My favorite mom and pop breakfast place with great prices and great food. Have never been disappointed been coming for years love the waitresses I always have a good time!!! read more

Fred's Diner - Best in Grayslake - Diners Near Me - Grayslake, Illinois

I've been coming here since I was a little kid but consistently since I was in high school during finals week. I know the waitresses and cooks by name absolutely love the staff they are super nice and welcoming if you hear they're rude it's only to regulars that have that kind of relationship with them don't be put off by it I actually asked them not to talk to me like that back in college and they were like oh yeah sure no problem. Any way the food is your typical consistently delicious diner food made to order very fast i've had just about everything on the menu. It's delicious I don't even need a menu anymore. I consistently get my favorite things. Daily homemade soups are perfectly seasoned, burgers are top notch and as far as breakfast food goes I have never been disappointed don't be afraid to be specific with your order in terms of extra crispy bacon or hash browns, I once asked for 20 eggs and they made it for me. The pancakes are delicious, but I think recently they've added cinnamon to it so if you have an allergy watch out for that, I'm not a fan of the cinnamon personally, but I don't mind it because I'm not allergic to it. I could go on and on about this place it's small and cozy I usually go early in the morning when there isn't a lot of people but if you hit peak busy time especially on the weekend expect a little bit of a wait, and if you made it this far this place is CASH ONLY. read more

The city of Grayslake has charm but this place has character- or shall I say characters (literally). Gina, Annette, Patty and Joyce are the gals that operate the assiliam. If you don't have a sense of humor when you enter, you will when you leave. Fred's isn't breakfast, it is an experience. BTW- the food is great too. Located in the heart of downtown Grayslake on Center street - don't bring cards they only accept cash.. They are an old school diner! read more

Fred's Diner - Diners Near Me - Grayslake, Illinois

Sassy and fun waitresses serving hot coffee and standard breakfast, what more could you ask for? Hash browns are steaming fresh off the griddle when you get them, and the eggs are always prepared the way you ask! Fiancé had the steak and eggs and was full to the point that he had to lay down when we got home! Haha. Overall, we were impressed. Just a classic local diner with classic breakfast food! Nothing fancy, but always yummy! read more

Excellent spinach and feta omelette. Very creamy and mild tasting cheese. Nice sourdough too. I would eat there again and order the same dish. read more

A classic small town diner. Those complaining about the ascorbic attitudes should realize that is part of the charm of the place and should grow a thicker skin. The food was great and served quickly. The waitress even remembered my wife's beverage choice from her first and only visit some time ago. read more

Amazing food and service served with a side of Sass from the sister who own the place

If you love old-fashioned diner food this is the place for you!!! The food is awesome my wife and I had eggs scrambled with corned beef hash and hash browns along with a order of biscuits and gravy and pancakes everything tasted fantastic if you like spicy ask for some homemade spicy sauce which was great but too spicy for the wife and just perfect for me! read more

My favorite little smart ass diner with great food!! Love these ladies!! They are always busy. Just remember to bring cash.

Best diner EVER! I have lived all over and can say that this place has the best biscuits and gravy. My kids and I eat here all the time. The ladies who work/own the place are hysterical! The atmosphere is very laid back. The only downside is you have to wait sometimes to get a seat, but it's worth it read more

One of the greatest places ever, just remember, no fear, the attitude you get is expected to be thrown right back, and it's where you can have fun with it and a great meal. read more

Great food. Can't find food like this in Grayslake. Such a welcoming feeling. It gets busy but lines don't last long. Love the staff such sweet humans! read more

This place is awesome. Been going since I was a child. Great food, great value, nice cozy atmosphere. My favorite breakfast place of all time. read more

Fred's is more than just your neighborhood diner. It's one of those hidden gems nestled between the stores in the downtown grayslake strip. They have delicious biscuits and gravy, a southern classic. They make everything fresh to order right behind the counter! The waitstaff is great too, they like to talk smack and it just makes for a fun atmosphere. They are closed on Sunday's which shows that they care enough about their employees to give them a day off to spend with their families. If you go here for Saturday breakfast I recommend coming early because the seats are limited and the line goes out the door! I haven't had lunch here but I've heard it's just as good as the breakfast. read more

Food was outstanding my family and myself were in town for our daughters graduation and needed a place for breakfast.Everyone had a different dish and litterally every dish was fantastic (I know because I tried each one!) I wish I could remember our servers name because she was awesome also..... prices were very reasonable and portions were huge can't wait to go back before we go home read more

A randomly awesome sleeper hit. Go there and get the corned beef hash. Super cheap. Staff is really nice.

Best breakfast place around. Everything is fresh and delicious. The hashbrowns with onions is to die for. The ladies are fun and it feels like home. I love coming here. Just remember to bring cash, as they do not accept cards. read more

Great corned beef hash "extra crisp"! Have fun with the "surly" waitresses, they;re great! read more

Kind of a dive but the food is good and the waitresses are super. Cash only in this day and age was a bit of a surprise. Stop in and listen to the waitresses yell across the restaurant for stuff. read more

Food is good. The place is not clean at all. The waitresses are very annoying with their BIG MOUTHS in such small area and low ceilings. Prices are decent, but they have a lot of work to do to clean the place up. The rest rooms are filthy. read more

What a fun place. We stopped by for a late breakfast today. This place was packed but we sat at the counter and ordered breakfast. You see the cooks cook right in front of you. Good food and service and great prices. We will be back read more

One of my family's favorite Grayslake restaurants. The food is always hot, a generous serving, fairly quick, and tasty. The biscuits and gravy is delicious and comforting. Their pancakes are always a good choice. It's a small diner- not good for parties over 5. Cash only diner with an atm across the street. The ladies are quick and have a good sense of humor. read more

I highly recommend this place for breakfast. Be prepared to wait for a spot to sit. It may be a few minutes because the place is small and the food is that good. Tight but not too cramped. BEST chicken fried steak and eggs I've ever had. The gravy makes it so. Stop by if you get the opportunity. read more

Fred's Diner is the best. As the current Duke of Fred's, I was horrified to see the recent addition of a 1 star review of my beloved Fred's and it is my duty to respond to the utter nonsense I that review. 1. "Horribly slow service" and "30 minutes to cook food" - I have been to Fred's at least 30 times (please note my more than a dozen 'check ins') and it has never taken more than 15 minutes from order to completion of eating. 2. "Stuff floating in water" - I have been served upwards of 100 waters and never had an issue. Guess what people sometimes freak occurrences happen and a little harmless particle ends up in a glass of water, for goodness sakes, what do you do when something comes out of your faucet at home, call the city and complain? Ask for a new one and get over it. 3. "The coffee was absolutely disgusting" - I see that the reviewer gave 5 stars to Starbucks, which is considered by all coffee aficionados to have the absolutely terrible coffee. 4. "Waitress never checked back" "extra napkins" "fresh coffee would have been nice" - You have got to be joking. Did you ask for extra napkins? Maybe I am crazy, but I don't expect people to be mind readers. I have never had my coffee level fall below 3/4 full and I know at least one other reviewer mentioned barely taking 2 sips before getting a refill. 5. "Sat and waited for the bill" "lost bill" "price was blah blah blah" - I assume you placed your order after consulting the menu, where the prices are listed, why is the bill necessary unless you needed it for reimbursement. Odds are whatever "blah blah blah" was it was less than it would have been for the same food at any other nearby establishment. 6. "Weren't even busy" - 90% of the time I am at Fred's between 4:30 and 6:00 AM and it is relatively not busy, but any other time of the morning I have walked into a nearly full restaurant and Saturday mornings there has been a line to get a table. This statement leads me to believe that the reviewer wasn't ever at Fred's. Do yourself a favor and go to Fred's, get some great food for a very reasonable price, and have an exchange of sass with the staff and regulars. read more

This experience is solely due to Yelp. I had no idea this place existed - I drove by it many times and live fairly close to it. Then, I read some yelp reviews here on Fred's and had to take the Fam on over. Although breakfast is my favorite meal, especially with family & friends, we went or lunch. This place closes at 2pm, so don't be late. We all loved this place - My Wife, 7 & 2 year old, and me too. First of all, the waitresses have some lively banter amongst themselves and this place has real character to it - a great thing. But, best of all, it has great food. My wife had an excellent patty melt with just the best fried onion rings. The menu said that they had a Reuben, and I asked if they made a Turkey Reuben, one of my favs, and they made it for me despite not being on the menu. And it was one of the best Turkey Reubens that I ever had. The fries were good and crunchy, but soft in the inside - how they should be. Although they have a limited kids menu, the entire menu is fairly cheap to begin with so there's no problem - what I mean by that is the 2 year old had a great grilled cheese and the 7 year old just wanted a normal, turkey sandwich - both kids selections were on the regular menu but pretty inexpensive, so they don't really need a kids menu. This entire lunch for 2 adults and 2 kids, as grand as it was, was just $28 before tip. Pretty awesome to get great value with great food! We love this place and can't wait to go back and try breakfast. REMEMBER, they take ONLY CASH here. read more

I'm moving soon and I must say I'm really going to miss this place. I've been a regular for the 5 years I've been in the Grayslake area and never been disappointed at Fred's. Great experience every time. Love the service, love the atmosphere and small town diner feel. It always reminds me of places I'd go for breakfast with my grandpa. Thank you for the good food and good times to all the people who work at Fred's. read more

This is one of the better breakfast finds I've visited in the area. You have to love a place that you forget what year it is when you eat there. This place is as old school and classic as it gets, right down to the waitresses that call you "hun". I ordered what might be the tastiest sausage and cheese omelet I've ever devoured. The pancakes were standard and good, but the hash browns are among the best in the land. I will surely be back here if for nothing more than the hash browns. They also do lunch here, so I have to give that a shot as well. read more

I guess this is a family run place as the family, "mother and daughter", were having a good-natured, though strangely projected, argument in front of everyone. No one batted an eye, though. Almost like we were hanging out in the family kitchen. The coffee is superb but the food was inconsistent. My eggs and corned beef hash were great but my wife didn't like her omelet and our bacon was fried to a crisp. I would definitely come back for the coffee, hash, and the family show. read more

Absolutely one amazing place to go out this way! Even if you're not exactly out this far from the highway, take the extra 5 or 10 minutes... it's worth it. The staff here is one that you will not forget! Great food and service and both the aforementioned are always consistent as well. Biscuits and gravy are seriously as good as all the previous reviews mention. read more

Love Fred's! It's a small diner with small town attitude. The staff are wonderfully sarcastic, genuinely nice people. The food is diner yummy, ample portions and reasonably priced. They also support military and local schools. Truly a great little place with great people! read more

Fantastic greasy spoon. Sassy waitresses, delicious artery clogging food, fast service. Sit at the bar and watch them make your food. CASH ONLY. read more

This is by far one of the best breakfast joints in the area. The food is great, the service is excellent, and the prices are very reasonable. Mind you - this is definitely not a gourmet restaurant. If you're looking for some kind of foo-foo crepes or Michelin rated fare - this is not the place. But - it is a great place to get a filling meal and a halfway decent cup of coffee. My only issue - at times you may need to wait 10 minutes for a table (it's quite often packed) - and I would not suggest bringing a party of 6. However - the 10 minutes are easily filled listening to Joyce and her "friendly" banter with the customers. read more

Cash only! No credit or debit cards. Food was decent and cooked to order, the way you like it. (Didn't order my food that way but if I had, it's exactly the way I would have asked for it, see below) This is no diner. It's a Vienna sausage can shoved sideways and you're sitting on top of one another. Didn't care for the white crack in my face of plumber's butt so I pointed it out to the gal schlepping the food. She put the food down and smacked the guys's ass without hesitation and told him to be orderly to hike his pants up. I didn't know who was more surprised... The guy projectile blowing his coffee across the counter because his chubby ass got smacked and squeezed, me, witnessing such a blatant act of touchy feeley before 7:30 AM or the waitress looking at me quizzically like what did you expect me to do as she gently pushed my chin upwards from my shocked disbelief look; was ever so grateful she used her other hand and not the hand that smacked and grab. Was not expecting all that early in the morning. At that point I was glad the lovely waitress left the plate of food in front of me refilling my cup of java in a heartbeat. I just felt a wee bit bad for the poor bloke whose breakfast I started to enjoy. At that point I was not going to argue with Lady Smackn'grab waitress. Left a $50 bill under my plate before the tab was brought to me paying for the food I ordered, the food I ate and the extra funds for the slice of humour served unexpectedly. read more

This place is absolutely DELICIOUS!!! My husband and I only get a chance to go out to breakfast once in a while- and we ALWAYS choose Fred's! The food is DELICIOUS! I love their skillets! read more

I love this place!* Best biscuits and gravy, on this side of the Mississippi and north of the Mason-Dixon line. And the hash browns (with or without onions - but mostly with) are better than I'll EVER make at home. One of faves is the tuna melt, which I will never be able to finish the whole thing in one sitting. And when I ask for my eggs sunnyside medium well, well, I get what I ask for, with just enough yolk to slap on the hash browns. The sisters that work at this place are, for sure, part of the entertainment -- but don't get me wrong . . . they serve it up hot and tasty! And keep the coffee cups full! This isn't five-star dining, but it's five stars for what it is -- great breakfast and some lunch items! * I live about a mile plus from this establishment, and "justify" my occasional B&G splurge because I walk there and back home! Same for the tuna melt, with real mayo. read more

Fred's is the best place around for the comfy atmosphere and home cooking. Everyone there seems to know everyone else and it goes to show how great service can lead to great friendships. My favorite is eggs over easy and toast. I have never had a bad meal there in my life! 100% recommend to anyone looking for a great breakfast in a quaint place. read more

This little diner is a real treasure! Great breakfast, fun atmosphere, and waitress was so funny. Very reasonable prices. Located in beautiful town square. Loved this place! read more

What a fabulous diner! Food and service were both excellent. This is a nice, comfortable spot where they treat you like family and friends. Sarcasm is abundant but not rude or off putting. I can not wait to go back. read more

Great little breakfast spot in the heart of downtown Grayslake. They keep it simple and old school for breakfast, so don't expect all sorts of crazy pancakes like IHOP does it. The waitresses are all attentive and have a sense of humor as they are always joking around with the customers. All the food is excellent, no matter what you order. My favorites are the omelets and thick cut french toast. It is cash only, by the way! read more

Great food. Fun place. Highly recommend the biscuits and gravy. How have I lived in Grayslake 17 years and never been to this place????