We ate here for breakfast. They food was delicious. About the same price as an IHOP or Perkins, but better quality. The waitresses were helpful and knowledgeable. Their corned beef is not canned. They make it themselves. Their pancakes were made with real fruit, and their breakfast burrito was made entirely from scratch. Even the salsa. We all enjoyed their home fries...some of the best I've ever had. Walking past you might not think they are worth checking out, but they are. You'll be glad you did! read more

I went there today for an affordable breakfast, but I paid $8.00 for one blueberry pancake and $4.00 for an iced coffee. Not so affordable! read more

Stopped in because there was nowhere else in town open on a Sunday. I imagine that's why they have somewhat decent ratings. We say ourselves and waited for about 10 mins for someone to come to our table and greet us. When no one came, I went to ask for a menu, and as I was standing waiting to ask, I was snapped at with a rude, "What is it"?" When I kindly asked for a menu, I was rudely told, "We see you; we know you're there. We'll come to you." Not feeling confident the service would be good and that we would get our food in a timely manner, we decided to leave and hit up Dunkin. Can't speak for the food but if you're wanting a pleasant dining experience, not confident you're going to find it here. read more

My son insisted that I must try the Breakfast Horseshoe at the Downtown Cafe. So we went for a late Breakfast. The server arrived at the table quickly, informed us that both breakfast and lunch were available and took our drink order. When she returned I followed my son's lead and ordered the Ham Breakfast Horseshoe. I was able to take in the ambiance of an old style diner with modest but topical decor that included photos of the area. Our food arrived in a reasonable amount of time and looked great. The entire dish , three thick toast points, eggs, hash browns and diced ham almost completely covered with sausage gravy. My first bite was toast and as promised, the gravy was amazing. The rest of the meal was equally good. I will be back again read more

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The service was very slow. It took over 30 minutes to get our food out. It took them 10 more minutes after that to get out a singular coffee cake. We were also given no silverware or napkins my daughter had to go up and get her own. Ridiculous. read more

Excellent service and food, Heather was a very nice server and provided valuable suggestions on what food she recommends. Prices were good and atmosphere nice comfortable and very clean and well maintained, I highly recommend read more

We were in town for the day and a colleague recommended this cafe for lunch. It's a small place but the food didn't disappoint. Our waitress was pleasant and friendly. read more

The food (especially the omelettes) is delicious!! We enjoy going there on Sundays. The service is always excellent and a very comfortable atmosphere. Highly recommended! read more

Good food, friendly atmosphere, and attentive staff. Will be back the next time we're in town.

One of the better breakfast spots in town. I love the pancakes or biscuits and gravy. Portions sizes are large so you get what you pay for. They have a large open area so you don't feel like you are crowded. Staff have always been friendly and the service is quick. Great diner to eat in! read more

We took the Day off Today to explore Breakfast Spots in Decatur IL. We started off Our Morning with an absolutely Wonderful Hot Mocha Latte @ The River Coffee Company... Then We ate Breakfast here at The Downtown Cafe. It was Scrumptious! I had the Chorizo Scramble & Robert had the Horseshoe... Our Waitress was Jamie and She gave Excellent Customer Service to All... We will definitely come back again... read more

The Downtown Cafe - Chorizo Scrambler w/Raisin Toast - American Near Me - Decatur, Illinois

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We ordered take out! Food was fresh & good! I had the omelet & huge pancakes! Biscuits was kind of hard but others than that.. we need to go back! You won't be disappointed read more

The Downtown Cafe - Fluffy yummy pancakes! Huge!!! - American Near Me - Decatur, Illinois

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Eat breakfast there every Friday morning, two eggs over easy, slice of ham and wheat toast, plenty of food for breakfast, and the waitress is very good , the price is very reasonable, plenty of food read more

This is a great place for breakfast! The Denver omelet is the real deal and I always love a place that offers rye toast!

Friendly Staff. Owner was even present which is always good. Good breakfast spot. The eggs Benedict were as good as any and served with crisp bacon, which I prefer. Hash browns were best I've had. Uniquely folded so crisp on the outside and soft and warm on the inside. My wife had an egg white omelette and oatmeal. Only complaint was the blueberries for the oatmeal were sour and didn't look fresh. Not very busy for a Saturday so assume D town residents must still have been in bed cuz the place should be full. read more

The Downtown Cafe - American Near Me - Decatur, Illinois

This could possibly be THE WORST DINING EXPERIENCE I have ever had. We walked in, the sign said "please seat yourself" I walked up to a waitress cleaning the table. I asked if the table was available ... she barked " NO! THESE ARE TAKEN!" My fiancée asked where we could sit, she said "you'll have to wait!" My fiancée asked where, she pointed at door and said "BACK AT THE DOOR!" We waited. To seat us , the class act we had already met , yelled from the middle of the restaurant "THERES ONE ALL THE WAY DOWN ON YOUR LEFT!" ... did not walk us to our table, apologize for the earlier rudeness, or the wait..... again : class and customer service , not her thing. We sat down, and Thank God, got a different waitress - she was pleasant , took our drink then our food order..... We waited roughly an hour - not once did the waitress stop by our table to inquire about refills, sorry for the wait, etc" The original seater was loud and foul mouthed , and said FUCK repeatedly, while standing behind the counter, talking to customers (she knew? ) She did scream a few times what they were out of: our "waitress" never came over and aid anything about what they were out of - even though , we had ordered those things. Our food finally came out - the gentleman who brought out the food: advised what was missing and the other choices he could substitute NOT our waitress - the server ! Food was ok Our waitress came over once in the next 30 mins to ask if we needed anything. We left. We won't be back. And I have never ever not left a tip. I generally tip in the 30 - 40% window. Customer service is never easy - especially after the pandemic, so we always go in with an open mind that "things are not the same" But when yr "experience " starts with someone barking orders at you, and then just being rude and foul mouthed in general, an hr wait for eggs and biscuits and gravy, and no sign of "sorry for the shit service" I could have gotten dressed, driven to store, cooked my own breakfast, eaten it, and cleaned up the mess, and gotten on with my day. AGAIN, I have NEVER not left a tip. DON'T EAT HERE!! unless you need to kill a couple of hours and want to be ignored AMBIENCE - see above FOOD. - eh ..... mediocre at best PS - Read the other reviews.... We're we in the same place. The service, attitude, language, rudeness.... Maybe we got the b-staff Still wouldn't put us thru it again read more

I went to try a new place/ The people were extremely friendly and helpful I was seated and served in record time and the food was very good and had a nice presentation read more

got ignored by all the waitresses, not even a greeting to tell us they'd be with us in a second and when we tried to get a waitress attention we got a dirty look and flat out ignored, horrible service. read more

Good breakfast food. I ordered an omelette which came with toast and hash browns. Very tasty and would definitely go again. Nice little spot with good options and specials for breakfast and lunch. read more

Wait time is extensive on the weekends. The food is adequate. Don't go after 9 am if you have to be somewhere. We ordered, then waited more than an hour for our food. Mediocre, at best. read more

Just the basics, but done perfectly and with a very friendly staff. My omelette was great and my fiance's Huevos Rancheros was the best she's ever had. Perfect bacon, great-tasting coffee and great service. read more

Just your average diner for breakfast. Nothing fancy. There are several other places in Decatur to get More for your money than this place. I don't Understand why I continually review places, when non of The places read it. read more

Stopped in for breakfast on the way home. Good food, coffee was little weak but overall decent. Service was a bit slow but we also came in on a Sunday morning after the church crowd so it's to be expected. Biscuits and gravy was A+, would definitely stop here again. read more

I went to the Downtown Cafe and the food was really good, hot and fresh! the cafe was full of people, and my waitress was very friendly and never late for anything. I also had a chance to talk with the owners and they were exceptionally kind and warm. The cafe was a nice change from all the generic franchises and chains that have seemingly taken over most areas, I will be going back very soon! read more

Very bad experience today for breakfast. Six of us met there this morning for breakfast and the service was nonexistent. I would give zero stars if it was an option. We received menus to order from but it took 35 minutes for the waitress to come back to our table to take our orders. Three other tables were seated while we were waiting and she took their orders before ours. One table even had their food while we were waiting to place our order. I even stopped the manager to complain that we had to leave soon and he said she'll be there shortly. Ten more minutes passed and he didn't bother to tell her we were still waiting. Very poor service!! read more

This is a locally owned diner that is packed on the weekends, especially now that it's open on Sunday. It's one of those Midwestern charmers that has an "early service" rush and a "late service" rush. I don't live in Decatur anymore, but I grew up here, and every time I come home, I make certain to come here for breakfast. The prices are reasonable, and the food is home-spun and made-to-order, which is nice for the (albeit small) vegetarian crowd, at least for breakfast. I usually get the Cafe Scramble without cheese or ham. Come here to "buy local." Be patient when the restaurant is full. And be sure to thank the owner (John) when he comes around to pour the coffee himself. The Downtown Cafe has the ambiance and home-cooking that national restaurant chains often try to bottle up and duplicate. Here, it's authentic. read more

Pleasant place. Kind and great service. Food is a bit bland. However, it does stay true to diner food. And...it's the one of only breakfast non-chain joints in town. Yet...it's for sale? read more

Went here for a quick lunch one afternoon with my boyfriend, it wasn't too busy for 12 o'clock but is seemed as though everyone there knew each other and the wait staff was very nice and attentive. Our waitress gladly answered all of our questions and gave some great suggestions. The food was okay but not great, I was able to get a turkey burger and a salad which was a nice healthier option. My boyfriend got chicken strips and fries that were pretty good, nothing to rave about. Apparently we need to go back and try breakfast though! It was good for a quick bite and some nice company! read more

Based on breakfast I had here last year, I can't get very enthusiastic about this place. My omelet was okay, the service was good... I think I just got sulky because, as in almost every eatery in Decatur, Illinois, there's no half-and-half for the coffee. They'll provide milk, but the default is non-dairy creamer laden with two local products: soy oil and corn syrup. I've got a long stay in Decatur coming up and I'll update this review if I make another visit. read more

Those who love breakfast will love this place. I have tried so many good things here it is hard to remember them all; chocolate chip pancakes, blueberry pancakes, egg sandwich, biscuits and gravy, just to name a few. Everything is good and savory. Many locals and regulars there at all times during breakfast. Priced quite well, also. read more

When ever I travel I look for the local "mom and pop" cafes. When I found this one I was not let down. I had the omelet with hashbrowns and toast. The omelet was dynamite and the hashbrowns were crispy and cooked perfect. The price was right inline for a breakfast. I don't understand why somepeople complain about $8.95 for a full omelet breakfast cooked to order but will go to a fast food joint and Pay $7 for a "meal deal". The staff was friendly and helpful and the cofee was good. Would absolutely recommend this place. The hours on yelp are wrong as I was there at noon on Saturday and the app showed they were closed. read more

I have to say that I didn't have a lot of high hopes for food when my company announced my travel to Decatur, IL but I've definitely found some good/great restaurants to enjoy. As I'm on a pretty strict diet, I try to limit the things I eat, however I had the breaded Chicken Wrap with the home chips. Both were distinctively good. Good lunch option, but some of the items might be a bit heavy to be productive the rest of the day. Great diner feel, and staff that's extremely warm. read more

The service at this place is almost nonexistent. 45 minutes wait for breakfast. I get that it's Saturday morning, but jeeze ramp up! Also the place is freezing cold. I'll let you know how the food is....if I ever get it. read more

Someone took me out to lunch here last week. How could I NOT have known it was there. I work Down Town and will be back. Definitely makes one feel that we live in a great town with great people. What a wonderful menu too! read more

Love this place. Our waitress was so friendly, she recommended the special "Eggs Benedict" the hollandaise sauce was made from scratch...I was NOT disappointed. I asked for my hash browns extra crispy and they were perfect! (Other restaurants leave them crispy on the outside and mushy on the inside) This was my first visit since I moved here and my experience was great and the prices were very reasonable for breakfast! I will definitely make this a regular visit! read more

Like a good down home café. Love it! Especially for breakfast, service could be better.

Nothing special here. Food was ok but not for the price. $8.95 for an omelette, potatoes, & toast? I can go to a couple other places in town and spend $6 for the same thing. read more

We go there a lot for breakfast. It is good and very reasonably priced. So we thought we would try their lunch. Not so good. I had a Rueben sandwich and my daughter had the chicken fried steak. Neither were real good, just ok read more

My husband took me for the first time a couple weekends ago on a breakfast date. Our waitress was hilarious! She was very friendly and sat down with us to take our order. Very family atmosphere. And then the food.... OH MY GOODNESS THE FOOD! If you miss momma's homemade meals, you are going to LOVE this place! Everything tastes like they poured magic and love all over it. It was outstanding! I asked if I could take some of their syrup home to put on waffles and they were all to happy to oblige. A very wonderful experience! A new breakfast date fave! read more

The food is great and the atmosphere is good with all the Illini college football pictures and Decatur memorabilia