It is possible to get heart healthy food here.  I came to the Pittsfield building for a hair appointment and picked up my lunch to go.  I had a scrambled egg white, and  fresh fruit medley.  It was very good, and not overly expensive.
For carry out, you order at the food case, pay, and then pick up your packaged food.
They should charge "Blast from the Past" admission fee here. Â
I love the simple "cafeteria-esque" white bowls/plates that are diner legit. Bus boy was on my water glass like a clockwork Niagara Falls. If you use the restroom downstairs - pack your rosary - this lav is haunted! The ladies room has old-school dark-brown wooden doors affixed to marble slabs with light-brown stenciled "for security of your purse hang it on the hook" with missing hooks on the back of the door. The foggy mirrors above porcelain sinks with manual water spigots reflect the charm of a different era. I heard faint moans...or was that just the plumbing? I don't know but I'm calling it: Â A side of ghost with your coffee & toast! Now back to our diner:
I had a quick lunch but not to be forgotten: The chicken rice soup was a tad too lemony initially, but now I remember it so fondly! Add a grilled cheese and you're almost home. Â Give me more, I say...this time with a juicy bloody mary, as I've heard all good things about them. I love a little diner with a liquor license. My waitress (I usually say "server" but I want to say "waitress" here & it's a a total compliment) was swift and pleasant and don't fault me if I want to remember her wearing a white apron around her waist - the one with the bow in the back - tied over one of those off-mustard-yellow one piece outfits. Â
You can sit inside or outside...the "outside" being in the belly of the "Pittsfield Building" which is packed with stone and gilded charisma. The chandelier is glorious and sparkly. This outside dining was especially divine as I was there 'round Christmastime and the giant tree added some "all that." Â
I think there was something about a $10 minimum on a credit card, so mind your cash, or just order more! Yep, the best news is that you CAN eat here for under ten bucks and there is no "Blast from the Past" admission fee. Seriously tip your waitress! WOO!
Pittsfield almost always gets the job done and they get that job done cheaply. Â A hot lunch for two under $15? Â Tell me more.
Pittsfield is that hidden gem that makes a gloomy Friday at work a little brighter... until it's darker because my eyes closed because I'm taking a nap at my desk now. Â Oops. Â I generally go for the patty melt and it's a pretty good rendition. Â Nicely toasted marble rye on that baby. Â Coworkers swear by the soups and BLTs. Â Corned beef hash is their breakfast star. Â I'll eat hash just about anywhere, but this one is nice and salty. Â Yelp knows I'm like a baby deer to a salt lick.
We usually order for pickup and it's ready by the time we've gotten our coats on and get out the door, but eating in is also nice in their funny pretend patio that's fenced in but inside the Pittsfield office building. Â
They used to be cash only but now they take cards. Â Yay.
Cheap diner breakfast, and while I recall eating the sausage gravy and biscuits, nothing about the meal stuck as exemplary.
That is, until the bloody mary came a-knockin'.
A full pint of tomato mix, booze and spice is one thing; the veritable breadless sandwich suspended by a damn strong toothpick across the brim of the glass took it well-beyond the next level. It beat the game. It stomped Bowser. It saved the Princess.
Salami, provolone cheese, a cherry tomato, a carrot, an olive, a lemon and a honkin' stalk of celery. Nine bucks and worth every penny, even if the wodka is rotgut (it ain't) and the mix is canned (it probably is).
No gourmet, no gastrotech, no bullshit. But for fair fare and a baller bloody, Pittsfield is ittsfield!*
*I will never apologize for that horrific last line. Ever.
Great food. Kind service. Fast kitchen. What else can you ask for? I spent more than I wanted, but that's my fault. I made my own omelette and got chicken, onion and avocado (with egg whites). Almost everything was an extra charge. But it was huge, hot and delicious. For $16 including tip I got breakfast and lunch in one meal, unlimited coffee and talked with a wonderful server.
Review Source:Pittsfield Cafe has the best tasting corned hash. Has the corned beef hash been a little less on the too soggy part, I would have given this place a 5-star. Still, I couldn't help myself shoving a forkful of it in my mouth.
It is located inside the Pittsfield building with an amazing interior. .
I remember the days of going to this diner as a fave lunch spot with my coworkers. Â I would always order the spinach feta omlette with toast and fries or hash brown. Â It's the best place to go when you are craving a hometown breakfast. Â It is cash only and I am glad to see that after 5 years of not going here that it is still around. Â Will definitely make a stop here when I visit Chicago again.
Review Source:what a beautiful building that the pittsfield cafe is nestled in. my husband and i had a quick brunch here while visiting chicago. we so happen to walk by, saw a sign, and decided to give it a try.
my husband ordered a bacon wrapped hot dog while i ordered a breakfast sandwich on a croissant. the hot dog was simple enough with a side of crinkle cut fries. it hit the spot for my husband. the breakfast sandwich was also well done. i was in awe of the ornate trim and lighting of the lobby where we dined. it truly had character.
I've never been a fan of diners, but Pittsfield has shown me that you can judge a book by its cover. I really like this place. I've had several different things here including their blue cheese burger, a chicken philly, and a garlic chicken wrap. All were delicious. They have a wide menu so I'm gonna try some other things too sense I've had such success with everything else. The staff there is always friendly, and the pricing is decent. I go here for lunch with plenty time to spare, which is pretty quick. Try it!
Review Source:This is a pretty cool little diner tucked in the corner of an open lobby on the ground floor of a downtown skyscraper. Â It's like a calm oasis surrounded by the hustle and bustle of city life.
The diner features a nice selection of breakfast and sandwich lunch dishes. Â Nothing super fancy, but still nice and tasty. I enjoyed the two eggs, two pancakes and two pieces of bacon special. Â I thought it was priced perfectly at about $5.75, but was a bit disappointed in being charged $2.25 for a 12-ounce Dr. Pepper. I should have looked a little closer at the menu.
If you want a quick time out to grab some food and calm your thoughts. This is a good place to go.
Perfect. Hidden. Quiet. Friendly. Cheap. Fresh. Tasty!
What more can I say?
This place rocks! We went here because of the great reviews and we were not disappointed. The staff are super-friendly and welcoming. The coffee is excellent and fresh. My breakfast was cooked to perfection. And the bill was tiny.
Wow, I can't believe I've worked in the Loop for almost 5 years and have never been here- what a tragedy!
I was craving pancakes and this diner does serve breakfast all day I believe- or at least till after 1:00 PM when I went there. Delicious and my eggs were cooked perfectly which I don't always get when I order them over hard, fried, no runny yolk. Bacon was nice and crispy too! Also got an extra large fresh OJ which was SO good.
Service is indeed fast and very sweet and friendly. Many repeat customers came in while I was there and were addressed by name. I love a place like that and they are getting harder to find.
This is a gem and I hope it never goes away. Oh and they do take cards now but I heard someone say there is a $10 minimum.
I was told about this place by a tourist guide at the visitor's center. Â You have to look for it because it doesn't have a street sign, just a sandwich board on the street. Â It is in a beautiful old building with "outdoor" seating in the lobby. Â The coffee is served in large mugs, hot and tasty. Â The 222 breakfast is only $5.75 and provides a basic breakfast. I had 2 eggs, 2 pancakes and 2 bacon slices. Delicious. It wasn't crowded, but it should have been. Other breakfasts in the area are not as good and cost twice as much.
Review Source:It's so great to find this hidden cafe/diner right down the street from where I work. The service is usually quick and friendly. The prices/food is pretty good. If you want to get away from the craziness of the city for a bit and get some good food in your belly, the laid back, safe atmosphere is great! Â Cash only, so stop at the ATM and give this place a try.
Review Source:Read all the reviews on Yelp and decided to come here for breakfast on a Saturday. Â There was no wait for a table and we were able to order right away.
The coffee is great! Â I was actually kind of shocked by how good it was. Â Hash browns were right on the money. Â
Cheap, fast and good. Â They all add up to a great Saturday morning breakfast!!
5, yes 5 stars. Count 'em up.
I started my morning going to the dentist so by the time lunch came around I was starving and in the need of a little food TLC.
Enter, Pittsfield.
Thank you, Yelpers, for helping me make this lunch decision. I was excited to try this "hidden gem" in the city - and boy, is this little darlin' a GEM.
Let's start with the bad:
1. Nothing
Let's move on to the good:
1. Good coffee (I know I'm not the only one who thinks good coffee is hard to come by)
2. Great staff - Grrrrrrreat (cue Tony the Tiger).
3. Fresh squeezed orange juice - out of this world excited about this!
4. The building...
...let's talk about the building.
This is located in an old timey building that houses businesses, a barber shop and such. I chose to sit in the lobby to enjoy my lunch and wow - what a cool atmosphere. Imagine sitting and enjoying a cup 'o joe in the middle of a vintage building smack dab in the middle of the city. Well, imagine no more my friends, Pittsfield is IT.
A few things to note:
-- If you're in a rush to eat, this is THE place for you. The food service takes 5 mins. at most. WOW! How many full service joints in the city can claim such fast service? Not many.
-- CASH ONLY! But, not to worry, Yelpers. There is a Chase bank on the corner with an ATM.
What I ordered/ate:
-- South of the Border omlette
-- Rasin Toast
-- Fruit cup
-- Coffee
-- OJ
Honestly, good service gets me every time. So when I walked up to the entrance of this diner and an older man kindly greeted me and sat me down telling me, "Wherever you like!" in a happy tone, I fell in love.
I want you all to go and love it, but please save a spot for me. I can't imagine my life without Pittsfield.
Pittsfield is a Loop-area blast from the past with a makeover, as far as your tucked away little greasy spoon diners are concerned.
If you are hankering for something like a big mess of eggs, hash browns and toast--perhaps cooked the way old school gangsters were accustomed to--this is your spot. I'm a big fan of their avocado skillet, which comes with 3 eggs (mine over easy), a chunk of hash browns under that, a generous amount of avocado sliced throughout and topped with melted cheese.
Your heart will swear that you've declared war against it.
Easily distracted by nearby popular destinations such as Millennium Park and the Chicago Cultural Center, it's very easy to walk right by this gem without even knowing it. It sits smack dab in the middle of a historic building.
I love this place simply because it's one of the only true diners around. I used to go to diners regularly when I lived in NYC and haven't found too many in Chicago.
True to diner form, the service here is beyond speedy. Your food seems to arrive before you've even finished ordering it. That said, this place has very standard diner fare, which means you should probably stick with certain types of food that diners do best. I usually go for a grilled cheese or a tuna melt--something along those lines. For whatever reason, I find that the tap water here is on the disgusting side, so I almost always order a Coke.
Since it's tucked away in the Pittsfield building, it seems like a lot of people don't know about this place (judging by how many of my coworkers were unaware of it). It never gets overly crowded, although I do try to get there around noon so that I can sit in the section that's outside the restaurant itself (you're less likely to leave smelling of diner food by sitting there).
All in all, I think this is a nice hidden gem if you're looking for a diner experience.
Yuck. I ordered Spinach Pie and Split Pea soup. I've never had either, so it's hard to say if it's just the actual dish that was bad or if it was the way they made it. Split Pea soup was simply gross and had a strange consistency. Plus, the croutons tasted old and weird. Gross. After a few spoonfulls it went in the garbage.The spinach pie wasn't too bad, but had kind of a strange flavor to it. It would be okay if I didn't start feeling super sick to my stomach 10 minutes after eating it. "Yeah, so now I feel sick. Great. I also ordered an Apple Pie which is now sitting in my fridge, so we'll see how that tastes. I'll update you guys once I know.
Another downside is that the place is cash only and it is only open till 5pm. It's in my building though which makes it convenient. Well anyhow, I am willing to try something that I actually know how it tastes like next time and I will update my review once I do. Until then.
Things I love about Chicago,
Greek families that have slung our hash for the past 120 years.
Getting off the el in the dead of winter at sunrise, Â or earlier.
Breakfast, Â there is no city with better breakfast, Â well not consistently anyway.
I can bring all these loves together in one fell swoop at the Pittsfield diner, Â get off the Orange line, Â walk less than a block, Â enter this stalwart of Chicago history. Â Stroll straight through the grandiose lobby that is reminiscent of a European courtyard or square. Â Grab a hot cup of coffee, Â breakfast, Â and a clean bathroom downstairs. Â I can do this all for under $7. Â Question is, Â how long can they? Â
Fast, Â good eats in a beautiful historic building, Â maybe I will see you there, Â better not have a jimmy Johns with ya!
Let me explain my diner fetish.
Never mind.
I don't want to see your GenY smirk, or listen to your haughty disregard for tradition, historical significance or a good grilled cheese sandwich. To hell with you. Â You'll never appreciate the ancient Greek owner who welcomes all, or the decor of the Pittsfield (bringing to mind Rudolph Valentino's mausoleum), or the fact that this building contains a store that makes police badges. Â POLICE BADGES! Â Just keep going to Jimmy John's, you Philistines.
Had a great breakfast here with a friend today. Â We arrived around 7:15 am, found a seat, and were promptly served coffee and tea. Â Waitress came back a few minutes later, we ordered, and food was at the table within 5 minutes. Â
It was warm and EXCELLENT!!! Â I had a bagel sandwich - egg, cheese, and sausage links cut in half (a bit weird because I would have expected a sausage patty) and some hash browns (awesome). Â Mike had an omelet that he DESTROYED.
Good place to sit and have a chat also!
Total - Mike paid, but it was under $20 for the two of us...
- quick
- perfect diner food
- limited hours
- beautiful surroundings in the lobby
This place reminds me of what might've been the 1920s urban diner. I have been coming here ever since I moved to Chicago in '02 and not much has changed, including the servers.
If you sit in the lobby area you will be entertained by the incredible beauty that is the Pittsfield Building. Everywhere you look has been crafted with love.
But we need to talk about the food. It's great diner food. They keep early hours, so if you're a 6a breakfast person this is the place for you. I usually get breakfast here. And strangely when then are their busiest is when they shine, like a well-oiled machine. Once I ordered breakfast and by the time I reached in my bag for some work it was sizzling away in front of me.
There's not a bad place to sit. If you're at the counter you can watch the symphony in action.
Amazing hidden diner in the loop!! Â
I was downtown all week last week taking classes to get my real estate license, and during lunch, my buddy John enlightened me about the Pittsfield. Â It's set just off a large atrium inside the Pittsfield Building on Wabash. Â There are tables out in the atrium, and on into the diner with classic bar seating as well as vinyl booths. Â Servers are older, and shine with seasoned expertise. Â They know their stuff. Â Ask for a special, and they'll rattle off everything plus options without so much as blinking an eye. Â
I ordered a cheeseburger that was perfect in that diner way. Â It's no Kuma's, but it's not trying to be that. Â You should be in the mood for diner food if you're coming here. Â
John ordered eggs, sausage and toast, and it looked great too. Â Total bill? Â $21 w/ tip. Â Not bad!
My GF and I stumbled upon/into this place after walking around for over an hour on St. Pat's day looking for a place that wasn't packed to the rafters with drunks and still served breakfast around noon time. Of course, if the river dyeing had been anywhere NEAR on time (it was her first time, and boy, was it crap this year!), we wouldn't have had that problem. I digress.
Service = quite friendly, if a little inattentive.
Food = tasty, served hot, though a little overpriced, IMO. (Her pancakes, eggs & OJ and my mushroom burger + 2 coffees ran about $26.00).
If I worked in the area, I'd probably stop by every other week or so.
When I used to work at Marshall Fields (yes, Fields, not Macy's, this was like 10 years ago people when I worked there) I would go here at least 3-5 times a week. Â Seriously.
What brought me to Pittsfield Café?  It's an awesome diner.  They have a counter for singles and tables for groups.  They will sit singles at the tables, but I always ate at the counter because they have limited space during rush hour.
Back to what makes Pittsfield (that's what we call it) awesome:
-Diner seating!
-No nonsense staff that is actually friendly and remember the repeat customers. Â
-Really good BLT, seriously the best in Chicago. Â ORDER IT! Â Other good items are the breakfast specials and a killer turkey salad on croissant. Â CROSSANT!
-FYI: They have greek toast, if you don't know what that is, it is a thicker slice of white bread with SEASAME SEEDS on the crust of the bread. Â IT'S THE TOAST JESUS EATS WHEN HE IS IN CHICAGO! Â
-Quick friendly service and turnaround (important for lunches in the loop)
So Pittsfield is so great I took my parents here when they visited from central Iowa. Â I made them jump on the "el" with me and travel a good 20 minutes from east pilsen (where I lived 10 years ago way before University Village was built) to eat breakfast.
You know what happened? Â My dad was jealous of my Greek toast and told me I should have advised him to get some too! HA!
They offer pick-up service. Â You can call in your order and pick it up! Â I never did this because it was so close, but now that I work in the south loop I do fantasize about the turkey croissant, but usually tell myself I will get up early some day and have breakfast before work and then walk to work (15 minute walk). Â I'm not a morning person so that never happens!
Lastly I just want to say this café was so good I wasn't the only repeat customer from Marshall Fields.  I worked in the cosmetics department and most of us went on breakfast breaks and lunch here together.  You would go and run into at least another table that was from our department.  I wouldn't be surprised if there were other tables from the store because it's really a jem.
A coworker of mine and I walked into the Pittsfield Cafe one day for lunch knowing nothing about it. When you first walk into the historic Pittsfield Building, you instantly notice the five-story atrium that the cafe is situated in. It's a bit strange, actually, because you can be seated "outside" the actual restaurant, but it's still inside this atrium. It's kind of cool, I suppose, but that's not the point.
Inside is actually a bit more like a diner than a cafe, but it wasn't bad at all. We decided to just order wraps, and they were very good. The price was a little steep for what we got though. The service was excellent, and the food came out super fast. An old lady in our vicinity was chatting it up with us, but she was cool and we were down. Overall, it was a pretty good experience. I have no major complaints. That might also be due to the fact that it's one of the few good places close to my work.
Oh, also, my coworker tried to pay with a debit card, but it's cash only (which of course meant I had to cover her ass).
I didn't grow up in the US, so I'm relatively new to diners as a concept. This one certainly won my affection, notwithstanding the mildly grumpy waitress and another attendant's propensity to mop the floor with smelly disinfectant while we were eating. (this has happened to me twice.)
The breakfast is solid and quality, and the spinach pie really does come with half a canned peach on the side, I'm not sure why. The chocolate shake is incredible (though probably 500 calories). Best shake I've had in years.
i wish they had longer weekend hours!
The two-star is really for the dish I got, they tricked me with the Today's special of Deep Fried Smelts. Â Smelts are little fish. Â Kinda like anchovies on steroids, but without the offensive odor or roid rage. Â That being said, the batter was forgettable and seemed haphazardly fried. Â You could say it was comparable to the Mickey D's Filet-o-fish, which i love, in that they both have a common flavor of tartar sauce and the comparison ends there. Â
The service was okay and it looks like you get a nice bread bun (which they touch with their bare hands) with any order.
Now the Boston Clam Chowder was good, although there was an impossibly large potato wedge in mine. Â The breakfast food does look good, I admit, so if I go back and get some, I'm sure my stars will rise...
This place has atmosphere, lots of "city folk" (read not touristy), and serves an amazing breakfast for cheap.
I usually just walk in and an old cranky & slightly deaf woman,who looks like a well casted waitress, takes your order. Â It usually takes about 4 minutes. Â They put it in a to go container, and I eat it at work.
I could eat there, but it is always packed. Â Mostly other down town business folks.
They also serve amazing Matzah Ball soup - just don't eat it during Passover, they put noodles in it!
They have a little indoor dining room outside of the cafe, filled with little tables and chairs. Â
I love it for the atmosphere, it really reminds me that I live in Chicago! Give this little gem a try. Â Total diner food - nothing fancy!
Sometimes, you're just in the mood for diner food and Pittsfield rarely disappoints. Some of their sandwiches tend to be on the greasy side, but there are enough choices on the menu that you shouldn't have a problem picking something tasty (or a less artery-clogging option if desired). As Richard wrote already, their cream of chicken with rice soup is delicious and very inexpensive! It's my favorite - look for it on Thursdays.
One of these days, I'll wake up early so I can go to Pitts for breakfast before work...
I love "The Pit".
A group of us (4-5) used to have breakfast there at least 3 time a week. Â Â Breakfast options are pretty standard, and I haven't been disappointed by anything I've had. It's also one of the only places I've run into downtown that you can sub grits for hash browns. Â These days we seem to just order lunch for pickup. Â
Options at the pit consist of your basic diner eats with some Greek highlights here and there. Â If available, I recommend the spinach pie and the cream of chicken & rice soup. Â Tuesday (if memory serves me correctly), is split pea soup day, yum!
They're super fast, always nice and make a mean Tuna Club.
Hungover at work? Need some grease? Call Pittsfields!  They deliver...although we normally pick it up.  Once you see their delivery  guy, you'll start seeing him all over the loop.  That man gets a ton of exercise.
It's basic diner food. Â But their menu is pretty big. It has some healthy surprises scattered about.
As always, the people are pretty friendly. Â I don't think I've ever had a crabby encounter.
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