Glenn Oak feels like the kind of place where breakfast legends are born and diets quietly file for divorce. The atmosphere hits that perfect sweet spot, warm, welcoming, and buzzing with just enough energy to make you feel like you found the place. Cozy without trying too hard, friendly without being fake, and full of that comforting breakfast chaos that somehow makes coffee taste better. I ordered the biscuits and gravy and somewhere between the first bite and the shamefully aggressive scraping of the plate, I experienced personal growth. These weren't sad, cafeteria biscuits fighting for survival under mystery gravy. No. These biscuits showed up with confidence. Fluffy, buttery little clouds carrying gravy so rich and comforting it could probably talk me through my taxes and unresolved childhood issues. By bite three, I was mentally canceling my responsibilities and considering forwarding my mail to Glenn Oak. The dangerous part? I looked around and realized everyone else seemed equally possessed by whatever culinary wizardry is happening in that kitchen. Suddenly ordering one thing felt irresponsible. If the biscuits and gravy hit this hard, what else are they hiding back there? Glenn Oak is the kind of place that makes you want to tell everyone you know... and absolutely nobody at the same time because waiting longer for a table sounds emotionally devastating. 10/10. Bring stretchy pants, poor decision making, and don't make plans immediately after because you may emotionally commit to staying all day! read more

Glen Oak Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Glen Ellyn, Illinois

See all

I am giving one of my rare two-star reviews, which I do not like to do. This place is pretty bad, food-wise. The seating and service were adequate. Other than the chicken noodle soup, which my husband liked after dumping bags of oyster crackers in it, he did not like or even finish his BLT sandwich, and he loves anything with bacon. He said the bread was old and stale. I did not even bother with their only vegan item here, fruit. They only offer filler fruit (cantaloupe and melon). Vegetarians should do okay if they are ordering eggs or ask for menu item modifications. read more

See all

What a cute little brunch and lunch spot! The portions are massive and such a great deal. The staff is so friendly and really attentive. Will be returning!! read more

Glen Oak Cafe - Breakfast taco - Cafes Near Me - Glen Ellyn, Illinois

Glen Oak Café is a great spot for breakfast or lunch. We came here for lunch. The inside is nice and clean with well-maintained decor that gives it a cozy, welcoming feel. It's clear that care is put into both the space and the service. I had the chicken bacon wrap, and it was absolutely delicious full of fresh ingredients and flavor. The fries were great too, with just the right texture and crispness. It's also a very kid-friendly place, which is always a plus for families. The staff was friendly and attentive, making the experience enjoyable Parking could be a little better, but we were able to find street parking close by without much trouble. All around, a great experience -- we'll definitely be back! read more

We like this place! We'be been here once or twice before and it's been okay but today was particularly nice. Very family friendly; old school breakfast/lunch diner. They have high chairs and booster seats which are toddler requirements! Got a Belgium waffle for the kids to annihilate and split a chicken fried steak with biscuits and gravy with the hubs. Super attentive waitress even with it being busy Saturday morning. We'll be back. read more

Glen Oak Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Glen Ellyn, Illinois

See all

Sunday lunch looking for soup. Cream of chicken soup with rice is on Sunday and very good. The Glen oak sandwich was a solid chicken sandwich. Fries and tots were good. Great service. Will definitely be back. read more

Great food, fair price, nice clean atmosphere. I loved the architecture of the building and the plants over each table. The waitress was perfectly helpful. read more

Absolutely astonishing food service and very nice waiters. The floors are insanely clean read more

Glen Oak Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Glen Ellyn, Illinois

Mannn this sandwich was sooooo good. I had a feeling it was going to be good and I'm so glad it exceeded my expectations. I didn't feel like eating any greasy fast food and I wanted something a bit more subtle and this was a good choice. The only thing was my salad. The Caesar dressing was a bit different.. that's all I can say about that but my croutons were like soft and kinda soggy. Don't know what that was about. They looked very crunchy but wasn't so that was a let down. Couldn't really eat my salad but the sandwich was good. Fries were nice and fresh as well read more

Glen Oak Cafe - Juan Carlos sandwich and Caesar salad - Cafes Near Me - Glen Ellyn, Illinois

Long time family & Senior Spot adjacent to DT GE. Good but not always excellent menu. Open AM through Evenings. Can be noisy. Good service but small in number often now. read more

Food wasn't that great. The water brought out by our excellent server tasted old. She looked into it and discovered the soda line she got the water from was having issues. She replaced our water and was much better. When came out, the skirt steak tasted gamey and old and could use more seasoning.The hash browns tasted of oil and were fried too hard. My wife has the blueberry French toast and seeemed to enjoy it. read more

Excellent food/service. Great variety and the food always taste fresh. The best breakfast around! read more

Nice little breakfast cafe. My group of 4 went on a Sunday morning and were seated as soon as we arrived. Had to park on the street as parking is limited. Food took about 15 minutes to be served. Food was about what I was expecting. I got the the El Torero Scrambler without Chorizo with a side of hash browns and substituted the pancakes for Red Velvet French toast. El Torero Scrambler - 7/10 Hash browns - 7/10 (wished they were crispier) Red Velvet French toast - 8/10 (a tad sweet, but would recommend) Pancakes - 6/10 (typical at home pancakes, nothing spectacular) Overall it's your typical breakfast and brunch place. Have had better, but would come back again. read more

Glen Oak Cafe - Red Velvet French Toast - Cafes Near Me - Glen Ellyn, Illinois

See all

This is a very nice place with classic breakfast food that has been a Glen Ellyn staple for many years. They did an excellent remodel of it about 10 years ago. That really improved the old '70s interior. Service is very good. read more

Went there this morning. The radio was quite loud we asked to turn it down a bit cause ppl around us were talking louder to talk over the radio the COOK said she couldn't turn it down without the owners ok plus It was very expensive there nothing under $13 -looked like hostess had PJs on read more

wow, glen oak...i'm completely impressed by your new menu. i had the baja tacos again, and they were fabulous! and quite a healthy portion.

We really enjoyed our lunch. Great split pea soup. I had the Russian sandwich and sis had veggie panini, which was our server's favorite too. Service was prompt and friendly. Will have to try them again for breakfast, read more

Glen Oak Cafe - Russian is killer. Roast beef, corned beef and Swiss. - Cafes Near Me - Glen Ellyn, Illinois

Would give this place a solid 3.5 stars! I have been here a handful of times as I live in GE. Food is decent. Consistent. Solid. I ordered a veggie omelet, and it was pretty good. The veggies and cheese were plentiful, my wheat toast was warm, the hash browns were browned as I requested, and the bacon was okay. If you are looking for a solid breakfast, I would come here. If you are looking for a great breakfast, check out some of my other reviews. I do have to say that I find the restaurant very comfortable. Service has also always been pretty good. Food solid just nothing special. read more

See all

It's a pandemic folks!! The place is jam packed with patrons. Most not wearing masks at any time! Sadly the employees are setting an example by also removing their masks. I realize it's uncomfortable but please please stay safe. The manager (owner?) also kept pulling down his mask. Patrons are following him. We even saw a lady, customer, going from table to table to chitchat with her friends. No mask! We were extremely uncomfortable in this situation. I do want to say the food was delicious. But it could be gold plated and I will never return to this restaurant. If you don't care about me during Covid, I wonder about the safety of food handling. Among other items. I just don't get it. I know it's been extremely hard. Especially after a year. But we'll never get closure if we continue to ignore rules. Our country has over 500,000 deaths from Covid. No one is immune! read more

Good breakfast Garden skillet, the eggs weren't fluffy how I like them and over cooked. However the skillet is big and very filling I ate only half. and was full. The hashbrowns were good, plenty eggs and very cheesy. I do think the pancakes were too thin, but tasted good.Overall, pretty standard read more

See all

My husband and I had a late breakfast/early lunch there today and we were "wowed!" Our server Liz was so pleasant and attentive, and our food was great! My breakfast quesadilla was very flavorful and ample in size (plus it came with sides of sour cream, guac and salsa). Half of it came home with me. My husband's sandwich (Glen Forest) was grilled chicken with bacon, cheddar cheese and bbq sauce on sourdough bread. It came with a cup of soup and he opted for the chicken noodle which was hearty and delicious. The fries were fantastic (the double fried kind) and he had leftovers as well. We would both HIGHLY recommend this restaurant!! read more

Quick Update: Glen Oak Cafe is a fantastic spot to have breakfast, either solo or with company. The decor is classic "breakfast cafe" that has a nice homey feel to it. The staff reinforces it by making you feel like a regular even if it's your first time. Add on top of that the quality food at a semi-reasonable price (I'd like to see prices come down just a bit) and you have a winner that makes you want to come back again and again. After having had breakfast here twice this past weekend I think I'm going to establish routine visits in the future. read more

Everybody there is a delight. The food is like your mom made it. It is not gourmet, but it always hits the spot and the portions are exactly what you would expect from a classic diner. I've been several times, and I will continue to go again and again. read more

I am a new resident to the area & my family is happy to find our new favorite breakfast spot. The vibe is very nice & the wait staff are all friendly every time. The eggs are always cooked perfect & pairing with their amazing corned beef hash is always a must! I would highly recommend to anyone living in the area or just driving by. Thanks! read more

First time customer, the service was ok. The food was delicious! I ordered the salmon Benedict and it was loaded with flavor. The house potatoes are a must try, nice crisp crunch. Pretty affordable. read more

Best skillet I have had in a good while! And a TON of food! Highly recommend! Service was just fine, no complaints! read more

Glen Oak Cafe - Countryside Skillet - No Onion with Rye Toast. Very good! - Cafes Near Me - Glen Ellyn, Illinois

See all

Good food. Love the French toasts- inspired us to make our own French toast with the same ingredients. Food was good and restaurant has a parking lot and easy to get to. read more

If you haven't tired Glen Oaks Cafe in Glen Ellyn your missing out. They never disappoint.. read more

Glen Oak Cafe - Healthy Me...absolutely perfect...great service... - Cafes Near Me - Glen Ellyn, Illinois

See all

Have been coming here for the past 30 years, the food is always good. We come here now once a month for breakfast and I always enjoy a skillet with just bacon and cheddar, but today was told that could not be made which was very disappointing. Not sure why making that would have been a problem, but oh well:( read more

I've been coming here since it opened... it's sad as I've supported local businesses (and perhaps I've just hit them on a couple of bad days), but service (which is increasingly surly!) and food quality have definitely fallen off over the past year. My weekly breakfasts there have become "hit or miss" more times than not. My last time in was on Martin Luther King Day - it wasn't just that service was very slow (I understand everyone is having difficulty with staffing) or that the order was wrong and cold, it was the owner's rude treatment in front of my 2 year old grandson - and he may have just been having a bad day during a busy shift - that convinced me that I'd not be back. If you go there, consider some of the other reviews listed here and expect an experience somewhere between "ok" and "disappointing." If you're looking for a more consistent breakfast experience, consider Danby Station on Roosevelt Road. read more

Great space. Bad food. Ordered the steak and eggs, medium. The steak was well done, unseasoned, and came on a separate plate in a vast pool of its own juices. Hash browns were cold. Wife ordered a fruit cup side dish, got a pile of honeydew and melon, the absolute bottom barrel fruit combo. Bad coffee. Won't be back. read more

Really appreciate this place for breakfast, updated furnishings, clean, good service, early opening, large menu, reasonable prices, and most important a kitchen that delivers a high quality product consistently. read more

Great local diner. You'll be dining with downtown business people, friends meeting up, high school kids and everyone else from the Glen Ellyn community. Service is always fast and friendly. Menu has lots of variety. I live in Arizona, but visit family in Glen Ellyn, we always go to Glen Oak! read more

A mainstay, this quaint café located right at the Glen Ellyn stop has become my breakfast go-to meeting spot for my customers. With lots of glass, it has an out doors like look while being inside. Bright and airy, the food is good, the prices are reasonable and the service is on point. The fresh squeezed orang juice is to die for, with the food being the standard diner fare. Whether it's oatmeal or eggs Benedict, the food is always cooked to perfection. I have not had a bad meal here. What makes it standout is that like all real estate it is about location, location, location, and this establishment on the train line has got that with good food and courteous service, sure fire formula for success. read more

Glen Oak Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Glen Ellyn, Illinois

Our group met at the Glen Oak Cafe on 8/1/2023. Food, ambiance, and service were excellent!

Average breakfast place with friendly and prompt service. However on my first, and probably only visit, there was something very wrong with the hollandaise sauce. There's basically 3 ingredients in a hollandaise, and last i checked mustard was not one of them. Unfortunately my classic benedict was drowned in this junk. I would have welcomed a strong coffee to wash the taste away but wow is the coffee weak here. I didnt complain or send it back ( i did manage to eat half of it ) with the help of some decent hash browns. However, i did mention it while paying my check. The response, "oh thats funny, thats the one we always use" leads me to believe it came from a can, and probably off at that. Again , its 3 ingredients , if you arent making fresh hollandaise, shame on you. Not the worst experience ever , but with so many choices out there, im sure i wont be back. read more

Sad face :( This place is really cute! I really wanted to like it, but it just didn't hit the bar for me. The person who seated us was very nice! However, our waitress was extremely awkward. She would come to the table, pause, stare at us like she was slow then ask us if we wanted something to drink. It was the most awkward thing. She was doing this to everyone. Idk weirdddddd... On to the food... My hashbrowns were burnt. No amount of cheese could fix this. Normally I would send them back, but I was way to lazy to be petty. They did not taste good since they were burnt. My friends hashbrowns were fine though.. Maybe I was just unlucky. This is not even the worst part.. My waffle was horrible. Belgium Waffles are more on the light airy, crispy side, but this waffle tasted like it was made with that's powder in a box (yuck!!!) You know, the kind that says 'add water and stir' ew! How could you mess up a waffle? It was too doughy. I actually only ate two bites of it. The only thing I really liked was my orange juice. I know that sounds weird, but honestly it tasted like someone's grandma freshly squeezed that with love and brought it to my table. Haha! I'm not going to give up on this place. I will try again. Hopefully it was just an off day. :-/ read more

See all

Great food and service! Large sharable portions! Small Town ambience with friendly servers!

And Nothing out of the ordinary here. The wait was long and there was nothing special about our food. Our waitress was nice and attentive. The only thing that really stood out to me was the treasure chest of toys, little plastic toys, for the kids. My girls walked out with little spiky balls. I thought that and the dum dums are a good idea. There are better breakfast places, in my opinion, and I won't be back. I returned again and I'm sorry I did. I ordered a waffle, you can't go wrong with that. Boy, was I wrong. It was dry, tasted refrigerated and I did ask for whip with it, they drenched it with so much! I took a few bites and left it. The waitress asked me if I needed a box. I said no, I didn't like it, she said oh and walked away. No I'm sorry, she didn't ask why o didn't like it and she didn't try to make it up to me. All she said was oh and walked away. Terrible! Just terrible! read more

I agree with Jen's post. My wife and I decided to try Glen Oak about a year ago and have been occasionally coming here since. It is worth the little extra drive for us for the nice ambience, aesthetics, great menu selection, and staff has always been friendly. Each visit we will try something different and we have never been dissatisfied and was always great tasting. I would have given Glen Oak 5 stars however I have one slightly negative comment. The host/cashier needs to polish her customer and personal skills.(sorry owners).. read more