I've literally been coming here since birth: the day after I was born my mother had to have some of Sam's steak and eggs. It's changed quite a bit over the years; recently, they finally replaced the unfortunate carpet and shoddy booths. Prices haven't gone up much and specials are consistently good. The Greek skillet is particularly nice for breakfast. Service is spotty - certain waitresses are rude and indolent, others are nice old broads still quick on their feet. The owners, Sam and Chris, are happy to make friends and will remember your name if you come back more than once. I hope this place never closes.
(4)
Jim C.
It seems the latest trend in restaurants is breakfast and lunch cafes. You see them popping up all over....no dinner or late night just B&L, open usually 6am to 3pm. This place might be the originator of that concept. Bread Basket has occupied the same unusual location for many years while specializing in breakfasts as they continue to shine year in and year out. Looking for a great breakfast and good service all at a reasonable price. Look no further!!
(4)
Lori N.
Love this great local joint! My hubby and I love to get breakfast here - affordable and good food. It's so homey.
(5)
Amy F.
I was disappointed by the biscuits and gravy..I like my biscuits a bit fluffier/softer. but it's a jolly sort of place in the morning, good for ridiculous story-telling.
(3)
Karyn S.
My boyfriend and his family won't come here due to negative experiences like 10 years - 20 years ago (more an impression than anything else), but they can all be somewhat opinionated and I'm not sure how... fair their memory is after so long. My dad took me here for breakfast when I was a kid 20+ years ago, and I loved it. As others have said, the decor and the murals are awesome. I have continued to go back whenever I'm in town, and I've always enjoyed my visit - great breakfast food. I almost always get french toast, and it was good. I stop in every couple of years, and would definitely return.
(4)
Lily K.
I've grown up here and came back for the sake of nostalgia but the food is sub-par and wait staff are never friendly. Really, every time that I've eaten here, it's as if everything is a chore for the staff. For a few years, I've worked in retail so I get having a bad day or week but a bad 20 years? C'mon. On the bright side their prices are solid.
(2)
nicole h.
I wouldn't go out of your way to stop at the Bread Basket, but if you're in the 'hood (and Egg Harbor's wait is as it usually is) this is a quality sit-down family-owned place. Their soup is usually fantastic. Everything else is like mom would make.
(3)
Konrad B.
Great family owned breakfast spot in the heart of Downtown Barrington. My family has been frequenting the Bread Basket for years and have never been disappointed. The food tastes like it is home-made & the service is excellent. The owners, Sam & Chris, and wait-staff truly make you feel like you are at home and always remember your name. I will be returning for years to come!
(4)
Carl A.
I have been eating breakfast here for almost 20 years and there is a reason.This place is family owned and operated and they are a big part of the community. Always clean and fresh; basic breakfast fare.
(4)
Erin O.
This is your run-of-the-mill diner with a cozy atmosphere and typical breakfast and lunch offerings. I enjoyed breakfast with my husband on Saturday morning. I ordered the special: bacon, tomato and cheese omelet. I was able to request egg substitute for my omelet, no extra charge. However, the "cheese" was slices of American cheese; disappointing. The selection of fruit for my side was okay: honeydew melon, pineapple and about one strawberry. The pancake was okay. The prices are right, and Bread Basket is a nice place to go if you're craving a homestyle breakfast or lunch out.
(3)
Todd L.
Had a pretty good no-frills breakfast. Great atmosphere and decent menu. It's a little crazy on Sunday mornings but in a good way.
(3)
Matthew O.
Took the train into Chicago for a holiday trip downtown and stopped along the way in Barrington for breakfast and shopping. Great atmosphere and feel in this place. Cozy and the murals are awesome. Food was served fast and service got the job done. Pancakes didn't wow me. They were missing something...can't put my finger on it. Potatoes were not good - didn't finish them. I prefer crispy hash browns over what they serve here. Eggs and bacon were fine. Overall food/ingredient quality seemed sub-par, which would force me to talk someone out of going here, unfortunately. Men's bathroom was spacious and immaculate. I was expecting something horrific. Pleasantly surprised. Got us filled up on decent diner breakfast food but nothing here would make me stop in again when taking the train into the city.
(2)
Ross P.
Best value for breakfast. My favorite eggs Benedict in Barrington. Everything I've gotten has always made me happy. Egg Harbor is always packed down the road but I think Bread Basket is a better choice for the money. It's kinda dark, but I'm always tired and red eyed eating breakfast anyway
(4)
George S.
It is worth it to go to Bread Basket for the decor alone. High quality murals, booths, and tables. Very impressive. A million dollar interior that serves lousy food. Dime store silverware which was a step above plastic. Fake syrup in a packet??? Ack! One of my friends ordered the chopped steak which was like a hamburger floating in grease. We also had an old ditzy waitress who screwed up our order. Bad experience, won't go back. Egg Harbour is close by and much much better.
(2)
M-J W.
I go past this place all the time. First time I have ever been here. Hard to fathom as I have lived in the area 17 years. Boy, have I been missing out! This is my new favorite place! Reasonable priced. Good food. Large portions. Slow to collect $$.
(5)
Sarah H.
Cheap, tasty, Greek diner. Egg harbor is for suckers, Bread basket for life!
(5)
Spencer H.
Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name. Well nobody knows my name here because I've only been here 2 or 3 times but I like it. I always like dining in the downtown Barrington area. It has an old school small town feel but it also has an upscale feel to it because it is a very nice area. I had been to a few breakfast spots in the area & I finally decided to give Bread Basket a try. This place is a good option on a Saturday or Sunday morning & especially in the summer when you are out early & walking through downtown Barrington. Bread Basket is located on main street right by the antiques store. Once we walked in it was bigger on the inside than I was expecting. The decor & booths were nice but there wasn't anything that made it seem like it was trying to be something that it wasn't. It had a nice small town feel to it which is what I like about suburban breakfast places. I ordered a biscuits & gravy. It arrived in a timely manner & was pretty hot just how I like it. The gravy for the most part was tasty but I was not too impressed by the biscuits. They were dry & not that tasty. Overall the service was good & I liked the small town feel. The restaurant also was clean which is always a big plus. With all of that said I would eat here I would eat here again.
(4)
Harriet H.
There are other places nearby with better food, better decor and nicer staff. The food here can be good, but not always. Decor is old, kinda medieval or maybe gothic. I do like the large murals on the walls at the back of the place. My last time there the waitress was grumpy and rude. She insisted on holding an empty table that we wanted (after telling us we could sit anywhere) for a group of regulars and squished our party of three including two large men into a booth. No one ever came for the table that she said we couldn't sit at, the restaurant was mostly empty and we didn't appreciate being treated as second class to people that weren't even there. I thought most breakfast restaurants are first come, first served... I generally like the place, but this one waitress is consistently bad and unpleasant and I will think twice about going back. (I think that she might be the owner's daughter or an owner because there is a photo of what looks to be her when she was much younger on the wall.)
(2)
Peter T.
Had a craving for corned beef today, out in the old stomping grounds of idyllic Barrington, IL. So it was off to the Bread Basket, one of the two old standbys for locals in the village. (The other being "The Canteen"). Been here dozens of times, back in the day, it was a favorite of my daughter when she was coming up. I opted for the corned beef on rye, and the waitress told me "some people like it cold," to which I retorted, "no, it's supposed to be warm." End of discussion. It was a good sandwich, lean corn beef, probably from Vienna, many restaurants in the Chicago area use that supplier, and they have a great product. My only "beef?" The restaurant uses "extruded" fries. That's a potato product, a slurry of mashed potato-like batch is whipped up, and then "fry-shape" pieces are shoved through a mold and flash frozen. They get a certain crispness on the outside, and are smooth and soft inside. Just not my favorite. But! I was there just before closing, so the waitress gave me a go-cup of coffee, gratis. Score!
(4)
Joshua B.
Walking in the Bread Basket, it just looks like a regular diner, but don't let the look fool you as their food is really, really good. The waitresses are nice enough. There are alot of choices on the menu. Not as many breakfast items but it isn't a problem as their food is so delicious. I had the Eggs Benedict. OMG! I loved it! The egg was cooked really well and the yolk was nice and runny. The Canadian bacon was flavorful. The English muffin was toasted well. The Hollandaise sauce is really good and creamy. The hash browns were tasty and are like comfort food to me. Next time I will order them a little more well done to get some crunch. My mom had the spinach and feta omelet. She really likes this as she gets it every time we go there. She also gets the hash browns well done and rye toast. I like this, but I am not a big feta person. My tip - Dip your hash browns in the Hollandaise sauce! I'm out.
(5)
Jan D.
Great diner breakfast, friendly waitress, good prices. I would definitely go there again when I'm in the area.
(4)
Erik J.
It would totally be 5 stars if I had not been kicked out 10 years ago for chugging 4 tables worth of creamers... ;-) (I was a junior in high school with my swimming buddies and they dared me, what was I supposed to do?!) That being said, I LOVE this place. People always talk about the other breakfast place in town that is bigger and spends more money on advertising, but the food here is twice as good as at that other place... Daily Specials are the exact same as they were 10 years ago, Barrington Skillet and some other things, but I don't even look at the menu anymore. Main Street Skillet, over easy, english muffin, black with cream (which you now have to ask for and they bring to your table... Wonder why?).
(4)
Helen L.
This is a wonderful little restaurant. My coworkers and I go here about once a week so the staff knows us - so much so that they can rattle off our "usual" meals without any hesitation. They have quite a bit on their menu - and you very rarely can go wrong with anything. They are very accommodating to special requests. Very reasonable prices and very friendly staff!
(4)
Katy B.
This is our local little restaurant. We tend to go for Monday morning breakfast. They have lots of specials the food is always good and the price is right.
(5)
Karen G.
My daughters and I were looking for a new brunch place in the burbs and Bread Basket was chosen. It did not meet up to our expectations of the brunch restaurants we have frequented in the city, but the food was good and there was no wait. I would consider it a typical Greek type of restaurant, no fancy brunch food or drinks - good place for a hearty breakfast.
(3)
Lenny G.
Nice family restaurant in the center of Barrington. The prices are pretty good and the portions huge! There's a nice variety of breakfast items, as well as sandwiches and salads for lunch. Keep in kind that the Yelp map is wrong, though the address is correct.
(4)
Allyson R.
So far I've been to this restaurant three times and every single time I seem to get a really bad experience. The waitress that I got this past Monday was incredibly rude and awkward from the very start. I came in with three of my family members and we felt rushed to make an order after just sitting down and not knowing what we wanted. The food was mediocre, service was terrible (she never brought my cousin her soup that she ordered), when my brother ordered a Philly Cheese Steak she came back to our table and asked if he had ordered a Philly Chicken Sandwich. (How do you get that from what he ordered?). She also kept standing right next to our table for extended periods of time while we were eating. Talk about AWKWARD. She kept bringing us water glasses when none of us were drinking water, by the end of it all we had eight FULL water glasses on our table. There were FOUR of us. Overall, another bad experience. I have never and will never recommend this place.
(2)
P K.
This is one of my favorite places for lunch down town. The food is quick out of the kitchen and great service. Lunch specials come with cup of soup. They will give you fruit instead of potatoes or fries. Tuna melt is my favorite.
(4)
Stef M.
Very inexpensive family diner with quality food. Very good homemade meatloaf, the chefs specials are good and they also have good soups. Most lunch entrees are $6.95 or less. Limited menu selection but old time charm. No frills type of place. Open for breakfast and lunch and convenient location. Street parking.
(4)
Charlie K.
I have been going to the Bread Basket for over 25 years and have never been disappointed in the service, food, or prices. I cannot get a more filling meal than the "Bread Basket Special", which is very inexpensive and comes out within 10-15 minutes! Great friendly service and a great location.
(5)
Courtney W.
I love this place! I have lived in Barrington for ten years and I have never been to a more friendly and quality establishment. After a recent day of shopping, my mom and I headed in for some lunch. It was quite busy at one o'clock but we received prompt and friendly service as always. I love hot open-face turkey sandwiches so of course I couldn't pass up the opportunity to try one here. For $6.95 I got a cup of the most amazing chicken noodle soup (perfect for the cold I am currently nursing), an amazing open faced turkey sandwich with amazing light gravy, mashed potatoes, fresh buttered corn, and cranberry sauce. It was the perfect meal and the best value. They have such an array of dishes and their breakfast specials are killer. Everyone is so friendly and many of Barrington's key figures dine here when they want to get away from it all. For example, Mr. Wickstrom (from Wickstrom Ford) was having his daily lunch just across the room.
(5)
Eric H.
I live and work in Barrington and usually get lunch at least once a week at Bread Basket. Sam usually thinks he knows what I want when I walk in - - and his suggestions are usually right. This is a great place for the basics - burgers, BLT, and similar things. But the daily specials - usually with a Greek foundation - are also worth considering. Most sandwhiches come with fries and soup at a reasonable price for a lot of food. I especially like the fries - they have a little extra something on them that adds some crispiness and taste. If you don't want the fries you can have fresh fruit. I am a big fan of the Tuna Melt sandwich on rye. I'd prefer something other than American Cheese, but that's how it comes. There's nothing fancy about the place, but it is good for a basic lunch, with good food at a good price. Breakfasts are also good and I like Bread Basket a whole lot more than Egg Harbor because the place is friendlier, family run (Egg Harbor is one of a number of a group of restaurants), and never has a wait for a table.
(4)
Dana H.
Basic and yet friendly.
(3)
m t.
Food and service is average at best, I wouldn't go out of my way to eat here again.
(2)
Liz B.
I used to have lunch here all the time when I worked closer. I came back here with my son for brunch, he got the chocolate chip pancakes and I ordered a Mediterranean skillet special and the soup of the day. The soup was good, but the skillet was pretty meh, very oily and bland. It just seems like the food has gone down hill. I felt like the waitress had a kind of "get in, get out" attitude. What happened to you Bread Basket?
(3)
Rich W.
A pal of mine and I go out to breakfast every Saturday morning before trekking out to the Illinois Railway Museum in Union, IL, where we volunteer. We have eaten at several different restaurants between the NW suburbs and Union. For a time, our fave was Papa G's in Huntley, but after trying the Bread Basket, we have been going there most of the time. The food is good, though as one reviewer mentioned, the bisquits & gravy leave a bit to be desired. The thing we particularly like about it is that it is quick to get in and out of, when we arrive [around 8 am]. The service is good and fast! I like the place, and give it 4 stars. If the bisquits & gravy were better, i'd give it 5 stars.
(4)
Georgina K.
So what can you say about the Bread Basket..........well, it is a quaint lil joint in downtown Barrington. Yes, it is small, narrow and a bit dark inside, but that is part of the charm. As are the feisty waitresses, eh they are fine. I suppose I would be yelling, "excuse me, coming through" too if I had to weave my way through the narrows aisles and around locals talking to their neighbors. We go there for breakfast a couple times a month. The coffee is strong( that's how I like it) the omlettes are good. I enjoy going to a neighborhood diner where the staff remembers you and you run in to people you know in the community.
(3)
Mike D.
Very good place for breakfast. Nothing really out of the ordinary. I'd have to say the best thing is the low prices. The worst is this feeling I get everytime I go that it is just too crowded. It's a long narrow room. The tables are all really close together. All in all I find it to be a very welcoming place with good service, food and price is right. Breakfast and lunch only. I havn't been there for lunch though.
(4)
Raw F.
My wife and I ate here for the very first time on the Fourth of July 2006. We went downtown for the wonderful parade and realized we were too early. So instead of walking back home or getting another cup of Kaladi's coffee, we decided to throw my cholesterol off kilter by eating some wonderfully delicious biscuits and gravy. Mmmm mmmm mmmmmm! Now that I'm on Crestor I can continue eating there.
(5)
Sean M.
A staple for Barrington residents & visitors. Totally agree with other reviews in that you're rolling the dice on service, but I think that's part of the charm. Have been in with the kids which usually results in special requests & they have always managed to accomodate. Worth a try.
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Specialities
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Breakfast Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : No Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes
Eve A.
I've literally been coming here since birth: the day after I was born my mother had to have some of Sam's steak and eggs. It's changed quite a bit over the years; recently, they finally replaced the unfortunate carpet and shoddy booths. Prices haven't gone up much and specials are consistently good. The Greek skillet is particularly nice for breakfast. Service is spotty - certain waitresses are rude and indolent, others are nice old broads still quick on their feet. The owners, Sam and Chris, are happy to make friends and will remember your name if you come back more than once. I hope this place never closes.
(4)Jim C.
It seems the latest trend in restaurants is breakfast and lunch cafes. You see them popping up all over....no dinner or late night just B&L, open usually 6am to 3pm. This place might be the originator of that concept. Bread Basket has occupied the same unusual location for many years while specializing in breakfasts as they continue to shine year in and year out. Looking for a great breakfast and good service all at a reasonable price. Look no further!!
(4)Lori N.
Love this great local joint! My hubby and I love to get breakfast here - affordable and good food. It's so homey.
(5)Amy F.
I was disappointed by the biscuits and gravy..I like my biscuits a bit fluffier/softer. but it's a jolly sort of place in the morning, good for ridiculous story-telling.
(3)Karyn S.
My boyfriend and his family won't come here due to negative experiences like 10 years - 20 years ago (more an impression than anything else), but they can all be somewhat opinionated and I'm not sure how... fair their memory is after so long. My dad took me here for breakfast when I was a kid 20+ years ago, and I loved it. As others have said, the decor and the murals are awesome. I have continued to go back whenever I'm in town, and I've always enjoyed my visit - great breakfast food. I almost always get french toast, and it was good. I stop in every couple of years, and would definitely return.
(4)Lily K.
I've grown up here and came back for the sake of nostalgia but the food is sub-par and wait staff are never friendly. Really, every time that I've eaten here, it's as if everything is a chore for the staff. For a few years, I've worked in retail so I get having a bad day or week but a bad 20 years? C'mon. On the bright side their prices are solid.
(2)nicole h.
I wouldn't go out of your way to stop at the Bread Basket, but if you're in the 'hood (and Egg Harbor's wait is as it usually is) this is a quality sit-down family-owned place. Their soup is usually fantastic. Everything else is like mom would make.
(3)Konrad B.
Great family owned breakfast spot in the heart of Downtown Barrington. My family has been frequenting the Bread Basket for years and have never been disappointed. The food tastes like it is home-made & the service is excellent. The owners, Sam & Chris, and wait-staff truly make you feel like you are at home and always remember your name. I will be returning for years to come!
(4)Carl A.
I have been eating breakfast here for almost 20 years and there is a reason.This place is family owned and operated and they are a big part of the community. Always clean and fresh; basic breakfast fare.
(4)Erin O.
This is your run-of-the-mill diner with a cozy atmosphere and typical breakfast and lunch offerings. I enjoyed breakfast with my husband on Saturday morning. I ordered the special: bacon, tomato and cheese omelet. I was able to request egg substitute for my omelet, no extra charge. However, the "cheese" was slices of American cheese; disappointing. The selection of fruit for my side was okay: honeydew melon, pineapple and about one strawberry. The pancake was okay. The prices are right, and Bread Basket is a nice place to go if you're craving a homestyle breakfast or lunch out.
(3)Todd L.
Had a pretty good no-frills breakfast. Great atmosphere and decent menu. It's a little crazy on Sunday mornings but in a good way.
(3)Matthew O.
Took the train into Chicago for a holiday trip downtown and stopped along the way in Barrington for breakfast and shopping. Great atmosphere and feel in this place. Cozy and the murals are awesome. Food was served fast and service got the job done. Pancakes didn't wow me. They were missing something...can't put my finger on it. Potatoes were not good - didn't finish them. I prefer crispy hash browns over what they serve here. Eggs and bacon were fine. Overall food/ingredient quality seemed sub-par, which would force me to talk someone out of going here, unfortunately. Men's bathroom was spacious and immaculate. I was expecting something horrific. Pleasantly surprised. Got us filled up on decent diner breakfast food but nothing here would make me stop in again when taking the train into the city.
(2)Ross P.
Best value for breakfast. My favorite eggs Benedict in Barrington. Everything I've gotten has always made me happy. Egg Harbor is always packed down the road but I think Bread Basket is a better choice for the money. It's kinda dark, but I'm always tired and red eyed eating breakfast anyway
(4)George S.
It is worth it to go to Bread Basket for the decor alone. High quality murals, booths, and tables. Very impressive. A million dollar interior that serves lousy food. Dime store silverware which was a step above plastic. Fake syrup in a packet??? Ack! One of my friends ordered the chopped steak which was like a hamburger floating in grease. We also had an old ditzy waitress who screwed up our order. Bad experience, won't go back. Egg Harbour is close by and much much better.
(2)M-J W.
I go past this place all the time. First time I have ever been here. Hard to fathom as I have lived in the area 17 years. Boy, have I been missing out! This is my new favorite place! Reasonable priced. Good food. Large portions. Slow to collect $$.
(5)Sarah H.
Cheap, tasty, Greek diner. Egg harbor is for suckers, Bread basket for life!
(5)Spencer H.
Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name. Well nobody knows my name here because I've only been here 2 or 3 times but I like it. I always like dining in the downtown Barrington area. It has an old school small town feel but it also has an upscale feel to it because it is a very nice area. I had been to a few breakfast spots in the area & I finally decided to give Bread Basket a try. This place is a good option on a Saturday or Sunday morning & especially in the summer when you are out early & walking through downtown Barrington. Bread Basket is located on main street right by the antiques store. Once we walked in it was bigger on the inside than I was expecting. The decor & booths were nice but there wasn't anything that made it seem like it was trying to be something that it wasn't. It had a nice small town feel to it which is what I like about suburban breakfast places. I ordered a biscuits & gravy. It arrived in a timely manner & was pretty hot just how I like it. The gravy for the most part was tasty but I was not too impressed by the biscuits. They were dry & not that tasty. Overall the service was good & I liked the small town feel. The restaurant also was clean which is always a big plus. With all of that said I would eat here I would eat here again.
(4)Harriet H.
There are other places nearby with better food, better decor and nicer staff. The food here can be good, but not always. Decor is old, kinda medieval or maybe gothic. I do like the large murals on the walls at the back of the place. My last time there the waitress was grumpy and rude. She insisted on holding an empty table that we wanted (after telling us we could sit anywhere) for a group of regulars and squished our party of three including two large men into a booth. No one ever came for the table that she said we couldn't sit at, the restaurant was mostly empty and we didn't appreciate being treated as second class to people that weren't even there. I thought most breakfast restaurants are first come, first served... I generally like the place, but this one waitress is consistently bad and unpleasant and I will think twice about going back. (I think that she might be the owner's daughter or an owner because there is a photo of what looks to be her when she was much younger on the wall.)
(2)Peter T.
Had a craving for corned beef today, out in the old stomping grounds of idyllic Barrington, IL. So it was off to the Bread Basket, one of the two old standbys for locals in the village. (The other being "The Canteen"). Been here dozens of times, back in the day, it was a favorite of my daughter when she was coming up. I opted for the corned beef on rye, and the waitress told me "some people like it cold," to which I retorted, "no, it's supposed to be warm." End of discussion. It was a good sandwich, lean corn beef, probably from Vienna, many restaurants in the Chicago area use that supplier, and they have a great product. My only "beef?" The restaurant uses "extruded" fries. That's a potato product, a slurry of mashed potato-like batch is whipped up, and then "fry-shape" pieces are shoved through a mold and flash frozen. They get a certain crispness on the outside, and are smooth and soft inside. Just not my favorite. But! I was there just before closing, so the waitress gave me a go-cup of coffee, gratis. Score!
(4)Joshua B.
Walking in the Bread Basket, it just looks like a regular diner, but don't let the look fool you as their food is really, really good. The waitresses are nice enough. There are alot of choices on the menu. Not as many breakfast items but it isn't a problem as their food is so delicious. I had the Eggs Benedict. OMG! I loved it! The egg was cooked really well and the yolk was nice and runny. The Canadian bacon was flavorful. The English muffin was toasted well. The Hollandaise sauce is really good and creamy. The hash browns were tasty and are like comfort food to me. Next time I will order them a little more well done to get some crunch. My mom had the spinach and feta omelet. She really likes this as she gets it every time we go there. She also gets the hash browns well done and rye toast. I like this, but I am not a big feta person. My tip - Dip your hash browns in the Hollandaise sauce! I'm out.
(5)Jan D.
Great diner breakfast, friendly waitress, good prices. I would definitely go there again when I'm in the area.
(4)Erik J.
It would totally be 5 stars if I had not been kicked out 10 years ago for chugging 4 tables worth of creamers... ;-) (I was a junior in high school with my swimming buddies and they dared me, what was I supposed to do?!) That being said, I LOVE this place. People always talk about the other breakfast place in town that is bigger and spends more money on advertising, but the food here is twice as good as at that other place... Daily Specials are the exact same as they were 10 years ago, Barrington Skillet and some other things, but I don't even look at the menu anymore. Main Street Skillet, over easy, english muffin, black with cream (which you now have to ask for and they bring to your table... Wonder why?).
(4)Helen L.
This is a wonderful little restaurant. My coworkers and I go here about once a week so the staff knows us - so much so that they can rattle off our "usual" meals without any hesitation. They have quite a bit on their menu - and you very rarely can go wrong with anything. They are very accommodating to special requests. Very reasonable prices and very friendly staff!
(4)Katy B.
This is our local little restaurant. We tend to go for Monday morning breakfast. They have lots of specials the food is always good and the price is right.
(5)Karen G.
My daughters and I were looking for a new brunch place in the burbs and Bread Basket was chosen. It did not meet up to our expectations of the brunch restaurants we have frequented in the city, but the food was good and there was no wait. I would consider it a typical Greek type of restaurant, no fancy brunch food or drinks - good place for a hearty breakfast.
(3)Lenny G.
Nice family restaurant in the center of Barrington. The prices are pretty good and the portions huge! There's a nice variety of breakfast items, as well as sandwiches and salads for lunch. Keep in kind that the Yelp map is wrong, though the address is correct.
(4)Allyson R.
So far I've been to this restaurant three times and every single time I seem to get a really bad experience. The waitress that I got this past Monday was incredibly rude and awkward from the very start. I came in with three of my family members and we felt rushed to make an order after just sitting down and not knowing what we wanted. The food was mediocre, service was terrible (she never brought my cousin her soup that she ordered), when my brother ordered a Philly Cheese Steak she came back to our table and asked if he had ordered a Philly Chicken Sandwich. (How do you get that from what he ordered?). She also kept standing right next to our table for extended periods of time while we were eating. Talk about AWKWARD. She kept bringing us water glasses when none of us were drinking water, by the end of it all we had eight FULL water glasses on our table. There were FOUR of us. Overall, another bad experience. I have never and will never recommend this place.
(2)P K.
This is one of my favorite places for lunch down town. The food is quick out of the kitchen and great service. Lunch specials come with cup of soup. They will give you fruit instead of potatoes or fries. Tuna melt is my favorite.
(4)Stef M.
Very inexpensive family diner with quality food. Very good homemade meatloaf, the chefs specials are good and they also have good soups. Most lunch entrees are $6.95 or less. Limited menu selection but old time charm. No frills type of place. Open for breakfast and lunch and convenient location. Street parking.
(4)Charlie K.
I have been going to the Bread Basket for over 25 years and have never been disappointed in the service, food, or prices. I cannot get a more filling meal than the "Bread Basket Special", which is very inexpensive and comes out within 10-15 minutes! Great friendly service and a great location.
(5)Courtney W.
I love this place! I have lived in Barrington for ten years and I have never been to a more friendly and quality establishment. After a recent day of shopping, my mom and I headed in for some lunch. It was quite busy at one o'clock but we received prompt and friendly service as always. I love hot open-face turkey sandwiches so of course I couldn't pass up the opportunity to try one here. For $6.95 I got a cup of the most amazing chicken noodle soup (perfect for the cold I am currently nursing), an amazing open faced turkey sandwich with amazing light gravy, mashed potatoes, fresh buttered corn, and cranberry sauce. It was the perfect meal and the best value. They have such an array of dishes and their breakfast specials are killer. Everyone is so friendly and many of Barrington's key figures dine here when they want to get away from it all. For example, Mr. Wickstrom (from Wickstrom Ford) was having his daily lunch just across the room.
(5)Eric H.
I live and work in Barrington and usually get lunch at least once a week at Bread Basket. Sam usually thinks he knows what I want when I walk in - - and his suggestions are usually right. This is a great place for the basics - burgers, BLT, and similar things. But the daily specials - usually with a Greek foundation - are also worth considering. Most sandwhiches come with fries and soup at a reasonable price for a lot of food. I especially like the fries - they have a little extra something on them that adds some crispiness and taste. If you don't want the fries you can have fresh fruit. I am a big fan of the Tuna Melt sandwich on rye. I'd prefer something other than American Cheese, but that's how it comes. There's nothing fancy about the place, but it is good for a basic lunch, with good food at a good price. Breakfasts are also good and I like Bread Basket a whole lot more than Egg Harbor because the place is friendlier, family run (Egg Harbor is one of a number of a group of restaurants), and never has a wait for a table.
(4)Dana H.
Basic and yet friendly.
(3)m t.
Food and service is average at best, I wouldn't go out of my way to eat here again.
(2)Liz B.
I used to have lunch here all the time when I worked closer. I came back here with my son for brunch, he got the chocolate chip pancakes and I ordered a Mediterranean skillet special and the soup of the day. The soup was good, but the skillet was pretty meh, very oily and bland. It just seems like the food has gone down hill. I felt like the waitress had a kind of "get in, get out" attitude. What happened to you Bread Basket?
(3)Rich W.
A pal of mine and I go out to breakfast every Saturday morning before trekking out to the Illinois Railway Museum in Union, IL, where we volunteer. We have eaten at several different restaurants between the NW suburbs and Union. For a time, our fave was Papa G's in Huntley, but after trying the Bread Basket, we have been going there most of the time. The food is good, though as one reviewer mentioned, the bisquits & gravy leave a bit to be desired. The thing we particularly like about it is that it is quick to get in and out of, when we arrive [around 8 am]. The service is good and fast! I like the place, and give it 4 stars. If the bisquits & gravy were better, i'd give it 5 stars.
(4)Georgina K.
So what can you say about the Bread Basket..........well, it is a quaint lil joint in downtown Barrington. Yes, it is small, narrow and a bit dark inside, but that is part of the charm. As are the feisty waitresses, eh they are fine. I suppose I would be yelling, "excuse me, coming through" too if I had to weave my way through the narrows aisles and around locals talking to their neighbors. We go there for breakfast a couple times a month. The coffee is strong( that's how I like it) the omlettes are good. I enjoy going to a neighborhood diner where the staff remembers you and you run in to people you know in the community.
(3)Mike D.
Very good place for breakfast. Nothing really out of the ordinary. I'd have to say the best thing is the low prices. The worst is this feeling I get everytime I go that it is just too crowded. It's a long narrow room. The tables are all really close together. All in all I find it to be a very welcoming place with good service, food and price is right. Breakfast and lunch only. I havn't been there for lunch though.
(4)Raw F.
My wife and I ate here for the very first time on the Fourth of July 2006. We went downtown for the wonderful parade and realized we were too early. So instead of walking back home or getting another cup of Kaladi's coffee, we decided to throw my cholesterol off kilter by eating some wonderfully delicious biscuits and gravy. Mmmm mmmm mmmmmm! Now that I'm on Crestor I can continue eating there.
(5)Sean M.
A staple for Barrington residents & visitors. Totally agree with other reviews in that you're rolling the dice on service, but I think that's part of the charm. Have been in with the kids which usually results in special requests & they have always managed to accomodate. Worth a try.
(4)