Great local place. They are patient with kids and food is good. It has a little bit of everything.

AMAZING food. My boyfriend and I popped in here while we were apartment hunting and we are so glad we did. I got the fried green tomato egg benedict and seriously almost licked the plate. He got the bbq sandwich--also finger lickin' good! The place itself is cute, lots of bohemian like decor and lots of photos on the wall. Excited to come here again and try more of their delicious food. Also, unbeatable prices. read more

Breakfast here is reliable, and on the right day you'll seek representative Schakowsky here. Lunch and dinner are great as well. This place recently reinvented itself, and its preserved the weirdness that made the original great. read more

I went here on a Saturday between lunch and dinner. It smells musty inside and considering how empty it was, the staff should have had plenty of time to clean. Unfortunately, this wasn't the case. The booth I was seated in, had old food residue on the table, and the artwork on the wall had food splattered on it also. The menu had a variety of options from soup to salad, sandwich and entrees. I went with the Reuben sandwich which was a special. Very average to below average. The corned beef was very fatty and grisly. Just an average portion of sweet potato fries. Other tables were given cornbread when they arrived, but I had to request it. The staff was nice and that's what bumped the review to 3 stars. read more

I love this quirky place. It serves southern-ish, comfort food with updated recipes. I love their skirt steak, burgers and the house salad (tossed greens full of feta cheese, raisins & apples served with a variety of house-made dressings--my favorite is the toasted sesame). The decor is pure kitsch with colander light fixtures, a variety of sculptures made from found metal utensils and the art display of paint-by-number and other not-quite professional quality artwork (you'll have Mellancamp's "little pink houses" running through your brain after seeing a 50's painting of somebody's proud pink ranch house). Monthly specials keep the menu fresh. Breakfasts are said to be fabulous. read more

I've eaten at Lucky Platter several times and had some very good meals there. Unfortunately a few of the dishes are seasonal and my favorite (the open-faced Mexican polenta sandwich) is only available in the summer months. :( The burgers are unexceptional although they do offer a wide variety of toppings. Their omelets are pretty good and I love the ranchero sauce that comes with the huevos rancheros. Breakfast potatoes are also very good. I didn't care much for their pancakes, but a lot of people seem to like them. Probably the best thing on the menu is the sweet potato fries. read more

Quintessential independent restaurant. I love the homey feel, crazy artwork, warm ambiance, like having lunch in your favorite quirky- artist aunt's country vintage kitchen. I've had everything from steak salad to pancakes to kale and everything has that comforting home cooked quality. The prices are reasonable and the menu has lots of variety. A friendly place to eat alone or with friends. read more

The Lucky Platter is a great place for breakfast. I recommend the Classic Eggs Benedict. The hollandaise sauce was fantastic and I liked that they garnished it with fresh scallions. What makes this dish stand out is that instead of using an englsih muffin, they serve it on toasted corn bread. The service was very attentive and the decor was unique. read more

I've been dining at the Lucky Platter for years and have always been satisfied with my meals. The food is priced right and always prepared as advertised. The service is friendly,efficient and always accomodating. Yefim K is a moron who doesn't have one good thing to say about any restaurant. (Read his three 1 star reviews). I happen to know for a fact that he has never stepped his cloven hoof in the Lucky Platter. He is using Yelp to hide behind because he is a coward and a sissy who is lashing out at the world because he was bullied as a kid and has a tail growing out of his back. Lucky platter is a great restaurant and no one should listen to this idiot. read more

I've been going to the Platter for years now. I am a fan no question. And, there are times when the food and service are disappointing. Most of the staff are terrific and have a quirky and welcoming way about them. When the cornbread is fresh, it's amazing...if it's the last of the batch and it's been sitting for a while, not so great. Last time I was there I ordered the Tilapia and it was wonderful. My friend ordered the Tandoori chicken sandwich, and when it arrived, though it tasted good, it was certainly NOT tandoori. If you want to call it tandoori, it needs to have that amazing red outer coloring and rich flavor. It had flavor, but it was essentially a grilled chicken sandwich. Come on Lucky Platter! Do right by us! Don't call your food things it ain't! It wasn't tandoori by anyone's standard. Still a fan and will continue to nab a jolly on the way out. If you've had a bad experience, I would urge you to give it another try! read more

Let me start by saying "delicious"!!!!! Crab cakes are made from scratch with love and care! The firm and flaky Horseradish encrusted tilapia was devoured quickly by someone who doesn't like fish! The key lime pie is the best - it made my girlfriend cry because it was so good! read more

Love the pizzas, love the burgers. I'm not generally a fan of a slab of ground beef on a bun but they make it well worthwhile. Nice atmosphere, good staff. read more

The Lucky Platter is a charming neighborhood breakfast joint. The food is delicious and the staff are friendly. The decor may take a while to get used to. The Lucky Platter does not seat incomplete parties during busy hours. (Which are most hours) The menu is a little but tricky, but once you go there more than once and know what you want it is very easy. I would recommend The Lucky Platter to smaller groups of 2-5. read more

The food has gone down hill rapidly in the last several months. When a significant portion of my Montana Hash was charred to the point of being inedible, the waiter was kind enough to not charge me for it. But then said his manager ask that the next time I come in I should ask that it not be cooked that way. Now, there's a big difference between preference and indelible food, unfortunately this was definite the latter. read more

This charming, quirky cafe is a solid neighborhood go-to with an eclectic menu that's filled with tasty options. This is the sort of place you could bring a group with who has trouble agreeing on a restaurant, and everyone will find something to enjoy. The decor is always entertaining, and I've always experienced the service to be friendly and efficient. Their Portabella Sandwich with goat cheese and crispy onion strings is my favourite, but I also love their salads, sweet potato fries, and gingered fruit. read more

Expecting to wait for a table, even at 5:00PM (based on what "Time-out Chicago" claimed), we were surprised to be among the few diners there. The waitress was disiniterested, at best. without being able to highlight any of the menu, except for the one daily special, Southern-fried Chicken. We were underwhelmed by the menu, but pleased with the prices on most selections. The margarita was awful, however. The Philadelphia Chesse steak mediocre, the chicken and sweet potato fries over-cooked, and the Mexican polenta open-faced sandwich just so-so even though it sounded inspired. It took us awhile to get our check, to have our glasses of water refilled after the waitress asked us, and too long to receive a container for a left-over meal. (When staff does not place left-over food in a container for me, I take that as a negative sign of service!) I was surprised that the dishes were not cleared after we were presented with our check. They remained on the table even after we left. We still gave a 20% tip even though it was not deserved. I hope she appreciated the generous tip for lackluster service. This East Lakeview Chicago resident needs to hear from Evanstonians about why this place is so popular...... read more

What a great find! Absolutely loved the cinnamon-encrusted bacon! Omelet was delicious, too. Great family gathering spot. Very friendly service and neat decor. Would definitely recommend for those looking for good value and GREAT food. Keep it up Lucky Platter! read more

One of my favorite places in Evanston. You go for the food and the experience. It's very low key and quirky but not pretentious. Hard to find that combo. My favorite decoration is the ceiling. read more

My oh my! What a difference! The remodeling, the service, the hospitality, the food! I could go on and on! I'm sold on this place and it took no convincing. Thanks to new ownership they were able to turn this place around! Please if you haven't been or were disappointed in the past, check it out! You won't be disappointed! read more

Sunday brunch here was great! I had a make your own scramble that comes with a side of breakfast potatoes and raisin toast. It was the perfect size and everything tasted delicious. My only complaint would be that the toast was somewhat dry, but overall the experience was lovely. read more

The Lucky Platter - Make your own scramble (andouille sausage, cheddar cheese, green onions) served with breakfast potatoes and raisin toast - New American Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

Had a business meeting with a friend here, and while he was a long time fan, I was a newbie. Well, first of all the service was great -- a young, polite server who was friendly and took pains to make sure that I was happy, even telling me about possible allergen ingredients. Super nice. I had the chicken pot pie -- yummy and like another reviewer I cold not id the spices, but it was great, as was the squash that was hollowed out with a great sauce. Superb Key Lime pie with a killer crust. This place is wonderful. Read the couple's review of the long wait, and didn't see anything like this from the staff. Even when I was off to the washroom, I was thanked for my presence. Really? Can it get any better? read more

Under new ownership, but the food is still just as good. The Caribbean Pumpkin soup is delicious and the cornbread (served free) is awesome! The breakfast scrambles are great (always opt for the apricot flakey as your side, trust me). read more

I use to like eating breakfast at The Lucky Platter, but the snide and rude service staff got to be too much. (I often overheard them making nasty comments about other patrons-the staff didn't even bother keeping their voices down). What is it about certain service workers that makes them so arrogant? I'll never go back. Oh, and if the surly waiters don't make you want to hurl, I'm sure the "funky" "art" will read more

As a NU student looking to get out of the immediate dowtown Evanston area while also keeping a budget in mind, I would most definitely recommend this cute diner style restaurant.. It's a great option for a brunch, lunch or dinner with just enough on the menu to keep everyone pleased. I just enjoyed a veggie omelette the other day that wasn't even on the menu, which means they were happy to accommodate other requests. Also, make sure to check out the fun decor. All in all, a nice experience. read more

I've had such mixed experiences at the Lucky Platter, but I'm left thinking it's o.k. in that funky earthy/crunchy post-hippie sort of way. The food is generally pretty good but prone to be bland at times. The brunch is definitely the better bet food-wise, unfortunately that's when service tends to suffer. On a busy Sunday, you might wait a long time for your food, or to see your server, or to get your bill. Why do I keep going back? On the balance it's a solid neighborhood choice if you don't go in expecting too much. read more

I chose this place for our office luncheon based on all the reviews here. I was a little nervous as everyone knew I chose it and I had never actually been here. The Lucky Platter did not disappoint! The food and service was fantastic. Everyone loved the decorations too. The folks at the office keep telling me what an excellent choice it seems that everyone would like to go back again. One of my coworkers even said she was going to bring her guests there when they came in to check out Northwestern. I ordered the philly steak and thought is was awesome. They used real steak and the peppers were sauteed so well. Paired with the sweet potatoes, I couldn't have asked for a better lunch! read more

This is a great place ! If you want to have a typical American breakfast, this is the place where you must go. I have been several time and I can say that the food quality is very good (the soup is great), people are super nice and the atmosphere is very casual. The decoration is very interesting and you can not see that somewhere else. On the top of that, prices are very reasonable. You can not be disappointed. read more

My girlfriend asked me to call in an order of Fried Green Tomatoes and she had the idea in her head that it would be something like what the fried green tomatoes are at the Whistle Stop in Kentucky. We picked them up, $6 for a small bowl of tomatoes which numbered four or five slices; each about a quarter in size with some weird sauce on them. So I asked for them to just give us fried green tomatoes without the sauce and they were extremely rude to me, they remade it and there were 4 quarter sized slices of tomato. So I just wanted a refund, which they were also very rude about. Six dollars for less than a tomato. The service was what I had a problem with most and the fact that it was a total rip-off. Maybe they didn't like me because I was wearing a hat that said "REDNECK; It's a Lifestyle!" Which I just thought was a funny hat. I am more of a hippy than these jerks are at the Lucky Platter. I lived on Maui okay? I'm a hippy. read more

Walked around Evanston one morning and stumbled upon this place. I figured, how can you screw up breakfast? Well they sure did. Slow, slow, slow service! Eggs were good. Bacon was cold and obviously cooked an hour ago at least and not reheated. Potatoes had a weird flavor to them. Just not my kind of breakfast. Maybe the french toast or pancakes were better, but I'd never go back..... Find somewhere else to pick up breakfast! read more

My husband and I love trying out new restaurants. Tonight the three of us along with my 1 year old daughter checked this place out and it was great. We had great customer service and both of us had the fabulous portobello mushroom sandwich. Needless to say we will be back for more excellent food and service. read more

A 4-star café. Reasonable prices - dinner entrée around $12-14. Very good dishes. Cute interior - tons of paint by number pictures. Has liquor! read more

Great food for the price. Lucky Platter is a great place and I've been eating there for years and years now. So e of the artwork may not be appropriate for young children. read more

Definitely my favorite breakfast place in Evanston and they also have a really good dinner menu. It's a super eclectic place and it always seems like I run into people I know here. The Cajun scramble with apricot flaky is pretty high on my list of food I'd want if I was on a deserted island. read more

Evanston's hottest brunch place is Lucky Platter!! This place has everything: Apricot Cheese flakey, crab cakes Benedict, build your own scramble, cinnamon crusted bacon. And EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN. This place is a must. But only you can finish your own destiny. Go, try, live. read more

When I realized I was near Lucky Platter this afternoon, I decided to stop in for what had been their most excellent signature devil's food cake. When I was told I could not get any, that it was no on the dessert menu, I was surprised and a bit miffed, but accepted it and left. Curious about the dessert menu a short while ago, I decided to visit the Lucky Platter web site to see the list of current desserts. The only dessert listed was the devil's food cake. So, I called Lucky Platter to ask whether or not the online menu was current so I would know whether or not the server had erred in telling me there was no cake, or if perhaps they had temporarily run out of cake, or if the online menu was out-of-date. Instead of getting a polite, civilized professional response to match the nature of my inquiry, a man who said his name is "Brian" [phonetic] and described himself as the manager intervened in my discussion with a polite woman, and cursed me out, accusing me of hiding behind the telephone--a bizarre, baseless accusation--and then told me to "Fuck off!" and he hung up on me. I believe in second chances in most cases, which is why my boycott is conditional. So, wanting to give a second chance to "Brian," I took time out of my busy life to ask him what the matter is, to point out I had not been rude to him, that he was angry before he intervened unnecessarily in the call, and to see if we could get on the right track. Obviously not, because Brian was insulting and rude and hung up again. I will not again risk a visit to Lucky Platter at least until such time I have the reassurance directly from the owner that "Brian" has been handled appropriately. He was hostile before I even spoke, and I was just trying to get a piece of cake. He was rude, unprofessional, and profane, and his behavior has no place in the operation of any business establishment. "Eric," if you are indeed the owner as "Brian" said you are, here is your opportunity to resolve the matter. read more

While I love the cozy home like feel of lucky platter, the service needs major improvement! I live nearby the restaurant and everybody who visits me wants to dine there so I go about once a week-yes very frequent. The wait staff are not the friendliest, you feel like you are bothering them. Plus good luck on the follow up. Today I went for breakfast and they got my order wrong. I had to ask another server to find my server since she hadn't been back to see if our order was correct. They finally got it right, but by that time everyone at my table was done eating and I just got my meal. Plus I politely asked her why my wrong omelet was on the bill-she snubbed me and with attitude took it off the bill and when she returned she said nothing and rudely gave ya the bill. I was never mean or rude to her so I am wondering why she had so much attitude with me for her mistake? read more

I would give it another star for the quality of the food, but the service was just so bizarre. I ordered salmon, and twenty minutes later a plate of whitefish was placed in front of me. To be honest, I was starving and it looked so delicious so I said, "Well, I didn't order this but it looks good..." and it was absolutely divine. A beautiful whitefish fillet with Swiss chard, pancetta, leeks, potatoes, and sweet corn. When our waiter came by ten minutes later, he said, "Everything okay?" I said, "I didn't order this, but I like it a lot," and he said, "Yeah, I know. You ordered the salmon. Sorry." Then he laughed and walked away. Really? Is this what service has come down to? Hubby loved his burger and sweet potato fries so the food was good all around, but I've never had such a tacky response to being given the wrong entree. I am normally NOT a people pleaser, and accepting the wrong entree was pretty gracious on my part. Thankfully I enjoyed what was given to me but I don't think we'll be going back any time soon. read more

i had a friend visiting recently who is particular about what she likes to eat, but once she finds something favorable, she's destined to be a regular. for instance, when i lived in san francisco, i took her to try the gingerbread cake at chow. she liked it so much we had to go back to chow every single day so she could get the cake. (granted, it is VERY good) we had the same experience at lucky platter. fortunately, lucky platter has many delicious items to sample for breakfast, lunch, or dinner....not just dessert. their apricot flakey was what got her hooked and i have to admit, it is really good....especially when it is warm, with gooey cream cheese inside and sparkly sugar crystals all over the flakey crust. YUM. i am LUCKY that i live so close to here. and apparently i am very cheesy too...just like that amazing flakey. read more

I've been coming here fairly regularly for many years, most of the time it's good, although I can't say I've ever had exceptional service. A few of the waiters are really surly while some others appear to be extremely stressed/anxious. The last time I went to Lucky Platter was the worst experience I've had there. It was in the afternoon, after lunchtime and before dinner, there were maybe two tables with people in the place and we stood, waiting to be seated, for about five minutes before we decided to just seat ourselves. After 6 or 7 more minutes of sitting there and having none of the five people working there offer us drinks or even a menu, we got our own menus. After another 10 minutes, still nobody came to help us, even though they had clearly seen us waiting. I don't know what their problem was, maybe they just had attitudes because we didn't wait for their incompetent asses to seat us, but if I ever have a similar experience there I won't be giving them a third chance. read more

Sorry, but I'm dying of laughter at Steve G.'s comments...Seriously, "the world's cutest little girl" wanted ONE scoop of ice cream? You weren't even going to have anything? Couldn't you just have ordered it to go when you walked in, rather than take a table and a waiter's time? I am really waiting for the day when parents stop thinking that the world revolves around them and their little darlings! If what you are describing is true, then I agree that the waiter could have been a little nicer but you seem to have no consideration or thought for others, either. (I'm sure you weren't planning on leaving a big tip, if at all)...I logged on here to say that I LOVE the Lucky Platter! The menu contains just about anything anyone could ever want and it's served up pretty quickly. My little nephew loves it, too. Most recently, I had the build-your-own scramble with a number of sides and extra toast- they didn't even charge us for the extra toast. They are really amenable to special orders and while it certainly is an unconventional place, I will return, because it's quirky and good. read more