Hashbrowns
1155 N Wells St, Chicago, IL, 60610
Hashbrowns Menu
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Address :
1155 N Wells St
Chicago, IL, 60610 - Phone
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Opening Hours
- Mon :6:00 am - 3:00pm
- Mon : 6:00 am - 3:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : Yes
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Breakfast, Brunch
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Joelen T.
This is a great addition to the Old Town neighborhood of Chicago. The original restaurant is on Maxwell St., a historic part of Chicago where many entrepreneurs got their start. Ronnie Ruffalo, the owner who we had a chance to meet during our visit, was welcoming and warm. It was evident how passionate he is about Hashbrowns, considering all the menu items were created by him. We had a light breakfast and took the recommendations of our server, Joe, who was extremely knowledgeable of the menu. Coffee was a must and we were happy to learn Lavazza Italian coffee was brewing... and served in oversized mugs. The menu offers both breakfast and lunch anytime. Interesting to note is that the omelettes could be made into an egg burrito or burger and vice versa. Even better is that the names remained the same (just as the ingredients do so you can have the same flavor profiles for lunch and dinner!) We had the Oak Street Omelette; an open faced egg white omelette with sliced mozzarella, basil, roasted marinated tomatoes, drizzled with a homemade balsamic glaze. It was plenty big to share between 2 people and it was light, fresh and perfect. To accompany our omelette, we had their 'Killer Hashbrowns.' Shredded potatoes, cheddar, onions, and sour cream is made into a casserole and topped with crushed corn flakes, then baked until bubbly. It was so good and rich, I could have had that alone and been happy! It was also a potato dish I could see being served for lunch or dinner too. Lastly, we also had a taste of Duck Bacon. Yes... you read correctly. It was meaty, flavorful and healthier than traditional bacon. I could have easily more but alas, I had to pace myself. From this restaurant, I left with a great place to go for brunch and lunch when in the area. I also left with some inspiration to try and recreate some of their dishes, such as the Oak Street Omelette and Killer Hashbrowns. Later on the day, I even spotted some duck bacon while shopping at a neighborhood deli... and well, this made me quite the happy foodie.
(4)Rick R.
Worst breakfast place in Chicago. Food came out cold. Was literally zero taste in anything. And waiter was nowhere to be found the entire time. I would rather eat plain ramen noodles for the rest of my life than eat here again.
(1)Ryan C.
My friends and I decided to try out the new place for brunch this morning. Big mistake. I should have read the Yelp reviews first. Our waiter forgot about us so we had to flag him down to place our order. About 35 minutes passed and we still had not received our food. Our waiter told us it would be about 5 more minutes because the kitchen was backed up. Then, about 15 minutes later he returned to tell us that again, it would be about 5 minutes. Our food came about 10 minutes after that. We were so hungry by this point that we hoped our wait was worth it but sadly it was not. The food was mediocre and considering the restaurant's name, the hash browns were not good. They were lumpy and kind of soggy. I will not be returning here.
(1)Hillari H.
I had the low carb burrito with hash browns and some hot tea. The burrito -- eggs, cheese, bacon, sausage -- was great and very filling. I had never had hash brown cooked so well like they did at this place! Absolutely delicious. The brand of tea they had was so tasty that there was no need to put any sugar in it. I will be returning to this restaurant at another time because it's a great place to have breakfast. I was so full that I didn't need to eat lunch that day!
(3)neal s.
Truly the worst meal I have had in a long time. You would think that scrambled eggs, bacon and hash browns would be hard to botch up. You'd be wrong. The eggs came out horribly overcooked, dried out and barely warm. The bacon was crisp and it was clear that the fat had rendered out hours ago. It too was warm. As far as the hash browns, we opted for the $3 upgrade to another of their specialties which was similarly disappointed. The service was friendly, but harried and clearly understaffed. I wouldn't come back here if it was free.
(1)Mike C.
Awfully generous to say "breakfast anytime" when your opening hours are meant for old people, daywalkers, and people who don't get blasted the Saturday night before and go out in the afternoon looking for brunch. We managed to barely get in before closing time on one unusually sober Sunday, and we were not impressed. The servers were nice and apologetic, but it still seemed like the place was working out the kinks (we went in October pretty soon after opening day). Hopefully things are running more smoothly now. We had to wait a while for silverware to appear, the food was slow to arrive, and it generally seemed like everyone was ready to get the heck out of there as soon as possible. The food saved this place from a dreaded one-star review. I loved my panini. Almost like a son that I ate. And go figure, the titular hash browns were probably the best I've had. Prices were higher than I would have liked. I'd give it a try again, now that there has been some time to get their proverbial "stuff" together.
(2)Gordon W.
This place has delicious food. When you substitute potatoes for fruit it's not just a bunch of melons. It's the good fruit and their french toast is amazing. Free refills on soda. All around great place to dine when it comes to the food. The service, on the other hand, is the absolute worst I've ever encountered. My wife and I visit just recently to grab breakfast and stood in a line of twenty or more people for 15 minutes without seeing a hostess. Did I mention there were several open tables as we all gathered at the front hovering over other patrons for a lack of anywhere else to be. The hostess' desk was there, but no one was behind it. So I took it upon myself to walk to the kitchen area and find everyone of employment screwing off and gossiping. aside from the cooks. After inquiring about where the hostess was I was told it doesn't matter because the kitchen was backed up at least thirty minutes. Here's a thought, ask people if they would prefer to wait or not. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if they could even occupy one if the many available seats and enjoy each other's company over a water or coffee. Absolutely amazing. It's a real shame, too. Because like I said. The good is awesome.
(2)Lea M.
I really wanted to like this place but I was disappointed with the quality of the food, though the service was decent-- even though the server seemed a bit overloaded he really tried to make sure we had what we needed. The food : French Toast came out cold, hash browns were soggy and flavorless, the chipotle burrito was not very tasty- pretty flavorless actually though the additional sauce they sent helped. The best part: my cappuccino which was just right so thanks for that. I think I could have got a much better (and cheaper) breakfast at one of the other neighborhood breakfast spots. Sadly, I have to scratch this one off my list.
(2)Chris B.
I have lived in Chicago now for 18 years...EIGHTEEN...wow. It doesn't seem that long, but it's been a great journey. It's been an especially fun one as a frequent diner and foodie, since the once burgeoning restaurant scene (within which I started working in 1996), has now turned into a full-fledged International destination with some of the finest eating in the world. And in those 18 years? I have never experienced as horrible a restaurant experience as I did yesterday morning. I understand this is "just breakfast." They didn't stab my wife and kidnap my children. I have perspective here, don't worry. But if we're reviewing restaurants? This one is officially the WORST, and I put this restaurant at the bottom of any list you care to create. The entire order was written down wrong by our hapless and vapidly smiling server, who we rarely saw throughout the ensuing debacle. My kids' food ranged from "Silver Dollar" pancakes the size of dinner plates (you understand that silver dollar refers to the size of silver dollars? Right? Oh, never mind...), to incorrect orders. The hashbrowns were a greasy mass of uncooked (i.e., RAW) potatoes that were refrigerator cold throughout (note: the restaurant is called HASHBROWNS! This cannot be overstated...the hashbrowns, even the "correct" sweet potato ones are cold, dull-colored nastiness). My alleged breakfast omelette was wrong. My wife's egg-white omelet was wrong (regular eggs, greasy). No silverware. Coffee spilled on us when delivered to the table by a wide-eyed first-time runner. No manager would come talk to us after hailing no less that 3 different servers, and when owner Ronnie finally did come over after the 4th ask, he had a glazed defeated expression on his face, blamed the server for not writing it down properly, and then never came back again to check on us, to apologize, or to offer any other alternatives. Our server apologized (still smiling....why the smile...) and said there would be no charge (since neither my wife nor I ate in the 45-60 minutes we were there, and the kids picked at their incorrect orders), we appreciated that one gesture....that we didn't have to pay for our incorrect orders and raw hashbrowns. Thank goodness for small favors. There was one server (not ours) who showed genuine concern, did offer toast/bagels as we were leaving (that was genuinely nice of her). But needless to say, we will never eat here again. But I felt so beat up by this experience that I had to post this experience here, and encourage you to save yourself the misery and stay far, far away. If this place is to be salvaged (and honestly, anyplace that serves breakfast can sadly make it in Chicago, no questions asked....we need to have far more scrutiny, fellow diners), it needs to make some serious front and back of the house changes, stat. Rant over.
(1)Jackie Z.
Good burgers! And it's in a good area, reasonable prices, plus omg the hashbrowns. Seriously lives up to its name. Also, even on Saturday and Sundays there is barely a wait. Sit outside. This place rocks.
(4)Sri P.
Great food! Please update your info.
(5)Samantha T.
I have only been to Hashbrowns twice but I have LOVED it every time. My Dad loves it and goes at least 3 times a week bringing in different clients and customers. The owner and staff are so friendly and they even named an omelette after him! The service is fast and friendly. The food is delicious and the restaurant is clean. It is a wonderful place!!
(5)Cristina P.
I love love love the cute coffee cups they give. They are like tiny bowls. I had eggs benedict florentine was really good however the sweet potato hashbrowns were disgusting. For a place titled Hashbrows, I think this is very ironic.
(3)Kevin O.
Looked at Yelp reviews before we came. Glad I decided to form my own opinion. I liked it! We got there on the earlier side today 9am on a Sunday. No wait. Welcomed at the door. Sat right away. Our server was friendly and attentive. As was the entire staff. Water glasses repeatedly filled. Good + BIG cuppa coffee. Food: bacon great. Pancakes (chocolate chip for me). HUGE plate sized and quite good. Comes with homemade servings vanilla syrup and strawberry syrup. I didn't care for it but my kids and partner were happy to take mine. They loved it. Kinda wish they'd include some of their namesake on the plate -- maybe next time I'll get to try some hash browns The owner was super friendly as we left and invited us back after asking how we liked it. We loved it. We'll be back. And next time I'll probably try a breakfast burrito. There are a bunch of choices that looked good. Stay tuned for an update. And after I try some more food I'll update my rating. Right now? First impression is solid and a welcome add to Old Town.
(4)Joey F.
I really wanted to like this place as it is a comfortable brunch place in my neighborhood and the staff is very nice. On a Saturday morning the place was totally empty and it recently opened. I think I probably just got the wrong thing off the menu. My meal just didn't really go together. The hashbrowns are pretty standard. My wife didn't like her meal either. I'd consider going back here and trying something different.
(2)Laura H.
I was excited to have a "breakfast" place open up in the neighborhood. One thing Gold Coast / Old Town is lacking- a selection of breakfast dining options. I know this place is new- but here on my thoughts on this. If you are going to open breakfast place on Wells & Division- you may have wanted to run a few practice plays for a huge influx of people. Sorry if I am paying $30 plus tip for breakfast for myself and A 7 year old- have it together. I will say the hostesses and the waitress both were very nice- greeted us and remembered my name when I left. Everything is down hill from there- Waited 20 min for 2 sodas- the Mountain Dew was flat. Waited an hour for breakfast. The hash brown casserole was raw and cold- after an hour wait. They forgot the side of bacon- after an hour- after another 30 min bacon arrived burnt. Waited another 40 min for the hash browns that were sent back- but after almost two hours there- couldn't wait any longer, The hashbrowns were taken off the bill- since I never got them- but other than that no other discount was applied for basically waiting a hour for food that had to be sent back, food that didn't arrive- then burnt when it did - so $36 for some eggs and burnt bacon ..........why would I want to try this place again?? Maybe with a discount or offered discount on the next visit. But seriously - with no acknowledgement from the manager or owner - didn't settle well with me Before we left decided to use the ladies room - which had a overflowing trash can of paper towels all over the floor.........
(2)Krista K.
THE BAD: Coffee - I ordered a coffee, but needed to sub it with a latte - both were the worst I'd ever had, BLAH! Silverware - Why is it still a thing to NOT have silverware at a table when you are seated? I had to stir my coffee with my imagination :( Bagel - This was just a side dish, but the dough was stale and made me sad. Jelly - The orange jelly have hard orange peels in it. WHY!? I poked a peel with my butter knife and thought I'd try it for once. Big mistake! The texture was like egg shells. THE GOOD: Sweet Potato Hash browns - These were the most magically delicious hash browns I ever had! (maybe this is why they're called "Hash Browns"?) Omelet - Mine had ham, onions, and green peppers. Very yummy... and I think they used a dozen eggs to make my one omelet. Good for me, bad for chickens. Waitress - She was sweet and understood that their coffee was poopy. I felt bad that she put up with me, so I told her that I really liked her nails... it made her smile :) OVER-ALL - I'm really unsure how to rate this place. My friends and I were all expecting good things, because it's only a block away from where we hang out... and we could really use a CLOSE breakfast place for those mornings we wake up hung-over. But, If it were up to me, I'd suggest trekking further to other breakfast places because you'll get a much more tastefully consistent menu for the exact same price. (But if hash browns are like crack to you, order the sweet potato hash browns, you'll see what I mean.)
(3)Tommy G.
Decent food. Horrible hours! Arm and a leg for food! 15$ for french toast with No hashbrowns or anything. We are talking about egg and bread! Now let me get to the staff. Less than friendly and kind of cocky! If you are in the area looking for good diner food, 24 hour service and great prices then visit Ellys on North ave and Clark!!! Tempo on State street is also better then here!! Tommy.
(1)Dawn H.
Great spot. Cobb salad was fresh and delish. My daughter loved her burger, said it was best burger she's had. We are visiting from out of town and recommend Hashbrowns highly for lunch. We might come back for breakfast same trip to try the duck bacon! Staff was wonderful too.
(4)Ndh H.
French toast was great. Also enjoyed a basic egg white, bacon & cheese omelet which was HUGE. I swear they must use 10 eggs for that thing. Had a side order of wheat toast which was phenomenal, it was thick cut w/Multigrains in the crust. REALLY bread, not Wonder bread out the package. Service was great, very attentive staff.
(4)Lauren S.
I won't be going back to Hashbrowns. There are too many other great brunch spots in Chicago than to bother with this restaurant again. The service was poor, had to ask for a coffee 3 times before they brought it to me. My friend ordered a "chicken tortilla soup" that ended up being $5 for a cup of a basic chicken noodle soup. The food was sub par and took about 40 minutes to come after we ordered. Not impressed at all and too over priced.
(1)Carrot M.
GREAT PLACE !!!! Loved the food. Friendly work staff and cozy environment. Very spacious with a variety of food options. We were celebrating a birthday breakfast and were treated with complementary waffles with whipped cream and berries which my 2 year old loved!! Very family friendly and the owner was very kind and friendly. Can't wait to be back!!
(5)M. S.
I just had the displeasure of eating at this disgusting establishment for its grand opening this past weekend. My stomach, wallet and pride are still recovering. What a dump! Worst of all, the experience with the customer service was terrible. The blond girl maître d' at the front desk was extremely rude and nasty. We had to wait 20 minutes to be seated, even though the restaurant seating was not at full capacity at 2 PM on Sunday. Apparently the kitchen couldn't handle the full dining room. When the maître d' finally did offer to seat us, she refused to let us sit where we wanted and gave me an attitude when I asked her to sit by the window. In retaliation, she forced us to sit in the middle of the restaurant where we were constantly being bumped into by waiters and other staff. The waitress was also nasty, and didn't even acknowledge us until we had been sitting there for over a half hour. When she finally did take our order, it took over 45 minutes for food to come out. I ordered the Old Town omelette, which was ham, peppers, onions and American cheese. It tasted extremely fried, extremely salty and extremely greasy. The sweet potato hash browns had a slab of butter thrown on top and were dripping with oil. Even though I was sacrificing the calories, the taste wasn't even worth it! The eggs tasted old, rotten and smelly, and the hashbrowns tasted like they had definitely been frozen. As I looked towards the open kitchen, I saw the waiters and chefs handling cooked omelettes with their bare sweaty hands, using their bare hands to salt the food, and coughing all over food. Gross! As soon as I left the establishment, after overpaying for the omelette which was a whopping $12, I felt extremely nauseous and sick for the rest of the day. I must've consumed over 1500 cal of pure fat. Avoid this place at all costs while they are still in business, which luckily for us won't be very long.
(1)Marlene D.
I really wanted to like this place. We went on Sunday for brunch. For starters it's located less than two blocks from the redline and inside it's a really cute setup. We were seated right away. The staff was extremely friendly and the service was excellent. That being said our food was pretty terrible. I ordered the North Sider breakfast burrito with a side of sweet potato hash browns. The burrito was okay but the hash browns were awful. They didn't look or taste like hash browns AT ALL! I also ordered regular has browns but those were even worse. They were brunt, soggy, and bland. When I think hash browns I imagine them to be crispy golden brown with a tasty potato middle. Instead I got mush. My friend ordered scrambled eggs and there were pieces of shell in it, along with one mystery object. Needless to say she did not finish her meal. My husband ordered an omelette, but it was way undercooked. Other people have come here and said they had great food. We may have just ordered the wrong things, but when you go to a place called "HashBrowns" you expect that to be the best thing on the menu, not the worst. And who screws up scrambled eggs?!?!
(2)Rob Z.
If you are ok with mediocre, this is the place for you. Great location with nice outdoor seating area. It's just not anything worth repeating. We went for breakfast today. The service is ok, the coffee tasted like Hills Brothers coffee and is served in wide, shallow mugs, so the coffee gets cold quickly. The eggs were ok but slightly undercooked, and the hashbrowns were nothing to write home about. If fact, I wouldn't even describe them as hashbrowns. Hashbrowns to me are shredded potato that is either pan-fried loose or in a patty. This was neither. This was our second time trying it, and will be our last. There are too many other really good breakfast places around. I recommend you skip this one. Unless you just don't care...
(2)Armila S.
Since I work right up the street I was excited about the opening of hashbrowns so close to work. It took me so long to try it out but I was determined even after hearing bad reviews from my co-workers. So today was the day I started small with an order of sweet potato fries. You can really mess up fries, right? Uh yes you can if you don't cook them! So my fries were raw and gross. However, the lady who answered the phone was very nice and didn't hesitate to allow me to bring them back in exchange for an order of regular fries. Well I guess they taught me cause this time they are rock hard. There is an in between perfect fry. I just know it. Very disappointed and not sure I want to try anything else :(. #fail
(1)Michael B.
Where to begin... "Entrees" come with hash brown potatoes (logical) but the standard is sweet potato prepared with brown sugar (huh?). You have the option of good ol' Idaho's but these were a disaster! There was no "crispy", only "burnt-y". The omelette's were fluffy but dry and bland. I could go on but no need to "pile on"...
(1)Bronco B.
I thought this might be a good find in the neighborhood but that didn't turn out to be the case. The price point is very high for s breakfast place. That probably explains why on a Saturday morning there were only 3 people dining there including myself. I ordered simple scrambled eggs and dry rye toast. The waitress explained they had no rye and gave me a choice of wheat or an English muffin. The eggs were fine and muffin ok but the hash browns odd... Didn't seem cooked. The service was fast and when I received the bill I noticed there was an upcharge for the muffin although the waitress hadn't mentioned anything about that. She apologized but did nothing about it. When she brought my change, I quickly noticed she short changed me $3. I quickly informed her and she couldn't believe she did that and seemed reluctant to return my money but did. There was no manager present or I would have mentioned it to him/ her. This restaurant needs to do a better job, and train their staff. If they adjusted their prices, they might attract more diners. I estimate this restaurant will be gone in one year.
(1)Amanda L.
Fast, good, and well priced! It's the perfect Old Town spot for breakfast. I recommend it to all of The Scott Residences residents. The sweet potato hashbrowns are amazing!
(5)Trevor W.
There are not too many times I am surprised by a new place I try, especially for breakfast. Breakfast is my favorite meal, and luckily most places that offer it do a pretty good job. But Hashbrowns in oldtown is different. Here are just a few of my thoughts. There is a movement going around in the food world called the slow food movement. Hashbrowns has managed to take simple breakfast into this world. You think when you order something simple like eggs, bacon and hashbrowns they might try to "rush" it to you, but not at Hashbrowns. They take their time. My only guess is they must be slow cooking my scrambled eggs and toast. The waiter was also part of the slow movement, giving our group plenty of time to talk and catch up without interrupting to offer coffee or take our order. Don't you hate when you're talking and the wait staff try to butt-in asking stupid questions like "can I get you anything", or "how are you doing this morning?" He managed to stay consistent with this slow wait staff movement throughout the entire meal. After waiting for about 40 minutes for our food, he told us it would just be a few more minutes. Luckily this was not the case and we were able to keep talking about things we would normally never have time for. After about 15 minutes, he came back to tell us it would only be 2-5 minutes more. At this point I decided to pull out the old iPhone timer just for fun. Although it was not 2-5 minutes, we did get our food in 2-10 minutes (plus the other 50-55 minutes that had passed). Well, that's not quite fair. Most of us got our food, the egg sandwich my friend ordered as well as my slow cooked toast took a bit more time to arrive. After an hour, I was also offered another cup of coffee! I hate when I go to a place and they keep trying to pour hot coffee into my cup. At Hashbrowns they allow you to finish the whole cup, and then let the little bit of cold coffee at the bottom dry out before you get any more. I also enjoyed the little coffee creamer packets instead of traditional fresh creamer like some of those snobby brunch spots offer. Same goes for the small plastic packets of jelly for my toast. Are you listening Bang Bang!?, we don't need your "fresh and hand-made" jelly. Now one of the concerns for slow food cooking might be that it's over cooked. Especially for an hour long scrambled egg. However, hashbrowns has managed to not overcook it despite the hour long wait. In fact, if you like cold and runny scrambled eggs, you're going to LOVE this place. They were perfectly wet. Of course when you come to Hashbrowns you have to get the hashbrowns! I got the sweet potato hashbrowns. Now, everyone does hashbrowns a little differently but his place does things a little less traditional. If you like lumpy mashed potato's, then come here for the hashbrowns. Who wants a crispy hashbrown anyway? And it wasn't too hot, I would even say slightly below room temperature. Oh yeah, speaking of we got a great seating spot right next to the door. This allowed a refreshing 20 degree rush of air to come sweeping across us and our food every 15 seconds the door opened making sure we didn't get too warm inside. Now the waiter did apologize for the delay and said he was so happy to serve our food once it came out. But he didn't make things awkward for us by offering any type of discount like some places do. So, if you want to wait for a simple, no frills, "I can make this at home in 5 minutes" but still want to pay the price of an old town restaurant type of breakfast or brunch, please come into Hashbrowns.
(1)Jacked R.
We were really excited to eat here since we really needed a breakfast spot here I live walking distance, i was hoping for much more. Start with the coffee, how can you mess up coffee, looks from the bags scattered around on the shelf that they serve lavazza coffee which is good, but not when you only use half the amount your supposed to, the coffee was like flavored water, it was horrible, and to make it worse the waitress said that its "the best coffee in the city" maybe so if you used the right amount when brewing. About the food, i had the chicken sandwich which was good, my wife had the northsider omlete which she said was flavorless and was very skimpy on the veggies and cheese, the hash brown casserole "killer hashbrowns" was swimming in grease or oil, disgusting guess that's why their called killer. If your going to name your place "Hashbrowns" one would assume you have good hashbrowns ???, Sorry Hashbrowns We wont be back, our money will be spent at yolk or nookies which are right down the street.
(1)Nataliya G.
Very nice, cozy and friendly place. Love they food and coffee. I haven't try anything that I would not like. Everything there is delicious.
(5)Mariela M.
Cute little diner. The coffee was good and the pancakes are huge, but a little dry. The 18th street omelette was delicious. The hash browns were pretty bad. They're super mushy and have an odd taste. Not hash browns you'd expect from a place named Hashbrowns.
(3)Jayne B.
My husband and I went here early Saturday morning, probably got there at about 8:30am. We got in right away and received great service. We each had an omelet and shared a blueberry pancake. I got the sweet potato hashbrowns with my meal and they were delicious! I appreciate having another breakfast option near us other than Yolk. While I do enjoy Yolk, they really crank people through and I felt that Hashbrowns treated us a little more personally. I would definitely recommend them, and I hope they make it! They are in a hard location, as they on the other side of Division from the heart of Old Town.
(4)Latrice M.
From the reviews I read prior to visiting the restaurant I was a little skeptical about having breakfast here. The food was great, the service was excellent and when my husband didn't like something they exchanged it immediately no questions asked. I also noticed outdoor seating which I can't wait to use once it finally warms up. The server also let us know they will start serving Mimosas and Bloody Mary's next month. Great place to go for breakfast.
(5)Baron B.
Nothing special about the menu. The sweet potato hash browns are very bland. The coffee and toast were terrible. There are definitely better brunch options in Old Town/Gold Coast.
(2)Bobuzzi C.
Great place and very friendly staff. I love the big coffee mugs. Definitely pay a little extra to get the Rosemary Hashbrowns. They are awesome. Great place with minimal wait on a Saturday. Would recommend.
(4)Steve M.
I went by myself around noon on a Tuesday and got seated right away. The waitress was friendly and helpful, and the ambiance was cozy and cheerful. The menu was pretty standard. Soups, salads, sandwiches, burgers. I got a cup of coffee and a bacon cheddar burger. The coffee was passable but tasted like it'd been sitting on the hotplate for a long while, and the burger was decent but nothing to write home about. The burger came with a side of sweet potato fries. These were just sad. They get served in the little fryer basket, and they were (1) limp like my shy nephew's handshake, and (2) still dripping grease from the fryer down through the basket and soaking my burger's bottom bun. The biggest takeaway from this place is that, in looking at the menu, everything is like 10% more expensive than I think this place can justify. I dunno. If I'm hungry and I'm down by UIC I might go back, but when I have to stop and consider whether I should just go to the Quiznos down the street, I think that says more about Hashbrowns than it does about Quiznos.
(2)Doniele G.
We go to brunch every saturday and sunday and were excited to have a new spot nearby. Everything about our breakfast was terrible. I have been to the other location numerous times and love it! First of all the 2 top booth tables are uncomfortably close to one another. We were basically eating with the people on either side of us and not in a good way. Since they are so close it was awkward for the waiter to take our order and serve our food. The coffee was BURNT and watered down. You can't be a breakfast restaurant and serve terrible coffee, come on. Our waiter was a whole other issue but i won't get into that. I ordered scrambled eggs assuming you can't go wrong. Well, I was mistaken they weren't even cooked. Last and most importantly, if you are going to have a restaurant called Hashbrowns, you better have pretty good hashbrowns. My husband and I both ordered the normal hashbrowns and they were bad. Both very undercooked and mine were brought over with a pool of butter on top. If you order something well done at a restaurant and its brought over basically raw, there is something off.
(1)Troll K.
I go here almost every Sunday and really like it! The hostess and serves are very friendly. The Eggs Florentine and the sweet potato hash browns are delicious. Definitely check it out!
(4)Ken N.
Unbelievably terrible service. Sat at the bar and waited 45+ minutes for an egg sandwich and "Hashbrowns"
(1)Brian F.
Ok went at lunchtime the omelet was fine but the hash browns were not edible over salted and basically a pool of grease. Sliced tomatoes I asked for were totally mealy and I wouldn't put on a plate unless I had no pride in what I was serving. The home made soup tasted like Sysco homemade. The only positive was at least the server was polite and friendly.
(1)Sarah M.
I've come here twice now since its' opening, and haven't had any problems. The first time, I shared the breakfast nachos with my Mom, it was a huge serving. So delicious, I would order them again. The second time I came with my Sister and shared a breakfast burrito with chorizo, jalapenos, etc. and it was the bomb. We didn't have any problems with portions, food quality, or wait. I think it depends on when you go, if it's a Saturday or Sunday morning/afternoon, maybe bring some extra time with you because everywhere you go will be busy.
(5)Angela B.
Super disappointed. How do you manage to leave a restaurant still hungry? We waited one hour for our food. Our poor server was so embarrassed and our food was comped without us asking. All the tables around us were also waiting forever for their food. When food finally came out of the kitchen, we saw it get sent back. I ordered the omelet with pulled chicken and chipotle sauce. It was supposed to come with Idaho hash browns but arrived with the house sweet potato hash. It was awful. Like a bad chunky version of a Thanksgiving side dish. Gross. The server brought out the Idaho hash and it was mediocre at best. Pretty charred and bland. But the omelet was terrible. Cold. No taste. The chicken was gross with no flavor. I don't think this place will live to see 2014.
(1)Allison M.
I got a medium coffee to go & McDonalds coffee is actually better, for only $1!
(2)Crz C.
It's new that's why it's slow the food a grab a huge coffee cup and relax. Let's give this place a chance
(5)Julie N.
I came with my husband and our baby at 10am on Sunday, the weekend of the Wells Street Art Fest, so a busy weekend for the neighborhood. The place was packed, but there were still a few tables available and we were seated quickly. Service was really friendly and quick, so no complaints there. We each ordered a breakfast burrito, and they were both really good, and a good size. We both ended up taking half our burritos home for later. Ironically, the hash browns were disappointing. I got the sweet potato, and they were just kind of mushy. The Idaho potato hash browns were fine. Also, lest you get conned into the $4 a glass of fresh squeezed OJ, it's not fresh squeezed. At least Tropicana pure premium, not some crappy Minute Maid, but still. If you are going to charge for fresh squeezed, you should serve it.
(4)Melanie B.
Everyone here was very nice! It's a new location, and given all that entails, this place was great. Food was wonderful. I tried a little bit of everyone's food - two different omelets, waffles, and I got the egg nachos, which were amazing!!! Huge portions, friendly service, accomodating for children. The only thing I hope is that they are able to serve mimosas in the future. But either way, I will definitely be back.
(5)jennifer b.
We have been to this location a few times and each time it is just as good as the last! The service is great, food is always good, I love the breakfast sandwich, so good! Another thing that is great is that Hashbrowns is kid friendly we have an 11 month old and we are always greeted with smiles all around! Great neighborhood place that is in need of a breakfast/lunch spot.
(5)S t.
I think it speaks volumes that every Saturday and Sunday mornings to afternoons, this place is empty. In a city that loves their brunch, this place is not good, as most agree.
(1)Fabian R.
Food was great, nice portions for the price, but being cheap doesn't mean your service have to be really bad, the busboys were missing in action, we have to call them to clean our table so we can eat, our waitress brought our food and we have to call her back to have silverware, never provide spices for the food, my daughter have to stand up and take it from another empty table, we have our glasses empty during the meal because never offer a refill on a hot day, and a little tip from two persons that are service industy managers, you are providing a service, you customer don't have to pack their food, if you want tip you do it, your customer are enjoing a meal, if they have to work we order to go or delivery, bad experience in general, I don't recommen this place
(2)Gogi B.
Hashbrowns sucks super big time. When I first saw this place being built, it look like a good family restaurant to eat at. So I decided, this will be a special place to eat at with my adult son, when he returns from the country of Chile. So he's here and we did, I was all excited to eat their because I had told him about it. It was my first experience with my son eating there. It was disappointing No flavor to the food. And the Maxwell burrito is bulls**t. It is full of nothing but eggs and a few chips of meat that you can't taste and maybe you will see a sighting of a couple of miniature pieces. Some hostesses / food servers stood around with unpleasant facial expressions that really added to the taste to the awful tasting food. They looked as if they didn't want to be at work or wished we would hurry up and eat & get out. We got their around 2pm & they closed the kitchen at 3pm. (When I asked about the time frame or would it be an inconvenience, they said no problem and welcomed us and seated us) Then near finishing our meal they tried to remove our plates from in front of us, without permission (I wasn't finish eating). Then I started smelling a strong scent of a floor cleaning solution, they were mopping the floor a few feet away from us, while we were eating. This place sucks for real. If I do go back being dragged against my will screaming and kicking, maybe I will try the French toast that had strawberries on it (that's what the couple next to us had.) Place is nice, food sucks but my dining with my son was wonderful. Mommie Loves yah Little Ronald xoxox (oh the left over half of my max burrito, I took it home and stuffed it with meat and eat it)
(1)Kristina W.
Being a breakfast lover, I was looking forward to trying Hashbrowns, but it was very underwhelming and I won't be going back. I was excited for the sweet potato hashbrowns, but they were more like a buttery casserole (good in it's own way), but not the crispy hashbrown style I prefer. Not worth it.
(2)Perry G.
Was walking by and popped in for breakfast w/o checking the reviews. Huge mistake. The space is bright, clean and inviting. The food is awful: massive quantities of low quality ingredients that have been poorly prepared. Omelets resemble wallboard in consistency. The only discernible seasoning is salt, accompanied by salt. No one could reasonably eat here a second time. It's really that bad.
(1)Myles P.
I'd avoid this place. We ordered food via Grubhub and got the completely wrong order. When we called, the manager was rude and said that there was nothing he could do and to call Grubhub (who were great by the way). I would never support a business that doesn't apologize for its mistakes.
(1)Laura B.
You would expect that a restaurant with the name "Hashbrowns" would have great hashbrowns. Not this place! The hashbrowns were soggy and disgusting (both the sweet potato and the regular). My guess is that they soak the potatoes overnight so they have less prep work in the morning, which would explain why they were so soggy. Other than that, I can't think of a reason why they would be a pile of mush. The other items that we had were not good either. This area really needs a breakfast restaurant so it's too bad that this place lacks quality.
(1)Kate Z.
We have been waiting to try Hashbrowns for months , but what total disappointment ! Do not waste your time or money at this place. We waited 30 min for a table after we were told 15-20 min. This is understandable at most breakfast places in the area, but then waited 45+ min for our food. We started with oatmeal , which could double as wallpaper paste, served with some sort of maple / brown sugar which tasted like chemicals! The coffee cups are huge, yet they still couldn't keep up with giving any table refills. The waitstaff is clueless and almost everything we ordered she said " there will be a small upcharge". The food is WAY overpriced for the greasy overcooked mess they bring you. There is such a thing as quality over quantity. How can you get blueberry pancakes wrong?! The were smothered in canned blueberry sauce and served with some white sauce and a sided of what looked like strawberry sauce. The sweet potato Hashbrowns are not Hashbrowns... There are more like frozen mashed sweet potatoes... They were also full of grease and flavorless. One person had an egg white omelet with maybe 2 pieces of tomato and a teaspoon of feta... It was also smothered in grease. Breakfast food is easy and best kept simple, but they have managed to ruin it. The prices are outrageous ... $12 for pancakes.!? Also they may want to get the servers some sort of uniforms.. Our server had a sheer white tee shirt and black bra, and one of the bus boys had a white polo type shirt on that was FiLTHY! Also the silverware was cheap and clearly was not new because it was dull and bent. The check envelope ( which the check comes to the table in) had a worn away Chilis logo! We wanted to like this place but it's a bad combo of long wait, terrible service, nasty greasy overpriced food and clueless servers.... I don't think that they will be around too long !
(1)Tricia S.
I really hope this place makes it, but it won't until they get their kitchen in order. We arrived at 1:00 PM. on a Saturday, and didn't get our food until 2:10 PM. And we only ordered an omelet and a sandwich!! The waitress was very apologetic and explained that this was only their second weekend, but they have another restaurant and should know how to do this by now. We asked the waitress to send the owner over, but he wouldn't come to the table. At least two other tables who came in after us got their food before us, so obviously there is a lot of disarray. The food was OK, and was comped, but really not worth waiting over an hour for!! If you go, be sure to ask how long the wait is for food, not just for a table. I'd recommend heading to the 3rd Coast on Dearborn instead.
(1)Corina G.
Breakfast is a essential to start off your day perfect not just right and the best place in the city is this trendy hot spot Hashbrowns! Since day 1, the menu always seems to surprise me and my taste buds. Today I was stuck between newly added the pilsen eggs benedict and my personal favorites, their phenomenal buttermilk pancakes and eggwhite taylor st. omelette. Everything is just so divine! Did I mention their hashbrowns?? The killer hashbrowns are always tempting along with the house speciality, sweet potato hashbrowns! I really do not know how this amazing place received any bad reviews. And I feel like I have to back up my favorite place. Being a UIC college student I know that sometimes eating out can be tight on our wallets. But to the people who mentioned the prices, if you think the prices are unreasonable then I mean eat at home. For a college student again I think the prices are extremely reasonable especially when the portions are double the size and I always have leftovers to take home to enjoy the next morning. I feel like on yelp everyone thinks they are the world's only and best food critic. And in reality most of the people that commented even myself are. I hate when people bad mouth places especially hashbrowns when its family owned. Just when walking in, you get that cozy feeling, you see even the owners and their family helping out, which amazes me. Customer service to top it off is the best! All the servers are friendly, welcoming. Some even remember my order and me! They just dont rush to have me in and out. They actually have conversations with me and all the other customers. Service like this always has me coming in. From the hashbrowns on maxwell to the hashbrowns on wells and division, hashbrowns will always be #1 when it comes to breakfast and lunch in the city of Chicago and possibly the whole wide world. Love you guys and thank you!!!
(5)Jon H.
30 minute wait for a table, understandable for Sunday brunch on their opening weekend. 1 hour 15 minute wait to get our food after we were seated, NOT understandable. The worst part is that the food (we had 2 kinds of omelette at $12 each) was too oily and nothing special. I hope they work things out but currently they seem to be in disarray.
(1)Yingxue L.
This is my first time to write a review in yelp and I have to say that this restaurant has the Worst Steak ever! It doesn't even taste like steak! I don't know what kind of meat it is....Coffee tastes really bad as well. Eggs and other stuff are just ok.Also, me and my two other friends feel really sick after eating, I think their food are just not clean enough or something... The waitress was nice to change the steak, but that doesn't change the fact that this restaurant is of one of the worst restaurants I've ever been!
(1)Jeff K.
Food was just ok. Better breakfasts at either Yolk or Elly's. Hashbrowns were just average and a little oversalted, surprising for a place called Hashbrowns. Our server was pleasant and attentive.
(2)Nancy G.
Great new place with a lot of potential! The atmosphere and decor are nice. It's clean! The hostess was AMAZING especially to our young daughter! She even gave her two Halloween cookies, which she gobbled down! We will be back if nothing else besides that! The hashborwn platter is huge, share! Worth trying to get an idea of the various offerings. Food seems ok and there are a lot of options. One minor downside, service was a bit slow. We waited for a table only about 5-10 minutes. But at the table waited for about 45 minutes. Which for a new place learning and new kitchen are not bad. We waited at Kinella on wells much longer! Coffee is fine btw. It's just more of a European coffee.
(4)Bella C.
The atmosphere is cute so I had high hopes for this place but I was disappointed with the food. I ordered eggs florentine Benedict. The poached eggs were overcooked and filled with water on the inside. The famous sweet potato hash browns, which I was very excited to try was burnt and did not look like hashbrowns just mushed up sweet potato. My friend ordered the French toast that looked good but there are far more better breakfast places to go to in the city so I will not be returning. Also, the waitress never asked us how our food was and if we needed anything else. It's a shame because for a brand new restaurant you would think the key focus would be the quality of the food.
(2)Stephanie M.
So happy there are now 2 locations. I've been going to Hashbrown's on Maxwell for years and I love it. I like that the new location has the same decor as the original. The omelettes are delicious as are the hashbrowns and sausage. I always go with a group of people and someone gets the pancakes (which are amazing!!) so I try to have a bite or two of those. Coffee is good and hot, and if I don't finish the cup and it gets cold, instead of a refill I ask the waitress for a fresh cup and I've never been turned down! The wait staff is friendly & competent, just like on Maxwell.
(5)Daniel S.
It was packed at 9:30 , though after eating here for the first time I cant imagine why. Service was slow and inattentive. It took at least 35 minutes to get our food with no coffee refills in the meantime. Omelets were average at best and if I had not known that it was served with sweet potato hash browns I never would have called them that. They were more like a pile of shredded sweet potatos that were microwaved. I love potatos of all forms and didn't even finish them. Definitely will not rush back here, there are too many known good options in the area.
(1)Matthew R.
Stopped in for a breakfast before leaving the city and was pleasantly surprised by the large portions for a solid price. Had the Taylor Street Omelette and really enjoyed it. Took away a star because both my hashbrowns and my fiancee's sweet potato hashbrowns were kinda mushy. Also the ambience was strange and the seating arrangements slightly uncomfortable. Overall a great place to have breakfast (all day!) at a very reasonable price considering the location.
(4)Rona H.
The grilled chicken breast panini was very dry, but I'm happy that this place has picked a relatively novel idea of having hash browns being their house specialty. 7 hash brown choices are 6 more than I'm normally used to! Maybe I'll come back here and have a hash brown smorgasbord some day! The house hash browns are mushy, not fried to a crisp like you would normally think when you think hash browns. The Rosemary hash browns are pretty delicious too. For lack of a better word, their web site is kind of stale. Their food pictures look relatively amateurish, and the wooden background layout looks like a Microsoft Word template.. I'd hire a professional food photographer and new web designer if I were them..!
(3)Jordan B.
Solid food and atmosphere. Very clean. It's kind of tightly packed, especially out on the patio but it's very nice in the summer with pretty plants and flowers along the fence. Mixed staff, some friendly, some not. Decent coffee. Pretty loud with concrete floors and music. I know it's small... But I hate when you have to ask for condiments. I loved this morning how I looked down to see they included my precious ketchup and salsa .
(5)Diana M.
Surprised this place is only 2.5 stars! 3 star review because it's pricey. Got fruity french toast, pancakes, coffee, and of course signature hashbrowns. I like my hashbrowns crunchy but they are definitely not. However, they are delicious in their own way. Husbands pancakes and my french toast were quite good. Waitress was nice and place is clean with good atmosphere. Was not busy at 0730 on a Friday.
(3)Jeff S.
I have lived right around the corner from Hashbrowns since moving to Chicago but never ate there until last week. I guess the 3 star rating gave me questions considering the vast options of breakfast/brunch alternatives in the city. That said, I have wanted to try it and glad I did. Overall, Hashbrowns lives up to its 3 star rating. The menu is full of diverse and distinct omelets. OJ was good albeit small. I went with the Marty Omelete (egg whites, mushrooms, broccoli, turkey, and low fat cheeses) which I was enjoying until realizing that there was more cheese than anything else. A little bit overboard on the cheese especially for a "healthier" omelete choice. My friend did the 18th Street (their version of the Western) omelete and really enjoyed it. No cheese on that one. For both of ours we subbed the hashbrowns for a side of avocado at no charge. Def the way to go if you do not want a massive meal. I'd come back to Hashbrowns but now know to go light on the cheese.
(3)Brandon K.
I have no idea why this place is getting killed on yelp!! I've been here three times now and got something different every time. Not once was I disappointed! All their hashbrowns are delicious & unique (I'd hope so with that being their name). And their omelets are of the same quality. Service was great every time as well. Only reason it's missing a star is because their coffee isn't very good. Has a stale Waffle House taste to it. It's a breakfast place so I was expecting great coffee (I drink it black). Other than that, give this place a chance!
(4)M M.
We love this place. Great for a family as well. Best hash browns on the city and the people are so nice and accommodating.
(5)Morgan Richelle M.
OUTSTANDING SERVICE ONCE AGAIN! This is my moms favorite breakfast place and she has become a regular. Of alllllllll places in Chicago to eat for breakfast, she continues to favor Hashbrowns and I completely understand. I've had their food and I've experienced the great service here for myself so I already knew this restaurant was wonderful. Recently, however, I called to plan a surprise breakfast for my mom. They know her on a first name basis now, so it was fun to talk with the staff and hear them say, "Oh! She was just in here earlier!" Anyway, the manager took my credit card information and helped me arrange the surprise birthday breakfast for her. On her birthday, he kept an eye out for her and made sure she had the perfect breakfast for her special day. He even called me to let me know everything was taken care of. He didn't have to do that, so it just goes to show you how fabulous this group of employees are. She LOVED her omelette and didn't have to pay for anything- just as her daughter wanted. I'm so thankful for this restaurant. They have great food, great service and just genuinely wonderful people working for them.
(5)Anissa B.
Super friendly staff. Yummy breakfast! We split the Taylor omelette and the killer hash browns! Soooooo great! Coffee was excellent too! Will come back we hen we are in town again for sure! Oh and the outside seating was effect for s summer morning!!
(4)Trillion T.
Stopped in to just pick up a quick breakfast sandwich which they have several ways to make a egg bacon or sausage sandwich the sandwich came with sweet potato Hashbrowns which they are known for, and the sandwich was pretty good except for the bacon which was quite hard (not crispy) just hard so it was hard to chew couldn't finish it. Not sure if it is always like this but today it was definitely not to my liking, but as far as the Hashbrowns they were kind of greasy but very good. I will return for the Hashbrowns and maybe try the duck bacon instead.
(4)Dan P.
The food is just okay - it's breakfast food and there's nothing spectacular. The hash browns are pretty good, but nothing to brag about. I went yesterday and asked the waitress about the sweet potato hashbrowns and if she thought I should get them. Her response was something like "Definitely not. They are not good." So don't get those. They don't serve alcohol which is a buzz kill if you're looking to get over a hangover either. I live close by so I'll probably be back, but if a better breakfast place opens in the same area I would quickly make the switch.
(2)Green L.
Ordered through grubhub on a thursday morning at about 6:47. Estimated time for delivery was no later than 8:08. I got a phone call at that time and was told my order would be half an hour late, but they would pay for my kids meal, which was worth less than 5 dollars . I didn't get my food until 9:04 am (2 hrs and 17 minutes for my food) Food was cold, everything was soggy. The kids chicken strips (2 pieces) were very over cooked. I thought i was being pranked. Will never again order to go.
(1)Loyal W.
I was gonna give it 3 stars but the 2 star "Meh" description pretty much nails this place. I live close by, it's one of the few breakfast oriented spots in the area. As a result of that, I've been here a few times now. I had high hopes. Staff is fine, location is fine, menu has a solid selection, decor and atmosphere are nice, things are priced reasonably... but none of that can make up for the fact that the food simply isn't good. Be warned, I wouldn't take a single review seriously that claims the food is delicious. It, quite simply, is not. I cringe at the thought of the food these people are normally eating on a regular basis in their own kitchens to be labeling this place as such. Granted taste is subjective, but... I mean, the food is very obviously poor to any astute person. It's not that it tastes bad, it is just overwhelmingly mediocre. I've actually noticed many of the people delivering favorable food reviews tend to be older in age, which makes some sense to me as the older you get the more taste sensation you lose. Resultantly, bland food is much less likely to bother people of older age groups. So if you are older, I might actually recommend this to you based on that because really... it's the place's only flaw (albeit a glaring one). The most mind boggling aspect of this place is that the name is "Hashbrowns," but the hashbrowns - both sweet potato and regular - aren't good. How can you choose this as your namesake and fail to deliver so epically? I can't make sense of it. I want to like this place, I really do. But I can't... it's just... Meh.
(2)Christina T.
I love going to hashbrowns for brunch! The omelets are my personal favorite, as they are fluffy and cooked just enough. The breakfast burritos and egg sandwiches are also solid, and there aren't many places in Chicago to get them. Don't leave without trying both the killer hashbrowns and the sweet potato hashbrowns! You won't be disappointed!
(5)Mark H.
Sweet. Simple. Standard. Hash Browns is like a new release movie that you don't watch opening night but eventually get to on DVD or On Demand. It's still worth "watching" at some point. Servers were nice but lacked attention to details like refilling water, coming around frequently, etc. Management was very friendly. A decent breakfast option for the Old Town area. It's all about the burritos. Kitschy names like 18th st. with homemade salsa which is def a favorite. The hash browns are actually just OK?! "Rent" it on Yelp-box.
(3)Angela D.
We ordered from here via grubhub while we were staying downtown for a birthday staycation. The Oak Street omelette, strawberry pancakes, rosemary hashbrowns and bacon arrived to our door perfectly warm and in a timely manner. Now, let me tell you...this shit was DELICIOUS!!!! The strawberry pancakes were the most scrumptious sweet morning treat I've ever had. I can't believe this place has only 2.5 stars. I can't wait to try more menu items! Yummmzzz.
(5)Michael G.
New to the area. Open for breakfast and lunch, close at 3. Great assortment of menu choices. Great iced tea and Lavazza coffee. Very clean dining room and bathrooms. Staff is young and exceptional. That makes the place even better. Oh, and the hash browns are outstanding, ask for them well done.
(5)Jaclyn S.
I live in the neighborhood, and have been curious about Hashbrowns for awhile. With all the mixed reviews, I was nervous to try it. But I finally did this weekend, and I am so glad! I honestly can't understand why there are so many negative reviews. Maybe the place had some issues when they were new that they have since ironed out? Either way, we had a great experience and had NONE of the problems mentioned in those bad reviews. We had exceptional service - our server was friendly and attentive, and made sure we had everything we needed. The food was very good - quality ingredients, yummy, fluffy scrambled eggs, and everything was served hot and fresh. I wasn't a huge fan of the sweet potato hashbrowns, but I tend to have mixed opinions on sweet potatoes in general, so that's probably just a matter of personal taste. Besides, they have rosemary white potato hashbrowns that I can't wait to try next time! The ambiance was lovely! It was a beautiful day, and they had the patio walls open for a nice breeze. We sat indoors, but the patio looks very nice as well. Even the background music was nice - just enough without being loud or intrusive. Very clean bathrooms, too. There are so many snotty brunch places that have bad service, bad attitudes, and lame food out there... this spot was down-to-earth, yummy, and reasonably priced. I am so excited to have a comfortable brunch place like this close to home, and can't wait to go back. Don't wait as long as I did! Give it a try.
(5)Michelle Y.
I go here often and while after today I would like to give them a negative star, I will be fair and explain the entire situation. Yes so normally everything is good. Today, however, an hour went by before we got our food (scrambled eggs and oatmeal were the orders - nothing complicated). Anyway an hour later I had to track down our server to make sure he even put our order in and who basically was ready to run away from us at all times. He said he put the order in - whatever I was still being passive aggressive and didn't believe him and oh by the way our drinks were empty and he didn't even ask if we wanted a refill. I course I asked to speak to a manager. Again, today was odd and I felt like no one was in charge and when I asked for a manager - twice from two different people - they said I will get the manager right away. Meanwhile an hour later like I said before two out of the three dishes magically arrive. Mine does not. I'm ready to walk out - I can go scramble eggs in my kitchen was my whole thought process. My friend assured me that I needed to calm down and she would find this manager - which seemed like a ghost to me at this point. Anyway, she found the manager and explained how our food took an hour and the eggs didn't make it out on time etc etc - anyway they were allegedly having problems in the kitchen. Bottom line the place comped our entire ticket. Yea it was bad and I was hoping they would at least comp something bc it was crazy the amount of time we waited and didn't get refills etc but I have to give them three stars bc the food was good and obviously they owned that it was an entire disaster this morning. Did not expect a free breakfast but I have to say them comping the meal made me give them one more star than I normally would. Again, have been here numerous times and maybe today was a fluke - I hope. All in all good food, service needs to be examined.
(3)Lisha L.
Before this visit I never knew how anyone can mess up brunch. We ordered 18th street omelet, it was huge, but it didn't taste like egg. It was made from a mixture with very little egg and lots of water and flour. It also lacked seasoning. The hash brown was horrible too.
(1)Kristine N.
Ordered two low carb breakfast burritos and one eggs Florentine from grubhub at 9:15 am. The order was supposed to take one hour. At 10:15 am they texted and said they were backed up and it would be here by 10:45 am. At 10:45, someone from the restaurant called and told us the food was ready but they were waiting for the delivery driver. Awesome, so my warm food is getting cold waiting to be delivered. At 11:15 I called the restaurant and they informed me my food had finally been delivered. Two hours and $40 for cold eggs Florentine and two mediocre burritos with barely any sausage or bacon. The sweet potato hashbrowns are disgusting. They're soggy and hardly qualify as hashbrowns. Maybe you should rename your restaurant or seriously pick up your hashbrown game. Such a disappointment.
(1)Scott Z.
I had to leave a review, a lot of bad reviews but I have been there a couple times and like this place. seems like most people grade this place based on their hashbrowns but I like them, a little greasy they could be crispier but that's the way they make it. Goods.. Service, foods above average, big portions Bad... Pricey $14 omelette, hash, lg coffee (this being said you are in old town good luck finding anything reasonable)
(4)Christina M.
If you're going to name your restaurant Hashbrowns, you should probably have good hash browns. Enough said.
(2)Tavi J.
I wanted to like Hashbrown because it's right around the corner from my apartment, but convenience comes second to my love of good food. I have only been here twice (the second time was to give them another try) and I'm just not impressed. Both times there was no waiting, which is nice since most Saturday brunch spots are crowded with long waits. Other than that though...that's the only thing they have going for them. I had the 18th Street Omelet and I find there food to be extremely greasy with no taste. The hashbrowns that came on the side had no seasoning on them. I had to use the salt shaker heavily, which I'm not a fan of doing. Too many decent brunch spots in Chicago (even right next door and down the street) to go back.
(2)Mark F.
I have eaten at Hashbrowns three times now and I can't understand why there are any negative reviews. This place is really a great spot. Food is always delicious, service is very friendly and attentive, the dining room has a cool feel with lots of light and bathroom is very clean. The outdoor seating is the best in the area with lots of seating, covered, and good music. I would not worry one bit about the negative reviews. Also the coffee is great and they allow byob if you want an adult beverage. Try the killer hashbrowns. The sweet potato hashbrowns are not crispy but I am told that they are not meant to be as sweet potatoes don't cook that way. Great spot. Five stars.
(5)Nikki S.
Hashbrown's on Wells is the best place for brunch in Uptown. The service is outstanding and the restaurant is clean and welcoming. I can go on and on about the food, too. If you're on the fence about visiting this place because of the bad reviews, do NOT fear. The food is always consistent and the management is great. Jose, Madeline, and Brenda do an amazing job! People tend to say the house hashbrowns (sweet potato) are greasy, but that's the way they make them-with lots of butter and delicious flavors. If you like things crispy, just ask. The kitchen is incredibly responsive and happy to make accommodations. The friendly atmosphere makes you feel at home and is a great place to sit outside and enjoy yourself. I've also ordered food from Hashbrown's on grubhub for my Friday morning office meeting. They were extremely fast and went beyond my expectations of food delivery. I give them 5 stars because the food is really good, the service and management team are beautiful, wonderful people, and the restaurant atmosphere is clean and fun. Get the killer hashbrowns with 2 poached or over easy eggs on top. You'll die.
(5)Eddie K.
Went with my cousins on a early afternoon on Saturday. Had the chicken with avocado sandwich with sweet potato fries. Everything was amazing.
(4)Kathy H.
Good coffee but big cup cools it off too fast. Food was warm at best and blueberry French toast was served with a vanilla sauce that was straight out of the fridge. Just what I want on luke warm French toast is an ice cold sauce. My husband had the sweet potato hash browns. He asked for them well done (crispy) and received a pile of mush. The one bright spot was the server was nice and on top of things.
(2)Susan M.
The GOOD: easy street parking (at least when I've been there). They serve up a good BLT. The MEH: their signature dish, hash browns. I find them greasy and heavy. My sweet potato fries were almost inedible; mostly burned and served cold. The decor doesn't fit the theme. Light green walls and super modern light fixtures; not warm or appetite inducing. The BAD: There is a waiter in there who looks like a cross between a pirate and that 50s cardboard magnetic game called "Wooly Willie," you know the one where you drag the magnets to make facial hair on the bald guy. That would have been okay (nothing wrong with a Johnny Depp impersonator or board game come to life), except that he turned out to be a super creepy LURKER. His initial presentation was weirdly over-animated--arms waving all over the place and he spoke with some crazy accent--kind of cockney--kinda pirate? But the entire time we were in there, he stood there and watched us eat...to the point of STARING. All we wanted to do was hurry up and get the heck out of there before he yelled "Shiver Me Timbers!!!, pull a dagger out of his boot and make us walk the Hashbrown Plank.
(2)Melissa S.
I've only had take out & each time they have been more than amazing. Service is great & those sweet potato hashbrowns are to die for!
(4)Jen B.
Before Today, I was overly excited about trying Hashbrowns Restaurant located on Wells and division until today! Our food was cold, the chicken was dry and completely over cooked. Service was good. We were not at all impressed by the food. Very nice environment however the kitchen may need some genuine culinary assistance.
(2)Chuck L.
My wife and I where headed downtown in search of breakfast. We drove past Hashbrowns and said hey let's try it. It was our fist time here and the breakfast was incredible. I had an omelette that was cooked to perfection and my wife had scrambled eggs that were also perfectly cooked. The sweet potato hashbrowns were fantastic. The staff was very friendly and courteous. I can't say enough about the decor and cleanliness of the restaurant. Today we went back for breakfast and just had to try the burgers this time. OMG the were both over the top delicious. The plate presentation was really cute and the fries served in small fryer baskets was so impressive. It just keeps getting better here. Hashbrowns on Wells is for sure on our top five and we will be regulars.
(5)Laurel S.
We love hashbrowns! The food is so yummy. They offer a wide variety of choices. Their hash browns are obviously their specialty and they continue to bring us back. The service may be slow but the staff is young, fun and helpful! The atmosphere is very homey. My mom who lives in the city eats here weekly. For sure a worthwhile place to try!
(5)Kevin G.
We ate brunch here last weekend. I received a $25 gift certificate for this place at work, so we thought we'd give it a try. Seeing all of the negative reviews, I was a bit apprehensive at first. After eating here, I don't know why this place has so many bad reviews. The food was good. I ordered the Cinnamon Blueberry French Toast. It was very good. The blueberries were not tart and were very tasty. The french toast itself was very good and the cinnamon, combined with everything else, gave it a good flavor. The portion size was big, so that is also a plus. I had a side of the house hash browns, They were made from sweet potatoes, which I am not too big on, but were still good. My girlfriend had an omelet and a side of the regular hash browns. She liked her meal. The service was also good. We were seated immediately and our waitress stopped by several times to make sure that we were doing well. The only downside to this place is the metered street parking. It costs $4/hour. Of course, that's not Hashbrowns' fault (blame the City for that one). If you want a good breakfast and good service, this is a good spot.
(3)julie q.
The service was fine and our waitress was really nice. The food was horrible. I had the northside burrito. Thanks for charging me $12 for $2 worth of eggs and nothing else. There was a broccoli floret the size of my pinky nail, maybe enough green pepper pieces to equal the length my first finger, and maybe one spinach leaf? Husbo had the eggs benedict....sorriest eggs benedict i've ever seen and not very good. Finally - if your name is Hasbrowns I would think the hashbrowns would be OUT OF THIS WORLD!!! Not so. Not even in the slightest. The sweet potato browns were horrible. Such an absolute disappointment. The original browns were edible but I've had better at other places that didn't base their name off of them. 2 stars for really nice decor and the brightness of the place. We won't be back.
(2)Kathy T.
The hash browns aren't worth the money because they're soggy and tasteless. You would think they'd do a better job since they're named after it, but nope. If you want to have good hash browns, don't go here.
(1)Elyse P.
I liked this place- my husband did not. The food arrived pretty quickly and the portions were huge, but was really greasy. Good service and they have a nice outdoor seating area during the summer.
(3)Jet L.
Service was fine Food is just ok... Unfortunately nothing amazing. Going off their name I figured they'd have fantastic hash browns and they aren't even that good.
(3)Brenda G.
This restaurant is around the corner from my boyfriend's apartment and, as such, I've been back several time due to convenience. I stand by my previous statement that the sweet potato hashbrowns are too sweet however the regular ones aren't bad. They have a few specialty omelets which are more to my liking. If you're looking for something unique and amazing, go somewhere else but if you're looking for a decent brunch option Hashbrowns fills the bill.
(3)Ray Y.
Huge portions!!! Wow! Had blueberry pancakes and did not make a dent! Pretty big place so although it a Sunday morning, my son and I were seated right away. Excellent service.
(4)Kat B.
Feeling a little hungry after a festive Saturday evening, we decided to call and place an order for delivery Sunday morning at 1030. We placed it online and were told it would probably arrive an hour to an hour and a half later. Pretty long wait but hey, we had nowhere to go. 2 hours later, we call. At first, we're told that they have no record of the order. They finally find it and tell us that it will be another 15-20 mins. 30 mins later, starving, we call back. Are told that the food is on its way and that it will be another 10 minutes. 20 minutes later, we get fed up and cancel our order completely. No apologies, offers for any kind of credit, nothing. This place must be used to this happening. We left the house in search of something, anything....and while we're dining at good ol Chipotle, we get a call to say that the food has arrived at my friend's apt....3 hours later.
(1)Kevin A.
Good spot for a laid back breakfast. This is not your over the top brunch spot, as you can tell from the high maintenance foodie reviews for this place. However, it has some really good sweet potato hashbrowns and a wide variety of breakfast entrees. Good service and no long wait, even on wknds.
(4)Grant M.
Not a fan of the food. The decor was nice for a breakfast place and the service was good but the food was lacking.
(2)Matthew R.
Stopped in for a breakfast before leaving the city and was pleasantly surprised by the large portions for a solid price. Had the Taylor Street Omelette and really enjoyed it. Took away a star because both my hashbrowns and my fiancee's sweet potato hashbrowns were kinda mushy. Also the ambience was strange and the seating arrangements slightly uncomfortable. Overall a great place to have breakfast (all day!) at a very reasonable price considering the location.
(4)Rona H.
The grilled chicken breast panini was very dry, but I'm happy that this place has picked a relatively novel idea of having hash browns being their house specialty. 7 hash brown choices are 6 more than I'm normally used to! Maybe I'll come back here and have a hash brown smorgasbord some day! The house hash browns are mushy, not fried to a crisp like you would normally think when you think hash browns. The Rosemary hash browns are pretty delicious too. For lack of a better word, their web site is kind of stale. Their food pictures look relatively amateurish, and the wooden background layout looks like a Microsoft Word template.. I'd hire a professional food photographer and new web designer if I were them..!
(3)Jordan B.
Solid food and atmosphere. Very clean. It's kind of tightly packed, especially out on the patio but it's very nice in the summer with pretty plants and flowers along the fence. Mixed staff, some friendly, some not. Decent coffee. Pretty loud with concrete floors and music. I know it's small... But I hate when you have to ask for condiments. I loved this morning how I looked down to see they included my precious ketchup and salsa .
(5)Diana M.
Surprised this place is only 2.5 stars! 3 star review because it's pricey. Got fruity french toast, pancakes, coffee, and of course signature hashbrowns. I like my hashbrowns crunchy but they are definitely not. However, they are delicious in their own way. Husbands pancakes and my french toast were quite good. Waitress was nice and place is clean with good atmosphere. Was not busy at 0730 on a Friday.
(3)Jeff S.
I have lived right around the corner from Hashbrowns since moving to Chicago but never ate there until last week. I guess the 3 star rating gave me questions considering the vast options of breakfast/brunch alternatives in the city. That said, I have wanted to try it and glad I did. Overall, Hashbrowns lives up to its 3 star rating. The menu is full of diverse and distinct omelets. OJ was good albeit small. I went with the Marty Omelete (egg whites, mushrooms, broccoli, turkey, and low fat cheeses) which I was enjoying until realizing that there was more cheese than anything else. A little bit overboard on the cheese especially for a "healthier" omelete choice. My friend did the 18th Street (their version of the Western) omelete and really enjoyed it. No cheese on that one. For both of ours we subbed the hashbrowns for a side of avocado at no charge. Def the way to go if you do not want a massive meal. I'd come back to Hashbrowns but now know to go light on the cheese.
(3)Mitchell H.
OK if you like your club sandwich covered in grease. Greasy. So, so greasy.
(2)Angela D.
We ordered from here via grubhub while we were staying downtown for a birthday staycation. The Oak Street omelette, strawberry pancakes, rosemary hashbrowns and bacon arrived to our door perfectly warm and in a timely manner. Now, let me tell you...this shit was DELICIOUS!!!! The strawberry pancakes were the most scrumptious sweet morning treat I've ever had. I can't believe this place has only 2.5 stars. I can't wait to try more menu items! Yummmzzz.
(5)Morgan Richelle M.
OUTSTANDING SERVICE ONCE AGAIN! This is my moms favorite breakfast place and she has become a regular. Of alllllllll places in Chicago to eat for breakfast, she continues to favor Hashbrowns and I completely understand. I've had their food and I've experienced the great service here for myself so I already knew this restaurant was wonderful. Recently, however, I called to plan a surprise breakfast for my mom. They know her on a first name basis now, so it was fun to talk with the staff and hear them say, "Oh! She was just in here earlier!" Anyway, the manager took my credit card information and helped me arrange the surprise birthday breakfast for her. On her birthday, he kept an eye out for her and made sure she had the perfect breakfast for her special day. He even called me to let me know everything was taken care of. He didn't have to do that, so it just goes to show you how fabulous this group of employees are. She LOVED her omelette and didn't have to pay for anything- just as her daughter wanted. I'm so thankful for this restaurant. They have great food, great service and just genuinely wonderful people working for them.
(5)Anissa B.
Super friendly staff. Yummy breakfast! We split the Taylor omelette and the killer hash browns! Soooooo great! Coffee was excellent too! Will come back we hen we are in town again for sure! Oh and the outside seating was effect for s summer morning!!
(4)Trillion T.
Stopped in to just pick up a quick breakfast sandwich which they have several ways to make a egg bacon or sausage sandwich the sandwich came with sweet potato Hashbrowns which they are known for, and the sandwich was pretty good except for the bacon which was quite hard (not crispy) just hard so it was hard to chew couldn't finish it. Not sure if it is always like this but today it was definitely not to my liking, but as far as the Hashbrowns they were kind of greasy but very good. I will return for the Hashbrowns and maybe try the duck bacon instead.
(4)Dan P.
The food is just okay - it's breakfast food and there's nothing spectacular. The hash browns are pretty good, but nothing to brag about. I went yesterday and asked the waitress about the sweet potato hashbrowns and if she thought I should get them. Her response was something like "Definitely not. They are not good." So don't get those. They don't serve alcohol which is a buzz kill if you're looking to get over a hangover either. I live close by so I'll probably be back, but if a better breakfast place opens in the same area I would quickly make the switch.
(2)Green L.
Ordered through grubhub on a thursday morning at about 6:47. Estimated time for delivery was no later than 8:08. I got a phone call at that time and was told my order would be half an hour late, but they would pay for my kids meal, which was worth less than 5 dollars . I didn't get my food until 9:04 am (2 hrs and 17 minutes for my food) Food was cold, everything was soggy. The kids chicken strips (2 pieces) were very over cooked. I thought i was being pranked. Will never again order to go.
(1)Loyal W.
I was gonna give it 3 stars but the 2 star "Meh" description pretty much nails this place. I live close by, it's one of the few breakfast oriented spots in the area. As a result of that, I've been here a few times now. I had high hopes. Staff is fine, location is fine, menu has a solid selection, decor and atmosphere are nice, things are priced reasonably... but none of that can make up for the fact that the food simply isn't good. Be warned, I wouldn't take a single review seriously that claims the food is delicious. It, quite simply, is not. I cringe at the thought of the food these people are normally eating on a regular basis in their own kitchens to be labeling this place as such. Granted taste is subjective, but... I mean, the food is very obviously poor to any astute person. It's not that it tastes bad, it is just overwhelmingly mediocre. I've actually noticed many of the people delivering favorable food reviews tend to be older in age, which makes some sense to me as the older you get the more taste sensation you lose. Resultantly, bland food is much less likely to bother people of older age groups. So if you are older, I might actually recommend this to you based on that because really... it's the place's only flaw (albeit a glaring one). The most mind boggling aspect of this place is that the name is "Hashbrowns," but the hashbrowns - both sweet potato and regular - aren't good. How can you choose this as your namesake and fail to deliver so epically? I can't make sense of it. I want to like this place, I really do. But I can't... it's just... Meh.
(2)Christina T.
I love going to hashbrowns for brunch! The omelets are my personal favorite, as they are fluffy and cooked just enough. The breakfast burritos and egg sandwiches are also solid, and there aren't many places in Chicago to get them. Don't leave without trying both the killer hashbrowns and the sweet potato hashbrowns! You won't be disappointed!
(5)Mark H.
Sweet. Simple. Standard. Hash Browns is like a new release movie that you don't watch opening night but eventually get to on DVD or On Demand. It's still worth "watching" at some point. Servers were nice but lacked attention to details like refilling water, coming around frequently, etc. Management was very friendly. A decent breakfast option for the Old Town area. It's all about the burritos. Kitschy names like 18th st. with homemade salsa which is def a favorite. The hash browns are actually just OK?! "Rent" it on Yelp-box.
(3)Michael G.
New to the area. Open for breakfast and lunch, close at 3. Great assortment of menu choices. Great iced tea and Lavazza coffee. Very clean dining room and bathrooms. Staff is young and exceptional. That makes the place even better. Oh, and the hash browns are outstanding, ask for them well done.
(5)Brandon K.
I have no idea why this place is getting killed on yelp!! I've been here three times now and got something different every time. Not once was I disappointed! All their hashbrowns are delicious & unique (I'd hope so with that being their name). And their omelets are of the same quality. Service was great every time as well. Only reason it's missing a star is because their coffee isn't very good. Has a stale Waffle House taste to it. It's a breakfast place so I was expecting great coffee (I drink it black). Other than that, give this place a chance!
(4)Jaclyn S.
I live in the neighborhood, and have been curious about Hashbrowns for awhile. With all the mixed reviews, I was nervous to try it. But I finally did this weekend, and I am so glad! I honestly can't understand why there are so many negative reviews. Maybe the place had some issues when they were new that they have since ironed out? Either way, we had a great experience and had NONE of the problems mentioned in those bad reviews. We had exceptional service - our server was friendly and attentive, and made sure we had everything we needed. The food was very good - quality ingredients, yummy, fluffy scrambled eggs, and everything was served hot and fresh. I wasn't a huge fan of the sweet potato hashbrowns, but I tend to have mixed opinions on sweet potatoes in general, so that's probably just a matter of personal taste. Besides, they have rosemary white potato hashbrowns that I can't wait to try next time! The ambiance was lovely! It was a beautiful day, and they had the patio walls open for a nice breeze. We sat indoors, but the patio looks very nice as well. Even the background music was nice - just enough without being loud or intrusive. Very clean bathrooms, too. There are so many snotty brunch places that have bad service, bad attitudes, and lame food out there... this spot was down-to-earth, yummy, and reasonably priced. I am so excited to have a comfortable brunch place like this close to home, and can't wait to go back. Don't wait as long as I did! Give it a try.
(5)Michelle Y.
I go here often and while after today I would like to give them a negative star, I will be fair and explain the entire situation. Yes so normally everything is good. Today, however, an hour went by before we got our food (scrambled eggs and oatmeal were the orders - nothing complicated). Anyway an hour later I had to track down our server to make sure he even put our order in and who basically was ready to run away from us at all times. He said he put the order in - whatever I was still being passive aggressive and didn't believe him and oh by the way our drinks were empty and he didn't even ask if we wanted a refill. I course I asked to speak to a manager. Again, today was odd and I felt like no one was in charge and when I asked for a manager - twice from two different people - they said I will get the manager right away. Meanwhile an hour later like I said before two out of the three dishes magically arrive. Mine does not. I'm ready to walk out - I can go scramble eggs in my kitchen was my whole thought process. My friend assured me that I needed to calm down and she would find this manager - which seemed like a ghost to me at this point. Anyway, she found the manager and explained how our food took an hour and the eggs didn't make it out on time etc etc - anyway they were allegedly having problems in the kitchen. Bottom line the place comped our entire ticket. Yea it was bad and I was hoping they would at least comp something bc it was crazy the amount of time we waited and didn't get refills etc but I have to give them three stars bc the food was good and obviously they owned that it was an entire disaster this morning. Did not expect a free breakfast but I have to say them comping the meal made me give them one more star than I normally would. Again, have been here numerous times and maybe today was a fluke - I hope. All in all good food, service needs to be examined.
(3)Lisha L.
Before this visit I never knew how anyone can mess up brunch. We ordered 18th street omelet, it was huge, but it didn't taste like egg. It was made from a mixture with very little egg and lots of water and flour. It also lacked seasoning. The hash brown was horrible too.
(1)Kristine N.
Ordered two low carb breakfast burritos and one eggs Florentine from grubhub at 9:15 am. The order was supposed to take one hour. At 10:15 am they texted and said they were backed up and it would be here by 10:45 am. At 10:45, someone from the restaurant called and told us the food was ready but they were waiting for the delivery driver. Awesome, so my warm food is getting cold waiting to be delivered. At 11:15 I called the restaurant and they informed me my food had finally been delivered. Two hours and $40 for cold eggs Florentine and two mediocre burritos with barely any sausage or bacon. The sweet potato hashbrowns are disgusting. They're soggy and hardly qualify as hashbrowns. Maybe you should rename your restaurant or seriously pick up your hashbrown game. Such a disappointment.
(1)Christina M.
If you're going to name your restaurant Hashbrowns, you should probably have good hash browns. Enough said.
(2)Scott Z.
I had to leave a review, a lot of bad reviews but I have been there a couple times and like this place. seems like most people grade this place based on their hashbrowns but I like them, a little greasy they could be crispier but that's the way they make it. Goods.. Service, foods above average, big portions Bad... Pricey $14 omelette, hash, lg coffee (this being said you are in old town good luck finding anything reasonable)
(4)Tavi J.
I wanted to like Hashbrown because it's right around the corner from my apartment, but convenience comes second to my love of good food. I have only been here twice (the second time was to give them another try) and I'm just not impressed. Both times there was no waiting, which is nice since most Saturday brunch spots are crowded with long waits. Other than that though...that's the only thing they have going for them. I had the 18th Street Omelet and I find there food to be extremely greasy with no taste. The hashbrowns that came on the side had no seasoning on them. I had to use the salt shaker heavily, which I'm not a fan of doing. Too many decent brunch spots in Chicago (even right next door and down the street) to go back.
(2)Mark F.
I have eaten at Hashbrowns three times now and I can't understand why there are any negative reviews. This place is really a great spot. Food is always delicious, service is very friendly and attentive, the dining room has a cool feel with lots of light and bathroom is very clean. The outdoor seating is the best in the area with lots of seating, covered, and good music. I would not worry one bit about the negative reviews. Also the coffee is great and they allow byob if you want an adult beverage. Try the killer hashbrowns. The sweet potato hashbrowns are not crispy but I am told that they are not meant to be as sweet potatoes don't cook that way. Great spot. Five stars.
(5)Nikki S.
Hashbrown's on Wells is the best place for brunch in Uptown. The service is outstanding and the restaurant is clean and welcoming. I can go on and on about the food, too. If you're on the fence about visiting this place because of the bad reviews, do NOT fear. The food is always consistent and the management is great. Jose, Madeline, and Brenda do an amazing job! People tend to say the house hashbrowns (sweet potato) are greasy, but that's the way they make them-with lots of butter and delicious flavors. If you like things crispy, just ask. The kitchen is incredibly responsive and happy to make accommodations. The friendly atmosphere makes you feel at home and is a great place to sit outside and enjoy yourself. I've also ordered food from Hashbrown's on grubhub for my Friday morning office meeting. They were extremely fast and went beyond my expectations of food delivery. I give them 5 stars because the food is really good, the service and management team are beautiful, wonderful people, and the restaurant atmosphere is clean and fun. Get the killer hashbrowns with 2 poached or over easy eggs on top. You'll die.
(5)Eddie K.
Went with my cousins on a early afternoon on Saturday. Had the chicken with avocado sandwich with sweet potato fries. Everything was amazing.
(4)Kathy H.
Good coffee but big cup cools it off too fast. Food was warm at best and blueberry French toast was served with a vanilla sauce that was straight out of the fridge. Just what I want on luke warm French toast is an ice cold sauce. My husband had the sweet potato hash browns. He asked for them well done (crispy) and received a pile of mush. The one bright spot was the server was nice and on top of things.
(2)Susan M.
The GOOD: easy street parking (at least when I've been there). They serve up a good BLT. The MEH: their signature dish, hash browns. I find them greasy and heavy. My sweet potato fries were almost inedible; mostly burned and served cold. The decor doesn't fit the theme. Light green walls and super modern light fixtures; not warm or appetite inducing. The BAD: There is a waiter in there who looks like a cross between a pirate and that 50s cardboard magnetic game called "Wooly Willie," you know the one where you drag the magnets to make facial hair on the bald guy. That would have been okay (nothing wrong with a Johnny Depp impersonator or board game come to life), except that he turned out to be a super creepy LURKER. His initial presentation was weirdly over-animated--arms waving all over the place and he spoke with some crazy accent--kind of cockney--kinda pirate? But the entire time we were in there, he stood there and watched us eat...to the point of STARING. All we wanted to do was hurry up and get the heck out of there before he yelled "Shiver Me Timbers!!!, pull a dagger out of his boot and make us walk the Hashbrown Plank.
(2)Melissa S.
I've only had take out & each time they have been more than amazing. Service is great & those sweet potato hashbrowns are to die for!
(4)M M.
We love this place. Great for a family as well. Best hash browns on the city and the people are so nice and accommodating.
(5)Jen B.
Before Today, I was overly excited about trying Hashbrowns Restaurant located on Wells and division until today! Our food was cold, the chicken was dry and completely over cooked. Service was good. We were not at all impressed by the food. Very nice environment however the kitchen may need some genuine culinary assistance.
(2)Chuck L.
My wife and I where headed downtown in search of breakfast. We drove past Hashbrowns and said hey let's try it. It was our fist time here and the breakfast was incredible. I had an omelette that was cooked to perfection and my wife had scrambled eggs that were also perfectly cooked. The sweet potato hashbrowns were fantastic. The staff was very friendly and courteous. I can't say enough about the decor and cleanliness of the restaurant. Today we went back for breakfast and just had to try the burgers this time. OMG the were both over the top delicious. The plate presentation was really cute and the fries served in small fryer baskets was so impressive. It just keeps getting better here. Hashbrowns on Wells is for sure on our top five and we will be regulars.
(5)Laurel S.
We love hashbrowns! The food is so yummy. They offer a wide variety of choices. Their hash browns are obviously their specialty and they continue to bring us back. The service may be slow but the staff is young, fun and helpful! The atmosphere is very homey. My mom who lives in the city eats here weekly. For sure a worthwhile place to try!
(5)Kevin G.
We ate brunch here last weekend. I received a $25 gift certificate for this place at work, so we thought we'd give it a try. Seeing all of the negative reviews, I was a bit apprehensive at first. After eating here, I don't know why this place has so many bad reviews. The food was good. I ordered the Cinnamon Blueberry French Toast. It was very good. The blueberries were not tart and were very tasty. The french toast itself was very good and the cinnamon, combined with everything else, gave it a good flavor. The portion size was big, so that is also a plus. I had a side of the house hash browns, They were made from sweet potatoes, which I am not too big on, but were still good. My girlfriend had an omelet and a side of the regular hash browns. She liked her meal. The service was also good. We were seated immediately and our waitress stopped by several times to make sure that we were doing well. The only downside to this place is the metered street parking. It costs $4/hour. Of course, that's not Hashbrowns' fault (blame the City for that one). If you want a good breakfast and good service, this is a good spot.
(3)julie q.
The service was fine and our waitress was really nice. The food was horrible. I had the northside burrito. Thanks for charging me $12 for $2 worth of eggs and nothing else. There was a broccoli floret the size of my pinky nail, maybe enough green pepper pieces to equal the length my first finger, and maybe one spinach leaf? Husbo had the eggs benedict....sorriest eggs benedict i've ever seen and not very good. Finally - if your name is Hasbrowns I would think the hashbrowns would be OUT OF THIS WORLD!!! Not so. Not even in the slightest. The sweet potato browns were horrible. Such an absolute disappointment. The original browns were edible but I've had better at other places that didn't base their name off of them. 2 stars for really nice decor and the brightness of the place. We won't be back.
(2)Kathy T.
The hash browns aren't worth the money because they're soggy and tasteless. You would think they'd do a better job since they're named after it, but nope. If you want to have good hash browns, don't go here.
(1)Elyse P.
I liked this place- my husband did not. The food arrived pretty quickly and the portions were huge, but was really greasy. Good service and they have a nice outdoor seating area during the summer.
(3)Jet L.
Service was fine Food is just ok... Unfortunately nothing amazing. Going off their name I figured they'd have fantastic hash browns and they aren't even that good.
(3)Brenda G.
This restaurant is around the corner from my boyfriend's apartment and, as such, I've been back several time due to convenience. I stand by my previous statement that the sweet potato hashbrowns are too sweet however the regular ones aren't bad. They have a few specialty omelets which are more to my liking. If you're looking for something unique and amazing, go somewhere else but if you're looking for a decent brunch option Hashbrowns fills the bill.
(3)Ray Y.
Huge portions!!! Wow! Had blueberry pancakes and did not make a dent! Pretty big place so although it a Sunday morning, my son and I were seated right away. Excellent service.
(4)Kevin A.
Good spot for a laid back breakfast. This is not your over the top brunch spot, as you can tell from the high maintenance foodie reviews for this place. However, it has some really good sweet potato hashbrowns and a wide variety of breakfast entrees. Good service and no long wait, even on wknds.
(4)Laura B.
You would expect that a restaurant with the name "Hashbrowns" would have great hashbrowns. Not this place! The hashbrowns were soggy and disgusting (both the sweet potato and the regular). My guess is that they soak the potatoes overnight so they have less prep work in the morning, which would explain why they were so soggy. Other than that, I can't think of a reason why they would be a pile of mush. The other items that we had were not good either. This area really needs a breakfast restaurant so it's too bad that this place lacks quality.
(1)Kat B.
Feeling a little hungry after a festive Saturday evening, we decided to call and place an order for delivery Sunday morning at 1030. We placed it online and were told it would probably arrive an hour to an hour and a half later. Pretty long wait but hey, we had nowhere to go. 2 hours later, we call. At first, we're told that they have no record of the order. They finally find it and tell us that it will be another 15-20 mins. 30 mins later, starving, we call back. Are told that the food is on its way and that it will be another 10 minutes. 20 minutes later, we get fed up and cancel our order completely. No apologies, offers for any kind of credit, nothing. This place must be used to this happening. We left the house in search of something, anything....and while we're dining at good ol Chipotle, we get a call to say that the food has arrived at my friend's apt....3 hours later.
(1)Joelen T.
This is a great addition to the Old Town neighborhood of Chicago. The original restaurant is on Maxwell St., a historic part of Chicago where many entrepreneurs got their start. Ronnie Ruffalo, the owner who we had a chance to meet during our visit, was welcoming and warm. It was evident how passionate he is about Hashbrowns, considering all the menu items were created by him. We had a light breakfast and took the recommendations of our server, Joe, who was extremely knowledgeable of the menu. Coffee was a must and we were happy to learn Lavazza Italian coffee was brewing... and served in oversized mugs. The menu offers both breakfast and lunch anytime. Interesting to note is that the omelettes could be made into an egg burrito or burger and vice versa. Even better is that the names remained the same (just as the ingredients do so you can have the same flavor profiles for lunch and dinner!) We had the Oak Street Omelette; an open faced egg white omelette with sliced mozzarella, basil, roasted marinated tomatoes, drizzled with a homemade balsamic glaze. It was plenty big to share between 2 people and it was light, fresh and perfect. To accompany our omelette, we had their 'Killer Hashbrowns.' Shredded potatoes, cheddar, onions, and sour cream is made into a casserole and topped with crushed corn flakes, then baked until bubbly. It was so good and rich, I could have had that alone and been happy! It was also a potato dish I could see being served for lunch or dinner too. Lastly, we also had a taste of Duck Bacon. Yes... you read correctly. It was meaty, flavorful and healthier than traditional bacon. I could have easily more but alas, I had to pace myself. From this restaurant, I left with a great place to go for brunch and lunch when in the area. I also left with some inspiration to try and recreate some of their dishes, such as the Oak Street Omelette and Killer Hashbrowns. Later on the day, I even spotted some duck bacon while shopping at a neighborhood deli... and well, this made me quite the happy foodie.
(4)Rick R.
Worst breakfast place in Chicago. Food came out cold. Was literally zero taste in anything. And waiter was nowhere to be found the entire time. I would rather eat plain ramen noodles for the rest of my life than eat here again.
(1)Ryan C.
My friends and I decided to try out the new place for brunch this morning. Big mistake. I should have read the Yelp reviews first. Our waiter forgot about us so we had to flag him down to place our order. About 35 minutes passed and we still had not received our food. Our waiter told us it would be about 5 more minutes because the kitchen was backed up. Then, about 15 minutes later he returned to tell us that again, it would be about 5 minutes. Our food came about 10 minutes after that. We were so hungry by this point that we hoped our wait was worth it but sadly it was not. The food was mediocre and considering the restaurant's name, the hash browns were not good. They were lumpy and kind of soggy. I will not be returning here.
(1)Hillari H.
I had the low carb burrito with hash browns and some hot tea. The burrito -- eggs, cheese, bacon, sausage -- was great and very filling. I had never had hash brown cooked so well like they did at this place! Absolutely delicious. The brand of tea they had was so tasty that there was no need to put any sugar in it. I will be returning to this restaurant at another time because it's a great place to have breakfast. I was so full that I didn't need to eat lunch that day!
(3)Grant M.
Not a fan of the food. The decor was nice for a breakfast place and the service was good but the food was lacking.
(2)neal s.
Truly the worst meal I have had in a long time. You would think that scrambled eggs, bacon and hash browns would be hard to botch up. You'd be wrong. The eggs came out horribly overcooked, dried out and barely warm. The bacon was crisp and it was clear that the fat had rendered out hours ago. It too was warm. As far as the hash browns, we opted for the $3 upgrade to another of their specialties which was similarly disappointed. The service was friendly, but harried and clearly understaffed. I wouldn't come back here if it was free.
(1)Mike C.
Awfully generous to say "breakfast anytime" when your opening hours are meant for old people, daywalkers, and people who don't get blasted the Saturday night before and go out in the afternoon looking for brunch. We managed to barely get in before closing time on one unusually sober Sunday, and we were not impressed. The servers were nice and apologetic, but it still seemed like the place was working out the kinks (we went in October pretty soon after opening day). Hopefully things are running more smoothly now. We had to wait a while for silverware to appear, the food was slow to arrive, and it generally seemed like everyone was ready to get the heck out of there as soon as possible. The food saved this place from a dreaded one-star review. I loved my panini. Almost like a son that I ate. And go figure, the titular hash browns were probably the best I've had. Prices were higher than I would have liked. I'd give it a try again, now that there has been some time to get their proverbial "stuff" together.
(2)Chris B.
I have lived in Chicago now for 18 years...EIGHTEEN...wow. It doesn't seem that long, but it's been a great journey. It's been an especially fun one as a frequent diner and foodie, since the once burgeoning restaurant scene (within which I started working in 1996), has now turned into a full-fledged International destination with some of the finest eating in the world. And in those 18 years? I have never experienced as horrible a restaurant experience as I did yesterday morning. I understand this is "just breakfast." They didn't stab my wife and kidnap my children. I have perspective here, don't worry. But if we're reviewing restaurants? This one is officially the WORST, and I put this restaurant at the bottom of any list you care to create. The entire order was written down wrong by our hapless and vapidly smiling server, who we rarely saw throughout the ensuing debacle. My kids' food ranged from "Silver Dollar" pancakes the size of dinner plates (you understand that silver dollar refers to the size of silver dollars? Right? Oh, never mind...), to incorrect orders. The hashbrowns were a greasy mass of uncooked (i.e., RAW) potatoes that were refrigerator cold throughout (note: the restaurant is called HASHBROWNS! This cannot be overstated...the hashbrowns, even the "correct" sweet potato ones are cold, dull-colored nastiness). My alleged breakfast omelette was wrong. My wife's egg-white omelet was wrong (regular eggs, greasy). No silverware. Coffee spilled on us when delivered to the table by a wide-eyed first-time runner. No manager would come talk to us after hailing no less that 3 different servers, and when owner Ronnie finally did come over after the 4th ask, he had a glazed defeated expression on his face, blamed the server for not writing it down properly, and then never came back again to check on us, to apologize, or to offer any other alternatives. Our server apologized (still smiling....why the smile...) and said there would be no charge (since neither my wife nor I ate in the 45-60 minutes we were there, and the kids picked at their incorrect orders), we appreciated that one gesture....that we didn't have to pay for our incorrect orders and raw hashbrowns. Thank goodness for small favors. There was one server (not ours) who showed genuine concern, did offer toast/bagels as we were leaving (that was genuinely nice of her). But needless to say, we will never eat here again. But I felt so beat up by this experience that I had to post this experience here, and encourage you to save yourself the misery and stay far, far away. If this place is to be salvaged (and honestly, anyplace that serves breakfast can sadly make it in Chicago, no questions asked....we need to have far more scrutiny, fellow diners), it needs to make some serious front and back of the house changes, stat. Rant over.
(1)Lauren S.
I won't be going back to Hashbrowns. There are too many other great brunch spots in Chicago than to bother with this restaurant again. The service was poor, had to ask for a coffee 3 times before they brought it to me. My friend ordered a "chicken tortilla soup" that ended up being $5 for a cup of a basic chicken noodle soup. The food was sub par and took about 40 minutes to come after we ordered. Not impressed at all and too over priced.
(1)Carrot M.
GREAT PLACE !!!! Loved the food. Friendly work staff and cozy environment. Very spacious with a variety of food options. We were celebrating a birthday breakfast and were treated with complementary waffles with whipped cream and berries which my 2 year old loved!! Very family friendly and the owner was very kind and friendly. Can't wait to be back!!
(5)Gordon W.
This place has delicious food. When you substitute potatoes for fruit it's not just a bunch of melons. It's the good fruit and their french toast is amazing. Free refills on soda. All around great place to dine when it comes to the food. The service, on the other hand, is the absolute worst I've ever encountered. My wife and I visit just recently to grab breakfast and stood in a line of twenty or more people for 15 minutes without seeing a hostess. Did I mention there were several open tables as we all gathered at the front hovering over other patrons for a lack of anywhere else to be. The hostess' desk was there, but no one was behind it. So I took it upon myself to walk to the kitchen area and find everyone of employment screwing off and gossiping. aside from the cooks. After inquiring about where the hostess was I was told it doesn't matter because the kitchen was backed up at least thirty minutes. Here's a thought, ask people if they would prefer to wait or not. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if they could even occupy one if the many available seats and enjoy each other's company over a water or coffee. Absolutely amazing. It's a real shame, too. Because like I said. The good is awesome.
(2)Lea M.
I really wanted to like this place but I was disappointed with the quality of the food, though the service was decent-- even though the server seemed a bit overloaded he really tried to make sure we had what we needed. The food : French Toast came out cold, hash browns were soggy and flavorless, the chipotle burrito was not very tasty- pretty flavorless actually though the additional sauce they sent helped. The best part: my cappuccino which was just right so thanks for that. I think I could have got a much better (and cheaper) breakfast at one of the other neighborhood breakfast spots. Sadly, I have to scratch this one off my list.
(2)Jackie Z.
Good burgers! And it's in a good area, reasonable prices, plus omg the hashbrowns. Seriously lives up to its name. Also, even on Saturday and Sundays there is barely a wait. Sit outside. This place rocks.
(4)Sri P.
Great food! Please update your info.
(5)Samantha T.
I have only been to Hashbrowns twice but I have LOVED it every time. My Dad loves it and goes at least 3 times a week bringing in different clients and customers. The owner and staff are so friendly and they even named an omelette after him! The service is fast and friendly. The food is delicious and the restaurant is clean. It is a wonderful place!!
(5)Cristina P.
I love love love the cute coffee cups they give. They are like tiny bowls. I had eggs benedict florentine was really good however the sweet potato hashbrowns were disgusting. For a place titled Hashbrows, I think this is very ironic.
(3)Kevin O.
Looked at Yelp reviews before we came. Glad I decided to form my own opinion. I liked it! We got there on the earlier side today 9am on a Sunday. No wait. Welcomed at the door. Sat right away. Our server was friendly and attentive. As was the entire staff. Water glasses repeatedly filled. Good + BIG cuppa coffee. Food: bacon great. Pancakes (chocolate chip for me). HUGE plate sized and quite good. Comes with homemade servings vanilla syrup and strawberry syrup. I didn't care for it but my kids and partner were happy to take mine. They loved it. Kinda wish they'd include some of their namesake on the plate -- maybe next time I'll get to try some hash browns The owner was super friendly as we left and invited us back after asking how we liked it. We loved it. We'll be back. And next time I'll probably try a breakfast burrito. There are a bunch of choices that looked good. Stay tuned for an update. And after I try some more food I'll update my rating. Right now? First impression is solid and a welcome add to Old Town.
(4)Joey F.
I really wanted to like this place as it is a comfortable brunch place in my neighborhood and the staff is very nice. On a Saturday morning the place was totally empty and it recently opened. I think I probably just got the wrong thing off the menu. My meal just didn't really go together. The hashbrowns are pretty standard. My wife didn't like her meal either. I'd consider going back here and trying something different.
(2)Laura H.
I was excited to have a "breakfast" place open up in the neighborhood. One thing Gold Coast / Old Town is lacking- a selection of breakfast dining options. I know this place is new- but here on my thoughts on this. If you are going to open breakfast place on Wells & Division- you may have wanted to run a few practice plays for a huge influx of people. Sorry if I am paying $30 plus tip for breakfast for myself and A 7 year old- have it together. I will say the hostesses and the waitress both were very nice- greeted us and remembered my name when I left. Everything is down hill from there- Waited 20 min for 2 sodas- the Mountain Dew was flat. Waited an hour for breakfast. The hash brown casserole was raw and cold- after an hour wait. They forgot the side of bacon- after an hour- after another 30 min bacon arrived burnt. Waited another 40 min for the hash browns that were sent back- but after almost two hours there- couldn't wait any longer, The hashbrowns were taken off the bill- since I never got them- but other than that no other discount was applied for basically waiting a hour for food that had to be sent back, food that didn't arrive- then burnt when it did - so $36 for some eggs and burnt bacon ..........why would I want to try this place again?? Maybe with a discount or offered discount on the next visit. But seriously - with no acknowledgement from the manager or owner - didn't settle well with me Before we left decided to use the ladies room - which had a overflowing trash can of paper towels all over the floor.........
(2)Krista K.
THE BAD: Coffee - I ordered a coffee, but needed to sub it with a latte - both were the worst I'd ever had, BLAH! Silverware - Why is it still a thing to NOT have silverware at a table when you are seated? I had to stir my coffee with my imagination :( Bagel - This was just a side dish, but the dough was stale and made me sad. Jelly - The orange jelly have hard orange peels in it. WHY!? I poked a peel with my butter knife and thought I'd try it for once. Big mistake! The texture was like egg shells. THE GOOD: Sweet Potato Hash browns - These were the most magically delicious hash browns I ever had! (maybe this is why they're called "Hash Browns"?) Omelet - Mine had ham, onions, and green peppers. Very yummy... and I think they used a dozen eggs to make my one omelet. Good for me, bad for chickens. Waitress - She was sweet and understood that their coffee was poopy. I felt bad that she put up with me, so I told her that I really liked her nails... it made her smile :) OVER-ALL - I'm really unsure how to rate this place. My friends and I were all expecting good things, because it's only a block away from where we hang out... and we could really use a CLOSE breakfast place for those mornings we wake up hung-over. But, If it were up to me, I'd suggest trekking further to other breakfast places because you'll get a much more tastefully consistent menu for the exact same price. (But if hash browns are like crack to you, order the sweet potato hash browns, you'll see what I mean.)
(3)Tommy G.
Decent food. Horrible hours! Arm and a leg for food! 15$ for french toast with No hashbrowns or anything. We are talking about egg and bread! Now let me get to the staff. Less than friendly and kind of cocky! If you are in the area looking for good diner food, 24 hour service and great prices then visit Ellys on North ave and Clark!!! Tempo on State street is also better then here!! Tommy.
(1)Dawn H.
Great spot. Cobb salad was fresh and delish. My daughter loved her burger, said it was best burger she's had. We are visiting from out of town and recommend Hashbrowns highly for lunch. We might come back for breakfast same trip to try the duck bacon! Staff was wonderful too.
(4)Ndh H.
French toast was great. Also enjoyed a basic egg white, bacon & cheese omelet which was HUGE. I swear they must use 10 eggs for that thing. Had a side order of wheat toast which was phenomenal, it was thick cut w/Multigrains in the crust. REALLY bread, not Wonder bread out the package. Service was great, very attentive staff.
(4)M. S.
I just had the displeasure of eating at this disgusting establishment for its grand opening this past weekend. My stomach, wallet and pride are still recovering. What a dump! Worst of all, the experience with the customer service was terrible. The blond girl maître d' at the front desk was extremely rude and nasty. We had to wait 20 minutes to be seated, even though the restaurant seating was not at full capacity at 2 PM on Sunday. Apparently the kitchen couldn't handle the full dining room. When the maître d' finally did offer to seat us, she refused to let us sit where we wanted and gave me an attitude when I asked her to sit by the window. In retaliation, she forced us to sit in the middle of the restaurant where we were constantly being bumped into by waiters and other staff. The waitress was also nasty, and didn't even acknowledge us until we had been sitting there for over a half hour. When she finally did take our order, it took over 45 minutes for food to come out. I ordered the Old Town omelette, which was ham, peppers, onions and American cheese. It tasted extremely fried, extremely salty and extremely greasy. The sweet potato hash browns had a slab of butter thrown on top and were dripping with oil. Even though I was sacrificing the calories, the taste wasn't even worth it! The eggs tasted old, rotten and smelly, and the hashbrowns tasted like they had definitely been frozen. As I looked towards the open kitchen, I saw the waiters and chefs handling cooked omelettes with their bare sweaty hands, using their bare hands to salt the food, and coughing all over food. Gross! As soon as I left the establishment, after overpaying for the omelette which was a whopping $12, I felt extremely nauseous and sick for the rest of the day. I must've consumed over 1500 cal of pure fat. Avoid this place at all costs while they are still in business, which luckily for us won't be very long.
(1)Marlene D.
I really wanted to like this place. We went on Sunday for brunch. For starters it's located less than two blocks from the redline and inside it's a really cute setup. We were seated right away. The staff was extremely friendly and the service was excellent. That being said our food was pretty terrible. I ordered the North Sider breakfast burrito with a side of sweet potato hash browns. The burrito was okay but the hash browns were awful. They didn't look or taste like hash browns AT ALL! I also ordered regular has browns but those were even worse. They were brunt, soggy, and bland. When I think hash browns I imagine them to be crispy golden brown with a tasty potato middle. Instead I got mush. My friend ordered scrambled eggs and there were pieces of shell in it, along with one mystery object. Needless to say she did not finish her meal. My husband ordered an omelette, but it was way undercooked. Other people have come here and said they had great food. We may have just ordered the wrong things, but when you go to a place called "HashBrowns" you expect that to be the best thing on the menu, not the worst. And who screws up scrambled eggs?!?!
(2)Rob Z.
If you are ok with mediocre, this is the place for you. Great location with nice outdoor seating area. It's just not anything worth repeating. We went for breakfast today. The service is ok, the coffee tasted like Hills Brothers coffee and is served in wide, shallow mugs, so the coffee gets cold quickly. The eggs were ok but slightly undercooked, and the hashbrowns were nothing to write home about. If fact, I wouldn't even describe them as hashbrowns. Hashbrowns to me are shredded potato that is either pan-fried loose or in a patty. This was neither. This was our second time trying it, and will be our last. There are too many other really good breakfast places around. I recommend you skip this one. Unless you just don't care...
(2)Armila S.
Since I work right up the street I was excited about the opening of hashbrowns so close to work. It took me so long to try it out but I was determined even after hearing bad reviews from my co-workers. So today was the day I started small with an order of sweet potato fries. You can really mess up fries, right? Uh yes you can if you don't cook them! So my fries were raw and gross. However, the lady who answered the phone was very nice and didn't hesitate to allow me to bring them back in exchange for an order of regular fries. Well I guess they taught me cause this time they are rock hard. There is an in between perfect fry. I just know it. Very disappointed and not sure I want to try anything else :(. #fail
(1)Michael B.
Where to begin... "Entrees" come with hash brown potatoes (logical) but the standard is sweet potato prepared with brown sugar (huh?). You have the option of good ol' Idaho's but these were a disaster! There was no "crispy", only "burnt-y". The omelette's were fluffy but dry and bland. I could go on but no need to "pile on"...
(1)Bronco B.
I thought this might be a good find in the neighborhood but that didn't turn out to be the case. The price point is very high for s breakfast place. That probably explains why on a Saturday morning there were only 3 people dining there including myself. I ordered simple scrambled eggs and dry rye toast. The waitress explained they had no rye and gave me a choice of wheat or an English muffin. The eggs were fine and muffin ok but the hash browns odd... Didn't seem cooked. The service was fast and when I received the bill I noticed there was an upcharge for the muffin although the waitress hadn't mentioned anything about that. She apologized but did nothing about it. When she brought my change, I quickly noticed she short changed me $3. I quickly informed her and she couldn't believe she did that and seemed reluctant to return my money but did. There was no manager present or I would have mentioned it to him/ her. This restaurant needs to do a better job, and train their staff. If they adjusted their prices, they might attract more diners. I estimate this restaurant will be gone in one year.
(1)Amanda L.
Fast, good, and well priced! It's the perfect Old Town spot for breakfast. I recommend it to all of The Scott Residences residents. The sweet potato hashbrowns are amazing!
(5)Trevor W.
There are not too many times I am surprised by a new place I try, especially for breakfast. Breakfast is my favorite meal, and luckily most places that offer it do a pretty good job. But Hashbrowns in oldtown is different. Here are just a few of my thoughts. There is a movement going around in the food world called the slow food movement. Hashbrowns has managed to take simple breakfast into this world. You think when you order something simple like eggs, bacon and hashbrowns they might try to "rush" it to you, but not at Hashbrowns. They take their time. My only guess is they must be slow cooking my scrambled eggs and toast. The waiter was also part of the slow movement, giving our group plenty of time to talk and catch up without interrupting to offer coffee or take our order. Don't you hate when you're talking and the wait staff try to butt-in asking stupid questions like "can I get you anything", or "how are you doing this morning?" He managed to stay consistent with this slow wait staff movement throughout the entire meal. After waiting for about 40 minutes for our food, he told us it would just be a few more minutes. Luckily this was not the case and we were able to keep talking about things we would normally never have time for. After about 15 minutes, he came back to tell us it would only be 2-5 minutes more. At this point I decided to pull out the old iPhone timer just for fun. Although it was not 2-5 minutes, we did get our food in 2-10 minutes (plus the other 50-55 minutes that had passed). Well, that's not quite fair. Most of us got our food, the egg sandwich my friend ordered as well as my slow cooked toast took a bit more time to arrive. After an hour, I was also offered another cup of coffee! I hate when I go to a place and they keep trying to pour hot coffee into my cup. At Hashbrowns they allow you to finish the whole cup, and then let the little bit of cold coffee at the bottom dry out before you get any more. I also enjoyed the little coffee creamer packets instead of traditional fresh creamer like some of those snobby brunch spots offer. Same goes for the small plastic packets of jelly for my toast. Are you listening Bang Bang!?, we don't need your "fresh and hand-made" jelly. Now one of the concerns for slow food cooking might be that it's over cooked. Especially for an hour long scrambled egg. However, hashbrowns has managed to not overcook it despite the hour long wait. In fact, if you like cold and runny scrambled eggs, you're going to LOVE this place. They were perfectly wet. Of course when you come to Hashbrowns you have to get the hashbrowns! I got the sweet potato hashbrowns. Now, everyone does hashbrowns a little differently but his place does things a little less traditional. If you like lumpy mashed potato's, then come here for the hashbrowns. Who wants a crispy hashbrown anyway? And it wasn't too hot, I would even say slightly below room temperature. Oh yeah, speaking of we got a great seating spot right next to the door. This allowed a refreshing 20 degree rush of air to come sweeping across us and our food every 15 seconds the door opened making sure we didn't get too warm inside. Now the waiter did apologize for the delay and said he was so happy to serve our food once it came out. But he didn't make things awkward for us by offering any type of discount like some places do. So, if you want to wait for a simple, no frills, "I can make this at home in 5 minutes" but still want to pay the price of an old town restaurant type of breakfast or brunch, please come into Hashbrowns.
(1)Jacked R.
We were really excited to eat here since we really needed a breakfast spot here I live walking distance, i was hoping for much more. Start with the coffee, how can you mess up coffee, looks from the bags scattered around on the shelf that they serve lavazza coffee which is good, but not when you only use half the amount your supposed to, the coffee was like flavored water, it was horrible, and to make it worse the waitress said that its "the best coffee in the city" maybe so if you used the right amount when brewing. About the food, i had the chicken sandwich which was good, my wife had the northsider omlete which she said was flavorless and was very skimpy on the veggies and cheese, the hash brown casserole "killer hashbrowns" was swimming in grease or oil, disgusting guess that's why their called killer. If your going to name your place "Hashbrowns" one would assume you have good hashbrowns ???, Sorry Hashbrowns We wont be back, our money will be spent at yolk or nookies which are right down the street.
(1)Nataliya G.
Very nice, cozy and friendly place. Love they food and coffee. I haven't try anything that I would not like. Everything there is delicious.
(5)Mariela M.
Cute little diner. The coffee was good and the pancakes are huge, but a little dry. The 18th street omelette was delicious. The hash browns were pretty bad. They're super mushy and have an odd taste. Not hash browns you'd expect from a place named Hashbrowns.
(3)Jayne B.
My husband and I went here early Saturday morning, probably got there at about 8:30am. We got in right away and received great service. We each had an omelet and shared a blueberry pancake. I got the sweet potato hashbrowns with my meal and they were delicious! I appreciate having another breakfast option near us other than Yolk. While I do enjoy Yolk, they really crank people through and I felt that Hashbrowns treated us a little more personally. I would definitely recommend them, and I hope they make it! They are in a hard location, as they on the other side of Division from the heart of Old Town.
(4)Latrice M.
From the reviews I read prior to visiting the restaurant I was a little skeptical about having breakfast here. The food was great, the service was excellent and when my husband didn't like something they exchanged it immediately no questions asked. I also noticed outdoor seating which I can't wait to use once it finally warms up. The server also let us know they will start serving Mimosas and Bloody Mary's next month. Great place to go for breakfast.
(5)Baron B.
Nothing special about the menu. The sweet potato hash browns are very bland. The coffee and toast were terrible. There are definitely better brunch options in Old Town/Gold Coast.
(2)Bobuzzi C.
Great place and very friendly staff. I love the big coffee mugs. Definitely pay a little extra to get the Rosemary Hashbrowns. They are awesome. Great place with minimal wait on a Saturday. Would recommend.
(4)Steve M.
I went by myself around noon on a Tuesday and got seated right away. The waitress was friendly and helpful, and the ambiance was cozy and cheerful. The menu was pretty standard. Soups, salads, sandwiches, burgers. I got a cup of coffee and a bacon cheddar burger. The coffee was passable but tasted like it'd been sitting on the hotplate for a long while, and the burger was decent but nothing to write home about. The burger came with a side of sweet potato fries. These were just sad. They get served in the little fryer basket, and they were (1) limp like my shy nephew's handshake, and (2) still dripping grease from the fryer down through the basket and soaking my burger's bottom bun. The biggest takeaway from this place is that, in looking at the menu, everything is like 10% more expensive than I think this place can justify. I dunno. If I'm hungry and I'm down by UIC I might go back, but when I have to stop and consider whether I should just go to the Quiznos down the street, I think that says more about Hashbrowns than it does about Quiznos.
(2)Doniele G.
We go to brunch every saturday and sunday and were excited to have a new spot nearby. Everything about our breakfast was terrible. I have been to the other location numerous times and love it! First of all the 2 top booth tables are uncomfortably close to one another. We were basically eating with the people on either side of us and not in a good way. Since they are so close it was awkward for the waiter to take our order and serve our food. The coffee was BURNT and watered down. You can't be a breakfast restaurant and serve terrible coffee, come on. Our waiter was a whole other issue but i won't get into that. I ordered scrambled eggs assuming you can't go wrong. Well, I was mistaken they weren't even cooked. Last and most importantly, if you are going to have a restaurant called Hashbrowns, you better have pretty good hashbrowns. My husband and I both ordered the normal hashbrowns and they were bad. Both very undercooked and mine were brought over with a pool of butter on top. If you order something well done at a restaurant and its brought over basically raw, there is something off.
(1)Troll K.
I go here almost every Sunday and really like it! The hostess and serves are very friendly. The Eggs Florentine and the sweet potato hash browns are delicious. Definitely check it out!
(4)Brian F.
Ok went at lunchtime the omelet was fine but the hash browns were not edible over salted and basically a pool of grease. Sliced tomatoes I asked for were totally mealy and I wouldn't put on a plate unless I had no pride in what I was serving. The home made soup tasted like Sysco homemade. The only positive was at least the server was polite and friendly.
(1)Ken N.
Unbelievably terrible service. Sat at the bar and waited 45+ minutes for an egg sandwich and "Hashbrowns"
(1)Sarah M.
I've come here twice now since its' opening, and haven't had any problems. The first time, I shared the breakfast nachos with my Mom, it was a huge serving. So delicious, I would order them again. The second time I came with my Sister and shared a breakfast burrito with chorizo, jalapenos, etc. and it was the bomb. We didn't have any problems with portions, food quality, or wait. I think it depends on when you go, if it's a Saturday or Sunday morning/afternoon, maybe bring some extra time with you because everywhere you go will be busy.
(5)Angela B.
Super disappointed. How do you manage to leave a restaurant still hungry? We waited one hour for our food. Our poor server was so embarrassed and our food was comped without us asking. All the tables around us were also waiting forever for their food. When food finally came out of the kitchen, we saw it get sent back. I ordered the omelet with pulled chicken and chipotle sauce. It was supposed to come with Idaho hash browns but arrived with the house sweet potato hash. It was awful. Like a bad chunky version of a Thanksgiving side dish. Gross. The server brought out the Idaho hash and it was mediocre at best. Pretty charred and bland. But the omelet was terrible. Cold. No taste. The chicken was gross with no flavor. I don't think this place will live to see 2014.
(1)Allison M.
I got a medium coffee to go & McDonalds coffee is actually better, for only $1!
(2)Crz C.
It's new that's why it's slow the food a grab a huge coffee cup and relax. Let's give this place a chance
(5)Julie N.
I came with my husband and our baby at 10am on Sunday, the weekend of the Wells Street Art Fest, so a busy weekend for the neighborhood. The place was packed, but there were still a few tables available and we were seated quickly. Service was really friendly and quick, so no complaints there. We each ordered a breakfast burrito, and they were both really good, and a good size. We both ended up taking half our burritos home for later. Ironically, the hash browns were disappointing. I got the sweet potato, and they were just kind of mushy. The Idaho potato hash browns were fine. Also, lest you get conned into the $4 a glass of fresh squeezed OJ, it's not fresh squeezed. At least Tropicana pure premium, not some crappy Minute Maid, but still. If you are going to charge for fresh squeezed, you should serve it.
(4)Melanie B.
Everyone here was very nice! It's a new location, and given all that entails, this place was great. Food was wonderful. I tried a little bit of everyone's food - two different omelets, waffles, and I got the egg nachos, which were amazing!!! Huge portions, friendly service, accomodating for children. The only thing I hope is that they are able to serve mimosas in the future. But either way, I will definitely be back.
(5)jennifer b.
We have been to this location a few times and each time it is just as good as the last! The service is great, food is always good, I love the breakfast sandwich, so good! Another thing that is great is that Hashbrowns is kid friendly we have an 11 month old and we are always greeted with smiles all around! Great neighborhood place that is in need of a breakfast/lunch spot.
(5)S t.
I think it speaks volumes that every Saturday and Sunday mornings to afternoons, this place is empty. In a city that loves their brunch, this place is not good, as most agree.
(1)Fabian R.
Food was great, nice portions for the price, but being cheap doesn't mean your service have to be really bad, the busboys were missing in action, we have to call them to clean our table so we can eat, our waitress brought our food and we have to call her back to have silverware, never provide spices for the food, my daughter have to stand up and take it from another empty table, we have our glasses empty during the meal because never offer a refill on a hot day, and a little tip from two persons that are service industy managers, you are providing a service, you customer don't have to pack their food, if you want tip you do it, your customer are enjoing a meal, if they have to work we order to go or delivery, bad experience in general, I don't recommen this place
(2)Gogi B.
Hashbrowns sucks super big time. When I first saw this place being built, it look like a good family restaurant to eat at. So I decided, this will be a special place to eat at with my adult son, when he returns from the country of Chile. So he's here and we did, I was all excited to eat their because I had told him about it. It was my first experience with my son eating there. It was disappointing No flavor to the food. And the Maxwell burrito is bulls**t. It is full of nothing but eggs and a few chips of meat that you can't taste and maybe you will see a sighting of a couple of miniature pieces. Some hostesses / food servers stood around with unpleasant facial expressions that really added to the taste to the awful tasting food. They looked as if they didn't want to be at work or wished we would hurry up and eat & get out. We got their around 2pm & they closed the kitchen at 3pm. (When I asked about the time frame or would it be an inconvenience, they said no problem and welcomed us and seated us) Then near finishing our meal they tried to remove our plates from in front of us, without permission (I wasn't finish eating). Then I started smelling a strong scent of a floor cleaning solution, they were mopping the floor a few feet away from us, while we were eating. This place sucks for real. If I do go back being dragged against my will screaming and kicking, maybe I will try the French toast that had strawberries on it (that's what the couple next to us had.) Place is nice, food sucks but my dining with my son was wonderful. Mommie Loves yah Little Ronald xoxox (oh the left over half of my max burrito, I took it home and stuffed it with meat and eat it)
(1)Perry G.
Was walking by and popped in for breakfast w/o checking the reviews. Huge mistake. The space is bright, clean and inviting. The food is awful: massive quantities of low quality ingredients that have been poorly prepared. Omelets resemble wallboard in consistency. The only discernible seasoning is salt, accompanied by salt. No one could reasonably eat here a second time. It's really that bad.
(1)Kristina W.
Being a breakfast lover, I was looking forward to trying Hashbrowns, but it was very underwhelming and I won't be going back. I was excited for the sweet potato hashbrowns, but they were more like a buttery casserole (good in it's own way), but not the crispy hashbrown style I prefer. Not worth it.
(2)Myles P.
I'd avoid this place. We ordered food via Grubhub and got the completely wrong order. When we called, the manager was rude and said that there was nothing he could do and to call Grubhub (who were great by the way). I would never support a business that doesn't apologize for its mistakes.
(1)Kate Z.
We have been waiting to try Hashbrowns for months , but what total disappointment ! Do not waste your time or money at this place. We waited 30 min for a table after we were told 15-20 min. This is understandable at most breakfast places in the area, but then waited 45+ min for our food. We started with oatmeal , which could double as wallpaper paste, served with some sort of maple / brown sugar which tasted like chemicals! The coffee cups are huge, yet they still couldn't keep up with giving any table refills. The waitstaff is clueless and almost everything we ordered she said " there will be a small upcharge". The food is WAY overpriced for the greasy overcooked mess they bring you. There is such a thing as quality over quantity. How can you get blueberry pancakes wrong?! The were smothered in canned blueberry sauce and served with some white sauce and a sided of what looked like strawberry sauce. The sweet potato Hashbrowns are not Hashbrowns... There are more like frozen mashed sweet potatoes... They were also full of grease and flavorless. One person had an egg white omelet with maybe 2 pieces of tomato and a teaspoon of feta... It was also smothered in grease. Breakfast food is easy and best kept simple, but they have managed to ruin it. The prices are outrageous ... $12 for pancakes.!? Also they may want to get the servers some sort of uniforms.. Our server had a sheer white tee shirt and black bra, and one of the bus boys had a white polo type shirt on that was FiLTHY! Also the silverware was cheap and clearly was not new because it was dull and bent. The check envelope ( which the check comes to the table in) had a worn away Chilis logo! We wanted to like this place but it's a bad combo of long wait, terrible service, nasty greasy overpriced food and clueless servers.... I don't think that they will be around too long !
(1)Tricia S.
I really hope this place makes it, but it won't until they get their kitchen in order. We arrived at 1:00 PM. on a Saturday, and didn't get our food until 2:10 PM. And we only ordered an omelet and a sandwich!! The waitress was very apologetic and explained that this was only their second weekend, but they have another restaurant and should know how to do this by now. We asked the waitress to send the owner over, but he wouldn't come to the table. At least two other tables who came in after us got their food before us, so obviously there is a lot of disarray. The food was OK, and was comped, but really not worth waiting over an hour for!! If you go, be sure to ask how long the wait is for food, not just for a table. I'd recommend heading to the 3rd Coast on Dearborn instead.
(1)Corina G.
Breakfast is a essential to start off your day perfect not just right and the best place in the city is this trendy hot spot Hashbrowns! Since day 1, the menu always seems to surprise me and my taste buds. Today I was stuck between newly added the pilsen eggs benedict and my personal favorites, their phenomenal buttermilk pancakes and eggwhite taylor st. omelette. Everything is just so divine! Did I mention their hashbrowns?? The killer hashbrowns are always tempting along with the house speciality, sweet potato hashbrowns! I really do not know how this amazing place received any bad reviews. And I feel like I have to back up my favorite place. Being a UIC college student I know that sometimes eating out can be tight on our wallets. But to the people who mentioned the prices, if you think the prices are unreasonable then I mean eat at home. For a college student again I think the prices are extremely reasonable especially when the portions are double the size and I always have leftovers to take home to enjoy the next morning. I feel like on yelp everyone thinks they are the world's only and best food critic. And in reality most of the people that commented even myself are. I hate when people bad mouth places especially hashbrowns when its family owned. Just when walking in, you get that cozy feeling, you see even the owners and their family helping out, which amazes me. Customer service to top it off is the best! All the servers are friendly, welcoming. Some even remember my order and me! They just dont rush to have me in and out. They actually have conversations with me and all the other customers. Service like this always has me coming in. From the hashbrowns on maxwell to the hashbrowns on wells and division, hashbrowns will always be #1 when it comes to breakfast and lunch in the city of Chicago and possibly the whole wide world. Love you guys and thank you!!!
(5)Jon H.
30 minute wait for a table, understandable for Sunday brunch on their opening weekend. 1 hour 15 minute wait to get our food after we were seated, NOT understandable. The worst part is that the food (we had 2 kinds of omelette at $12 each) was too oily and nothing special. I hope they work things out but currently they seem to be in disarray.
(1)Yingxue L.
This is my first time to write a review in yelp and I have to say that this restaurant has the Worst Steak ever! It doesn't even taste like steak! I don't know what kind of meat it is....Coffee tastes really bad as well. Eggs and other stuff are just ok.Also, me and my two other friends feel really sick after eating, I think their food are just not clean enough or something... The waitress was nice to change the steak, but that doesn't change the fact that this restaurant is of one of the worst restaurants I've ever been!
(1)Jeff K.
Food was just ok. Better breakfasts at either Yolk or Elly's. Hashbrowns were just average and a little oversalted, surprising for a place called Hashbrowns. Our server was pleasant and attentive.
(2)Nancy G.
Great new place with a lot of potential! The atmosphere and decor are nice. It's clean! The hostess was AMAZING especially to our young daughter! She even gave her two Halloween cookies, which she gobbled down! We will be back if nothing else besides that! The hashborwn platter is huge, share! Worth trying to get an idea of the various offerings. Food seems ok and there are a lot of options. One minor downside, service was a bit slow. We waited for a table only about 5-10 minutes. But at the table waited for about 45 minutes. Which for a new place learning and new kitchen are not bad. We waited at Kinella on wells much longer! Coffee is fine btw. It's just more of a European coffee.
(4)Bella C.
The atmosphere is cute so I had high hopes for this place but I was disappointed with the food. I ordered eggs florentine Benedict. The poached eggs were overcooked and filled with water on the inside. The famous sweet potato hash browns, which I was very excited to try was burnt and did not look like hashbrowns just mushed up sweet potato. My friend ordered the French toast that looked good but there are far more better breakfast places to go to in the city so I will not be returning. Also, the waitress never asked us how our food was and if we needed anything else. It's a shame because for a brand new restaurant you would think the key focus would be the quality of the food.
(2)Stephanie M.
So happy there are now 2 locations. I've been going to Hashbrown's on Maxwell for years and I love it. I like that the new location has the same decor as the original. The omelettes are delicious as are the hashbrowns and sausage. I always go with a group of people and someone gets the pancakes (which are amazing!!) so I try to have a bite or two of those. Coffee is good and hot, and if I don't finish the cup and it gets cold, instead of a refill I ask the waitress for a fresh cup and I've never been turned down! The wait staff is friendly & competent, just like on Maxwell.
(5)Daniel S.
It was packed at 9:30 , though after eating here for the first time I cant imagine why. Service was slow and inattentive. It took at least 35 minutes to get our food with no coffee refills in the meantime. Omelets were average at best and if I had not known that it was served with sweet potato hash browns I never would have called them that. They were more like a pile of shredded sweet potatos that were microwaved. I love potatos of all forms and didn't even finish them. Definitely will not rush back here, there are too many known good options in the area.
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