Stopped by for a late lunch one Tuesday. Service was very attentive and our food was out in just a few minutes. All of it was hot and delicious. Will definitely return when in the area again. read more

Feels like a cross between a greasy spoon and a Jewish deli. The menu is definitely large - you've got a pick of Mexican cuisine, sandwiches, burgers, hotdogs, and breakfast specialities among other things. I appreciate the portion sizes, the customer service, and roominess of the place. I went with a spicy chicken wrap with Cajun fries. While the meal fills you up, I feel it really wasn't all that spicy. I expected more of a kick to the flavoring. The chicken could have been a bit more crisp too- of course I figured it wouldn't be a fried wrap. I still recommend this place highly, but you're probably better off with the breakfast food. read more

What a wonderful and secret GEM! Great food, nice people and fast service. Broad menu with something for everyone. Make sure you get here early to get a table. Mr. E loves the waffles here so much we got a second order! Really a great restaurant. read more

I love a corned beef sandwich and have had many from here but I'm very disappointed with my last two visits here. This place HAD one of the best in the area and brought me sandwich pleasure but..... The first poor sandwich, I let it go because it could have been a bad day but yesterday was the same dry, cold, bread not entirely fresh, poor excuse for a corned beef sandwich. I had bragged that this was the best in the area and treated my out of town guests. No I didn't return them bc I took them 'to go'. Now I'm afraid to order one again. I don't know what happened! As Napoleon Dynamite would have said, DANG! read more

Once Upon A Grill - $1.50 each taco Tuesday. Al pastor - Delis Near Me - Northbrook, Illinois

This spot is some of the best traditional deli food and breakfasts you can get. Any time I'm craving a bagel, matzoball soup, or any jewish deli type food, this place is my first go-to! read more

If you blink you might miss it on Dundee Rd. Food is always amazing. Staff is friendly. Recommend the Mexican food. Great for take out when you don't want to get food from 2-3 different places. They have everything. From tacos, tortas, matzo ball soup, lox plate, to pastries. Pastries baked in house. Recommend it !!! read more

Went there for dinner last week--how did I not know they had Mexican food in addition to everything else? The tacos were delicious; the grilled fish ones were outstanding--super light, not greasy and (maybe?) even healthy. Francisco waited on us and was so outgoing, friendly and welcoming. We will be back!!! read more

I'm a big fan of all members of the "once upon a..." family. I wasn't quite sure how "once upon a grill" differed from Once upon a BAGEL and the friendly guy behind the counter mentioned they had Mexican food. When I pointed out that the Once upon a Bagel* in Winnetka also has (delicious) Mexican food he admitted they aren't all that different. During my most recent visit I tried that Mexican food, 2 chicken tacos to be exact. Delicious as always! The guys at once upon sure know how to make a good taco, quesadilla and (of course) a bagel. More crowded that I expected on a random Tuesday afternoon, which didn't make it as an ideal spot to get some work done as I would have hoped. And the senior citizen crowd reminded me fondly of my deli experiences back home in Boca Raton, FL. * http://www.yelp.com/biz/once-upon-a-bagel-winnetka?hrid=a-4Vfxv4izYTsvuO283_6A read more

Great Food and Great Service! And Great Atmosphere!!I come back as often as I can and am never disappointed.

I usually always base my ratings on the food....because that is ultimately what you are coming for. Everything else can be forgiven if the food is outstanding. People will wait in line for hours for something if it is good enough or at least if it's gotten enough hype. So to make my point, I gave Once Upon a 4 star rating in the past b/c of the food. It is very good, but not the best in the area in terms of breakfast or even lunch for that matter. But what is the best are the people and the prices. I come here at least 2-3 a week now, and they all know me. They are very friendly and willing to accommodate in any way possible, all the time. The prices too are amazing. Like I said, I'd rather eat breakfast at Georgie V's everyday, but my wallet and wife (my wifey wallet) would say no to that in a heartbeat. Let's face it, I can get an omelette at Gerogie's for 13 bucks, or from Once Upon during the "Early Bird" hours for less than $6.00. Again, less than 6 bucks for a huge 4-6 egg omelette stuffed w/ hashbrowns, bacon and American cheese and served with a bagel of your choice. You CANNOT BEAT IT unless you're making it at home yourself. Please, someone tell me of a better breakfast deal and I will tell you you're lying!!!! :) read more

Once Upon A Grill - Breakfast at Once Upon a Grill....it's a Saturday morning ritual now :-) - Delis Near Me - Northbrook, Illinois

Great variety, and what I ordered (corned beef on rye with a potato pancake as my side) was ample and just about as good as at my favorite Jewish deli, at about 2/3 the price. Another plus was that the potato pancake (or latke to purists) came with decent-sized containers of both sour cream and applesauce. I'll definitely be back to try some more things from their huge menu. read more

Now that was a delicious Reuben moist and meaty perfect balance of all the traditional components and grilled to crispy perfection, good (but small crispy dill pickle too ! Tomorrow taco tuesday! It can be a little hard to get in and out off the strip mall parking but at 3:00 no waiting. I really wanted to try the corned beef hash but just Easter for ao-go order t get a sanwitch. . Next time. read more

Once Upon A Grill - A little oily on mine mom's was a little light on corned beef mixem' together and they'd be perfect. - Delis Near Me - Northbrook, Illinois

This restaurant has the power to gauge anytime they can. They sell items "way over the top" prices, their store next door is notorious for charging too much per item. Their food is just fair, depending who is behind the counter. read more

At first I did not know what to think. It was small and the menu was confusing. I chose their meat lovers omelette. It had corned beef, salami and pastrami. Being from NYC I have a love for those meats. The service was fast. Food presentation nothing to be excited about.. But the taste was on point. With my meal I had a bagel. It looked dry and hard at first. As I bit into it I quickly learned that was not the case. I would recommend this to anyone. read more

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There's not enough time to read the extensive menu on the wall before you order so get to know the menu before you arrive. Chicken fingers and fries were excellent - white meat planks of chicken and crispy fries. The grilled cheese however was a disaster with regards to flavor. The American cheese they use must be fake because even Kraft singles taste better than whatever they used here - it was dry and honestly flavorless. Matzo ball soup was good but not great. It needed more chicken flavor. Am probably used to the fake stuff they add at other spots so it was missing some depth of flavor I am accustomed to in matzo ball soup. The chilaquiles had way too much rice nd beans on the plate and not enough tortillas and sauce. We ordered the red which had a nice level of heat and flavor just not enough of the main dish - too large on the sides. read more

Vibey, great soup and bagels. Would recommend the chicken noodle soup and egg bagels. Corned beef is also amazing, especially the corned beef hash. read more

Amazing and diverse menu. Just went with my family. I got a chorizo omelet with a bagel. Wife had two HUGE chicken tacos. Also ordered a salad and Cajun fries. Everything was a hit. Next time will order some deli. Quick service and a great soda fountain. read more

Only one word for this place... Vile. The standards for the 4 star reviewers for this place have got to be super low. .. Or they called in a lot of favors. How counter service food can be cold on arrival is perplexing. A Jewish deli w stale rye bread... Lol, OK. The woman at the counter said their wings were magical. Perhaps that was a cue I missed. It's magical at how soggy and Luke cold they were served for sure. I asked her if they were battered wings and she said no. They were. So after one bite of one wing and a bite of my corned beef sandwich w stale rye bread I returned both. Rather than just give me my money back, I was up sold every item on the menu including their Mexican fare. If I wanted Mexican food I wod not be hitting a deli. I should have applied that philosophy to the wings I suppose but she did upsell me and I fell for it. They get four stars for being good sales people and zero for their food. Its my second time there. The first was for breakfast and it was just as bad. I like to give places a couple of tries. read more

The place is clean and quaint with a welcoming atmosphere. Not a big fan of the ordering at the counter style restaurant but I did appreciate the willingness to hand me a paper menu. The only issue with the paper menu is it's not very detailed. For example the veggie omelette doesn't list what veggies come with it nor did I see a list of cheese or other ingredient options if you wanted to make your own. I got the veggie omelette with jalapeños, avocado, and feta added. I also got an everything bagel with chive cream cheese. The bengal was soft, fresh and had a really nice flavor and texture. I'm sorry to say the omelette. Was kind of average. The omelette was of generous size and the ingredients were chunky but it just lacked flavor and all the ingredients just seemed to meld together. I suppose given how much I love there restaurant Lucky Fish my expectations may have been to high lol but I just wasn't all that impressed. I'd go back though at some point and maybe order something else. read more

Once Upon A Grill - Delis Near Me - Northbrook, Illinois

Great deli food in Northbrook!! Love the matzo ball soup and corned beef sandwich. More than enough to share.

Great menu variety- so much to choose from and the food was good. The personnel were pleasant. I definitely will be back.

I am sad to give this place only 3 stars... and the SOLE reason they get 3 stars is because they are GROSSLY OVER PRICED. The first time I came I had a turkey club which was really good BUT the sandwich and a pickle cost $9.50 !!! They don't even give you 2 layers of turkey. After getting over the price the sandwich was actually really good.. So much so I went back and sucked up the price one more time with the thought that I will have to absolutely crave this sandwich to ever pay that price again. Well today I said to myself, let me give them a try for a breakfast sandwich.. without knowing the price, I ordered a bacon egg and cheese on a toasted wheat bagel with butter over the phone. Much to my dismay, they charge $8.43 for it!!! My Gawd! I immediately expressed my shock at the price. I said to cashier they don't even charge those prices in NY/NJ .. hell even in Chicago they don't charge that much. you shouldn't have to pay more Than $4.50 for a breakfast sandwich. I was baffled! I mean it's not like this place is organic/non gmo... They get a ton of business so I'm not sure why there is such gouge in the pricing. But then again in business you charge the highest price consumers will tolerate. well...long story short ... this customer no longer can tolerate such ridiculous prices.. I mean the food is good but not that good... I unfortunately will take my business elsewhere... read more

I was a little skeptical given the random name (that doesn't sound deli-like at all) and the location, but wow was I pleasantly surprised. Everything I tried was great, and the prices are remarkably reasonable for deli food. My mom and I split a matzo ball soup and a corned beef sandwich and a smiley face cookie. Splitting made it all the perfect size meal, and we got all that for around $15. Amazing! I'm glad that Max & Benny has some fierce competition--it's time. It's also a cute little neighborhood-y place inside. Yay for a good new spot to grab a quick, easy dinner. read more

Once Upon A Grill - Oh yes I did.... - Delis Near Me - Northbrook, Illinois

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My office orders lunch from here regularly and I regularly eat way too much because it is just so damn good!! The highlights: tuna boat (tuna melt in a sub), lox plate, matzoh ball soup, cajun fries, sweet potato chips and, of course, smiley face cookies!!! Breakfast menu isn't bad either. No frills but consistently delicious food. How can you go wrong? read more

Great food. Good service. Friendly staff. I love the pastrami, never dry, always tasty with Gouldens spicy mustard on rye. Loved the whitefish salad sandwich, not salty great flavor on kaiser bun... Yum. Try the Bakery next store (Leonard's) if you want some awesome take home treats like coffee cakes, cookies, rugalah. Except when busy with its many regulars you should love this place. read more

Love the food for eat in or carry out. Their trays also are great for family get together a or shiva.

Had a Chinese Chicken Salad... Yum! Sweet Potato Fries, awesome! (Don't forget to ask for the seasoned salt with them) Inexpensive Jewish Deli. Yes, please! read more

Three words - CORNED BEEF HASH. OK, I like the canned corned beef hash on occasion with my eggs for breakfast. It's not healthy and even a little unappealing. When I order it and encounter a place that makes their own CBH, I'm usually disappointed. It's usually no good. Gimme the canned stuff! Enter Once Upon a Grille's Corned Beef Hash - to die for. And I never thought I'd say those words about CBH in my lifetime. But this stuff is freshly made and has tons of flavor. Nothing like the canned stuff that I love - much better! Their omelette's are great as well - can be tough to find a spot to sit during peak hours. It's an "order at the front and they bring the food to your table" kind of place. Nice spot for breakfast, lunch and Corned Beef Hash! read more

You wont get the same price twice there. People at the register that don't have a clue. Won't be going back anytime soon! read more

Always easy. Always quick. Very consistent. Fair prices an good deli fare. One of my favorite spots for a quick breakfast. A few early-bird omelet specials for $5.50 before 10AM. Bagels, eggs, sandwiches and good soups. Definitely no frills, but always a good bet for a fast bite. read more

Maybe it's me because I'm trying to figure out what's so great about this place to make it above average. I've been to Once Upon A Grille twice now and both times were fair. Yes, the staff was nice, friendly and helpful, but the food was just ok. Nothing I'd write home or rave about. Not a place I can say I'll be running back to anytime soon. A word of advice for those going to OUAG on a weekday during lunch - arrive around 11:30. It will make finding parking and a place to sit (if you choose to dine in) easier. If you get there any later be ready to wait. read more

Love this place and the people that own it. The employees are always nice and the food is great. My favorite is the corn beef. I definitely recommend this restaurant. read more

First visit. Once upon a grille...they ate happily ever after. Or at least I did. Food was good, price was good, served quickly. Plus, they make breakfast all day. That by itself is pretty cool. I do feel like eggs in the afternoon sometimes....unfertilized. PS: parking in the plaza is a mess to say the least. read more

This is a great place for lunch and I highly recommend it. Every week they have "Taco Tuesdays" and you can get chicken, beef or steak. They're all made to order and have the regular stuff - lettuce, tomato and cheese on a soft tortilla. 4 is too many, but 3 makes for a great size lunch. Besides tacos, they also carry "grilled boats", breakfast food, bagels, pretzels, soups, salads, sandwiches, and desserts. I had an egg white egg salad sandwich, toasted with lettuce and tomato. It's served with a pickle. They also have the best sweet potato chips I've ever had. Of course, I'm not sure that means too much as I've never had sweet potato chips, just the fries version, which I'm obsessed with. Lunchtime is a zoo, so go either before or after and you'll be able to order and sit down relatively fast. Two thumbs up! read more

La-la-LOVE this place! I have worked in Northbrook for 5 years and have yet to try this place until today. I have been missing out! The staff is incredibly friendly. I went at the peak of the lunch hour for a carry-out order and I was in an out within 10 minutes. I got the BLT.. i know, simple order, but some places still manage to screw it up. Not Once Upon A Grill... The bacon was perfect, and the sandwich was DEVOURED! I got a smiley face cookie too to brighten up a cold winter day. I will be coming back here again! read more

I keep going back for the huge bowl of matzo ball soup. Best matzo ball soup you would ever find anywhere. Seating is not very comfortable. But it's a deli, what can you expect?! read more

Food was great, except for the pretzel bagel i got. the bottom of it was soggy and gross. the inside of the deli is messy, but a great design and setup. they gave my grandma the wrong bagel, but it was fine because she liked it. they took about 10 minutes to give us our food. overall a pretty good place. read more

Great breakfast in a New York deli style atmosphere. Love all of the Once Upon restaurants! Also, not sure what it is about their coffee but I am hooked :) read more

I have to point out that I absolutely love Once Upon a Bagel in Highland Park and when I used to work in that area, that was my go to place at least once a week because I loved all the noshes and their bagels and soup, oh my. I was in the area and decided to stop by here to pick up some food to go and I kinda regret that I did. The place was packed, a line almost out the door. I didn't want to sit inside so I just did an order to go. I asked if I can have a whole wheat bagel toasted and sliced and a half a pound of salmon salad to go. The guy looked at me funny like "this is a grill, who orders salmon salad." Well, I do. I mean I always did at Once upon a bagel and it was beyond fresh and consistently delicious. Anyways, he placed my order and it came to a little more pricey than it is in the Highland park location for some reason. Then when I came home, I finally tried it. The bagel as good, similar to the ones from Once Upon in HP, but the salmon salad just did not do it for me. First of all, my half a pound was closer to a quarter of a pound because it's supposed to be filled to the top of the container and mine was like 75% filled, which was a little disappointing. The salad itself just didn't taste fresh. Like it sat out for a couple of days in case a strange woman out would order it. Well, I know to not get it again. It has that busy deli feel but the quality of what I ordered in particular just didn't do it for me. Maybe I should have gotten the pastrami sandwich or a matza ball soup to try, but I feel like if it's owned by the same owners, they should all be equally amazing. Sorry Once Upon, I'm sticking to your bagel joint and that's it. Maybe and if you're lucky I'll venture out the the once upon a deli for some fresh tuna or salmon since it's on the same plaza as you guys! read more

This place is really a 4.5 stars. But that's splitting hairs. The deals are awesome and the breakfast was great. My wife and I ate here for less than $13 and the portions were amazing. The atmosphere is a bit cramped and outdated for a restaurant. But, the place isn't trying to be an upscale breakfast house. They had one of the best omelets I have eaten in a long time. Don't miss out on the specials - they are a great deal. Have not had dinner here, but would and I will be coming back. read more

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