This is your classic American diner. You're not getting fancy food, but you are getting food that will satisfy your taste buds, and fill you up. Plus, the prices are cheap compared to other places. The Junction is a popular spot in DeKalb, because it is open late, and serves breakfast all day long. I am a fan of the steak and eggs. The staff is helpful, nice, and fun to talk to. You really cannot go wrong here. Also, the place has a theme of a train station, so while some people might say it's "dated," I say it's nostalgic! read more

The Junction Eating Place - American Near Me - DeKalb, Illinois

Business meeting? Social gathering? Come in and have coffee and great food! My friends and I usually go here if we want to chat and drink coffee. Breakfast is amazing. Made however you love it. Waitresses are fast. Food is fast. Nice atmosphere and a great piece of DeKalb! read more

Used to skip class and come here for food, Good place to eat and the people are very nice. Good for big groups of people, family friendly. Always a decent option in Dekalb read more

11 different kinds of hot tea, tons of options, breakfast served all the time, open until 3am, huge portions, perfectly cooked bacon, and a great staff. So glad I came here! Its midnight and look at what I got! read more

The Junction Eating Place - Yum!!! - American Near Me - DeKalb, Illinois

Ordered a standard Angus burger and fries. The most tasteless burger and fries I ever experienced. It's a shame because the staff was friendly and nice booths to sit in. But when you offer up tasteless food, I will never try anything else. read more

The place is alright. Nothing too special and there are definitely better places in the area to dine in. I got a cheeseburger with a side of fries. The burger was ok. Not very flavorful and the burger seemed it was made from a frozen patty. read more

This used to be one of my favorite places to eat . However I went there today , I ordered a Denver omelette and toast . The toast had hardly any butter I asked for more butter by then the toast was cold and hard to put more butter on it . The Denver omelette was okay and I hadn't even ate nearly half of it and I found a hair under the right hand side of the omelette . I told my waitress she asked me if I wanted a whole new one . I did and ate that one it was okay by now the toast is very hard . Might be New Owners I don't know . My bill was still $20 dollars unreal . Most people would have made a huge deal and scene . I feel so bad for writing this review on the Junction place which has a great name and reputation in Dekalb, il for so many years . read more

We were looking for a breakfast place that called flapjacks that is now closed once we discovered this we decided to go to the junction. Which was nearby I have never had worse food or service The omelettes seemed to have craft Square cheddar cheese and the eggs were not cooked all the way my girlfriend may have been into an eggshell at some point or at least we hope it was an eggshell and the pancakes were a interesting stale array of strange. Money could not get me back in to that restaurant. If I could rate at zero stars I would. read more

Decent breakfast stop. Raisin toast came without butter. Downsized to 2 egg omelette with bacon/cheddar. Would've preferred bacon pieces rather than strips. Service was great and FAST. It's busy, which is a good sign. read more

My wife and i came in one night and didnt get served for a whole 20 minutes. They werent busy. They had maybe three other tables. They even looked at my wife and then still walked away. They were on their phones the whole time. Evebtually after abiut half an hour we just walked out and went somehwere else. read more

Great American diner. Their French vanilla cappuccino was to die for, and their meals were tasty and not too bad of value.

Came here for breakfast while driving past Dekalb. I think at some point in time this was the place in Dekalb. Now it is the local greasy spoon that the locals meet at every morning. Not because the food is so outstanding, but because it's what they do. The service was good, but could overhear another server being crabby and ornery. I'm glad we were not in her section. Food was average at best for this type of place. Nothing special at all. In fact my eggs were a little raw, I hope I don't get sick. Coffee was weak and tasteless. My wife's omelet had American processed cheese that looked like he just took off the plastic wrapper right before placing it on the omelette. Yuk. Potatoes were bland. Sausage patties looked like and tasted like they had sat on the grill for an hour. I'm sorry Junction, I don't recommend you. Look deep into yourself and try to find a little effort and pride for your restaurant. read more

I don't understand the rating here. Back in college I was here almost once a week. It was one of a few sit down places that was open really late. I even befriended some of the wait staff there as well. I generally enjoyed it, would of given it 3.5 stars all day... However, a few year's ago I noticed some changes. The quality and portion size of the food went down and the prices went up. I felt like things were not as good as there once were and I wasn't getting as much as I normally did. But when I noticed the increase in the prices, I just about gave up on this place. I tired it again recently a week or so ago, and again I was disappointed. The wait staff here are good friendly people and I don't fault them for the shoddiness of the food coming out. I fault the managers and owners who are kind of on the "D-Bag" scale. I've ran into them at local bars before and they're not the best of people. Honestly you're better off trying most other places in the area. Heck as much it pains me to say it, I'd recommend IHOP over this. So it's a... must avoid. read more

I went there once with a guy who didn't want to date me and got really shitty clam chowder and his wings were burnt. We're not dating anymore and I haven't been back since. read more

What I liked: - Open very late - They accomodate large, and unruly, low-tipping groups of college students - They have pretty much anything you could want to eat. What I took away stars: - Service is slow, they expect to be there for a long time but don't check up on you. - You will pay too much for the quality of the food. - Its nothing different than any other small town diner. read more

My parents and I visited the Junction a couple of months ago for breakfast. It was alright. The place is incredibly small, so it gets loud quickly. The service was very speedy and friendly! The biscuits and gravy were good but the omelettes were average. It is fairly inexpensive. read more

The Junction is a good place to take a group of broke college students, as it is very cost effective. I would call this place the typical Midwest "Greek" restaurant/diner. The menu I extensive, serving a variety of standard "American" foods like meatloafs, stews, and sandwiches. My favorite by far is the California burger, which includes avocado slices, cheese, and sprouts on wheat toast. Whatever they have on special each day is usually decent as well. The train decor is nice for a family atmosphere, but it is clear by the broken down booths and general look that it hasn't been renovated in years. Overall, a solid pick for a group of friends with varied tastes or a family with picky eaters, but probably not your top pick for a romantic date night. I have heard from others that the quality has gone down in recent months, but I have not been there recently to test the theory. read more

Open 24 hours. Better than iHop. Right next to Molly's. Deeeeeefinitely down to go after a night out. The Junction is a pretty standard diner. Haven't been disappointed yet and their service is outstanding! read more

Dekalb is a town that "rolls up its sidewalks" when the sun goes down, so when you're looking for a bite to eat late at night, it's either the Junction, IHOP or El Burrito Loco. I can't really say anything about the Junction that hasn't already been said. Typical Midwest Greek-owned "American food" place. It's good after a night of drinking or for fighting off a hangover. Service is fast, friendly, and dependable. I gave it four stars because while the restaurant is good at what it does, the food doesn't strike me as exceptional in any way. It's greasy, cheap, hot, brown, and there's plenty of it. read more

Very marginal cafeteria food. Nothing special here. My family ordered a variety of food-breakfast, burger, and a salad. None of us were impressed. read more

I feel like this place is a hit or miss every time I go. From the waitstaff to the food, there is no consistency in the quality. I've gone in with large groups (15+ people) late at night and had excellent service. On the other hand, I've gone in for breakfast with just one other person on a very slow morning and had terrible service. Pros: Relatively cheap, open late, huge (maybe too huge) menu Cons: Average all across the board, doesn't really stand out in any way If you're in DeKalb and need some late night breakfast, I'd probably choose the Junction over IHOP just because of the price. It's also a great place to go when you're with a group of people and no one can agree on one specific thing. Pretty much everything they serve is American fare, but they also have literally every American dish you could ever think of. read more

The Junction...No muss, no fuss. They are not super classy but they are perfect for breakfast, a quick lunch and loading up on coffee. Their prices are great for the amount of food you get. They are a diner but service is fantastic. The servers check on you without being overbearing. Why is it 4 stars? Their soups are pretty terrible. There is a never a good variety. I now it may seem ridiculous but I really like a grilled cheese and soup. And the soups are never good matches. I really like their coffee. I like to come here after a night of drinking to eat something breakfast. Portions are large. I have never finished my meal. Most breakfasts come with toast, hash browns (and you can sub in and out from there). You get an excellent value for the price you pay. read more

Kind of a romantic feeling about the place. I have a lot of good memories about The Junction... none of them involve food. Perfect atmosphere for the late night scene. It's the place to go when you're up late studying, out with friends after a long night bar hopping, or you're just up cuz you're up! A pot of coffee is always on, and breakfast is served all day just as well as it is anywhere else! read more

Typical great american breakfast with nice service and local people. The breakfast skillets are great! We will come back again ! read more

The junction has been one of my go-to places for the past 30 years! As kids, my sister and I enjoyed a nice meal after Church on Sunday. Now, with kids if my own, my family eats here more than any other local restaurant. I'm sure I have a biased emotional connection to the place (on account of good childhood memories) and to all the familiar faces (owners, employees, fellow patrons), but putting all that aside, I can honestly say that the food is really good and reasonably priced, the service is as good as it gets (best table Service around for a restaurant of its type), and the menu seems almost endless--providing options for the adventurous diner of the simple palette. As a parent though, the thing I love about this place is how easy it is to enjoy a meal with my family. They are a family-oriented, kid friendly establishment. As a train-themed restaurant, there is plenty for kids to look at and admire, including a large model train circuit that runs overhead in the rear part of the dining room. The kids love to see the train and have learned that if they ask, they can even push the button that brings the model train to life. It's lights up their faces! Like most restaurants, they also provide the standards kids meal menu with crayons. As much as I love this place, there are a few things you should know: 1) sometimes the entrance can get a bit crowded with people coming and going (the foyer isn't huge). In the chaos the host/hostess (usually a long-time employee or one of the family) can loose track of who came in first. The small foyer is where people wait to be seated and to pay their bill, so there's a lot going on. It's a minor inconvenience in my opinion. 2) The dining room been updated much over the past 3 decades. If you're looking for a trendy place to eat, this isn't it. Some of the booths are older and not as plush as they could be, but honestly, it's never bothered me and I love the unique decor. I'm not at all bothered by eating establishments that focus more on the quality of their food and good service than on decor. Personally, I find the ambiance to be confortable and charming. In the event you get sat somewhere you aren't comfortable, just ask to be sat at another table--they will gladly accommodate. 3) they can accommodate large groups and even private parties. If I am planning to eat out with a large group (10 or more), I will usually call ahead to give them a heads up. This has proven to significantly reduce my wait time, especially during breakfast and dinner. I've also reserved an entire section of the dining room for events in the past. Those things have always worked well--service has been great! Honestly, I love this place and I adore the family that has been operating it since I was a kid. Bon Appetit. read more

I Love the Junction!!! I have NEVER had bad service there. pricing is so family friendly. Bathrooms are ALWAYS clean!!! This is not a fancy place. No booze. But they have a great cup of coffee. Great wait staff. Wonderful owners. And our family of four eats there for under $40. with tip!!! My personal favorite is the Pullman Salad! And they are now serving FRESH BREWED ICED TEA! YEAH!!!! read more

The best diner I've ever eaten at. Plenty of room, good service, and the food's cheap. I don't know what more you could want from a diner. It's kept clean and always has a good amount of people in it. Atmosphere: can get crowded, but lots of tables, so the wait is seldom long. The crowd is all ages, from old townies to hungover college kids. The volume is loud as everything is laid back . Negatives: well, yelp has lots of food snobs, and my guess is that some will take issue with the bland menu. You also won't get food designed to look good on your plate. (Don't get me wrong, it does look good, the Junction is simply not catering to people who want pretty food.) No super-hip waitstaff or tiny tables. And, no you can't feel like you've discovered "this amazing new restaurant," as everyone knows about it. If you're looking for any of that, this is far too pedestrian for you. Be sure to try the Hobo Skillet. read more

The first time I ate at the Junction was driving through DeKalb on a family vacation as a teenager. It was memorable for both the railroad decor and the grilled fajita pita. I thought that people who lived in DeKalb were pretty lucky. Now I live in DeKalb, and I still think we're pretty lucky. The Junction is not a unique culinary experience by any means. Some of the food is good, and some of it is kind of meh. But it is open very late, and the staff is very nice - they handle our semi-regular huge crowd with ease, and seem to keep enough staff on hand to deal with us on the nights we are likely to show up. Back to the food - first of all, the wait staff will always tell you what they like, and that's helpful. The fajita pita is a good choice, and I like their grilled tuna salad. They will stop your heart with bacon cheddar fries if you want them to. So there are lots of tasty choices and it is an extensive menu. Do NOT overlook their desert case. So many scrumptious things to pick from - sometimes I just go for coffee and baklava. In summary: If you are in DeKalb, you should go to the Junction at least once. Several generations of hungry college students agree. read more

The server was very friendly. The food was amazing. We live about a half an hour away and it is well worth the drive. I would definitely recommend this fine establishment. read more

Sufficient food, good service and great hours. I remember when the back room was the smoking section and people would hang out, drink coffee and smoke cigarettes. It was the "cool" thing to do. read more

I am glad to have come back to the junction. The food is good and the staff is friendly. Glad to have them as a part of our community..

Great Value! Came here for brunch on Sunday. Even the place was full of customers, service was very fast. Ordered 'Steak n Eggs'. Steak came with 2 eggs, potatoes and pancakes. Love it! I ordered the one with 5-6 oz steak. Tomato juice is very fresh too. Will come again and try their dinner. read more

The Junction Eating Place - Steak n Eggs. Only for $7.5. - American Near Me - DeKalb, Illinois

Very solid breakfast place with hilarious waitress staff! Amazing deal for you wallet too, the skillet leftovers I had was enough to be reheated for two more meals! read more

The Junction Eating Place - Mediterranean Skillet (they use really good feta cheese!) - American Near Me - DeKalb, Illinois

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Nothing spectacular about this place, diner/coffee shop food but it's cheap & I remember coming here with friends for soup and cornbread and Dan used to get bran muffins because, well I can't say that because it would be inappropriate and it's not what you think. The best time was when Jack Olsen took the ARS Nova people out for grilled cheese and tomato sammiches...and soup. (Jack was the coolest professor in the art dept. and he is sorely missed!) Anyhow, I recommend bypassing all the other places in DeKalb to eat at the Junction read more

Honestly we eat from here at least twice a week! I order something different each time and I've never had a bad meal. Everything tastes completely homemade. Hubby gets the spaghetti & meatballs evertime. Better than any Italian restaurant we have been to. Employees are extremely nice, and Rachel is the perfect waitress. Every time. (Attentive and timely ). Definitely the best restaurant in DeKalb/Sycamore area! read more

I enjoy the small town atmosphere of the Junction. I've eaten here for a lunch a few times, and as of yet I can honestly say I haven't had a bad experience, which can be the downfall of many locally owned restaurants (and large chains now that I think about it). The waitstaff has always been super nice, and I've never found hairs or anything in my food, and that is ALWAYS a plus. The entire menu is relatively inexpensive, which is an effing necessity for a poor college student like myself. There was one time that I tried to order a salad, but they had run out of Ranch dressing, which blew my mind, but then I thought to myself, "these things happen," and moved on with my life. All-in-all my food has always been pretty good. I have yet to come here inebriated or eat anything really greasy, but I look forward to that day, which I'm sure will happen sometime soon. read more

We loved eating here when we went to NIU and it's still great. Family friendly, good prices, and delicious food. Definitely recommend to anyone. read more

Chicken kabobs are to die for. They are perfect, I highly recommend them. I've never been disappointed here, it's a Dekalb classic. read more

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I have been here several times now since moving to the area. The Junction is probably one of the more popular diners in the area, likely because of the close proximity to NIU. The service here is usually just alright, and the seating is comfortable and the food is always good. Its nothing to write home about, but it's a decent family-friendly spot to hit up for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. The prices are pretty reasonable as well, and they have most staple breakfast dishes. I have tried several items here, and have not found an entree that I loved enough to recommend, but I do recommend the cornbread as an appetizer ; its large enough to share between two or three people and is among the best I have ever had. read more

I didn't really enjoy the breakfast -- my hashbrowns and eggs tasted like metal -- the only good thing I ate was the toast.