The Onion Roll — Restaurant in Oak Park

Giving 2 stars for service and atmosphere.

TLDR - Daly Bagel or Great American Bagel, although a chain, are way better choices.

Came here because I had heard that I needed to try it. Also, we missed out on our normal bagel spot (the Daly bagel) being open today.

I know that things have gotten expensive over the last couple years but to pay over $40 with tip included for a cup of plain black coffee and two bagel sandwiches (no sides) is absurd. I normally would be OK with it if the food was super flavorful, but both my wife and I thought that we had Covid when we left the restaurant because we literally couldn’t taste anything. No salt in the eggs, no flavor in my turkey and bacon sandwich…I struggled desperately to find the garlic and seasoning in the everything bagel I got. Also, they charged $5 (five dollars) to add two strips of bacon to my sandwich which is just insane in itself.

Just for reference, you can get the same exact meal that we ordered (even with a large cold brew included) for $34 with tip included at The Daly Bagel. AND there’s actually flavor present.

In addition to this, the bagels definitely tasted old like they were a day or maybe even two/three days old. Not sure what happened there, but they were a struggle to chew, and my wife actually made a comment when we left that she could taste blood in her mouth from how hard her bagel had been.

Totally aware that today is New Year’s Eve and want to be sympathetic to them being busy, but the place was far from slammed, even though there was only one server.

Great American bagel down the street is a corporate chain and honestly it’s so much better than this place. We like supporting Mom and Pop family owned businesses, but this place is absolutely not worth it.

Maybe I’ll come back and try the corned beef or a pastrami on rye to get the full “deli experience” but as far as their bagels are concerned, I’m definitely never trying them again. Very...

The Onion Roll is a charming, no-frills neighborhood spot that delivers on nostalgia and comfort. As soon as you walk in, you're greeted with the warm, unmistakable aroma of fresh baked goods and deli classics—a throwback to the kind of Jewish delis that are increasingly hard to find.

The star, of course, is the onion roll itself: soft, savory, and packed with that rich, caramelized onion flavor that somehow makes every sandwich better. Whether you're ordering a classic pastrami on rye, a corned beef melt, or even just a breakfast egg sandwich, the onion roll elevates it.

Portions are generous, the service is friendly in that authentic, old-school way, and there's a steady stream of regulars who clearly treat this place like a second home. The menu isn’t trendy or Instagram-bait, but that’s the point—it’s comfort food done right.

A couple of things to note: the décor is a bit dated, and peak hours can be busy, so patience helps. But if you’re looking for hearty, well-made deli food with character, The Onion Roll...

I order here at least once every 2 weeks. I only order take out and have never dined in so Im not exactly qualified to rate the atmosphere or service outside of counter service.

FOOD: I always order their bagels which are absolutely DELICIOUS!!!! They have the perect crispy outer later with a dense yet soft inside. I LOVE the everything bagel, the salt bagel, and the rosemary salt bagel (though I wish they would put just a pinch more rosemary on it). For me this is hands down my favorite bagel place in the area. They also have really good matzah ball soup.

SERVICE: The service is always good but there is one taller young gentleman in particular who goes above and beyond as far as customer service. He always makes my order perfect, provides service with a smile, and makes the mornings a little less drab for me. (I will update with his name later). Ive never had bad service here, however, if theyre busy you may wait a little longer than usual, but they are well...