Bongo Room

08/17/2008 Posted by guera399

Was in town for a wedding this weekend and was taken to Bongo Room by some former bucktown inhabitants who raved about the food here but warned us that the service was lacking. While we did have to wait awhile to get seated with six people in our party it was well worth it! The eggs benedict was the best I have ever had. Everyone in our party shared the raspberry banana cheesecake pancakes and the white chocolate caramel pretzel pancakes and I swear its like a religous experience to eat them. We could hardly set our drinks down without being offered a refill and while you could tell they were concerned about turnover, they still let us add on one extra pancake after our check was closed. Maybe we went in with lowered expectations due to the other reviewers, but I thought the service was top notch and I will be dreaming of the food for weeks!

07/14/2008 Posted by emh005

I went to this cozy breakfast spot with a group of 5 friends; the wait was long since the place was bustling on a Saturday morning. After about half an hour, we got seated and were handed menus by a super friendly waiter. My friend that had been there before recommended the Eggs Benedict BLT (with spinach, tomatoes and bacon) so I got that. Some others got the Crab Benedict and another one of my friends ordered a breakfast burrito. The place was cute, but the food was bland. BLT Benedict was not worth the $14; the Hollandaise sauce had little flavor. Crab Benedict had even less flavor plus the saltiness of canned crab. Burrito was average. Bottom line: Good service, unique decor and atmosphere, but food that isn't that great.

Pros: Great service, very cozy and unique restaurant

Cons: Food is sub-par and flavorless

04/24/2008 Posted by Cubsfanbudman

The pancakes at the Bongo Room are amazing. They might be my favorite food on the planet. The coffee is great, so is just about everyhting on the menu. The food is out of sight. The owner is rude, obnoxious, and makes the entire experience unpleasant. He is a true first class ____.

02/09/2008 Posted by emkor

I'm sorry, but this is by far the best place to get brunch (weekends are tough) in Chicago. I go back and forth between this place and Lula, but I can't believe anyone would have bad customer service from this place. And even if they did, the food is just so good that I think it's worth it!

06/09/2007 Posted by majathebee

I visited Chicago several times last summer and stayed two blocks away from the Bongo Room. Since, coming home to New York City I have been searching for something comparable and have yet to find it. This place is a jewel, and I daydream about making a day trip to Chicago just so I can go have breakfast. Everything about this place is wonderful. The food is delicious, and beautifully presented. They have very large portions but also offer half-orders, so unless you are very very hungry I suggest a half-order. The service is wonderful. The decor is unique and quirky just like the neighbourhood they are set in. The only drawback I can think of is their closing time. They usually close at 2PM so a late-riser like myself only gets so much time to spend enjoying her breakfast. I love this place and wish every day that they would open one in New York. Until they do, I will keep thinking up excuses to go to Chicago to eat here.

Pros: Food. Service. Decor. Location

Cons: Hours of operation. Limited seating space.

03/23/2007 Posted by skriker77

The Wicker Park location of the Bongo Room leaves a lot to be desired. The food is usually delicious (pumpkin pancakes doused in cream cheese glaze, yum!), but the place is tiny, cramped and loud. During winter, a seat by the door leaves you and your yummy pancakes cold. The South Loop location is a lot better. More seating, a waiting area, and a friendlier waitstaff.

Pros: Food is amazing

Cons: Crowded and Wicker Park location is snobby

03/18/2007 Posted by peoplematter

I have been to the Bongo Room several times. While the food is okay the customer service is absolutely atrocious. By far the worst in Chicago. I will never go back.

Pros: Food

Cons: Service, Parking

01/10/2007 Posted by sarahlewis1017

Such an adorable chic breakfast spot! It's the perfect place to take a date or recover with a tasty treat from a long night before. The wait is well worth it, but you can usually miss the rush if you get there early. What could possibly be better than an oreo/pancake combination! Wonderful!

Pros: Fast Service, great coffee, changing menu options with classic favorites

Cons: Parking, Long Wait

12/30/2006 Posted by chitowngirl_reviews

Ok, so the lines are long but the food is worth it. The ingredients are fresh and the breakfast is never boring. If you're looking for breakfast food that's a step above, try this place out. Portions are huge and delicious. Yum.

Pros: Food

Cons: Parking, long waits

11/05/2006 Posted by adunkin

OK - the wait's no fun. And you can't spend a ton of time sitting around chatting after you've finished eating. But you probably spent nearly 1.5 hours sitting outside chatting and waiting to get in! For crying out loud, this place is great. So great that they can close at 2 or 2:30p everyday, always have a huge wait, couldn't possibly fit any more always full tables into either of their locations and don't need wait staff kissing up to you so you'll come back. <P> As for the food, if you want boring comfort food - go somewhere boring. This is NOT a diner, this is NOT up-scale IHOP and if all you really want is scrambled eggs, move right along. If you want unique breakfast combinations that change with the seasons, Bongo Room is just the place for you. And even better - when you can't decide between one of their incredible sweet options (say the chocolate tower French Toast) and one of the more savory options, just get a half order of each!

Pros: Unique brunch food, easy public transit access

Cons: Long wait, quick table turn-over