The food at this restaurant was good but way too overhyped. The staff was friendly and brought my small party of two to our table after a 45 minute wait, which was the shortest wait time I've ever heard anyone have for this restaurant. After waiting even longer to order we got two "grownup drinks" from the menu, which were unique and surprisingly delicious. The wait for our food wasn't long, and the staff was very kind and made sure we had everything we needed before enjoying our meal. The salmon scramble was pretty good, but the 'salmon bennie' left more to be desired. But the food portions were large & definitely fit the price. All in all The Chef is a nice breakfast spot for anyone who doesn't mind a super long wait & wants a wide variety of good breakfast/brunch food options. read more

Waited 30 minutes on a Sunday around 10:30am which wasn't too bad. (Shorter wait time than usual.) in my opinion, the wait was definitely worth it! Once we were seated the food came out quickly, and the presentation was very nice. I got the Chorizo Burrito and I would definitely recommend! It is probably less crowded if you come closer to the opening time, but either way, if you're willing to wait the food is worth it. read more

The Chef - Fruit bowl. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Manhattan, Kansas

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Best place for hangover food! Their pancakes blow me away and I love eating breakfast there!

Cheap and cheerful, The Chef is a cozy stop in Manhattan to satisfy all of your brunchy munchies. (Sorry, after the rhyme-tastic decor involving words like wakey and bakey, I just couldn't help myself...) I opted for a salad off the lunch menu, which I immediately regretted upon seeing the french toast, pancakes, and the breakfast sammie that involved a bagel with ham steak, fried egg, sausage patty and of course, cheese. ...and I nibbled down my rabbit food... in envy. Tasty? Yes. Independent? Absolutely. A must stop brunch spot in Manhattan? Debatable. read more

BEST BREAKFAST SPOT IN MANHATTAN. Small family-like cafe in downtown Manhattan. Expect a wait because it is very popular. (especially Game Days) Great service and great food. Recommendations: -Dang Quesadilla -Smothered Burrito -Classic Breakfast -Breakfast Pizza read more

Somebody once told me that The Chef would change my life - that I should wait in line for 45 minutes because the food was just that amazing...basically I would find rainbows and unicorns and leprechauns after consuming Sunday brunch. ...so I waited. And Yelp seemed to agree. ...and my food arrived and it was really, really good. The hash browns were admittedly the best rectangle of food I've probably ever consumed. Crisp, golden and shredded potatoes sandwich and mushy amalgamation of potatoes and butter - I'm sure. Delicious to the max, this brick of Irish-American delight needed no condiments...the fork proved optional as I scooped the remaining bites from my friends' plates. But the buttermilk biscuit felt a little too much like someone took cheddar bay biscuits from red lobster, took out the cheddar and chives, and added a little bit of sugar, but not too much...just enough to make the biscuit not salty. As an after meal digestif, this biscuit is probably a good bet, but for someone wanting a fattening Kansas BUTTERmilk treat, it's not a worthy contender. read more

Went for breakfast, the line was down the block but well worth the wait...!! Coffee available while you waited. Food was so tasty! I ordered the fajita scramble. Really good biscuits n gravy. It was all delicious! This joint was gnarly busy but well worth the wait. Prices are affordable. The atmosphere & service was great! We'll definitely go back when we visit Manhattan again. read more

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This is classic American breakfast joint, with some twists, and done right! Everything that I've had is made from scratch in-house. The B.E.L.T. (bacon, egg, lettuce, and tomato) sandwich is a great day-starter, especially with a cup of coffee. Comes with a nice portion of freshly-fried skin-on potatoes (or hashbrowns). Delicious! Other wonderful surprises include a great home-made Hollandaise sauce, ice tea is actual brewed tea and not something from a can or a soda fountain, and home-made (!) warm strawberry jam served with some dishes. Finally, the wait staff, as well as the owners, are very friendly, considerate, and helpful. Overall, a wonderful breakfast or lunch experience (they are closed for dinner). read more

I have to start out by saying that there really are not enough breakfast/brunch places in Manhattan. The Chef though...this place really is fantastic but if you have never been, I will tell you right now that there will be a wait no matter what time you go (at least on a weekend, not sure about during the week). Expect anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour. My advice, put your name in and then walk around a bit because it will get overwhelmingly crowded inside and will make you drool since it smells so delicious. If you choose to wait there though, they will give you coffee so you can get caffeinated before being seated! I have been in Manhattan three times and yes, I have been to The Chef each time. I had The Grant (1/2 order of biscuits and gravy, eggs, and bacon), the Crab Cakes Benny, and the Breakfast Pizza. Their biscuits and gravy are literally perfection, the Crab Cakes Benny (as in crab cakes egg benedict) were messy but have incredible and unique flavor, and the Breakfast Pizza was simple and delicious... nothing too complex about it but also not exquisitely over-the-top. All three of these meals I would order again without hesitation and now that I am writing this review, am craving to go back. My boyfriend had the Banana Foster which tasted like pecan pie and I wish I could have had both of our meals but he didn't like that idea. Service has been great despite being so busy, and I feel that their predicted waiting times are pretty accurate. Well worth every minute. Also...you can get alcohol for breakfast so really, what is there not to love. $1 beers (yes), but also fancier alcoholic drinks, a Manmosa (orange juice and beer) and what I had was The Salty Dog (hope I got the name right), which was gin and grapefruit juice. Yum yum yum. This is just a charming place that you will love. read more

The Chef - Breakfast pizza and banana foster - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Manhattan, Kansas

We came across this place while shopping and agreed to give it a try the next day. I was excited to try something other than the typical Village Inn, IHOP, or Bob's that Manhattan has for breakfast. The decor is bright and colorful. The walls are a bright yellow with blue accents. The dishes are all different colors. They played all 80s music the morning we went there, which I love. I ordered the Huevos Rancheros with home potatoes. The dish was very good, one egg had green salsa and white cheese, the other had red salsa and yellow cheese. The potatoes are a little spicy, but good. My husband's dish was good too, he had a fritta recommended by our server. He got the hashbrowns, however, which weren't as good as the potatoes. The coffee here is excellent also, a little on the strong side. Service was great. She was very nice and another girl kept our coffee cup filled. I believe our bill was under $20 before tip. We will definitley go back! read more

Service is great, food is awesome. I would recommend for breakfast, but it is good for lunch as well. It is pretty crowded during the breakfast hours, but lunch on Saturday is perfect. They have some really creative breakfast cocktails as well. I have had the Chorizo Burrito and the Chicken Fried Steak and they are both Amazing. Kid friendly One of my favorite places in Manhattan. Highly recommended. read more

Every time I see a national list of "best places to eat" by state, for any occasion, I see The Chef for Kansas. I swear! And what occasion might The Chef be the right choice you ask? Brunch, before the game, after a late night, when you haven't been to sleep yet, lazy days, when you're alone, when your friends visit from someplace bigger and better, during cold weather, lunch, windy weather, bachelorette party warm up, spring, for coffee, to indulge, when the eff ever. Try everything at least once, but not all at the same time. Trust me. read more

The Chef was an okay restaurant, but service ultimately the cause of this marginal review. Between when we arrived and service was 10 minutes. However, what was very disappointing was the time from ordering to food on the table. It was to 45 mins and the waitress that had been been taking care of us disappeared and never checked in again. The food was okay, but I do not believe it is worth the long wait. The frittata was nice, but overly cheesy. Other members of our party had good items, but nothing worth the wait to be seated or served. This experience could be atypical, but I am unsure I would return. read more

Their breakfast is a real treat. Flavors and spices are always top-notch and a joy to wash down with a fresh glass of orange juice! Notch up the energy with a hot-brewed coffee and there ya go, the way a Manhattan breakfast should taste! - Floyd McMillin read more

Best breakfast in the town of manhattan. I've lived here for years and although the chef is packed on the weekends, it is a splendid restaurant. Fantastic food and good service is what I would compliment the establishment on. read more

Excellent breakfast entrees. French toast was fantastic. Salmon egg scramble was tasty. Coffee OK. Home fries a bit overdone.

Totally worth the wait!! Located in a very small building, with limited seating, this breakfast and lunch gem can get pretty crowded, but, with the friendly waitstaff providing you beverages while you wait (including traditional mimosas and manmosas,made with domestic beer and o.j.), the wait is bearable, knowing that you are going to get to nosh on delicious chicken fried steak, a delicious breakfast pizza, or chicken pot pie. I also have on good authority that the mac and cheese is pretty delicious as well. read more

The Chef - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Manhattan, Kansas

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That's right, 5 stars. The Chef is a great place to be at! Great food and coffee. It was named the best place to have breakfast in Kansas by Food Network Magazine. Always expect a crowd and to wait a bit, BUT IT IS WORTH THE WAIT! Great employees make the experience even better. I would suggest the buenos dias frittata and biscuits and gravy. If you have one chance to eat in the Little Apple, go to The Chef! read more

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Phenomenal. Great decor, something I want to wake up to. Then there's the food, and the coffee, and.. I want one of these in Kansas City. read more

*** Four and a half stars*** Came here with the bf on Labor Day morning around 8:50am. First of all, I LOVE that they were open on Labor Day so I already walked in with a smile on my face. Secondly, it's really important to note what time we got there. When we arrived, we had a couple of tables to choose from to sit at. About 15 minutes later, a couple of people started gathering at the door and, by the time we left, it was a totally packed, giant line. If you don't like to wait for food in the morning, definitely come here early! Although it did look like there was coffee for those waiting for a table, which I think is a nice touch. Back to our dining experience: I started with coffee, which I think is a good way to judge how a breakfast place is going to perform overall. This coffee was good, but it had some floaties in it -- presumably left over from a french press. Seeing as I normally drink my coffee from a french press, I didn't have a problem with this. The bf got a large orange juice (he's not a coffee drinker) and he said it tasted fresh and had pulp. For the meal, I MacGyver-ed my own pancakes with bananas and walnuts. The pancakes were fluffy and the bananas were just the right ripe-ness while the walnuts added that extra crunch. It was like a flat banana walnut muffin that I dipped in syrup. Delicious! It tasted to me like the pancakes were made with whole wheat flour, but I have no data to back that up. The bacon that came with the pancakes was thick-cut but very crispy. I don't know how they do that, but that is EXACTLY how I like my bacon. Well done, Chef! The bf got a skillet/scramble thing that looked good and very cheesy. He got the home fries for the side based on the waitress's suggestion, and what a great suggestion that was! They are seasoned, thick slices of potatoes that aren't greasy at all and they were super yummy. We dipped them in sour cream and they were like breakfast potato wedges. So good! Overall, the food gets four stars. I'm bumping it up an extra half star because the waitress gave me a to-go cup of coffee! What a great way to start the day!!! read more

The food is great and so is the service! The wait times are usually short and the food is worth it. The only down side is if you listen, you can sometimes hear the owner berating his staff. Too bad there's not a separate rating for that. read more

I love this place. The food is amazing and quick. The people are always so happy when we walk in. The specials are great and the food is just the right amount. For someone like me that feels they have to clean their plate, I can and it is the perfect amount of food. Love going every chance i can. My favorite is the turkey beakfast sandwich...the strawberry jam.. OMG read more

I was looking forward to visiting this Resturant based on past reviews but it failed to impress on so many levels. I attempted to order eggs Irish or an Irish Benedict. I wanted to try the homemade hash in a format I am familiar with to make some honest comparisons. I was told by the waitress they won't do that. Even after I explained how simple it was. I then ordered the steak eggs Benedict. It is advertised as 4 oz NO WAY. It came out 2 oz at best. I ordered medium rare which was relayed to the kitchen. It came out medium well. The poached eggs appeared to be microwaved in a mold and were cooked through. The bernaise sauce was cold and clearly from a squeeze bottle due to the pretty design. The side of corned beef hash was more potato than corned beef. It had some flavor but it is FAR from even the quality of Hormel from a can. Overall either this was just a bad visit or this Resturant is resting on the laurels of past reviews. Either way I doubt I will ever return. read more

The Chef - Overlooked undersized steak. Over cooked poached eggs. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Manhattan, Kansas

Love this little hole in the wall!! They have some unique dishes mainly breakfast and awesome coffee!!

First time here and I'm loving this place!! We were greeted as soon as we came in the door, our waitress is so nice and patient I love the decor just waiting for the food.... let me just say WOW!! I haven't been this satisfied in a long time I ordered the crab cake salad and it was delicious! Portions are good and price is affordable, mac and cheese was really really good I could even vile a picture of it my son ate it so fast, overall total satisfaction!!! read more

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I've been eating at The Chef for years! When I lived in Manhattan I went approximately once to twice a week now I'm at the chef anytime I'm in Manhattan visiting. Everything about this place is great. The food is amaaaazing, best eggs benedict I've ever had. The decor is welcoming and "sunny", they have a huge sunny side up egg clock! The staff is friendly and you can tell that they genuinely enjoy what they are doing. Food Network Magazine voted it the best place to have breakfast in Kansas. I agree as does anyone who has ever been there! read more

Stopped in for a to go order as they were very busy. Chicken fried steak, over medium eggs, home fries and rye toast. Chicken fried steak is great. Not just a flimsy piece of meat. Gravy was very good as well, pepper spice to it but not too much. Just enough for a little heat. Eggs, normal. Potatoes, not very appealing to the eye, and were cold when i got to my destination. the rye bread was very disappointing. This was thin and flimsy. Too bad. Had high expectations. read more

Great spot for a breakfast date during the week. Weekends are way too busy to get in. Usual 30 min to an hour wait just to sit down. I love the chicken fried steak and eggs breakfast; the steak is always tender and the gravy is delicious. Make sure you get some toast with the warm strawberry jam. It is excellent. Wait staff is always pleasant and attentive when we are there but again we don't go on the weekends when the lines are down the block. read more

Awesome selection!! Great service, great people!! Favorite breakfast place in Kansas!!

Worth the wait. So many great choices on the menu. Settled on the corned beef hash and it did not disappoint. They have liquor license, so best part was Bloody Mary for breakfast. No complaints with the service. read more

The Chef - Corned Beef Hash - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Manhattan, Kansas

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Wonderful place! Everything we got was delicious! Breakfast meats, eggs, French toast, fruit bowl and hashbrowns! You can't go wrong with any of it! read more

Really looked forward to going to this place after I had heard so much from my friends! Finally got the chance to stop by on my latest Manhattan adventure and this place didn't disappoint. The wait was kind of long on a Sunday, but it was to be expected (as I've heard so many good things) but we were able to order a bloody mary and since it was nice outside we sat outside & drank our bloody's (is that how you spell that?) I ordered the chorizo burrito because I love breakfast burritos. It was really delicious although a bit spicy so I was happy that the waitress was on top of her game with the water/coffee. Definitely recommend this place and will stopping by again! Just be prepared to wait for awhile if you stop here particularly on a weekend! Giving 4 stars instead of 5 because I think the place should be a little bigger :)...overall great experience! read more

This is my favorite place for breakfast in Manhattan, hands down. I wish I could go every time I'm back in town, but it is always packed on Sunday mornings when I am heading back to KC after K-State football games. And for good reason! I brought my foodie boss (a KU fan nonetheless) to breakfast at The Chef before a day of interviews. He had the breakfast pizza and was really impressed. Hours later he brought up how enjoyable the food and service was. I've had the breakfast burrito and biscuits and gravy on the few occasions I've been able to get in, and they are both delicious. I love the quaint ambiance, but I really do wish it was a bit bigger so more people could enjoy the food at the same time! read more

Excellent food, cooked well, with a staff that knows how to care for both the food and the guests. Well done! We'll be back next time we trek back up to Manhattan. Awesome! read more

Eat. Here. Now. I got the breakfast burrito with the hash browns, about $10 total. It was fan-f***ing-tastic. Seriously. Maybe I was just starving or maybe I have an unnatural love of breakfast at a local cafe, but The Chef just really hit the spot. The portion was so big that I got to have leftover breakfast for dinner. It did take a bit to get the food, but the waitstaff was very attentive and polite. read more

We stopped here while visiting Manhattan and I highly recommend stopping by if you also are. The place was packed when we visited, but staff were still friendly and attentive to our needs and our food was ready reasonably quickly. I tried the breakfast pizza (and some salmon and eggs off of someone else's plate) and highly recommend it. The coffee is locally sourced and high quality. The atmosphere is very bright and welcoming. read more

Best breakfast spot in Manhattan, Kansas. Menu variety is extremely satisfied. Hard to go wrong with anything available on the menu. Good price as well. Only complaint is location being it's uptown at town central and parking isn't the best. Still well worth the effort. read more

A homely quiet place to grab breakfast. The service is friendly, but with the meal wait time, not a place if you are in a hurry. The steak and egg comes with a decently sized, well-cooked and juicy steak, but the scrambled eggs don't measure up. They do have homemade strawberry jam, which I wish they bottled so I could take it home with me. read more

Our wait was 1.5 hours to be seated. Food was good but not over-the-top amazing. I had the chorizo breakfast burrito. I would come back but will try to find a better time with a faster wait time, or come with a smaller party. Wait staff was very friendly and helpful. read more

Great little "breakfast all day" place. I had a breakfast burrito smothered in sausage gravy. I did expect a little more seasoning in the gravy, but some salt and pepper and it hit the spot. I also tried the biscuit with homemade warm jelly. It was very unique in a good way. Probably only could have hoped for a little softer, but I bet with sausage gravy it is just perfect. Be prepared for a long wait as they don't have a lot of tables and they get pretty busy on the weekends. read more