On a mobile device? Try our mobile site, optimized for faster browsing.
Category: Breakfast & Brunch [Edit]
Neighborhood: South LoopRoosevelt (Red, Orange & Greens)
Mon-Fri. 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Sat-Sun. 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Loading...
Every time I'm in Chicago I make it a point to visit Bongo Room. Been to both locations in Wicker Park and South Loop and hands down one of the best brunches I've ever had... only bad thing. The wait and the hours. I mean cmon after a long night out how many people can make it before 2PM?
Last time I went on a Monday because couldn't make it on Sunday. I noticed they have a different menu during the weekday with a less focus on brunch so I couldn't get my eggs benedict or hollandaise. But the breakfest burrito did not disappoint. I only wish I had more opportunities to try everything on the damn menu!
When I feel like having dessert for breakfast and enduring an hour wait to eat , I go to Bongo Room. They keep their menu interesting by switching things up every so often. On my various visits, I've had the chocolate tower, oreo pancakes, mango pancakes, and white chocolate and berries pancakes. All extremely sweet, calorific and sinfully good. All the same, I like to have a somewhat balanced breakfast / brunch, and if you're hungering for pancakes, you'll have to get your bacon, eggs, etc a la carte. Being the combo gal that I am, this was a bit of a turn off, but definitely didn't detract much from the overall experience.
This is a great place to go when you're visiting Chicago or hosting out-of-towners. However, I'd recommend going somewhere else for a regular laid back brunch outing due to the obnoxious wait.
I don't like chocolate but Bongo Room makes it delicious.
Very, very good.
**If you want, you can also get portions of their plates. For example, if you can't decide between their pumpkin zuccini flap jacks, the red velvet hotcakes, or the chocolate tower french toast.. one of those dishes will come with a certain number of each, 4 pieces usually, and instead of getting all 4 of the same kind, you can get 2 french toasts, 1 flapjack, and 1 hotcake. It's not the same price as getting the one plate, actually more. But it's a nice way to try more dishes without obviously buying them all.
Would give 5 stars, but their hollandaise was.. not allstar. They also serve their lattes and other espresso drinks in tall, clear ice water cups. So you can't enjoy your drink immediately, or even for 5-7 minutes, else you burn your fingers. I also ordered an americano, which came to me in one of these supersized cups. 2 shots of espresso plus 32 oz of water for $5 - I just added cream and sugar and made it an expensive cup of coffee.
A very good place to have your weekend brunches. A must try is their pancakes. but, it is a lot of food and be prepared to be over-stuffed! Normally I only order one piece of pancake (one order is 3 pieces) plus some side items. My husband's favorate is their breakfast burrito, he's been ordering the same stuff almost from the very first time (we've been their many many many times already). we are lucky that Bongo Room is just across the street to where we live.
We saved the Bongo Room for our final breakfast experience before leaving Chicago. Dang, that was good fortune. As my mother and countless others have reminded me, it's advised to save the best for last...
The BEST thing about the Bongo Room in my humble opinion can be summed up in three words: chocolate pretzel pancakes.
The creative use of pretzels in menus is a treat in Chicago; the Bongo Room ups the ante by adding a drizzle sauce of white chocolate and caramel, with strands of caramel expertly criss-crossed above the mammoth stack of four fluffy cakes. (Next time, I might not succumb to the temptation of the full stack. Because, if I'm in Chicago, there will be a next time.) Chunks of sourdough pretzel mixed with the batter provided a sweet/savory juxtaposition.
I also ordered the Thai-seasoned chicken sausage - a tasty protein companion to my mountain of carbs. Seasoned, yet very appropriate for breakfast.
The iced coffee was also tremendous - all warm days in Chi-town should begin with a glass. Prices were very reasonable given the quality and quantity of food.
The room is colorful and full of light. I appreciated being able to admire the lovely Jasmine in front of a literal canvas of color blocks adorning the wall. The dining room is street-level with a view of the busy Roosevelt/Wabash corner, just a few feet from a staircase leading to the L.
If you're lucky enough to be near the Bongo Room AND on an empty stomach, run, don't walk. You'll need to preemptively burn the calories to justify the white chocolate/caramel sauce.
Crack-a-licous!
I came here last Sunday, I came to watch some clients and my girlfriend run the half marathon. After such a grueling time, sustenance was needed! I got hungry watching all those people run mile after mile! It was exhausting....
As we were driving to our brunch spot, I spotted that we were coming up on to Wabash and inspiration struck me Thank goodness it was a gentle blow since I was driving. So I hollered out, "What about Bongo Room?!" A resounding round of gasps, excited smiles and happy cheers. I took this as another sign of inspiration and made a right and headed north. As the five of us pulled up, two of the girls hopped out to place our name on the waiting list while I found parking. Its too bad there is all this construction right in front, not too bad since there was about a thirty five minute wait. (Much less then the northern institution.) However, what ever the wait, the result is always delicious heaven.
I sat down with five ladies, all who claimed to be serious eaters. Hmmm... apparently, they haven't been introduced to my twelve stomachs. Everyone ordered their own plate and then we ordered a round of pancakes. My favorite, the white chocolate, caramel pretzel pancakes, the banana nestle crunch pancakes, and the strawberry shortcakes. Just a note, if you would like to try them on the weekends, you can order one, two or three pancakes and not a full order, just in case you want to try a little diabetic coma.
I went with my favorite, the rock shrimp and chorizo breakfast burrito. Now what is fun about when I come here, I eat. Talk? No. Not really. Not when there is some delicious, small shrimp, chorizo, eggs, cheese, avocado and wrapped in a lovely green tortilla. By the time our server came back to check on us, I had just joined the clean plate club, and guess what? Those pancakes were next.
Of course I shared. I certainly allowed the girls to get in their bites until I was ready to come in and do the "Are you finished with that yet?" and polish off another plate. Do not mess with me when I am down to go to town on brunch. Now when I am hungover, you can laugh.
Aaron was a gem of a server, super friendly, energetic, loved having fun and was certainly having fun with our group. What wasn't fun was trying to stay awake while the food coma was seeping in to my system. Thankfully, brunch doesn't happen every weekend, but when it does, Bongo Room is always a good choice for me.
They changed up the music! Was it my review that did it? Instead of headache inducing new age zen music, we had bright pop music playing. Scoff at it if you must, but I think it makes the place less pretentious and a more fun place to eat at. Actually, every restaurant should play 'N Sync. By law.
So that adds half a star. The other half comes from their tenderloin and crimini mushroom benedict. I was near tears from how tender and delicious the beef was, and having it in eggs benedict form took breakfast to a whole new level for me. It might be a limited time special, so act now!
I love that this location is so non-descript. Compared to the other location, the wait here is… Read more »
Pancakes galore! This place has some solid brunch food and the fancy pancakes are the highlights. My friend and I went on a carb craze and ordered 3 plates of pancakes. Strawberry shortcake with fresh cream and strawberries, which chocolate blueberry, and lemon ricotta with a maple/brown sugar butter were all incredibly tasty. The pancakes themselves were denser than typical pancakes yet not too tough. The toppings were perfect compliments. Prices are not cheap but if you're willing to pay for mediocre breakfasts at IHOP then you might as well come here.
Best breakfast of all time and they have the greatest bacon - thick, nicely done and they give 4 slices. Not your everyday breakfast joint, that's for sure. It's too rich and meant to be special. I've never had a wait at this location, as for Wicker Park, I've waited over and hour (sometimes closer to 2) and it's worth it! They have basic breakfast items, but who the fuck wants that when you can have lemon ricotta pancakes with toasted coconut and crushed gingersnap cookie butter that's so good I could eat that in a bowl like ice cream? They have several variations of Eggs Benedict and they are insane!
I'm taking my coworker there today who's in town from our other location. Hopefully we'll walk off that fattening deliciousness at our tradeshow today!!
Though nestled in Wicker Park, Bongo Room was easy to spot. The line of hipsters went out the door. My friends and I were seeking a delicious, filling brunch before exploring the city. It was day 2 of our spring break vacation in Chicago and we hadn't eaten anything truly amazing yet.
After an hour-long wait, we were seated at separate tables since they couldn't fit all 9 of us. We all ordered different things and shared: the BLT egg's benedict, pear tarte pancakes with caramel, white chocolate & caramel covered pretzel pancakes, and various omelettes. BEST BRUNCH OF MY LIFE. The pancakes were HUGE and fluffy, sweet and unique - definitely meant for sharing. The white chocolate pancakes were unbelievable. It was a combination of my two favorite things: breakfast and dessert. The benedict was equally awesome.
In spite of the long wait and crowdedness (totally expected), this place is worth all the hype. One of the best meals I had in Chicago!
I've been to bongo room a few dozen times since i've lived out in the south loop, and all i can say is that many will imitate, and so far, none have been able to replicate !
The menu changes fairly often so there are different things that usually pop up once in a while. I love the concept of "desserty" breakfasts, so it's just my kinda place. if that's not your shindig, order some turkey sausage and an omelette and go to town - it will still be pretty fantastic.
def. worth a visit if you're local -
don't forget the OJ.
Best breakfast in Chicago in my opinion. We live close so obviously it gets convenience points, but wow, the food is just amazing. The BLT benedict, breakfast burrito, and crossaint sandwich are fabulous but what really gets me excited is the rock shrimp and chorizo burrito. OMG! it's a breakfastgasm. The only issue is that their menu isn't that large so after a few visits you've had everything on there. The service is amazing and we go there very often.
I scoped out the Bongo Room before traveling to Chicago this past weekend, and it sounded like my dream breakfast pitstop. Much of the menu is a combination between my two favorite food concepts: breakfast and dessert. But if that doesn't get you going, their menu contains many other breakfast staples.
Our cabby almost missed the joint because there is construction and the Wabash storefront is blocked by scaffolding. But we turned the corner and sure enough, there it was. The wait wasn't more than 15 minutes on a Saturday morning at 10:00am for a group of 7. I was originally hesitant to order out of fear that the Banana Nestle Crunch pancakes would be too sweet, but I ordered the hashbrowns choosing jack cheese from their list of approx. 10 cheese toppers for my breakfast spuds. Confident the salty breakfast side would compliment my sweet cakes, I relaxed for only a few minutes before being served. We were served ridiculously fast...like 5 minutes max.
The food was delish and my coffee was stiff. Exactly what I needed to get me through a long wedding Saturday. My companions ordered everything from the white chocolate pretzel pancakes to the breakfast burrito. There were no complaints. I would return on my next trip to Chicago.
I definitely prefer the other Bongo Room location. The ambiance at this restaurant is a little too industrial for me and a little small. It sucks that there's graffiti on the windows too.
The pancakes didn't jump out at me like they did at the other establishment either. But, the staff is extremely friendly, and it's still a decent place to grab some breakfast.
better than wicker park location. you will still wait on the weekend, but you'll be seated before your hunger subsides. and you won't have to sit on your neighbors lap. as is true with most things - south loop wins. i will always go for the pancakes, whatever new variety they have. getting hungry just thinking about it.....
Lust, Caution. Pancake Porn Ahead.
Your voice over options:
Press F1 for Barry White
Press F2 for Betty White
"Hand crushed *pretzel* coated flapjacks..."
ooh Barry, stop!
"...smothered with warm white chocolate cream..."
Betty you wildcat!
"...caressed with buttery, sensual caramel."
:::faints:::
Craving more? You know it.
"Griddle banana pancakes..." (lights dim)
"...coated in crushed Nestle crunch bar love..." (heart palpitates)
"...enveloped in warm toffee cream...nestled in baby breath bananas" (celestial glow)
:::swoon:::
Go for brunch. Leave distended. And a little flushed. Foodgasm. Meltdown. Complete.
Not on the menu tip #1: Be gluttonous maximus by ordering 1 pancake ($4.95) of each flavor vs a full order ($9.95) of only one.
Realization #2: Portions are out of control crazy. I love you and hate you Midwestern way of life.
Next time #3: Await my return Bongo Room so I can experience your famed "Chocolate Tower French Toast." Rest assured I'll be outfitted in elastic waistband Hammer pants to accommodate the unavoidable belly expansion.
At first I though my Yelp application and my iPhone were failing me. A native Chicagoean recommended Bongo Room and I couldn't find it.
Finally, I put my navigational pride on hold, and I called them.
Of course, the restaurant was hiding behind huge green construction screens.
Once we entered, my doubts were flooded with good smells and a growling stomach. \
I ordered the croissant sandwich and my companion ordered the two eggs any style (which is all he ever orders, which drives me nuts, and is kind of adorable at the same time) and I ordered a pancake for us to share. I choose the lemon ricotta pancake with no coconut. The waitress gave me a knowing smile when I ordered the pancake as if I was making an excellent decision, although she did raise an eyebrow with the no coconut request.
All of it was wonderful, I am insanely glad that I split a pancake because it was so wonderful that I would have ate many of them and then I would have died of sugar overhaul.
I really enjoyed this restaurant because it wasn't that usual breakfast vibe, greasy and loud and older decor. It felt like a brighter more simple version of a Starbucks.
I thought that I've waited a long time for brunch in Toronto, but alas, that record has been defeated by Bongo Room.
Probably waited for no less than 60 minutes on a (winter) Sunday morning. Yeah, amateur...I know. Oh well. I felt like I was going to pass out since it was approaching 12:30 or so with nothing in my stomach and a night of drinking the night before. I also made the mistake of walking here from the North (probably 2 miles) so that certainly contributed to my fatigue.
Once seated I felt really comfortable and rarely rushed by my server. I guess that explains the long waits. I ordered a burrito and savoured every moment- I recall it being a fairly large portion but I devoured it due to the aforementioned hunger pangs.
I'll definitely be back but I'll pick a better, less busy, time on the next visit to Chicago.
No, no bongos that I saw, but there was definitely a room that served great brunch.
Went here yesterday and almost passed it by because of construction. Everyone complains about the long waits, but on this particular Sunday at 12:30, there was only a 20 minute wait that allowed me to soak in the sun. One issue I have with the wait area is that at this moment, it is outside with no chairs or anywhere to sit, but I guess I shouldn't be so lazy huh...
The decor is nice and simple; many tables fit inside the small space, but I was still able to drown out side conversations and focus on the person I was there with.
First up, of course, were the beverages. I ordered the strawberry lemonade for $4.50, but there were no strawberry pieces to be seen and it was pretty tart. Nonetheless, with a little sugar added, it was up to par.
My friend ordered a make your own omelette with egg whites and a side of fruit. I don't like omelettes, but the fruit plate had a huge amount of fresh fruit that made both our mouths water. I am a big fan of pancakes and ordered the pancakes with toffee sauce and nestle crunch bits baked in. The sauce was delicioso...the pancakes themselves were okay, I enjoy fluffy pancakes and these were a little thin for my taste. However, they were still good enough for me to eat most of the dish even with my stomach about to burst. The Thai ginger sausage was a side order of mine and was tasty.
All in all, the prices were high for the beverages, but I feel priced right for the entrees and sides, and were comparable to other great brunch spots.
If you thought you were going here to see some bongos, sorry...but, if you want to go for out-of-this world sauces and creative pancakes, this is the place for you to try.
For those brunch neophytes, know that there is a big difference between arriving somewhere at 9:45 am and 10:00 am in Chicago. This is very apparent at Bongo Room's South Loop location. It is the strangest thing...walk in no problem at 9:40 am on a Saturday. 10? Line around the block.
Of course pancakes are wonderful, but when I see the burrito with rock shrimp and chorizo is on the seasonal summer menu I don't seem to want to order anything else. Looking for something a bit lighter but every bit as satisfying? Go with the vegetarian croissant sandwich. The buttery croissant has chive mayo sauce, sprouts, cucumber, tomato, muenster cheese and an egg. Both of these faves come with a side of rosemary potatoes.
A bold blend of Intelligentsia hits the mark to continually secure Bongo Room as one of my favorite brunch spots in the city.
Sure brunch on the weekend here is fabulous. Everyone knows that...why do you think there are crazy… Read more »
White chocolate caramel pretzel encrusted pancakes? When I heard about this, I HAD to try them, and boy am I glad I did. This place makes "Specialty" breakfasts and everything that came out of the kitchen looked superb. My pancakes were some of the best I have had, and most importantly, the were not overly sweet. I expected to get a cavity just looking at them, but the warm mixture of white chocolate and caramel had a lovely rich taste and creamy consistency. Best of all, Bongo Room is not very expensive! Make sure to hit up Bongo Room if you are in the South Loop or Wicker Park/Bucktown area!
This is a place that you want to like. It's a place you should like. Then you go and try and eat there and well it's just disappointing. How hard is it really to make pancakes? It's not and that's what people would not shut up about this place kept saying, they have the best pancakes! So when they take you there to get pancakes and you all take those first bites there should be smiles around. Not the chewing and chewing and chewing of what felt like regurgitated grass and shredded tires.
Perhaps there was a sale on natural rubber or food grade silicone? What ever their issue for the day was there reaction to my not wanting to eat their food was... an attitude of, Well we have other people waiting, what do you want me to do about it? Fix it perhaps since I am here in your face now? It just took a little too much prodding to get the idea that this meal was not perfect and needed fixing. So after to much back and forth and never really a sorry it wast taken off the bill. No on finished pancakes ( the toppings were gone I will add leaving these funny looking dough blankets on out plates) at my table or the one next to us, except for the 11 year old with a really healthy appetite wink wink nudge nudge. We even talked about how odd the pancakes were this morning.
I will say this the toppings were creative. They were fresh and tasted great. They may suffer from trying a little too much, but there was a line out the door when we left, so they must be doing it right most of the time. I was sad that I could be one to proclaim there excellence, Perhaps next time.
I love mornings. I especially love getting up right when the sun rises and it turns out to be a magnificent day. So after spending a lovely couple of hours at the Big Swap Bonanza at Soldier Field (which was OK but being outside in the weather was the big attraction for me) it was time to get the grub on and have massive amounts of coffee too.
We were actually in a line waiting for this place to open, but once inside we were seated quickly and everything started operating very smoothly with the menus, coffee, etc. (BTW 5 stars for our waitress Peaches. What a doll!)
After reading the reviews, however, I get the distinct feeling that this place's forte is the sweet side of breakfast. All the raves that you see here go towards the french toasts & the pancakes, the savory dishes, not so much. And since I rarely have a Jones for sweet that early in the morning, I think I got a lesser experience here. I ordered an omelet, which has a great number of ingredients to choose from, I got roasted red pepper, chives and cheddar. But the eggs were very plain in flavour and the cheese was almost indistinguishable. Shame too, since both mine and Andy's eggs benedict were absolutely gorgeous in their presentation. The roasted red potatoes with the rosemary were quite nice though as was the Intelligensia coffee.
Moral of the story, you like it sweet, go here. if not, maybe hit up some other joint in the area.
Nothing better on a Sunday morning than breakfast out with friends. I know the trendy thing to do is to call this brunch (since I am usually not eating until noon or later) but it's the breakfast foods I love so I always define it by the food I eat and not the time I eat it.
The Bongo Room is a great place to grab breakfast but be warned! Like every other good place in the city- there is going to be a wait! On a recent Sunday morning- the wait was about 45 minutes in a crowded area but even that didn't seem to bother anyone.
Once seated- the minimalist decorated room with windows along the Roosevelt and Wabash side allow you to people watch to your heart's content while you peruse the menu. It has a diner feel with a similar noise level so don't expect tranquility to go along with your eggs.
I had a craving for Eggs Benedict and I was not disappointed. Lots of sauce, perfectly prepared eggs and some tasty potatoes as a side made my morning. Add to that a cup of Intelligista coffee and I was content.
In looking at the menu- their take on french toast and pancakes sounded amazing- with flavored toppings and chocolate chips. Definitely a must for my next visit.
Parking in this area is metered and usually available but know that the new meters are there and you get 7 minutes for a quarter. Or there is also a garage at 1130 S. Michigan where you can park for $7 and not worry about those darn meters.
No matter whether you call it breakfast or brunch- the Bongo Room is a great choice in the South Loop to enjoy some great food with friends.
Sunday brunch is the Bongo Room's strong point.........and its weak point. This place is so popular it is very crowded on Sundays with what the waitstaff call a 45 minute to 1 hour wait, but as we found out, it is less than that time. Parking........well, its all meter unless you want to pay around $10 or more for a lot........I'd recommend parking one block west on State...up at 11th Street....plenty of meters and usually no one parking..but it is a quarter for 7 minutes!!!! So be prepared to spend another $4+ for your over all experience
Sitting on the corner of Wabash and Roosevelt it has great windows for people watching. Waitstaff is quick, efficient, and friendly too.
The menu is simple with just enough of everything when it comes to breakfast.....but for me this day is was the BLT Benedict. It along with the hashbrowns makes for more than enough food.
Though I hear the pancakes are good, I didn't partake of them this visit. Good solid place, but really popular....plus don't try and solve your hangover here...no alcohol.
Almost worth the hype and long lines.
I don't really remember what I ordered for breakfast, but the pancakes are off the hook! I didn't get to try this but they have something called the Chocolate Tower? I'm more of a fan of savory breakfast food but if there's a person in your life who needs a sugar rush before 10 am, this would be the spot to take them.
I enjoyed my visit to the Bongo room. The service was great, the staff kept my coffee cup filled and the decor was beautiful.
So why do I give it only three stars? I guess the main reason would be that there was nothing at the Bongo room that wowed me. My Eggs Benedict was good, but nothing that would make me salivate for more.
I have a feeling that the Bongo room is known more for their sweets than anything else. I'm more of a meat and Potato's guy.
The Bongo room was a nice experience, and I'm glad that I gave it a try. It was a bit pricey for we got, but then again most things are in the South Loop. The bottom line is the Bongo Room was a one shot deal for us. It was nothing bad, but there are other Breakfast Eateries that give you more bang for your buck.
What's not to love? They have the most incredible sweet-breakfast items using the best ingredients and amazing flavor combinations. You only need to read a few reviews to know their pancakes and french toast are unbelievable.
But they do savory well too!!! I keep having to convince my not-so-sweet-loving friends that they don't have to orders something with 250 grams of sugar to get a good brunch here!! The eggs Benedict is awesome. I love the breakfast burritos. And the omelets are fantastic!!!
My recommendation... all your savory-loving friends should order what they want and just split a single pancake for the table! It's the best of both worlds!!
I've been to the Bongo Room twice, and I usually try to eat something different when I re-visit amazing restaurants, but I just couldn't say no to the peanut-butter-banana pancakes that oozed white chocolate sauce. When you dream about pancakes, you know they're intense.
Bonus points for the Bongo Room, because on my most recent visit, I was with a friend who has a corn allergy. Two staff members were extremely patient and helpful as they checked labels for traces of cornmeal and corn syrup and corn starch.
And unless you have an enormous appetite, I recommend asking for a half-order of the pancakes. My waitress suggested it on my first visit, and I was so grateful. It's possible for me to finish a half order, but just barely.
The service was quick when we wanted it to be quick, but they didn't seem to mind that we lingered for a while after I'd triumphantly eaten the last bite of my pancakes. Plenty of coffee refills, too, and my delicious brunch was just about $10 + tip. Well worth it, especially in the Loop area.
not good. overpriced.
FOOD
--------
The pancakes are from Heaven. Different varieties as the menu is updated... and the menu is updated regularly. If you are lucky, then you will be able to try the pumpkin pancakes swimming in vanilla sauce. And I believe the french toast has also been blessed by a higher power. Try it - YUM!
SERVICE
-------------
Good, attentive service. Typical breakfast service.
OVERALL
--------------
Wish I could give this place 4.5 stars, as they really have not done anything wrong. However, the price is a bit more than I would like to spend on breakfast... and since they have terrible hours, Bongo only gets 4 stars - still a very good rating.
Line... out the door; table and chairs....miniature; pancakes....sub-par; breakfast burrito...only saving grace. Overall it's not worth the wait.
WOW that's allotta sugar. A small menu with the pancakes looking like the way to go. Some concoctions looked like somebodies kid was involved; milkyway white chocolate mocha graham cracker banana pancakes??? I went with the ricotta lemon and coconut with graham cracker butter. tasty and after dusting away the powdered sugar not too sweet.
great value, friendly staff, long wait. We were a party of 3 at 11:30 and didn't get seated until 12:30.
One of my top 3 reasons for loving Chicago is BREAKFAST.
Everyone in Chi-town has no idea how rare heart-attack-causing-artery-clogging-obesity-induc ing breakfasts are outside of Chicago. In San Francisco at least, you've got plenty of the typical IHOP, Denny's, and IHOP/Denny variants. Every breakfast joint serves the most typical foods, two eggs and hash browns with a side of toast and nothing else.
Yawn.
Boring.
But Bongo Room really hit the spot, it's the perfect example of why Chicago breakfasts are so delicious. Plus, the wait in South Loop location was no more than 30 min! I love that I can get dessert for breakfast and breakfast for lunch.
The peanut butter pancakes were my favorite, but the Chocolate french toast was really good too.... drenched in chocolate and topped with chocolate shavings. Drool.
For the record, my momma taught me well - I had a balanced breakfast with protein packed ham on my eggs benedict and veggies in my egg white omelette. Balanced right? And egg whites! It's like negative calories.
Diabetes, here I come!!
I went to the Bongo Room on a Monday afternoon so it wasn't busy in the slightest. I am surprised I have never noticed this place since I pass by it so often. It's definitely hidden on the corner of Roosevelt and Wabash, although I don't know how that's possible.
The inside is bright; lots of bright oranges and greens really wake up the place. It's fun to look out the window and watch the busy intersection and the people walking in and out of the Starbucks across the street. The waitress was pleasant, but quiet. She did however, keep our coffee mugs full.
The food at the bongo room is eccentric and fun. My friend had the peanut butter chip infused pancakes topped with creme fraiche, chocolate sauce and fresh bananas. YUM! The portion consisted of 3 GIGANTIC pancakes, probably 10 inches in diameter. You can get full off just this even if you have a big appetite. I had the breakfast burrito, which is not something I would usually order, but I'm glad I did. It was huge and scrumptious! There was no meat in it, just eggs. It is served with mild salsa and I'm not sure what sauce comes on top of it but it is delicious. It comes with breakfast potatoes, and is sure to fill you up.
What I do not like about the menu is that it is fairly small. There aren't a lot of items to choose from. I believe this is just my preference; I like a lot of choices. Also, parking can be hard to find. There is a sign on the front door that says that they validate for the parking lot across the street, and the cost after the validation will be $9. If you're on a budget, this may not be reasonable. Try finding a meter on State street, just south of Roosevelt. I believe it's 15 minutes per quarter, but it beats $9.
Friend 1: "I thought we'd try some new place for brunch this weekend."
Friend 2: "That's okay. We can go back to the Bongo Room. I don't mind and Nev hasn't tried it..."
Friend 1: "But... we could..."
Friend 2: "BONGO ROOM, BITCH!"
Okay, my friends didn't ACTUALLY have a throw down about The Bongo Room, but there was a definite push to return to this little brunch mecca. Friend Two had enjoyed some pb chip pancakes with bananas and creme on her previous visit and wanted me to experience the heaven of Bongo Brunch.
We visited on a Sunday afternoon. While it ended up being well worth the hour wait, I'd suggest going on a weekday, if you can. There isn't much in the way of a waiting area, so cold customers huddled right in the way of the busy waitstaff.
Unfortunately, they also didn't have a mimosa-- what kind of brunch is a brunch sans mimosa?! Yet, we were told that we were welcome to bring in a bottle of champagne to mix with our orange juice; there were a couple tables that were doing so.
On to the food--
It was, in short, heavenly.
I ordered red corn flour and cranberry pancakes with a pecan/honey butter. The butter came in two giant scoops that drooled on my soft, warm, powdered pancakes. I thought there was no way in the world I could eat all that butter, but I came REALLY close. It was SO good!
Friend Two ordered the Chocolate Tower, which chocolate bread made into french toast and topped with chocolate sauce and bananas. Even her half order was huge (and scrumptious!)
Friend One, who lives in Chicago and is trying to not eat like a tourist, ordered scrambled eggs with hash browns, sourdough toast and bacon. She seemed pleased. I tried her hash browns, which were more like home fries; the mixture of spices and crispness on the potatoes was perfect.
All in all, it was an enjoyable experience that kept me full from 3 p.m. until about 9 p.m., and even then, I was just barely hungry. And for 3 people with a TON of food, we got out of here for about $45. Not bad for a splurge of a brunch!
Came here on a Sunday morning, and it was packed. We had a wait, but it wasn't that long, which was quite nice (some times places will tell you an hour and a half - puhleeze!) We probably waited about 25 minutes or so - pretty decent.
The food here is tasty. I had traditional eggs Benedict. Perfectly cooked. I didn't really care for the vibe though. Although people were super friendly, it was way too trendy for a Sunday morning. The music was pretty clubby and somewhat distracting (the last thing I need to hear on Sun mornings is throbbing dance beats). It's definitely a place you go to be seen. But for the South Loop, it's a good brunch option.
Great pancakes, if you like 'em sweet!
Most of their choices seem to be super rich and sweet, and the pancakes are the main attraction
although lots of folks were getting the Eggs Benedict as well. My lovely dining companion and I both got pancakes, she the black forest (pictured below) and I the lemon - coconut. Both were awesome. If I were to do it again, it would be wise to get an order of eggs benedict and an order of pancakes and share. Get a little savory with that sweet.
The pancakes were about $10, and a cup of coffee was $3! Pricey, but good. Long wait as well - it's in hipster Wicker Park so expect that crowd.
Bongo room has always been my favorite spot for brunch--even before it masqueraded itself as Room 12 when it first opened on Wabash. I'm just not your Bob Evans kinda breakfast girl. I need a little adventure on the menu, so I like it that they come up with different variations of breakfast items. Not ordinarily a big pancake lover, this place is where I make the exception. Make 'em up like a dessert (say, carmel white chocolate) and I'm there! Warning though, the portions are so huge, I recommend a half order lest you become lethargic and sluggish after consumption of a full one. I'm also a fan of the Turkey sausage, fresh orange juice and hot chocolate.
Of course, I'd be lying if I painted it all birds and flowers. The place does have its drawbacks--nothing that keeps me away, though. For one, it's typically conversation challenged because the music is way too loud. Also, the waiting area is minimal and the space between tables and chairs a little cramped. But isn't this what we love to call quaint or cozy? Be advised, parking is horrible in the area and as with any brunch spot, there may be a bit of a wait, but it's worth it. If you like ecclectic and out of the ordinary with great presentation, this is the place. It's breakfast with a twist!
Knocking it down one star for the service...slow...very, very slow. The server was very friendly but it took her way too long to bring coffee and it wasn't that busy.
Food: well, this time I tried the apple/pear french toast which was amazing, but it's a good thing I was sharing because there is no way I could have eaten the whole thing...you get 3 huge pieces of french toast, plus all the toppings and sauce! Also tried the breakfast burrito which was good. Really liked the tortilla which was jalapeno flavored.
A little disappointed that the chocolate french toast isn't available on weekdays but that just means I'll have to venture in again on a weekend!
LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!!!!
Ok, so I've been hearing about this place for almost a year now and have been…
Read more »
Lots of Great Specials
Neighborhood: Wicker Park
Host a Party at Angelina
Neighborhood: Lakeview
Neighborhood: Wicker Park
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: South Loop
Category: Breakfast & Brunch
Neighborhood: South Loop
Category: Diners
Neighborhood: South Loop
Category: Sandwiches
Neighborhood: West Loop
Category: American (Traditional)
Brunch is my favorite meal. Here are some reliable…
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
Yes, a work in progress, but these are places I…
My local dry cleaner, watering hole, deli, cafe,…
In honor of our newly created Sunday Brunch &…
I lived in Chicago once upon a time. These are…
Some places I've hit up for brunch in Chicago -…
4 days in what is potentially the most wonderful…
