This place has been a neighborhood staple for a long time. Was very sad when the place burned down a couple years ago. The food and service have always been great sober or not. You have to try the slinger or maybe order a double slinger depending on how hungry you are. Seeing the new signs go up on the new place is making me look forward to eating here once again. read more

One of the classic diners in Chicago open all hours of the day. Can't go wrong with a breakfast skillet or breakfast burrito from this spot.

Don't think I've ever ate here other than after The Long Room at nighttime for whatever odd reason(I'd guess this place would still be fine even when I wasn't drinking?), but this place is always enjoyable. People watching is fun, and I've always enjoyed the same late night cook/cashier they have had for years who works during late evening/early overnight hours. Hash browns here are actually the closest I've found to Waffle House style ones in Chicago, except that they don't offer the options to add things to them like you can at an actual WaHo('scattered, topped, chunked, etc.). Google Waffle House hash brown lingo, if you wonder what some of those terms mean btw. Finally decided to try the Slinger on my most recent recent, and wow was it great. If you ever miss the Tamale Guy while at Long Room or other nearby bars(I unfortunately have sometimes narrowly missed him), I'd say this is your best bet for eating afterwards. Cheaper and tastier than Golden Nugget IMO, even if the menu isn't as long. And like others have said, I've always enjoyed the people watching here, and the conversations you overhear. read more

Omg what can I say about this place. It's a must go to place. Please don't Let the look of this place fool you into not eating here. It's been here for years and years. When you walk in it's about the size of a train maybe, long and small. That's what makes this place awesome. The cooks cook your food in front of you and it's pretty neat to watch them cook. The prices are very good, and they fill your plate with food. The food is amazing but if you are here to eat healthy , this place is not your place. It's a packed place for early morning breakfast and after the bars close. They actually just remodeled it. It looks great. This place has been in the neighborhood for years and years, it's a really must go to place. They are open 24 hours. The staff / cooks there are friendly. read more

Kick ass Diner food. This is food that you just can't replicate at home. You want a Killa breakfast dish? They have them all. I went with the Hobo Skillet w eggs over easy. Nothing fancy just tasty eggs, hash browns, veggies & cheese. So good. Check it. Outdoor patio looks inviting during warmer weather months. read more

When I first looked at this place I thought complete shit hole, but after stumbling in after a drunken evening and sitting down enjoying a SLINGER, I thought maaaan, this place isn't half bad. The Slinger is a mixture of eggs, cheese, hash browns, two sausage patties, chilli and chilli beans. Thinking about it and then looking at it will make you walk out of the place, because the dish really looks like someone puked it on your plate. If you can finish the concoction you recieve a certificate (I myself am a 3-time winner of the slinger certificate and won twice in head to head competition). Not a whole lot of sitting space, but usually not that crowded on some nights. The grillmen are funny and friendly and they really make you feel welcome. The bathroom is a different story! If you can avoid using it, please do at all costs. All in all, this is a pretty good place to visit after a late, wild night of serious drinking and partying read more

How did this nice girl find herself in this place on a recent Saturday night (or was it a Sunday morning?) Who knows? I'm not quite sure . . .but that's the beauty of the Diner Grill. On any given night you can find a wide range of interesting people sitting at these green counter stools and ordering the most interesting of diner foods. On my most recent visit, I was the only woman in the place. Is that what prompted two of the young men to get up, move down and give me their seat? Who knows? But I promptly sat, and with my seat mate's coaching began to read the menu on the wall. Two more women walked in and grabbed vacated seats too so chivalry is not dead at 3am! Behind the counter are two guys who know how to work a short order grill. Orders are being shouted out, cooked, presented and paid for. It was almost like a dance watching it all come together. And when one of the guys told me I had to have a "Slinger", well you know the saying "when in Rome . . . . . . ." So happy and sated, I left The Diner. But not without a backward glance to see who had taken my vacated stool and to listen to the process start all over again! "Whadya have?" says the one cook. "I'll have the Slinger". And so it begins again. read more

I know this place as long as I remember I love how they added a little of modern taste friendly staff,amazing food and it is a true fast food resturant again and again and again read more

See all

Decent food. Pancakes were great! Cook was very unfriendly and seemed pissed off. His tip effected it, trust me.

Teeny tiny, seating for 13, amazing food fast and great prices, large portions, well organized clean and friendly, this is the kina place that makes Chicago amazing, it has a classic charm that fits the energy of this city so well, its not trying to be something its not, its just a great little diner. read more

Awesome place! I love the food choices! The burgers are well cooked and the breakfast is super good! They are quick too!

As far as diners go, this one is 5 stars. Simple, typical diner menu, not too many options. Delicious food, cooked perfectly and quickly. Diner Grill just has 1 long counter with bar stools and behind the counter is the flat top where you can watch your food being cooked. I had the hobo skillet (add sausage) and a coffee and my total was $11.14. Not bad for a breakfast in the city! Keep doing you. read more

This place is sooo good! 8 months pregnant and craving a delicious cheeseburger and they always deliver! Can't forget the yummy fries and shakes! I definitely recommend DIner Grill to everyone! read more

Outstanding food around the clock. Great if you're working nights. Double bacon cheeseburger no bun with 2 eggs over easy. read more

Diner Grill - Double Bacon Cheeseburger no bun with 2 eggs over easy. - Diners Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great food and service. It's first come first serve and it takes time to prepare the food

Great spot! The food is great and the prices are just as good. I always go with the double beacon cheeseburger or something for breakfast. One of my go to spots in the area. read more

The crew is very nice and service is quick, however, the food was a real disappointment. Ordered a patty melt with onion rings. The onion rings were delish, but the sandwich that accompanied it was no patty melt. White bread, 2 super thin patties that tasted like the grill needs to be cleaned, american cheese, burnt onions. That was it - no dressing, no rye bread, no flavor. I won't be a return customer. read more

I suppose if you've never been to a diner before in your life, this would be a cool spot to check out. Or if you're blackout drunk at the Piggery next door and just want pancakes really bad, yeah, very short walk. Other than that, I don't really see the appeal. Maybe if you're friends with the people that work there? They seemed fine. read more

A yummy go-to staple in the neighborhood. Really appreciate the option to eat outdoors this summer.

Bomb ass chilaquiles with chorizo, and churros. I didn't have my hopes up going to this place so late at night New Year's morning after celebrating at a comedy club, but their food greatly surpassed my expectations. Their sauce might be the best green chilaquiles sauce I've had, that I must return sometime, even though I don't live or work in the neighborhood. It tasted really fresh and flavorful, and not spicy. The chorizo was good quality and not greasy. Churros were good, too. read more

I hope this place closes. We ordered delivery almost 2.5 hours ago and it's still not here. Enough said.

Only pay with cash. Twice. 2 times I ordered carry out and they wrote an unauthorized tip onto my bill. My phone texts me whenever my debit card is used. I don't tip when I order takeout. Only dining in do I leave tips. The food is very good but they give themselves unauthorized tips on your credit/debit cards. So if you choose to eat at the diner grill on Irving Park off of Ashland make sure you only pay with cash or you might get ripped off. read more

I don't know why this place isn't booming with business especially after going out to the bars and clubs and drinking with friends and family. I have the opportunity of patronizing this business couple of late evenings ago and I have got to say, the ambiance is perfect it's so cozy and so quaint very good place to wind down after a night out on the town oh and did I mention that the menu is economically savvy and the food is great! The staff makes you feel as though you are at your own home it's so comfortable and peaceful clean quiet and the food is wonderful! read more

Decent ambience I guess -- just a row of counter stools facing a diner grill -- but an incredibly disappointing signature dish. The Slinger is an almost-flavorless plate of calories which is overpriced as well. I tried adding the cheap hot sauces in front of me and, finally, a shot of ketchup to give the food some desperately needed character and nothing was working. Staff service was all right, so two stars. read more

Found this gem on yelp and from diners dives. They have remodeled after a fire. Still has a great diner feel. Omelets were tasty and well cooked. The Corn beef hash was quite good. read more

Diner Grill - Diners Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I definitely love the overall experience after visiting the place for the very first time. I went in here for the first time and I kinda regret not visiting the place sooner. I've known this place for a long time and my friend actually recommended it. First thing inside is their high bar stools and in the front is the kitchen and the staff. They also have outdoor seating and the place was pretty clean. The staff are very friendly and accommodating. I was about to go outside for a better view and atmosphere but the staff really entertained me and I enjoyed watching them making the food. I just ordered a breakfast burrito and a vanilla milkshake. They also have a wide menu and there are a lot of options either, burgers and anything you could ask for is available in their menu and of course, at a very reasonable price, Service is quick and the burrito has a huge portion when it is served to me. I definitely like their breakfast burrito. Everything seems to be good in it and the flavors are all in there. The milkshake is pretty good too. My first time would definitely not be the last and I will definitely be back and will surely try other delicious foods they offer. read more

Great little diner, just like the Nighthawks painting, Single row of seats at the counter. Friendly and attentive staff. Good prices and good food. Variety of food meets expectations for a diner. Good for one or two people, larger groups will have difficulty if they want to talk to each other. Clean and tidy. Had the double cheese burger with bacon and a side of fries, delicious. read more

i'm sure these guys are cool but they did not invent the Slinger. thats from St Louis! anyways.

Wonderful down-to-earth place. Great atmosphere, great food, and quick. Particularly wonderful when it's snowing outside!

Figured I'd see what would happen if I sat here and ordered food. Via grub hub, order was placed at 5:16am. Delivered ice cold, ok so I went to the place. They refused to remake it, fine I got my defund. But I would've like it if they could've remade it for me, I would've paid for that. But they refused a pregnant woman who now is at fricking Burger King! read more

This isn't the diner grill you remember. Do yourself a favor, keep on driving and remember the good times. I ate there last night and it was terrible. Completely tasteless. An embarrassment. read more

Awesome food, fun staff.. My favorite go to spot after a long night out! You gotta try The Haystack! I bet you can't finish it.

Everything you expect and a bit more. Awesome, simple, classic, affordable diner food. The chicken sandwich is awesome, especially if you ask for it with grilled onions. And all of their waffles are great, but the pecan waffle is really something special. read more

Saddened by the tragedy that befell this joint on Christmas Eve, of all nights. Figured I'd write a glowing review in hopes that they are able to get back on their feet and some day reopen! Places like this are quintessentially American - the classic, 24-hour greasy spoon. Perfect for the shift worker who's starving after punching the clock at the factory all night to my drunk ass at 3 a.m. Friendly staff, efficient line cooks, and dandy grub. In the event they do hopefully reopen, they have amazing milk shakes. Order the slinger. You won't regret it, but may want to split with a special friend. read more

True fact: ate here twice in a two day period. Your classic short order grill straight from the 1950s. Counter seating only. Eggs, French toast, pancakes, burgers, omelettes etc. we had a party of 8 both times -- service was fast and efficient. And the food was excellent. Nothing fancy , no salads, nothing healthy. But delicious. Btw the name is actually the Dinner Grill. read more

Impromptu Chicago Institution Visit Mission: Diner Grill! I may have gone here last night (morning?) at 2am. Yes, I realize it was/is a Tuesday. No, I wasn't blitzed out of my mind. Not even a little bit, actually. But, they ARE open, so it IS fair game. The cooks wear white hats, and watch the Sox game highlights. They never close? Never. Possibly I ordered a "Garbage Omelette." --consists of basically all of their toppings at DG + eggs. I ate all of it. Potentially I could've considered a "slinger." I will come back on a week I haven't eaten, it's only $8.50!? (PS. The "slinger" has its own Wiki entry, it's legit). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slinger Diner Grill is cheaper than McDonald's. AND. Best diner Diet Coke I've EVER had. (I'm a purist, straight up) My diner expedition=success, even SOBER. So, next time...a little more booze, perhaps a slinger. Let's do this. read more

When I was in high school which is a block away I ate there for lunch every day. That was before all of you were born. Some years back it had a fire and was rebuilt. I wanted to go in but never had the opportunity until this morning. I went with a good friend and we ordered breakfast at 7 am. It is very very clean. The server and chef are very polite. The eggs and sausage were cooked as ordered. The price was reasonable and parking was easy. What else do you want from a fast food restaurant? Do not pay any attention to the reviewers who expect a diner to be a gourmet experience. It is what it is and that is why it is there. read more

Sometimes known around the hood as Decapitation Diner, since in '89 one of the cooks was decapitated by a hoodlum. Now take a good look at that ham on the bone sitting on the counter.... I love a place where the only vegetable to be found is in the ketchup bottle and they make no apologies for it. Oh yea, they do have some of the whitest lettuce I've ever seen for BLTs. There is no place greasier this side of town. And that's not necessarily a bad thing. If you've been slamming them back all night you probably aren't worried about your clogged arteries anyway. Try the slinger if you dare. There is nothing to sop up a tummy full of alcohol like one of these plates. The ambience is what is special here. There is a smoking section (the last three out of twelve stools at the counter) and the cooks are almost always entertaining. Diner Grill becomes an old man counter in the daytime and when the bars close it is usually packed with a younger set. Diner Grill is dining like your grandpa did after he fixed a dozen toilets in the neighborhood. Burgers and eggs and flapjacks done the way they used to be made before we gave a damn about our bodies. read more

The Diner Grill = the best way to avoid further late-night drinking and offset some of the damage already done. It's 3am on a Sat night (or Sunday morning), and we have worst intentions of continuing to imbibe at the Green Mill. But someone's hungry... REALLY hungry. And as the driver, he holds the reigns to our after-hours fate. He's wondering where he can get a burger. Not a burrito, oh no... boy wants his burger. Me: McDonald's! D: NO! Me: I think there's some Mexican joint that also serves burgers 'round the corner from Green Mill! D: No, you're just making that up! Me: Ok. Probably. We end up finding the Diner Grill and all 14 counter stools are filled with what appears to be standard-issue raucous frat boys. There's a wait, and some of these intoxicated customers are hanging out outside the door. Pass! We make a detour to the ledge along the window behind the counter stools and improvise by jumping up (well, one of us couldn't make it up but she's a petite thing) and ordering burgers and corned beef hash. We devour our burgers there, without a counter, without chairs. Totally a smart move. 'Cause we don't wait! Me: Hmmm. This burger smells funny! D: Um, it's called grease. It was indeed a pretty greasy burger... but really rather good. And it thwarted further tomfoolery uptown at the Mill. $2 burgers that save you from yourself? Priceless. read more

I'm mad at myself for giving this place less than five stars. But then again, I wrote my initial review in 2007. And in 2007 I was young and stupid. I have since seen the error of my ways: The Dinner/Diner Grill is a five-star establishment. Where else are you rewarded with a certificate printed on a 1995 dot matrix printer for consuming upwards of 1500 calories at once? Where else will you get a pancake in the shape of a dick if you tell the cooks that it's your birthday? Where else will the cook perform a fake marriage ceremony because you and your friend are drunk and decide that your shared love of the Diner/Dinner Grill is enough to bond you two for life? Where else does the fucking name of the place change depending on which side of the sign you look at? (One side says "Diner Grill" - the other says "Dinner Grill.") Nowhere. There is only Zuul/the Diner/Dinner Grill. read more