Wide variety on the menu, and I have yet to try an item that is not delicious. My partner usually gets the turkey meal, and I opt for the french toast. read more

Basic diner done right. If you want good food without a lot of fru-fru embellishments, Stella's is a great place to go. The eggs and pancakes are nice and fluffy and the gypsy skillet has a good amount of meat without being overwhelming. We were looking for a brunch place with the basic brunch options done properly: eggs and pancakes. So many other places either have too many weird options without a good choice of simple options or have the simple options, but prepared very averagely. Stella's has the basic breakfast options with a good attention to proper preparation. Of course it has other good options, but we like it for the quality basic ones. Oh, and the coffee is great! read more

Stella's Diner - Diners Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

It's hard to overstate my love for Stella's. It's also hard to overstate how much of my paycheck has ended up here. :) I'll say this: it's a diner. It's not a Michelin-starred brunch spot in the west loop, and they're not *trying* to be. What it *is* is a local spot, with good food, reasonable prices, decent coffee, and a Key Lime Pie milkshake that has no reason being so delicious. Having perused the reviews, I'm puzzled. The waits aren't bad, even on weekends. It's always clean. Food is always good (again: not a celebrity chef temple of culinary masterpieces; but a diner). Coffee is that slightly weak but really addictive diner coffee that you just can't stop drinking. Prices are not waffle-house low but Chicago ain't cheap and I never feel ripped off. Service is actually really good. Decor isn't shabby, it's different and cute. I don't know. This is probably my favorite restaurant, period. Ever. It's home in a way my house isn't. I'm a little defensive. Buzz off haters, and I'll take your booth. Go instagram your food at Alinea or something. read more

Stella's Diner is so cute and retro and situated in a terrific location. But unfortunately the food does not measure up. Not even the basics i.e. the eggs and potatoes. Big missed opportunity. read more

With food allergies I normally get worried about going to a "diner" as there may not being many options for me. I called them ahead and they assured me that they would separate everything to keep me safe. And they did just that! Amazing food and wonderful service! read more

after years driving by the flashy sign... finally hit up stellas and were not disappointed. the breakfast fare is good not amazing. i would've liked to see more creative sweet breakfast items. however having said that, they make up for it with their dessert menu and SHAKES. yum to the shakes. also, staff is charming, laid back and fun! read more

Stella's was everything I was hoping it would be! The wait staff and owner were very friendly and attentive. And as a bonus its BYOB-can't beat that! Wide variety of food options (breakfast/lunch/dinner/dessert) at reasonable prices. I got a club sandwich with fries and my boyfriend got a breakfast combo with pancakes and sausage. Top off your meal with a milkshake-they're good but slightly pricey at $6ish. We got the s'mores milkshake which was delicious I just wish it was a bit bigger because we were sharing. If you're not sharing it's definitely a good size for one person. Overall Stella's is a nice little diner in East Lakeview that's worth the visit if you're in the diner mood. I will likely be back! read more

With my wife out of town for the weekend, I was craving a casual breakfast where I could read the news and the coffee would keep coming- a Sunday morning diner mood. I had heard good things about Stella's, so I dropped in after a lazing around in bed all morning, around 11 am. There was a wait, but only 5-10 minutes. Since I was going solo, I bypassed the line and sat at the counter. I read a lot of reviews about the friendliness of the servers. However, the lady setting me up with coffee and getting my spot set up seemed a little grumpy and didn't get me a place setting, a menu, or any fixings for the coffee. When the woman next to me left I took hers. The eating experience was fine. And I liked my actual server who came by once I had settled in. Coffee wasn't very good, but they kept it coming. The food was pretty good. I got the Mexican Jolt skillet, and it was about what I was looking for. I was disappointed that hash browns are the only potato option; I generally prefer potato rounds. But they were good, as hash browns tend to be. Overall this place is decent, I just don't really get the hype. Not just in Yelp reviews; I have friends who love this place. I love a good diner, but would classify this as average for a diner. I will come back because there are only so many diners in the neighborhood, but probably won't be bragging it up to my friends and trying to get them to come. read more

Probably one of the nicest diners I've visited! The wait staff were all super nice. My gf was craving a meatball sub, which they didn't have on the menu, but our waitress was able to work something out with the chef and create a meatloaf/marinara sandwich, which was delish - really above and beyond level of service. The buffalo chicken sandwich was also great. We're so glad we live walking distance from this spot, we'll be back! read more

Stella's Diner - Meatloaf sandwich (not on the menu!) - Diners Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Really, like I have anything new to add becoming review number 149. But...I do have a tiny bit of trepidation going to Stella's now when I remember what a smoky den of haze this place used to be before the Illinois Smoking Ban took affect. Non-smokers were second class diners; pushed to the back and dimly lit sides instead of the smoking sections upfront near the big windows. Well, times have changed, and I can eat here without a side of carcinogen--yes, this was a DIE-ner up until 2008. Yummy shakes, decent food. Quick service. And YES--shakes made the honest way with real milk and ice cream. read more

Solid breakfast. Nothing exceptional to go out of your way for but pretty good stuff at average prices. I had the eggs benedict which had a different name (that now excapes me). The eggs had cheese on top instead of hollandaise sauce. The ham there is house roasted every day and is very, very good and tender. OJ is also very good. read more

Brunch! Who doesn't love brunch?? I went to this place several times, and it was one of the first places i went to, when i first moved to chicago as well. The staff is great, extremely helpful and patient and FRIENDLY. Prices are very reasonable, and portion sizes are HUGE! You will not leave this place hungry! read more

My family and I were looking for a laid back and somewhat quiet place to eat dinner. We walked down from Wrigley Field area, it's about a 20 minute walk. The service was awesome and the food was very good and huge portions! I had the turkey club and the turkey was the real deal! Not processed crap! I wish I could have eaten more! Very kid friendly! read more

Stella's Diner - Diners Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Everyone here is so kind and helpful. I was not feeling well when I came to eat and they let me take my time with the menu while I tried to figure it out. In regards to what I'm here for: the bathrooms are clean, well lit, and clearly marked. Excellent!! while they're pretty much your standard sigle occupancy rooms (which comes with it's own brand of knock-related terror) they are gender neutral! read more

I am a city of Chicago worker and recently went in with my boyfriend to have lunch I was greeted by staff very courteous seated ordered a coffee and a soup with the smothered skirt steak sandwich I took one bite into my sandwich and was mortified to see a ROACH GRILLED IN WITH THE ONIONS AND MUSHROOMS!!! I was so distraught I left the restaurant and proceeded to regurgitate everything I consumed my boyfriend stayed to point it out to staff and he told me they were apologetic. I never thought this would happen to me I'm in disbelief and literally so shocked and distraught reaching for my phone to take a picture was furthest from my mind. Writing this review because the public have the right to know and the fact they're probably still serving patrons is disturbing they need to clean up their kitchen that's a very bad look and the first time I've ever had to do a review like this I was usually very skeptical of people saying things like this because it never happened to me but here I am read more

Stella's Diner - Wooow I went looking and now I see 3 years ago they also had roaches I see I need to review places before eating at them - Diners Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Pretty decent meal. Got chicken noodle soup which was rather flavorless and a salad which was way better than I was expecting. The waiter was probably the most delightful human I've ever had the pleasure of engaging with. Will definitely be back for a no frills meal. read more

Stella's embodies all things American diner. I've stopped in here for breakfast, lunch, dinner and just for a milkshake. The people are always incredibly friendly and welcome you in as if you're family- hard to beat that! The food is just what you would hope for in classic diner style. I am a big fan of their grilled cheese and fries and have sampled a few other menu items. The garlic bread is actually surprisingly one of my favorite items here too - they make it a rather unique style and its delicious. The real win here is the milkshake. I've had a chocolate malt and vanilla shake (more than a few times) and they don't disappoint. Definitely recommend! The price is right, the service is amazing, and the food is just what you need. read more

Stella's Diner - Grilled cheese and an awesome vanilla shake - Diners Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Let me start by saying that I absolutely love Stella's and have visited it many times in the years I've lived in the neighborhood, and the service has always been very friendly. That being said, I had a horrible experience this time. There are few things I can have on the menu since developing an autoimmune disorder that prevents me from eating all nightshades (tomatoes, potatoes, peppers etc) and any soy products. So knowing my restrictions, I ordered a custom omelette which I have ordered before, not realizing it came with hasbrowns. Except I don't remember getting hashbrowns the time before but maybe that's because the waitress I had last time was very careful about my food restrictions. I get my omelette and there's a pile of hashbrowns next to them on the plate and some on top. I then tell the waiter I can't have potatoes and he says that I should just give them to my friend if she wants any. Then I tell him that I'm allergic to potatoes and he rudely blurts out "there's no such thing as a potato allergy!" Of course, my friend and I are completely taken aback by this kind of rudenness. So he says he'll take it back in and transfer the omelette to a new plate.... no offer to have a new one made or anything. Thankfully, I usually have to eat the food for me to have inflammation so it's somewhat okay. But there are others that are even more sensitive, so allergies and food sensitivities need to be taken more seriously. Once the waiter comes back out, he tells "let me know next time because I've served you before," implying that since I never had any food restrictions before that somehow I must be making it up now. Trust me, I wish I was making it up because there are few things I can eat out now and one slip-up results in days of pain and worse. Anyways, this whole situation was handled so rudely, and I felt incredibly disrespected for expressing a genuine need. This is a food establishment and it needs to be accommodating to those with food restrictions because while some may avoid certain foods just to avoid them, others, like myself, need to avoid them in order to protect our bodies from severe reactions. So even if I had been inattentive in realizing that hashbrowns were included in my meal, the situation should've been handled with much more care than it was. You can't go around telling someone who suffers severe inflammation from eating certain foods that "there's no such thing as a potato allergy." And you certainly shouldn't be implying that somehow I'm making it up. I'm usually very laid back about bad experiences because I know everyone has off days, but this was just inexcusable. I hope future customers are treated better and that food allergies are taken seriously. Please have your staff read the link below and understand that there are people with allergies out there that may sound far-fetched but are very real. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321883.php read more

An American style diner, kinda like the one you would find in a town in the middle of nowhere while you're on a road trip. Nice service, very classic and traditional feel but also very welcoming. The food was good, again traditional American diner style food, but authentic tasting. Not like a franchise "diner" like Denny's. Will visit again, perfect to visit on a weekend or on a day off for breakfast. read more

Stella's Diner - Pancakes w/ strawberries and whipped cream. Side of bacon - Diners Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Excellent!! The best comfort food I've ever had in Chicago it feels just like home!! I go back all the time and am so happy I discovered this place. The Mac and cheese is phenomenal. The sauce is the perfect consistency and using cavatappi makes it so much more entertaining to eat. I also loved the buffalo chicken wrap with avocado added. All in all, my brunch guests and I have tried several things on the menu. We have yet to be disappointed and we are always blown away by how good everything on the menu can be. The service is always exceptional. I love this restaurant read more

Stopped in with my wife Sunday afternoon. We were walking around Southport then Lakeview just killing time and window shopping. Got some coffee at intelligentsia mothership Broadway near Belmont. We came in here for a bite. Sat right away even though they were fairly busy. The hostess was extremely personable. Our server was very sweet and very good. I had biscuits and gravy and they were great. My wife's tuna melt and fries were very good. Reasonable too. With coffee $14 a piece on the north side is pretty decent price point. Great location. A good place to stop for quick comfort food without having to sell an organ to pay the bill. read more

This place is doing diners the right way. As simple as that. Great, low-key retro-ish atmosphere. Friendly and attentive wait staff invested in over-caffeinating me at all times. And the food. Oh yes, the food. Had the Veggie Skillet, a side of hash browns, and all the coffee. Everything was fantastic and completely enormous (the portioning I expect when crossing paths with a diner). Not even going to break down the tastes. Just get the thing. You'll know what I'm talking about. Oh, and with tax and tip: $17 bucks. And really that accounts for two meals. I didn't have to eat until far into the night (experimented with what Chicago claims to be "pizza"). Stop reading up. Just go. read more

Stella's Diner - Veggie skillet. All the food. - Diners Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Noticed during lunch most of the customers are regular that the 3rd generation owner knows most of their names! Very home my, friendly atmosphere the moment you stepped in. Great service! I had burger which came with very generous portion of sautéed onion and mushroom on soft bun. Wish we have more options for the bun! Definitely worth coming back! read more

Stella's Diner - Ladies' Room entry door - Diners Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I've always walked by this diner, and made a million mental notes to come here for breakfast. There are always lines out the door, and the restaurant is filled on a given weekend morning. I finally made it after living in Lakeview for 6 years, and it was just ok. I wasn't amazed or wowed. It was just the typical diner food. I had one of their skillets, the Mexican Jolt. It sounded delicious with having ground beef, jalepeno, cheese on a bed of hash browns but it was just a normal skillet. It was also a little dry for my preference. The skillet itself felt like it was missing something. The diner is cute, and it has a nostalgic feel. The staff is super nice although the one rule on the weekend was a little annoying. The weekend rule: your entire party needs to be there to get seated and there's really no good waiting area. I'll give this place another try, and get some of the other Yelpers favorites to see if it was just a off item on the menu. read more

Unexpectedly delicious! I love the Cajun chicken sandwich and they have pretty good mashed potatoes and gravy

This place is the epitome of average. The scrambled eggs were nice and fluffy but the cheese was kinda weird as it was just melted slices instead of shredded. The service was decent, the food could have come out a little quicker and but the waitress was nice. The saving grace of this place is the prices. They're pretty cheap compared to some of the other brunch spots in the neighborhood. read more

Stella's Diner - Diners Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I ate here about 6 years ago (when I lived nearby)... and have been meaning to come back since I loved the pesto pasta dish I had. But for some reason I only ever passed by very late at night after they had closed. Today, however, I was in the area to see a flick at Landmark Cinema and made a point to accomplish my goal before the 7-year itch set in. The handsome, lanky, long-haired waiter was delightful... as was the gorgeous gal who whipped-up my cherry malted (and cleared my used dishes). I was craving a bacon cheeseburger (with a fried egg on it) and it certainly hit the spot. All-in-all, it was a nearly perfect visit and I do hope to return again someday. read more

A great traditional diner with outstanding service. Even after coming at 11 am on a Sunday with a large church crowd, the service was spot on. The food is also very great. Omeletes, skillets, and traditional breakfasts. I have not been here for lunch or dinner but it also looks good. I have been here multiple times and never a bad experience. I took the average of everyone at my table's rating out of 10 and and it was a 9.5. And I was with a tough crowd! Overall, an awesome establishment. read more

This place is colorful, retro and nostalgic. From the motown music playing overhead to the chalkboard special menu. The food here is great! I had the stuffed citrus french toast with chicken apple sausage! The french toast was very sweet and yummy- but the little orange pieces were unnecessary because the marmalade have that citrus taste enough. EVERYONE NEEDS TO TRY THE CHICKEN APPLE SAUSAGE THOUGH. YOUR LIFE WILL GET BETTER. My friend ordered the Hobo scramble but she told me order from the specials so your taste can dance. Coffee is average diner coffee but the oj has far too much pulp. As far as service, our servers were a bunch of sweet persistent older women. We found ourselves repeating our orders. But overall our experience was nice. read more

Stella's Diner - Stuffed citrus french toast! - Diners Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Met at the door with a friendly greeting from the owner. Family owned and worked!! We had turkey club & fries and the country fried steak dinner. I had chilli with my dinner. EXCELLENT! A mix of Midwest chilli and Tex/Mex. The mashed potatoes are Real! The turkey in the club sandwich was off the real turkey, delicious! All the food was made in house! No canned gravy here!! We wanted to try the desserts but we are way too full!!! We are definitely coming again!!! read more

Stella's Diner - Diners Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I've been meaning to come to Stella's for ages since I'm basically Ron Swanson when it comes to breakfast food. Service was prompt and friendly and we only waited five minutes for a table. Food came quickly and portions were huge. The food itself tastes fine, pretty standard diner fare for a good price (I'm throwing shade at you, Yolk). Since there are just so many other breakfast spots, this probably won't make my regular brunch rotation, but is perfectly adequate for fast diner breakfast. read more

Stella's Diner - Make your own omelette with crispy hashbrowns and chicken fried steak. - Diners Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Love this place... Hometown feel and Pricing is perfect ... My favorite, for coffee, toast, bacon, sausage and egg place in the area.. read more

Stella's Diner - Favorite breakfast place... - Diners Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Decided to give Stella's Diner another shot with my love for Sunday Brunch. Beware, they are packed to the rim on Sunday. This is typical of a lot of restaurants in Chicago during brunch but having no designated waiting area sucks. Not only for the people waiting but for the people eating or staff trying to move around. Service was where the three stars come in. Everyone forgets at least heck on your table to see if anything is missing. Drinks and parts of our food order made it at the tail end of our meal. The food itself was okay. You get what you pay for here. Nothing to rave about but it doesn't taste like cardboard. The skillet is the way to go here. The waffle was good but my sausage links may have been old. All in all a decent meal for the price. read more

Stella's Diner - Diners Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

If a customer walks in before you're closing time, maybe you should consider serving them or change your hours. And btw, parking isn't free on N Broadway. A wasted trip and I was only there 38 minutes before close. read more

My favorite place for affordable breakfast in Lakeview East. They have awesome milkshakes too. Tried the Key Lime Pie, if you like your key lime a little tart will definitely recommend. read more

Stella's Diner - Diners Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The people who work here are amazing...so welcoming, personable, helpful and great at their jobs. Food prices are fair, quality is outstanding and service is excellent. Large menu, plentiful seating and clean restroom. Ordered the turkey club and my partner had the turkey reuben. He had the mac and cheese as a side which was wonderful as were the sandwiches. He also had the cream chicken soup that was great. 1 coffee, 1 soda, 2 sandwiches and a bowl of soup and the bill was approx $31. Would return. read more

Stella's Diner - Turkey bacon club - Diners Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I went here on a Saturday morning for breakfast. In and out within 40 mins, you can't beat that. Parking sucks, but most places in this area is like that. Staff is friendly and fast, loved the fact that I didn't have to ask for water refills and napkins, that just keep it coming. Food is pretty good, I had scrabbled eggs with spinach and feta with hash browns, turkey sausage and raisin toast. Food came out fast and didn't have that fried egg taste, which means the grille was set at the appropriate temperature. Overall it's a good cozy diner. I will be back if I'm in the area shopping or visiting. read more

Stella must be a wonderful person to create such a welcoming and amazingly run classic city diner. Stella's is worth a visit no matter what part of Chicago you base yourself in, with the timeless charm being enough to draw massive crowds on every weekend day and a steady crowd for the rest of the work week. From the moment you step inside, you're instantly greeted and seated, the guest hosts always asks if the seats they've chosen are to your fancy which is a thoughtful touch. I suggest the window seats to people watch as you sip on their amazing bottomless coffee deal. In terms of food, you're going to have more options than you even know what to do with in the authentic diner fashion. Personally, I feel you can't go wrong with their Marmalade Stuffed French Toast or their Southern Eggs Benedict (gimme that gravy!) They also have countless milkshake flavors and decadent pies, so if you've got a sweet tooth you'll be in the right place, my friend. This place is great for all age groups and is a complete and total treat. Superb service, fantastic food, and an authentic city charm makes Stella's diner a local favorite and a traveler's dream come true. read more

Literally whatever you're craving, it's most likely on Stella's menu. Fun atmosphere, low key, service that aim to make you laugh and smile. And you can't leave without a milkshake otherwise you're doing it wrong. read more

Stella's Diner - Diners Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Ate brunch here quite often. A neighborhood joint to welcome diners. It's delicious. I like the French toast or waffles.