This place! Been looking for a breakfast diner like this for a while. No frills, great food and lots of variety. The counter service is set up like your old school lunchroom cafeteria. Takes me back to grade school. They take your order up front where the chefs cook your food right in front of you. You then take your tray and scoot on over, add beverages and whatever else to your order and at the end of the line - you pay. Everyone was super nice and friendly - gives off that old school diner where everyone is family. Just got a basic breakfast meal that consisted of eggs, sausage, and a side of pancakes. Ordered some bacon on the side. Everything was really good and the sausage was deliciously crisp and had that "snap". The pancakes were soft and fluffy. The price is also very reasonable. Also, they have Barack Obama breakfast specials. So cool as it looks like our former President frequently ate here as he has pictures up on their wall with the workers. I highly recommend and will be back. read more

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This was absolutely one of our go-to spots while in Hyde Park! Easy, convenient and tasty, Valois is a great way to start the day. The location is prime when staying at the local hotels and is central to other shops, restaurants and things to see in the area. It can be a bit tricky trying to order at first, and the line can get long but it wasn't anything that would stop be from returning! read more

Valois - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This place takes you back in time to college days dining hall ! Cafeteria style dining , grab a tray walk to counter order your food and pay with cash. The food was decent, we ordered and everything omelette, a steak, omelette, bacon, and egg, breakfast sandwich, hashbrowns, grits, pancakes, and bacon. The omelettes were a little undercooked. They were slimy and runny on the inside. Everything else was pretty good. The service was good. There was one lady behind the counter, amongst all the men, she was nice. They have ladies at the tables that come and serve you water. Not sure that I'd ever come back if ever in Chicago again, but today it was a good refuge from the rain. read more

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If you want to step back to a simpler time where food was made with love and tasted like mom made; and when cash was king, head to Valois in Chicago! This place is right out of a SNL skit! The food was decent, especially the patty melt. Bring cash, no credit cards accepted! read more

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I didn't realize this was cafeteria style when I suggested it but you would never guess on the quality of food. We got one biscuit and it was the size of my head. Crispy bacon, perfectly cooked eggs, delicious tuna melt, cheesy omelets. It all hit perfectly. And the guys taking the orders never seem annoyed when obvious tourists such as ourselves fumble through the ordering process. And you can't beat the cheap prices! read more

If you are ever in Chicago make sure to stop at Valois for a cheap yet delicious, wholesome, hearty, breakfast that is so good even former United States president Barack Obama loves this place with some of his breakfast favorites! This is the place to go for true breakfast lovers that the whole family will enjoy! Valois is special because it is one of the oldest cafeteria style restaurants in the United States started in 1921 by French Canadian William Valois. When you walk in, the place stays busy, you actual see the food being prepared in front of you, and they offer lots of great breakfast options in a casual cafeteria like setting with a homely feel. Be ready to have cash on you because Valois only takes cash but there is an atm machine inside. Valois offers amazing breakfast specials such as steak and eggs, omelettes, breakfast sandwiches, waffles, and pancakes but also has alot of al la carte menu items or side orders you can add on such as extra bacon strips, side of oatmeal, grits, etc to truly satisfy your breakfast cravings! I love getting their french toast while my husband loves piling up on eggs, bacon, and sausage! They even have some lunch items like salads, wraps, and different specials of the day like hamburger steak with onions. My husband and I enjoy coming to Valois (Hyde Park) location close to the University of Chicago because the service is fast and friendly, the food is great, and has a lively yet cozy atmosphere! You can't go wrong giving Valois a try for a wonderful breakfast that won't break your bank account and fills your soul up with joy! read more

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WARNING CASH ONLY!!! This place had a good vibe and the service was nice. The food though. I got the NY Strip. I asked for medium, it was RAW! Or like blue rare... the home fries were good. read more

Great service with very friendly staff. We popped in for something quick before going to a museum and it fit the Bill. Great prices and very speedy service. Definitely recommend! read more

Valois - Greek Salad - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Always a good choice for last minute breakfast plans. A variety of food items and preference available. The service is straight to the point and good. The ambiance is cozy. read more

food (4/5) - no one does pancakes quite like valois, they're fluffy without being too dry, and the syrup is sweet without being overpowering or too heavy on the pancake. eggs and sausage and steak are all fine too. price (3/5) - cash only but anything other than pancakes can still rack it up. average for the area ambiance (3/5) - typical diner, good for a big group as well. can be a little sticky. service (3/5) - prompt, but can be tough if you got your order wrong, the conveyor just keeps moving. read more

Valois - ny steak and eggs, pancake breakfast - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This place was on my visit list but when I looked out my hotel window and saw it. I knew it was a go. I didn't see the sign that showed cash only because I was so excited. I ordered one of President Obama's favorites. It was so amazing. And S/O to the lady who paid for my food! read more

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Mainly came here because it's known to be President Obama's favorite. This place is cafeteria style and super efficient. As someone else said, the food here is warm, familiar, and comforting. Don't expect anything fancy. I really enjoyed the pancakes, they didnt taste too plain and had a nice sweetness to it. Cash only! read more

Valois - Option 3 (2 eggs, pancakes, and bacon or sausage) - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This was at the bottom of all 3 water glasses. It was not on the outside of the glass. I will not be coming back. read more

Valois - Water glass - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

No frills cash only- diner that is known as one of President Obama's favorites. In a bustling part of Hyde Park neighborhood popular with both residents and students of University of Chicago. Get a whole assortment of classic diner food . I got the All vegi omelette part of Obama's fave list read more

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i love valois but ordering gives me anxiety. sliced turkey sandwich was good but i wish it had mayo read more

Valois - Sliced Turkey - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Excellent food comes out of this cozy neighborhood staple. The service is cafeteria style, but the staff is usually pleasant.

came here bright and early around 9 am so there wasn't really a wait. food came super quick and they make it in front of you which is nice. the portions are huge so you def get your money's worth and tasted pretty delish. it was pretty spacious inside actually for a cafe. i enjoyed it here (esp seeing obama on the wall) read more

Valois - mediterranean omelette - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

They are beginning to slip a bit. Price increase food quality decrease. However stick with the French toast.

Cash only! Classic spot with some history and a fun connection to President Obama. Lots of seating, great prices, fast service, fresh food. The food, overall, was decent, the coffee and pancakes, however, were both surprisingly good. I'd put the pancakes in my top five for certain (and I know my way around a good pancake). A worthwhile stop in. read more

Valois was already 63 years old by the time I discovered it as a fresh-faced grad student at the University of Chicago nearby. It provided many a homestyle comfort food meal when I was far away from home, so I wanted to bring Jamie W. here to acquaint him with the haunts of my youth. Now Valois is over a century old, so don't bother doing the math. The cafeteria set-up and wide variety of all-American food are exactly the same as I remembered. The dining space looked expanded but the tables were the same formica tops. The veteran staff knows exactly what they're doing, so just follow their direction to move down to the register while your food is being prepared. I ordered the $11.75 Hot Beef plate. It consisted of four thick slabs of beef brisket piled on top of a couple of slices of wheat bread. There was a huge side of whipped mashed potatoes, and all of it was covered with hot gravy (photo: https://yelp.to/yQsGkqaV52). There was also a side of corn (photo: https://yelp.to/LgmvWrLaUE), and a big tumbler of Diet Pepsi (no Coke please) for the price. I was awestruck by the amount of food they served especially nowadays versus my youth. Jamie decided on the $3.25 Grilled Cheese Sandwich and the $2.50 order of French Fries (photo: https://yelp.to/hWkQzIr-ON). Delicious. Along with his Diet Pepsi, his meal only added up to $7.60. Such a deal that a struggling student would be grateful. Apparently native son Barack Obama eats here when he's in town as his foundation is on the next block. His favorite dishes are highlighted on its own menu. FOOD - 5 stars...awesome comfort food that hasn't changed over the years AMBIANCE - 4.5 stars...plenty of elbow room now SERVICE - 5 stars... shut up,they know what they're doing TOTAL - 5 stars..."See Your Food" is their legacy slogan, and they mean it RELATED - Exploring Chicago? Here's my collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/44c4CZO read more

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Valois is good place to eat , food is good service is fast. I recommend this place. And the prices are good .

I was really excited to try Valois after reading about it, especially since it's known to be one of Obama's favorites. I went on Black Friday and was surprised to find it not busy at all. The setup is cafeteria-style, where you line up and order as you go. It was a bit confusing at first because they have a menu to look at, but the staff takes your order on the spot while the main guy shouts "next." I ordered the Mediterranean omelet and was supposed to get a choice of hashbrowns or grits, but no one asked, and I was just served hashbrowns. For the price, it's a good deal, but I found the flavor lacking. That said, I loved the warm, family atmosphere, and it seemed like a favorite spot for happy locals. I'd probably go back to give it another shot and try something different. read more

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Former President Obama's favorite restaurant! They even have a menu with Obama's favorite dishes there. It's a cafeteria style restaurant. You order at the front, watch them make your food, slide your tray down to the cashier, pay in cash (cash only!!), then enjoy your food! There are separate servers that will bring you water after you choose your seats. The food came out incredibly efficiently!! We got the steak omelette (also comes with toast), everything omelette, and the southwest chicken wrap. The wrap was warmed up but used chicken breast, so it felt a bit dry after a few bites. We added French fries to it, and loved that they were shoestring fries. The everything omelette was so so juicy and filled with melty cheese - I loved it! The omelette comes with hashbrowns, but they're a bit of a hit or miss depending on which chef made them. Some felt more like smashed potato's. read more

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I remember going to this restaurant years ago and it was excellent. I was near the neighborhood and decided to try it again. Wow was I dissatisfied. I ordered the chicken special. The chicken was dry and not that good. The cornbread was not good. It was dry, breaking apart and did not taste fresh. Very disappointing. read more

I love this place. I come here for breakfast a lot. Love the cafeteria style food and the service is always friendly and welcoming. Parking can sometimes be difficult, its best to come early or pay street parking or nearby lot parking. Would recommend. read more

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With all the changes in the 30 (!) years since I lived in Hyde Park, it's nice to know that some things don't change. Valois is like a place where time stands still - in a good way. I took my daughters here for lunch on our way back home from a trip to MI and they lived it. It's good food and nostalgia and neighbourhood people mixed with visitors - who can beat that? read more

How cool is it to live in President Obama's stomping grounds. New here. Finally got to go to here. We each got an Obama favorite : the husband a steak omelette. I got 2 eggs w bacon. Served cafeteria style. Lots of seating. If you come before 10 on Sunday you'll just miss the hangover crowd. Ha. Can't wait to come back. read more

Valois - Steal omelette - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Everything was good and very reasonably priced. The biscuits were the only thing we didn't like. They need a new recipe stat. Very old school feel and cafeteria style service and ordering. Also cash only. read more

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The food is good always. I ate here for over 30 years. Very dependable. Fair prices generous servings clean environment . All types eat here. Peaceful. Service is cafeteria style. Ambiance is good. Old standby for many souls. Hyde Parks most authentic restaurant. You,ll be back read more

I enjoyed this restaurant. The food was amazing and the service was absolutely spectacular. I love the low lighting and the darkness of the place. This is a great day nice spot or a place where we can just go hang out with friends. It's also a place where we can go solo to get some drink drinks and a quick bite read more

My kids got hand, foot, mouth disease from their high chairs. Food is good for the price.

I ate here for 28yrs it is the only place you could get a balanced meal at a reasonable price in Hyde Pk . The selection is massive there is something for everyone every day . I wish they had some competition but they don't .They treated everyone with respect. The food was good most of the time great occasionally but never bad . If you had a problem with the food it would be rectified immediately. It seemed like everyone in Hyde Pk ate there and I'm talking about everybody and this was long before O,Bama started eating there It's just good food at a fair price. It sustained the neighborhood. Parking in the area is horrible but don't miss it. read more

Feels warm, comforting, and peaceful. Decent food, great place to eat and chat with friends or family read more

Valois - Feels warm, familiar, comforting. Okay food, great place to eat and chat with friends and family. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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We came here to prepare for a day trip and this was close to our car rental. We had not eaten inside in YEARS, and I still don't remember the last carryout order we placed. It was definitely before COVID. We got cash and stood in line on a Saturday morning. It was populated but not packed. My party asked for an omelet and requested oatmeal for a substitute instead of grits, the guy behind the counter brusquely replied he can't, 'he would lose his job'! Seriously? It's the same price! Anyway I got eggs, scrambled, grits, bacon, toast, and coffee. It was a decent price, definitely cheaper than the Pancake House, but that place is sit down service. The food was fine, but the grits were flavorless! I used more butter and salt than I wanted to. Dine in coffee should have at least 1 refill. We sat at the 'Obama' table, with the picture and everything. read more

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I found this place on Yelp because this was President obamas breakfast restaurant. First it's cash only so bring cash! There is an atm there if needed. This place is a giant cafeteria. As soon as you walk in you see the menu with pricing. I loved how affordable this place was . As soon as you start ordering they start making the food. The service is fantastic and very efficient. You sit wherever you want and there's an Obama table. By the time we paid the food was ready. The food was delicious and three of us ate for $20. Definitely lived the experience and will definitely be returning. read more

Valois - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Came to Valois with my husband for breakfast on a Sunday. I kept hearing so much hype about this restaurant so I was excited to try it out. We noticed a sign on the door that read, "cash only", before jumping into the end of the cafeteria style line which moved fast. The food was pretty decent for the price (around $40 for what we ordered). I'd go here again. read more

Valois - Mine: Mediterranean omelette w/ grits, rice pudding & raisin bread His: NY steak & eggs w/ hash browns & French toast w/ strawberry topping - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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No frills spot but consistently good food. Grab a tray and select what you'd like. Note it's cash only.

Above average food. Order first at the counter and they bring it to your table. Not bad. Fast seservice, reasonable prices too. Servers were nice. read more

Valois - What's left of a Ruben sandwich and fries - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Established in 1921 this spot is certainly a Chicago institution... what surprised me was how tasty the food was. It's clear why so many people LOVE this place. First, you should know it's cafeteria style... you wait in line, grab a tray, and order from an "assembly line" counter. Everything moves extremely fast. Ordered the everything omelette - bacon, ham, spinach, onions, peppers, and American cheese. Also comes with a choice of hash browns or grits. My meal was shockingly delicious. Can't wait to return to try more of the lunch options... read more

Valois - Outside - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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My daughter: "I give it 5 out of 5. They are like magical magicians" The food was super good and fast!