John's Place
Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, American (Traditional) [Edit]
Neighborhoods: Lincoln Park, DePaul1202 W Webster Ave
(between Magnolia Ave & Racine Ave)
Chicago, IL 60614 (773) 525-6670
- Nearest Transit:
Fullerton (Purple Express, Brown, Red)
- 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: No
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Good for: Breakfast, Lunch
- Alcohol: Full Bar
34 reviews
Neighborhood: Lincoln Park
"I feel like the crowd here is a *bit* different than the other LP bars. Maybe it's because it's kinda off the beaten path (hmm, should I…" read more »
78 Reviews for John's Place
Why is there so much hype with this place? Or maybe there isn't? For a Lincoln Park joint, this place is soo mediocre that it is borderline bad. The chicken sandwich was bland and dry. Service was OK. I'm just not impressed.
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I LOVE John's place. I really appreciate finding a restaurant that has healthy options on the menu. Every time my husband and I go to the movies at Webster Place, we end up here. It's a casual, relaxed place that is reasonably priced. And, not that I have a family, but it's really kid-friendly.
John's Place seems to be our "go to" place when Toast is way too packed. It's got a good sized brunch menu and nice outdoor seating. Prices are definitely Lincoln Park prices. You can get a similar omelet and hash browns at any number of other brunch spots in the city for probably a few bucks less. We've never been disappointed with the food, but it has also never blown us away. Usually never too crowded on a Saturday/Sunday, so it makes it an easy choice when you are starving.
Only stopped in for some drinks and chips with guacamole, all of which was pretty good. It looked like the menu had some decent sounding meals on it, so we may go back to check those out sometime. It's in an attractive old building with seating outside. Unfortunately the beers aren't on tap, but the selections of bottled beers include fat tire, and an Organic beer "peak" which was new to me and pretty good. The staff was friendly and the service at the bar at least was excellent. The also played some pretty good music. It was pleasant.
Dinner was mediocre at best. First off there were flies EVERYWHERE and if there are that many in the dining room, I don't even want to think about the kitchen. Calamari appetizer was extremely overcooked, had to ask twice for more bread and none ever showed up. When entrees arrived, two of them were significantly later than the others. Tilapia tacos were decent but not particularly inspired. On the upside, $2.50 Skinny Dip beers ain't bad.
Dinner was pretty mediocre. My friend and I came here for dinner before our movie (we were having date night).
We both got salads and both were pretty mediocre. Nothing special, the salads actually sounded better on paper. The salad dressings were nothing special either. We also got a side of sweet potato fries to share. They weren't great, but even bad sweet potato fries are good :)
I liked the artwork on the wall.
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This used to be one of my favorite spots for breakfast....great outdoor space, fun food options, etc. However, they recenly changed ther menu - and it seems like the prices have gone WAY up. We were there on Saturday and it cost 2 of us almost $40 for breakfast?! (And no - we weren't enjoying any fun alcoholic beverages - just food). The portion sizes aren't large enough, or gourmet enough, to charge that much for some eggs. This is a huge price increase from what it used to be....and unfortunately it is enough to make me head to Wishbone or somewhere where my money goes a lot further. Oh well, what can you do?
I've only ever been here for breakfast and it's definitely on the top of my list for breakfast places in the city. Everything that I've ever eaten for breakfast has been magnificent! I love the pumpkin pie pancakes and the breakfast burrito. The lox plate is also so good. I could go on and on about everything I've eaten there, but the moral to the story is, just go and try it yourself.
The reason it only got 4 stars though, is because I've never been here for any other meal.
I ate dinner here -- even though I know it's supposed to be a great brunch place. I'll have to go back for brunch because I didn't find anything remarkable or great about our dinner experience. The outdoor seating was nice but we sat between two young families which pretty much ruined our dinner. The kids were screaming and dropping silverware and making messes the entire time. I can't blame this on John's Place -- we were just a victim of the circumstance. But it still sucked.
My salad was OK, but still felt it was overpriced for what it was. The drink specials ($2.50 New Belgium Skinny Dip) were fantastic. I think 2.5-3 stars is probably a fair rating. I'll have to edit this post if I ever go back for brunch...
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I'm not sure why the last reviewer was complaining about prices and portion sizes...I went with a party of 4 for breakfast and for less than $40 we were all stuffed. I had a delicious omelet for $8 that was almost as big as a individual deep dish pizza at Gino's.
Of course John's isn't as cheap as IHOP, but it's still a great place with reasonable prices for this part of town.
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Not good for breakfast or lunch at all. The lunch selection was very limited, and the tofu sandwich was not good. It was like toast with tofu on it. Very "meh" overall. At least the drinks from the bar were ok. I also would like to know who John is.
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HANGOVER CURE #231
Chilaquiles. I really can't comment on the dinner options that other people seem to have a problem with here, but I will say that John's whips up some mean chilaquiles. Not too greasy, the perfect ratio of eggs to tortilla, and topped with a mouth-watering salsa verde.
Yes, there are a bunch of kids around, but they were well-behaved and I love kids so I guess that wasn't an issue for me. Finally, I didn't have to wait for a table and my service was great. One of my measures of good service is the Diet Coke test, and throughout my brunch my glass was never empty.
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I'm really torn on giving this place three or four stars. I used to go here frequently on first dates, especially on half off bottles of wine night. The food was great. I loved the teryaki salmon. I've always had good experiences with the service here.... Until the last time... The service was horrible. I know everyone can be in a bad mood or have an off night but this was overkill. The food was great as usual but our waitress literally ignored us for close to forty-minutes while I was trying to get her attention. The reason may have been the six or so families with really loud screaming kids. One of the things I really liked about this place was the fact that you could have a good conversation without screaming. I figured this was just a coincident that we were their on kiddie night but the more I talked to people the more common I found this sentiment to be.Oh well...
I went there for lunch with a friend and they had a lot of outdoor seating which is sometimes hard to find. I would definitely recommend the veggie 3 bean chili. They also seemed to have some options that are waist-line friendly which was good for me. A little pricey but I thought it was worth it.
Eh.
I got the breakfast burrito, I've had WAY better. I really wouldn't recommend this dish. It's a tortilla stuffed with eggs, beans, and onions, with a hot sauce drenched over. Where are the potatoes, cheese, salsa on the side? We also tried the banana-chocolate pancakes which were decent. My friends tried the John's scrambler and my other friend got the Salmon scrambler, both of which weren't anything special.
We went on a Saturday around lunchtime, there wasn't much of a wait. It's one baby stroller after another in this joint.
If you're in the neighborhood and you can walk to it, check it out. But definitely not worth driving to, nothing special here.
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The first two times I ate here I loved it. The vegetarian chili was really good.
The other times have been AWFUL. The waiters were extremely rude and rarely ever came to our table and the food was meh for the price.
Avoid the place on weekends when its swarming with yuppie's and their brats.
This place gets 4 stars because it was the only breakfast place we could find at 2pm on a Sunday without a 2 hour wait for a table of 8. Oiy! We were seated in 15 minutes. Props to them.
The menu has a nice variety. I can't say this is the best place I have eaten breakfast at, but it definately got the job done in a timely fashion.
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If you've got lots of horrible, misbehaved children then this is the place for you! I'm inclined to blame the parents first for letting their brats run wild but how can a restaurant utterly fail to shield its patrons and their waitstaff from the holy terrors running around their establishment? It's like an accident waiting to happen! I can almost see the giant lawsuit that will be slapped on this place when some rotton little turd runs head on into a waiter with a tray of steaming food.
Additionally, the coffee was weak and the food was forgettable. The only plus apparently is that trapped parents desperate for some outside time don't need to hire a babysitter to come here. Just bring the 2.5 kids and come on in!
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Good brunch menu, but too long of a wait for good, but not excellent food. I did like the variety of breakfast options - both sweet and sour. Very kid-friendly. The service was prompt and friendly - once you get a table. Hop over to Sweet Mandy B's afterwards for a sweet treat.
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I thought that this place was pretty good for a quick Sunday lunch. They had a nice selection of breakfast choices (their french toast looked awesome) and lunch choices. I chose to try their turkey burger, which I was pretty pleased with.
The service was good, the restaurant was clean and, if I lived closer, I would probably make this a regular brunch spot. It's definitely worth a visit for a decent, relatively well priced meal.
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I try and I TRY to like this place. Maybe it's because I never have been here for brunch . . . Anypoop, the verdict is in and John's Place does NOT do it for me. Sorry. If I could give it a big, fat verbal review I would definitely make a farting noise. Pffffttt!
JP's (sounds like a lame kid with two first names who doesn't want to be called Jason or Patrick) is always crawling with kids. I think it is cool that they cater to the wee ones but MUST they always be screaming? And must their mothers all look like they are holding in a burp? Lighten up ladies!
Nothing on the menu jumps out at me. I wanted to try the fondue but the waitress told me it wasn't good. Mmmkay. I have had the stir fry twice (once it was good and once it was pretty bland). Half price wine nights (Wednesdays) are a good deal but I usually have to consume a lot of wine to have a good time here. Sorry, JP!
So. frustrating. It COULD be cozy and cute but I find it way too stuffy. And it's so close to my place - double buzz kill! The waitstaff all look like they would rather be doing anything else but serving me :( It really does crush my heart, but I don't see myself back here anytime soon.
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I'm with Kristen C. I just don't get it. I really, really want to. But I don't.
John's Place is a neighborhood restaurant with a small, yet kid friendly menu. It's not too large, which leads to that neighborhoody feel. After hearing rave reviews, I tried this place and was disappointed.
I'd describe it as "meh." My food, meh. The menu options, meh. The service, definitely meh. Until I have a family and want a place where I can roll my stroller to without too much difficulty, I will not be returning to John's Place.
I've been here a couple of times, once with a friend for lunch, another time for a co workers birthday dinner. Both were good, but I will talk about the dinner. It first started out as a group of 15 that soon exploded to 30. A lot of people, a lot of wine, a lot of food, craziness and the staff handled it well, really well. I was impressed. My dinner was great, the other dinners I had tried were really good. I will say on Saturdays and Sundays, tons of families are headed over here for brunch, so if you do, prepare for a wait. I don't know if I would make this a destination place, it would be interesting to see if they could change up the menu a little bit, but before I really rag on that, I'll need to head back one or two more times.... which I totally will be doing!
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Had brunch with a friend and her daughter - only had to wait about 15 min on a Sunday morning! Traditional brunch options for a great price! I had the half stack of thick cut french toast with a side of bacon (that was cooked super crisp, the way I like it). We were served quick but didn't feel rushed even though there was a big line of people waiting on our way out.
A great neighborhood place!
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Good lunch spot and drink specials for later in the day. Sweet potato fries with Grey Pupon are a great compliment to their lunch dishes and everything is affordable with large proportions. Staff is friendly and accommodating. The outdoor seating in the summer is a draw as well.
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I think the "friendly waitstaff" must have been on vacation last night. No refills. No offer of dessert. I was initially underwhelmed by the menu too, because the selection is sort of strange (almost like an upscale Chili's or something) and the bread and soup were totally forgettable. But when our actual food (southwestern chicken salad and mahi mahi) arrived, I was pretty impressed. The portions were huge and the quality was high.
John and I are neighbors, so I'm sure I'll stop by again . . . but I have a feeling this place is best for brunch.
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John's has an insanely good tuna sandwich on its menu, along with some great sweet potato fries. Food is well above average, atmosphere is warm and comfortable in the dining area and the price is spot on for the quality of the meal. I try to go to John's Place whenever I see a movie at the Webster Place theater.
Great brunch, great drink specials (mmm...bellini), good prices. We went here for brunch when all the other trendy places had an hour or more wait. We were seated within 10 minutes, then confronted with the intimidating task of picking the perfect thing from a very large and tasty selection of brunch and lunch items.
I settled on the pumpkin pancakes, though over-estimated myself by ordering the full stack (3). I was pretty disappointed with myself for only making it through two of the tasty 'lil cakes. My friend ordered something with a side of sweet potato french fries. I may have overdid it sneaking her fries, as well. They were really good, though!
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Overall, good food, good drinks, all reasonably priced. My one complaint is the crowd - not sure if it was a Sunday-only thing, but was surrounded by whiny kids, and tables were extremely close.
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John's place is always my go-to place for brunch or lunch if there are no better ideas or we don't feel like thinking too hard! I love their brunch selection - the John's Scramble is delicious! Their burgers and salads are also great for lunch. I've never even had to wait a long time - even on a sunday at 11 for a party of 8.
Oh... make sure you get the sweet potato fries no matter what - mmmmm!
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I've only ever eaten three things here, although I used to go often.
1. The Bananas Foster French Toast - amazing.
2. The nova lox platter - perfectly fine.
3. The goat cheese appetizer - very good.
So if you like any of those things, head over.
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I'm going to tell you one reason I not only like John's Place, without even having tried most of the menu, but recommend people on a regular basis - every time I've gone there, they have fulfilled every special request. Certain foods literally **hate my guts** and I very often have to make changes to menu items. Not only did they accomodate me, but even when I was trying to diet, they made me a grilled salmon with plain rice and sauteed spinach when it wasn't even on the menu ! That alone impressed me.
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People named John tend to be better than other people. Just a few examples include John the Apostle, John McEnroe, and John G.
John's Place keeps this glorious traditions of Johns going strong.
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My husband and I love this place, but we are that annoying couple with baby, stroller, high-chair cover, plastic tablemat and other child-centric accoutrement in tow who may annoy other patrons.
First of all, it is a stone's throw from our house - as if anyone cares.
But, second of all and more universally, the food is surprisingly good and sort of healthy.
Don't miss the sweet potato fries, carne asada, wok-fried veggies, or garlic-parmesan meatballs with pesto.
Sunday brunch is also solid. The chilaquilies are yummy.
On Tuesday and Thursday nights, each bottle of wine is just half-price, too.
Last, this really is an astonishingly kid-friendly place right down to the crayon scratchings on the wall. Clearly, this is either a plus or a minus depending upon where you are on life's trajectory.
John's has great food - for lunch, brunch, or dinner - and pleasant waitstaff. They also have nice specials (half price wine on Tues & Thurs, for example) and lots of outdoor seating which is generally packed on a nice weekend day. I am no margarita connoisseur - that said, I was surprised at how more-than-adequate their house frozen margaritas were, and quite a kick for the price.
Be advised: weekend brunch gets pretty crazy as the day wears on. If I do go on the weekend, I try to be there no later than 9:30 as the crowds are tiresome, and I sit outside as the inside is often host to many many strollers and their little inhabitants, sometimes well behaved but too sadly often not so much. During the week, lunches are usually pretty mellow, although again - the back room has lots of mommies who lunch. If that bugs you, stay in the front room or outside, during nice weather.
The staff are very nice and friendly, but the service is very uneven; it seems like there's a lot of good intentions but occasionally not enough training. I have noticed this particularly with the hosts.
You'll notice despite my caveats that I give it four stars, and honestly, four stars describes my typical John's experience.
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Good food. A nice place to sit and chat with friends over a glass of wine. Not the best service. Pretty reasonably priced for the amount of food. Your typical trendy Lincoln Park restaurant.
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Brunch is pretty good; Dinner has always been good; Plus thursday nights offer half off bottles of wine
Been there a few times when other options were too crowded or unavailable. The dinner menu was limited and pricey; I got a salad, which was good, but not great. The outdoor seating is their best asset.
Good little place to catch some semi-healthy, veggie-laden fare for lunch. Personally I think their lunch menu is better then the dinner menu; it just has more reasonably priced items. John's Place just isn't the type of place to go for a really expensive dinner, or for dinner at all. It's cute and quaint, and nothing really to write home about. Although they do have positively wonderful sweet potato fries!
I was a little disappointed with their salmon chop salad, 4 slivers of salmon on a massive pile of lettuce is just a little disappointing for a chop salad. Not to mention, the dressing they put on it sounded really good, a tahini vinaigrette, however for some reason it was unexpectedly sort of spicy. I think they put horseradish in it. I hate horseradish. My finance had BBQ chicken tacos, which were good, but it was just a pile of four chunks of chicken (again with the stingy meats) on top a a huge pile of green peppers and onions excessively slathered with BBQ sauce. It was served with rice, beans, lettuce, and taco shells. Once again disappointing.
All in all, if I could, I'd give this place 3 stars for lunch and 1.5 for dinner.
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Completely neutral about my lunch here today. I would even go so far as to give it 2.5 stars.
The outdoor seating is lovely, but this place is mommy central. Kids and babies everywhere. If you don't like the squawking uproar that kids can provide, avoid this place (at least in the summer).
I had a large caesar salad with grilled tofu. Everything was fresh, it was just tasteless. The dressing was really bland which caused the tofu to be bland. The only bright point were the croutons, which were quite good.
I'd go back for lunch just because it's close to work - but I'd definitely try something different. If I do, I'll update the review.
Edited 12/15/2007 - Had a truly delicious, perfectly cooked (for me) burger here. Added a star. I wouldn't complain about going back.
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