Another joint I've driven past for decades and never stopped. In fact nearly every time I drove past it looked deserted and closed. That I finally visited this place was part of a very special series of moments. I basically hated high school, (JSMorton East-Cicero, IL) but not for the reasons you might expect. Mostly boring teachers and stultifying curriculum. I couldn't wait to get out of there so I could continue with my education. There were bright spots, though. One was my sophomore English Teacher Gus Jackson. Erudite, witty, respectful, and in tune. He allowed us to be smart-asses in class as long as it was based in dignified wit. And we actually LEARNED SHIT because of him. What a concept! A brilliant man, whom I never forgot. I attempted to keep in touch with him but after a while he was lost in the sea of moving experience like so many bittersweet factions of our lives. Imagine my surprise when he recently appeared in the "meet and greet" line at one of our concerts 53 years after my graduation. To say I was stunned is woefully inadequate. I jumped up, tearfully, sped around the table to give him the warmest embrace of genuine admiration and respect I could muster. I saw in his beguiling smile and expressive eyes he was glad to see me too! He said he saw my name in the local paper in an article about our appearance, and decided to come to the show. We made plans to have breakfast, and Gus selected this place. They could have put Purina Kibble and flat Coke out to eat and drink and I would have been overjoyed, just to sit and reminisce with my old friend. But the food was GREAT. I had a Greek Omelette which was total yum, and the Coffee was superior. And I'm not being kind just because of the reunion. I would have thrown 4 stars for this place in any case. Do eat here, if you can. I often still have occasion to drive past the Morningside, but now I do so with a warm smile, and a memory that will linger... read more

Morningside Cafe - Gus and I in the Morningside Parking Lot - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Lisle, Illinois

Plenty for vegetarians and omnivores here. Nothing but meon and cantaloupe here for vegans? And I do not consume those two fruits and bananas. Fortunately, I always carry an avocado in my bag? And they did not give me a hard time about eating "outside food," like some places do. Service was excellent and prives were fair. read more

Probably been around a decades since I've enjoyed a breakfast here. Turns out this is a great middle of the trip spot for my sister, parents and myself. Everyone enjoyed their selection and the staff is friendly. Was always a well kept dining room. Will certainly suggest we put this place in our rotation. read more

See all

My only complaint is price, breakfast for two with a tip can pass $50 for fairly normal meals. The food is good, standard quality, although I am personally not a fan of the way they serve toast. Service is acceptable, very objective, not very conversational. Overall ambiance of the location is nice, though there are some missing fixtures on the tops of railings and the screw holes are still there, could do with some sort of toppers. read more

Visiting Illinois for work and had to stop to eat in the local cafe. This place was great and the gentleman host is so sweet. The food was delicious and we truly enjoyed it. The place is very welcoming, the staff are super attentive and the ambiance is just perfect. The restrooms are very clean and the parking lot is big. I definitely recommend this place for breakfast. The coffee is great and your cup will never hit empty unless you say...your done. In all my travels this has been one of my favorite cafe's...it reminded me of a café I would visit in Tucson AZ off of Prince road that closed after the pandemic. On to the next and remember to tip your servers read more

See all

Came here on a whim while on business in Chicago. Great all-American diner look and feel. Wonderful, friendly service! I ordered the Morninside skillet, and it was delicious. Didn't even need to add salt or pepper. Some might want to add salt after getting through the eggs and down to the potatoes and other grilled vegetables, but the sausage and bacon were seasoning enough for me. I highly recommend the Morningside Cafe! read more

Prompt and easy. Friendly service with slight variations on the classic dinner fare. Feels very classic and local, which is nice. Prices were very fair, which is always welcome! read more

Stopped in on a busy Saturday morning. It was my first visit to this restaurant. I knew our server from another restaurant. She is great. They had tables available and we were sat immediately. We ordered the deluxe lunch plates which came with a side and soup. No, not a cup of soup, a BOWL!! With a delicious herb breadstick! The potato soup was fabulous! I hardly had room for my lunch! The monte Cristo was very good. The sweet potato fries were the best!! I will definitely be adding Morningside to my brunch rotation! read more

See all

A cut above other local diners. Usually never a wait for a table, even if it's crowded. The food is better and the wait is shorter than the other high volume (and trendier) breakfast spots in the area which can have you waiting for 30min. Food comes out fast, and is made with good quality ingredients. Great omelettes and hash browns (order them well done!). Good coffee, topped up regularly. All the servers (especially Anastasia) are lovely. Place seems to be very well managed. Gives us that welcoming old school diner feeling every time. Will come back again and again. read more

Lovely little throwback diner on Ogden. Vicky, our server, was simply lovely and the food was delicious. Not too busy for a late-May Saturday morning, and there didn't seem to be a line, which means things move efficiently. Would 10/10 come here for breakfast again soon. read more

A very nice cafe! I come here weekly... at least! The food is excellent,hot (temperature) and all of the staff are extremely friendly. The menu is rather extensive, for a cafe, and very consistent - no surprises, ever! Just be aware that they like to close at 3pm SHARP. Time yourself accordingly! read more

I have been visiting this breakfast cafe for the last many years and it's always been delightful. They customer service is super fast and super friendly! Great quality food for the price - definitely recommend this diner to all local lisle residents. read more

It was our first time trying the Morningside Café... We were there for a quick, simple lunch... I ordered a grilled cheese and my friend had the chili. My grilled cheese was very tasty and came with a cup of broccoli cheddar soup, which was super thick and yummy. My friend said his chili was hot and tasty. Would definitely come back here again ! read more

Morningside Cafe - Bowel of chili... - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Lisle, Illinois

See all

Nice, clean, friendly. Food was decent, but pricey. Had a sandwich special, came to 17.00 without tip, and I drank water.

A great local diner! Quick service. My husband and I often go on Sundays because he loved the Sunday soup- creamy chicken.

Delicious hot food delivered to the table . Service was awesome! Everything was made to order. Will definitely be back!

A pretty good breakfast/lunch/brunch spot. All the breakfast food was fantastic. Most meals are pretty large portions, coming with pancakes or soups. Everything was great except the french dip which was disappointing to say the least. Eleven a.m. is kinda early for a lunch order but it was still really lacking in flavor. Everything else was great though and we will be returning, will just stick with the breakfast foods next time! read more

Parking is tight & was packed when the restaurant was practically empty Coffee was fine & they kept it coming Food was all below average Sausage links were not very good Scrambled eggs weren't even cooked thru & inedible. Pancakes were mediocre Bill was over $70 after tip for 3 breakfasts & coffees read more

Morningside Cafe is the quintessential breakfast spot that serves up friendly vibes and delicious food. Arrive early to beat the (slowly materializing) rush as this place gets busy by late-ish morning. Upon arriving and being seated you are treated like a regular, smiles are aplenty. The menu offers a near-limitless number of tasty-sounding choices and, if that's not enough, it's accompanied by a Specials page of equally desirable meals. The turn-around time, from order to arrival, is average but our food did arrive in mini-waves (as opposed to all at once). Once we dug-in, however, we were very pleased by the food quality, taste, and portion size. Only one person in our group felt slightly underwhelmed with her food. I, on the other hand, nearly licked the plate clean of my Eggs Benedict. The prices seem a bit higher than I would expect but, given that it checks all other boxes, the ROI was acceptable. Morningside has found it's way onto my list of desirable breakfast options and, at just a short drive from home, I know I'll be back again soon. read more

I came here with 3 friends for a late breakfast. I ordered the Ole Skillet which was tasty but I only ate about 1/5 of it since it was HUGE. I got the English muffin on the side & ate half of that. My friend ordered a veggie burger & got the cream of chicken soup but she couldn't eat it since she has dairy issues (that was the only one available). I ate that too & it was really tasty. I didn't enjoy the coffee much & that was with an extra creamer. Our waitress was friendly & helpful. Overall I'd go back again, especially since it's 5 min from where I live. read more

Good diner! Great breakfast place with a varied menu. A big dining area with lots of tables means you may have choices when it comes to deciding where to sit. Prompt seating, attentive staff, never-ending coffee cups. read more

We have a 90 plus year old godmother in the area and take her here every time we are in town. The servers really hustled and served great tasting meals. The portions are large and well worth the modest cost especially for being near Chicago. We normally have breakfast there even if it's lunchtime. The Gluten Free pancakes are delicious as are other GF options which is really important to our family. The restaurant has large windows surrounding the dining area which really makes the room brighter in spite of the fact that it's usually gloomy and/or pouring rain whenever we are in the area. There's plenty of parking and the lot can be entered from two different streets which is very helpful as it is located at a very busy intersection. Pancakes and sausage are great any time of the day! They aren't open in the evening so plan accordingly. read more

Morningside Cafe is far and away my favorite restaurant for breakfast or lunch! I will specifically drive here whenever I'm in the mood for a good breakfast! The restaurant is always bright, sunny and welcoming. The food is excellent and the servers are experienced and friendly. I really enjoy it here. The menu is exceptional with something for everyone for breakfast, lunch or an early dinner including paleo friendly offerings! I highly recommend the Morningside Cafe for a delightful experience! I think you will love it here! read more

See all

Wonderful local breakfast and lunch joint. Fabulous service, many breakfast and lunch options, generous portions (e.g. thick omelette takes up half the plate, freshly grated hash browns take-up the other half, plus a bread option: toast, pancakes, English muffin, etc.). Daily specials include some classic as well as creative options (apples in an omelette? Crazy. Crazy delicious). read more

Katie was a nice server and our food was delicious! We arrived around 10am, it was busy but not packed so we did not have to wait - will be visiting again! read more

The food was great, service was 10/10. We had a party of 7 that was well taken care of by the servers and when we realized that half of us were too low on time to stay, they helped us box the food so that we could take it back to them. Awesome place, would recommend for a nice breakfast/lunch experience. read more

Tried a taco salad and it was huge, delicious with lots of toppings and lots of lettuce. The salsa was HOT so used my own at home. Pickup service was super fast! read more

Very Nice! And quite a value too. If you are looking for a solid diner that provides a good old-fashioned (circa 1970-90) breakfast or lunch, look no further than Morningside Cafe. If have been a patron for more than ten years, though I only go a few times a year because it a bit of a drive for me, and I have never been disappointed. The restaurant is spotless, the staff is very friendly, and the food is rock-solid reliable. Their triple-decker turkey blt is so large you can't fit it in your mouth, and I usually take half of it home. Their breakfast choices are very good too. read more

Super nice spot, close to Morton Arboretum. Food excellent, service excellent. I had Country Benny, wife had Spinach and Feta Omelet. We will be back for sure! read more

Morningside Cafe - Country Benny - perfect poached eggs, excellent gravy! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Lisle, Illinois

Parking a little tight on a busy Sunday at noon. Service inside was very good. Coffee refills were timely. Plenty of options for breakfast or lunch. read more

This place is great! Good food, quality and service. Cafe food cafe environment. Lots of options. Prompt service and the coffee keeps comin! Give this place some business people. Let's keep this one around! :) read more

Traditional American breakfast in a rustic setting. Food and service is above average.

Nice breakfast place. We were in town for a hockey tourney and looking for a decent breakfast place. Staff was very friendly and our breakfast was good. read more

My girlfriend and I had breakfast here over the weekend and we were very satisfied with our experience. It's basically what you would expect from the name; a typical American diner. They offer breakfast and lunch, at a moderate price. The seating is comfortable and the decor is warm if not a little dated. We were seated right away, and our waitress greeted us right away. They have a nice little coffee menu, and we both ordered a coffee with a shit of espresso. I ordered a skillet and eggs with pancakes and a side of corned beef hash and my girlfriend got pancakes, hash browns and eggs. It was all really good. Everything was pretty much what one would expect. Fluffy pancakes, perfectly cooked eggs, strong coffee. It was all hot and it came out pretty quickly from the kitchen. All in all it was only about 40 bucks with a $10 tip. We will be back. read more

Morningside Cafe - Breakfast - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Lisle, Illinois

Morningside Cafe review from a 7 year old: the food is really good, the server Barbara is my favorite and the booths are really comfy. 5 stars I recommend this place for families. From the parents perspective: This place is a family breakfast staple, the coffee is hot and strong and the food is plentiful. In all honesty, it is a nice family friendly spot with a great kid and adult menu and servers who know what they are doing. read more

We stopped at Morningside Cafe for a quick breakfast. It was a well rounded experience. The server was very attentive and friendly and the food was delicious. It came out very quick despite a full cafe. We had the apple omelet (unique but amazing), the veggie hash with pancakes (gf pancakes are terrific) and a bowl of oatmeal (the real deal). All great and the portions are very large. The one and only flaw is that the coffee (both caffeinated and decaf) tasted like watered down church coffee from 1980. But the o.j was fantastic and made up for it. So stick to tea and juice and you will have a top notch breakfast! read more

Had the pleasure of talking with the owner who is from Greece, actually a very nice man! The ambiance of this diner is amazing, great Halloween decor and clean, smooth running service with smiles. Chai Tea hit par for me the food is decent! Great place to come have breakfast whether you're in a hurry or taking your time on! I recommend coming here for an old fashioned American breakfast. read more

Father's Day and boy were they busy. Tables full as well as parking lot. We still only waited maybe 10 minutes for a table. The hostess apparently doesn't like her job as she said it loud enough for us to hear. That being said our waitress and the bussers were great and seemed to be happy about working there and their job. I ordered western omelet which it was good. Granddaughter had strawberry crepes and my Son had crepes, biscuits and gray and also corned beef hash. Yes he ate it all We had 2 coffees and a hot chocolate. All this for just under $53. Crepes were very good and such a great amount Son said biscuits and gray were really good also. He said it was good getting biscuits that weren't so thick so that you can really taste the flor of the gravy. We will definitely go back as there are so many mediocre breakfast places around us that it is nice finding a good one read more

See all

Morningside is our usual brunch place, especially on weekends. A few weeks ago, though, we decided to try out the relatively newer restaurants in the Lisle/Naperville neighborhood. Specifically, we went to the nautical-themed brunch place at the corner of Naper and Ogden, and a couple of places with "Jam" in their names. I was surprised to be disappointed by all of them for various reasons, and was very happy to come back to Morningside last weekend to a calm, well-run restaurant with polite, friendly and efficient staff, good food, good portions, good value for money. read more

Morningside Café is amazing! A must-visit place and the perfect spot to go for awesome breakfast meals and food. They have the best waffles in this whole area of Lisle. They also have coffee, sandwiches, pancakes, and other desserts. They also offer some breakfast meals such as Chicken and Fried Steak, Roast Beef, Liver & Onions, and others. Their dessert selection is also huge, they have banana splits, ice cream, milkshakes, and others. Such a great big menu. A wonderful spot that is full of delicious food and breakfast offers. Overall it is really a great place to get a good and affordable meal. Also, if you are going to get a quick breakfast or brunch. Service was also great. Everyone who works here in Morningside is professional, nice, and well-trained. They all know how to do their job and treat the customers so well. They even greet all of the customers and always smile. All of them are working so fast and they always got the orders correct. Served the food on time. Very helpful staff. Morningside is definitely a great family-run business here in Lisle. They are making delicious and amazing breakfast food at such an affordable price. Fantastic! Highly recommend! I would love to go back again soon when I go back to Chicago. Hopefully, I am able to see the nice staff before and thanks them again. I will continue to recommend this place to all the people I know, friends, family, and other relatives. They will be going to love this place too. Thank you, Morningside Café! Keep up the good work! read more