The restaurant was packed, everyone seemed to have the same idea as us to dine here. My husband ordered the Angel hair pasta with chicken and tomato sauce on the side. It came with a soup. He picked the French onion soup and for 99 cents more you can get it baked... so he did. He loved the soup and would definitely order that again. He didn't really care for the taste of the sauce and the texture of the chicken. He would order something else next time. It was supposed to come with bread but we had to ask for it. I ordered the 2 pancakes with 2 eggs over easy. It was delicious and I would order it again. All the desserts look so delicious. We ordered a square of chocolate peanut butter fudge but it was not very good. Definitely don't recommend it. It was sweet and rich and could have used a little sea salt sprinkled on the top. Definitely did not taste like peanut butter... maybe more of a maple syrupy taste. We will be back again. They have special senior daily dinners too for people over 65 so if you're a senior you may want to dine here. Our waitress was kind and kept asking us if we needed anything. Definitely love the service here! The ambiance is very relaxing. We dined here around 8pm and the lights were dim and it was very comfortable. A perfect place to have dinner and talk. read more

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This is a quickie: Had brunch here with the 2 Organists from Wrigley Field. Nice guys.they had salads, and I had a bowl of Chowder and an English Muffin, both yum! The coffee was good, too It's a typical Chicago Coffee Shop, with personable service. Everything else that went past the table looked and smelled fine. The bathrooms were nice and clean. A bit too far from the crib for casual visits, but worth my recommendation. Eat here. read more

We were in the area and Around the Clock was recommended as a good local place for food. It is a local place and it seemed there were many local customers . My husband had the steak taco platter. It came with beans , salsa and a cup of soup. The tacos were filled with steak and overall he thought they were very good. I had the chicken stir fry. The portion was large and had lots of tender chicken and lots of vegetables. It also came with bread and a cup of soup. We did not try any of their pies or desserts, but there were so many varieties. A good local restaurant with a large variety of food options. read more

Great soups, Blt, pie and milkshakes service is accommodating and friendly. I just find it a bit over priced

After waiting around for 2 1/2 hours at the Starbucks, my friend pick me up and we headed south. We saw Around the Clock bakery and restaurant in the area, so we decide to stop for lunch. These kind of restaurants are awesome because you can order anything on the menu regardless of time of day and you'll get it. Especially with breakfast items.. You can get breakfast anytime of the day whenever they're open. And so, I basically got breakfast for lunch And it was very very good. Upon arrival on a Friday afternoon in November 2024, my friend, and I arrived to a very popular spot. But thankfully, we were seated almost immediately. Our overall experience took about an hour from start to finish. I ended up getting their breakfast platter with a side order of chocolate chip pancakes with drizzle on top. Thankfully that they had a restaurant on site so my friend and I could use that after our mail before we head south toward Vienna, Illinois for the night. The restaurant itself seemed like a mirror image of IHOP or Denny's. More about IHOP but with local favorite that could please to anybody on any given day or night. The restaurant itself is clean and very busy. The service here was good, friendly and casual at the same time although it was typical also. I ended up having iced tea to drink and water as well. For the most part though, it was good to have had lunch here. The ambience was nice and definitely quiet so my friend and I could talk and not yell at each other. Not sure if they have Wi-Fi or not, but never needed to use it anyway. Your experience here at Around the Clock restaurant your bakery in Crystal Lake, Illinois was good and decent while being satisfactory as well. Not sure if the restaurant itself is literally 24 hours operating, as the name of the restaurant implies, but they do serve good food at a reasonable price. Prices are standard foremost, breakfast restaurants go for these days, with most entrées around $12-$13 apiece. The menu is quite extensive, offering most favorites and your beverages, including coffee, tea and carbonated beverages. They do have milk and juice also. This place says for anybody and everybody that likes breakfast food, including pancakes, sausages scrambled eggs, among other things that are traditionally with breakfast. I will definitely recommend this place if you're in the area and want to go as an alternative to the usual Starbucks or McDonald's for a hearty meal. Doesn't have to be breakfast but come here whenever you can so you can get your breakfast food fix no matter what time of day you have it. Generally speaking, these food is refreshments are great because they offer a sit down option for anybody who enjoys socializing among friends while having breakfast food. I enjoyed myself here and hopefully you will too. I thought the pancakes were great and the breakfast butter was wholesome and simple. They were all delicious and thankful that I friend suggested coming here on the way south toward Vienna, IL after our meal. Around the Clock restaurant and bakery he's located in Crystal Lake, Illinois. His physically located at 1234 Main St. near the Costco. They accept major credit cards as well as cash. As far as parking goes, your best bet is to find parking next to the restaurant. If that's all filled up, your best bet is to find street parking nearby and walk towards the restaurant. Not sure about public transportation around Crystal Lake, but if you can try to find it information online, there might be. I know the Metra station is in Crystal Lake and has services to downtown Chicago. Other than that, not sure. For myself, though, I came and departed here with a friend in a rented automobile. If you're not that lucky, best bet is to either rent your own car, fine public transportation in the area if there is one, or Uber and Lyft can make it possible. So, it was a nice place to have your fill of pancakes. I know I had my fulfillment of pancakes during my time here. I think it was the best thing for me because I had a 50 mile race ahead of me the next day and I needed all the carbs I can carry with me into that event. And so, if you love breakfast food at anytime of the day and in the Crystal Lake area, consider coming to this fantastic place. Pretty sure it's popular and a hidden jam to most tourist traveling to Crystal Lake and the Chicagoland area. Definitely recommended for sure. 4.0 stars for the overall experience. Support local! B read more

Arrived at 5:15pm in a Saturday and was seated immediately. We live locally for the past 18 years and have never had a Bad experience here other then the major operation hour change which does not make them open "Around the Clock". Miguel was our waiter and was promptly served and attended to thru the whole dining experience. Wife had the open faced turkey sandwich and I had the chopped steak dinner. Both meals well prepared and delicious. Desert display counter in the front. Unfortunately we were too full and happy to have any. We are just sad that the hours were not as late as they use to be for those late, late, late weeken read more

We were waited on immediately by a very pleasant waitress. She promptly bought water and took our order. My husband ordered fried chicken and we waited. After 15 minutes or so the original waitress came out and introduced us to a second waitress who would take over since she was going home. We waited another 15 minutes and finally the food came out. My husband's fried chicken had the weirdest look. It looked like it had been taken out of the freezer and had freezer burn on every piece. It appeared that any breading had fallen off. It was gross. We've always driven by this place and wondered about it. May try it one more time just to give them another chance. It may have been a bad day. The pies in the front bakery looked delicious. We should have ordered coffee and a piece of pie. read more

Around The Clock Restaurant & Bakery - My husband was hungry and ate the chicken despite it's appearance. Every piece had freezer burn. It was edible but not what he expected. - Bakeries Near Me - Crystal Lake, Illinois

Awesome experience! We love going to local family restaurants and this was our first visit. We were awed right away by the various bakery items displayed as soon as you walk in for that dessert lover! The service was quick and great which was amazing as it was lunch time and the waiters never kept us waiting. The food was very satisfying and I'm definitely stopping here again and recommend this wonderful family style restaurant gem! read more

This has been a fav of my parents for ~ 50 years! I LOVED the French, dip w a delicious bun, lots of shaved beef & wonderful dipping gravy. Fries were great (as you would expect) & I also ate 1/2 of a delicious pancake! Others had pancakes and bacon (loved them) and a couple of omlets (which were destroyed). Everyone was full and happy. Service was fast and friendly, and drinks were always refilled. While the age of the patrons is certainly older, its the perfect place for any age!! read more

Around The Clock Restaurant & Bakery - Love this sign - Bakeries Near Me - Crystal Lake, Illinois

Went there for lunch, as I'm on a mission to find the best burger in McHenry county. This did not win the prize. I ordered the English Burger I think it's called, with cheese and bacon. It also had tomato and lettuce, to add if you choose. $12.95. I've yet to order a burger that has fresh fairly crispy bacon on it. This was crispy, but rather hard and old tasting. I almost didn't order cheese to have on it, but I'm glad I left it on because it helped the flavor. The burger itself I ordered medium, after asking does medium have slight pink in it, it did have slight pink in it when it was delivered to the table and I cut in half but it seemed to continue to cook a little was fine, but it was not a moist burger at all and was very chard on the outside but not in a good way. The thing that really was interesting to me was the price with tax it was almost 14. . No fries no accompany on other than a wilted pickle. I don't know why restaurants even have pickles on the sid unless they're edible and fresh I don't know ... it wasn't awful and I did eat it. I just wasn't impressed at all. It's always a busy place especially on weekends and it was lunchtime weekday when I was there, and it was a lot of people in and out not too crowded but busy. Service was ok, fine. It's just not my go to choice for a burger. It is an old Crystal Lake staple that's been there forever. read more

Food was great! Will visit again, very much satisfied! Reasonable prices & good service!

there food is good but they need to clean there carpet or replace it. i come here all the time for breakfast.

This is a diner on Crystal Lake's main drag - Route 14. We were planning on going to another place but with a 25 minute wait on a Sunday at the other place, we headed over to Round the Clock. It's been many years since we've been here but it was so good. Our waitress Ceylia was wonderful and very attentive. Two in our group ordered lemonade and she brought a small pitcher. The bread & butter was great as we reviewed the menu. At 6pm we were able to order anything from breakfast to dessert. (Thus the name - Round the Clock) We had a sausage skillet, scrambled eggs, chocolate chip pancakes, and a chicken fajita pita. All were very good and we have leftovers for the next day. They also have excellent desserts too. I'm regretting now that I didn't get any to just bring home for later! Don't make my mistake! The pickle - it was okay. (But everything else was great!!) read more

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Tried to leave an additional review on Google Maps but it won't let me so I have to do one here. I've been to Around The Clock several times and the reason I go back is because the food is ALWAYS fresh and hot! They are a VERY busy restaurant but their service is always prompt. The servers are attentive but not overbearing. Recently we had Brittany as our server and she deserved 10 stars! If you go by and see the parking lot is full....do yourself a favor and wait for a spot to open up. You won't be dissapointed!​​ read more

We have been going here for years. sometimes doing carry out but mostly in the restaurant. Have noticed lately the presentation and the amount of food you receive is not what we are used to. Decided to order a waffle and I must say wasn't bigger than a frozen waffle. For the price I paid , could probably buy a couple of frozen waffles. My grandson had a reuben sandwich and the presentation was terrible. Don't mind paying higher prices but we deserve what we pay for. read more

What has happened to this place? I feel like the quality of the food has gone downhill since Covid. Service is always good, but the food is subpar. read more

Around The Clock Restaurant & Bakery serves Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner, but here, breakfast is the busiest meal of the day. This is a typical American Diner/Coffee Shop, with a lively Coffee Shop vibe, like so many other Greek owned Coffee Shops that used to dot Chicago. That means that places like this usually have a few Greek dishes scattered throughout the menu, like flaky Spanakopita (spinach & feta cheese pie), creamy-chicken-lemon & rice soup (they don't call it "Avgolemono" here), Souvlaki (a Greek pork kabob in pita, but here it's chicken), roasted or grilled lamb (but no lamb here unless it's a special), Gyros (in the case here, it's pre-sliced and packaged, not on a spool), and of course, a big Greek Salad with oregano, anchovies, feta, & olives. But Around The Clock Restaurant does seem to have some Greek dishes available, but not many, unless they are "off the menu" for regulars who are 'in-the-know'. My guess is that the new kitchen staff who took over from the old owners simply don't know how to cook Greek food anymore. Breakfast items crowd at least four pages of the menu here, with eggs any style, including Benedicts, Omelets, and Skillets. Waffles are also served, as well as Pancakes, thick French Toast, and one of my favorites, 3 thin Crepes for 8.95. And if you arrive early enough to get their Southern Sausage Gravy (they stop making it at 1:00 PM and it's sells out quickly), you can get a gravy smothered Country Fried Steak, either Beef or Chicken ($1 replaces your toast with a pancake). Also, some breakfasts Do Offer a slight Greek element, like Gyros meat added to your omelet or eggs. But the most special breakfast items here are the fresh pastries, breads, & muffins, all baked on site. Yum. Cakes, Pies, and Cookies are baked here as well, but alas, no Baklava. Lunch here is also typical diner food, offering Burgers, Sandwiches, Soups (the French Onion is good), Salads, and even a classic Retro Monte Carlo. The seafood offerings are Salmon, Catfish, Shrimp & Cod. There's also Greek Souvlaki, Fried Chicken, Hot Open-Faced Turkey or Beef sandwiches, Steaks, Spaghetti, and other items that lean more towards Mexican food than Greek (about 6 to 10 items), with two Asian inspired dishes (Chinese Chicken Salad & Chop Suey), and they even offer Jambalaya, sort of an odd outlier here. My favorite lunch at Around The Clock is their Friday, Saturday, & Sunday Prime Rib Special. It is under 25.00 and comes with fresh bread & butter, soup or salad, and two sides. But you have to like your prime rib cooked to medium, because I have yet to see a slice that's even close to rare. Dinner has pretty much the same menu as lunch. However what I didn't mention is that Round the Clock has a full Fountain service, with pies a la mode, ice cream sodas, plus splits and sundaes. One last Note is that this is in no way a cheap place. Onion Soup is just under 6.00, Burgers are just shy of 13.00, Broiled Cod is just under 17.00, Fish Tacos are a bit under 18.00, and decent steaks here are around 23 dollars. However, there is a kids menu, and seniors get 10% off if you ask for it. Around The Clock Restaurant & Bakery is open weekdays from 7AM to 10PM, and weekends (Sat & Sun) from 6AM to Midnight. Good Hours. read more

I've been eating at Around The Clock Restaurant for years and there's not a bad thing I can say about this establishment. From the food, to the ingredients, all the way up to the service it's been world class outstanding. The menu is extremely diverse and you'd be hard press to not find a dish for anyone in your small or large group. The restaurant has a small town diner vibe and this is a welcome changed from all the other franchise restaurants. When you first walk in you're greeted by their wonderful bakery display of all their bakery sweets and goodies. You're greeted by the hostess and sometimes the owner himself and you're escorted to your seat. We had made reservations ahead of time as our party was rather large but they had no issues getting us seated. Like I said the menu is extensive and I was feeling rather adventurous and I had asked the waitress how was the Cajun Jambalaya? Her eyes lit up and said it's really good! So that's what I went with and I paired that up with their world famous baked french onion soup. If you haven't had this soup yet then you'll need to try it and you won't regret it at all! The Cajun Jambalaya was really good. I was afraid the rice would be too mushy and I would like it but that wasn't the case at all. Everything was done nicely and I'm happy I tried it. ATCRB is a Chicagoland staple in the community. It's great to support small business and I'll continue to eat here for many more years to come. Keep up the great job! read more

Around The Clock Restaurant & Bakery - Cajun Jambalaya - Bakeries Near Me - Crystal Lake, Illinois

Was seated in a timely manner there was not a wait. After being seated it took 25 to place an order. We sat for appx 30 minutes before we left. We did not get to eat. I am unhappy about this read more

The menu has changed but has a good variety. Server was attentive. Sweet display as you walk in looked amazing! I had an ' English Breakfast' which was a muffin with scrambled eggs, cheese, bacon and breakfast potatoes. Good size serving and very good. Cousin had a breakfast item also that came with unlimited fluffy large pancakes, bacon and eggs. She enjoyed it. I'd definetely recommend it!! read more

Great breakfast and great service! Such a pleasant little restaurant and you could tell they had numerous return customers. We will be back! read more

The menu offers so much variety and they have supper nice waitstaff with convenient hours too

Why have I never been here before today? Let me tell you, this is a fabulous local diner that has it all. They serve breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert. Great customer service. Clean restrooms. Love that they have a lo-carb section of the breakfast menu. I tried their Wisconsin Cheese Omelette and loved it. Perfectly cooked omelette with a orange slice. That's it. It was plenty and satisfying. Had a group of nine ladies (called ahead and they had a booth in the back ready for us) and we were well taken care of. Can't wait to bring my family here for a meal. read more

Around The Clock Restaurant & Bakery - Lo - Carb Taste of Wisconsin Omelette with decaf coffee. - Bakeries Near Me - Crystal Lake, Illinois

Great diner! Lots of menu options. You are able to order breakfast at any time ! I had the Popeye skillet. It was very good . They have a nice dessert display case . They were tempting but I didn't have any . Maybe next time ! Nice big parking lot. read more

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Around The Clocks prices have increased significantly! Plus my husband and myself did not receive good service on 01/18/2025 around 12:30... A waitress lied to me the "customer" in front of my husband a "witness! The waitress told me it was an additional 30 cents to add fries to Maria's Steak Fajita Pita sandwich... So l asked to add fries she lied and told me that a cup of soup was included with the price! To our surprise an additional fee of $2.95 NOT 30 cents was added on our receipt! Horrible service to say the least... Unacceptable behavior please do an investigation on this waitress! read more

Arrived and was told a 15 minute wait but were seated within 5. Server was friendly and knowledgeable. Huge menu is a drawback. Got a burger , fries and the french onion soup. The soup was fabulous. The curly fries were tasty and the burger was good. Other disappointment was we were too full to order any desserts which looked amazing. Going to have to go back for just dessert and coffee sometime. read more

There aren't many diners in the area, and this one is simply top-notch. This is the type of place that you'll easily become a regular, after just one visit. The team here is friendly, patient, and thoughtful. The servers really care about customer service and treating you like family. The food is classic diner-style, and I would recommend any of the skillets and the corned beef hash for breakfast. Though I have not eaten dinner here in a while, I think I remember that the burgers were really good. What more can I say? Come in. Bring your family. Become a regular and support your local diners! read more

I must apologize for the review I posted previously. Since returning to Around the Clock restaurant I found a remodeled master piece. It was beautiful. We were hungry for our old go to, wings and quesadillas. They were excellent. The waitresses here are always are quick and friendly. Everything on the menu is great. Especially breakfast. read more

I made a New Year's resolution this year to see my friends more often. Dinner at Around the Clock was the first of my dinner dates with friends. I have been to Around the Clock many, many times but it has been probably 7 or 8 years since my last visit. The place hasn't changed, and I like that. There were three of us, I arrived first and was given a table even though the rest of my party wasn't there. I was seated in the smoking section (old timers will get this reference; however, there is no smoking in the restaurant). My friends arrived and our server greeted us and asked us if we wanted to place drink orders. We had the nicest server, I believe her name was Cathy. She was really sweet and very attentive without being too attentive. Since I am rocking a new stomach, I ordered the French Onion Soup. I know from past visits, this soup is amazing. One of my friends ordered an omelet with potatoes and my other friend ordered the chicken fajita pita with a side salad. Our food arrived hot and in a timely manner. My soup was a bit salty. My husband says I think everything is salty but this was pretty salty in my opinion. The croutons in the soup, under the cheese were delicious! My friend said her omelet was really great and my other friend said her fajita pita was really delicious but very messy. They both had enough food to take some home for lunch today. We sat and chatted for quite a while after dinner and that was when my fajita pita friend realized she never received her fries with her dinner. She said it wasn't a big deal and she was full from her salad and pita. Overall it was a pretty good meal and I am looking forward to going back sooner than 7 or 8 years. I originally was going to give this three stars but I was just thinking about how sweet our server was so I bumped it up to four. read more

The service is always great and the restaurant is clean and orderly. The food is hit or miss, but the misses are few and far between. For instance, the French onion soup is great most of the time, but sometimes they make a batch that is not very flavorful, or there's more cheese on top than there is soup. The same is true for the pies. Most have been really delicious, but the coconut cream pie tasted more like vanilla pudding than anything else. Still, I highly recommend trying Around the Clock if you haven't already. read more

Excellent food and service. Waitress was very attentive. We did not try any of the fancier items on the menu, but the basics we did order were competently and quickly prepared. I would definitely return if I were back in the area. read more

Located in Chicago's Northwest suburb of Crystal lake, this classic diner has served all-day breakfast to customers for over 30 years. Great Classic American food. Great service. Cozy diner ambiance. 5 out of 5 stars. read more

I have passed through the road and have seen this place numerous times, never thought of going in as it seems quite simple and 'regular' from outside and frankly does not seem like a good restaurant. Anywho.... My son was hungry and we were in Best Buy, and he suggested this place. We went in there and I was pleasantly surprised. The ambience is welcoming, it's a typical American highway diner vibe and reminded me of diners in some of the movies I have watched. Loved it. The server was amazing. The food was good. I had an egg white omelette with coffee and fruits. My son had a beef skillet. We loved the taste and presentation of food. Overall good experience. Will definitely go back. read more

Traveling all around the U.S we usually crave a nice sit down family owned meal. Not a fast food or service chain with the same meal you can order anywhere. Well within the Algonquin/Crystal Lake Area that's kind of a hard thing to find! Seems like we are only surrounded by chains. Around The Clock is GREAT for everyone in the family! If you're ordering; Breakfast, burger for dad, refreshing salad or amazing desserts, they have something for everyone! Speaking of everyone, YOU JUST ORDER a "Baked French Onion Soup" that alone keeps my wife & I coming back! read more

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been going here my entire 23 years of life and it's a wonderful family environment. I'd come here always and only get the baked onion soup with my mom! It definitely attracts the older generation but i know most of them have been coming here for decades! The food is good but the French onion soup is to die for best i've ever had. Nice family diner Service is welcoming, don't forget to say hi to Dino! read more

Around The Clock Restaurant & Bakery - Baked French Onion Soup this size is a Cup which is offered as a side to meals, or there's a Bowl which is larger - Bakeries Near Me - Crystal Lake, Illinois

It was ok. Much of the gyro meat was overcooked and crunchy beyond the normal amount. I don't think it's worth the $13. read more

Around The Clock Restaurant & Bakery - Athenian Gyro with 2 Eggs - Bakeries Near Me - Crystal Lake, Illinois

Very unhappy with how waitress and manager handled this situation. My girlfriend, my son and I went to this place for the first time on 07/02/2023. Towards the end of our meal, we found 2 coins (quarters) at the bottom of my son's drink. Yes. Two Quarters. All I was offered by the waitress and manager was for the drink to be discounted from the total amount. At the very least, the total check amount should have been written off. They did not even taking into consideration the risks/ complications of swallowing a metal object or the potential poisoning from ingesting a contaminated drink. My son felt very uncomfortable with this. Needless to say, were terribly disappointed and not coming back to this place. read more

Around The Clock Restaurant & Bakery - Two Quarters in drink. - Bakeries Near Me - Crystal Lake, Illinois

I have absolutely nothing bad to say. Staff was incredible. Our server was tentative and really friendly. The food was absolutely fantastic- and the pricing... CHEAP!!! I had 2 eggs, sausage, bacon, 3 pancakes for $9... you can't beat that. AND the pancakes are endless! Great coffee as well. Really happy we tried this place out. We will become regulars here. I really love the "oldschool" look of this place. Reminds me of a place I went to with my grandparents when I was a kid. They have the cool little bar to sit at. Also the highchair for our baby... really nice highchair! Much better than any restaurant we've been too. We will be back!!! read more

The BF and I had a fantastic experience here this weekend. There were about 10 people in line for tables but they still were able to seat us within 10 minutes. The hostesses were friendly and helpful. Our waitress (I think Rebecca) was busting her butt! She took care of everyone quickly, was friendly and attentive. Our food was great as well! BF had the taco salad (I was jealous) and I had the chicken souvlaki, which was well seasoned and tender. We ordered treats from their amazing bakery section to go. I ordered an éclair (delish) and the BF ordered their very fun decorated cookies. Not my favorite kind of cookies but well done. I can't wait to go back there again! I highly recommend it! read more

My family has loved going to Around The Clock for YEARS! We have ordered from their bakery (they have the best bakery) and we have dined in countless times. I especially love going for a light lunch of the soup + salad bar. Their food is always good, always fresh, and always super reasonably priced. The staff is wonderful and the restaurant is clean, cute, and charming. I love Around The Clock. It feels like home. Go support this restaurant ASAP!! read more

Around The Clock Restaurant & Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Crystal Lake, Illinois

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