I've been to about three different Walker Brother's locations and all of them have pretty much the same setup with the stained glass windows, wood paneling and natural lighting during the day. Â I love that this breakfast place is open late too. Â I always get the spinach crepes because noone makes spinach crepes like Walker Brothers. Â My second favorite is the blueberry belgian waffles. Â Its so full of sweet blueberries that you don't need syrup to sweeten it. Â Every Walker's Brother has excellent consistent quality of food.
Review Source:This is the best pancake house in the Chicago area. The only thing that keeps them from a 5 star rating are the prices, which are a bit high for basics. However...
Apple Pancakes are the BEST!! These things are going to be the death of me. I cannot resist ordering them, I always burn my mouth because I can't wait for them to cool down when served fresh from the oven, and I always end up eating much more than I planned. All other menu items are made fresh and delicious. Saturday/Sunday mornings are packed...plan on extra wait time.
One of my favorites!
So it's a lively morning on my birthday and I want breakfast, so I turn my yelp account on and browse through all the places. I debated between two places before I finally decided to try walker brothers pancake house.
So lets start with the scenery...
Old school and homie, circa late 70s decor cute place and it stands out when you're just moseying down the road in your car.
Service...
Ok so I will split this up into two aspects
The waiter's service and how quick the food came out.
Lets start w the good news. The food was quick and service was quick
Bad news, our waiter was TERRIBLE! Didn't smile, rushed us, didn't check up on us, and passed us three times (20 min clearly we've been done) and then just dropped the check, got a box from another waiter. Based on this alone I would not even give this place a rating (it would be zero if I could) lucky for him we tip good regardless
Now food...
I got the crispy crunchy French toast, I liked the crunch factor it's something different but needs more seasoning in the French toast dip itself
French crepes were good I liked the sauce that was used
Chocolate choppier
Chocolate pancake w chocolate chips
You can't mess it up
Overall this rating was based solely on food
I took 24 people in our theatre group to eat here prior to seeing a show at Writer's Theatre, about 5 miles away, and we were very disappointed. Â I had called to make a reservation, which they don't allow you to do, but they took my name so they were ready for us, and at that time I told them I was bringing people for early dinner because we had a show at 6 p.m. Â Never did they tell me on the phone that this place only serves breakfast food. Â We couldn't get a salad or a sandwich!!!!! And then they wanted to put it all on one bill? Â Who does that these days? Â And just one more added thing.........I had eggs for breakfast earlier that day, so I searched and searched for something on the menu, and I came up with a sundae, and I ordered a hot fudge one and they brought me strawberry. Â This is a DON'T BOTHER place, and to be sure if we ever go to that theatre again, and we probably will because the theatre part of the trip was a WONDERFUL experience, we will never go to this place. Â The Walker Brothers by the Marriott Lincolnshire theatre is much, much better and serves salads and sandwiches!
Review Source:Best brunch place in all of Chicago! I've tried so many things from here and I've never been disappointed. The sante fe, crispy crunchy french toast, haberno hash browns - all delicious! They have every kind of breakfast item you can think of... plus more... I've never ordered anything and not liked it. I love that their open 7 days a week and evenings!
Review Source:Im not sure what the hypes about.
Yes, the place was homey.. and clean. Our server was horrible (cold and short), the food is overpriced, and the menu is much smaller then most diner/breakfast joints.
My husband ordered the continental with a side of turkey sausage and said it was just average. I ordered the regular French toast which had way too much butter and powdered sugar on it that I had to scrape it off in order to be able to eat it.
Friends RAVE about the other locations.. maybe this one just isn't that great.
I wont avoid it all together if someone wants to go here but this definitely isn't my first choice. Its not even in my top five based on the server alone.
Theres a reason why this spot has been open for so long and still has a line out the door. Its just simply good "original" breakfast done right. Â Been here a couple times and have always left stuffed and satisfied. Maybe even too full, (great for a saturday or sunday brunch cuz you might be in food coma if u eat like me). I like the mediterrean omlete and chocolate chip pancakes, but heard the the apple pancakes are good as well. Overall great old school family diner!
Review Source:The Food is good here. BUT the service is SOOO HORRIBLE!!! After coming here for the second time, I realized that it wasnt me. The Servers just dont care. Took forever to be greeted then after being greeted another 11 minutes to get the drinks, then another 11 to take the order than 15 to wait for the food. I had to flag down another server for more coffee. OH and then another 12 minutes to get a check! I will not being coming back here ever again!!
Review Source:Homey and comfortable, this is why I like Walker Bros. Delicious food and piping hot coffee, this is why I'm a fan.
I've been to the original location as well as a few other locations scattered around the north shore. I love that there has been good consistency with the food and service at each location I've visited and this visit was no different.
There can be a wait at times but midweek and at 745, we were seated immediately. I chose their special--blue crab Benedict served with a slice grilled tomato topped on an English muffin with choice of pancakes (yay!) as my side. Â The crab was super fresh and tasty. Â The eggs were perfectly poached and the hollendaise, although skimpy drizzle, was delicious. Â I'm sure if I asked for more hollendaise they would have obliged--service was wonderful. Â A little slow on the coffee and water refills but I liked that they let us linger a bit and savor/enjoy the quiet morning.
The buttermilk pancakes were good. Â Although I'm becoming partial to the 49'ers flapjacks. Â They're thinner than a pancake, yet thicker than a crepe. And the consistency is almost like a bread pudding in the center.
Man I love breakfast.
Wow... Just wow... with my mouth wide open.
What an absolutely fantastic breakfast/brunch place! It's one the best, if not the best, breakfast place in the area. Walker Brothers has an extensive menu with all the breakfast items you can imagine plus more. I love the apple cinnamon pancake and I highly recommend it. But beware, it's not one of those thin pancakes you'd normally eat. It's a monstrous concoction of goodness beyond your wildest imagination. The omelettes here are also probably three times the size of normal ones and would certainly fill you up. The waffles are crispy and thick, and the crepes are to die for. Wow... I love this place.
I've only been here on Saturdays, and it's majorly packed during the breakfast/brunch hours. The parking lot is cramped and waits are long, but I assure you it's so worth it. Even with Walker Brothers being so busy, service never slacks.
Every time I leave the restaurant, I just can't fit through the door (fine, this is an exaggeration). But when I sit down in the car, I do have to unbutton the top button of my jeans. You can't leave Walker Brothers not full.
Went here on thanksgiving, boy were they busy. We waited about 30 minutes, but worth the wait... We even came back the next day..... And waited agin in the cold.
Arturo served us both days. Great guy and remembered us. The service was good for the amount of traffic that there was. Food came out cooked properly and was delicious. The corn flakes French toast was amazing. The best French toast I've had. The coffee needs to be stronger, but was decent enough. Prices are pretty fair and the service was very good.
The spacing of the restaurant and parking needs more control, but they were definitely equipped for the rush.
All in all, good food, food service and good ambiance (even though old.)
Will definitely come back here next time I'm in Chicago and will look for their other locations.
To sum it up, it's like Denny's, or IHOP, but better food, taste and service.
Go here and you will be happy.....just go early and be ready to wait to be seated on weekends and holidays.
I've always loved coming to the pancake house when I'm in town visiting my buddy. Â
Apparently everyone and their mom does too, because this place is packed on weekends if you show up during prime time.
Things I've always enjoyed, dutch baby and the potato pancakes are all good.
I also like the hash browns with the onions and peppers in there.
I knew it! They are connected to the "Original Pancake House" fame...
Was in Northbrook for work, and hungry for some good breakfast. Found this location on my iPhone yelp app, and off I went.
Interior decor is reminiscent of other OPH's - - like a Grandma's house. And the food offerings are essentially the same. You can still get the large Dutch Apple Baby if you'd like..
For me, I'm a well-done bacon (extra crispy!), eggs and pancakes kinda breakfast person. They did not disappoint.
Service was decent - - quick and efficient.
This location has parking in the back, and i overheard others having to drive round and round trying to find a spot. (So I guess I must have been lucky.)
They do apparently take reservations, otherwise... i just waited in the que for my "table for one" spot to open up. Wait time on a Friday morning around 9 was approx 10-15min.
I took the 2 young'ns here for an early Sunday breakfast. Â I have usually avoided as an overpriced, too busy, marginal food and marginal service. Well when the youngest wanted to go...we went. Â
We were early for the busy time, so chalk up one plus. Â
My review...overpriced, marginal food, lousy service. Â They were too busy when we were leaving. Â Nice the waitress kept us waiting for 10 minutes for the check....when the line is out the door.
Great breakfast spot!! Crunchy french toast was amazing!! The hash brown with habanero cheese was great. Also tried the Sante Fe omelet. It was huge and the salsa was spicy enough!
My friends and I waited about 15mins  (wednesday morning) to get seated which was not that bad.
Service was prompt though, our server was very busy.
I would definitely come back again
My favorite place for breakfast in the world. Â Their pancakes are the best I've had anywhere, ever.
Pigs in a blanket are good--thee sausages, each wraped in a pancake. Â Had their apple pancake, dutch baby, etc--all are good, but their pancakes are exceptional.
Great atmosphere and even on the busiest of days the wait isn't that terrible--30-40 minutes at most.
But seriously, delicious pancakes.
Try the silver dollar pancakes instead of regular sized ones so you feel like a giant!!! : )
Great breakfast spot. Â Quick and friendly service. Â I am a little biased for breakfast because even though the sweet stuff on the menu looks fantastic, I need something savory for breakfast. Â The food here is amazing! Never a disappointment here, just watch what time you come, because breakfast on the weekends or holidays are busy! Â Its worth the wait though, oh and make sure to order some of the bacon!!! You won't be sorry!
I went to Walker Bros with two friends who live close by. Â Since I live in the city and Yelp a lot they wanted to take me to a good place in the suburbs. Â Before heading to Walker Bros my friends informed me that they are famous for the apple pancake.
I decided against the apple pancake because I wanted something a little less sweet for dinner. Â I decided on the Continental with some help from my friend. Â Thanks to her suggestion, I also chose to skip the plain pancakes and go for chocolate chip pancakes...win! Â I chose to have my eggs scrambled along with the hashbrowns. Â I skipped the juice because I had already ordered a hot chocolate. Â My friend tried the crepes for the first time. Â They were pretty mediocre. Â I've have had better crepes before, in other cities not so sure about Chicago.
We went a little later at night on a Thursday so there weren't many people in the restaurant. Â If I were to go again I might go on a weekend morning. Â The atmosphere of the restaurant might be a more lively.
Okay, so first things first: I am honestly not a fan of the apple pancake. To me, it kind of tastes exactly like an apple fritter/bear claw hybrid pastry my Mom used to get at the grocery store for me and my siblings growing up. So in my teen years, when I had my first apple pancake, the experience was underwhelming, to say the least. I'll even go as far as to recommend avoiding such a boring item on the menu. There, I said it! I know, hell hath frozen over due to my lack of respect for the honorable and venerable Walker Bros. apple pancake. I'M SORRY.
I'm also not a fan of the corned beef hash. I recently got that, after looking forward to it, and was actually really disappointed. Unlike a traditional hash, theirs is served as a patty, with a dog food-like consistency to the ground up meat and no traces of the potato I found myself longing for.
So why five stars? Because this place hits a freaking home run with its omelettes. I personally prefer the Santa Fe (it's spicy for some, though) and the Mediterranean (olive me some olives, har, har, see what I did there?). And I know I spent half of this review on a ridiculous anti-apple pancake crusade, but please note that I AM a fan of the Danish Garden pancake, which is really quite delicious. Maybe I just prefer savory breakfasts to the syrupy sweet.
Please note that  Walker Bros. has a fantastic gluten-free menu/allergy sheet available that is VERY clear and comprehensive! There's absolutely none of the BS you'd find at other restaurants that claim to be "gluten-free", which is becoming a confusing trend these days. I hear their gluten-free blueberry pancakes are delicious!
The best breakfast place ever! I also admire it's authenticity. The decor takes me back! The staff isn't too talkative but they're still nice. Our waiter was amazing, I wish I remembered his name, my boyfriend confused his order and the waiter was very sufficient about fixing it in a timely manner and humor whilst dealing with five other tables and their problems! I really appreciate that since I know how hard it is, being a server myself.
And now for the yum yum food! I had the French Crepes, but I asked for chocolate inside as well. Can you guess how mouthwatering that was? And to wash it down I had a freshly squeezed glass of orange juice. My boyfriend had the Eggs Benedict with Pecan pancakes. I also forgot to mention how great their coffee was.
My whole experience was simply amazing and I can't wait to go back for breakfast!
The pancakes are what they are known for, but you have to give them props for executing about every breakfast item incredibly well.
Some highlights:
If you go healthy and get your omelettes with egg whites only, they whip up the egg whites to a meringue..leaving you with the lightest souffle like eggs you have ever had. Â
The "basted eggs" are often hard to get anywhere else, but you can get them here with corned beef hash. Â It is basically a soft-cooked egg that leaves the egg yolk runny and the egg white firm.
The famous apple pancake might as well be the largest Cinnabon you have ever had. Â It is literally a dessert.
If you have the luxury of going during the week, you avoid the long weekend lines and get seated almost immediately. Â Combined with the fast service, you could make this a part of your workday.
One last thing, Walker Bros always seem to have a certain smell in the air. Â Once you open those doors and step in the restaurant, I guarantee your mouth will start to water.
Walker Brothers brings people together.
Case in point:
Random guy: Hey, you ever go to Walker Brothers?
Me: Are you kidding? For everything! You?
Guy: The wrestling team used to go all the time in HS.
Me: (sigh) I haven't been home in so long.
Guy: My mom mails me the frozen apple pancake.
Me: Are you serious? What's your number?
Okay. So the last sentence didn't happen, but we became friends because of Walker Brothers. Still friends, and every so often, I wonder what it would be like to raid his freezer and just stuff my gluttonous face.
Walker Brothers is a North Shore icon. Â Honestly, you can't go wrong with any of the choices, but if you're going to make it count, order the apple pancake, any of the omelets, or the challah french toast. Â The pancakes and the waffles are pretty good too.
Its an expensive treat for breakfast. Â
Belgian waffles is a must, its big and has company. Â Most dishes come with sides like, fruit, a short stack of pancakes, potatoes, etc. Â
Eggs Benedict is a usual, always, Â favorite anytime meal for me. Â Their's has got some good Hollandaise, but, I think next time I'd probably try other dishes. Â It was just fair.
If you can bring company and share that would be best. Â My first time was for a birthday brunch buffet. Â Favorites were the pancakes, waffles and french toast. Â
Dislikes: Â No appetizers.. I love breakfast places that offer Cinnamon rolls to share. No mention of ordering a single french toast or pancake. Â Coffee sucks, no true flavor or strength. Â If you desire some flavor/strength, ask for something stronger, my waitress couldn't offer me any alternatives, though I do remember there is another coffee type offered on the menu. Â Service is 50/50. Â Since they are usually busy, they can rush your order. Â Rush you while you order. Â
Chill-ax.. don't get forced into a bad breakfast!
Its a good place for a breakfast destination, definitely a one time visit, but I wouldn't go out of my way for it.
Update 12/20/07----OMG THE APPLE PANCAKES ARE AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Heard many great things about Walker Brothers, so we decided to try it out. Â I should have made it a point to try what Walker Brothers is known for, their apple pancakes. Â However, I decided to order corned beef hash since its my favorite and a friend recommended it. Â The corned beef was not as tasty as I would have liked, but the pancakes were delicious. Â My boyfriend had a ham and cheese omelette and he enjoyed that as well. Â The service was excellent. Â I guess I have to come back to order their apple pancakes! Â Can't wait!
I love Walker Brothers. It's my personal mission to try each and every Walker Brothers in the greater Chicagoland area. They're all pretty much the same, which is a good thing. It's just a consistently great breakfast, always executed to perfection. The wait can seem daunting, especially on the weekends, but once you're seated, you get your food very fast. You pretty much can't go wrong with anything you order here. It's my favorite breakfast spot, even though I live in the city, I'll happily make the trek out here.
P.S. The hashbrowns are the best, just the right amount of onion and crispy to within an inch of their lives!
Walker Bros is a special occasion breakfast place. As other reviewers mentioned, it's a MUST for those of us former north shore types when we're back in town. It's one of a kind, like many of it's menu options. You simply cannot get the likes of the apple pancake (thick, gooey cinnamon apple pie dessert pancake) or german baby (thin, light "pancake bowl-you-can-eat" in powdered sugar served with lemon) anywhere else. Even the omelets are better than a usual breakfast joint, and that's saying something for a pancake house. Plus, there are the breakfast places that you trust an eggs benedict, and those you don't. This place does everything well, and breakfast is all day here.
That being said, if I still lived in the Windy City area, I might get tired of the long lines, or think the prices are a bit much or get burned out on those favorites listed above BUT... If you make it a special treat to come here, then, like me, you'll endure the crowded line and tiny parking lot and have fond memories of this place long after breakfast is over. Walker Bros is great for a big family visit.
I offer the following tips. Find someone to split breakfast with, and one of you order the apple pancake and the other an omelet. The pancake is sooo rich, and you'll appreciate the balance of sweet and savory. Even with splitting these, you'll still probably have some to take home.
Love hashbrowns? Me too! Â These are great side, but are even better if you ask for onions and to make them extra crispy.
Finally, I have to say this for anyone who likes hot chocolate. Walker Bros serves the best tasting, most fantastic, whip cream covered huge cup of yummy hot chocolate I have ever had in my entire life. After you've been waiting out in the cold a bit, it's even better.
Next time you need to treat yourself, head to Walker Bros.
This seems like a place that doesn't disappoint, given the line at the door when we walked in on a Saturday morning. Â The hostess herded us in like cattle, which I didn't appreciate, at least until she called our group out from the line to be seated - awesome! Â That never, ever happens to me.
Our group of 6 was promptly seated, and we ordered drinks while settling in to look at the menu. Â My grandma, a petite 4'9" lady, was a bit overwhelmed at the large portions featured on the menu, but she found individual sides that fit her appetite just right. Â The rest of us went for French Toast, while my mom had her standard Western Omelette.
There wasn't one hitch in our entire dining experience. Â Everything came out promptly and tasted wonderful. Â The French Toast was just light enough, and I had a sampling of my mom's omelette, which was quite good itself. Â My grandma loved her hash browns, which were browned just enough to my liking and sauteed with onions to give extra flavor.
We didn't feel rushed, which was unexpected, given there was a line of folks still waiting to be seated. Â Overall, a can't-go-wrong breakfast joint that's worth the stop.
One of the best breakfast places around. Â I've not had a bad meal here yet.
My fave is their signature apple pancake. Â For the uninitiated, it is apple slices and brown sugar baked into a giant pancake concoction. Â It covers the whole plate, and is so rich that it surely sends my blood sugar skyrocketing. Â It's meant to be split, or prepare for leftovers. Â
Love the fresh orange juice and yummy coffee. Â Having sampled many of them, their waffles, crepes and pancakes are delicious. Â Servers are efficient and usually friendly.
Because I hate long waits, I avoid this place like the plague on weekends, when it's packed. Â Go on weekdays, if you can, so you can enjoy a more leisurely breakfast without feeling hurried.
The 5 best restaurants in the 2015 Denver Restaurant Week
3,611 Views | Category: Denver
The complete list of 2015 Denver Restaurant Week businesses
1,972 Views | Category: Denver
The tourists' guide to Portillos: 5 must have dishes
3,318 Views | Category: Chicago
Pho = Pronounced "fuh" not "foe" for pho-king sake
2,915 Views | Category: Denver
Indulgery selected to exhibit at Collision Conference
2,987 Views | Category: Press Releases
Not Logged In
BUSINESSES
Local Businesses
Near Me
My Favorites
SOCIAL
Blog & News
MY ACCOUNT
Login
Register
Contact Us
Add Your Business
