Mark T.
Yelp
The synonym...I mean the cinnamon rolls though! These things are legit! A standard side comes with two of them, and they are large enough to last me several days! (Lately my appetite has been reduced from the usual voraciousness for reasons we won't discuss). The dough is fresh, and the cinnamon is noticeable but won't have you coughing. Then there is the frosting... it is abundant, flavorful, and has just a teeny bit of crispness up top, kind of like a really great Krispy Kreme donut!
Alas, based on my experience, the cinnamon rolls are the only things worth visiting for, and even those can be ordered to-go. I ordered the 2 eggs (over medium), with bacon, and for my sides, I ordered the hash browns + cheese, and the cinnamon rolls.
The eggs? They were a true over-medium, but lacked any salt or seasoning. To be fair, it was provided on the table, but shouldn't food leave a kitchen ready to eat? Adding more salt/pepper should be an option, not a necessity. Extra-lean bacon was fine, only I grumble that regular bacon wasn't available. Bacon should be bacon-y!
The hash browns, though, were an outrage. First, these had no crispness of any kind. It seemed as though they were boiled, thrown onto a griddle for three seconds (if that), topped with pre-shredded cheese from a bag, and put onto the plate. Second, they were hilariously bland - look, with the eggs I was a little more forgiving, though with the potatoes I draw the line! Third is value: the thing that makes $13.45 acceptable for two eggs and a few bacon strips is the fact that two sides are included...Cinnamon rolls? Great! you get two large pastries! But with the potatoes, you get about a serving spoon; these two are not equivalent. Three-and-a-half: what's the bagged shredded cheese about? Y'all know the anti-caking agents mean it doesn't melt right, right?
Finally, where I want to give them kudos is the speed of the service. The sweets came out before I finished washing my hands, and the eggs/bacon/potatoes followed very soon after.
Ann Sather may be an institution, but as a newcomer to Chicago, it failed to win over my heart as a sit-down place, only as a takeaway, and only for one item. I do not feel it is worth paying close to $20 for food I can make three times better at home for a fraction of the cost.