Over Easy Café

"It was all eggs all the time at Over Easy, a cozy Ravenswood haunt crammed with photographs, paintings, and sculptures of eggs. Fans flocked to the diner for numerous egg dishes, most notably Sassy Eggs — two runny yolks on a pile of chorizo-jalapeno-red pepper hash, smothered in cheese, sour cream, and ancho ketchup. In 2017, the Tribune dubbed it “Chicago’s crown jewel of egg dishes.” It closed in 2021 after 15 years." - Naomi Waxman, Ashok Selvam

"Over Easy, a 15-year-old breakfast and brunch spot in Ravenswood known for its many crowd-pleasing egg dishes and walls crammed with photographs, paintings, and sculptures of eggs, has closed permanently. Fans were unsure of the restaurant’s status as its owner have kept the doors shut since late December, a holiday break that grew from a few weeks to an indefinite length. Ownership announced that its run was officially over on Wednesday on Instagram. Besides sharing the news about the closure, the post also urged fans to keep an eye out for future endeavors, teasing that “another concept might be in the works!” Co-owners and partners Gwyneth Nordine and chef Jon Cignarale have not yet responded to a request for more information. Tucked inside a brick space with bright red awning on weekends, patrons formed long lines outside but kept in good humor thanks to hot coffee from friendly staff. The house special was Sassy Eggs — a pair of runny yolks perched atop a pile of chorizo-jalapeno-red pepper hash, smothered in cheese and doused in sour cream and ancho ketchup. In 2017, The Tribune dubbed it “Chicago’s crown jewel of egg dishes.” Other sweet and savory favorites included a rotating French toast special, with varieties including Boston cream and dulce de leche, plus tons of Benedicts, sopes, and breakfast burritos. Originally opened in 2006, Over Easy fostered a devoted community of fans and regulars. Many have flooded the Instagram announcement’s comment section with broken heart emojis, recollections of special brunches, and well-wishes for the team. “Over Easy became the definition of synergy because of all of you, and the community we built will always remain,” the restaurant’s owners wrote on Instagram." - Naomi Waxman

"Ravenswood: Longtime neighborhood breakfast spot Over Easy Cafe is closed indefinitely due to staffing and other issues, ownership announced on Monday via Facebook. “We are doing everything we can to keep Over Easy going, and will update all of you in the OE Fam as soon as we can,” the post reads. The cafe first opened in 2006 and reopened after a fire in early 2007." - Naomi Waxman

"This is a small, often crowded breakfast spot in Ravenswood. But the friendly staff and free coffee they give you in line make up for the wait. It also helps that the breakfast food here is delicious across the board - from the “sassy eggs” (chorizo and potato hash with scrambled eggs and ancho chile ketchup) to sweeter options like blueberry crunch pancakes (with cinnamon butter and housemade granola). They keep it interesting with weekly specials, too." - Adrian Kane