10/16/08

Don't buy into the hype.

by tomcat710

After being told to visit Clarke's by multiple people, I figured I'd give it a shot. What a mistake. There is nothing likable about this hipster staple. When my group was first being seated, we were placed next to a giant noisy speaker even though the restaurant was nearly empty. We asked to move. Thankfully, we were reseated. My waiter was some Spanish guy who barely listened to anything I had to say. I asked for a milk to be brought out with my food, and I went out of my way to specify. Of course, he brought it out first, completely disregarding my request. The pancakes I ordered were a crumbly joke and I couldn?t help but feel like the food wasn?t worth the price. When asking for my check, my waiter was too busy doing the Macarena to bring it to me. He just kept talking to his friend and singing/dancing to the radio. I was about to just leave. You shouldn?t have to fight to pay your bill.

Side note: The bathroom is beyond disgusting. There?s an awkward toilet sitting in the middle of the floor and a urinal on the side. And this is supposed to be an open bathroom for multiple people? Thank god I didn?t walk in on some shameless guy.

I think I?d choose just about any diner over this one.

• Pros: Never having to go back
• Cons: Ambience, Service, Food, Bathroom, Waitstaff

06/30/08

Friendly, fast service & great drinks

by Jessia823

A diner with a full bar and a bar with a full menu, from burgers to breakfast, is hard to beat! The drinks are tasty, especially the perfect hangover-breakfast $3 Bloody Marys on Sunday or the made-from-scratch margaritas for $3 on Fridays. The bartender makes a mean Long Island Iced Tea, or try the Peach Clarke's Iced Tea.

The menu features typical diner fare, including generous omelets and skillet egg breakfasts, as well as bar & grill offerings including a few vegetarian selections. The sweet potato fries are to die for, and the Mexican Potato Soup, when offered, is amazing. The service is great, especially in the bar, where even on a Saturday night the place usually isn't overly crowded.

• Pros: great drinks, fresh coffee, milkshakes from scratch, vegetarian offerings, close to public transit, good service
• Cons: parking is difficult, especially at night

03/09/07

Slow service

by aeh5458

The food here is pretty good and not too expensive, plus there is that diner feel and the 24 hour service. And you can't go wrong with the breakfast foods. I haven't had good luck with service here, but usually when we go it's with plenty of time to spare and more for the laid-back atmosphere and variety of cheap food than speedy service.

01/11/07

Horrible service

by AnnaAradia2769

I went here on a Wed. with a group of friends. My husband and I showed up a few minutes late, and waited 45 minutes before a server named Bria or Brianne appeared, and that was only after asking for one. She came to our table and just had a horrible attitude. We asked if she could do a seperate check. She stated that she could not if we were at the same table because she would loose money. I really didn't understand this as to my knowledge they don't have any group tip policy here, and we all were going to be charged. When she went to take my husbands order, she decided to go off again about how she couldn't do seperate checks for about 10 minutes. My husband kindly asked her to stop, she then said my husband was being rude and told him to leave. We didn't leave because I had ordered food. After about 40 minutes we didn't think the food was going to arrive, so we were about to leave, and then the food arived- totally wrong order, and totally cold food. My soup came with my sandwhich instead of before. This is not the first time we have had bad service or messed up orders with no appologies There are so many other restaraunts in the area worthy of my business. They really need to clean up there act.

11/23/05

Best 24 hour diner around

by skim05

Every sunday, we trek from Hyde Park to Clarke's. We love the artichoke spinach dip that comes with warm pita bread. The barbecue chicken pizza is SUPERB. Steak fries are not that great. drinks and desserts are as to be expected from late-night dining fare. Nice place to hang out with friends. NOT A DATE PLACE.

Go with the expectation that this is a diner. it is perfect!

• Pros: Open 24 hours, safe area, diverse crowd
• Cons: over-rated drinks, desserts, veggie pizza

05/10/05

Great place after a drink

by alinalin1983

This is a great place after you've had a few and need to sober up. Also a cool place if youre a smoker you can actually enjoy a cig. And finally, you have to try the sweet potato fries they are quite choice.

• Pros: Relaxed, Good Food, Nice Price
• Cons: Wait After Midnight, Drafty By The Door, Service

01/27/05

Diner favorites 24 hours a day at this bright spot on busy Belmont Avenue.

by Contributor

In Short
Relaxed and casual, with bargain prices throughout the menu, this place draws the late-night crowds. Semi-loud '80s rock plays on the stereo, and windows offer Belmont Avenue people-watching. Breakfast fare features omelettes, egg-topped skillets and baked pancakes. Adults go for the Zorba omelette packed with fresh spinach and feta cheese; kids dig the funny-face pancake decorated with chocolate chips, whipped cream and maraschino cherries--and chocolate milk that's made from scratch.

• Pros: Great breakfastsNice prices

09/10/04

TERRIBLE SERVICE

by cherfer

I have never had such poor service at a restaurant. Our waitress made us wait over 20 minutes for the bill while she talked on the phone. We didn't tip her. The worst service ever. The food was no good either.

09/16/03

YUM (and cheap)

by awibs

I maintain an index of all-nite diners, and this is still my favorite. The food is beyond excellent and quite cheap. They make strawberry shakes out of actual strawberry ice cream with chunks of berry in it, not badly mixed hot pink syrup in melty vanilla soft-serve (a la Denny's). Try fresh fruit or decadant chocolate waffles with tons of whipped cream. Love the tater skins (halved potatos with a tiny bit scooped out and LOADED with your choice of cheese, scallions, and REAL bacon) Best veggie chili I've found, love their fries, and stellar cheddary clam chowder. I hate the damn DePaul preps and the frat/sorority inside-jokey atmosphere at the Lincoln Park one, that's why I'll stick to the drag-queen riddled Belmont one.

BTW, the service is lethargic on empty afternoons, but very on top of it during the busy hours (middle of the night, esp weekends)

• Pros: good food, huge portions, cheap
• Cons: slow service

05/19/03

Worst Service Ever

by rarredondo

I would really suggest passing up the Clarke's on Belmont and going to the one in Lincoln Park on Lincoln Ave. The first time I ate at this Clarke's I thought I had maybe caught it at a busy time and that's why the service was so slow. After a few more visits, the service proved to be consistantly terrible. I've waited for 45 to get my check and got attitude when I reminded my waitress about it and have waited about that much time for my order to be taken...when my table was one of five tables in the whole place that was taken. If you don't mind waiting an obscene amount of time, go for it. Otherwise, head to Lincoln Park.

• Pros: good breakfasts
• Cons: obscenely slow servic