Modern Grill

My favorite diner in Chicago!! A tiny little place that puts out some wonderful food. Seems to be family owned and operated and they are all a delight! I will definitely be returning!!

The sweetest employees work here! I went in on my own for a quick bite and they did not disappoint.

Best 10$ Ryb eye steak sandwich!!! Happened to stop by this place by accident, and boy, i was happy i did. Dont let the design of the place fool you. The food is really good, has very affordable prices and service was great! My steak sandwich was nothing but amazing and healthy. Loved it, delicious!!! If you are in the area, give them a try. You and your pocket won't be disappointed

SO much food for such a great price! Really solid diner food. Highly recommend!! Service was also excellent. Very nice staff :)

I just left the establishment and A LOT has changed. The food used to be great and the service was awesome at one point. Today I walked in to order something, and the lady told me I had to pay upfront or they couldn’t even fix the meal! I haven’t been in this place in over 2 years. I used to be able to sit here and pay afterward and also a few times in the past that I’ve ordered at the cash register. They went ahead and made the meal and then I paid for it. .The lady was very short with me and downright dismissive and rude, but cook was very nice , so I just took the takeout menu and left , im guessing due to the circumstances in the neighborhood,( a large homeless population😞) it has gotten to the point where not only you’re not even talked to in a respectful manner you are rudely dismissed! I was taught to treat people with courtesy and respect . Little do they know , Im financially fit enough not only to buy a meal I could probably rent the place !! Sad😔😔😔

Worst restaurant I have ever been to. When there open, which is not often or by the house posted on the door, the staff member was so lazy she wouldn't even walk over to where I was sitting at the counter to take my order. She wanted me to come to the cash register. I got so fed up I left and went somewhere else. I read your reply. First, when the employee said I had to come to the register to order she started to get an attitude. Second, I do NOT pay for food in any restaurant before getting my meal. I know of no other restaurant that demands this. Third, when I informed the employee I am hearing impaired I got a nasty look. Forth, I have trouble walking do to injured knees, this made no difference. I have walk past the door at 11am on a Saturday and the closed sign was still in the window and on your website it states tho opening hour as 9am. I will never patronize your establishment again. This is the last time I'm going to waist on this post. I did not yell or even raise my voice in the restaurant. Also, it seems you have an excuse for everything that I wrote. It also seems to me that your posts were on the side side. So don't worry, I'm not about to reenter an establishment that lacks common courtesy.

I’m not sure the woman’s name who typically works there, but she is so lovely. I go there mostly just for her. She is so kind and it makes me feel like I’m back in a small town. The food is good too, don’t get me wrong, but the great service is something that is rare to find in the city.

First time visiting. This place may not appear to be anything special, but the food and service are great. Awesome veggie burger and plenty of fries to go with it at a reasonable price. The people working there are very friendly and helpful.

The Modern Grill is one of a vanishing breed of traditional diners, and it's definitely worth a visit for both historical reasons and the fantastic food. The first thing you'll notice is the movie-set-like interior with the classic diner stools (there's also comfortable table seating). The interior dates to the 1940s, when the Grill was established. The most "recent" owners have had it since 1988. But the history goes back even further, and outside the door you'll find tile with the initials of the Irish immigrant who built the building in 1912 and ran a pub in this space. But what about the food? In short, it's terrific. The menu is classic diner, with a full range of breakfast and lunch offerings, and a different soup every day. And the prices are impressively reasonable considering the prime location in Lakewood East. There's no better way to judge a diner than by its burger, and you'll be hard-pressed to find a better one. It's served on a grilled fresh roll with all the fixings I like: lettuce, tomato, onion (raw or grilled), pickles (I had them substitute mine for sweet relish), mustard, and mayo. Add cheese and a pile of crispy bacon and you're in heaven. What's heaven without a side of halos.. er, I mean onion rings. These were super crispy, beer-battered, and served in a big pile. I wanted to leave some, but I didn't. Chris, the owner, is incredibly friendly, and makes sure everything is perfect. This place is a real gem.

The food here is crazy good. I have never been disappointed. Everything is made to order and comes hot off the grill.

The parking isn't great, but the food is good, the service is good and friendly staff.

This place is nothing fancy but if you want a meal your way it is the place to come to. Don't let the "Chicago Greasy Spoon" appearance discourage you. I have begun my day with Harry and Chris for more then 10 yrs. I have a meal plan that I need to follow and they both work with me to have a delicious breakfast within my boundaries. They listened to my desire to have "Country Scrambled" eggs and now they make them better then me. I can read my paper, sip my coffee and have a great beginning of my day in a family run business that deserves support.

It was a really nice homely place the staff was super nice and the food was really good and it wasn't expensive at all every other restaurant in the area is like $30 for meal but here I got a burger and fry's and a pop for $15 we'll come back soon

Reading a few of the previous reviews I feel as if I was at a different place. All the negativity that oozed from some of those reviews I just did not see or experience. We had a fantastic bite to eat here and some great chit chat from the people in here working. Such a great experience. Not being from the area made it hard to find places to eat so most times we used the handy Yelp app or just walked into establishments. The latter was our reason for finding this place. It didn't hurt that we finally decided that we were hungry while standing on the corner in front of this place. Walking in you really feel as if you are in a diner. The way this place is setup is a bit weird, but it works. After looking over the menu overhead for a bit we both decided it would be a light bite to eat and then we would be on our way. I ordered a BLT and my friend had wanted a tuna salad sandwich. This place must be a busy place as they had just sold the last tuna to the lady that was there before us. My friend, a little bummed, was able to be persuaded by the ladies here that the chicken salad sandwich was just as good. He can confirm that it was as he devoured it. My BLT was amazing as well. Bacon cooked fresh and the lettuce and tomato were fresh and crisp. I must say I was a little perplexed as to why there were pickle slices on the plate with this, but I wasn't going to hate because I ate those pickles too. The bacon was so crispy that I wanted more of it. During our visit we had a chance to speak to the ladies in here. They were funny and caring. We had inquired about the hours. On Yelp the hours are not correct. They informed us that Friday and Saturday they are open later hours. Perfect for us. Thank you ladies for an excellent bite to eat and the great conversation.

FIVE STARS IF YOU LOVE A BASIC DINER!!! Ok food hipsters, this isn't the place for you. Head somewhere else or across the street. For those of us who were raised going to a place where they fry eggs in butter, know how to make crunchy hashbrowns and watered down coffee that you can drink 10 cups of - this is the place for you. Fried Egg sandwich is good to go. Order it on white bread with bacon, lettuce and tomato for a blast from the greasy past.

Simple diner in the area. Modern grill is an old school corner eatery that you count on a good full meal. You will not find the latest and most in trend foods here, but you will find the classics done well. I had a eggs, sausage, hash browns and they we're great. The plate was big and hot. Cup of coffee and toast on the side for a total of $11.50. I'll be coming by here again on Saturday mornings.

The food is good, the portions are good but the staff , they could do better like clean up the place. The girls that work there are always on their cell phones while I have a empty cup of water and an empty cup of coffee. The floor are NASTY as hell as you can tell in the photos. I'm sorry looks like month old dust and dirt. The floors were dark. One of the girls that work there DON'T cover her hair with a net or a hat. Get off phone and stop texting and take care of your customers.

I'm surprised on how cheap the prices are for such a prime location on Halsted & Belmont. This diner is great for an easy place to eat, with their menu being typical diner foods and pretty limited as well. The boyfriend got some pancakes and I got their modern grill special burger! Which included onion rings (which was what sold me) and bacon. All that in a burger for ~$6.95? Pretty awesome if you ask me. They get a bonus for having a lottery ticket vending machine.. fueling my up and coming addiction for them scratchers..

Ordered a veggie omelette from Modern Grill for lunch one day on my work break. The omelette itself was decent, and came with two slices of wheat toast and some hash browns. I've had better breakfast elsewhere but Modern Grill is pretty convenient. I did place my order online and was supposed to have a soda included which they forgot to provide. However, the quality of the food is definitely worth the price. If you're looking for an enjoyable breakfast atmosphere, this isn't the place for you. The interior leaves a little to be desired.

I am the queen of these little short order joints. No, really. My fastidious ways go out the window as I wallow in the grease and grime inherent in these little outposts. I just use a lot of napkins. This place, though . . . I can't use napkins to wipe down the sweaty, dirty workers. After I asked the guy to wipe down the counter, his soapy fingers dripped into my water. Then, those fingers went in the glass he gave me for my lemonade. No thanks, just give me a straw, I'll drink it out of the can. The guys behind the counter were more interested in arguing than waiting on us. I guess you have to be drunk to eat here? The $3.85 egg, cheese and ham sandwich was good, but not good enough to endure my shuddering from the really, really dirty surroundings.

This is one of my favorite places in Lakeview. Now beware: it's kind of scary! There's something about the cooks and the servers that keeps you wandering down what kind of paths their lives went. I find it entertaining. It is perfect, greasy comfort food that they serve. Starting from nice, well soaked in egg french toasts (my personal favorite!) through patty melt on rye, the food is very tasty, but it is greasy. The prices are very decent too. Free WiFi available. Just cutting off one star because it's not perfectly clean, sometimes the tables can be delicately sticky...

I have been coming here every week for awhile now and I will say they are a great diner in a central location. Would highly recommend!

We came here from out of town looking for an unpretentious, good breakfast place in the area. We were happy to find a good old fashioned diner that was no frills, but good breakfast basics. Modern Grill was everything we were looking for. The food was hot and prepared fresh, one minute after we ordered it, which was all I'm looking for in a true diner. Everything was fresh and delicious and my whole family enjoyed their meals. If you're looking for a good breakfast spot for some bacon and eggs, this is your spot. If you want fancy and expensive avocado toast you won't find it here, but you will find a lovely waitress with unlimited coffee and really what more do you need?

This is a classic case of the people leaving negative reviews just being completely oblivious that not every place in the world is going to be tailored to their personal taste. If you're looking for a solid neighborhood diner and a cheap meal, this is a good spot. Staff is beyond friendly on both of the occasions I've been in (different people working too). Don't go here expecting culinary innovation or hipster cred, what you see is exactly what you get and it's suited us just fine.

Ok, totally NOT what was expected. When we left the Briar Theatre after the show, the kids were complaining that they were hungry. We don't know the neighborhood so we just popped into the Modern Grille. Not sure what to get, but the staff was really nice and happy to help. We ended up with gyro, an order of cheese sticks and grilled cheese. My son told me the sticks were the best he's had and the grilled cheese was cooked perfectly. Gyro was delicious and We also got sides of crispy fries that were yummy. So happy we stopped here on a whim!

I just tried The New Modern Grill for the first time yesterday after passing by for the last 5 years. The only thing I can say is that I should've tried it 5 years prior. I ended up trying the Ham egg and cheese sandwich on toasted rye, and the Ribeye sandwich, and both were phenomenal...so much so that I just reordered them 30 minutes ago! I've only ordered for pick up both times, so I can't comment on the dine in experience, but the staff was warm, welcoming, and had the personality of an old school diner crew. I've read the negative reviews on this place before giving them a shot and I'd like to address a few things. 1.I've worked in multiple restaurants and cuisines in the last 5 years, and all of them marry their ketchups. It's not gross at all. 2. If you don't like dining around homeless people (who have just as much right to be there as you ) then dine in the daytime, and you'll bypass them. Or take your order to go. 3. while yes the decor is a little dated, it brings with it a certain charm, and I hope they stick with an old school style that is nice and modern. 4. You should know going in that this place is a greasy spoon. Don't act surprised when it's exactly that. (Look at the menu, the price point, and the service style, and layout of the diner and you should know it's not a juice bar. It's vintage Americana.) Keep doing what you're doing guys, and don't let these pompous asses bring you down!

The place is decent. What you see is what you get. Decent prices. It is nice to see an old time type of place still around. I hope it stays around past my lifetime. As for the jagbag yokel complaining they don't have sweet tea-this ain't the South sonny boy. See ya!

Eggs over easy , hash browns, sausage links, rye toast - all toasted to perfection, excellent quality - better then Stella's dinner. Entertaining view of the city , sit at the counter near the window do some people watching, buy some lottery tickets. The morning cook has hard exterior but very nice and an expert on the grill.

It is like an old restaurant in a small country town near a highway. My grandpa had such a gas station and my grandma ran the diner part. I love places like this. The fare is simple. The seating is comfortable. It is not too expensive. The people on both sides of the counter are real old school folks. The coffee just tastes like coffee. The chicken soup was pretty good with a good amount pf chicken. I bought $5 in scratch off tickets and won $4. That pretty well expresses how well I like this place.

ATTENTION!! ATTENTION!! THERE IS A HUGE PENIS ON YOUR FOREHEAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ok now that we have that out of the way. I have found the perfect hang over breakfast. I am going to call it the Hurt Special. Gyro omelet cooked to perfection with a side of hash browns drenched in hot sauce. Two pieces of toast also included. Just don't try and kiss anyone for at least 6 to 8 hours. Actually you should probably lock yourself in a room somewhere and just stay away from anything breathing. Priced at under 6 dollars this certainly is the complete hangover helper (not bad for your wallet either). Don't be scared of the New Modern Grill, for it is good. Since you do have a penis on your forehead, try and keep your balls out of the food.

Talk about a waste of time so i went here gad breakfast and was like ok this will be my before work spot but the last visit I had was awful i sat at the counter waiting fir 10 minutes before someone got to me then after that long wait i asked for a sweet tea and they didnt have it im like its time to go because the one guy who cooks was cooking orher stuff i wont be back

This honestly might have been the worst meal I've ever had in my life. It was greasy, and well, canned mushrooms can't make any experience that great. I will not be going back. It appeared that this place was a homeless hangout. Lovely.

I've been here twice and both times I've had decent service. When you go to this place you kind of already know what your gonna get just judging by the decor. There are however a few issues I have with this place. The potatoes suck, the price is decent, but at the end of the day there are better diners/grills in Lakeview. I have only had breakfast here and the stars are for the food, because they are OK but it doesn't impress me. You're mainly paying for the convenience of someone making something for you that you can make at home, and I'm fine with that. Can Chicago get a fucking Waffle House please!

To Chris K. It seems that you spend More time investigating and trying to belittle people on here then Actually focusing on making your restaurant better cleaner and that goes for your attitude as well. My review hasn't changed about your corner diner. I didn't post right after I was there. I tend not to be glued to yelp as much as You are. I dont know what you mean by using the yelp app number? After checking your info, You have the same number on yelp and Google maps. I didn't call you. I've known about your diner for years but most of the time went to stellas diner or Ann Sathers where its Much better atmosphere and food quality. Yes, I did mention that your food tasted like it was out of a can, although I dont know what you mean by the meat that was "taken out " The reason Ininnitially gave youn2 stars was because I liked the pancakes and the eggs were okay. Your hash browns tasted very bad. Your place Is what it is but your attitude and disregard for hygiene doesn't help it. Your desperation to write how I have many bad reviews to justify me being Too much of a critic and you having a Good diner might give you some satisfaction, But Doesn't give anyone a red light to continue to write bad reviews as its clearly shown. Like I said I gave you 2 stars, but Now You have one because This is hilarious.

Well, let's see... they deep fried my Chicago style hot dog and put ketchup on it*, the whole place smelled like a clean rest area off the skyway, and as soon as I walked in, some of the regulars laughed at me and asked me if I was "one of those queer boys" because of my long hair. Still, I highly recommend this place to those who think rude service means good because of Chicago style traditions (which makes no sense, but to each his own) and you have a deep interest on a near-sexual level for clogged arteries (ditto). It does what it does well, and that's the "buy your processed fleshbrick and get out because you're the scum of the earth" schtick, which pleases some people. That's its specialty, and some people think that's real food (double ditto). *(As a side note, I love ketchup on hot dogs. Now, before you send me to the food heresy gulag out in Kankakee to hammer sheet metal, I will say that IT'S A FLIPPIN' HOT DOG, I EAT WHAT I WANT ON IT. However, if I ask for a Chicago style hot dog, as in this case, and without question they put ketchup on it in the place of mustard, as in this case, they have only a vague idea of what a Chicago dog is. QED)

Great portion and great price. Too bad their opening hours suck. I bet they could earn tons more if they open at night, considering the location. Complete hole-in-the-wall atmosphere. Yet too bad they ONLY do omelets - I requested to get my eggs scrambled but they basically said I could take it apart myself when I get it.... is scrambled eggs too insulting for the chef??? OMG All I can say is the prices are great for what you get n its perfect for hangovers. Still love it!!

I try to make it for lunch at least once a week ... I really like the big portions when I order breakfast ... I'm always good for the rest of the day. The staff is friendly so don't be afraid to joke around. Its not busy at all around 11am but start to get busier closer to 12pm. I had a craving for chocolate milk one day (not on their menu last time I checked) but they had no problem making it for me. Bring a friend or a newspaper and relax. Oh, and they now accept debit cards!

Nice, simple place to get a burger. Yes, its super greasy but its really great!! Great, quick service and almost no wait times.

This is definitely where you want to go. The workers are friendly and funny and the food feels more home-cooked than what you'd expect at a diner. The whole atmosphere is the perfect modern throw back to a 'home away from home'.

Love this place! Great, good ole fashion diner food!! The lady who served us was extremely friendly and I would recommend!!!

This location has such potential. Right on the corner of belmont and halsted. Fantastic old "grill" sign on the building. In the right hands, this place would have a line around the block. It just seems like the ownership doesn't care. I actually saw them marrying ketchup bottles (pouring one into another) right there in front of everyone. I'm pretty sure that is a food safety violation and, even if it isn't, it is really disgusting. Nothing is clean. Shelves are put up hap-hazard. The food is super greasy and after watching the ketchup incident I seriously had a hard time believing anything was safe. This place is just waiting for either a new owner or for the current owner to hire a restaurant professional to clean it up. New Modern Grill could be a gold mine and a local treasure if a little money and effort were invested in its sanitation, quality, and decor. Update in response to owner: I have spoken to many people in the food service industry including owners, managers, and servers. The owners and the managers of course say we don't marry ketchup bottles while the servers tell me they do but hide it. The reason is that there is no way to tell how old the product is. Ketchup should be used until the end and if the bottle is to be reused it must be sanitized before refilling. Upon refill, the date of the product should be noted somewhere. Married ketchup bottles have a higher likelihood of fermenting and becoming "ketchup wine". Marrying ketchup bottles is definitely a health code violation in many localities, I'm just not sure if Chicago is one. Regardless, it is not a good practice from a food safety standpoint.

It was late and cold and I needed greasy comfort food. I walked in to the New Modern Grill and was met with open arms and the assurance that whatever I ordered, they would make sure it was delicious. They didn't lie. The food was fantastic and I nearly wept over my Reuben. Thank you, New Modern Grill.

I lived on this place when i used to work in the area. Fast service, nice diner atmosphere, good greasy diner food (helllllo fried cheese cubes!) and the prices are GREAT. really cheap. great for people watching They are only open in the day, though. If they had reasonable hours they would be one of my favorite diners in chicago.

This place is great when you want to be unhealthy! There's nothing really new or modern about it , its got a pretty plain atmosphere but its super cheap and they've got great BLTs and fries!

Nice diner. We had a steak sandwich, scrambled eggs, hash browns, French fries with cheese and the rosemary chicken soup. It was all very good.

There's nothing pretentious about this place, which makes ideal for breakfasts when you just want to roll out of bed and eat. After attempting to go to Yoshi's for brunch at 10AM only to find they don't open til 11AM, we headed up the street and got our breakfast needs taken care of. Basic foods prepared in typical diner-style... mmm, greasy, gooey cheese omelet. Service was friendly, and even friendlier with the regulars, and food was served up quickly. Cash only, although there are tons of ATMs nearby.

If your a germ-a-phobe dont go here. Its a plain diner with nothing special, but some bomb pizza puffs. ha I lived in the builing next to the grill and ate here hung-over very often...the lady who works there (I believe the owner) is the worlds biggest sweetheart ever! She knew I didnt have internet and told me to come in anytime I wanted even if I didnt eat. It is also one of the only places in all of lakeview with a payphone!

Being new to the hood, I decided I needed to find a new go-to Sunday breakfast spot, and since the grill is 3 steps from my front door, it seemed a reasonable place to start the search...I just didn't realize I would be ending the search as well. They have huge portions of typical comfort food super cheap prices, and a friendly wait staff to boot. It was obviously chock-a-block full of regulars - all the guys behind the counter knew everyone's names. They quickly cleared off a table for us as soon as one became available. Also, even though the sign said "pay before you eat," the cashier told us not to worry about it - it was nice to not be rushed and be able to just enjoy a lazy Sunday morning. Finally - the food. I ordered a mushroom and cheese omelet, and the boy ordered pancakes with bacon and hashbrowns. It was a ridiculous amount of food - he had been moaning and groaning about not having anything to eat before he passed out at 3AM, and still he did not manage to finish everything. My omelet was amazing - stuffed FULL of HUGE mushrooms and cheese - there is definitely no skimping on the ingredients like a lot of diners in Chicago. Also, it came with a very generous portion of hashbrowns and even toast - I heart carbs. I only took 1 star off because the service is sort of brisk - I think they need to warm up to you before they're going to treat you like a regular, and we didn't seem to be their usual 10AM clientele, being the only overdressed 20-somethings in there. Anyway - if you're in the neighborhood, it's totally worth stopping in to experience a true "diner" experience on the north side.

Walked in place was horribly dirty when i asked the waitress to clean the table she jump down my throat and said that she doesn't jump to when people talk to her when she wipe down the table I said thank you and then she jumped down my throat again saying you don't want me to like you so I walked out without even ordering my food horrible service very dirty restaurant I wouldn't recommend anybody going in therei ll never go again

If you're looking for cheap food that tastes great and will leave you lethargic from all the grease, New Modern Grill is the cat's meow! I went in there for a week straight, and now whenever I stop in, they greet me with a smile and a "where you been, stranger!" Awesome. I brought my tarot cards in and was playing around with them when the staff engaged me in fun conversation and had me do their readings. I like when people take a personal interest in me- New Modern Grill is definitely customer- friendly. Too bad they're not open later, because going on a dinner break at 7:30 warrants some nice, fried zucchini sticks to keep me going :).

Nice ambiance . All cash! We have been coming here for a couple of years now when we are in town. Always yummy. I opt for the corn beef hash every time . Always exceptional. Love this place.

Wandered in one Saturday morning looking for a good, basic breakfast and was delighted with the hospitality as soon as we got in the door. The food was very well prepared, served quickly and exactly as we ordered, and reasonably priced. I'd guess this to be a family business, which is exactly the kind of place I like to go.

Was looking for a good place to have a quick breakfast... walked a few blocks and ran into this little place. Had the French toast , and sausages. Food was good ! Fair prices.

Worst service possible!!! We were looking for some pie and coffee, but noticed that they had banana splits on the menu. We were just talking about banana splits so we decided to order 2. We asked the only person working there, not sure what her name is, if we could have 2 banana splits. She gave us the weirdest look and grabbed the 2 most ripped bananas in the bunch. We said "thanks but we have to go". She threw a pan she had in her hands intentionally and said have a great day in a condescending voice. I said "wow was that necessary?" She said "wow" in the same condescending voice. Mind you there were 2 other customers there who didn't even seem surprised. If I wanted my server to have an attitude I would have gone to Ed Debevics! Never will I step foot in this establishment again.

This is, without question, one of my favorite spots in the city. I'll occasionally stop in just to say, "Hello" to the wonderful people even if I don't have time for a meal. It's a rare thing to find a small town diner in the big city, but the New Modern Grill manages to pull it off really well. The food is made fresh, the people are incredibly kind to everyone who walks in the door and you can eventually order your usual because they'll take the time to know you. If I have time for breakfast, I'm having grabbing it at Modern Grill.

This is my favorite neighborhood diner. My girlfriend and I go in almost every week. It's run by the friendliest people in Lakeview. Their veggie omelets are always delicious. And it's very affordable.

Went here for the first time the other day. This is a pretty small place that has more of the old man with a newspaper feel to it. I was very surprised, however. The service was very fast and friendly. The food came out in no time - everything is cooked right in front of you on their big oven. I was starving so I had a grilled cheese and a greek omelette. Grilled cheese was good and did the trick - probably would be a great thing for kids to have. The Greek Omelette was awesome. It was huge and had a ton of good meat in it. I can't remember what my friend got, I think like bacon and eggs or something. But for all of that, the bill was only $14. Great value for great food and a quick bite to eat.