Certainly a bit of a disappointment. This spot used to be excellent, but this visit had some clear low moments. Maybe the pandemic led to a shift in the standard of the ingredients used. The worst were the hash browns, which had a stale flavour and a greasy texture. read more

We've eaten here a few times and the food was really good. We ordered delivery on Sunday and it was not the same. Food was bland and they got the order wrong. Don't know who the cooks were, but they need re-training on how to cook. read more

Excellent waitress. Food great. Huge plates of food. Wide variety menu. Definitely a good choice

This restaurant gives you very good portions of food! The food is great. The service is great, whether your dining in or ordering out, they are always there to accommodate you.! read more

I've gone there dozens of times through the years the food is always good. Constantly good.The baked apple pancakes is excellent

Fantastic place. Excellent service, attentive with a good attitude. My server was Debbie, she did a very nice job. Food was wonderful. I recommend and will return. read more

Red Apple Pancake House - Saturday special menu. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Carol Stream, Illinois

The food is always delicious and the service is outstanding. The omelets to the pancakes to their salads are fresh and plenty of food for your money. Great place to eat read more

Love their food and atmosphere. Basically the only place me and my family go for breakfast.

Crazy huge menu, staff is super friendly. Almost turned away when I saw how full the waiting area was but the wait was only five minutes. Left feeling like I ate thanksgiving dinner, super filling. read more

Feeling like Mr. Redundant here but I totally agree with all the "best omelette ever" reviews. Ate breakfast here 2 days in a row it was so good. Super friendly and attentive staff, fast and fresh food served quickly. The place could be easily overlooked, since from the outside it looks like just a typical local breakfast joint. It is anything but that. Delish! read more

I love brunch. Possibly my favorite meal of the day. I wish I could brunch more. While in town for the holidays, I made plans with a friend to meet here for brunch because it was about halfway between where she lived and where I was staying. I've been to another Red Apple Pancake House in the Chicago 'burbs and had a horrible experience, so I was just a bit wary of this place. I don't know if it's a chain or they just happen to have the same name, but yeah. FORTUNATELY, we had a really nice brunch here.... the day after Christmas. The day after Christmas is apparently the day everyone goes out to eat. This place was PACKED. However, we were quoted a fifteen-minute wait, so we stayed. And it really was just only fifteen minutes or so. Whew! We were then seated quickly and promptly brought our menus and water. We all ordered (I ordered a vegetarian skillet), chatted, and had our steaming hot plates of food within twenty minutes or so. Considering the crowd, I thought that was pretty good. My omelette was good -- standard breakfast, but nothing to complain about it. It was pretty big, so I had leftovers to bring back with me. I actualy excited to bring home leftovers to eat for breakfast the next morning... and here I am, a week later, JUST NOW remembering that I had leftovers in the fridge at my in-law's house. And I didn't eat them. DANG! OOPS. Roughly $20 for two people to eat there. Seems pretty normal to me. In fact, as I already mentioned, it's a standard breakfast place. Nothing extraordinary. Normally I'd give a place like this three stars..... but it gets four stars because our server/the staff/everyone handled the large brunch crowd well, serving up great food and a pleasant atmosphere. Highly doubt I'll be back again because I don't live in the area, and there other places to brunch, but still a good spot. read more

Red Apple Pancake House - Vegetarian skillet. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Carol Stream, Illinois

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I've been going to Red Apple for years as have my friends and family, and we all love it. The food is SO good and the prices are great for how much you get. I recommend it to everyone! read more

Great breakfast selection, huge portions friendly staff. Only downside is they are crazy busy with long lines but I guess that's what u can expect when place is good food. read more

Biscuits and gravy skillet with eggs over hard. The best gravy around! The food is consistent and delicious. read more

Red Apple Pancake House - an omelet in a styrofoam container - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Carol Stream, Illinois

Food here is good but the service was bad. It was our server, she was cold and rude. Treated us like she was clerking out our food and when she would go to a table where the people were a different color from us they were greeted with a smile and treated with respect, mind you we were the only indian family in her section. I'm also noticing a trend here of a particular female server. It's also troubling that management probably see these reviews and hasn't done anything. Sad, I live less than a mile away and we as a family go out for brunch every sunday, pay between 50-65 a table, plus at least a 25 percent gratuity because when I was a server I appreciated tips above the standard. What's 4 times a month what we pay a table? A year? $260 per month $3120 per year That's a fair amount of money to spend at a restaurant. I'd rather take that to IHOP because we were treated like trash by someone who has zero business working in the service industry, and for the first time my tip reflected that. We won't be returning. read more

RED APPLE IS AN AWESOME BREAKFAST SPOT! So reasonably priced. By far my favorite thing on the menu is the breakfast gyro plate. We order it to work for pickup often and it's always ready within 20 mins. The guys working up front are always super sweet. It's no fancy place but it's one of my fav breakfast spots!!! It's always busy too so I am sure many people feel the same way! read more

People who rate this place 4 and 5 stars must not ever leave Carol Stream. This place was not horrible, but, c'mon how hard is it to do breakfast. Cheap pancake syrup, pancakes that taste like they came out of a box, undercooked bacon, overcooked toast, can't handle sausage, mediocre juice, at least they were nice people. read more

Love Red Apple. The quality of food is good, but the amount of food is great. The servers are wonderful and the owner is very welcoming.

Food and service are impeccable. Place is always packed, which is a great sign! Portions are great. I'd be there more if I lived in that part of IL. It's still worth an hour drive. read more

We come here for lunch after hockey on Thursday afternoons. All the food is fantastic, and they have a very good selection. The salads are top-notch always fresh, and delicious. The fact that you get a homemade roll with your salad adds a lot. read more

I've been here multiple times and have never had an issue in the past, but I would never come back here and wouldn't recommend this place to any friends. The food is alright, but the main reason i wouldn't come back is the service. I came in with my cousin sometime last week and our server was extremely rude. Keep in mind, I've been here on multiple occasions and I'm a very generous tipper because I've served in the past as well so I'm usually patient because I know people have their days or sometimes it's really busy, but this wasn't the case. Im not sure, but I believe our server was racist because the day my cousin and I came in, we were the only table in the restaurant that wasn't white. Our server had two other tables seated right beside us. Business looked steady that day, but not busy. We didn't come in during a rush or a weekend. There were still a lot of empty tables in the restaurant. After getting seated, our server took about 10 minutes to take our drink order after passing us multiple times to take the orders of 2 couples against the wall when we were seated first. When I ordered, she didn't introduce herself and asked "what do you want" very rudely. I ordered a veggie skillet that day and I asked for extra eggs, then she proceeded to give me a dirty look and told me each egg is double yolked. I told her that yes, I knew that because again, I've been here many times and yes I still wanted the extra eggs . After our food came out she immediately gave us the check and rarely checked on us or filled up our waters or coffee when she was constantly coming back and forth to check on the tables she had besides us. One of the bussers were more helpful than she was. read more

Ordered delivery breakfast and coffee. Coffee was burnt, I contacted delivery service and got a refund for it. Now if I try to order from them they cancel my order. read more

Had 12 youth hockey players and all the parents...fast, patient service. Well done...would definitely come back.

Even though the parking lot was packed we got sat immediately. Server was friendly and quick. She was attentive without being pesty, I love that. My Irish skillet came with 4 eggs! Wow. Large portions. The toast was hot and I was asked if I wanted it buttered. Nice touch. The V8 was in a large Coke glass, no little juice cups here. Certainly come back. read more

Red Apple Pancake House - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Carol Stream, Illinois

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Stopped by yesterday to pick up some cream of chicken soup and was not disappointed. Signs everywhere requiring mask wearing and barriers between booths. Took my soup home and enjoyed. Will be back to dine in soon. read more

Best breakfast spot in carol stream. That's all it be and that's all it see. One love

This is my 2nd time visiting Red Apple Pancake House..and it lived up the expectations that I had! TIP: Come hungry and expect to wait for a table! Environment - Looks can be very deceiving! Normally I would drive past a restaurant that wasn't so easy on the eyes..but I am so so so glad that I made my way our here! Both times I went to this location was on a Sunday. The crowd you can expect it families (parents PLEASE DON'T KEEP YOUR CHILDREN IN PJS IN PUBLIC..SO GROSS), people coming after the church, high school students, and other locals from the area. Upon arriving you will be giving a number, I was number 14..and the person who walked in 15 mins later was number 59..THIS PLACE AIN'T PLAYIN AROUND! You are pretty much guaranteed a table within 15-20 mins. The staff is real nice..but the bus boys are even nicer..just over all very kind and they are always chatty with the customers! (A huge sign that they might be happy at their job!) Food- OMG! Holy grail of breakfast food! As I mentioned, you must come hungry. From the coffee to the omelets everything is wonderful! The portions are huge! I had the Californian oven-baked omelette (I am always thinking about Cali!) this omelette was packed with huge pieces of avocados, mushroom, green onion, sour cream, jack and cheddar cheese...a side of wheat toast..delish hash browns and overload of coffee. For the price, it's a steal! If you are in the area..make time to check out this gem of a spot! Good service, delicious food, and fun environment! read more

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This place is a staple in the western suburbs. They have great food and service for really reasonable prices! They have seasonal options and have breakfast and lunch food. Also, I found out they have pumpkin pancakes all year long ! read more

Red Apple Pancake House - Pumpkin pancakes - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Carol Stream, Illinois

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At first it might appear that Red Apple is similar to many other Chicagoland pancake houses. The menu of of pancakes, skillets, and other breakfast items may seem familiar, but Red Apple excels in one way that few other places do, portion size. Red Apple provides a lot of food for a reasonable price, be it an omelet, pancake dish or skillet, your order is going to contain far more food than most places for the price. For the most part service is quick, and the food is prepared in a timely fashion. Not everything at Red Apple is necessarily great though, everything tastes fresh and the quality of the ingredients are never a question mark. However, some things are a bit bland and not necessarily as well seasoned as other independently run breakfast restaurants in the area. Overall Red Apple is a very solid place for breakfast, the food isn't necessarily the best, but the quality is decent, the service holds up, and the value due to the hefty portions is definitely there. You won't leave hungry. read more

Red Apple Pancake House - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Carol Stream, Illinois

*shaking head* This just doesn't happen to me. I couldn't finish my food... Our first time there.. been driving by for years and never really thought much about the place. The Yelp reviews drew me in, particularly Joe E who's been there like a billion and one times. We went just after lunch time, so it wasn't crowded at all... Maybe I shouldn't have snacked on toast that morning... I asked Lisa.. "What do you think I'm going to get?".. she mumbled.."something with a lot of meat"... the "The Butcher Block Omelette" *sigh*... sometimes I am a little predictable. That's what I ordered.. Lisa pulled the same stunt on me.. I smugly said "The California Omelette"... NOPE! She wanted the Portobello Mushroom Omelette. I'll bet she would have gotten the California if I hadn't said anything. These are oven baked, four egg omelettes, they are loaded with fillings.. light, fluffy and delicious. Mine was really, really great. Hers was good, perfectly cooked, huge and fluffy... just like mine... but it was too mushroomy for her (I've never heard her say THAT before, I hate mushrooms so I would notice something like that) The Portobello's were just too much.. she should have gotten the California. (hmmmm...) The potatoes are my favorite type of home fries, they get them good and crispy on the outside... fortunately for me.. Lisa gave me half of hers.. and I had some leftovers for later... delicious! We chose pancakes instead of toast, I had the regular ones and they were great... Lisa upgraded to Pumpkin pancakes for an extra $1.. soooo worth it.. she said they were the best she's ever had.. I tasted them too and thought they were a real stand out. So, I had leftovers, the bill was inexpensive and the quality of the food outstanding.. Atmosphere is typical suburban breakfast place.. spacious booths. Great food and value.. this place is the real deal and my new favorite breakfast place in the area! read more

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Finally got the change to try the famed Red Apple. Was it good? Sure. Was it 5 star impressive? No. Went here on a Sunday morning, short wait, but nothing unreasonable. Got a booth, opened the paper and the waitress was there with coffee right away. Browsed the menu and wished they had told me they had apple pancakes when I checked in to wait. I would have ordered one (since they normally take 30 minutes to bake) Anyway, got a western skillet which was good. Didn't realize it was a two eggs = 4 so it was a lot of food. Wished the hash browns were done a bit harder. Tried the pancakes and they were fine. Coffee was average. All in all I will go back and try and apple pancake but based on the basic breakfast it was no better than Mapleberry which is closer. read more

I have always loved this place and today I had the best service. Amelia was our waitress/server (what ever the politically correct word is at the moment) and I felt more like a guest in her home than a customer, really sweet. Upbeat, positive, and quick, efficient, and friendly. I can't wait to come back again. Which me brings me to the food. The food speaks for itself, as people will wait in long lines just to get a delicious breakfast. The serving size are huge for what you pay. My husband and I could literally split a plate and still have a full belly. Sorry for the long review and thanks for reading. read more

Classic food and huge portions. My family has been going here for years, but I have never written a review! First off it's always packed, they are literally never not busy. Second, their service is amazing. Everyone that works there is extremely customer-focused and eager to serve. Finally the food, it is amazing. I usually order breakfast because there pancakes and omelets are delicious. The down under is one of my families favorites - biscuits, poached eggs and sausage gravy. It's a huge portion, but delicious and perfectly cooked every time. This time I ordered the Cajun chicken sandwich. It comes with a grilled chicken breast, sautéed onions and cheese with soup or salad to start and a side. I got French fries and the soup of the day. The soup here is the best. No matter what soup it is, it's perfect. A lot of their ingredients are homemade and have a unique flavor. They also make their salad dressings in house - which gives it a wonderful flavor. Definitely will be back. read more

I've been wanting to come here for a while and I finally did with my wife and kids. The food was decent, nothing that is amazing but not bad. I would be a repeat customer, but the reason I won't come back- our waitress. Completely rude, a lot of attitude and gave us the check as soon as the food came out. Instead of driving half a mile to this business, I'll take my business every Sunday to Mannys. read more

Been here a few times and I have not been impressed. I am a breakfast junkie and I love breakfast food, so I am quite picky. This place is just OK. I agree with others about the big portions, but a big portion isn't great when the food is mediocre. I've ordered a skillet and it was just OK. Nothing about my skillet stood out, except for the fact that it came with 4 eggs! It didn't have much flavor. I honestly can't remember what I ordered the first time I was there, only thing I remember is the dirty coffee cup and dirty fork I was given. Since the restaurant is a minute away from me I am sure I will be back but I know not to expect much. read more

My veggie omlette was perfect with fresh ingredients. My steak was juicy when ordered medium and blueberry pancakes were fluffy and satisfying. The server April was very friendly, courteous and helpful. She was always on the spot with coffee refills & warmups! read more

Red Apple Pancake House - My veggie omlette was perfect w/ fresh ingredients. I excluded the zucchini & broccoli - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Carol Stream, Illinois

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After 17 check ins, probably more seeing as I come here so often, I am still infatuated with this place. There's just something about it, this place is so homey. You walk in, there are apples everywhere! Pleasant employees that you will see basically every time you come in, and the food is just out of this world. Nonetheless, its really decently priced. If you're a plain Jane, their "From The Chicken Coop" deals are the best. My mom and I can get 2 eggs, a load of hash browns, and an English muffin or pancakes for 3.99. That's hard to beat. Keep in mind, their eggs are old country style, so you get double the eggs. :) Just saying, this place should be named The Golden Apple. Love it. Love everything about this place. It's fabulous. I can almost guarantee you won't be disappointed... Unless of course you own a farm and are a professional cook. I am neither, so bravo apples! read more

Great atmosphere. Family owned. Love coming here with the family. The food is freashly made and always enjoyable. I have never had a bad breakfast here. read more

Met friends here several times this year for breakfast on Saturdays- the food been good, not great and the service very good for the amount of people they pack in... and I do mean pack- I needed to ask people at other tables to get up so i could exit to go to the washroom. The parking can be horrible- just not enough for the amount of people they get. I have needed to circle or wait every time i have come. read more

Amazing breakfast. This place just does it right. They used real apples in my french toast, which speaks volumes of the attention to detail and quality Red Apple Pancake House provides. read more

Red Apple Pancake House - I'm whipped on this whipped cream. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Carol Stream, Illinois