Highest-rated breakfast restaurants in the Chicago area by diners
Highest-rated breakfast restaurants in the Chicago area by diners
Breakfast holds a special place in American culture, serving not only as a source of nourishment to start the day but an opportunity to create traditions. It's a daily ritual for more than 290 million Americans and is often regarded as the most important meal of the day, according to data from the Department of Agriculture.
While staples like eggs, bacon, and pancakes are common nationwide, regional preferences showcase America's culinary diversity. In the South, biscuits and gravy are a staple, while the East Coast is known for dishes like eggs Benedict and bagels with lox. The Midwest often favors hearty skillet breakfasts, while the Southwest's spicy breakfast burritos and huevos rancheros reflect the region's Mexican influence.
There are a wide variety of restaurants that serve breakfast today. Traditional diners often feature laminated menus filled with pages of combo meals pairing eggs with a breakfast meat of your choice served alongside hash browns, buttered toast, and endless coffee refills. Then there are modern breakfast spots that embrace innovation, adding global influences and creative twists to traditional dishes. Avocado toast, kimchi fried rice, and churro waffles are some of the more recent popular offerings that reflect how multicultural flavors have become part of contemporary breakfast traditions.
American breakfast culture has evolved significantly over the years. In the mid-20th century, diners and coffee shops dominated the morning meal landscape, catering to workers and families with fast, affordable options. Then, the rise of fast-food chains in the 1960s and 1970s shifted breakfast trends, introducing convenient grab-and-go items like McDonald's Egg McMuffin. By the early 2000s, the brunch boom transformed weekends into social events, with restaurants offering elaborate dishes, bottomless mimosas, craft Bloody Marys, and vibrant atmospheres that encourage extended Saturday and Sunday morning dining experiences.
Today, breakfast culture continues to balance nostalgia with innovation as classic comforts meet modern trends in both casual diners and brunch destinations, ensuring that morning meals remain a meaningful and celebrated part of life.
Curious about where to head near Chicago for your next breakfast or brunch? Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated breakfast restaurants in the Chicago area based on diners' reviews on Yelp as of March 2025. Restaurants with at least 20 reviews tagged as "breakfast & brunch" on Yelp that are open at 7 a.m. and are within a 10-kilometer radius of Chicago were included. Some restaurants featured may serve other food items besides breakfast food. Also, in an effort to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with more than 15 locations nationally, based on the Yelp data, were not included.
Keep reading to discover new inventive egg-centric dishes or time-honored classics for your next leisurely morning!
#30. Courageous Bakery & Cafe
- Rating: 4.2/5 (357 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 736 Lake St. Oak Park, Illinois
- Categories: Bakeries, Breakfast & Brunch, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#29. Klein's Bakery & Cafe
- Rating: 4.2/5 (113 reviews)
- Address: 426 West Diversey Pkwy Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#28. Egg Harbor Cafe
- Rating: 4.2/5 (409 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 220 Upper East Illinois St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Gluten-Free, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#27. City Cafe
- Rating: 4.2/5 (124 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3234 North Pulaski Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#26. Brothers Restaurant
- Rating: 4.2/5 (106 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3000 West Belmont Ave. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#25. FROTH
- Rating: 4.2/5 (143 reviews)
- Address: 1515 West Monroe Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Cafes, Breakfast & Brunch, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
#24. Breakfast House
- Rating: 4.3/5 (137 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3928 North Sheridan Road Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Salad, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#23. New York Bagel & Bialy
- Rating: 4.3/5 (730 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4714 West Touhy Ave. Lincolnwood, Illinois
- Categories: Bakeries, Bagels, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Do-Rite Donuts & Chicken
- Rating: 4.3/5 (188 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1027 West Addison St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Donuts, Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#21. La Catedral Cafe & Restaurant
- Rating: 4.3/5 (641 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2500 South Christiana Ave. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Mexican, Breakfast & Brunch, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Brass Tack
- Rating: 4.3/5 (309 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 11 East Walton St. Floor 3 Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: American, Breakfast & Brunch, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#19. 3rd Coast Cafe
- Rating: 4.3/5 (872 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1260 North Dearborn St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Wine Bars, New American
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Philz Coffee
- Rating: 4.3/5 (173 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1640 West Division St. Ste B Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Breakfast House
- Rating: 4.3/5 (264 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3001 North Ashland Ave. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, New American, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Uncle Mike's Place
- Rating: 4.3/5 (938 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1700 West Grand Ave. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, American, Filipino
- Read more on Yelp
#15. TARY Coffee
- Rating: 4.4/5 (112 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 111 West Illinois St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Desserts, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#14. La Fournette
- Rating: 4.4/5 (630 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1547 North Wells St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Sandwiches, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Pizza y Pan Pa' Ya
- Rating: 4.4/5 (189 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3125 West Montrose Ave. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Pizza, Colombian, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Yellow Rose Cafe
- Rating: 4.4/5 (233 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 5640 North Elston Ave. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Diners, Breakfast & Brunch, American
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Do-Rite Donuts & Chicken
- Rating: 4.4/5 (396 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 181 North Morgan St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Donuts, Breakfast & Brunch, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Wildberry Pancakes and Cafe
- Rating: 4.4/5 (9940 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 130 East Randolph St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Pancakes, Waffles, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Breakfast House
- Rating: 4.4/5 (633 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1800 West Grand Ave. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, New American, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Do-Rite Donuts & Chicken
- Rating: 4.4/5 (1513 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 233 East Erie St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Donuts, Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Bryn Mawr Breakfast Club
- Rating: 4.5/5 (1302 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3348 West Bryn Mawr Ave. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Breakfast House
- Rating: 4.5/5 (153 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4328 West Irving Park Road Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Coffee & Tea, Waffles
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Roux Diner
- Rating: 4.5/5 (284 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1055 East 55th St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Diners
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Nick's Hi-Ho Cafe
- Rating: 4.5/5 (100 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3134 North Cicero Ave. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Diners, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Wildberry Pancakes and Cafe
- Rating: 4.5/5 (1846 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 196 East Pearson St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Bryn Mawr Breakfast Club
- Rating: 4.6/5 (209 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4459 West Belmont Ave. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: New American, Breakfast & Brunch, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Pastores + Brunch
- Rating: 4.6/5 (143 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4661 North Lincoln Ave. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Mexican, Breakfast & Brunch, Waffles
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Cynthia Rebolledo, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 293 metros.
