never had a bad meal here. never had bad service here. vibes are always great here. that's is the review. read more

See all

It had been close to 20 years since I've been to SWC! I took my youngest to help reminisce of places that I used to go to in my pre-kid days. It's definitely a family place - just not one we had gotten around to visiting. On this visit I had the protein power scramble and paired it with their absolutely delicious biscuits and home fries. My daughter had a cinnamon swirl pancake that she enjoyed, but it was took big too finish. Not a problem as she demolished it the next morning. Definitely will be back and we won't 20 years this next time! read more

It has been five years since I've been here and I cannot stop thinking about it. I'm eager to get back to the biscuits, to try the cinnamon roll pancakes, and to actually have black coffee without the bite! We didn't wait too long for our food and the atmosphere is so electric, you don't really seem like you're waiting. I will say it felt a tad bit crowded when I was there last so be sure to keep "cozy, and intimate" in the forefront when imagining your dining experience. Get to Sweet Maple! read more

This is a gem. Food in the service serve absolutely fantastic and unique. The coffee is fantastic and the biscuits are unbelievably good. Homemade hash and other favorites on the menu and they're all worth trying. It's a small unique establishment that's been around for many years and for good reason if you're in the area, try them out. Be prepared to wait in line. This place does a heck of a business. read more

I was looking up breakfast places in Chicago while we were there. We found a hidden gem in little Italy. Great food good service. Place was hopppin so you know it was good. We will be going back next time we are in town read more

All we wanted was a good, quick breakfast spot and instead we were subjected to an absolutely great one. All jokes aside, Sweet Maple Cafe is a classic, quaint breakfast spot with great service and very good food. We arrived on a Friday morning with a party of 7 and were seated right away. They have both indoor and outdoor seating; we chose indoor and the setting was very homey and comforting. Street parking is the only option available so if you're coming by car then be prepared to circle until you grab a spot. The menu is relatively standard aside from the fact that they offer specials depending on the day of the week. We ordered the not-so-plain buttermilk pancakes with a side of bacon, the catfish nuggets (Friday only special) with an egg and cinnamon raisin toast, and a raspberry latte. The pancakes? Soft and light. Not too thick but not paper thin, butter melted right into it and kept its flavor. Just the way we like pancakes. The bacon could've been a bit better as it was stiff but that's a small miss apart from the main dish. The catfish nuggets were straight up phenomenal. The batter was light and the catfish was cooked perfectly. The eggs were cooked just as requested and hey, even the cinnamon raisin toast was pretty good. Lastly, the latte was great. Smooth and sweet, the syrup not too strong but sweet enough to taste it. A great pairing to any breakfast meal. By the time we finished eating we were incredibly glad we had come into Sweet Maple Cafe. The food, service, and setting; all great. It pains me not to give this place a 5 because 5 should mean something that blows your mind from a taste and experience standpoint. This place is a great example of why reviews should allow for .5 or.1 intervals on rating because this place easily deserves much more than a 4, unfortunately we are limited by Product Engineers, but hey, maybe they'll read this and make a change (yeah, right). read more

See all

Don't be surprised at the breakfast crowd that this place consistently pulls. I haven't been here in over 15 years, and it was just as good as I remember. The food is AMAZING. The time standards are awesome and the servers are great people. The screened in outdoor expansion was a great touch, too (there was only indoor seating when I visited as a teenager). The indoor area gives the best at home feel. The fact that it hasn't changed is honestly so endearing. The menu is solid and the Carmen G's Scramble offered a great portion with scrumptious sides. I'm excited to try more of the menu on my next trip to Chicago. Parking isn't as easy as it used to be, but that has nothing to do with this amazing place. Just a word to the wise, if you can...do a rideshare. If not, be prepared to search a little for a spot (unless you get lucky like we did)! read more

Sweet Maple Cafe - Carmen G's Scramble - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Start to finish, the experience felt like I was transported to a small shop in the south. Between the caring staff to the delicious food, I've decided I'll be returning every time I'm in Chicago. The cinnamon pancake is a must have. The home fries were perfectly made. I'm excited to try the menu in full. read more

See all

The service here is absolutely warm, attentive, and genuinely welcoming. It has that true homey, old-school diner vibe that makes you feel comfortable as soon as you sit down. The food overall was good, but the real star of the show is the cinnamon roll pancake. Seriously, one of the best pancakes I've ever had. It is fluffy, flavorful, and perfectly sweet without being over the top. I'd come back for that alone. read more

Sweet Maple Cafe - The 18th Street - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

I loved sweet maple café delicious pancakes delicious food delicious eggs everything was amazing The service was spectacular. My breakfast was very good. I loved everything about it. I highly recommend this location. read more

Had the corn beef hash and it was delicious! The staff were all very friendly and I felt like family. Definitely worth the trip! read more

See all

For Juneteenth we had a plan to go have brunch and support a local, Black-owned restaurant. After a quick search, I found Sweet Maple. It's located in the Italian district (W. Taylor Street) and is a homegrown, very charming and old-school type of eatery. The sign out front is worn - it's barely legible but inside is great food, warm smiles and amazing service. Parking is on the street and remember to pay at the machine or use the mobile app. Since it was a holiday, we arrived about 11:15 AM and the wait was outside. It was a mixed crowd of people - that's a good sign that great food awaits! We waited about 30 minutes to be seated and it was well worth it! For brunch we ordered the omelette breakfast, a skillet bowl and one of their buttermilk pancakes they're known for. Also, coffee and an Arnold Palmer (no sweet tea but mixed with lemonade it was great). Standouts: the fresh baked biscuits! Add butter and a little jelly...mouth watering. The buttermilk pancake too! So tasty and cooked just perfect. Our server was attentive and super nice. The food was served quickly and the flavors were delicious. I love breakfast and this was definitely a great start to our holiday weekend! read more

See all

AMAZING food! Such nice staff and people. I cannot recommend this gem anymore! Phenomenal spot! Very reasonably priced too. The pancakes are other worldly and have a tremendous breakfast sandwich!! Outstanding read more

Sweet Maple Cafe - Omelette with chorizo, mushrooms and home fries - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

A cute quaint place that is celebrating their 25th year anniversary last year. We came in and were seated immediately. The place was half full on a Thursday morning and 9:15. Emmitt, our waiter was fast, efficient and courteous! My mom ordered some scrambled eggs cooked soft and grits. I ordered the Carmen G's Scramble which came with Eggs scrambled with bacon, spinach, mushrooms, and your choice of cheese. I chose cheddar cheese. I had home fries and a biscuit . Everything was fresh and delicious! It was like sitting in a grandma's dining room! Clean, reasonably priced, good food and great service!!! read more

See all

After 20 minute wait for a table, our server was really attentive. We enjoyed the vintage look, like your Grandma's home. Dishes came really quick! They were outstanding! We really loved our experience!!! read more

See all

Sweet Maple Cafe is a true chicago staple and a classic. My dad was in town and we went for breakfast. I hadn't been in years but the interior was exactly the same except the new patio part. Service was good and the food was great. read more

Very good find!!! The cinnamon roll pancakes are some of the best I have ever had and I'm not a huge pancake person! Not too sweet and perfectly crisp!! The classic breakfast was great, wanted to add an egg but the potatoes were amazing and so were the biscuits! My bf said the salmon cakes were good!!! Overall service was attentive and food came out hot! read more

See all

My family and I have been going to sweet maple cafe for many years after my brother saw an episode of "Check Please". Sweet Maple NEVER disappoints. Food is delicious every single time we go. Staff is always very sweet and attentive. We will continue to enjoy their delicious breakfast options. read more

Amazing food!!!!!! Such a great little spot. These are seriously the best. Great breakfast without all the extra environmental things. Sometimes you just want great food. Great service added to it also. read more

Sweet Maple Cafe - Cinnamon roll pancake (10/10), pork chops (10/10), eggs, grits and coffee! - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Anyone can serve you breakfast and call themself a breakfast place but here at SMC, they give you the satisfaction of serving you breakfast with a smile with the expectation of best-in-class customer satisfactions. We ordered a variety of dishes such as: 1. Liver and Onion $17 2. Sweet Maple Special (2 eggs, bacon, fries, toast) $15 3. Classic Corned Beef Hash $14 We gave our selection to the waiter (Jeremy) who was very polite and I asked him about what is cheese grits since I was not sure what that is like, he brought over a small sample of cheese grits for me to try (which was very nice of him) Cheese grits to me is like the outside of a tamale. All of our dishes came in a timely manner and every dish was prepared fresh and perfect, the liver and onion came in small fried chunks and lightly salted and topped with sweet soft sauteed onions. the entire meal filled us up and we left with a very large smile without a hurt in our wallets. Highly recommend SMC to anyone who enjoys a very good breakfast that leaves you a smile. read more

Today we tried The Sweet maple Cafe, as a true Southerner I enjoyed the Great ambience and vibes, love the setting. Gives me that feeling of Granny house on Sundays! My experience with the food however didn't match the southern flavors I'm use to. Salmon cakes were fresh and delicious, biscuits were disappointing, wasn't fresh seemed warmed up , grits terrible, pancakes were ok, and Eggs were cool. Service today was very mediocre. I could skip this one next time In Chicago read more

Sweet Maple Cafe - Salmon Cake Meal, Bowl Cheddar Grits, Sweet Milk Biscuits - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Amazing amazing spot. I wish I could take this place back to California with me. The service here is outstanding. You feel like you are at home! We came here early on a Friday morning and it was easy to get a table. On the weekend it can get pretty busy so you may have to wait. I actually came here twice during my recent visit. Once we ate in, and once we got takeout. I can confirm takeout is also amazing! The biscuits here are everything. I also love the sausage and grits! The scrambles and omlettes have fresh ingredients and super melty cheese. You can't get better soul food breakfast. I brought my toddler here and there were plenty of options for what he could eat here as well. Be sure to also check out their specials! They have fish fry Fridays! My brother ordered the cinnamon roll pancakes, I mean look at the picture. I love the homey decorations inside and the atmosphere is buzzing with happy waitstaff and happy customers! This place is a true gem and a must try if you are in Chicago! read more

See all

Just a little update! Went back to Sweet maple with come coworkers. This time I went with three BYO scramble with egg whites, turkey sausage, spinach, onion and tomato. It was super good!! Also loved the potatoes, sautéed with onions. I got the biscuit for the side, it was alright but lacked flavor. Overall great service and tasty scramble so would come back for that! read more

See all

My boyfriend and I had such a lovely brunch at Maple Street Cafe today. The lemon tea and honey was so warm and comforting on such a snowy day. Our food came out hot fresh and quick. The french toast is delicious and the home fries were perfectly crispy! But more importantly, the entire staff was genuinely kind and friendly. They seemed to have a family culture and really care about the service they're providing. Best brunch I've had in Chicago. I would definitely come back the next time we're in Chicago. read more

Rustic atmosphere and small which makes it very cozy. The menu has options for everyone whether you have a big or small appetite. The pancakes are ok, the french toast had a good taste to it and didn't need syrup in my opinion. The Carmen G scramble was good but the onions weren't soft enough for my liking. The biscuits are nice sized and sweet! The sausage gravy wasn't good to me. The consistency, the flavor and the look was off. The service was quick and accurate! My group waited less than 10 minutes for a table on Sunday at 10:30am. This is a pretty basic breakfast spot with something to suit everyone but nothing had me excited to come back. read more

See all

We were looking for a good breakfast spot and a good friend recommended Sweet Maple Cafe. It did not disappoint! This is a small and quaint restaurant located on the West Side near UIC and the location has parallel parking along the street. When we arrived it was about a 20 min wait. The restaurant is not that big so you will need to wait outside. They do provide a few chairs to accommodate patrons. We were seated approximately after 15 minutes after arrival. The staff is very friendly and helpful. They provided that southern hospitality we're used to. The establishment is very customer service oriented and it's appreciated. We ordered a couple of things: the Toss Up Scramble, Not So Plain Buttermilk pancakes, the Sweet Maple Special, and a side of corned beef hash. I had their coffee and my boyfriend has their orange juice. The biscuits were amazing! Perfectly baked. I am not a corned beef hash fan at all but I actually enjoyed their version. EVERYTHING was delicious! It was very filling and cooked perfectly. If you are looking for a hearty, home cooked breakfast with amazing service, please visit Sweet Maple Cafe! read more

See all

Simple, Tasty, Home cooked flavor food. No bells or whistles just a nice simple breakfast with an at home feel. Lot of regular customers. Price point is good and menu is pretty easy to pick from. Great for a date with grandma or an aunt. Gives me southern living vibes. read more

Omg!!!! Their food is the best I've had from a breakfast spot in a long time! Their pancakes are to die for! The servers are well mannered and friendly. Just an overall cozy spot to get great food and great service. The food was so good me n my wife came 1 day n turned right around and came back the next day for more! Lol definitely recommend and we shall return again. read more

Sweet Maple Cafe - Specials - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

DELIGHTFUL!!! Delicious home cooking in a casual, cozy, sweet cafe in Little Italy of Chicago! The servers are so friendly and kind and the food was terrific! Don't miss the cheddar grits and the homemade muffins!! read more

Sweet Maple Cafe - GENEROUS portions!!! - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

One of my favorite spots in the entire city. . . I always try to make it on Fridays so I can get the catfish! They source the catfish from Alaska and it's so fresh you can taste the water in the fish. Whether you sit inside or outside, there's really no bad seat in the house. Cute, friendly, DELICIOUS! What more do you need? read more

Super attentive staff, food came out quick and delicious. Biggest surprise and happy finding is that they are peanut-free and seafood-free. SUCH a relief and extremely comforting for those with severe food allergies. I felt safe knowing they don't have these two major allergens on the menu. I can't wait to go back again and again! read more

It's a cozy spot on Taylor Street that seems to carry a good crowd of people. The food was delicious and would definitely come back! read more

Sweet Maple Cafe - Sweet Maple Special - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

The staff are awesome . The food and coffee was phenomenal. I would recommend this 100%.

A cozy place, reminiscent of grandma's dining room. The owner here is just lovely, she always listens to you and is very attentive. The menu is extensive, and everything is very tasty. Recently I tried the signature pancakes and their cinnamon buns. They were cooked perfectly! Excellent coffee, perfect for spending time with a whole group. read more

The cafe was super cute. It wasn't too large but still had plenty of room for people. The pancakes were very tasty and the coffee was probably the best coffee I've ever had in a restaurant. The sausage gravy was slightly bland but the bone in ham was very tasty. read more

See all

This is a go to little neighborhood gem. On Taylor street with a nice size patio, the location is super cute and inviting. Southern style brunch with good portions. Some favorites are the Carmen g scramble, biscuits and gravy, and any of the seasonal items. Check out the cinnamon roll or pumpkin pancakes for a splurge. read more

This place was recommend by my son and his girlfriend --they go there often. I thought it was just okay. First, when I looked at their menu online, I assume I could order from the lunch menu but we visited on a Saturday and was told they only have the brunch menu. I only wanted a BLT --which they have all of the ingredients for on the brunch menu (and it is a regular on the lunch menu) but the answer was 'no' --makes no sense. My eggs weren't cooked the way I ordered them and sent them back --they came back correct. Bacon was good. Biscuit was okay. Two others at our table also felt the food was just okay. My son said the chicken in his scramble tasted "weird" --his dad agreed. Overall, a disappointment. read more

Don't even question whether or not you should go, just go!! I highly recommend this restaurant. The restaurant itself is small but full of love! My family and I were visiting Chicago from Atlanta and this restaurant reminded us of the south. This restaurant is black owned and the food didn't miss at all. The service was great as well. I definitely recommend eating here! read more

See all

A local small business you will want to support everyday! Everyone is so nice and the food is outstanding. It's describe as southern cooking but there is something for everyone The ambiance is like being in someone's front kitchen, very homey! We like the healthy dishes like oatmeal, eggs and fresh fruit. But you can always splurge on the scrambles as they look delicious They get busy so sometimes you may feel a little rushed because they need to rotate customers so people don't have to wait too long. Too bad they don't have more space so you can relax a little more But no complaints from us! We love them and will keep returning. read more

Sweet Maple Cafe continues to be consistent over the years with good food and service! My social group had breakfast and everyone enjoyed their meals. Our waitress was attentive and provided excellent service. The cafe is a nice and comfortable place to have great conversations and food without all the extra "stuff." read more