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Southport (Brown Line)
Paulina (Brown Line)
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 7 am - 4 pm
Sat 8 am - 5 pm
Sun 8 am - 4 pm
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Breakfast, Brunch
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
440 reviews for Southport Grocery & Cafe
Review Highlights
"The bread pudding pancakes were orgasmic."
(in 71 reviews)
"sweet & savory french toast - SOOOO yummy."
(in 30 reviews)
"I also recommend the grown up pop tart."
(in 15 reviews)
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440 reviews in English
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Review from Jack T.
Chicago, IL
2/9/2012
With a "hot brunch spot" on every block, it's hard to make yourself stand out. There are those that stay too traditional (read, boring) and those that try too hard (brunch has SOME guidelines, right?). Southport Grocery has found the sweet spot.
My absolute favorite dish is the Hash with brisket - the veggies are delicious, potatoes just right, and the brisket really puts it over the top. Don't be afraid to ask for one of each type of hot sauce for the table; once you find your favorite, you won't be able to help yourself from buying a bottle to go. As far as the Bread Pudding Pancakes... I wouldn't know where to begin. That good. There's a reason they're mentioned all over this page.
I tend to think that brunch is a hard meal to really screw up, but even harder to knock out of the park. That said, Southport Grocery definitely went yard. Bravo. -
Review from Joann H.
Chicago, IL
2/5/2012
Luscious cupcakes for a great price. The vanilla is amazing and has been consistently fanfrickintabulous!
Great breakfast options through and through: bread pudding pancakes, hash,biscuits with gravy etc.
ahhhh..... I can go on forever due to this joint being so nice with such friendly service.
The servers are nice, pretty cool and good looking to boot! (LOLOL).
All I can say is I'm still a Southport cafe fan ever since they first won the best cupcake in Chicago Magazine years ago.
I heart this place.
YUM -
Review from Christina B.
Chicago, IL
1/29/2012
I went to Southport Grocery for weekend brunch at about noon. Right off the bat we were a little agitated. We were standing near the "Please Wait To Be Seated" sign waiting for the host(ess). About 2 minutes pass and another party walks in, cruises past us and about 10 feet deep into the restaurant to a red headed young man who was, unbeknownst to us, the host. They are inquiring about the wait. I walk up to put my name in and he replies "well I need to get their names first." I tell him, "No. We were here first..waiting over by where you SHOULD be." We put our names in and wait. About 45 minutes goes by and we can see tables sitting empty. We also see a lot of people standing waiting for a table. We inquire as to why there are multiple tables sitting completely dormant for over 15 minutes in a packed restaurant and the host replies "we have called them and are waiting for them to arrive".
The policy is that people may leave and be telephoned when their table is ready. But the policy should have a 2 minute hold policy, not over 15 minutes. Further, the host was unable to see an open 2 person table, scroll down the list to the next set of 2 and seat them. He was only capable of going in exact order of the list and allowing tables and patrons to wait.
The point of this story is that I sat there thinking about really popular breakfast establishments (Namely Walker Brothers) and how they are a well-oiled machine with their top host on brunch duty. She has the ability to seat people as quickly as tables open. This kid is better off for a midday shift. It soured my experience and made me think that no matter how good the food is, dealing with this incompetent boob is not worth the wait. -
Review from Amy R.
Chicago, IL
1/24/2012
I really love the cupcakes here. But, I'll take the cupcakes minus the attitude here. All the waiters that work here seem to have a terrible disdain for their customers.....I'm not sure what it is. So, if the waiters were better....It would be a five star.
But, this is in my hood and they should be cool with their neighbors.
The only one that is nice is Lance. Most genuine, helpful person there.
Maybe all the waitstaff should be female.....
I would choose lulu belles pancake house over this place..... -
Review from Colleen F.
Chicago, IL
1/4/2012 2 Check-ins Here
This is one of my favorite breakfast spots in the city. I would give it a 4.5 stars, but 4 starts wouldn't do it justice. That's why I had to go with the 5.
The bacon is delicious. You know that moment when you hesitate whether you want the sausage or the bacon? When you are at Southport Grocery ALWAYS get the bacon. It's fantastic. My favorite breakfast dish is the bread pudding pancake. Lord have mercy. De--licious.
I've had a couple of their soups, and they are on par as well. It is a small space, so except a line during high traffic brunch/breakfast hours. -
Review from Tracy C.
Chicago, IL
1/27/2012
This is a regular breakfast spot for us. Do yourself a favor and get the brisket and gravy. It is so incredibly delicious (but be warned--it has a very subtle spice to it that is just awesome). I also recommend sharing the grown up pop tart. Or eat it on your own cuz it's just that damn good. I'm also a big fan of their chai tea lattes and those chocolate chip cookies with the pretzel pushed into it. Yum!
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Review from Roseann M.
Chicago, IL
12/20/2011
When you gotta eat on a Monday afternoon, choices along the Southport corridor are kinda limited. But The Southport Grocery & Cafe was open, as about 2,499 other people discovered.
We arrived almost exactly at noon and were able to be seated right away. That's not to say there were plenty of seats available; there were only a couple, and we were lucky enough to glom onto a table. This place is not huge, and it was slammed! The downside of this for the customer is the noise level. I think half of our conversation was composed of "what?" and "huh?", and we had to lean in close with hands cupped around our ears to hear each other. Certainly the noise level is not the restaurant's fault, but customers should be aware, this is not the place to have an intimate, quiet conversation. You've got to speak LOUD to be heard above the hubbub.
We got menus and placed a drink order quickly. We only had coffee, although the Cafe does offer some alcoholic selections. I don't know the brand of the coffee. I am becoming a coffee snob, and this was good, nothing great.
We went with lunch items, although breakfast items are still available mid-day. You get to select one of several sides. I ordered the Veggie Sandwich with a side of butternut squash quinoa for $8.00. My friend ordered the Grilled Brie for $9.50, also with the squash quinoa. We waited a reasonable amount of time for our entrees. Both were very good and very filling. I'd try either one again.
Service suffered due to the crush of people. Or maybe there were one server short? In my ex-restaurant worker opinion, they needed another server. It was pretty impossible to get a refill on the coffee, and the coffee cup you get is really small. We sat and stared at our empty plates for a while, too.
The stressed service also showed in the payment. There is a number at each table. We sat for quite a while, waiting for our check, and finally, we were able to snag down a server in the middle of his marathon run. He told us, you take the number to the counter and pay there. Well, we would have been out of there 15 minutes sooner if we'd known. It's not like we were given a set of instructions when we sat down. So beware, you will NOT get a check; you will take your number to the register and pay there. That does make it a little harder to tip fairly, because you don't know the exact amount you owe until you get up and leave the table.
The woman at the register asked us, do you want to pay separately or together? I appreciate that. We chose to pay separately. That made life easier.
Would I go again? Yeah, sure. But I'd prefer to go at an off-time, when I can actually hear conversation. And now that I've been schooled in the payment procedures, I'll be able to leave when I'm ready. -
Review from Candice R.
Chicago, IL
1/2/2012
Two stars from Yelp actually means "Meh, I've experienced better." I think that a two out of five is just mediocre, and not awful like a lot of people read. I had brunch here for the first time this weekend, and it was only a 30 minute wait. I liked their system of taking down your phone number so that you aren't chained to the establishment for the duration of your waiting period.
They sat us right next to the door, and of course it was being opened and closed the whole time. My bloody mary was just ok, not good but not bad. When I asked for another one, the busser whisked away my unfinished drink to literally refill it (without asking). When she returned with my new one, it was watery from the melted ice of my old mary and worse than the first one. I didn't drink much of it.
My table had the hash with brisket, spinach omelet and the bread pudding pancakes. The hash I could have made myself. The brisket was dry and the potatoes were overcooked. Meh, it could have been worse. The pancakes, though, were very good.
About halfway through our meal, a family with two older babies and a toddler sat next to us. I'm sure I already sound like a bitch, but people PLEASE leave your toddlers at home. In fact, leave all the children who have not yet grasped the idea of table manners at home. The adults too, come to think of it.
Our check was $60 for two people. I'm glad that I hadn't tried to hype this place up, or I would have been very disappointed. -
Review from Liz L.
Lake Forest, IL
1/29/2012
Really, really delicious food! It is a little cramped and could use a larger seating area, otherwise I would give it the full five.
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Review from Heather k.
Chicago, IL
11/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
I have been wanting to eat here for AGES and once I finally did - it didn't quite live up to the hype. My first gripe is seating related. We were a party of two that arrived around 11 ish on a Monday afternoon. The main dining area only had to two occupied tables but for some reason we were still seated by the cold window next to a mom and two loud children. I wasn't pleased but took a deep breath because I knew the food would make up for it. I was wrong. I had this spinach and artichoke dip omelette and a cupcake pancake on the side. The pancake was wonderful but the omelette didn't work. My companion enjoyed his scramble and breadpudding pancake. Our service was slow and I only received 1 refill on coffee. If I return it will not be for the breakfast but instead for the sandwiches which sounded quite outstanding.
A lesson in living without expectations, I suppose.Listed in: Brunch Obsessed - Chicago…
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Review from Blanche R.
Chicago, IL
2/3/2012
I am not a "breakfast" person or big on eggs and love coming here for breakfast - especially for the sweet and savory french toast - delicious. I like the coziness and intimacy of the small seating area however I admit I have never been there when it is crowded.
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Review from Mike K.
Chicago, IL
10/31/2011
**Foreword: They always return to the scene of the "crime." **
Title: The Cupcake Incident and How I Came Full Circle at Southport Grocery.
______________________
Four-and-a-half years ago, a famous incident occurred involving a girl, three cupcakes from Southport Grocery, a Jetta and a boy who tried to come to the rescue of the girl and the Jetta. What resulted would forevermore be known as The Cupcake Incident.
I'll skip the gory details of The Cupcake Incident, except to state that the day of this incident was when I first learned of the famous cupcakes at Southport Grocery.
Well, The Cupcake Incident led to The Breakup.
The Breakup eventually led to her meeting The Palooka.
Meeting The Palooka led to her marrying The Palooka.
I have facilitated yet another marriage. Service to the community and all that, you know.
And, after probably five abortive attempts, I finally made it to Southport Grocery and tried the vaunted cupcakes.
So it all worked out in the end. Nobody got too hurt in the process. It's like a curse has been lifted. And I have now come full circle as to Southport Grocery.
__________________
Southport Grocery has odd hours and is difficult to patronize as a result. I tried to go at least five times before I hit paydirt and was able to finally get in and try the cupcakes. I got one vanilla/vanilla and one red velvet.
The cake on both was very good - not too light and not too dense. The problem was the frosting. It wanted to come off in one piece. I had to fight it in order to not lose the frosting. Frosting that acts this way has been sitting around too long in chilled conditions. The frosting is the most important part. They lost me forever on the frosting. Let's see, the girl, the frosting and now me. That's three separations connected to Southport Grocery. I'm nothing if not consistent.
Maybe I went on the wrong day and at the wrong time. These highly touted cupcakes did not live up to expectations.
Mandy's remains the reigning Queen of the Cupcake.
Two stars for Southport Grocery.Listed in: How to get yourself married, Cupcake Judgment Day
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Review from Jan E.
Flossmoor, IL
1/14/2012
The perfect place for a special breakfast. The sweet and savory french toast is a thing of beauty. So, so scrumptious. Can pick up fun foodie necessities in grocery aisle.
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Review from Fred B.
Chicago, IL
12/5/2011
This is my favorite brunch spot in the neighborhood. The staff here is adequate and the wait is long, these are things to expect and measure your experience by them. The place does not take reservations is always jammed, as a result don't expect 5 stars on service. Also, the prices are quite managable for a sit down that is on the gourmet side - items are generalyy $9 - $12. The food crushses the typical neighborhood bar and is right in the same price range, perhaps even cheaper. I have gone both the breakfast route and the lunch route for brnch both are hit. You can't go wrong.
My favorite lunch item is the grilled turkey sandwich. It comes out full of taste and turkey. The ragout and aiola bring this thing together on delicious, thick cut bread. The cuban is also an excellent choice, briket takes it to another level. For under $10 you can't go wrong with these orders. Also you get a side with the sammie. I have to say that the broccoli salad is my favorite, light and refreshing. The potato salad is solid but nothing fancy, same goes for the salad.
Onto breakfast. I am not a sweets guy but oh my god, the cupcake pancakes are amazing. They are what they sound like, quite decadent but worth it if you can handle a huge pile of sweets. Stuffed French Toast is also excellent, the filling is a home run and is a fun take on classic french toast. Hash is packed full of flavor and the white cheddar is excellent!
At the end of the day, the bang for your buck is awesome. Just don't expect Ritz Carltonesque service. If I had to choose I'd go lunch over breakfast, but if you have a flavor for something sweet, run after the cupcake pancakes!
ps Sign up for their email list and they'll give you a free birthday cupcake on the month of your birthday. Nice touch! -
Review from Christopher F.
Chicago, IL
12/30/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Solid breakfast here. Small place but man I had some Brisket Hash that was just amazing. Wish there was a little more market, but will come back here for breakfast/brunch. Can't go wrong with anything that I could tell!
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Review from Beth M.
Forest Park, IL
1/5/2012
I wish they had one of these in the suburbs.....LOVE THIS PLACE!!!!! I really like coming here for lunch, the food is soo good. The food options are so different and thats what I really like. For instance, sides with any lunch portion include choice of: red potato mash, butternut squash quinoa, fresh fruit with vanilla vinaigrette, mixed greens, peanut-broccoli salad or kettle chips.
I've had the potato mash, the mixed greens and the peanut broccoli salad and all were great! I've had the club sandwich and the Chicken Salad so far, and I can't wait to go back and enjoy lunch again. The only down to this place, is that it only seats about 30 people at a time and you do have to wait to get a seat, but like everyone else waiting, we know it's so worth it. They also have a small grocery with different jams, spices and a bakery, so when you wait you can shop. 5 Stars for this place!!!! -
Review from Katrina R.
Chicago, IL
11/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
4.5. I went here on a Sunday morning with a whole host of pals. Southport Cafe does not disappoint. The breakfast was a bit pricey but the menu makes up for price easily in creativity.
We got lucky and one of the actors from the Neofuturists was our waitress! If you haven't seen "Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind" go Google it now. I'll wait.
.
.
.
So anyway our waitress was funny (no, hilarious!) and gave us great service, which is really just the tip of the iceberg. The food was delectable. One of ordered the hash, and loved it. One of us ordered the breakfast bruchetta, and devoured it. One of us ordered the sweet and savory french toast, and gave it a solid two thumbs up. And I ordered the biscuits and brisket gravy.
The B&G was good, although since I'm from Kansas it is certainly not what I was expecting. The gravy was thin and not very pepper-y, but that's OK. The biscuits were great and the fried eggs were crucial to the dish.
All in all, we had a pretty good experience. Minus a half-star for expensiveness and gravy which needs more corn starch. -
Review from Justin D.
Chicago, IL
11/16/2011
Good, creative breakfast, brunch and lunch options. A caveat for brunch: due note that Sunday morning especially this restaurant can become busy and loud. Reservations are not accepted. In my experience it's much easier to get a table Sundays before 11:00am and if you're a party of two.
The grocery side of the restaurant can encroach upon patrons, but they do offer a wonderful selection of wines, baking supplies, condiments, syrups and prepared items for takeaway.
During the warmer months the patio is agreeable and dog-friendly. -
Review from Robyn L.
9/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
hit and miss; hit and miss
This place is bustling - that's for sure! We were a little cramped when they squeezed us into a table but we survived.
My beverage was lovely, a basil vodka with lemonade concotion. Refreshing. We shared the grilled cheese with broccoli peanut slaw. They ran out of the foccacia and substituted a plain bread. Probably not as good as the herby foccacia. The broccoli slaw way yum - o! We also sampled the creamy cauliflower soup. The flavor was lovely but it was watery and thin. Not the creamy bowl of goodness we had dreamt of.
My mother in law ordered the antipasto. She was furious when it arrived at the table packaged in a box. Everything was individually wrapped in little portion cups. "I didn'y go out to eat to get my food in a box!", she professed. I agree. It seems pretty silly that they couldn't provide a plated version for those dining in. At $13 for charcuterie, a little plating would have been nice.
I'm giving it an A-Ok. Certainly didn't knockmy socks off, but did the trick for lunch. -
Review from Jackie M.
10/19/2011 1 Check-in Here
Like the small boutique grocery store and kitchen concept, but a tad pretentious and overpriced for what you get.
I've been here twice and the brunch/grocery store has always been friendly and busy. I really wanted to like their famous cupcakes and bread pudding pancakes - having high quality ingredients at your fingertip is half the battle, but it was just okay.
Ultimately, the food has to be uniquely memorable to make me come back for more. Anyway, I've had better, onwards to the next cupcake and breakfast discovery.
The wide sidewalk al fresco seating and dog friendly neighborhood is the reason to come here. Sitting outside on a warm and beautiful day, this is exactly how I imagine a perfect day would be. -
Review from Stephanie C.
Northbrook, IL
11/17/2011
I LOVE THIS PLACE! The only downside is the small space and extremely long wait. Last time we waited for about 45 min to get seated and another 45 min to get our food!
Regardless, the food was amazing. Their sandwiches, especially the cuban and the pastrami reuben are to die for.
Make sure to try the Cupcake pancakes!!! YUM!
Great place to dine if you like noise and have time on your hands =) -
Review from Leena T.
Oakland, CA
9/22/2011
This place is an old favorite of mine. Their vanilla cupcakes are simply the most perfect cupcake I have ever had--light, fluffy, the frosting not too light or too rich. So good, I had them instead of a wedding cake at my wedding!
Their brunch is stellar, a great example of Chicago brunch places at it's finest. I love their creative menu, especially the sweet and salty French toast, the cupcake pancakes, and the grown-up pop tart.
But the thing that pushes them over the top? Their freaking burger! In my mind, I have yet to have a better burger. The meat comes seasoned specially from Paulina Meat Market, and has this unmistakable, cravable flavor you can't find anywhere else. Add on Nueske's Bacon (the king of bacon for sure), sour cream and caramelized onions? Hot damn, I need a cigarette just thinking about it. They stopped serving it with their tater tots and caramelized onion dip, which makes me sad, but not enough to boycott the place. The burger, simply put, gives me a mouth-gasm. And I'm not ashamed to admit it.
Plan on waiting a LONG time. Or order take out. Service is hit or miss. -
Review from Jennie P.
10/12/2011
I have a love hate relationship with Southport Grocery. I LOVE the ambiance for brunch/breakfast - I HATE the long waits when I'm absolutely starving and I HATE how close you sit to your neighbors. It's kind of distracting because it becomes hard to talk and focus on the person you're with - or maybe it doesn't suit my attention span!
I will agree with other reviews on here, it's hit or miss. When I was first introduced to Southport Grocery I wanted to come back every weekend for brunch - I just loved the Bread Pudding Pancakes and the Hash THAT much and I REALLY love their cupcakes! They're simple enough to be amazing.
Given my deep love for this place I did become somewhat of a regular for both brunch AND lunch and I can't say each time was out of this world. Sometimes, it was amazing and other times - I wish I had gone somewhere else.
I definitely prefer their breakfast/brunch menu compared to their lunch menu. Lunch/dinner is fine but I think their strong point really is breakfast and cupcakes.
Not to mention, it really is a little grocery store as well! You can pick up some unique items if you're so inclined which is kind of cool. But, again, the space inside isn't great for "browsing" so I'm sure more often than not, their items are overlooked just for the sake of getting out of the way.
I do think everyone should try this place - it really is good food! The best time to go when it's not overbooked with the wait being so long is first thing in the morning right when they open. -
Review from Lauren P.
11/19/2011
look, i've been to southport g&c a few times, but my last experience was so bad i have to yelp about it. sorry dudes.
the scene: i met two friends at sg&c for lunch on a beautiful friday afternoon. even though it was friday, for some reason the place bustling. luckily, we were still able to snag a table on the patio.
our hipster, tatted up, un-enthused lanky waiter (more on him later) took our drink order. two beer-mosas & one hangover helper. delish. things were looking good. and then...
strike one - i couldn't order the cuban because they ran out of brisket. bummer.
strike two - i subbed for the burger, medium rare. not only did it take an abnormally long time for our food to come out, my burger came out so beyond well done it was charred on the outside. a crunchy, black char & not a bit of pink inside. because i was so hungry, our food took so long to come out the first time & our waiter was nowhere to be found, i doused it with ketchup & forced it down instead of sending it back. fail.
strike three, and the biggest strike of all - our waiter was HORRIBLE. he was inattentive. he forgot our orders & had to come back & ask what they were a second time. he was unapologetic for forgetting things. we had to beg him for water & refills, repeatedly. he never checked up on how our food was after delivery. a simple but under appreciated job, some people are not meant to be waiters & this man is one of them.
if you see the man i describe above, also wearing glasses, RUN. -
Review from Elizabeth W.
Chicago, IL
12/5/2011
Two words -- Cupcake. Pancakes. Need I say more?
I really love Southport Grocery. Everything on their menu is inventive and truly delicious. It is a little pricer but definitely worth it for the quality of food you receive. My only complaint is the wait can be a bit long and the space is quite tight -- you'll feel as though you are at one big table versus a table for 2.
Sign up for their newsletter/Facebook posts and get invited to their monthly Secret Suppers -- dinners with surprise menus. Lots of fun! -
Review from Ashlee B.
Chicago, IL
11/5/2011
I have struggled with writing a review for this place for a long time. I used to live around the corner and this place is undoubtedly one of my favorites in Chicago, but the service is terrible.
Every time I have a friend visit, I suggest that we go here. As much as we try to get there before the peak hours, we never succeed, so we are always told there will be a wait (our fault). Obviously they would benefit from a bigger space as they are one of the more popular breakfast spots in the area, but not much they can do about that now.
The wait has usually been less than we were quoted and there is plenty of fun shopping in the area that makes the wait bearable, but there have been times we have had to go elsewhere because of the wait.
The first time I came here, we had reservations as it was for my birthday. We were seated at a 2-top between large parties, which was fine, except that the hostess' friends were the party next to us so she decided to stand with her butt to us for the duration of our meal. Our table was small and it was actually protruding onto the table while we ate with no apology at all--not exactly appetizing.
Another time we decided to sit outside in order to avoid the wait, which turned out to be a horrible idea as we were forgotten by our server multiple times. I asked for a coffee and was only able to track him down for one cup's worth (no cream or sugar) before our meal was over. We had a child eating with us and asked for his food to be brought out first--it was actually one of the last items brought out.
I have gone early during the week and had no issues, but the majority of my visits have been overshadowed by horrible service. They do a communal tip jar and divide tips up among the servers so I think this may factor in to a lack of motivation in some of the servers--if they don't provide great service, they'll still earn as much as the coworkers who do.
Food is consistently very good, although I wasn't a fan of the steak and eggs. -
Review from Mary M.
Chicago, IL
2/3/2012
amazing!! The bread pudding pancakes are to die for!!!!
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Review from Angela H.
Chicago, IL
10/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
This place stays busy for a reason.
GLUTEN FREE cupcake is amazing. I always grab one on the out and save it for later.
I always get the HASH here... It's fun to legally order Hash and it's pretty much breakfast in a bowl. Hashbrowns, Eggs, Peppers, 'Shrooms, Cheese.
Lots of great local companies used here and they carry a wonderful assortment of groceries if you feel like cooking or need stuff to go for a picnic.
Oh and Anytime after ONE is perfect time to grab a quick table and still get breakfast! :o) -
Review from Kristin R.
Chicago, IL
7/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
Alas, my after marathon training brunch crew decided to try a new place for breakfast this time. Gasp! The change was well worth it, however, as we collectively decided on Southport Grocer.
Today was only a 7-miler, so we were done and seated at brunch by 8:30. At this hour, the inside was pretty packed solid, but there were a few spots outside that were just the right size for our group of 4.
Our waitress was so strange, but I found it intriguing and entertaining. I think she was just a bit of a hippy, but she was so happy to be at work, friendly and responsive, that I loved her. And I hope she is always our waitress whenever we come back.
I ordered the "red meat" omelette. For those of you who know me, this might seem odd, as I don't eat red meat. But, I DO eat Spanish chorizo. Yum! Anyway, it was chorizo, arugula and goat cheese (which I also love). The omelette was good but too runny! I'll have to agree with Coleen C. on that one. Way way way too runny. If I wanted a runny egg, I would order one. I want a cooked egg omelette. I also wished the pieces of chorizo were a bit larger. They were too small and too few. Boo. The red mash potatoes were AMAZING. There is definitely some sour cream in there and wow, I loved them. I could have eaten a huge plate of those suckers. The toast was hard = fail.
I would definitely come back here, because all of the food actually looked really good. I would skip the omelette, or maybe ask them to make sure it is cooked all the way through. Or, I would just order my usual scrambled eggs, bacon, potatoes and toast. I hope to be back soon, because in my heart of hearts, I believe they deserve more than 3 stars, but I just can't give them the fourth which such a runny omelette :( Sadness. -
Review from Adam K.
Chicago, IL
9/10/2011
My first two start experience!! Much to the chagrin of fellow yelpers I'm sure. I guess it's important to note that I went on a Wednesday morning, when most people are at work - which translates to this place being mommy/stroller/baby CRAZY. I had the Ham and Cheese Omelette. It was an omelette with nothing special about it. I appreciated the leeks and mushrooms and swiss to jazz it up, but it was just drowned out by the massive fluff of egg. The filling to egg ratio is the most key thing about an omelette to me, and they kind of missed the mark here.
We sat outside, and the ambiance was nice, if not a little cramped (strollers). The coffee was good, the water was cold, but I was just thouroughly unimpressed by any of the food. Save your money and go to a diner that does stuff right without the 'airs'.
I feel bad for giving them two stars, because it's not like it's BAD. But my breakfast sweetspot is a formica counter with fast service and well executed standard fare for an even fairer price. Not al fresco dining on creative specialties that miss the mark on basic breakfast execution and cost twice what they should, thus I say 'Meh, for Breakfast? I've experienced better.' -
Review from Butch G.
Chicago, IL
8/13/2011
I'm the kind of guy who will frequent a restaurant for a particular item and continue getting the same thing over and over, ala if it ain't broke don't fix it. However at the Southport Grocery and Cafe, I am a repeat customer and find myself trying different items every visit and enjoying them as much as all the others. For me this is rare.
For whats it worth, this place for breakfast is the best in the city. I have yet to find it's rival. While Over Easy on Damen between Lawrence and Foster is good, SG & C is second to none. Their Bread Pudding Pancake is the only repeater item that I get, thank goodness you can get a solo pancake and order something else for your main course.
The service is good and their coffee is outstanding, which is a priority for a breakfast place that serves this kind of quality. You'll need the coffee to ward off the food coma as it easy to overload on the quality eats.
I highly recommend this place for locals and visitors alike. It's easy access to public transportation (Brown Line, Southport stop) makes this place a must for those in from out of town.
I will caution you to get there before 10 AM as they fill up fast on the weekends and the waits there can be quite lengthy.
Bon appetit... -
Review from Jonathan H.
Chicago, IL
6/23/2011
I had the Brisket and Gravy. It's extremely rich, but oh so tasty. I added some of their Co-op hot sauce which made it even better. I also had a solo cupcake batter pancake and a beermosa.
Bell's Oberon and OJ in a mason jar is how I like to start my day. My wife had the granola which made me mock her. But she said it was very good as well.
Two more times of foursquare check ins and I get a free beermosa! So yipee. I'll be bringing my friends. -
Review from Molly L.
Nashville, TN
9/2/2011
Amazing food. Their stuffed french toast and sweet/savory french toast are to die for and the southern omelette is out of this world.
Fair warning - you will have to wait. Probably a while. But it is totally worth it for the food. The staff is always really friendly and the atmosphere is lively.
If you have room after the food, I highly recommend their rice crispie treats. Unbelievable. -
Review from Kyle K.
Chicago, IL
7/7/2011
Forgot about this place....Used to go a lot but just fell off the short list. OK this place is slow but sooo good.....It's very artsy I don't care just work here but everything I have ever eaten there is fantastic......It's heavy, its salty, it's big and it is the shit.......seriously there sandwiches are great, the pancakes are great, your mom's great.....got off on a tangent....eat here but I only go on weekday lunches and it is still a wait.....I assume during a weekend in the summer it would be frustrating.
Oh and get the chocolate chip and pretzel cookie...you will like it -
Review from Jon S.
Chicago, IL
11/21/2011
Had a 75 min wait AFTER getting seated...and then got food poisoning. Hard to say much more than that.
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Review from Annie C.
Chicago, IL
8/17/2011
Just promise me that you'll go one day in your life.
You won't regret it.
I've been there oh so many times, I don't even know how many times. -
Review from Dolly V.
Chicago, IL
10/16/2011
This place is too cute! I love the mini grocery section that they have in the middle of the restaurant! I've been here for breakfast/brunch a couple of times and loved it. Especially their bread pudding pancakes! To die for!! Their cupcakes are as sweet as they get, too. Yum!
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Review from Mary W.
Chicago, IL
8/22/2011
Love this place! The food definitely deserves 5 stars, but the service brings it down to 3. I have loved everything I have ordered off their menu, but the service is continuously mediocre. The hostess is always pleasant, but the waitstaff rarely come check on you after taking your order. If I need something I have to stare at someone until they come over. Many a time I have waited for my bottomless iced to be refilled, only to be ignored.
Not a big fan of the no substitutions rule either- or the closeness of the tables. But, their Southern Omelet is so good, I will keep on coming back. -
Review from Ashley B.
Santa Clara, CA
11/14/2011
I have been here a good number of times now and can say the food is pretty awesome. Everything that I have had and my friends or family have had has been great. Definitely don't leave without trying the bread pudding pancakes - they are rich but they are definitely delicious.
I do have to agree with a few people about the poor service here. The servers seem a little preoccupied and they just don't come around much so it is hard to get something if you need it, but they are friendly.
Definitely a place to visit if you are in the area. -
Review from Maram K.
5/31/2011
Excellent place IF you don't go on a weekend.
Friends and I arrived here early before work on a Friday, as soon as the place opened and were seated immediately. We've tried coming here on a Saturday, Sunday and holidays when we have more time for breakfast but every darn time, it's AT LEAST an hour wait!
Now that we've dined here, I can understand why. Food was amazing. They do their own spin on "normal" breakfast foods. They do a phenomenal pop tart and an out of this world oatmeal. I also had a chance to try their bruschetta omelette and it was perfect. Simply perfect. If all else fails, try a cupcake pancake. They offer their pancakes in a "solo" order (1 pancake) so I was able to have that without being too full from over ordering.
The service was excellent, always ready with more hot coffee and very helpful with menu items.
Again, 5 stars only because it's not a weekend.
