Stax Cafe

This place qas recommend by a local while I was visiting the city. I glad I went. I had a part of 4 and after about a 10 mins wait we were being seated. Our waitress was friendly and offered suggestions and answered our questions. Coffees, a bellini, and a strawberry/orange juice were ordered and everyone was pleased. The strawberry/orange juice was freshly squeezed. The portions are very generous here. The wrap I had was more than enough. The regular pancakes are huge. I got the mini stack and they were the size of regular pancakes for any other restaurant.

The presentation of the dishes was very nice, and the portion sizes were also good. As for the flavor, the food was acceptable; however, my plate was completely cold, which made it very unpleasant. Everything was cold: the potatoes, the eggs, the vegetables, and the bread. The French toast was also disappointing. It was overly soaked, making the bread extremely soggy, which completely ruined the texture and made it very hard to enjoy. Lastly, the tables were far too small and uncomfortable. It felt as though we were sitting right next to other families, to the point where we could clearly hear their conversations. Every time we needed to stand up or leave the table, we had to apologize to the people next to us because it was impossible to move without invading their personal space. To make matters worse, we ordered three different dishes, and they barely fit on the tiny table. At one point, we even had to place our plates on another table. The only positive aspect of our visit was the service. The waiter who attended us was very attentive, kind, and professional throughout our meal. The customer service was excellent, and it is truly the only thing I would highlight from my experience at this restaurant. Overall, it was not a pleasant lunch experience, and I would not return to this restaurant.

Stax. A little Italy gem that gives more each time. This is one of the unofficial breakfast joints for a lot of medical professionals. All of the meals here are amazing. I had the Spanish harlem which was phenomenal. Always recommend the mini waffles to go with it!

Had a great experience with a large party (10+) Staff was incredibly accommodating. Our server was attentive and efficient. The food was yummy!

Super cute place for breakfast. They have freshly made juices and I had the cranberry grapefruit which was delicious. I ordered the bacon avocado sandwich and it was also very good. Specifically the bacon was excellent. A great place to stop for brunch

I don’t do bad review, but I will let my peoples know when I run into a problem with a place. Problem 1: Why do they charge for sugar free syrup??? I asked the question what would you say to a diabetic to the manager. He stated they would have to pay, because it cost more to buy sugar-free syrup. I’ve been eating with sugar-free syrup for over 28 years and I know it costs about the same.  His answer made the couple next to me get up and leave when they heard. The gentleman said he was a diabetic and he shouldn’t have to pay extra for sugar free syrup. I agree. Had I known before I ordered,I would’ve never order. Mind you, I have eaten here before. So this is new. I don’t eat regular syrup. The manager did tell the young lady to give me the sugar free syrup without a charge . Problem 2: They left the Asparagus out of my vegetable skillet. Something that comes in that dish, not something that I added. I tell the waitress, then she brings me a small cup of asparagus end. If you’re asparagus eater, you know closer to the bottom they’re a little bit bitter. Not one piece of the top part was in the cup, as if they just cut bottom off did a lite sauté and sent it to me.  When I said something to the manager, he says it’s honest mistake. He offered an apology and say they will be mindful for the next time. I said that’s unacceptable and then he said I have to call the owner to see if I can discount your ticket. They took off $4.00.  I smiled politely, pay my bill, tipped my waitress cash and left. This is was my fourth time there and last. But not my first problems.

This place was great. Average per person for us was $45. Had omelet with side of bacon. Bacon was a black forest bacon. Not my favorite lol but the food was great. Also loved the mini waffles. You have the option of mini waffles toast or mini pancakes. Staff was very friendly. The place is small and the tables are very snug. So be aware you will be very close to your neighbor.

Got the cinnamon roll mini waffles and side of eggs. The eggs were really well made. Honestly would come back for those alone. Completely demolished them before i could take a picture. But here are the waffles. They were also delicious.

My boyfriend and I's go-to casual brunch spot in River West! Stax has a nice little patio and all the waitstaff are friendly with quick service. Last time we went, I ordered the savory crepe, and it was very good and truffle-y. We also highly recommend the cinnamon roll waffles!! They are amazing - it tasted basically like a cinnamon roll thrown in a waffle maker with icing on top. It is probably one of my favorite things that I have eaten recently.

Good Day. I was treated to a Stax Brunch for Mother's day with my daughter and her family. The food was phenominal, Service impeccable and the location was convenient. My ONLY problem is....I am a Type 2 Diabetic and when I asked for sugar free syrup, instead of maple syrup for my french toast, I was told there would be an additional charge for Sugar Free syrup. So regular syrup is complimentary, but Sugar Free is not. I feel that I am being discriminated against, because of my health issue. How many others have felt the way I was treated. To be charged for sugar free condiment is appalling and discriminatory. The management of this restaurant really needs to rethink this stance and offer an alternative for those of us who cannot have, even though it tastes good, maple syrup. Management quit charging for the alternative. Shame on you and I hope you change your policy.

Wanted to treat myself after completing my finals. I was craving pancakes, and I'm glad I stopped here. It was mid afternoon, and the place was bustling. It was a warm mixture of locals,students, and professionals enjoying good food and conversation. Despite the crowd, I was seated immediately. I glanced over the menu that offers a fair amount of options without being overwhelming. There are plenty of vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options as well. As I mentioned earlier, I was celebrating, so I decided to treat myself to a mimosa. It was absolutely delicious. I decided to go with the steak and eggs. I upgraded from pancakes to waffles after seeing my neighbors plate. I requested my steak cooked medium well... and it was! I was pleasantly pleased. The steak was seasoned perfectly, the chimichurri was fresh, and the waffles were like fluffy eclouds of goodness. The only downside is that they don't have wifi, which limited they time I was able to work from there. However, I'll be back again for sure.

Great food. Place was packed fortunately we got here a few minutes before the rush hour . However it took some time to get our food. Which was delicious. Service is amazing and the atmosphere is great. A bit loud but overall great experience. Coffee was amazingly tasty! My god. Coming back in our next visit to Chicago!!!

STAX is a great breakfast, brunch, and lunch spot whether you want to order in, take out, or eat out. They are super fast, fresh, and tasty. When I need a quick meal and coffee I will order to go. Or want a nice sit down restaurant that is nice, clean, and comfortable for PJs or business casual, this is a great spot. I have had almost everything on the menu and it is all delicious. My only qualm is the potatoes and veggies that come as a side are SOMETIMES, but lately more often than not, cooked in too much oil. I add extra ketchup and hot sauce and Ill be fine, but wish a little less greasy. The side of fruit is excellent for kids! The monte carlos breakfast sandwich is my favorite! Service is good and friendly.

Delicious food and coffee. The wait staff seemed to be short but they did the best considering . Will return

We were seated at 1:45 pm. Thirty minutes later all one of us had was a Stax Sunrise cocktail. We asked for a different waitress and they sent the same one back. Very poor customer service and the waitress didn't understand my order. Needless to say we paid for his one drink and left!!!!

EVERYTHING WAS AMAZING! Chimmy churi steak and eggs ! Mini waffles! We had to get another table because of how much we ordered! All worth it

Stax Cafe has got to be one of my favorite breakfast spots. I usually make a trip when it's a holiday or I have a weekday off from work. My latest visit was the day after Christmas, which is the best time to go because folks are either sleeping in or taking gifts back to the mall. A lot of the items on the menu at Stax Cafe are à la carte, which can be expensive depending on your appetite. Generally, I tend to choose an option where it includes the mini waffles and house potatoes. Both are so good that you could eat them without meat. However, I'm a meat eater, so I always choose a good combo. On this particular day, I chose the Ham, Poblano Pepper, Onion, and Cheddar Omelette. Yes! It was delish with flavors running throughout. Of course, I also got the house potatoes and mini waffles on the side and their freshly made strawberry and orange juice. Trust me, if you go to Stax Cafe you won't be disappointed.

I've been to stax a few times and honestly it's okay. Their breakfast tacos are good but last time I got them the eggs were super underdone. :/

Cute little brunch spot! Our waitress was very attentive and welcoming, and the food came out super quickly. I ordered the Egg Sardou, which was decent, although I did not expect it to just be stuffed artichokes with no English muffin. The dish was in the "Eggs and Bennies" section of the menu, and was topped with hollandaise, so I guess I just assumed it would be some sort of eggs Benedict with stuffed artichoke bottoms on top of an English muffin. Regardless, it was tasty and the potatoes were delicious. I also loved the bell peppers that are mixed in with the potatoes. Our waitress also gave us hot sauce and ketchup before our food came out without us even asking! The tacos were also good, and I'm sure more flavorful with the chorizo (opted for none to make them vegetarian). I loved that the dish came with sour cream, pico, and salsa. Overall, it was a good experience, and I will definitely be back if I'm looking for a brunch spot again in the area!

Food taste very stable Service as good as my first visit, staffs are friendly Ambiance, cozy and fresh, colorful but comfortable

I absolutely love this place. Second time visiting with one of my girlfriends. The service here is fast and friendly. The place is small and was a bit busy when we arrived so we opted to sit at the diner counter where the chefs prepare the food. I opted for the skirt steak and eggs with waffles instead of toast. It comes with breakfast potatoes as well. It was absolutely delicious. The steak was cooked perfectly and the chimichurri with the pico was amazing!! I devoured all of my food and had at least three coffee refills! The coffee is soooo good. I only wish they had non dairy creamer because I had to purchase oatmilk for my coffee. All in all, I'll definitely be back again for those steak and eggs!

Went here for brunch and there was a small wait but well worth it! Sat at the counter and enjoyed Taylor Street Frittata with the house potatoes. Highly recommend and I wanted change a thing! The seasoning in the potatoes is everything!

Food and service were excellent. Went on a Sunday morning with no wait at all! Our server was helpful and very nice. Great atmosphere over all. The breakfast was terrific. I ordered mini chocolate chip and bacon pancakes, half order of cinnamon roll waffles, and peppered bacon. No complaints at all. Will be coming back again when I'm in town! Thank you.

Breakfast is truly my favorite meal of the deal, however, this place fell a little flat for me. Although the food was just average, the customer service and ambiance were fantastic. I enjoyed my eggs, but the potatoes weren't seasoned enough for me, and my mimosa was a bit on the strong side, so I didn't enjoy it as much either. Overall, I had a great customer experience, but I wouldn't return due to the food quality. SOMETHING TO NOTE: Don't get discouraged by the constant long lines, Stax does a good job seating customers quickly.

Stax is a local brunch place and so me and my friends decided to give it a try. We ordered a bunch of sweet items and I got the Caprese sandwich. The pancakes were delicious and so was the honey ricotta French toast however I wasn't a huge fan of my sandwich. it was a little dry and lacking sauce. The fries were also average. It's always packed so make sure your whole party is there as that is the only way you can get a table.

We came here for breakfast on what seemed like a busy Tuesday morning. Place was about 80% full and people kept coming in. We were seated right away and received the food we ordered very quickly. The service was great overall. My wife ordered their Honey Ricotta French Toast and I ordered Sriracha Egg Sandwich. The French toast were pretty tasty. This is the second time that we get a dish with ricotta for breakfast and Staxs did not disappoint. It was topped with strawberries, blueberries, crushed pistachios and honey. The fresh fruits, pistachios and ricotta mixed really well with the French toast. This dish was really delicious and filling. My Sriracha Egg Sandwich came with house made sriracha Mayo, over medium egg, sharp cheddar cheese, and pecan wood smoked bacon with ciabatta bread. The sandwich itself was good, but was disappointed in the lack of sriracha flavor. I was hoping for some Asian heat in the sandwich but didn't get any. Although the sandwich was good I probably wouldn't get it again. But I'll definitely be back.

Love coming here! Amazing food, staff and very clean! Haven't been in a little while but it's still so good! I got the frittata and asked for the sirracha mayo to dip my potatoes in! My husband always gets the starving students with pancakes. These pancakes are phenomenal. I'm not sure what the their secret is but I could come here and just eat their plain pancakes and be so very context. Keep up the good work Stax!

This place is FABULOUS!! The staff is soooooo nice. Everyone was smiling and said "hello" and "good morning ". Our server made me feel like we have been friends for a while. The Menu was fantastic, had everything you'd want for breakfast, including freshly squeeze juices. The food came out fast and hot. I definitely recommend this spot.

Overall the food turned out amazing. Went with the lumberjack and cinnamon roll waffles. The service was a little slow, as i think there was one server for the entire restaurant. I would definitely come back though.

Popped into Stax for brunch with some friends who just flew in and got: - Chocolate chip bacon pancakes: 5/10 - tasted like generic pancakes with bacon in the batter, a little on the drier side - Mini egg sandwiches: 9/10 - everything about it was delicious, very flavorful - includes bacon, egg and cheese - Taylor street frittata: 8/10 - a flavorful and hefty dish, very filling - Lumberjack skillet: 8/10 - includes the same ingredients as the taylor street frittata but gives off different flavors - hefty and flavorful - Strawberry & orange juice: 9/10 - fresh squeezed and tastes delicious - Apple juice: 9/10 - fresh squeezed and tastes like apple cider - Iced vanilla latte: 9/10 - they use la columbe coffee and you cant go wrong with that Overall: 8.5/10 The food was delicious and the service was quick for it being a pretty busy Saturday morning. It was packed when we arrived and remained packed as we left. My personal favorite was the mini egg sandwiches and the fresh apple juice! The price point for each item was decent considering the portion size. The juices were a little expensive for it being the short size of the glass but considering its fresh juice I'll let it slide. Knocked down a few points for the pancakes but am open to trying other sweet dishes from Stax if I came back again. But, I would definitely come back just to get the mini egg sandwiches

Came in on a Sunday at 11 and they were packed! Waited 30 minutes to be seated. The cinnamon roll waffles came highly recommended and I see why, they were delicious! Overall meal was good and 5/5 from me. I'd return and bring visitors.

My friend invited me here for breakfast The place was cold The tables are to close you can hear evrevary s bussines Service was ok The food is delicious She order omelet Iordered lemon Ricotta French toast sooo good I'm going back and they The pancakes...........

I normally have a nice time but this time the service was bad. I purchased food and Drink. I asked for hot water for my medical tea I drink before meals. I was told I cannot bring in outside tea bags because if I choked I could sue. That was the dumbest thing I ever heard and this is not the first time I drank my tea!!! Try like 20 times!!! I won't be returning the waitress and management was rude. I will also share this with my colleagues. Atmosphere was okay.

LITERALLY THE BEST RESTAURANT EVER!!!! Me and my family have been going here for years and we love it we come here every Sunday and it's delicious The food is very fast the waiters are very responsible and kind and nice and welcome you very nicely I really recommend the starving student meal and something I love about it is that they have pancake or French toast specials like they will have delicious pancake/french toast of the week Everyone is so nice and if their is wait it go by very fast I LOVE IT

I've been coming to Stax for years but have never done a review, so here we go! I am not a fan of pancakes. I grew up as a French toast lover the first restaurant to change my mind was Stax. I would always get the starving student meal, but since I recently stopped eating pork, I tried their steak and eggs, which were delicious. They also came with a side of pancakes which I have already raved about. My sister got the egg tacos served with mini waffles which she thoroughly enjoys. My only grip with Stax is this table-to-plate size. No matter what I am eating, I always play Tetris, trying to fit everything on the table. I hope they rectify this issue in the future. Overall I love this restaurant, and glad they survived the pandemic. 4 stars out of 5

I don't know if we came at a bad day but this was awful. The service was fine but both dishes we got were inedible. The honey ricotta had so much anise or mint or just some flavor that overpowered the whole dish. Zero honey and zero ricotta came through. The braised beef Benedict tasted like someone boiled beef and didn't season it. I'm hoping this was just an off day but it was gross.

I recommend the lumberjack skillet. This business kills the brunch game, and they deliver in the atmosphere, the food, and the service. Saira is the best!!!

One of my favorite breakfast spots. It's usually really busy but they turn tables QUICK. The menu is giant so you can try something new every time you come. Their special for this month was the blueberry cream cheese french toast i believe?? it was really really good. i think my favorite thing about stax is their house made juices. my favorite is the grape juice.

Ordered a +$100 carry out order the Saturday of Lollapalooza. Was rushed out the door with no opportunity to check the order and got home to multiple errors and missing items and well, food that just wasn't very good. Spent 2 hours trying to get someone to answer a phone and when they finally did I was put on hold for 30min before being hung up on. I waited until Monday to call again, thinking they would be slower. There was apparently no manager there that could speak to me so someone took my info and stated a manager would call. It's been 2 weeks now with nothing. Biggest waste of money I've ever spent on carry out. We threw over half of the food away. DO NOT RECOMMEND!

The food was good however my table got the food way earlier than I did. Service was really good!

This was so satisfying. I haven't had brunch food in awhile and Stax filled me up. Food was delicious, we didn't even have to wait that long. We couldn't eat the first time we tried due to a long wait but our experience was great this time. We have three orders for three people and had leftovers in the end. The big portion sizes are definitely worth the price. Very cozy vibes.

Found this place on Yelp. It did the trick for us when we were famished. Pretty easy to get in and get seated. I had the spinach and feta omelette which came with the house potatoes. It was a filling and delicious breakfast. Our server was very friendly and she made sure our coffee was always filled.

Left with a light stomach good food. You can tell everything was fresh. We were serviced right away also. I'm happy I visited this spot. Will be back

Enjoyed a really great breakfast at Stax while visiting the windy city. Service was great, despite it being pretty super packed in there. Menu includes selection of pancakes, omelettes, benedicts and skillet dishes. There's something for both savory and sweet breakfast fans. Decor is also cute inside! The "starving student" (eggs, bacon and toast) was a decent meal at a good value. At the time I was there, they had a granola pancake on the menu and it tasted a little more like granola than pancake. Not for me, but not bad. Peanut butter banana pancakes were good, but were more heavy on the peanut flavor than banana. Still delicious, I mean who doesn't love peanut butter on pancakes! Coffee was good, bacon was cooked well, and the breakfast potatoes were crispy. It was a solid breakfast. I would go back if I were staying in that area again.

I really wanted to go here because I love breakfast. It gets very busy, and very loud! If you want to have a conversation, I don't recommend coming here as it will be hard to talk without yelling. The food was good, I got an avocado toast type sandwich. My boyfriend got an angus burger, which was better than mine. We both ended up feeling ill after eating, so im not sure what that was about. Otherwise food was good and service was good.

This place is cozy. Friendly staff, clean space. The roasted coffee wasn't as smooth as I'd like but they refresh it if requested. Food was delish. Prices reasonable. I would visit again!

Cute place in an even cuter neighborhood! Met a friend here for brunch and ordered the eggs Benedict (with breakfast potatoes) - delicious! Our server was attentive, yet gave us space to look over the menu!

The sriracha sandwich was great! Didn't really like my salad but thankful that they let me order a half portion. No wait needed and the service was very fast. Busy in the mornings and lots of students and families there

First time here. Pretty good spot. Nice breakfast spot on Taylor St. They have freshly squeezed juice and a decent sized menu. I got the mini egg breakfast sandwiches and thought they were great. Small little Hawaiian roll type sandwiches. Small little bar top area with a TV if you're looking to get a drink and some food to watch the Bears game.

Service: 3/5 Food 4/5 Started off my visit on kind of a bad note. I walked in by myself shortly after this party of 2 and the receptionist saw the both of us standing by the front desk waiting to be seated. She seats the party of 2 and then just... disappears. I see her organizing the pick-up orders even when there was no one there to pick-up. I think I stood at the front desk maybe 10 minutes before getting seated even when they weren't busy and was physically seen entering. Other employees, even the cooks from the kitchen, saw me awkwardly standing there but no one said anything. I was finally seated by my waiter.. Taylor street frittata: Saw this was a pretty popular dish to order so I went for it. Basically a mini omelette loaded with meat and veggies surrounded by potatoes, peppers and onions. It was pretty tasty even though I did have to add salt and pepper due to lack of taste. It was good but nothing overly amazing. My waiter was nice but... After bringing my food, he asked me if I wanted hot sauce and I said yes. A few seconds later, he walks right past my table TWICE with hot sauce handing it out to other tables but mine. Me having social anxiety, I didn't want to call him out and ask a second time. I said "yes" pretty clearly so... I don't even know. I just ate my meal with the ketchup they provided. Grandma's pancakes: My entree came with choice of toast or mini pancakes or waffles. I opted for the mini pancakes which comes with 2. My waiter mentioned the house special which sounded delish since I wanted to try something new. These pancakes were my fav part of my visit. They are cinnamon pancakes with cranberries and raisins inside topped with candied pecans and cinnamon glaze. They smelled DEVINE - like freshly baked cinnamon banana bread. Don't be intimidated by the raisins, there were barely any in the pancakes. There were more cranberries if anything. This place was average to me. Something I just wanted to cross off my list for a long time now. According to the reviews, people are saying the other location is better?

This place is phenomenal!!!! GREAT FOOD, great atmosphere and superb service! Brizeida was the best server and gave my wife and I the best. experience. We will definitely be back and they are in our top 3 best breakfast spots!

Came in for a late breakfast, food and service was good. The coffee was fresh, and the waffles were very fluffy. The frittata was good but it was not real prosciutto and could've used a bit more cheese. Skillet was a little greasy. Overall, I would come back for the fresh squeezed juices and pancakes/waffles!

the food is absolutely amazing. the lotus pancakes are to die for. Service is good but a little slow. it's always packed and loud, so go early or order some take out.

I was in the area, and decided to stop to this location for breakfast. I was sat as soon as I walked in. I have never eaten here, so I was very undecided to what to eat. The environment was really neat, but the restaurant was extremely packed! The food was good and came out very quickly as well.

They have a good assortment of both savory and sweet food here. They decreased the size of the skillets in the last year, so not as good bang for the buck but the lumberjack skillet is still good.

Such a great experience dining here! Very friendly staff! In a pretty chill part of the city, about a half a mile walk from UIH and the medical buildings that are part of the University of Illinois at Chicago grad school campus. Right on Taylor Street, there are lots of free street parking spots available and it is pretty chill especially during the week! The prices are pretty average for Chicago breakfast and the food was incredible! The latte was a great start to the meal! Would highly recommend the veggie skillet and avocado smashed sandwich! Overall great experience and perfect if you are in the west side of Chicago or near the University of Illinois Hospital system or in the medical District!

Service is fast, food is EXCELLENT, ambiance is the perfect mix. Will be back 100%. Give this place a try- everything on the menu is delicious.