Bryn Mawr Breakfast Club — Restaurant in Jefferson Township

Summer mornings in Chicago, when sunny and bright, entice my wife and me to eat breakfast. We caved into our cravings recently by visiting Bryn Mawr Breakfast Club. Though usually busy, on the Friday morning we went there was no wait, and started our day with a bang!

We arrived at the quaint space and sat down near the middle of the restaurant, which was surprisingly roomier than the initial impression. The accommodating staff brought out water and took our order. My wife got her favorite, Two Eggs plus Plain Hotcakes, and I ordered one of their daily specials, the Borrachos Rancheros. I also got a refreshing freshly squeezed orange juice, while my wife got another one of her morning staples, a black coffee.

It did not take long for our food to hit the table. The first thing we noticed about our plates was the portion sizes, as they were plentiful! My wife ate with her eyes as she stared down at her two plates full of food, planning her first move. I immediately took my fork and knife to dig into the yummy-looking, tiny mountain of poached eggs, chorizo, and avocado topped with sour cream with sides of rice, beans, and plantains. Starting with the rice and beans, they tasted average, a bit underseasoned, but well cooked. The plantain tasted as expected and made a nice salty and sweet pairing with the rice and beans. The star of the show was the Borrachos Rancheros.

It was a Mexican-inspired eggs-benedict-type dish, except the English muffins were substituted with a crunchy tostada, the hollandaise with delicious salsa and sour cream, and Canadian bacon with chorizo. One word to describe my first bite, "wow!" Balanced textures and flavors made each bite exciting and made me go in for more. What could have been a fatty and salty mush was a mix of crunch and softness, and the fat and salt paired with the freshness of the salsa and cooling sour cream. Sad to report, I finished it before my wife could finish one of her eggs, but she was kind enough to share some of her hotcakes. The hotcakes did not levitate me back to the feeling of eating the Borrachos Rancheros, but they were first-rate nonetheless! Along with this, I ate a few mouthfuls of my wife's potatoes, and they were good as well, though not my favorite bite of the morning.

In summary, Bryn Mawr Breakfast Club has become one of our go-to breakfast spots! Our experience was enjoyable, and the daily specials and menu staples made it tough to pick one thing to eat, thus, we will return to...

This is my first one star review in years, because I never get treated so horrendously that I feel compelled to come online and share my experience hoping to save a few. The attitude on the servers at this restaurant is nasty, uncalled for, and shattering. No one walks into a breakfast spot expecting to get treated like complete trash, but it’s what a friend and I got, for no reason at all. We asked if we could choose a different table and the man who led us who ended up being our server was very upset at this request and we were met with attitude from that moment on. He was rude throughout our dining, and when we asked for a check and some to go boxes he showed us the plates he was carrying but quite literally extending his arms out to show us the plates and said, “I’m carrying these hang on” with a very nasty attitude. We tried to get over his attitude at the VERY beginning of being seated, but that display of passive aggression and form of punishment for diners who asked for their check is INSANE. That one put my friend over the edge. The server didn’t give us a bag to take our carry outs with either, just styrofoam boxes. Honestly, as soon we walked out, I apologized many times to my friend for being the one to suggest we eat there. It had been years since we’ve both been able to grab breakfast with each other, and as I see long lines for this place every weekend, I figured it was a good spot. I will actively let all my friends and family know to avoid this place at all costs, unless they want to choke on their meal from being so angry from the treatment these servers give. I say servers because the lady (another server) I ended up asking for a bag to also had a major attitude. The service here was horrific, but the food was decent. Needless to say, we lost our appetite...

If the crowds of people standing in 90° heat waiting on a table didn't convince you that this outwardly humble restaurant is worth the trip, you'll get it as soon as you enter. The service staff moves with a clinical efficiency while maintaining the graciousness of a family member making you your favorite meal. Heads up, this will become your favorite meal. Immediately.

I had been craving bread pudding for a few days now so only the best in Chicagoland would do. I asked around, compared notes, and ended up going with a recommendation from a comic friend of mine. They told me that this was the authority and the only place to go. It was a one hour Uber ride from the West loop, and it has a 45 minute wait on average. I got a seat at the bar and took in my surroundings, eclectic farm house style decoration abuzz with the conversation of church families, mothers visiting daughters from LA, old college buddies catching up, hung over brunch dates, and old men chewing the fat. My food came almost immediately after I ordered: Bread Pudding French Toast.

Heavy cream, citrus coulis, blueberries and strawberries adorn thick slices of bread pudding, crisp on the outside and gooey and soft on the inside. It wasn't too sweet, wasn't too heavy, and was perfect in consistency and flavor. 5 stars, and I wish I could have had two stomachs to eat many many...