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I remember What's Cooking from its earlier incarnation, before Lincoln Village's facelift and botox upgrade, when Borders was a movie theatre and no one had ever heard of Starbucks.
While What's Cooking might look more modern (trust me, it's modern compared to it's old digs), the food is just as good as ever. From matzo ball soup to chopped liver to kishke to pastrami sandwiches, it's decent Jewish food that is just as good as Grandma's - had my Grandma been able to make anything that wasn't covered in schmaltz and all shaded the same ambiguous gray/brown/what-is-this? color.
Not only are the soups and sandwiches good, but breakfast is pretty decent too. Having recently moved back into the neighborhood, I often find myself parked in one of their boothes on days when some corned beef hash n' eggs is the only remedy strong enough to cure a massive hangover.
There is only one item I would not recommend on the menu - the latkes. The latkes are not enjoyable at all, which is painful for me to say. Don't be tempted as the latkes call to you; I wouldn't even classify them as latkes. It's the equivalent of a super padded bra - completely misleading and total disappointment ensues once you realize what you've REALLY gotten.
It's been quite a while since I've been here mostly because I was never really all that crazy about the place in the past. There used to be a little deli on the south end of Lincoln Village where the waitresses and cooks shouted at each other but called the customers "darling" and "bubbie," and that was a great place to eat. But it's long gone and mostly I get my deli fix at The Bagel now.
I hadn't been to their new location which is along the arm of the mall that runs roughly north-south. It's pretty nice. Very clean and decorated in the way a lot of Hot Brown Food restaurants are. The staff is exceptionally friendly and helpful, which always bodes well. And the menu is big, but not overwhelming. Dawn and I split a nova plate for two, and there was so much lox on it that we could probably have split the single plate quite comfortably. As it was, we ended up giving lox to Jim to eat with his hoppel-poppel.
I have to tell you that a lot of the lox I've had lately has put me off salmon. I've had such stringy, salty, fishy-tasting lox that I very nearly decided on something else, but at the last minute I closed the deal on sharing with Dawn and I'm glad I did. This lox was sweet, tender, everything good lox should be. The mounds of tomato that accompanied it really had some flavor, as if they were home grown! How often does that happen? How often do you get real tomato instead of some hard, pink thing? And the onion was sweet and flavorful. So good, in fact, that I threw caution to the wind and had quite a lot of it. Fortunately it was as kind to my digestive tract as to my mouth.
I am so going back to have more lox one of these days, and to try their matzoh soup which I hear is excellent. I'm really pleased to be able to reevaluate this place in such a positive way.
The soup is really good, the latkes are not.
There are a lot of seniors there, so my friends and I felt sort of left out.....
The basket of rolls and butter was a great starter. The soup of the day is cheap and it tastes really good. I got the fire-roasted veggie one and MAAAAAAAAAN it was like blissblissbliss! I've always wanted to try latkes, so I ordered those. They were soggy and so bland that I smothered applesauce AND sour cream all over it just to get rid of the awful taste of grease+nothingness.
The waitress was really nice, but the cashier threw a fit when my friends and I asked for separate checks. It was a nice and cozy place. I would go back just for the soup!!!!
I go here for kishke but sometimes I get other stuff because their sandwiches are delicious, the varied soup is always great, their Jewish cuisine is very good. don't forget to try the fresh bread they have. reasonable prices as well.
Just wanted to give a little shout out to Kay, the Manager (owner?) on duty on Saturday. I went to eat here after a 5K race so I had worked up quite an appetite. Kay asked how everything was and I gushed that I was really happy to have found What's Cooking. She was beaming! I explained to her that it reminded me of a favorite place I had left behind after moving out of the burbs. I told her the food was always good, service is friendly and fast and that I appreciated that she really cared what we thought. I don't think anyone had given her such positive comments recently. I mentioned I would "Yelp" her. Hopefully, she will see this! I can't wait to go back and have another hearty breakfast and introduce more of my friends and family to this great establishment.
This is really a cute little place. I have passed this place numerous times and had no idea it was a… Read more »
I had a craving for corned beef on rye, so I headed up here to the pothole-riddled stretch of Lincoln Ave. to the strip mall next to the Lincolnwood Theaters. I've been to What's Cooking many times over the years and I remember the un-renovated period.
Now you slip into that suburban mauve spaciousness with booths lining the walls, four-tops in between, a small counter on the right, and that requisite glass case of cakes as big as German Shepherds and gigantic pastries. (Does anyone ever buy these? I would love to watch them eat those things.)
"What's Cooking?" reminds me of the diners in New Jersey, and specifically one which was in walking distance of my Hoboken abode. Very friendly. Lots of older folks, regulars who get hugs from the waitresses named Dottie and Flo, gals of a "certain age" with short-cropped red hair, narrow hips, and a smoker's cough. Dottie said to me as she delivered my sandwich: "You're on your own." I wasn't sure what to make of that! (I don't recall ever having been fed by the servers here.)
During dinner, I eavesdropped on two taxi guy/owners who discussed the difference between Jewish rye and Gentile rye, and how you can take all those old Ford Galaxie parts and use them on your Mercury Marquis's, 'cause they're basically the same cars. A blue-haired little person walked by me twice. I saw other couples who were just people who happened to be little, but not official "little people." There were two young gals with the skinniest legs I've ever seen in black tights and big flannel shirts, and a big dude in coveralls at the counter who looked as he just got off his tractor (though I didn't see one in the parking lot.)
Then there was very nice guy "Bob", who strolls back and forth in his burgundy "What's Cooking?" polo shirt and the oversized "diaper khaki's", chatting up the customers and making sure water glasses are full. He and I talked about politics and socialism, and how the out-of-power Republicans are acting.
Well, I didn't mean to make this about fashion, a subject foreign to me, but dining alone brings out the observer in me. The food, suffice to say, is always good and plentiful. The chicken soup will take away your flu and your blues. I learned this time they have good curly fries. Breakast, lunch or dinner, this is just an inviting, friendly and well-staffed diner. Prices are what you would expect, too.
I randomly stumbled upon What's Cooking as I was looking up different restaurants in the area... i saw that it had an extensive menu, so my fiance and I decided to try it out.
When we first drove up, we weren't quite sure what to expect, as it looks like a very small place in a very random strip mall... but when we walked in, I was amazed to see how large the restaurant actually was! so don't let it's front appearance get to ya...
yes, as everyone else has said, this place has a VERY suburbian feel to it... but that's what i loved about it! a nice diner in the city that's not your Golden Nugget! don't get me wrong... i love golden nugget! but it was nice to walk into a country-feel type of place, that had many different menu options... and yes, we were definitely the youngest people around, and it seemed like everyone was the local grammaw and papaw, but so what? food was great, service was nice. definitely check it out!
oh! AND they deliver!!
What's Cooking claims to have an award winning Reuben. While I saw no certificates, ribbons, or trophys, I would definitely guess that they are in the running. Tasty, open faced, melted cheese, and potato pancakes to go with. What more could an exhausted carb hoor want?
Oh, a sandwich big enough for two people? You got it!
In addition to having a great Reuben, What's cooking is also pretty darn good for your ego. Have breakfast, lunch or dinner here, and you will realize that you have plenty of years left on the life-o-meter. Not saying that they cater to an older clientele, or a more distinguished one, just implying one look around and your crows feet will no longer seem so large!
I owe a speedy recovery from a nasty cold to this place!
Served up with a bunch of bread and lots and lots of TLC, the mish mosh soup is the way to go. I wish I had a Jewish grandmother to whip up some of this for me, but I don't, so this is a perfect substitute. What better way to nourish a sick soul than to rev it up a bit with golden broth and fantastic bits of everything else! Matzo balls...mmmmm.
I tried carryout this time and it was fast, friendly, and easy, even for an impatient sickie. On this visit I learned that they deliver, so the next time I'm in need, I'll let my fingers do the walking instead of my feet.
Good prices. Good eats. GREAT service.
An added bonus is that if you hang out long enough, you're…
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UGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. That is what we say after leaving this place. It is the moaning sound of eating too much. I don't want to eat the bread.... but they put this big heaping basket of it in front of you... and I just cant help myself.
Went there a few weeks ago...for breakfast... they brought out coffee cake instead of bread... we ate that... and I asked for a lunch menu , and then they brought the bread out. Ughhhh. too much food.
This place is for old people... it is full of a 65 plus crowd.
But I think the food is pretty good if you like a good deli sandwich or some awesome soup. Or if you are just a bread monger.
Tastes are great to those aged 65+. Spice less and "lite" food.
I wish they never allowed for the renovation. The old place found in the same location, the old building was beautiful and retained that dining room glamour of old, lots of wood and brass. Now it's just another white walled diner in a strip mall.
This is a happening spot... for senior citizens! If you love diners, this place is for you. They have matzo ball soup, kreplach, kasha, and sweet & sour cabbage soup. These are great soups to have on a cold winter day, especially with warm buttered rolls.
The menu is extensive, including typical breakfast items like omelettes and pancakes, lunch (I recommend the Reuben sandwich), and daily dinner specials like corned beef & cabbage, liver & onions, and pot roast. I tried the chicken liver & scrambled egg breakfast that was really tasty.
The lines are long on weekend mornings, but it's worth the wait. Great service, as well.
I appreciated the many menu choices on tap here, but I felt a little... young walking in.
On a sunday afternoon, it took over 20 minutes to get a plate of pancakes and an omlette. The cups were dirty, and my coffee tasted like it had been there since the night before.
I'm not sure if I'd go here again...
I stumbled across this place by accident and decided to give it a try as it reminded me of one of my favourite surburban haunts. Sure enough it's a classic diner with the usual fair including the display case full of pies and cakes. I'm a soup enthusiast so was impressed with their choices, although it's somewhat complicated figuring out which ones are being served on each day. I settled on the mushroom barley and it was very good, not too salty and thick. Then after reading the reviews here I decided to try the Reuben. It was really good! The corned beef was salty and fresh, the bread thick and the melted cheese on top really set my taste buds a glow. Hot and fresh french fries accompanied the meal. The coffee was also excellent. Everyone else in my party seemed to enjoy their choices and the whole thing, for four people came to $44. Not bad considering. It's true the place is obviously popular with the older set but honestly I prefer that over annoying hipsters or people with screaming kids!!! The service was also excellent so no complaints there. I will definately be going back. I'd like to try a few more of their delicious soups!!!
My grandparents came to What's Cooking as a couple. My parents came to What's Cooking as a couple. I've gone to What's Cooking with my wife as well. I've been doing What's Cooking since I was a newborn, I was raised on their matzo ball soup and corned beef sandwiches. I've gone there for breakfast, lunch and dinner and never get sick of the fare.
My recommendation:
Head to Borders Books, read some $25 design magazines and travel books until your tummy rumbles. Then head over to What's Cooking for a big big big bowl of matzo ball soup and a corned beef sandwich on onion roll with just mustard on it. Top it off with a raspberry Joyas, available at the counter as you pay your bill. That my friends is what's known as Jewish Soul Food.
Kreplach soup! Bialys! Wow and yum!!
I wish my grandmother had been Jewish...
This has been my favorite matzo ball soup in the city for years. It's been around forever. My moms would take us here after shopping in Lincolnwood. There also used to be a couple of movie theaters in the area, now only one.
The mish mosh soup is the way to go. It's got matzo, it's got kreplach, it's got noodles, and it's got rice.
The mish mosh plus the generous bread basket on the table is a meal on its own.
However, if for some bizarre reason your still hungry, the NY pastrami is pretty good (for Chicago)
They will add chopped liver on any sandwich for you. So kind of them.
I like the ambiance, or lack of. Been coming here for years, even my 80 yr old Irish grandparents love it.
What's Cooking! Always had great service and great food! Weekends are usually packed, and I mean packed by the seniors! Wow! I think the average age on a weekend for breakfast is 83.2! Fun to watch them gather and eat!
Food has always been fast and good in the morning.......and the bonus are the movie posters hanging up around the restaurant! Hey, any time you publicly display a "Lover Boy" movie poster.......you know the 80's classic with Patrick Dempsey..........is classic!!!
This place rocks. I've been going here since I was little with my grandma. And now it's where my dad and aunt go for Sunday brunch. It's a Jewish diner/deli in W. Rogers Park. It's supposed to be full of old people! Just put this all in perspective when you go there and expect a dirty fork or slow service(both of which I have never experienced here) cause that's what diners have. I love the lox plate or a salami omelet. Also great matzo ball soup. Huge portions, cheap prices, and friendly old-school waitresses. What more could you ask for?
What's great for the geriatric can be a nice treat for a twentysomething yuppie like me!
What's funny is this place got its start catering to the Orthodox Jewish community. And now they serve bacon, ham and sausage, both link and patty! Why is this place not kosher anymore?!
The place is more for grandma and grandpa for early bird breakfasts and five o'clock dinners so don't be surprised to walk in and find "oldie moldies" sitting at the tables with one eye on the walker in case someone steals it, gabbing away about how Suzie and that schmuck she married won't bring the grandkids around anymore! "Mah jong!"
The food is normal diner staples with a nice Chicago Jewish twist. It's kinda like homestyle comfort cooking. The matzo soup is fabulous! Also go in for some of the delicious pastries and pies! This place is extremely family friendly and the service is awesome! Most importantly, the place is cheap for such nice serving sizes!
Good food, good portions at a reasonable cost.
I've eaten here since it's close to where I work. Not very ornate on the front, it looks like any old strip mall restaurant from the parking lot view. Stick around outside at lunchtime and you will see the elderly locals in a procession stomping a path to this place with their walkers, canes, wheelchairs. People say it's a good place when you see lots of elderly diners, and I'll agree with that too. The place is bigger than it seems once you go inside and walk past the checkout counter near the front.
On the front entrance there's a very large menu spanning across a couple of windows for you to see what's there to eat. The service is always fast, whenever I've come here with the higher-ups occasionally buying lunch for me. It can get crowded in the lobby at noon though. Each table gets a nice basket of bread rolls to start out. The vast offering of sandwiches, steak, fish and "Jewish grandma" specialty menu items are unbelievable. They have something for everyone.
You can't go wrong with their matzo ball soup, which is something I always order here, despite their daily soup specials. But they got a good thing going and I'm a creature of habit. A good reason to stick with their soup is because their salad is nothing special, just your usual iceberg lettuce and a few slices of tomato, cuke and onion.
For a main course, their burgers are good, but why settle for a burger when you can have their steak, chicken, fish or a pot roast instead? The variety is tremendous! And if you like an occasional wine, they got a good one: Copperidge white zinfandel. That's got to be one of my favorites anywhere though I can't really explain the flavor since I'm just an unskilled wine common-sewer.
This is my favorite diner because of good food and great management. Nice, spacious restaurant (you can relax/breathe). I will never stop coming here.
Food: Breakfast, lunch & dinner typical diner fare but better because of consistency. Best roast chicken (Sunday special), tasty and a good value (large portion). On most visits, expect complimentary fresh rugelah or chopped liver & onions.
Ambiance: Comfy booths line the perimeter, breakfast counter, tables in the middle, can accommodate private parties in the backroom, clean and spacious.
Service: Waitstaff is almost always accommodating. When busy, you may have to flag. Bus persons are the most dedicated and hardworking of any restaurant I frequent.
Wish: Not much. What's Cooking is always a good bet.
On recommendation of Yelpers, I took my parents to What's Cooking for breakfast. Great choice! The coffee was hot and flowing- so much so that we turned it away a few times!
I had the 'house special' which was a chicken liver omelette with peppers and onions. Oops, I forgot that chicken liver is way too rich for me but I must say the omelette with veggies alone was worth it. Hash browns were great and the bagel was toasted to perfection. They provided a ton of real butter too- huge plus.
One thing that my family also liked was the complimentary coffee cake that was set on the table as we were seated. Very flaky and yummy, not too sweet or heavy. Everyone at the table enjoyed their breakfast from the Hoppel Poppel to Eggs Benedict and the Grecian omelette. Excellent breakfast, lightning fast service and top-notch staff. I'm only deducting the star for ambiance.
This place is good if you like the following:
- Huge bowls of soup
- Traditional deli/ diner food
- Huge salads
- Eating late
The wait staff is really nice, but the atmosphere is a little weak. My grandparents love this place. It's got an eclectic crowd, which may or may not be nice depending on my mood :)
being a huge fan of anything matzo... I love what's cooking! it's really just your typical diner, but serving all things Jewish... and that is evident just by the clientele. Huge older Jewish crowd, especially around 5 or so for the early-bird dinner types. This is of course not to say you must be Jewish to enjoy (as I am not in the slightest), because they also have your typical diner items if you are not sure about smoked salmon or dislike matzo ball soup (which I personally find hard to believe, but fine. whatever.)
There's never a wait and the staff is pretty quick and friendly. If you are in the area and want a reasonably priced and speedy dinner without all the glitz and glamor, it's a great spot.
I can't say I had a bad meal here, but I do know this greasy spoon has been around longer than I been alive in Chicago. It seems like this is THE place where all the seniors go for good reason - CHEAP bargain diner prices and friendly waitstaff.
Most of the food is reflective of the Jewish neighborhoods surrounding. Where else can I get lox and bagel, matzo ball soup, corned beef, liver and onions, and a slice of pie? YAYERS.
The average age of the customers is at least 100, you might get run over by a valker, vheelchair or scooter, and there might be a little of a vait on a veekend. However, if you like a nice matzo ball soup or other tasty Jewish cuisine then you come to the right place! The portions are heaping, the vaitstaff is nice and the busboys are actually very attentive! Only thing is it's a bit pricey. Plus, just be careful not to park in any of the handicapped spots...
A number of people I know (acquaintances, not friends) won't dine here because they don't like all the old people that eat here. They are missing out on some really good food. Their kreplach soup is amazing. There aren't a lot of real Jewish delis left so if you're ever in the neighborhood, give them a try.
What's Cooking is like a warm hug from a Jewish grandmother, not that I'd have any idea what that would be like. Usual diner fare plus a lot of Jewish goodies like tasty matzo ball soup in a clean diner atmosphere, complete with senior citizens at every other table/booth. I love the name and their little grandma icon. This is definitely a place to stop by if you're craving diner food in the area.
For what it is, it is great. This is a nice suburban family place. Not the most amazing or fancy food in the world, but good. Service is always excellent. The waitresses all have friendly personalities, although my favorite, Gerri, is gone. If you like big balls, matzo that is, you will find none bigger. I like a bowl with both matzo AND kreplach.
Came here with my family as a child, and still come here at age 27. The spot What's Cooking currently has is not the original location, they used to be near the Old Country Buffet (OCB may have even been where What's Cooking used to be?). When they moved, a lot of the nostalgia disappeared. The newer What's Cooking location is lacking personality. The one cool thing is the old movie posters at each booth. To the food. I grew up with my grandma's (buby's) cabbage and matzo ball soup and in respect to grandma, no one beats you. Yet What's Cooking comes close. They have some Jewish food staples, another yelp poster called it "jewish soul food" Love that ; ) Their Sweet n Sour russian cabbage soup is so good. Second soup runner up is... Matzo ball! They offer bottomless bowls of all their soup EXCEPT for matzo ball soup and cabbage soup. Thumbs down for that! Are these 2 soups just too expensive for a bottomless bowl??? Bottomless bowl concept on the soup of the day, you get free refills. The day they makes cabbage soup a bottomless bowl soup, pigs will fly. My mom and grandma and aunts LUV the chopped liver spread. I love their tuna (all white tuna) and their egg salad. Also, the potato pancakes are delish. Yes, this place is full of senior citizens. So what??? it's freakin rogers park, not downtown chi or lincoln park. Also, Winston Towers(retirement community) is less then a half mile away. The original owners have given up half their rights so there's a new fam taking partial control. This equates to the food being "off" on some days, I think. I hope new owners don't change a thing with the original recipes. My grandma and grandpa took my mom and her sisters here, my mom brought me here as a kid, and I hope to bring my children here one day!
Great place to go if you don't know what you want. Menu is very big. Breakfast, lunch or dinner. I like their salads, soups, eggs. Generous bread basket with pastries on the weekends. Sometimes there is a wait, but only a few minutes. Good, friendly service.
Be prepared to be surounded by elderly folks at this place. If you can get over that fact you will get some great kreplach and matzo ball soup. The sandwhiches are hit or miss and the service is- slow. Overall a mediocre experience- more like 2.5 stars, and a little pricey for what you get.
Great place to go to when you want a quick, cheap breakfast! They also serve lunch and dinner. You can tell that this place is frequented by many senior citizens....they're so cute! The food is good, the service is lightning, and the waiters are very nice. However, I didn't like their chocolate pancakes...not enough chocolate chips!
This is my family's hang out as they have some of the best Kreplach soup around- and it's always hot and tasty. The wait staff are usually all friendly, (although not always the fastest) but the food is good, the price is right, and as long as you don't mind sitting in the middle of a sea of senior citizen's, the atmosphere is clean and wholesome. I would recommend this for families and for those who are looking for good food, big portions, and a small bill at the end of the meal. Although the menu is geared toward Jewish fare, it does not matter as they have something on the menu to suit everyone's tastes.
Have I died an gone to Matzah Ball Heaven? Oy vey! The best matzah ball soup !
Highly dependable and open late; went there recently around 10pm; eclectic crowd - cab drivers, old people, a family...The food is pretty good; i'll second those who said the matzoh ball soup is good although why is it that there is never anything to the soup but broth? When I make my Grandmother's soup at home there are some carrot bits, etc. but in these - nothing, and every J Deli is like that. I guess they're using a mix and not the real deal. For those who are slightly more health concious and don't want the corned beef sandwich, the salads are pretty good and big, and they'll chop any of them. Don't get the "balsamic" dressing though - it's literally just balsamic vinegar. :) Wait staff is always super nice too; zany nurses uniforms though; can't the manager take pity on them?
This place is interesting- a Jewish diner with lots of octogenarians. The food here is between hearty and kind of gross, but the Russian Sour Soup is really good, as is the Reuben. Other things I tried were kind of bland. But the menu is huge! They also bring a big basket of crackers and other bread things to the table. The cold borscht is weird, but I guess that's how it's supposed to be. My mom always made it warm. But then again, she wasn't Jewish! I would go back and try some of the dishes that were recommended here.
Can't say I love What's Cooking Inc or for that matter even like the place. It was just okay to me. Definitely an older crowd. The potato pancakes tasted like they were from a box mix. Service wasn't all that great. Based on the reviews here tho I may give this place another shot. May have been just an off day.
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