First and foremost; the Oyster Omelette was breathtaking! Please do not leave Dove's without trying it. Now that I've got the formalities out of the way, Dove's is an awesome little luncheonette located in the Wicker Park neighborhood. I arrived on a late Saturday morning with 2 dining partners and the wait was approximately one hour. I'll tell you now; it was well worth the wait (and I'm an impatient person lol). The good part about Dove's location is that it's surrounded by greatness from specialty clothing, shoe, hat and lingerie boutiques as well as cafés, donut shops, surplus stores and of course Wicker Park. We had plenty to occupy our time until they called the cell phone to notify us that our table was ready. We opted for seats at the bar which was a super cool view with a super cool server. The drinks were spot on from the coffee to mimosas & cocktails. We all tried something different and sampled a taste of heaven in every bite from each other's plate. I must say....my Oyster Omelette was a real crowd favorite. On to décor (because well, décor is crucial to me). Think 60's nostalgia; juke box player, chrome detailing, window bar stools that swivel, linen napkins, heavy silverware, beautiful ceramic mugs, dimly lit well kept restroom & servers with style. Do not overlook Dove's as a dining option; I'll never forgive you. ~Christy read more

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Admittedly fond of One Off Hospitality after memorable meals at Avec, Blackbird, Nico and Publican, not to mention my Sister's wedding reception at Publican Quality Meats, it was only a nearly four year absence from Chicago that prevented visiting Dove's Luncheonette sooner, Paul Kahan's Wicker Park Diner remaining quite popular and still frequently generating a wait at all hours of the day. Found beneath the tracks of the Blue Line on Damen and toqued by Chef de Cuisine Tom Carlin, the idea of counter-service Mexican fare in a hip setting plus plenty of Mezcal following Kahan's mega-successful Big Star, it was bellied up to the Bar that a sleepy-eyed Woman offered greetings, Coffee plus a menu, high heat and humidity welcoming only two of three with Ice Water quickly poured and a two-course order to follow. Disappointed to be visiting Dove's alone, an expansive menu that changes slightly at noon offering no shortage of temptation, it was while 70s and 80s tunes played overhead that line cooks were watched firing plates at breakneck pace, everything prepared with great care, timing and cleanliness despite close quarters. Trending mostly savory, Enchiladas and Hash both evidently popular, it was after a menu-described fifteen minutes that scalding cast iron was presented alongside fried Chicken soaked in thick Gravy, Peas and Onions, each ingredient equally prominent across the palate to form one of the most 'rib-sticking' dishes in recent memory while the Pancake was best along the edges where Maple Syrup had concentrated and caramelized, though the center was also pleasant thanks to bursting Berries and tangy Crema. Not presenting a Dessert Menu at 9:00am, though Pie, Shakes and Ice Cream are available at all hours, it was with the young day's third slice of Pie that the check was served, a lightly sweetened Cinnamon Custard wedge from Hoosier Mama Pie Company one of those instances where outsourcing to an expert seems well advised as opposed to taking the easy route. read more

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I realize Dove's Luncheonette is very popular and most people love it, but it's just not for me. I love the atmosphere and vibe, plus they have a good looking guy on the line. However when I was in, I was not feeling the hostess on staff at all. She kept exclaiming, "I'm so bored!!!" and trying to get the chefs to make up games with her. They didn't seem to be feeling it at all as she would lay herself on the counter in front of them. Her very clear unhappiness to be at work just put a damper on everything for me. Dove's Luncheonette didn't have a ton of menu items to choose from and I kept going over and over the menu trying to find something that called out to me. It's a Tex Mex menu with a diner atmosphere. I ended up getting a steak dish and it was quite tasty. Just be warned it takes forever to come out and I was told that is because it was steak. The chicken fried chicken looked like a good dish that I think I will end up trying if I ever go back. Dove's dishes are $12-16 and I realize I'm biased as I didn't completely enjoy myself, but it seems slightly overpriced. I feel bad but I just am not into Dove's, however I'd absolutely give it another chance. read more

Dove's Luncheonette - Carne Asada - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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First time coming here. Me and my girlfriend came here to visit a bunch of thrift stores but we needed a bite to eat. Even though there was a 15 minute wait time that the host informed us about. The wait was not a dissapointment. The menu is small food and drink wise so it's pretty easy to decide what you want. The waitress, Katie was very fun and engaging with us even though it was really busy at the time of our arrival. It didn't take too long for our order to arrive. My girlfriend had a ham tamale and she described the food she ate from start to finish as it was a brand new experience. Her food had tastes, textures and layers to every bite. I had a Masa ball Soup, I've never had one before and it's definitely one of the best soups I've possibly had where I want to learn and make one for myself because I'm not heading back here for a while. I love its 1950s diner theme, I love how happy and positive the employees and customers that come here are. It didn't really bother me we were sharing a long Table with other strangers either who were really friendly to chat with. Definitely the highlight of my day here. Definitely recommend to anyone. read more

Conveniently located under the Damen blue line stop, this diner has great food which is well priced for the quality. It seems to be seeped in history, of which I'm unaware. The burnt ends hash was a big, fatty plate so prepare yourself - I wasn't even able to finish it. The brisket itself was surprisingly bland, but the potatoes and queso fresco combo more than made up for it, so good. Texas toast was crunchy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, very good jam too. Overall the meal was great but I will say the $10 bloody mary was expensive for the quality. Good service, Katie gave me the morning pep I needed. Check it out. read more

Dove's Luncheonette - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Their Chicken Fried has a sauce. It's like carbonara sauce. I can taste the sweetness of jt. It has a topping of green peas and some white onion. The chicken was crunchy. It has a great flavor. You can also try their burger. It has a lot of filling and side dishes. It has. Potato marble that sliced in half. It was soft. It also has a great and intense flavor. Their burger has a fried onion. The bun has sesame seeds. The patty was juicy and tasty. Overall I like the food that I order. I will definitely be back here again. I highly recommend this place. read more

Very good food, but heavy/rich! I've gone only for brunch and if you go early enough, you can get in right away. It's a small restaurant, but service is pretty good. read more

Checked this box, and can't wait to return! My dining companion and I both had the pork picadillo (it wasn't staying on the menu long, so get it while you can!), and it was the epitome of comfort food. Think warm, tender pork with rice, golden raisins, roasted potatoes, and - though I don't care for them - olives. You got the sweet from the raisings, heartiness from the potatoes and rice, and saltiness from the olives. Good combo! Yes, it was demolished in under 6 minutes. I ordered the horchata pie (made by Hoosier Mama, no less!) to go and loved that I had the foresight to bring a handbag big enough so that my pie takeout container fit inside. #gainz These flavors of pie are made especially for Dove's Luncheonette, so take advantage! Lastly, the seating is mostly barstool and up against the window (seats at actual tables are barstool in fashion as well), so practice good posture! read more

Dove's Luncheonette - Pork picadillo - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Big Star has a new lil sis (or bro?) named Dove! Dove provides a tasty looking menu full of Mexican brunch options. There were so many delicious looking things on the menu to choose from, but ultimately I decided on the baked omelette special filled with mushrooms and cheese. Unfortunately, I ordered wrong. It was good enough that I put a nice dent in it, but I felt like there was an ingredient or two missing. It needed something that was going to make it a bit more flavorful or give it more of a kick. Perhaps some peppers, but I"ll leave it up to Dove & co behind the counter to figure it out in the future. I experienced some major food envy since my dining companions ordered right and couldn't stop raving about their food. Based on that alone I'd give it another shot and order something else next time. The service was also a bit slow. We were ignored for the first 30 minutes we were there, although to be fair we were missing a member of our party and they may not have been aware we planned on ordering for him. Once we finally ordered my mediocre baked omelette, along with all the other tasty looking stuff, came out very quickly. read more

Dove's Luncheonette - Baked omelette - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Stopped in for a quick respite. Had the Machaca Breakfast tacos. I wish I could say they were the genuine thing, but I wouldn't know. I do know that they were very tasty and very generous in proportion (almost a dish that could be shared if you weren't super hungry--sharing might be the way to go on this menu anyways). My server was helpful and watchful to make sure things were going as they should. I'm thinking of the burnt ends hash next go-round, requiring some planning of a companion. Next time! Oh, and the iced tea (Dove's blend) was notable for its tasty uniqueness. read more

Dove's Luncheonette - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I'm coming back to Dove's for its cool vibe and vegetarian plates that don't seem like an afterthought among the meaty dishes. Both the tamal and enchiladas were real good. read more

I met my friend for lunch at Dove's Luncheonette over 20 minutes late because I was naively optimistic about parking and traffic around this Wicker Park intersection... Dove's is located in a hopping area and there's plenty of people-watching-seating up by the windows. Perfect for waiting for a horribly late friend. This luncheonette has a bright homey diner feel with a jukebox and record player playing tunes in the background. This eatery is ideal for smaller gatherings, but I've seen larger parties utilize the entire floor for a birthday party and I've had brunch here with a party of five before. The staff was friendly and attentive throughout our meal. Overall, I've personally experienced above-and-beyond customer service, i.e. I've had to borrow a charger before and the hostess was super helpful. I love the neighborhood feel of Dove's and hope to be back for more of their amazingly flavorful braised pork shoulder! read more

Dove's Luncheonette - Coppa de puerco - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Dove's is an awesome spot that I would honestly rate at 4.5 when it comes to overall value for the $$. These are the dishes we tried! Avocado toast, Enchiladas, Chocolate Sauce Skillet Pancake, Pozole Rojo, and Pepper and Potato Hash! These are my opinion of each! Avocado Toast: 5/5. Easy to eat, simple yet detailed enough dish to have complexity as well. Great quality of bread, and the spread was fantastic. Enchiladas: 3.5/5. Amazing presentation. Good sauce--could use some more heat potentially, easy to cut into, and good toppings. Room to improve on filling-add more meat or a secondary spice to notch it up on the palate. Skillet pancake: 3.5/5. great fun sweet dish. Good toppings and fun presentation. Could be sweeter. Would have liked sauce on side to top myself but the presentation is cool with it done by them. Pozole Rojo: 4/5. Fun dish. Large bowl. Can share too with extra bowls. Good flavor. Great meat (could use a lil' more) and good side toppings. Pepper and potato hash: 4/5 Great dish with spice and salt and drizzle of very good sauce. Great offer during the happy hour at 3. Very good. Will come back! Likely will try avocado toast, the hash, and potentially pozole, and do some new dishes! read more

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Excellent food, friendly people. Some free parking on Damen Avenue. Really good music selections on an actual record player / turntable. Oh, and then there's this stuff in the pic :)p read more

Dove's Luncheonette - Mezcal and other stuff - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The food here is absolutely amazing. HIGHLY recommend the Tlayuda. Its a lot of food so perfect to share or bring home some leftovers. The pimento cheese is fantastic as well, especially paired with the fried saltine crackers. The staff is super friendly and makes sure you're taken care of. The wait time for the food was very short as well, which was nice. Definitely one of the best places you can go for breakfast/lunch and I will be going back to check out the dinner menu in the future! Easily 5/5 stars read more

I've had the same waiter there 3 times and I look forward to talking with him every time. He gives the BEST recommendations. I normally look at Yelp on what to get, but he helps me feel like an originial hipster trying out things BEFORE they are cool. Had the empandas and the blood sausage.... my friend thought she was game for anythng, but then realized what it was was... bluuud, not funny. ..... hilarious. I thought it was delicious and made me feel dangerous. I'd get it again, and again. read more

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Dove's was recommended to us by someone that worked in the area and had tried it. It looks like an old style breakfast spot and the walls are lined with cool old pictures. It is a stones throw from the blue line subway stop at Damon. We were here around 11:30 am mid week and it wasn't crowded. I suspect given the area that a weekend could get pretty busy here. We ordered two Bloody Mary's which I honestly wasn't that impressed by flavor wise. I had to chuckle that they automatically come with a beer chaser/shooter though. We ordered an egg pork shoulder dish over a creamed hominy with collard greens. WoW! Amazing flavor and was filling enough for two of us to split for a light brunch. Great service, the atmosphere was cool and everything was clean. Prices were moderate but the quality of the food seemed on par with what we paid. If you are looking for something a little different food wise try Dove's. We will definitely eat here again when we are back in the area. I'm looking forward to seeing what other dishes taste like. read more

Dove's Luncheonette - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Really nice staff, cute spot, DELICIOUS brisket hash. No wait at about 1:45/2pm. Highly recommend!!!!

I get that it's a broccoli Caesar but wasn't a lot to it and considering the price? Really not worth it. read more

Dove's Luncheonette - Broccoli Caesar Salad - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Awesome cuisine, our go to spot in the neighborhood that just never goes wrong. Diner food with great mezcal cocktails on the weekends

We got their to-go dinner during the COVID-19 crisis. It comes with avocado salad (very good, pretty big), pimento Mac and cheese (small container but packed in), and chicken fried chicken (very good, lots of gravy, but small piece of chicken). Overall, everything was very good and flavorful and a good value for the amount of food you get. I would definitely try another dinner from here! read more

Top lunch spot in Wicker. Chicken Fried chicken and burnt ends hash are unbelievably good. Grab some coffee there as well to avoid the food coma. read more

"This is what I'd imagine Portland to be like" said my husband as he looked around the retro hip luncheonette. Dove's is a quaint concept with a newfangled twist with it's southern-mex inspired menu. The space itself is small so it's much easier to get seated as a party of two rather than anything more. We breezed by several larger groups that were waiting and were seated immediately. True to it's luncheonette name we sat with a placemat, utensils, and condiment setup already in place. Server was very attentive to dietary restrictions (she came back and warned that the worcestershire in the drinks we ordered had anchovy but it was still aok since I'm pescartarian, not vegetarian). We splurged on the $9 Bloody Mary's as we appreciate a good in-house mix which I'm happy to report this actually was! Dove's mix is a unique smokey peppery flavor with a pickled garnish. I had the pepper and potato hash with a side of grits and my husband had the house special of brisket potato hash. Both were great but we couldn't help but feel like we'd have to makeup for this indulgent meal by eating plain lettuce for dinner. Hash were deep fried and the grits were butter, butter, butter. All in all, we're excited to go back to try some of their dinner options. read more

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I came for weekend brunch here and let me tell you this is a super indulgent brunch spot. The food is rich, slathered in butter and deep fried but oh so delicious. Not to mention the decor is retro and cool. Beware of tight seating space and getting close to your neighbors, especially at their bar seating. Waiting time was about 20 minutes. I tried their buttermilk pancake, burnt ends hash, and biscuits and gravy. All were scrumptious and I promptly fell into a mental food coma shortly after. The buttermilk pancake is a cross between a deep dish pie, a bread pudding, and a pancake. It is definitely a dish you don't want to consume all by yourself and lends itself more as a dessert- though not overwhelmingly sweet. Biscuits and gravy was the special of the day and incredibly creamy and satisfying. A lot of our fellow diners were ordering the burnt ends hash- and we of course got it too- but this was probably the least impressive of the three dishes we got- not that it didn't taste good but it just felt fairly standard. read more

Thank you Chip and the rest of the team for a lovely lunch... love living in Chicago where you can take a break from the rat race and be a tourist in your own neighborhood. Chip and team made us feel like VIPs. Great recommendations, 5 star service and food, drink and ambiance hard to get anywhere but Dove's. I'm coming back for the Squash toast soon! read more

I've lived in the neighborhood for a quite a while and this place has been on my list, but haven't been able to try it. I hear they have great happy hour specials, so that's what I was aiming for, but we passed by while looking for a restaurant that had something on the menu that was relatively whole30, and we decided to give it a try! We waited about 20 minutes to be seated because there were a ton of people there, but we were able to leave and walk around and come back. Once we were seated, We both got the pozole and were very pleased! Our waiter was the bartender and he was very good. The pozole was super flavorful and exactly what we needed on the cold morning! Will definitely go back, but it's probably not good for groups because of the size. Or try and make a reservation beforehand if you're more than two people. read more

I came here with a couple of friends for Sunday brunch. It seems like there is usually a wait during brunch time & esp weekends...and times when specific menu items run out. :( There is no real waiting area so the lines will go out the door...come prepared if it is raining/snowing etc.. Food Chicken fried chicken ($16) - buttermilk fried smothered in chorizo verde gravy, with sweet peas and pearl onions. The chorizo verde gravy with sweet peas wasn't too overpowering and tasted great with the chicken. The portion is pretty decent/big. I would recommend sharing with another person. Transportation -Dove's is located right across the Damen blue line. Location -close to a lot of bars/dining/coffee shops read more

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I have been going to Dove's for a long time and absolutely love the food. The potatoes and peppers is awesome and I love the hot sauce on the side that they have (don't know the name of it but it looks like chili flakes in oil). mmmm. I miss going to the restaurant, but the takeout is equally good! read more

Busy spot with underwhelming food. Fried chicken was better than the burnt hash, but neither tasted like they were made with quality ingredients. The water glasses were dirty and we were told by the server "they're old so that's just how they are" "bottomless coffee" cup was only refilled once despite it being empty most of the time we were there. read more

Love the drinks here! I also love the food I've had recently. I love the new Monday happy hour! I hope they open more evenings at some point. In the meantime, I heart the brunch! read more

I love everything about this place. It's cute, it's small, and it's quirky. You get that 1950's, roadside diner feel but with updated music, food and cocktails. We came here for Restaurant Week. What a great deal! We started with the seafood cocktail and pimento cheese. Next was a kale salad that was a little too spicy for me but also tasty. For our mains we had the fried chicken plus the fried chili. I loved that chili! It was crispy but not greasy like some can be. Not too much breading. We had a couple of delicious cocktails paired with our food. It was a great date night! I will be back to try more drinks and dishes. The only drawback is that it maybe hard to get a seat! read more

Bold Flavours , Great Food. Service was super friendly. I would highly suggest this place. I loved it, just hangout with great friends and having a bite. Five thumbs up read more

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While visiting a friend in the nearby neighborhood, we made this our last stop prior to heading to the airport. We sat at the counter and started with hot coffee and friendly conversation from the bartender. He was so helpful when it came time to decide on our food (not photographed because we devoured it all, Woops). We had the fried chicken with chorizo gravy which blew me away & the brisket hash- out of this world. They also had homemade salsa macha that went really well with both dishes. All I have left to say is don't sleep on Dove's. read more

Not really sure how to place this restaurant. It feels like a diner with a slight modern streak... and serves Mexican fusion. Lots of counter space inside makes this an ideal place for singles and couples. There are a few large tables in the middle for groups. Potato and pepper hash- fantastic. One of the best potato dishes ive ever eaten. Pozole Rojo- pretty darn good. Would've liked a few more chips. Overall I had a great dinner here. Would consider going back if I come back to the area. read more

The location and decor of this place is super cool. All counter service with a great spin on Mexican food. The burnt ends hash was great comfort food. We loved the shrimp cocktail. Cool place great service and tasty food in a cool neighborhood. read more

We went for brunch on Saturday around 2 pm, there was a 40min long wait, but we could see why. This place has a fresh take on diner food and diner atmosphere, we were delighted by the creativity! Each of their entree dishes have a nice soul food richness with a bright bits of flare. And the whole place has a nice retro, 70s style. The music is a curated record collection. After reading reviews, we wanted the burnt end hash, but they ran out by the time we ordered. We ordered the fried chicken with an egg and the smoked chicken and mushroom enchiladas. Oddly, the enchiladas were a bit one noted, but the fried chicken is something I will probably crave on a regular basis, each of the ingredients added a lot of dimension. I wondered if the egg would just add more of the flavor, but it complemented the dish really well! We want to come back for some of the events they have. A Cuban night and try some of their mezcal flights. read more

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Tips: Buttermilk pancake is not your average pancake. It is made in a skillet and triple the thickness/density and triple the deliciousness. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This is such a cute little diner inspired restaurant. Seats are rather limited for big groups, most of the tables are community style tables and bar seating. The buttermilk pancake is so rich and delicious. It is different from your normal pancake from a breakfast joint because they make it in a skillet. I definitely recommend for anyone who enjoys pancakes or a bread-y breakfast. The Chicken Fried Chicken is a must get here at Dove's. The chicken is so crispy and so flavorful when eaten with the gravy. read more

Dove's Luncheonette - buttermilk pancake $13 - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I almost don't want to write a review about this place so people don't know about it and it will stay the hidden gem that it is! Dubbing this as my absolute favorite brunch spot in all of Chicago! A laid back atmosphere with amazing dishes. We've tried something new almost every time and the outcome is always the same - mmm yumm! I cannot wait until they open back up! read more

This place is adorable! It's a classic diner mixed with a trendy fusion cuisine restaurant. The menu was a unique curation of breakfast classics and spicy comfort food. The staff was knowledgeable, helpful and friendly. I ordered the avocado toast. It was served with an abundance of avocado and tomato, topped with a spicy chili vinaigrette. It was delicious. This place is definitely worth checking out' I'd happily come back! read more

Dove's Luncheonette - Exterior - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Loved this place! Ambiance is great, service was awesome, and food was so bomb!! The fried chicken is their most well known dish and for a good reason. It was so perfect in every aspect - crispy, but tender on the inside. The gravy with peas was also such a good combo with the rest. If you add their lemon/vinegar sauce to it, it just enhances the juicy deliciousness. Seriously... the best fried chicken I have ever had in my life *drool*. Everything else was mad good as well. The potatoes were crispy, the grits went really well with the avocados. The server accidentally added avocados as an extra side, but I'm so glad he did. If you eat them together, it's so good. The enchiladas were my least favorite because the meat was pretty dry, but it was still good. read more

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