Honestly? I don't get it. Figured we would try this, as all the review seemed to be raves. We got seated right away, which was nice. The noise level was horrendous. I'm not sure if there is any way to dampen the sound, but I needed to lean over and have my wife speak nearly directly into my ear to hold a conversation. The place could probably do with a few less tables, as it has a crowded feel, and it's virtually impossible not to eavesdrop on neighboring parties. I ordered the stuffed potato pancakes. They were interesting, but my eggs were supposed to be poached HARD, and still had runny yolks. The "more must be better" theory seems to have been applied to the sausage gravy, because the dish was swimming in it. I'm not sure if my wife's french toast was the victim of over beaten eggs, or what, but she did not enjoy it, and had to pick leaves off of her strawberries. My sister-in-law had better luck, as she just went with eggs, sausage links, and hash browns. Pro tip: I get that you're tall, and it saves time, but just because you CAN lean all the way across the table to refill my coffee doesn't mean that you SHOULD. read more

Tonys Cafe my Favorite breakfast place! The chicken soup on Sundays is the best :) had the Sante fe skillet it was delicious! New owner is making the place take on a fresh look and will go above and beyond to make you happy with your experience ! Waitresses and friendly and speedy ! read more

Hands down the best breakfast in McHenry County! This is our go-to spot for breakfast. We've tried many other places in the area and always wind up back here. I always feel like I'm sitting in my mother's kitchen waiting for her to cook breakfast--good home cooking. I do try different things but I always resort back to the Popeye Benedict. My husband always orders the Irish Skillet. We order to-go quite often at work, my co-worker is hooked on their Breakfast Tacos. Nothing beats sitting outside here with a hot cup of coffee! read more

I have been to Tony's a few times. The service, the ambiance and food are worthy of this review. If you haven't been for a while, I suggest going soon as the food seems to have gotten better- try the new ham off the bone with your eggs for breakfast. I stopped in with my wife and father this past Friday evening for the Friday night fish fry. It's the best fish fry I've had in Crystal Lake. I was very impressed with the service this evening, I wish I would of grabbed our waitress' name, but it just hasn't hit me. It's nice to be at a family run restaurant where they make you feel you are welcome every time you walk in. read more

Came here late Sunday morning. We were lucky and got a table for 5. Kids chocolate chip pancakes are awesome. The Popeye Benedict and Country Fried steak were great as well. Only downside is I ran into people I knew got to chattin and got less time for a nap! read more

Tony's Cafe - Country fried steak! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Crystal Lake, Illinois

Had a late breakfast this morning at Tonys Cafe and it was hopping. Place was full, The new owners who took over from the previous owner that just retired are John and Bobbi. They were very accommodating, pleasant and the food was excellent. We had a Mexican omelette and a Chicken wrap and both were delicious. The cooks were on top of their game getting orders out quickly that kept the waitresses really on their toes. Great Mom and Pop comfort food joint that makes you want to come back. Definitely give it a try. read more

Thought they were good, till I kept getting RAW sausage! I told them and the girl said that's how it is Won't be going back!

This was my first time dining at Tony's. PROS: I noticed right away that the place was really clean. I gazed at the walling hanging, Table lamp, and sprinklers on the ceiling. No dust! The service was fast and friendly. I waited less than 10 minutes for my breakfast. I never had to chase down the waitress for a refill. The food was delicious and they give you a good portion. The presentation was good. CONS: The prices are a little high. An example of this is the coffee is 2.29. The coffee does not taste good. You can tell the use Crystal Lake tap water. If you live here you know what that means. The outside does not look like a cafe. OUTCOME: This would have been 5 stars if it was not for the coffee. and the prices were a bit lower on some items. I did see a lot of seniors there, so my guess is that they give a good discount. But if they want to draw in us twenty and thirty somethings, bring the price down a bit and use better water for the coffee. Again, the food was good so compliments to the Chef. read more

The place is dirty ripped bench seats with tape on them .Dirty window sills.The overeasy eggs I ordered were cold the sausage barely warm hash browns hot.the presentation was good.But cold food and at over nine dollars. I Was never asked how's your food.I never send food back.I just leave and chalk it up to never again.And here is the kicker I was 1 of only 4 customers in the place.They just opened .You damn well better get hot food. read more

Great diner food. Friendly service. The fish fry on Fridays is one of my favorites. read more

I've eaten out from this place quite a few times now for breakfast. Prices great, only down fall no menu to look at or take home. So I am posting copies that I took with my camera to help others who want to order a to-go order. read more

See all

We both got the stuffed potato pancakes - stuffed with eggs, cheese, sausage and bacon and then smothered in sausage gravy. Delicious. Service was fast and extremely friendly. We enjoyed eating on the new outside patio. This was an extremely enjoyable meal. I would come back. read more

Tony's deserves Five Stars for the food and the friendly professional staff, but loses 3 stars for having Fox News on the TV. I thought I had found a great place for breakfast until the day after the Parkland shooting and was subjected to the most awful slant on a terrible tragedy. Sorry Tony. Me and Fox News is a no-go. Pick something else to show on your TV to get my business again. read more

Love this place. Old time-y feel with amazing food and great service. Kind of an odd location but absolutely worth a visit. Bathrooms could stand a renovation and I feel that single stall bathrooms aren't really appropriate for a restaurant this size, but aside from that, this is a new favorite of ours and we can't wait to go back. Banana bread french toast is the most delicious thing ever. read more

This is just a really nice place, nice people, good food, especially anything with ham!

This is a great Crystal Lake gem. The food and service were excellent. I loved how personable the server was and made sure everything was exactly how we wanted it. The food had great flavor. I ordered the pancake fruit burrito (unreal!!!) and my boyfriend had the strip steak and eggs. If you haven't tried their breakfast it's a must read more

Tony's Cafe - Pancake fruit burrito---highly recommended! Listed under house favorites. So delicious - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Crystal Lake, Illinois

Was recommended by a friend. Finally went there and was less than impressed. Server was not very attentive, for $11 the skillet I ordered was super small, and when I shared some of my food with my 9-year-old son I was charged an extra $2. The fact that the server didn't mention this when I ordered is my main complaint. And to top it off, their credit card machine went down and they were accepting cash only (not necessarily their fault, but annoying nonetheless). Definitely did not make a good impression and I will not be going back. read more

I have been going to Tony's for quite some time. It is a great place to grab breakfast any time of the day. What really makes Tony's special is Tony and his girls (waitresses). Tony is usually there greeting folks, checking on how you are doing, and even sometimes cooking in the back. And the wait staff is always friendly and consistent.. meaning the same girls have been working there forever. I love Tony's and will keep going there as long as Tony will let me. read more

Small, hometown dinner, with an extensive menu and friendly staff. We first discovered this delight a few months ago. We had the Steak sandwich which had us hooked. The food is breakfast oriented, mostly, but they do have a lunch menu as well. Much like other brunch places it's quick and easy, only Tony's Cafe the food seems... more 'real'... The only downside would be, it's small, and because they are so popular they are trying to accommodate as many people as possible, which leaves little free space around you. The materials are a bit outdated, and the joint could use a sprucing up. That of course doesn't affect how decent a place this is to visit though. Stop in; Tony will surely recommend the Stuffed Potato Pancakes, and one day I'll take him up on that offer. read more

We enjoy Tony's Cafe for a nice breakfast or lunch. Food is always fresh and tastes good. The service is fast, and waitresses are friendly. I recommend this neighborhood spot over a couple of other local diners, hands down. read more

Oh my gosh! This place has to be possibly one of the cutest breakfast joints in the area. I haven't even gotten my food and the owner alone has one me over. At this point they could bring me the wrong food and it would be my fault. read more

Tony's Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Crystal Lake, Illinois

Food wasn't bad but the service was horrible first and last time I'll ever go into this place!!!

Excellent food, customer service, comfortable seating, and we'll worth the drive from Huntley!

Food was good, a plastic piece in my omelet wasn't. We had to ask our server to take this omelet off the bill. Yes, they made a new one. No, they did not apologize - like nothing happened. We were with three kids and I am glad that it was my meal, not my kids'. This was our second visit and not sure if we are going to be back soon. I know we all make mistakes and the ways we handle them matter. read more

First visit ever. My friends and I meet for breakfast one Saturday a month and we try to find new restaurants to try, so today we tried this café. The waitress was nice enough. The food was alright. However, no one wants to feel like they are being pushed out the door. It was so bad that the cashier near the exit, came to our table asking to ring out our tab. There are too many good places to go for breakfast, that don't treat you like you are an inconvenience for me to ever come back to this restaurant. And let me add, we were watching to see if there were people lining up waiting for tables and that was not the case. When this happened, there were 2 people waiting for a table. This is not acceptable ever and most places we go are much busier than this restaurant. read more

Good food cooked to order. It's a great little breakfast restaurant with a big menu and friendly service. It's a bit cramped when it's full but they make it work. read more

Came in from out of town..just taking a ride on the motorcycle and wanted to try a new breakfast place. The food was amazing. My only complaint was that our waitress needed more training. Too bad because every other employee seemed on top of everything. We were able to sit outside, food came out quick, was hot and delicious. Price was very very reasonable. read more

One of the families favorite spot to come for breakfast on sundays! Owners of this place care about their customers and make sure they're satisfied with their meal! It can get crazy on the weekends but they handle it very well! read more

We visit family frequently in Crystal Lake and Tony's is always a required stop for breakfast! Their menu is plentiful with breakfast staples and some unexpected gems. Service is always amazing and the food is beyond expectation. They have that perfect "diner coffee". This trip, I tried their breakfast quesadilla (which inspired this review). Eggs, cheese, chorizo, avocado, with sour cream and a fresh salsa on the side. Absolutely fantastic!!! read more

My family has been coming here over 20 years. When Tony sold the place we were impressed with all the updates with menu and patio. It was great they kept a lot of the staff. However more recently on 2 separate visits, service was less than average. Just this week service was terrible. Both times the problem was addressed with the owner. 1st time owner said why didn't you say something and I replied the server never came to check on us and just thought to let him know that the bread was not good never apologized pretty much blamed on me then most recently I went there with a couple of friends and there were only 2 other tables and it looked like 2 waitresses and the owner plus bus staff and cook I had to call the waitress over to our table and she said oh I must get my tablet to take your order walked away continue talking to her friend took our order which was delivered to us very quickly however are toast was not delivered yet and she said she would get it to us I was almost done with my meal still did not get my toast one of the members in my party Went to speak to the owner and asked him why this was happening and he replied have you talked to the server and pretty much ignored her and continued talking to his friends at the table that they were sitting at This to me shows that they don't care about their customers and I was very upset since I have been a loyal customer for years post read more

I had the Mexican omelette and it was great! Pancakes were just the right size and delicious! Excellent service

Found this place while passing through town for my kids hockey tournament. All i can say is WOW! A great family owned local business with outstanding food! I cant wait to go back ! Highly recommend the stuffed potato pancakes! They were awesome. There really isnt ANYTHING bad on the menu. read more

I've been coming to Tony's Cafe for many years now. The staff is very friendly, and the food is excellent. I would highly recommend this cafe to anyone looking for a nice meal. They also have Fish fry on Friday nights! The Fish is delicious as well! read more

Tony's Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Crystal Lake, Illinois

***A few folks have asked if I was staying for an inordinately long time. I was there for 35 minutes at the absolute most, possibly less.*** My brunch was rudely interrupted as I was just asked to leave while finishing my coffee, answering some messages and reading a book (while eating brunch). The way it was said was that I didn't have to leave, "but..." and that if I really wanted to stay, I could vacate my seat and sit at the cramped and uncomfortable bar. This is going to be my last experience here. This sort of behavior is bizarre to say the least and to me, feels totally unacceptable. Apparently the co-owner, Bobby (Bobbi?) was the one who asked. There were many folks in the restaurant who were taking their time having their Sunday brunch, much longer than I was. I'm unable to sit at the counter due to physical limitations and opted for a booth instead, which I was taken to at the hostess' discretion. I was asked to vacate said booth, coffee in hand, food in front of me and ready to be finished or taken home, by the apparent co-owner (I ordered plenty and wasn't wasting anyone's time or space). That feels very inappropriate and unprofessional to me. A) I should not have been asked to vacate this establishment for any reason other than abusive or drunken behavior. I doubt that sitting where I was seated and quietly finishing my meal was the reason I was asked to leave. B) I should absolutely under no circumstances have to explain my physical limitations to a business owner--period, particularly under apparent threat of being kicked out of the restaurant while finishing what I had ordered. I attempted to flag the manager down after she walked away, but she did a fantastic impersonation of someone who was hard of hearing and short of sight. In lieu of an actual productive discussion with the management, I can only guess at why this was the case. I can think of a few reasons why a business might ask a customer to vacate their seat while they're still eating or drinking and none of them sit well with me. In addition to that fact, I did notice some unpleasant comments being made by customers about certain groups of people when I was here the other day. Maybe this is simply a business that isn't friendly toward all potential customers. I don't know. I'm very disappointed in the experience I had today at Tony's and will not be back. I'll be happy to let my readers know my thoughts on this establishment as well. read more

Love the outside patio, even though it was a bit windy on our visit. I had Popeyes Benedict which was so great. Perfect to leave the spinach fresh in contrast to the hollandaise. Ordered side of grits with cheese but next time would get hash browns instead... personal preference. With me the gyros skillet, the meat was chopped small which made it easier to eat. Food was great, service was awesome. Coffee refills offered more than we needed. Prices are right for taste and quality, will be back often!!! read more

From our car, it took approximately eighteen steps to get into the front door. Fortunately, once we entered the restaurant, there were only three more steps to reach human interaction. We were amused by brightly decorated cookies and chocolate at the hostess stand. Our waitress had black hair. We also thought that there were four sets of silverware, but in reality, only three were present. Not to worry, there were only two of us eating. We cleverly realized the number of coffee mugs matched how many silverware sets were there. Pure genius. However, the mugs were never used, as we denied the request for coffee on two separate accounts. The carpet was green, and the tables and chairs were reminiscent of an old-fashioned diner. The walls, on the other hand, resembled ones that you find in a barn owned by a hipster. We were not amused by the clashing of these two opposite styles; however, they did have a sleek, visually-appealing logo, which brightened our spirits. As we were browsing the menu, we heard sounds that resembled ones of a tribal chant. We turned our heads to see that it was only in fact a group of teenagers celebrating their elderly family member. We felt like Tony would appreciate the family-friendly atmosphere that his restaurant is promoting. Our food was ordered at 10:55.34 AM. Following our order, we took a trip to the restroom. The sign directing us there was clearly labeled and visible from our table. Thank you, Tony, for helping us avoid a potentially awkward interaction with the chefs upon accidentally entering the kitchen out of sheer confusion. The food arrived at 11:12.36 AM. This was exactly a seventeen-minute and two-second wait. We complete this analysis with relative confidence in our mathematic abilities. We asked to borrow a pen to sign the bill. We were slightly disappointed that Tony wasn't even our server (we made sure to ask the server for their name, despite the fact that they were female). We will be back in hopes of meeting you, Tony. read more

We have been loyal customers for many years, we have never complained, we supported your restaurant during COVID week after week, we donated to your many food drives and cannot believe the disrespect that we received from John today. We waited 50 minutes for our food and we totally understand that they were busy, we only asked our server about our food after we saw a table seated 15 minutes after we ordered receive their food. When our food finally did come, it was cold. I believe that we had been patience but the food wasn't edible, cold eggs, Canadian bacon that was cold and overcooked. We approached John and his response was that he didn't have an excuse which we didn't expect and he did offer to remake our meals however we didn't want to spend another hour waiting for breakfast. We tried to explain to John that other tables received food before us, his response was "I'm not doing tit for tat"....that's fine, we won't be back!! The worst part is, he came after us as we were in the parking lot and began yelling at us that he didn't appreciate our comments, what business owner does that!?! Truly an ungrateful small business owner!!! read more

Food - Pancakes, bacon, sausage was great... however the hash browns tasted like bad oil with no other seasoning for flavor. Didnt eat them. Tony, could you try regular American Fries w. or without onion? Service- There were 3 servers and we were there after the weekday rush. Started out with a waitress rushing us to order, had to ask for fresh unburnt coffee and cream, and after the food was served, the waitress didnt come back to collect the dirty dishes or check back with us. Some dishes were taken away by another server but much was left on the table for quite a while. Had to ask for coffee refill's 3x from other wait staff while my waitress was 15 feet behind us wrapping silverware for the lunch crowd. We were there for 2 hours and there were only 3 small tables of people who came in after us well after 9:30am. Tony has always been fantastic but was not present. We had to ask for coffee refills, and it was just not the best experience it could and used to be.. Should've sent the hash browns back for something else, it was that bad, but i must tell you that the pancakes were wonderful with a great taste and they serve real butter with them. PS: had to ask for syrup. I will give them another try but if not, than back to a similar favorite spot in downtown Crystal Lake... no it's not the overrated expensive Benedicts which is good but overraated. Will review once more when I get the chance. Thanks! read more

I had really high hopes and was sadly disappointed! I love a great breakfast (my favorite food). I unfortunately didn't get it here. I got pancakes that were flat and not quite cooked in the center. I got a waitress who couldn't be bothered with us and when she did stop was very abrupt. After waiting forever for her to come to our area so I could ask for the check she actrd like I was bothering her. She actually cashed us out and when I said have a nice day and walked away my husband said she started mumbling and laughing with the other hostess. Can only assume the worse. But back to the food; it was mediocre at best. read more

Everything I can ask for in a breakfast diner! Coming in for the first time, the atmosphere made me surprisingly happy. I ordered the pancake combo and it was great! Reasonably priced, good service. Neighboring breakfast diners have some real competition here! read more