We have visited this place 4 times. The first few experiences were ok, but the last 2 were not. On both occasions after the server brought our food we never saw her again, except for today when we had to send back an undercooked omelet. We had to ask the busser to refill coffee, to bring take home containers and even to bring our check. After our food was served nobody came around to check on us. When paying our bill today, the busser was at the register. I asked about our server and he said she was on meal break. I asked to speak to the manager. The busser went to find him and returned to say he was not there. We generally enjoy eating at local, family style restaurants but we're not likely to return to this one. read more

Love the Ridgeview! We're always made to feel so welcome by the owners and staff and...the food is delicious. It has become one of our favorite breakfast and lunch spots. The eggs Benedict are great- hollandaise sauce one of the better ones out there. At lunch, we love the Cobb salad with all the plentiful ingredients - bacon, tomato, blue cheese..yum! The homemade chicken salad on avocado is delicious and presented well. A very special neighborhood restaurant! read more

I read the reviews before going and expected the food to be great. Well I was wrong. Food was extremely bland. French onion soup tasted like it was canned. Asked for the check and waited 20 minutes for it. I can see why this place is popular with the older crowd...they love bland food! read more

I love that this is a cute, old school diner, but I found the food here incredibly mediocre. I had the Santa Fe salad that sounded great on the menu, but somehow it was very disappointing. So disappointing that I ate half of it and didn't bother to take the other half for later. It's unfortunate the the food isn't better, as this would definitely be a great, cozy neighborhood go-to... read more

Ridgeview Grill - Santa Fe salad - American Near Me - Wilmette, Illinois

I normally wouldn't bother writing a review for this type of restaurant since it's a greasy spoon diner, but they deserve it after yesterday. I went to eat lunch with my elderly mother (83) and we both had burgers and fries. I had to order the simplest meal possible due to a wheat allergy, so I a plain burger with no bun and sweet potato fries which were actually quite good. We were getting ready to go and mom nicely asked for a "to go" cup of water since it was 95 outside plus a heat index making the real feel temperature closer to 115. They said it wasn't their policy to give out water, but if we wanted to buy water for her to take, that would be the only way she could have a glass! She didn't ask for iced tea or anything that truly costs a few pennies, just cold water In a cup to go. The restaurant caters to the elderly and gladly takes their money, but denies them water on the hottest day of the year? I'm never going there again. The food was average and they add a surcharge if you are unfortunate like me to have a wheat allergy. Save your money. read more

Weekends during the lunch hour are pretty busy. Unless you catch your waitstaff's eye, you might get lost in the shuffle Our waiter ignored us at first and apologized profusely for doing so. Thank goodness we had our coffee refilled by the busboy, or else we would have left. My Tuscan steak skillet was okay, just wasn't in the mood for the potatoes. That's probably my take on my menu choice, though the pancakes that were served alongside were pretty decent. The tip was only $5 on a $31 tab; I thought my friend was being too generous. read more

I went here partly out of convenience and partly because the menu served both breakfast and lunch (and they have a full bar) and I didn't really know what I'd be in the mood for until I looked over the menu. Ridgeview is your standard Greek-owned coffee shop/diner/family restaurant, and as such, the menu is huge and the prices are fair. You'd be hard pressed to find a table that didn't contain at least one toddler or senior citizen. My mom and I got there at about 1:00 on a Saturday and couldn't believe how crowded it was. We were quoted a wait of about ten minutes which was considerably shorter than the three old biddies who insisted on waiting for a table in their favorite server's section and were quoted thirty minutes. Our wait ended up being closer to twenty minutes and that put us at a bit of a time constraint so we let our waitress know and she told us that we'd be better off ordering off the 'breakfast' side of the menu as opposed to the 'lunch' side because the food would be ready faster. We heeded her advice and ordered omelets. They arrived lightning fast, which was greatly appreciated. Unfortunately neither of us really liked them. They were overdone to the point of being rubbery and the feta cheese in my mom's caused her to proclaim that "she's had better." My mom is not high maintenance when it comes to food so it must have been pretty bad for her to say that. The hash browns (shredded) tasted like they were cooked hours before and held on the grill until serving. They were dry, tasteless, and inappropriately crunchy. Note: crunchy, not crispy. You also get a choice of pancakes or toast. I'd skip the pancakes - they were tough and tasted of malt. Ick. Because neither of us cleaned our plates we were able to get out of there in time to see our scheduled play. The waitress took care of our check very expeditiously and her efforts to get us in and out were very much appreciated. Even though we didn't care for the food, we left her a generous tip as she was the saving grace. As we left we noticed the three old biddies were still waiting for their table. I think one of them was taking a nap while she waited. *I can't say with absolute certainty that I'll never be back to Ridgeview again as I just learned that William Petersen has been known to stop by for a weekday breakfast when he's town and just wants to blend in with the other North Shore folks. My William Petersen stalking just might force me to return, but literally, that's about the only reason I'd come back. read more

Love Ridgeview! Especially the breakfast, but also a good place later in the day to get some work done and then grab a drink. So happy to have this in our neighborhood! read more

In decades of dining out, I have never been so impressed by a lamb chop. And it wasn't even mine, it was an taste of my husband's We hadn't been here since they were more of a diner. We'll be back. Damn. That was the best lamb chop I've ever tasted. read more

A nice family diner. Angela and I had a good breakfast. Strong coffee. Friendly waitress . read more

Ridgeview Grill - Angela - American Near Me - Wilmette, Illinois

See all

I do hate the verbal cop-out of "It is what it is" (and also, the fact that there are now catalogs that sell t-shirts and pillows and signs with this asinine statement as well). BUT, with Ridgeview, it apparently is what it is. I have gone there forever, and their food is just plain good. The atmosphere is just plain, and the patrons who come from mass at St. Joe's on Saturdays are apparently just good. Highlights: omelettes, french toast, chicken noodle soup, chicken and vegetable kabobs, fries, and the Ahi tuna on field greens I had last night. I cannot comment on the quality of the calf's liver, but the fact that it's on the menu is somehow comforting - like remembering that Andy Rooney is still alive. read more

This is our favorite brunch restaurant in the area. Awesome selection of always well cooked food. We especially love the omelets and the skillets but pancakes are great as well. The service is always excellent. They have been great during the pandemic at pick up. I can't understand bad reviews for this place at all. We have gone here probably once a week for years and everything has always been great. We occasionally go for dinners and lunches as well and everything is good! So grateful to have this restaurant in Wilmette! read more

I went to this place two years ago for breakfast and found it "fine". But with breakfast, why go for "fine" when I can go to Walker Bros and spend more and get "good" or spend the same at old IHOP and get "pretty good". A year ago, I stopped here while on a walk, sat outside, ordered a beer and some aps. The beer was good, Bells. The appetizers were some of the worst. Wings...ug, we almost sent them back. Tasted like wings out of the freezer section at Jewel, No crispyness... really "boingy" and smushy. We didnt even eat them. We also made the mistake of ordering the nachos. Pretty much orange nacho cheese thrown on chips. THey need to remove both of these items from the menu or drastically improve them. Which brings me to my last visit, and thankfully the visit that redeemed this whole restaurant in my eyes. I wanted to grab dinner with my daughter and wanted a place that would have fresh vegetables. I remember my mother-in-law saying this place had ditched the canned veggies in favor of fresh a few years back. We sat outside and had an extremely nice, helpful young waiter. We sat outside and the weather was warm, our water was promptly refilled often. I ordered the tilapia special with twice baked potato, fresh veggies, and greek salad (14.95) and a cup of chicken soup. The salad was all green, fresh romaine, with the BEST homemade greek dressing I've ever had. I was soaking this stuff up with the bread it was so good. The soup was homemade and not too salty (like most restaurants make it), perfect. Fish was cooked perfectly, the kid loved the fresh veggies (zucchini, squash, carrots, etc) and the twice baked potato was filled with cheese, chives, and bacon bits. The meal was a hit all around. I will definitely return and get the greek salad and some of the restaurant specialties. One other improvement this restaurant really needs to make is updating their children's menu. It was terrible. "grilled cheese with a side of M&Ms".. "fried chicken tenders and fries" Terrible. People today are searching for healthy options for their children. Whole wheat pasta...fresh vegetables... fresh fruit. Maybe even like a whole wheat quesadilla with side of veggies. read more

I would say the Ridgeview is between A-OK and Yay! I'm a fan. I say this because Wilmette isn't exactly the culinary capital of Chicagoland, and when I come up north to visit the parentals, Ridgeview is one of those places we know we can come for the basics. And the basics ain't bad. They certainly have quite the selection: standard brunch options like pancakes, omelets, french toast; salads, soup of the day, and diner fair like hamburgers, club sandwiches, and a tasty french dip sandwich; pasta entrees and fresh fish daily. Everything I've had there has satisfied me, yet it has never been a wow-in-my-mouth good time. And that's fine. Sometimes, what you eat just needs to do the job. read more

Driving around in Wilmette this morning in need of some needed food I stumbled upon this place. Of course the place had a ton of people in it and I needed food fast, and I got seated right away, thank God. We ordered our food and got it pretty fast considering the crowd. The waitress was great and the guy that sat us was super nice. As for the food, I can't complain, it was really good. Big portion size, very tasty and not expensive...What more do you need? I will be going back there again. read more

This place experienced a grand makeover a coupla' summers ago. Now the seating is all "open" and "airy" and the interior design is supposed to reflect ... classiness? Expensive taste? Who the hell knows. As a young tot, I enjoyed the grilled cheese. As a teen, I enjoyed the smoking section. And now, well.... I don't really care for their overpriced North Shore dishes. It's a lot of hot air. Sorry, John. read more

I love this place. They have such an extensive menu that every time I go there I get to try something new. It's just simple diner food but it's good. Also, they serve Intelligentsia coffee, which is WONDERFUL. The prices are a little high for diner food, but I assume that's just because it's on the North Shore. I go here when I'm visiting my parents and we are trying to decide on somewhere to eat. It's a place we can all find something we like. read more

Me and family enjoy eating at the Ridgeview,we been stopping in for years.the service has always been very good,I've eaten breakfast lunch and dinner here and always was satisfied with the amount of food served per meal,and the prices are right on spot,will continue to stop and enjoy the service and great meals. read more

It's a restaurant in my neighborhood but I don't frequent it because I enjoy ethnic foods more than traditional American which this is. For the menu, it's not bad. They make a good chicken noodle soup with corkscrew pasta and their portabello sandwich with grilled veggies was tasty, The ham and cheese sandwich was too greasy though and french fries are good, but salty. Decor is simple and traditional and they do a primarily community restaurant type business. I wouldn't go out of my way to come here. read more

I've been going here since it was Parkers and whether John or Dean are running the place, quality is always a paramount. Good cheap breakfast. They got beer now! Tuola makes my favorite rice pudding, so if they got it, get it. read more

One of the biggest pluses about this place is its location. It is right across the street from St. Joe's in Wilmette and right downtown. Parking is great as there are plenty of spots on the street and the restaurant has its own small parking lot next to it. The atmosphere of the place is your standard fare for a Greek diner with the standardized booths and metal chairs. The service was decent but it took a long time to get our check and the refill on our drinks were slow to come. I had the French Onion soup to begin with. I'm pretty sure that it came right out of a can and that they simply put in a little bread and melted some cheese on top; granted I love French Onion Soup so even this was decent. It just wasn't anything special. For my meal I had the steak sandwich. I'm a big fan of the sweet potato fries, they were a great alternative to the normal french fries and were done well. They didn't ask me how I wanted the sandwich cooked and it was a little undercooked. The inside was red and cold which is fine for certain steaks but not a steak sandwich. My friend had the lamb and the amount of meat he got was paltry. It was also fairly expensive; splitting the bill was thirty bucks each! I can't speak to breakfast as I only had dinner there so perhaps they do a better breakfast. I'm not sure I'll go back unless someone else wants to go there and I'm just along for the ride. read more

good food - great staff owner incredibly rude I've been coming here since high school I will never go back Owner "conficasted" my coffee mug "People might steal coffee" "We'll give it back when your done " All done with a arrogance and lack of consideration I"M DONE read more

A pretty solid family restaurant in the heart of Wilmette. On the Saturday morning my wife and I visited, it was probably 40% full and consisted mostly of retirees and young families with the requisite children screaming, crying or generally running amok as Mom and Dad chugged their Bloody Marys and contemplated their life decisions. Aside from that, the atmosphere was pleasing, well-kept and clean. Our waitress was always on the move and kept us happy with fresh coffee (good strong coffee, by the way) and frequently checked in with us. The Denver omlette I had was as good as I might expect at a diner, but nothing memorable. The hashbrowns were tasty and had the requisite "krisp kote" that should be required everywhere. My wife enjoyed the crabcake eggs benedict, but admitted that it needed something to make it special. I think we'll definitely return for lunch and try Ridgeview out again. Some interesting options on the lunch/dinner menu and they have drink specials every day so that doesn't hurt one bit. read more

Ridgeview Grill is amazing. Best service, most amazing sweetest staff ever, and truly has such great energy. Ridgeview Grill has amazing food I recommend having the strawberry lemonade smoothie it's so refreshing and well made. The chicken tenders are also really good. They're super crispy and fulfilling. I recommend going here if you haven't already!!!! read more

Quality ingredients, attention to every detail, professionally run kitchen, meticulously trained staff. A rare gem these days! Upon my first visit, the asst waiter was prompt with the water and brought glasses with our San Pellegrino bottles without asking (nice). The Turkey club had an exceptional presentation -the Turkey was not deli Turkey, but house roasted. The broccoli was perfectly al dente with the mildest compliment of butter flavor. Surprisingly exceptional! My sons chicken tenders were hand-breaded and flash fried (maybe panko)? He loved them! Even the fries were tasty! Second experience-the calamari was tender and fresh, recently hand breaded and a homemade cocktail sauce that was perfectly balanced *how many places still take the effort to make that!*. Caveat-my daughter was hired as a server for them this summer---and, my high-school and college career was spent as a server, so I have an idea where to spot the cracks, I don't see one anywhere! The family who owns the restaurant could not be more conscientious, kind or accommodating to not only her, but all of their employees. They don't have employee turnover, and that speaks volumes. The long-game is to protect the customer experience. It's a family business in the truest sense--and that is reflected in both the quality of food and service. Last night we ordered burgers from another local spot that arrived undercooked. She pointed out that at Ridgewood--every burger temperature (MR/M/MW/W) is checked before it goes out to the table--and she shared everything made from "scratch". The kitchen is CLEAN and quiet (another quick indicator of a high quality restaurant---diners generally have no clue) No one cuts corners. Everyone cares. Highly recommend!! read more

We are regulars here. Staff is super friendly and prices are fair. Everything we've had there has always been good and consistent. Decor is decent - recently updated last couple of years - and a lot of food choices. We typically come for the breakfasts. They're skillets rock. Went there for dinner recently and enjoyed the tuna salad wrap. Not a destination place with something you can't get anywhere else, but happy it's in our neighborhood and we'll continue to support it as well as recommend. read more

We love this restaurant. We've been going there for years mostly for Sunday breakfast after church. The Gypsy skillet is my favorite. I don't even need to look at the menu. My husband gets the eggs and corned beef hash. My grandchildren also love it there and that's where they want to go when asked. They live in the city and say they can't find food as good as the Ridgeview. The wait staff is very attentive and the servers are so sweet they have become friends. The owner is also very kind even during the Sunday morning crunch! read more

super frustrating! options are all on the online order menu. we've told them and they never update it. also the manager is very rude.

A very good menu, nice decor and attentive staff. I rate this as only three stars because the coffee is very bitter and makes me grimace.

Excellent place for gathering with friends and Family! Food is great and place is beautifully done! Must come for best breakfast!

We came here for breakfast after a receiving terrible service at another breakfast place, and we were immediately impressed by the attentiveness of the service. The eggs on the Irish Man's skillet were perfectly done and the corned beef hash was nicely seasoned. My wife's omelet was good and the kids' pancake portions were huge. Only the characterless rye toast disappointed. Our waitress was excellent--maybe too attentive. Four mini pitchers of syrup are more than enough, thanks! We'll come back for another meal to try the rest of the menu. read more

Food was really good! I didn't expect it to be that good. I had the California omelette and it was the best omelette I have had in long time. It came with a side of pancakes and those were really good too. My companions loved their food as well. I cant wait to go back. read more

I've only had the breakfast, but the omelettes were pretty terrible. The mushrooms tasted like they came from a can that had been left out for a few weeks and the avocados were very hard. The hash browns were super boring. You can get a better omelette pretty much everywhere else. read more

Quite a disappointing experience. Thursday August 22nd. All these positive, made to feel like family, excellent food ect. We must be the red haired step children. Table for 2 ,shown to booth as requested menus placed on table. Been greeted more warmly at McDonalds drive through . It was shortly after 12, and restaurant was not that busy. The best employee we encountered was the busboy. He promptly brought us water, took our drink order and brought them right to us. Several minutes later the waitress came and asked if we were ready to order. We asked for a little more time , but said she could start by bringing me a cup of French onion soup. We waited a while , no soup, we waved down the waitress to order. Since I hadn't received the soup yet I said I would do the cup of soup and 1/2 of a BLT sandwich. My wife ordered an egg white omelette. And we asked for more napkins. A couple minutes later the soup comes out. I thought it would have been served with the sandwich, but it wasn't. A short time later the rest of our order came out. No extra napkins. My wife was unhappy with the omelette . The egg whites were undercooked and the entire omelette was greasy. The soup was tasty when it was hot, The 1/2 sandwich was excellent! Great tasting bacon. The slice of tomato was fresh and tasted summery! Unfortunately the soup was cold when the sandwich arrived. Served together would have been great! We asked the bus boy for more napkins and promptly received them. Waitress finally brought 2 paper napkins, put them on the table said "I forgot these" and walked away. The next time she came to the table was to bring the check which we waved her down for. The bus boy was great. Removing plates in a timely manner. Make him a waiter!! The waitress was inattentive/ preoccupied, maybe just a bad day. Never came to table to see if everything was satisfactory, it wasn't! Didn't check for beverage refills, ask about desserts. To all who love this place I am glad for you do and hope you keep frequenting the restaurant. For me, about the only reason that I would go back is for the BLT! If I wish to be treated like " The Poor Relation" I will go to my siblings house!! It really was the best BLT I've had in a long time!! read more

Great neighborhood local. Staff is supper nice and during the weekday this place is perfect for breakfast. Quick service and quality food. read more

Ridgeview Grill - Kids stack - American Near Me - Wilmette, Illinois

See all

I went there today as part of a bridal party farewell brunch the morning after the wedding. The service was fantastic. I was really impressed with the servers ability to wait on such a large and energetic group. The food came out quickly and it was delicious ! I had the Mediterranean omelet with hash browns. It was perfectly cooked. Others at the table had the crepes and pancakes and other breakfast items . Everyone ate everything- not a bite left! The servers kept the coffee cups full and were very accommodating. The atmosphere is really nice and the restaurant is spotless. It's family owned and it shows how much they care about their product. This is a real gem. I wish I lived closer! Can't wait to go back ! read more

years ago i would go here 3-4 times a week for eggs. Back then it was homey and simple and the waitresses were friendly. Then they decided to become a "bistro"-its never been the same. The "bistro" is absolutely horrible. The food is BAD- it seems that they changed every supplier- even the toast tastes horrible. The fancy menu now has liquor and crab cakes- excuse me? If you can't make an egg properly how can you even consider crab cakes and steak? Gone are the friendly waitresses- now they are simply incompetent bodies. The owners were never friendly to begin with- even when I was a regular they never said hello and kept giving me a stupid menu even tho I ordered the same thing every time. Don't waste your time and money- prices are now "bistro" prices and the food is worse than sub standard-ick. read more

Good service, but less than average food. My husband and I were driving around our neighborhood and decided to stop here for dinner the other night. I ordered the grilled chicken sandwich which was awful, who messes up a grilled chicken sandwich?! The chicken was all fat and it had no flavor at all. The sweet potato fries tasted like there were right out of the microwave. The barley soup was okay, but tasted like it was from a can. My husband ordered the monte cristo sandwich, which was basically ham and cheese only and the bread was just covered in egg, not the best. Overall, below average food. Not only was the food bad, the atmosphere is so outdated and odd. I would not recommend this place for dinner. read more

I've only gone for dinner, so I can't speak for the breakfasts here, but I've been extremely happy with the dinner selections. This is not your trendy, hip, urban dining experience, but it is consistent, a great value, with an expansive menu that has something on it for everyone. Portions are generous and the service friendly and helpful. I love the crab cakes that have been on the specials for the last few weeks - I wish they would add them to the regular menu (I think I like them more than the ones at Davis Street Fish Market). Just an all around, decent, family restaurant that isn't another cookie cutter chain. read more

The food is always good, but I do miss the old coffee shop interior. It has been updated, but lost a lot of charm in the process. I miss the old Ridgeview. read more