Eleven City Diner
Categories: Diners, Breakfast & Brunch, Delis [Edit]
Neighborhood: South Loop1112 S. Wabash
(between 11th St & Roosevelt Rd)
Chicago, IL 60605 (312) 212-1112
- Nearest Transit:
Roosevelt (Red, Orange & Greens)
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 7:30 a.m.-10:00 p.m.
Fri 7:30 a.m.-12:00 a.m.
Sat 9:00 a.m.-12:00 a.m.
Sun 9:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m. - Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Good for: Breakfast, Lunch
- Alcohol: Full Bar
16 reviews
Neighborhood: University Village
"4 stars for yummy yummy goodness and friendly atmosphere and original artworks on the walls. minus 1 because the service can be quite slow.…" read more »
132 Reviews for Eleven City Diner
A traditional deli restaurant. Some of the best Corned Beef sandwiches. They have a lot of sandwiches to offer, including a lot of sandwiches that are famous elsewhere.
They tend to be expensive, and not a lot of choices with your sandwich. The sandwiches are pretty big, and they leave you really full.
Top three reasons I make the trek to the South Loop for the Diner:
1. The mac and cheese with chunks of ham. The smooth creaminess of the cheese with the little bit of salt from the ham is a fabulous combination.
2. The corned beef hash, which is easily the tastiest meat I have ever had in a hash dish.
3. They fly their cheesecake in from Junior's in Brooklyn. Sweet, sweet Junior's. How I miss thee.
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Good food. My husband loved the Woody Allen: a double decker of pastrami and corned beef on rye. It reminded him of Carnegie Deli. I had a turkey club and that was pretty good too. Yummy garlic mayo.
But I have to agree with everyone else that the prices are a bit high. The note in the menu about the $3/person surcharge for booth seating really amused me. Regardless, I will return and try a different sandwich next time.
Based upon my experience, I give them 5 stars. I am very surprised by the other reviews. I went there for Sunday brunch today and waited for about 20 minutes for a table. I observed the owner seating people, rushing around the dining room, and gently talking to his staff. I ordered the Kapalua Omelette that had ham, pineapple, bell peppers, onions and cheese. The portion was HUGE and the house potatoes were very, very good. They had crunchy bits and it was perfumed with herbs. The whole wheat toast was quality bread with great depth of flavor. The server was extremely genuine and friendly. She had a great attitude and even split our check on four different cards. (I say that because some places would refuse, or almost refuse, to do that.) My co-diners got a Basil Pesto omelette and a Mexican omelette, also both HUGE and delicious. Another compadre ordered the lox plate. She loved it. This place is a winner. If you are in the South Loop area, go check it out.
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I took my parents here, and we all really enjoyed it. The food was really good, the coffee great, and the service excellent. Our server, whose name I think was Coco, was very attentive without being annoying. She was fantastic! Have the Blank Blank Special. It's fantastic!
I loved the atmosphere here first off. \We had no problems with the service and while we did have a short wait for a table it was nothing we didn't expect for a Saturday at brunch time.
My meal was fairly all encompassing (pancakes, eggs, sausage, bacon, potatoes). The eggs (sunny side up) were not done enough for my tastes and I like them runny. That was a little troublesome. The pancakes and potatoes were tasty but not anything to rave about. The bacon and sausage were standard.
I think I'd go back to give a burger a shot.
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just ate here last night with my friend - pretty dang good.
with just a grilled cheese and chocolate shake, you cant really mess up, but it was spot on! the waitress was so cute and very helpful in explaining a few specialty fountain drinks to us!
its a perfect spot for friends, family, or even alone. its cozy and has a warm feel. ill be going back again soon for sure!
There were several open tables in the front of the diner and two empty large C-shaped booths. We requested one of the front booths but were told we could no sit there because they were reserved for a large party coming in. We were then offered a booth in the rear of the restarant and accepted that. Once seated, we realized we were directly under an air-conditioning vent. The cold air was blowing right down on us and after a couple of minutes (right after the menus were brought to the table) we got up to go back to the front of the diner. We were then given the choice of a smaller table and accepted that. We ordered and enjoyed our food. About 15min into our breakfast we all took notice that the two front booths were still empty. Thirty minutes after that, I glanced over my sholder and saw a party of 3 (a white couple with a child) sitting in one of the booths. Recall, we were a party of four.
Where was the large party that had "reserved" these booths for?
Then I had a flashback to the previous time I had been there. I was with a party of three then and we had requested a front booth. We were told that larger parties (4 or greater) were only to be seated there. I then decided (as I was finished eating) to go speak back with the host who orginally sat us. He was the guy who said the booths were for a large party the would be there any minute. And, 40+ minutes later, still no large party. When I got to the front I asked the host for an explanation about what happened with the seating. I told him I was a bit purplexed and confused because on booth was still empty and the other booth was now occupied with a couple (white) with a child and that they were only a party of 3. I spoke with my normal calm demeanor (of course) and simply asked him what happened. I thought maybe he would say that the large party called and cancelled or something like that. Instead he said
to me "I talready told you the booths were unavailable. ..so what are you asking me?" So, I then repeated my question to him (still calm/professional) inquiring the whereabouts of the "large party" he expected and I asked him how could he seat this party of three there in one of the booths we we had been denied that very booth. Well, needless to say, he didn't have an answer. So, he chooses to say in a mantra-like way over and over- "I told you the booths were reserved, I have nothing else to say." Well, at that very moment a white man in a wheelchair with firey blond/red hair rolls up close to me and says in a loud voice- "M'am you were told you could not sit there and that's it. This conversation is over." Now imagine me, at this point, I'm now a bit confused. This guy just forcefully interjects himself into a conversation I was having with the host. So my
response was, "Excuse me, I was having a conversation with this person and you interrupted. Do you also work here because I'd like to speak with the owner/person in charge right now... Then he blurts out that he is the owner and that he won't allow me to stand there and BADGER his manager. Badger? I replied. I wasn't badgering anyone, I was simply asking for some clarification as it appeared that the information we were told was erroneous about this "large party." I then pointed out that there was a couple and child who sat in one booth (party of 3) and brought up how I had been previously told that only parties of four or greater could sit there. So tell me, what is the policy? And further, why would they sit anyone there if it's "reserved" for this large party? Now this is when he really flares up and gets nasty and disrespectful. (and let me remind you again that all this time I am using
my talking voice) and this fool/owner in the wheelchair/owner is now loud, rude, and reparmanding in his tone. This is what he says to me:
I have nothing to say to you. The booths are unavilable. Period-you cannot sit there. That's what you were told-and that's it-conversation over. (then I attempted to speak and he "louded" over me interrupting in a rasied/yelling tone) I told you this converation is over. I hope you have a nice day, look, your breakfast is on the house- you have a nice day. Conversation over-have a nice day.-that's it" and he wheels himself off.
I swear to you I stood there stunned for a second trying to process what had just happened, sort of dumbfounded that this man just yelled at me! He offered no explanation (as there was none) about the empty booths- he talked over me- and then informed me (as if he's my boss of some sort) that the conversation is over-period- and then he wheeled himself off in a frenzied, righteous huff. It was rather dramatic I must say. It was crazy!
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I automatically like this place because I think the south loop needs more places like this. The food is your typical greasy goodness with some healthy salads, mac n' cheese, and the humorous "blank blank" sandwich (You know, cuz Macy's threatened to sure...). Oh, and they have calamari too. I think the atmosphere could be better, it doesn't feel totally vintage to me. But the cake domes full of desserts and soda fountain drinks definitely help. The owner is friendly, but I've had friends who have been there when he's been yelling at the staff, who are hit or miss.
So basically, it's a good place to try at least once and a decent place to eat if you're in the mood for something fast and greasy.
Good food, huge portions, good service, cool atmosphere. We were greeted, and sat quickly. Loved the menu. Would definitely go again.
South loop sit down with brew on tap, attentive service, and NYC style greasy goodness. Maybe i just spend too much money on food - but given the location and large menu - i didnt find the prices to be too high like some other reviewers. I shall return...
I base my rating on three things, in the following order:
1) Food
2) Service
3) Prices
The food is excellent, the quality of service varies, and the prices are ridiculous.
I normally don't mind spending a little extra if the food is great, but, this is just your run of the mill diner food, for the most part. Soda fountain drinks are good, though.
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Eh, it's not bad, per se, but somewhat bland, impersonal and pricey.
The real question is, why on gods green earth would you eat here when you could be in Deli Nirvana nearby at Manny's?
It boggles the mind.
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I live around the corner from this place and visited Brad TWICE while the restaurant build out took place. I got a walk thru, offered my help, wished him luck and told him I'd see him when he opened.
As soon as the place opened, I went in and said hi, the owner didn't know who the heck I was - though I saw the build out. Ok, no problem. The guy meets alot of people.
I then visited the diner a few times and attempted to eat my breakfast, but instead heard the owner screaming at his staff the entire time. Most people that live in my building, along with others in the SoLo will not give Eleven our money or time of day.
I gave this place 3 visits before I made a decision. From there, I blogged about the diner and Brad followed up with an email to me citing his 'lawyer'. Yep. He apparently read my 'bad review' about my experiences there and contacted me via email. Then went on to say the word, 'lawyer'. I was shocked.
Eleven is a great alternative for folks that visit Chicago and don't know any better. I do think the food is good, but for the price and the service, I will gladly take my money and support another local business.
My husband is in the restaurant business and could not believe the treatment the staff at Eleven gets. I refuse to give a penny to an owner who treats his staff like second class citizens.
The food was good, but the service was ok. I say this because my friend and I came here on a weekday for breakfast and it was only 5 tables filled. There were 2 servers working the tables, yet the service was super slow...Don't get it!!
I can't imagine how it would be on a weekend when they are packed with a wait of 45-1hour.
I'm going to try it again, hopefully I'll change my thoughts.
Nice brunch, if a little expensive. The corned beef and pastrami hash was really delicious, and I did love the potatoes. Atmosphere was fine, if quite loud, though the music was really good. Service was also fine; it's a hopping place, so if service seemed harried, there's a reason why. I'm sure I'd go back for brunch, though I'm not sure a special trip to the South Loop is worth it. There are too many other brunch places to try to make this an all-the-time thing.
I really liked this adorable little diner in the heart of downtown Chicago. I was there for my grad school interview at Columbia, just down the block, and this place was perfect for lunch and an opportunity to calm my nerves before being harshly judged by college faculty. The cheeseburger and fries were above-average, and the atmosphere was mod-diner, and not so much classic diner. It was a bit expensive for the diner circuit, but it lived up to its prices.
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I don't know what to say. Maybe I'm just not a big fan of cold sandwiches with nothing on them. I did try their hot sandwiches like the Reuben and Moshe Cristo...*shrug*. I've tried their breakfast...*ugh*
But I do love their Chicken Noodle Soup and I adore their decor. I generally put food above all else, but I can just imagine myself sipping a Chicken Noodle Soup while reading a book in a booth at 11 City (probably not possible with their huge clientele) on a cold Chicago winter day.
11 City is worth a visit if you live in the neighborhood, but nothing to go out of your way for.
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I want to start off by saying - I do love this place. BUT.
It's true what other people have been writing.
The owner does scream and yell at the staff in front of customers.
He should learn that when staff are treated well, they will treat the customers well. Doesn't everybody know that?
The prices are too high.
And I'm not saying that just to say it, they are unbelievable.
My wife's "meal" last night was the Brisket Platter.
This is THREE thin slices of brisket and a scoop of potatoes for $17.
For $17 I could get a real entree somewhere.
They have, on the menu, a Vienna Beef Hot Dog for $7.85.
I wasn't aware that Vienna Beef made an $8 hot dog.
Unless this is 4 hot dogs smushed together, this can't be possible.
They're not open late enough.
My wife and I have gone there TWICE to find it closed.
They close at 9pm on weekdays.
Nine. Dinner after a movie? Not a chance.
Why do we keep going there? We like it.
We like the food, we like the atmosphere, we like the location.
But. We will stop going there. Something has to change.
I feel like the portions are smaller every time we go.
So Brad. Bubbleh.
Stop yelling at the staff.
I thought you wanted to run a family place.
Our waiter last night said he was quitting. And he was really good!
Stop skimping on the portions.
That is NOT how a Jewish deli serves food.
Your Schwartzy sandwich is delicious, but it is NOT "piled oh-so-high" on the Kaiser roll.
Lower the prices. Just a little. Make me feel like I can afford to come often.
And please, is 9:30 too late to ask? 9:45?
Don't you shame me. Make us proud.
Thank you.
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The food is as bad (if not worse) than the service. I have been here three times, all of which were horrible experiences. When I made a complaint, the manager seemed as if it was routine and did not even apologize for the inattentive waitress's bad service. I had the chicken pot pie the last time and it came in a huge bowl filled with gravy, and a couple diced chicken pieces with a huge cracker floating on top.... (so not chicken pot pie)- I would have been better off buying a frozen dinner.
BTW, how can you mess up breakfast?!! somehow, they did! Third time is not the charm, I will never be back... I gave them 3 chances!
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I've eaten here more times that I can even count. My husband LOVES the lox and bagels. VERY fresh, the bagels are wonderful. The Eleven City french toast is absolutely to die for. They use challah bread for their french toast and it's GREAT! The Mountain is also wonderful. It's a HUGE stack of onion strings. I really wish there was a different dipping sauce than the spicy ketchup. I also really like the burgers, macaroni and cheese, waffles, pancakes, and the Tom Waits breakfast is HUGE and wonderful. They have great cake and pie as well as some good ice cream.
There are a couple of downfalls. The shakes that are billed as extra-thick are ALWAYS runny. We've tried SOOOO many times to get a thick shake, even describing exactly HOW thick we want it. But, it doesn't work. Another drawback is the horrible owner. He's so obviously fake. He micromanages every process that is happening. He has a patronizing tone with his customers and I've often seen him make a scene yelling at employees. He's sort of an ass. He really wants the place to feel like a busy city diner, and pulls it off. However, each time I enter the revolving door I hope that he's not there so my dining experience will be more pleasant.
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I was looking forward to going to this restaurant as there are not a ton of deli's in the city. My fiance and I decided to try it out yesterday for brunch. We got there about 12:10 and was told it was a 20 minute wait, 30 minutes in I went up to the front to ask how much longer. Who I assume was the owner asked the name and said yes you're on the list. His screaming for guests and running around like a chicken with his head cut off was a bit overwhelming. I took it all in good fun. We finally were seated and placed our order. While it was busy in the restaurant it wasn't slammed but the staff was running around in such a hurry we both felt rushed sitting there. My fiance had asked for some more iced tea and was about to say dressing for his sandwich when the waitress so rudely made a hand gesture to him to hurry up. How rude!!! The food was okay, certainly not worth $11 for scrambled eggs with 6 pieces of salami. My fiance waited until the bill was paid to say something about how the waitress treated him and her excuse was she couldn't hear him.
On a positive note the restaurant had a fun vibe to it but unfortunaetly I would take my money elsewhere next time.
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Uh, where to begin? Service is simply BAD! Not just bad, but really Bad! I have been there multiple times hoping things would get better, no such luck. And to top is off food is way over priced.
Popped in for a bite after arriving at the Hilton late on St. Patrick's Day. This place was a welcome respite in an otherwise DRUNK city. Excellent corned beef reuben. Great service. Lost a star for crappy, soggy frozen fries. Almost got it back for the excellent pickle. I'll be back while I'm here - will see how they do when things are a little less "Irish".
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I went here for breakfast a couple of weeks ago and I was pleasantly surprised. The food was good, the atmosphere was cool (old diner style, duh), and the wait staff was very accommodating. I would definitely go back here again.
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Great little Jewish spot, even for my gentile ass.
Always busy on the weekends, but they'll offer you a bloody or a mimosa to make the wait go a little easier. Sandwiches are great, and the latke is pretty decent as well. Burgers are fresh. Lox platter is huge!
Love pickles? Pickled green tomatoes? Get "The Ivy". Best 1.95 ever.
I only go here when I'm desperately seeking food and there aren't that many other options in the S.Loop. The food is really overpriced and it's not that good. The milkshakes are pretty good, but also really expensive. If you are looking for a brunch option in the South Loop, DO NOT come here. Go to Yolk, Gioco, or Orange which are only a few blocks away.
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I watched this joint being built and I thought "good" another restaurant in the South Loop. About time.
Then it opened.
From day 1 the owner of this place has been a prick. Not so much to the customers, but his employees. He will give them a hard time - yelling at them or mocking them in front of customers. He walks around like he's hot shit, when he owns a shitty diner in the South Loop.
As for the food. Boring. Bland. Burgers are premade patties, most likely bought in bulk at Costco.
The only reason this place is still open is because not enough new places have opened. Give it time and before long Eleven City will be gone.
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Who do you want to have breakfast with? is it your buddy, your parents? or a picture of Tom Waits draped in Mardi Gras beads? only a picture to be sure, but one that reminds you the night before will wear off.
It seems like a lot of people are slamming this place for a lot of reasons. in my experience (about a year of living around the corner, and drinking a shit-load of coffee) the food was excellent and the service was tip worthy. I've brought visiting relatives and friends from around the city, all to rave reviews. It's slammed on the weekends though, which is more a testament to it's quality than a detraction.
Moreover, i think the place -which is awesome- is catching a bunch of shit for being in the loop, which, to be sure, is an irksome quality. But, if I had to be there I'd try be at 11.
Ugh. I'm surprised this place has such a high rating right now.
I used to eat here quite a bit (mainly because it's the closest restaurant to where I worked). It's expensive for what you get - you pay quite a bit of change for a huge plate of bland, sub par food.
I've tried quite a few of their menu items - their pancakes are dry and spongy, their cakes are dry as well. I got fed up with the lack of quality in the food and the fact that my carryout order was almost always screwed up. The only thing I ended up eating there near the end of my 11 City stint was the cheese fries. Now, the cheese is good. However, they always managed to (somehow) screw up the fries. Cold. Burned. When I came to the realization that this place had issues cooking fries, I stopped eating here.
The wait-staff is rude (on the phone, at least) and the owner is kind of a douche. He's pretty abusive to his staff and he won't hesitate to publicly humiliate them in front of customers.
There's so many other places in the South Loop to eat. Go to Bongo Room, Yolk or Ma & I and get tastier food at a better price.
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great breakfast and old time diner feel, but with drinks, desserts, entre's, and huge sandwiches!!
there is something on the hash browns that makes them the yummiest...i'll have to find out what it is somehow!!
it is a little pricey for what it is, simple diner food.
i think there are better deals to be found out there with comparable options, so try it if you're in the south loop, but don't ditch your usual breakfast spot just yet...
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I've been there twice. The first time was on a Sunday morning for brunch and waited about 30 minutes to get a table (not bad.) The owner was entertaining, to say the least. Once we were seated he kept turning to us and asking if we wanted his mother. I guess she kept annoying him, but I though she was cute: blond hair and funky glasses.
We all got bloody mary's, which were like meals in themselves. They come with cheese and salami, green olives and celery. For my meal, I got the Tom Waits 2 a.m. breakfast 1987. It was huge! I took half of it home, but thought it was really good. The second time I went I got the Wisconsin Chedder Cheese Fries and a hamburger. Lots of fat, but it was worth it. I love that they have "guilt (plenty to go around!)" on the menu. Funky cool place with a nice atmosphere. I'll be back.
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I am a graduate student in the area and have given this place more than a few chances, however, last night was the last straw.
Previous experiences have included really bad service. There was the time the did not tell me they were out of pita bread and brought my spinach and artichoke dip out with matza crackers. They could have saved themselves the trouble, and me the time, by giving me the option to order something else. And on the same visit my friend's bloody mary had a fly in it and they acted like we should just deal with it! I have tried to go there once for brunch but it was utter chaos so we chose to head to the Bongo Room and had a lovely meal.
This all leads me to last night. Some fellow graduate students (have I mentioned that we were graduate students not 21 year olds?) and I had been enjoying ourselves, celebrating the fact that graduation is next week, and we were hungry. We decided to go to Eleven City. One of our party had had a bit too much too drink but we were trying to get him some food so he could sober up. When we entered the restaurant we were immediately told they would not serve us alcohol. This wasn't a big deal because we were more concerned with food. One of our group did not hear this though, and ordered a beer. She was not inebriated. Another person came by our table and told us they would not serve us alcohol. At this point, I feel as if I am trapped in some high school drama. I stand up and grab my things and tell the waiters who are nearby and those at my table that I am 28 years old and I'm tired of being told what I can and cannot order. I leave the restaurant and the others follow. We are all fed up with the treatment we have just received and we are discussing where to go instead when the owner sticks his head out of the door and says he hopes we will come back. I tell him, no we will not be coming back. He then says that there is a law that you can't serve alcohol to people who are drunk. The one person in our group who was drunk was not trying to, nor would we have let him, order any drinks. It was ridiculous.
Some of us ended up walking up to Miller's Pub where we enjoyed some good food and we were served a beer.
I will not spend my money here and I will be telling my fellow students not to go there either. They should stop serving alcohol altogether and close down at 9PM if they are not prepared for the crowd that may wander in.
Been there twice, first time on weekend (bring a paper for the wait) and the last time got a table as soon as we walked in. Let me be brief, i had the Reuben both times and i probably would only go back for that. First time, my Reuben was phenomenal, this last time, i think it was sitting in the window for a little longer than it should have (cheese was kind of dry).
Here's a tip, to help over look the mediocre service , the loud setting, and the screaming owner who demeans his staff,.....try one of their BLOODY MARYS!!! YUM,...its bananas...b-a-n-a-n-a-s !
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I've probably been to this place a dozen times in the last 9 months. Once, I actually went twice in one day. I may even go tomorrow for breakfast. That being said, I wouldn't say that I love this place. I like it. It' ok. I think the reason I keep going back is because I always go with my mom, and I love her :) I also really like the subway tile.
The food is pretty good I guess. I usually get something different each time: Specifics on what I remember ordering:
*Omelette with mushroom and swiss - Yummy, yummy ( and I don't usually order or like them)
* Oatmeal (yum/ I was pretending to be vegan that week)
* Pancakes - yummy, yummy
* Waffles - just a yum
* Tuna Melt - This made me sooooo mad! I Ordered a tuna melt expecting tuna salad with melted cheese between two slices of rye bread. So what arrived were two english muffins with a scoop of tuna salad with melted cheese on top. I was disapointed :( Oh well. Now I know.
My sister and her friend love, love, love the turkey burger. So I guess the food is good. I normally don't pay attention to price at a place like this, but it is a little pricey (sandwiches and omelettes are around $9 or $10, Pancakes with real maple syrup reasonable at $6)
If you're nearby, or are meeting your mom from the suburbs, check it out.
Friend, and fellow Yelper Jaime E (see her review below) messaged me earlier today about feeling ill and needing matzo ball soup. Being a Gentile in the middle of Chicago, I had little to no clue where to get some. So she says she will take me to this place she knows in the South Loop. She tells me they are kinda kitschy but they do a good matzo ball.
Its like the diner in Happy Days meets a Woody Allen movie or something. Plastic booths and diner decor along with matzo ball and brisket. Well, it looks promising. Just did not made me think of a deli, even if the menu oozed pastrami and corned beef.
Seeing that we came for the matzo ball panacea, we started with that while we perused the menu. What was brought to the table looked like a matzo ball meteorite had landed in my bowl! Definitely the biggest matzo ball I had ever seen. Tasty and very filling. We went for sandwiches nonetheless deciding to get two different ones and split them.
I am not a deli connoisseur, what with this city having a shortage of them, but if I were I would judge a deli by its Reuben. So one Rubin's Reuben and one "Shappy" Salami. And here is where we start to notice some, um, problems with the service.
Our salami sandwich, while looking delicious, was served with the plastic still around the slices. Turns out the chef, not the line cook made it; not the best cook, eh? And the second one that was made did not have the bread toasted as requested. We did not opt for turn number three and went with untoasted challah bread. Very tasty, if a bit difficult to get it all sorted out.
As for the Reuben, meh is the best I can give it. Tasty, but just lacking. Had to hunt down the sauerkraut to make sure it was there and the sandwich was a bit dried. The deli mustard on the table was a nice addition to it, in fact to both sandwiches.
And, travesty of all travesties... they brought the check before asking if we wanted dessert. Wuh?! Well then, if you do not want our business we will be happy to take our sweet tooth cravings elsewhere (which we did). C'mon now it was a late lunch hour, after 1:00pm on a holiday, there were more open tables than not. There was no reason for us to have to ask for silverware (with an open faced sandwich) and to not get refills.
And the kitsch is a bit much, really. 2.5
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Went here for lunch today. I brought my two friends who were visiting from Austin, TX.
First off- It's loud. I had a hangover, but it was loud jazz... It's loud and you can't really talk but like my friend said, it's loud enough to enjoy but not have to make conversation when you are hungover. There is the silver lining.
The downstairs seems more cohesive in its decor, but upstairs seems like an old man's steak house. I loved how it had these totally early 70's leather swivel chairs.
There was a 30 minute wait, but the guy seating people was going really fast. We managed to get inserted in the slow of a few people who didn't bother to stick around.
The staff was offering up Vodka frozen lemonades, mimosas and bloody marys to help pass the time. The guy was a character and made us laugh.
Our chicken soup came out, but the vegetables were non existent. Be sure to ask them to give you veggies. The soup was tasty, hot and got to our table very quickly. I had the egg noodles and it was so good and filling.
My friend's chicken sandwich didn't show up till well after we finished our meals. The waiter said there was an issue with the chicken needing to be cooked through. I think they forgot the order. But it was a busy day.
The mac and cheese dish was outstanding, but huge; so definitely share.
I liked the fun atmosphere. The food was good but didn't really live up to its authentic Jewish deli roots (hey I lived down the street from Canter's in the Fairfax district in LA - that is a real jewish deli)
Overall, it was a fun experience, good food and I can't wait to go back and have the french toast.
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It's like a diner transported out of NYC to the Windy City! I went here three times over the weekend while I was at a conference taking place in the Hilton just a few blocks away. The special challah french toast is AMAZING! Seriously, challah was made for french toast (and, I guess, Jewish meals)...it was sturdy, perfectly crisped, wonderfully dressed with fresh strawberries, bananas, and kissed with a crunch from toasted coconut. I got to try a bunch of their omelettes as well, which were delicious - the spincach, feta, tomato was a favorite as was the lox omelette. I also had the corned beef hash w/ eggs and special hot ketchup...it was pretty good, though I think that pastrami they used tasted a little bit funkier than usual. Sadly, I never got the chance to try their matzoh ball soup or lunch items...or those huge, tempting cakes on display. This was a great respite from the zoo/conference at the Hilton and their ridiculous $14 omelettes.
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I've come here twice for breakfast during early evening hours. Already winning points for serving breakfast all day, it does an excellent job of giving customers the old Jewish diner feel... not that I can recall ever being in one. The menu may be sparse and/or alarmingly expensive for some. Food is good, w/ minor gripes; and service is mediocre at best. We've had to remove percentages from tips on both occasions.
My first visit to Eleven City was with a friend from the Netherlands on the quest for pancakes at 5 p.m. on a Sunday. We drove by Melli's, Orange, Maple Street Cafe, a few miscellaneous hole-in-the-wall diners, and already ate at Lou Mitchell's that morning. All were closed or out of reason. He insisted we settle at Starbucks and end our search. No way! He's already been to several New York Starbucks', so why add one more? We finally came across Eleven City Diner.
The host immediately seated us. Our waitress was sassy, and short with requests and questions. I don't know if this was part of the diner atmosphere, but we felt she was unaccommodating. On my other visit, my fiancee and I had another early evening hankering for breakfast. My fiancee leaves to the bathroom and comes back. Our waiter immediately asks if we want to order or had any questions. We ask a question, and pretty much get pushed to order on the spot. We oblige. Overall, we felt our waiter was a little aggressive or just kind of antsy. Coincidentally, my stern waitress from the previous visit was extremely helpful when I asked a couple of questions about those delicious-looking cakes at the counter -- I asked about them on my way to the bathroom. We were having a nice conversation until my waiter chimed in and extolled upon his recommendation for the chocolate cake. No insult taken this time, especially since his recommendation was RIGHT ON!
On both occasions, the food was nice to look at, big, and tasty... but expensive to maintain ::insert thoughts here:: Items ordered:
-Three eggs any style with choice of one meat (ham, sausage, or smoked bacon), 2 slices of buttered toast (rye, wheat, or white), jam, house potatoes - $9.95 -- Afraid of overcooking, I never ordered scrambled eggs from diners. But I took a gamble this time. They were surprisingly delicious. Fluffy, not too wet/dry, not too buttery, a little firm, but damn near perfect. My 3 sausages had good flavor, but were just a tad too greasy. A little more bite would have been better. Toast was served on a separate small plate and made with good, fresh bread. Lightly-buttered side facing down. Two jams were included (Smuckers plastic containter quality). House potatoes were lightly seasoned, starchy, served in a su