the potatos on the side we so boring.. like just salt and pepper.. nothing special. I can make dat shit at home!
All in all nothing was outstanding and I wouldn't go back. It's too bad [as in it's a shame not its too bad because it was horrible]. I wanted to like it. Maybe they have other better options but I doubt ill go back.
But if you are gonna go.. Get the french toast with cocoa pebbles or fruity pebbles. Yum.
This is one of those places that I can honestly say "I don't get it." I went there and was basically made to feel that even getting a table was an accomplishment of Phelps-proportions.
I was really pumped because there were eleventy million people waiting to get in so it had to be outstanding! Yeah...no.
The service was bad, even by Chicago standards (sorry, but that is the standard by which all bad service can be measured) and the food...yeah...I just don't even...people wait for an hour for eggs on a tortilla? I think I'm missing something. I'm sure this place has its fans, but I can't figure out why. 2 stars for good coffee.
Honestly, a little out of the way for me but a great neighborhood place for those in the area. Their cocktails were quite good.
We tried the guac and sopapilla for appetizers and split a vegetarian enchilada for the entree.
Service was super friendly and ambiance was clean and spacious.
I was feeling like having some seafood last Saturday night and my friend had a two for one WBEZ card for Flo. Â I hadn't been there in a while, but boy was I impressed with the new owner Amy Laria and the GM Leonard Sanchez. Â The service was outstanding and I felt very welcome! Â I had the Mussels in Wine sauce! Â Yummy! Â I think some of the best Mussels I've had in a long while. Â Leonard suggested their Viognier to pair with the Mussels, oh what a satisfying meal!
I highly suggest that you rethink Flo for dinner! WOW! Â They are moderately priced and the food is very good!
Flo, not the rider or the waitress from dumb and dummer, I'm talkin' about the soulful Mexican brunch and dinner spot in the Chi.
Before heading back to the burbs, a friend and I stopped by here to tear it up. We had the Triple Berry-Zabione French Toast and Huevos Verdes so we could have sweet and savory.
I thought the French Toast was by all means good, but I've had much better. The plating was a little sloppy and there weren't all that many berries. However I don't think getting sweet items here is the way to go. It's all about their Mexican grub.
The Huevos Verdes was an absolute winner, it was incredibly satisfying. The green chili was out of this world, I could eat it outta my gym shoes! Mexican breakfast is something I rarely get to treat myself to, so I would loving visiting Flo on numerous occasions to try all their south of the border offerings.
The food that passed as we dined all looked good too. I cant wait to get back and try something like their breakfast burrito, chilaquiles, and maybe someday hit them up for dinner.
When are we going to get the half star system on board here? I'd love to give this place 4.5 stars, but maybe I'll update to 5 stars after a few more visits.
I came here on a Sunday at about 11am, for brunch with my cousin. I lived in Denver for 8 years, and I fell in love with GREEN CHILE.
Green chile is NOT salsa verde. IS NOT. IS NOT. IS NOT.
So, when I heard that Flo had green chile, I was really excited.
We were seated in about 10 minutes and got terrific service from the bartender. He made us a delicious, strong Green Chile Bloody Mary and even split it into two smaller glasses for the two of us to share. Then we decided on a smothered breakfast burrito, Christmas style (at the recommendation of the bartender... see pic) and the brunch special of fruity pebbles french toast. Three huge slices, with plenty of crunchy fruity pebbles and fresh fruit on top.
We cleaned the plates. Nuff said.
First off Impressed by the fact that we were seated within a minute of arriving (party of 5, 12:30 on a sunday)!
The food was amazing. The guadalajara egg scramble was the perfect balance of flavors and textures. The egg sandwich on brioche was light and perfect (though they were a bit heavy on the mayo). Both french toasts were delicious and sweet! The service was great. Will def be returning!
This place had a cute name and it was nearby so we decided to give it a go. The menu was unconventional- perhaps good for some people, but we were expecting choices that were a little... less Southwestern. Even though it wasn't what we were expecting, we gave it a try anyways.
My dish was alright. Nothing worth mentioning. My boyfriend ordered the El Jefe Burger. The waitress asked how he would like it cooked. He responded with his usual- medium rare. The waitress put our orders in, and we got our food. But something was... off about the burger. The bacon it was wrapped in was basically raw. When we brought this to our waitress' attention, she was nice about it and apologized. However, then it looked as if the manager had a quick word with her about the burger. He came over to us, apologized again, and told us the burger was NOT supposed to be cooked to order. We didn't try another burger or entree.
I would have given this place 1 star had they not comped my boyfriend's meal. At least they were graceful about that. But we'll be checking out different neighborhood restaurants from now on. Sorry, Flo- it's a no-go.
I like flo. I've always liked flo. The ambiance is comfortable and cozy, the location is convenient (for me), the staff has always been attentive, and of course the food keeps me coming back.
So what happened to our poached eggs, flo? Let me back it up.
My friend and I visited flo on Sunday morning, beating the crowd by about 10 minutes, AND we got a table outside (bonus). I ordered the chorizo-tamale hash and my friend ordered the skirt steak eggs benedict. My dish was great, as always, except the poached eggs on top were completely hard. So were the eggs on my friend's benedict. I was able to cope, because the other flavors in the hash were delicious and, never having had such a dish before, I didn't miss the eggs. However, my friend, who has had plenty of benedicts in his life was quite disappointed. A poached egg is an integral part of this dish and I must admit, we left feeling a little less than our usual impressed.
BUT...4 stars because flo is pretty consistent with a great dining experience. -1 star for the eggs.
I'll start by stating we had to order take out and I did not eat at the actual restaurant. But from what I had I will be making it a priority to stop in soon.
Again it is one of those menus that everything sounds really good so how the hell are you supposed to choose? I ended up ordering the Southwest Cobb and the guacamole. It was so good I ate myself silly. The guacamole is amazing (I just realized I ate guacamole 3 times this week as well as an avocado...holy mother) and the kicker is the chips. Super greasy puffed up crispy chips. They almost looked like pork rinds. They were out of this world. The salad was just a really awesome salad and in my book that means ingredients that compliment each other, and really good fresh quality produce.
Others at lunch got carnitas tacos, steak tacos, their take on a sloppy Joe, and maybe a black bean burger...all looked amazing and with the eating frenzy that went down I believe all tasted amazing as well.
My friends rave about Flo's brunch. I was here for dinner, and would definitely like to check them out for brunch some day. I went on a Friday night with a date, and we were seated right away. Our waiter was really cool and had these awesome indestructible German glasses. His name is on the tip of my tongue, began with an M...Marcel? Marcelus? I don't know. I could be way off.
We ordered wine and guacamole for appetizer. The guacamole was great! However, the chips were sooooo greasy, there were still heavily glazed in oil. But that was ok by me because I don't usually eat many of them at any Mexican restaurant any way.
For entrees we had the fish tacos and chicken enchiladas. The enchiladas were really good. A lot of chunky chicken filled the tortilla, which was braised in a tangy sauce. The beans were good, and I appreciated the brown rice! I haven't had many enchiladas, so I have a limited perspective, but they were probably the best I've had. The fish tacos were breaded, and there are few things that are breaded and fried that I don't like. Not greasy and the breading was perfect. Fish was moist and flakey.
I need to go back for brunch.
The food was very good. Both my boyfriend and I had Mexican-inspired brunch dishes with eggs. He had some sort of scramble with steak; I had pulled pork tacos with fried eggs. I was a bit disappointed in the service. I ordered coffee and had to ask for milk and sugar to be brought to the the table. By the time I finally got it, my coffee was luke warm. When I was looking for a refill, I had to ask twice and my boyfriend asked a third time for me before anyone refilled my cup. Attentive servers should not have to be asked at all, no less three times.
A place that specializes in brunch should be able to keep up with the coffee.
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