So, I'm from the burbs but my boyfriend and family live in Cicero; every time I come out I see Yia Yia's (and often see my cousin check in) but never ate there. I finally went when I had breakfast crave. I swear I was in heaven when I ate what I ordered. The omelet bandito and the French toast! Sooooo much yummier than Wildberry in good old Schaumburg. Mmm, I'm just getting hungry thinking about it!
Review Source:This place is EXACTLY what you think it will be. Â Great, mostly unhealthy breakfast food, very delicious, and in immodest proportion.
Also, its name sounds like a rapper agreeing twice.
Still 5-stars, but my only complaint is that the servers can sure take a while to take your order.
My friend and husband came here for brunch on a Saturday. I tried calling to make reservations couple days before, but they don't take reservations unless you have a party of 6+. When we got there, there were a lot of people waiting (looks like a popular place). We got seated within 10-15 minutes which wasn't a bad wait. I ordered a gypsy skillet which consisted of ham and other veggies. It was pretty tasty. It also came with a side of pancakes which was HUGE. My friend ordered the yia  yia's skillet. It was too much food for her so she had to pack it home. My husband ordered one of the benedict dishes. He enjoyed it. Overall, good food, BIG portions. There were only 3 of us and we sat in a 4 people table and our food took up the entire table. Pretty amazing, aint it? Our waitress was really nice, too. Had a good time and definitely would come back. The prices are comparable with other brunch places.
Review Source:The food is decent the prices are good but there's nothing really special about the place, it's like your typical diner you're in and you're out. Â I wish the service was a little better, a smile wouldn't kill anybody. Â The food came out fast but it was slightly cold and the steak that we ordered wasn't rested enough so a small pool of blood was oozing out. Â I definitely wouldn't go out of my way to come back especially for the average service and food there's so many other diamonds in a rough and this just isn't one of them.
Review Source:Food was ok, nothing two special. Its a typical breakfast place with the same menu. My dad had the biscuits and gravy, he said they were ok, nothing too special.
I had the fritatta with the avocado and bacon with melted mozz cheese. It was good, nothing too fancy really.
Prices are not very cheap but comparable for the area. The reason why I am not giving them a higher rating was their customer service. Our waitress seemed annoyed that I had my kids there.
Yia Yia is the mega-store of brunch spots, where quantity is actually matched by quality. Â Their menu is huge - as my husband mused whether they had skillets, I pointed to the skillet tab of the menu, where he happily chose a hearty steak skillet. Â My Yia Yia's omelet was packed with fresh ingredients and squares of soft feta, not the tiny tough morsels usually hidden in omelets. Â
My coffee and water were never empty, and the service was impressively fast and friendly. There was a short wait to be seated on a Saturday morning, but nothing that would scare us away. I can't wait to try the other 100 items on the menu.
Expect a bit of a wait, especially during peak brunch times. Although we only waited about 15 minutes.
The complimentary muffins are joyous and the coffee is great. My waitress actually poured my coffee and then said it didn't look quite right so she brought another cup. I like waitstaff that takes that kind of ownership. Plus she never let it get past halfway full.
My corned beef hash was a good combination of salty, crunchy and a little greasy, just the way I like it. The hash browns were excellent. The pancakes are also very good, fluffy and a little taste of vanilla.
Unfortunately my wife's Paradise Crepe's were more like Paradise Lost. They had an artificial flavor that permeated the entire dish. Also, she ordered hash browns and they arrived late and were not nearly as good as mine. Much less browning and way more butter. She mostly ate mine.
Service was fair, but our waters remained empty the whole meal. I think this is probably a good breakfast place but it was to inconsistent for me to go above three stars.
I love the sandwich wraps, coffee, design and ambiance.
This place is amazing. I've been there when it's crowded and when it's practically empty (which is rare). The ambiance is that of a cute, cozy cafe. Decorations are beautiful. The tables are separated into 2 major sections. It is pretty loud most of the time.
Staff is always friendly, if a little run-down.
I've always been ecstatic with their food, milkshakes and coffee. However, they may have a 2-cup limit to coffee, as I don't get more than 2 cups unless I ask...They are large cups, though...meh.
You get a small muffin upon sitting down. Now, on a busy day a waiter/waitress may take 5-10 minutes to take your order for drinks, but you will have your menu when you are seated.
Their food is also a bit expensive, I think, for the type of food they serve. But they make up for this price in quality and serving size. Delicious for breakfast or lunch.
Comfortable for small (2- or 3-people) business meetings.
Parking lot surrounds location and is plenty. Mall nearby.
The people of North Riverside (and nearby Berwyn) are very fortunate to have this breakfast (and sorta lunch) restaurant conveniently on Harlem and Cermak. Â This is no cookie-cutter franchise Denny's or IHop. Â Â Yia Yia's treats you like family -- and in this case that's a good thing. Â All their breakfast foods are good. Â Pancakes, though not the very greatest, are the best you'll find within 10 miles. Â Service is always friendly and prices are reasonable. Â It's a big dining room, so even on a crowded Sunday you wont have to wait more than half an hour for a table. Â Â (Beware the "Bandito" omlette. Â It's delicious, but will fill you up and destroy your soul.)
Review Source:Ate here for Sunday brunch when my mom & sister were in town. Â We had to wait about 15 minutes, but we were expecting that based on other Yelp reviews. Â
As for the food: Fresh squeezed orange juice--mmmm. Â Complimentary blueberry muffins. Â I ordered cornflake-battered french toast which was excellent. Â They had a great menu.
First time at this place and everything was delicious.
Coffee was tasty and eve more with free pastries.
Then i ordered the buffalo chicken wrap as I was in the mood for lunch and for 8.99 it was a great deal! wrap was a big portion and it included a soup (lemon-rice is delish) as well as fries.
Left here full and happy :)
A good place to go for your standard breakfast fare. Â Nothing fancy or exotic, but fine for a family brunch type outing. Â It can get slammed on Sunday mornings, so you could be waiting a bit.
It can be somewhat busy and loud on the weekends, it seems like it is fairly popular. I have been several times, and I would go back to Yia Yia's.
I used to frequent this location "back in the day" when this place was Jedi's Garden. Fast forward to a name change and probably new ownership and welcome Yia Yia's.
#1. I hate the name. Makes me feel like I'm entering some Asian bistro with lackluster noodle soup and ill-prepared American fare food.
However, it's a nice little joint, well decorated and with a solid staff. My mom and I headed here for a very early breakfast on Saturday. It wasn't busy by any means (which I LOVE!) and we were served in a timely manner.
I ordered:
- (2) poached eggs
- (1) English muffin
- coffee
Was I blown away? No. I mean, it's English muffins and poached eggs, for crying out loud. BUT somehow I was served poached eggs in a small bowl nearly floating in water.
Gross.
I barely ate the eggs.
The English muffin was...toasted well? I mean, I don't know how else to properly review this place without saying it's a ho-hum run of the mill breakfast joint with no frills.
This place is a great place for breakfast. The food is fresh and the coffee tastes great - everything you want from a breakfast spot. The complimentary pastry at the start of your meal is also a great touch. The wait staff is also very quick and make sure to give you the right amount of attention.
I do feel their waiting area is very cramped and too near the entry way..they need to do a little better job in managing that section. If it wasn't for the good service and food i would find another place because it can get quite noisy.
So I visited Yia Yia's for the 2nd time and my opinion stays the same. The menu is good, the waitress was a doll and it looks very neat. Â I still think it's a little busy and somewhat hectic. Â I just can't imagine coming here for a relaxing morning, or to simply enjoy a hot cup of coffee with family or friends.
Ohhhhh and I noticed that the greeter or the older cashier wasn't to courteous, we paid and it seemed that she wasn't in the best mood. Believe it or not, we as customers can tell. I personally find it rude to have someone charging me with a mad look on her face looking everywhere. Discretion is a virtue that was meant to used, especially in the work area.
We are die-hard Sunday breakfast fans and Yia Yia's is near the top of our list of favorites. Even though we're both trying to lose a few pounds, Yia Yia's has terrific healthier options, like the "Bonjour" French toast that's made with wholegrain bread, egg whites, and fresh fruit. My latest fave is the Dr. Peter's scrambler, with egg whites, red peppers, broccoli and mushrooms - I can eat a little of that plus the side of fruit, and have enough left over to take home for at least two more breakfasts You still get to go out for breakfast and don't have to deal with a fat bomb! (well, if you WANT the fat bomb, there's always the super-meaty St. Patty's Skillet...)
A special shout-out to the wait staff - these ladies are always friendly and keep my coffee cup full. I especially appreciate their patience with my dad, who's hard of hearing but still likes to joke around with waitresses when he comes to visit.
BE AWARE - like many breakfast spots in the Chicago area, Yia Yia's WILL have a waiting list by about 9:15 on Sunday mornings, so if you're one of those people who head out for brunch at 10:00 and somehow expect to be seated immediately in a popular restaurant, please go somewhere else. Like, maybe, Corner Bakery or Panera.
Maybe a 3.5 stars
We had breakfast there last weekend. Â It was busy, but we didn't wait long and the waitress didn't seem irritated that we had to wait an additional 10 minutes when one of our party was late to the table.
The menu is passe, sort of IHOP, and the food reflects it. Â At least it was low price.
Still my go to place for breakfast on Sundays. It tends to be very crowded but the wait is never that long.
When you sit down you get little muffins with your coffee. What a nice touch!
I tend to have an omellet and I think they do a great one. I am not a big fan of their Eggs Benidict. I just think they are a bit average. Â But the omellets, pancakes and waffles are great. I tend to have The Bandito! Which is really huge, you will not require lunch.... or perhaps diner.
For the record I have had burgers here and they are really pretty rgood.
Still miss the old Jedi Garden, nice late night place to wind
up after a movie.
Just returned from what I could call the worst breakfast I've had in a real long time. Â Only went because we won a gift card at a charity function. Â So we called a friend and off we went.
First, if you are there in the winter, do NOT sit anywhere near the front doors as people are rude and leave them open and stand in the hall (as opposed to coming inside and closing the door). Â It was freezing (and I asked the hostess if the table was going to be cold....she assured me NO).
Ordered basic breakfasts: eggs, hash browns, pancakes. Â Friend got biscuits & gravy, bacon, and eggs. Â After 3 cups of coffee our breakfasts arrived.
Of course, the waitress had not brought us the 'warm' (tepid at best) syrup they mention on their menu, or the butter. Â The pancakes were luke warm. Â By the time she came with the syrup and butter they were not even that luke warm any more.
My friend's easy over eggs were HARD (he sent them back).
The biscuit gravy was the grossest I have ever tasted. Â It had absolutely no taste or flavor.
Needless to say, this place is on my forever banned list. Â Too bad, their location is good. Â
Amazed at the high ratings here.
Tried to email them my feelings but, of course, that doesn't work either! Â I am not going to call them as I told the waitress while there our feelings.
I have been here about 6 times, with friends and family. This is a nice breakfast joynt with pretty decent food. Nothing spectacular, the occasional use of "all purpose sauces," and "auntie marge" waitress service.
I go back every now and then for a breakfast I can depend on. Also, a great little perk, free muffins while waiting on your grub. Love the little extras!
I really like the food here, it's great, can't go wrong with any of their skillets or omelets. But unfortunately the way you are seated leaves something to be desired. You walk in and they give you a number and write down how many are in the party, great system right? Wrong! If you are a party of two and have been waiting 20 mins and a party of 5 walks in and a big table opens they will be seated ahead of you. Now a booth holds 4 people but they will seat two or four in it, however if  a table with four chairs opens up any party of four will be seated ahead of any party of two! Not cool at all!
On my next trip I will say I am a party of five and take my chances that they believe the rest of my party is in the parking lot. I mean what are they going to do? Unseat us?
So...based on that only 3 stars, food and waitresses are great and there is an older lady that I think is an owner, she's great too, she kept giving the seating guy the evil eye at the way he was seating people but he was probably the other owner and I'm sure she was not going to confront him about it. Atmosphere is very pleasant, if you ignore everyone behind you wondering why people that just walked in are getting seated ahead of them.
Both times I've eaten here have been quite good. Â It gets a bit crowded, and it seems to be a mostly edlerly clientele. Â
There's a good mixture of American and Greek food. Â The avgolemono soup is delicious! Â The spinach pie is great! Â The breakfasts are big and hearty, and the little muffins you get with a meal are wonderful!
Loved it.
Great food. Pleasant ambiance. Â Affordable prices.
My cousin ordered a fruit plate and they practically brought her the farmer's market. She also got their oatmeal and it was a huge serving with any toppings they could offer that you could want in oatmeal.
I had the Greek Skillet with a side of fruit instead of the toast or pancakes. It was one of the best Greek skillets I've had, and I judge my pancake houses by the Greek skillet or omelet. Â I will definitely be back.
This place kicks major ass! Seriously this is the best place for breakfast near by. Â The decor is nice and the food is amazing. Â The place gets packed on the weekends so call ahead if possible and try the paradise crepes they rock! I do wish they'd add nutella crepes to the menu but I'll live. Â If you want a great breakfast (and the lunch is good too) then take your ass to N. Riverside you wont be let down!!
Review Source:Maybe my diet of almost 100% sugar over Christmas has killed off most of my taste buds but I thought the food wasn't very good. We went for a late lunch today. I ended up ordering breakfast food hoping to play it safe, The fritatta was greasy and I have mild indigestion as a result. My husband ordered an omelette with sausage and spinach. They made him a whole second omelette after he discovered that they had forgotten the spinach (and had eaten most of the first one in order to find that out), Â which was good of them. Service is good, food won't kill you if you're in Riverside and hungry.
Review Source:I remember when this was Jedi's, I think and it looks like they've completely gutted the place and started over. Â Great decor, comfy - not cheesy, well done, I was impressed. Â Its nice to see this type of establishment really put the time and money into making it welcoming and quite large too. Â The egg lemon rice soup (which they have every day but sunday, i think), so THICK and creamy and perfectly seasoned.. Â very nice. I was there for an early lunch on a friday and had the "North Riverside", chicken breast (grilled) with bacon and cheese on a croissant, yummy fries, good garlicky pickles. Â Will be back. Â YAY for Yia Yia's! PS they close at 4 I think.
Review Source:I'm so glad we finally decided to go into this place. Â I used to drive by all the time when it was Jedi Garden.
It's really nice and cozy inside. Â We went on a Saturday morning and it was pretty busy, and I overheard someone saying it was slow!
My daughter had the mickey mouse pancake which they made a smile with pineapple rings and she was happy =)
I has the veggie omelet, it was good but the eggs had a weird taste.  and then  I forgot to ask for swiss cheese so it was a lil blah but i didn't wanna bother the waitress so I ate it.  I'm not a snob or here to make anyones life crazy so I'll just try something else next time. Â
Next time I'm going to try this cinnamon swirl french toast...ah i should have went with my first instinct and got the french toast!
the hubby had the eggs benedict and was very happy. and he's a picky guy.
all in all, we will go back. maybe on a weekday since its so close to home and get a feel of it when it's not so crowded.
OOOH, the mini muffins they start you off with are awesome! So good. I tried my sister's veggie skillet, which was awesome.
I wasn't too hungry, so I had a side of hash browns and bacon, but they were good! The best was my mom's cream of potato soup. I wanted to steal everyone else's food after trying it. Maybe that's why I wasn't so hungry after all :(
It's near tons of other stores and shops at the mall... so it's a good place to have a big breakfast before doing some power shopping.
Waitress sucked! Boo@having to get your own ketchup bottle because she won't come back to check on you.
Loved the yellow walls.
The first time we went our waitress was rude, but the owner made things better. Â She actually said, "Well, guys, I'm ready to get out of here!" Â Could she be more obvious? The second time service was better and I didn't see that other waitress around. I hope she was fired.
For a pancake house/diner this place is good. Â As a friend of mine says, "It's good for what it is." Get the Yo Momma Yogurt, it's good stuff. It has actual fresh fruit, not the kind drenched in syrup.
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