I'm shocked I've never reviewed this place, great skirt steak, excellently seasoned, great garlicky fried rice, great lugaw (gingery and chicken broth-y and lemongrassy), love that I can get all of the above with brunch and EGGS. Love the cinnamony rice pudding that I definitely thought were beans at first. Speedy service, excellent hole in the wall vibes, can't miss. read more

Uncle Mike's Place - Marinated Skirt Steak - half - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Maybe our group of five just got lucky--we found street parking nearby and were seated right away. The service was decent, nothing special, but the food came out quickly. The tocino was absolutely amazing and the highlight of the meal! On the other hand, the feta omelet was a disappointment. It was way too runny in the middle, to the point where I could only eat the cooked parts and passed the rest to my boyfriend, who wasn't as picky. Next time, I'm sticking with the tocino--it's a clear winner! read more

Uncle Mike's Place - Feta omelette -dont recommend it - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My first time trying true Filipino cuisine was luckily at Uncle Mikes and I still am dreaming of this place. The food was SO good and SO affordable. Their menu is pretty simple but all composed of your true Filipino classics. This place is always busy and for a reason. The ambience is comparable to a classic diner vibe. Def worth trying out and I am so happy I now finally understand the true hype. read more

Uncle Mike's Place - Combo - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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A Filipino friend brought me here because (believe it or not) I had never tried Filipino food before. She said Uncle Mike's Place was the perfect intro--and she was absolutely right. Just a heads up: they don't take reservations, so there's usually a line, rain or shine. Thankfully my friend got there early and held our spot (because I definitely would've been late--lazy friend alert). Walking in, the vibe was so welcoming. It honestly felt like someone's big, lively living room--everyone was chatting, laughing, and just enjoying themselves. The staff were super friendly too, which made the experience even better. I ordered the Big Bangus Breakfast with two eggs and skirt steak. I had never had bangus before and was pleasantly surprised--it's such a flavorful fish! Everything was cooked perfectly. As someone African, I loved seeing that fish for breakfast is a thing in Filipino culture too--felt a little like home. If you're looking for authentic Filipino food in West Town, definitely check out Uncle Mike's Place. Just remember--they close at 2 PM! I'm so glad this was my first taste of Filipino food, and I'll for sure be back to try more. read more

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I have been wanting to try this place for awhile now. Finally! I was a bit disappointed that the menu is americanized with having pancakes and omelets because i thought this would be like one of those legit "all filipino breakfast" place. Other than that the food was good. I did like the tocino and the lugaw. I wish they didnt put cinnamon in their champorado because its not the filipino way. Dont get me wrong it does taste good but not authentic. I didnt like the baby bangus, i kinda prefer the belly but thats just me. The place is a bit small but comfy no complains. Service was great! Parking is a bit of a challenge since it was street parking. Happy eating!!! read more

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Stopped in here for a bite while on the job Greeted quickly and with a smile. Had a short stack , my partner had eggs Food was very good Atmosphere was quite different as you sit next to other parties at a long table or you can sit at a table for 2 , seating is very cool Price point very reasonable. This is a must stop read more

Yeah I wasn't the biggest fan of this place. Full disclosure I've never had Filipino breakfast before, but it was less about me not liking the actual food/flavor and more quality issues I had. I ordered takeout for breakfast and ordered the longanisa (basically a sweet chorizo) with garlic rice and 2 fried eggs. The sausage was great and prob my favorite thing, the rice was also well done and so were the eggs. They were all fairly plain straightforward flavors, good but not anything that blew my mind. My breakfast came with complimentary lugaw (lemon garlic leek ginger rice porridge) and champurado (chocolate rice porridge). The lugaw is well done, just not my thing flavor wise. The chanpurado is also good and I liked it more. Overall both of those sides were kinda the same as the eggs rice and longanisa - good, but maybe a bit forgettable in my opinion. Now for the things that weren't so good. My order came with two additional rice or even maybe grit dishes that I don't see anywhere on the menu which was a nice touch, if I had enjoyed them. One was kind of cinnamony and reminded me of oatmeal and the other was plain. The cinnamony one tasted of burnt oil and the plain one seriously tasted like plastic. They were both so horrible I was glad i didn't know what they were and didn't explicitly order them so I didn't feel bad about binning them. I did order a side of hash browns and these were probably some of the worst I've ever had. They had the same oil flavor and no other flavor. I don't even think they had salt or pepper on them. Binned these as well. In general, if you are looking to try Filipino breakfast for the first time I'd probably recommend giving it a shot going in person to the actual restaurant and would avoid delivery or takeout. I was kinda disappointed with the lack of flavor from many dishes though so personally I'm not sure I would be back. read more

Uncle Mike's Place - Longanisa Breakfast - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The perfect place for a silog breakfast in Chicago! Uncle Mikes stands out with their complimentary lugaw (rice porridge) and the richest champorado (chocolate rice porridge)! It tastes like a mix of Milo and tablea. My favorites were definitely the lugaw, champorado and bangus! I should've just ordered a bangus-only meal. The longganisa had an interesting flavor profile-different than the ones we were used to. My party agreed it wasn't the best. Overall, we still enjoyed our meal and would definitely come back if we were locals! Thanks Uncle Mike's! read more

Uncle Mike's Place - table for 4! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Uncle Mike's is dope, wow. It took about 29 minutes in line (8 people ahead of us) and it was worth it! They serve you a complimentary soup. It's delicious, garlicky, lemon grassy, it's almost the best soup I've had. A morning porridge if you will, totally delicious. I got an iced coffee, delicious, and a topochico because of course. For breakfast I got the classic, which was a fried like omelette with veggies (peppers, onion, cheese, meat), Toast (rye was so good). It was delicious. My husband got the longanisa and Bangus combo, the longanisa is so salty and delicious. Overall the environment is nice, staff are so warm and welcoming, and the coffee is good. Definitely kid friendly, my kiddo got some bacon, toast, and they had a variety of jelly. There were also other kids in there as well, definitely welcoming. Also they have real deal Sriracha read more

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Will forever be one of my fav hearty breakfast/brunch food spot in the city! It's quaint it's, no frills. They always give a free Lugaw (porridge) when you dine in and it hits the soul every time. The service is very warm and welcoming as well :) read more

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I love going here for breakfast and brunch. This restaurant serves American breakfast with Philipin fusion. I would recommend ordering the porridge and Bangus since these two are the most authentic in flavors. The portions are huge, so have that in mind while ordering the big option. You don't need to have reservations, but I would recommend making one, so your dining experience can be seamless. The restaurant vibe is like a typical American dinner, with two dinning rooms and outdoor seating. read more

Uncle Mike's Place - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This Filipino breakfast was the real deal! They also serve American breakfasts. It's just a great hole-in-the-wall place for authentic ethnic eats, right in the heart of Ukrainian Village. Service was friendly! read more

Uncle Mike's Place - Authentic Sweet Longanisa Sausage - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

A bit of a heavy breakfast but tasty and satisfying. When you're seated, they bring you a complimentary bowl of delicious chicken & rice stew(lugaw). I was disappointed to find out they only serve coffee but have no other beverages like latte or cappuccino. My little cup of coffee cost $4.50! I ordered a combo with the 4oz skirt steak and longanisa, which comes with two eggs on top of garlic rice. It also came with a little salad/salsa and something like chocolate rice(champurado). The eggs and steak were not salted to my preference but that's okay. They have sriracha sauce! The longanisa was tasty and crunchy. It feels strange for me to eat rice for breakfast, especially after I'd already had the stew, so I did finish everything except the garlic rice and chocolate rice. Overall very good! read more

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I came to Uncle Mike's on a Sunday afternoon and was surprised at the short wait time. I scanned the waitlist queue QR code on the front door and waited for a text letting me know my table was ready (it took 15 minutes). They start you off with complimentary lugaw (Filipino rice porridge), which was hot, flavorful, and comforting. It reminded me a lot of my mom's homemade lugaw, so I definitely got nostalgic. I ordered the big bangus, which came with egg (your choice of fried or scrambled), garlic fried rice, cheese grits, vinegar, and diced tomato topping. The "big" bangus definitely lived up to its name and was a huge portion. It could easily be split between two diners as a light lunch. My fish was fresh and crispy out of the fryer and so flavorful. The only reason I didn't think my experience was 5-stars was due to the wait after being seated in the restaurant. Once my table was seated, it took about 15 minutes for a server to acknowledge my table and start our drinks. After receiving our drinks, it took another 15 minutes for a server to take our order. Despite the wait, I appreciated how polite the staff was when I interacted with them. I'm hoping for a menu expansion for vegetarians and vegans! I know Filipino food is traditionally very meat-heavy, but I'd love to see Filipino food options available for all customers. read more

Uncle Mike's Place - Complimentary lugaw - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Located on a busy street, parking can be challenging. The dining spaces have multiple tables and can be grouped. There is a complimentary hot soup to try indicative of Philippine cuisine. The sausages are the best to try. Unfortunately I had the steak with garlic rice and it was ok but not impressive. I'm not a fan of charred steak. My friends liked the sausages. So there are a few Phillipine breakfast items and also a typical American breakfast. Service is slow but Sundays are for slow days. read more

Uncle Mike's Place - Tiled wall in the dining room - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Had a great experience at Uncle Mikes! We got seated immediately and the service was very quick. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Inside is casual and decorated in a homey vibe.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Great portion sizes and the Lugaw amazing. read more

Uncle Mike's Place - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I've passed this place many times over the years and never made it in, but this weekend the stars finally aligned and I'm so glad! The QR code waitlist keeps things moving and we went across the street for some shopping while we waited. Once in, we were seated quickly and even though the table arrangement is a bit odd, the service is prompt and friendly...then there's the menu! Everything was absolutely delicious. I didn't know the soup came with everything and it was the perfect start. I had a hard time picking only one thing, so I got the baby bangus and baby steak combo. Delicious!! I'll definitely need to come back and try the other items. read more

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Local authentic Filipino brunch spot. My favourite favourite (wish I can order more of) was the congee complimentary they give you at the start of the meal! read more

Uncle Mike's Place - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I'm so glad I took up a recommendation from a friend, who is a Chicago local, to dine at Uncle Mike's! I ate there on a Saturday morning, arriving around 11am and had to check in on the wait list. Fortunately, the restaurant had recommendations for waiting diners, including Publican Quality Bread (James Beard winner). After snagging coffee and some pastries, my partner and I were notified of an available table! The establishment had diners at every table but still had a cozy, home feel--much like going to a full Filipino house party. The service was great and the food was just what we were hoping for in terms of flavor. I had the combination plate with spam and bangus; my partner also had a combination plate with longanisa and tocino. The lugaw opener was just what we needed to settle in from the cold and a perfect way to get our bellies ready for the savory main dishes. read more

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As a newcomer to the west town neighborhood I often drive down Grand. I would pass by Uncle Mike's Place and see people standing outside. At first I thought it was a bar until I looked it up online and saw it was a Filipino breakfast spot. This past weekend I finally made my way here to eat brunch. My friend who accompanied me got there first and waited outside for a short bit. There is a sign on the door to get on the waitlist for a table. There is no standing inside. However, one of the employees invited us brunch-goers to stand inside since it is cold. They said the wait would be 8-10 minutes and we waited just about that time. We were able to get a table for two. The waitress was prompt with setting down paper mats and getting us water. We reviewed the menu. The baby bangus meal caught my eye. It's not often I get to try fish other than red snapper, salmon, tilapia, or cod. My friend ordered the Cajun chicken sandwich. The first item that was set in front of us is called Lugaw. It's a rice porridge with chicken that has a yummy citrus flavor. I was confused at first because I didn't order it specifically, but it is part of the standard meal. It was so good, perfect to get my taste buds ready for my entree! After finishing the lugaw the entree finally came and boy was it delicious and filling. The baby bangus meal comes with vinegar to dip the fish in, salsa, eggs, rice, and a chocolate rice pudding. I liked the crunchiness of the fish. I loved every part of my meal. My friend enjoyed her dish as well. We both left full! I love that I got to take part in Filipino culture by trying out food that is new to me. When we finished it was close to the time the restaurant was closing and what we noticed that really impressed us is that they did a thorough cleaning of the restaurant. They got down on the floors and even used a cloth to clean the bars of one the tables in the kitchen. All the employees were cleaning up. It made me feel happy that they care about the cleanliness of the restaurant and make time to get it done. Another plus is that my friend and I each spent $20 each. That's $40 (tip included) for what we had which was (in my eyes) a lot! It's so hard to come by these days (good quality food for an appropriate price). This place seems like a very reliable breakfast/brunch spot. So glad I took a chance here. read more

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We arrived at 11:20 am and were told to wait outside. During our wait, I went inside to use the bathroom and noticed there were at least two available tables in the back. We continued to wait for another 20 minutes but were told our table of 6 would have to wait for a big table and that it would take another 15 minutes. I questioned the staff but she insisted none of the tables were big enough. By the time we were seated, it was the exact table that I noticed as available when I went to the bathroom. Although they seem a bit inorganized and inefficient in seating parties, the food made up for it. We had the full order skirt steak with sunny-side egg and a combo meal with tocino, pork chop, and scrambled eggs. All four of us enjoyed the food as everything was done right. All of the proteins were juicy and tender. My husband's favorite was the skirt steak and mine was the tocino. Our two young daughters tried and ate everything! read more

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I went to this restaurant as a second option after seeing the line at Kasama. This place wasnt as busy but when I got there I still needed to be put on a waitlist. Its a cozy small diner which was packed with a lot of people. Upon seating, you are served with a small bowl of lugaw and asked if you want coffee or tea. The lugaw was very flavourful and chicken based. There was a slice of lemon in it instead of the traditional calamansi (as it is hard to source in the US). It was still a nice compliment to the dish in adding a bit of acidity. For the main dish, I ordered the longganisa. The sinangag was flavourful and fluffy with a strong garlic taste. The sunny side up egg was cooked nicely with crisp edges. And the longganisa was a bit standard so I think its store bought and not made in store. It was also served with a side of champorado which tasted a bit like milo, and a side of pico de gallo. Honestly they couldve made atsara instead or even pickled radish. Overall I was satisfied with my experience at Uncle Mikes and would recommend this place whenever you're craving filipino food in Chicago! read more

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I always come here when I visit chicago. Food is always good. Gives you a little nostalgia from growing and living in the Philippines. Service is quick. QR menu and they always start you off with some "Goto" or Arroz Caldo. Great for breakfast/brunch 10/10 read more

Uncle Mike's Place - Tocino Breakfast - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Amazing comfort food as a Filipino :) Every component of the meal was cooked perfectly and went together so well. I was also amazed that the lugaw was complementary - it was so soothing and paired well with the more flavorful breakfast plate. I can't wait to come back read more

Uncle Mike's Place - small Bangus Breakfast - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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So simple but so delicious! I always get the same thing when I come which is the combo platter with steak and toccino. The flank steak is cooked to perfection and toccino has so much flavor and super tender. Love the sweetness of the pork shoulder and I've heard the longanisa is good as well. They start you off with complimentary lugaw which is always delicious. It gets pretty busy starting at like 10 am on the weekends but usually the wait isn't too long, around 20-40 mins depending on the weekend. As far as I know they don't take reservations so you have to go out your name down. read more

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This is a very homey restaurant that serves some great food overall. Service has been very fast each time I have been here. They give you complimentary lugaw (porridge) to start your meal, which is very flavorful. I got the Longanisa and Skirt Steak Combo, and overall, it was a good meal. The longanisa was good, but a bit on the sweeter side, and the steak had little to no seasoning. They do provide A1 steak sauce, but I expected more from the dish. The eggs and rice are cooked well and compliment each other. I would come again, but I won't get the steak again. Overall, I recommend giving this place a try for some solid cuisine, but maybe get the longanisa or tocino over the steak. read more

Uncle Mike's Place - Longanisa and Skirt Steak Combo - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I wanted to go back to this place the next day - it was phenomenal! Must try the skirt steak! The staff were so nice, too. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The decor is cute and gives grandma's kitchen vibes.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] But the food speaks for itself! read more

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I'm probably the last Filipino yelper that hasn't been to uncle mikes. Surprise it's not just Filipino breakfast. It's actually a large menu with lots of traditional breakfast items. Upon seating you're immediately served complementary porridge(arroz caldo). The brunch combo of steak and tocino came with Champorado(chocolate porridge). Are you kidding me? Im sold! Is it the best steak? No. Is it the best tosino? No. Im giving it five stars because the food is good enough, the portions are huge, and all the other trimmings it comes with. P.S the plain pancakes tasted really buttery - even that was good. read more

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We went around 9am and were seated promptly. Food was delicious, portions were huge, and we really didn't need to wait long for our food to be served. Would definitely come back! read more

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AMAZING. My friend and I have both been wanting to check out this place for a while after hearing rave reviews from others. Boy oh boy does it live up to the hype! I've had Kasama's Filipino breakfast, and I think Uncle Mike's Place is on far without the line that wraps around the street. They have an easy check in system with a QR code on the door that lets you know when your table is ready. Atmosphere is cozy and casual. Service was quick, friendly, and efficient. Definitely worth checking out! read more

Uncle Mike's Place - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

A group of 8 of us came here for brunch on a weekend. We joined the waitlist and were told there was a 20-30 min wait. We were grateful to be seated within 10 mins. I definitely appreciate being told an over estimated time vs underestimated time. The inside has 2 separate spaces - dining in the front and dining in the back. Our group was seated in the back. The place was sardine jam packed, haha! Atmosphere wise dining in the back was different - the space itself is small and felt claustrophobic. Service was inconsistent. When we all started ordering I had asked if we could have separate checks and explained who was going on what check. When it came to receiving the bill we got 1 check for the table, which we then re-asked to have them separated. Although we ordered our food items at the same time we didn't get em around the same time. Some people at our table were waiting about 5-10 mins additional while others were half way done eating. We all received complimentary lugaw to start since we dined in. It took me back to my childhood days and I really liked it! As far as food entrees my husband ordered the Filipino breakfast combo with skirt steak and spam as his proteins. His steak was COLD. Not room temperature cold, but maybe cooked earlier in the day or the previous days(s) and placed in the fridge and then put onto his plate 40 degree cold. He also asked for over easy eggs but ended with sunny side up eggs. 1 of our friends did order eggs that way but it wasn't him. For me - I ordered the Filipino combo with tocino and baby bangus. I'm picky when it comes to tocino and really enjoyed it here. It was sweet, fatty and oh so good haha. The Bangus was OK. It wasn't as flavorful as I'm used to having it. The eggs and rice were kind of bland. I was expecting the garlic fried rice to be more garlicky, but that's okay. It was still pretty good. Although I'm not sure I'd come back, I'm glad I checked Uncle Mike's out =) read more

Tried the bangus and skirt steak combo and wow--the portion was huge! Definitely more than enough food. Got it as takeout and the service was super fast, in and out without a wait. Feels like one of those small local secrets you're glad you stumbled on. Flavor was on point, steak was tender, and everything hit the spot. Highly recommend if you're hungry and in the mood for something solid! read more

Uncle Mike's Place - Bangus and Skirt Steak Combo - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great filipino restaurant in west town. There is a QR code on the door to join the wait list. We waited ~10 minutes at 11 on a Saturday. Service was great and everything came out quick. They gave us a complimentary soup before we ordered our breakfast combos. Everything was cooked well and the garlic rice was fantastic. There was also a Champurrado (chocolate rice pudding) with the main dishes. Highly recommend! read more

Uncle Mike's Place - Tocino and longanisa breakfast - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I'm stunned that I've never reviewed this diner, considering it's one of my favorite spots for food in the city. The lugaw (savory rice porridge) that comes before the meal is a great appetizer. The Longanisa is my favorite dish, and the sides that come with it - garlic rice, eggs however you want it, pico, and champorado (sweet chocolate rice pudding) - accompany the sweet flavor of the sausage so well. Service is pretty quick here; when ordering just the Longanisa, I've never waited more than 10 minutes for my meal during busy hours. As for the ambiance, it's clean and they have a variety of table sizes, but I do get the feeling that they'd like for you to get in-and-out. read more

This place was sadly underwhelming. The food was bland and the service was really disappointing; listen to your customers when they order so that you do not mess up their order and have them wait another 20 minutes for a simple dish to be cooked! Also, they gave us the wrong cheques ...The "big American breakfast" is the one i took a picture of...very bland. read more

Uncle Mike's Place - Fresh Fruit Plate - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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[[HIGHLIGHT]]A very culturally immersive experience.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I enjoyed trying a unique take on breakfast! My favorite was the lugaw they served when you are first seated. read more

Uncle Mike's Place - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I loved Uncle Mike's! I was visiting my bestie and she took us here. As a Filipino, the bangus, eggs, and rice were so satisfying. We missed out on the champorado, but the kitchen gifted us with lots of soup leftover at closing! Mmm, we had food for days. Other notes: Parking was metered, on the street. The area is walkable with lots of shops nearby! read more

Uncle Mike's is a quaint Filipino restaurant located in West Town. They serve both Filipino and American breakfast. The service is friendly and fast! Upon sitting down, they served porridge made with chicken broth. It was good, but I personally did not like the lemon's strong citrus flavor. If I came back, I'd ask for no lemon. I ordered the combo plate with longanisa and tocina. It's served with rice and two eggs. For $16.95, they are very generous with the amount of food. I preferred the tocina over the longanisa. It was much more flavorful; however it did have a bit of gelatinous texture to it. Overall, both were 10/10. I will definitely be back to try the other things on the menu! read more

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Another perfect breakfast at Uncle Mike's! Took some out of town visitors for a quick bite. I tried the bangus and pork chop combo with egg whites and fruit. The bangus is probably my fav of any of their dishes! Service was quick as always and we had a great experience all around. read more

Uncle Mike's Place - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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awesome small Filipino restaurant featuring traditional Filipino options as well as American breakfast options. They have seating inside and out. the staff is very friendly and helpful. I got the baby bangus plate and it was huge.... makes me wonder how large the large plate is because I was super full and didn't finish everything. my first time having Filipino breakfast and everything was great. the fish was flavorful, the garlic rice was delicious. The eggs were tasty as well. it came with what looked like pico de gallo but it tasted pickled. and also a chocolate rice pudding to finish up your meal. good stuff and recommend ! read more

Uncle Mike's Place - Congee - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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