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Pittsfield Cafe
Rating Details »
Category: Restaurants [Edit]
Neighborhood: The LoopPittsfield Building
55 E Washington
Chicago, IL 60602
(312) 641-1806
- Nearest Transit:
-
Madison/Wabash (Orange, Brown, Purple Express, Green, Pink)
Monroe (Blue, Red)
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good for:
- Breakfast
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
20 reviews for Pittsfield Cafe
what a little gem! unless i worked in the building, i would've had no idea this place existed. my boyfriend lives in the loop; as a result, we're always struggling to find great restaurants that are open on the weekends. after a little yelping - enter, pittsfield cafe.
i was able to appreciate the "indoor patio" outside the restaurant, but my partner-in-crime thought it was a little weird, so we ate inside. we were quickly greeted with waters and menus; our waitress couldn't have been sweeter. most of the people inside seemed to be regulars, since the staff was on a first name basis with several of them.
our mission was breakfast, but their menu was surprisingly extensive. it's a diner with a little bit of greek in it. after a small debate, we settled on:
jumping bean omelet (jalapenos, onions, tomato & cheese)
two eggs over easy with corn beef hash
the portions were huge! my omelet had to have at least three eggs in it. almost everything on the breakfast menu comes with potatoes and your choice of toast & jelly. add a coffee on the bill and we got out of there for only $18. everything else that came out of the kitchen (sandwiches included) looked delicious. i'm pretty sure their gyros will kick some major ass.
an important note - pittsfield is cash only. they also have breakfast specials that are good from 6am - 11am. we'll definitely be back!
My GF and I stumbled upon/into this place after walking around for over an hour on St. Pat's day looking for a place that wasn't packed to the rafters with drunks and still served breakfast around noon time. Of course, if the river dyeing had been anywhere NEAR on time (it was her first time, and boy, was it crap this year!), we wouldn't have had that problem. I digress.
Service = quite friendly, if a little inattentive.
Food = tasty, served hot, though a little overpriced, IMO. (Her pancakes, eggs & OJ and my mushroom burger + 2 coffees ran about $26.00).
If I worked in the area, I'd probably stop by every other week or so.
Next time you are craving diner food in the Loop head inside the Pittsfield building at Wabash and Washington. This cozy little diner is perfect for breakfast or lunch, just beware they sometimes close early. I enjoy reading a paper and eating their crinkle cut fries at the counter. I also love their Gryos plate which is enormous. Prices are a bit steep for a diner so I'll knock off a star for that. Otherwise all-around great atmosphere, friendly service, and outstanding food. Yay!
When I used to work at Marshall Fields (yes, Fields, not Macy's, this was like 10 years ago people when I worked there) I would go here at least 3-5 times a week. Seriously.
What brought me to Pittsfield Café? It's an awesome diner. They have a counter for singles and tables for groups. They will sit singles at the tables, but I always ate at the counter because they have limited space during rush hour.
Back to what makes Pittsfield (that's what we call it) awesome:
-Diner seating!
-No nonsense staff that is actually friendly and remember the repeat customers.
-Really good BLT, seriously the best in Chicago. ORDER IT! Other good items are the breakfast specials and a killer turkey salad on croissant. CROSSANT!
-FYI: They have greek toast, if you don't know what that is, it is a thicker slice of white bread with SEASAME SEEDS on the crust of the bread. IT'S THE TOAST JESUS EATS WHEN HE IS IN CHICAGO!
-Quick friendly service and turnaround (important for lunches in the loop)
So Pittsfield is so great I took my parents here when they visited from central Iowa. I made them jump on the "el" with me and travel a good 20 minutes from east pilsen (where I lived 10 years ago way before University Village was built) to eat breakfast.
You know what happened? My dad was jealous of my Greek toast and told me I should have advised him to get some too! HA!
They offer pick-up service. You can call in your order and pick it up! I never did this because it was so close, but now that I work in the south loop I do fantasize about the turkey croissant, but usually tell myself I will get up early some day and have breakfast before work and then walk to work (15 minute walk). I'm not a morning person so that never happens!
Lastly I just want to say this café was so good I wasn't the only repeat customer from Marshall Fields. I worked in the cosmetics department and most of us went on breakfast breaks and lunch here together. You would go and run into at least another table that was from our department. I wouldn't be surprised if there were other tables from the store because it's really a jem.
I like the idea of the indoor patio. Very interesting.
The only things worth a damn here are the soups and the breakfasts. Everything else is overpriced diner bullshit. Go in the late afternoon, and sit at the counter and enjoy the surroundings. This is our country.
I didn't grow up in the US, so I'm relatively new to diners as a concept. This one certainly won my affection, notwithstanding the mildly grumpy waitress and another attendant's propensity to mop the floor with smelly disinfectant while we were eating. (this has happened to me twice.)
The breakfast is solid and quality, and the spinach pie really does come with half a canned peach on the side, I'm not sure why. The chocolate shake is incredible (though probably 500 calories). Best shake I've had in years.
i wish they had longer weekend hours!
No windows that face the outside world, they all face an interior court in the building. Like eating in a subway. Otherwise seemed fine.
Good prices, good food. The same people have worked there for years - very nice folks. Gyro omelette is a real treat. Unfortunately I cannot give Pittsfield five stars for they have committed the most egregious of all restaurant errors - -not having Heinz catchup in glass bottles. They have a far inferior product. Pity.
Walking through the Pittsfield Building, up to this place makes you feel like you're in the "Untouchables" you'll certainly impress your friends when you take them into the lobby for lunch.
But they do back it up with genial customer service, and standard diner fare done right (except the fries could be done a little more right, I guess) but Eliot Ness would have felt at home- I guess.
Be careful it's cash only.
This place has atmosphere, lots of "city folk" (read not touristy), and serves an amazing breakfast for cheap.
I usually just walk in and an old cranky & slightly deaf woman,who looks like a well casted waitress, takes your order. It usually takes about 4 minutes. They put it in a to go container, and I eat it at work.
I could eat there, but it is always packed. Mostly other down town business folks.
They also serve amazing Matzah Ball soup - just don't eat it during Passover, they put noodles in it!
They have a little indoor dining room outside of the cafe, filled with little tables and chairs.
I love it for the atmosphere, it really reminds me that I live in Chicago! Give this little gem a try. Total diner food - nothing fancy!
A coworker of mine and I walked into the Pittsfield Cafe one day for lunch knowing nothing about it. When you first walk into the historic Pittsfield Building, you instantly notice the five-story atrium that the cafe is situated in. It's a bit strange, actually, because you can be seated "outside" the actual restaurant, but it's still inside this atrium. It's kind of cool, I suppose, but that's not the point.
Inside is actually a bit more like a diner than a cafe, but it wasn't bad at all. We decided to just order wraps, and they were very good. The price was a little steep for what we got though. The service was excellent, and the food came out super fast. An old lady in our vicinity was chatting it up with us, but she was cool and we were down. Overall, it was a pretty good experience. I have no major complaints. That might also be due to the fact that it's one of the few good places close to my work.
Oh, also, my coworker tried to pay with a debit card, but it's cash only (which of course meant I had to cover her ass).
Sometimes, you're just in the mood for diner food and Pittsfield rarely disappoints. Some of their sandwiches tend to be on the greasy side, but there are enough choices on the menu that you shouldn't have a problem picking something tasty (or a less artery-clogging option if desired). As Richard wrote already, their cream of chicken with rice soup is delicious and very inexpensive! It's my favorite - look for it on Thursdays.
One of these days, I'll wake up early so I can go to Pitts for breakfast before work...
Hungover at work? Need some grease? Call Pittsfields! They deliver...although we normally pick it up. Once you see their delivery guy, you'll start seeing him all over the loop. That man gets a ton of exercise.
It's basic diner food. But their menu is pretty big. It has some healthy surprises scattered about.
As always, the people are pretty friendly. I don't think I've ever had a crabby encounter.
Firstly, for people out of town typing in "breakfast, chicago" into the search bar, you have to find the Pittsfield building and go right inside; you can't see this place from the outside.
But otherwise, another great find from Yelp. We got a corn-beef hash and french toast, both being the great diner breakfast you would expect. A few cups of joe and you're ready to hit the town; after a breakfast like this lunch is very much optional.
Due to it's recessed location it's not touristy or overpriced; we left a $20 and that was with a generous tip.
I love "The Pit".
A group of us (4-5) used to have breakfast there at least 3 time a week. Breakfast options are pretty standard, and I haven't been disappointed by anything I've had. It's also one of the only places I've run into downtown that you can sub grits for hash browns. These days we seem to just order lunch for pickup.
Options at the pit consist of your basic diner eats with some Greek highlights here and there. If available, I recommend the spinach pie and the cream of chicken & rice soup. Tuesday (if memory serves me correctly), is split pea soup day, yum!
They're super fast, always nice and make a mean Tuna Club.
The two-star is really for the dish I got, they tricked me with the Today's special of Deep Fried Smelts. Smelts are little fish. Kinda like anchovies on steroids, but without the offensive odor or roid rage. That being said, the batter was forgettable and seemed haphazardly fried. You could say it was comparable to the Mickey D's Filet-o-fish, which i love, in that they both have a common flavor of tartar sauce and the comparison ends there.
The service was okay and it looks like you get a nice bread bun (which they touch with their bare hands) with any order.
Now the Boston Clam Chowder was good, although there was an impossibly large potato wedge in mine. The breakfast food does look good, I admit, so if I go back and get some, I'm sure my stars will rise...
This place has been around for ages. Open for breakfast and lunch only Monday-Saturday. Decent food, nothing fancy or really different. Good soup and sandwich lunch specials. A little something for everyone.Decent service and selection. Good place to drop in when you are in the Loop.I can't believe that no one else has reviewed "The Pitts" before! The Pittsfield Building is home to many doctors and dentists, so if you have an appointment here,try it for breakfast or lunch! Cash only-so bring your money!
This small diner is located in the famous Pittsfield Building in the Jewelers Row Landmark District. The building was developed by the estate of Marshall Field and named after Pittsfield, Massachusetts, where Marshall Field got his first job. The lobby leads into a five-story public atrium with several stores inside and the diner on the first floor. The diner is reasonably priced with great service and a pretty good bowl of chili. The breakfast is above average and the patty melts are delicious. If you want an old-time diner atmosphere in a architecturally beautiful building this is the place for you.
After my doctor's appointment, I was feening the coffee. I knew I had already passed LaVazza, Starbucks, and Dunkin Donuts and to do my due diligence and support the local cafe. It seemed really cozy and suprising to find this diner in the city. I would have never thought one would exist. I like the idea of amongst the skyskrapers and business people that there's this place that you can find that might remind you of some small town you dropped in on. I would have liked to sit and stay, but I did have to go back to work. I asked the hostess about any coffee I could take to go and she led me to the coffee area, where I got my own cup. It wasn't great, but I just really like the ambiance and the lady was really making me feel like I was in another era. My coffee and banana were $2.75 or something like that. So, they also offer fruit, desserts, and bags of potato chips for on the go. I may have to wake up a bit earlier to get breakfast before I go in for my appointment the next time.
Currently my favorite diner in the Loop. The cafe is located in the art deco lobby of the Pittsfield Building, a groovy old gem. There is "outdoor" seating in the lobby where I prefer to sit. The only drawback is the unwanted conversations that float around from table to table. What the hell is HIPPA? The guy behind me was on this big old tangent about HIPPA during the whole meal (will ya shut up already!!). The menu is typical diner fare with a few healthy options. I had lunch at the Pittsfield today with a couple of buddies -- the bald guy and the freak. The bald guy had a tuna sandwich because he is worried about his health and is now afraid of red meat. The freak had turkey covered in gravy which he hardly touched (never seen him skimp on a meal before). I had a Caesar chicken wrap because the bald guy has got me paranoid about my health too (he talks too much). Though I would have rather eaten a steak, the chicken wrap was pretty good. Service is great. The freak usually likes to give the waitstaff a hard time but he had no complaints today. I, along with the bald guy and the freak, highly recommend the Pittsfield Cafe.
