Uncle Mike's Place

"Appropriately named, eating at Uncle Mike’s Place in West Town feels like having a meal at a relative’s house, if that person made some of the best Filipino breakfast platters in the city. They come with a cup of soothing lugaw, garlic rice, eggs, dipping vinegar, and your choice of protein, like fatty longanisa, spam, and pork tocino. But their giant bangus is the standout: a fried milkfish that’s perfectly salty, slightly tart, and crispy—it’ll make you wish your neighborhood IHOP served fish for breakfast, too. To round off your meal, you also get a small side of champorado, a chocolate rice porridge. Though you don’t have to rush to get there right when they open at 6am, this place does fill up quickly, so plan accordingly if you’re trying to eat with a group. You’ll leave wishing Uncle Mike was actually your uncle." - john ringor

"Uncle Mike’s Place started out as an old-school diner—a spot for eggs, bacon, pancakes, and coffee. But eventually they started incorporating Filipino breakfast items into the menu, and those are the reason you come here. The longanisa, tocino, and skirt steak platters are all delicious, and served with garlic rice and fried eggs. Plus, everyone gets a complimentary bowl of lugao when they sit down, which is just lovely." - adrian kane, veda kilaru, john ringor, nick allen

"Tired of the same old bacon and eggs? Visit this Ukrainian Village diner for homey Southeast Asian specialties. The fluffy omelets and pancakes won’t disappoint, but the most popular choices are the marinated skirt steak and the hearty Filipino breakfasts. They can be ordered with longganisa (sweet sausage), bangus (marinated milkfish), tocino (cured pork shoulder), and more. Online ordering is also available." - Sam Nelson

"Back before Chicago had Filipino hot spots like Kasama and Boonie’s, there was Uncle Mike’s in West Town. It’s an appropriate name for this longstanding diner, considering eating Filipino breakfast in their floral-tiled dining room feels like you're hanging out in a relative's home. Fatty longanisa, tocino, and crispy fried milkfish all come with gingery lugaw, garlic rice, eggs, and dipping vinegar. And by the time you’ve finished your last spoonful of the complimentary champorado, you’ll wish every breakfast ended with chocolate rice porridge." - nick allen, john ringor, adrian kane

"A pioneering Filipino American diner with more than three decades under its belt, Uncle Mike’s has earned a place in the heart of many Chicagoans with its lugaw, a garlic-infused rice porridge that delivers homey comfort. Garnished roasted garlic and lemonn, co-founder Lucie Grajewski calls it “miracle soup” because it always seems to cure whatever might ail her." - Naomi Waxman