Ina’s

I miss Ina’s. The food was good. It was one of the better breakfast restaurants in Chicago.

Too bad I was late to the party. They are closing but I only just made it to try them out. Comforting experience.

Coming here for brunch is like eating in the comfort of your own home… very cozy and welcoming. They are closing on a few short days so stop by while you can.

I hate writing reviews that do not praise the efforts of the establishment but I feel this could be read be by someone who might appreciate the constructive honesty. This place has great review from others and we may have just experienced an off day.
Atmosphere: Sort of homey and industrial all at the same time. Sort of typical for the area. The place was very crowded and the tables are a bit close together.
Service: This was the disappointment. Here are my observations and my experience: There were tables opening up that were not getting turned over quickly. There was a huge line of people waiting to be seated and many tables sat ½ turned over before finally finished and filled with people. Once seated we waited for about 10 minutes before anyone came by. No water, no coffee, no hello… no nothing. People sat after us waited as well but were attended to before we were. Annoying but it happens. After water came we waited another 5 minutes or so for coffee finally flagged someone down. Another long wait (seemed forever but may have only been 5 minutes or so) until the waiter came back to take our order. He seemed totally uninterested and bothered to be waiting on us. Got to tell you it was weird. Food took a long time to come… too long. Almost 20 minutes. I flagged down our indifferent server and asked that the food be wrapped to go as we had no more time, no more patience and frankly I was going to lose it. He became apologetic for the wait and said the food would be out shortly if I could wait but I could not. He brings the food in a bag and is all smiles and acting nice like he has been cordial the whole time… then gives me a check was marked up by $ 7 or $ 8…really? I brought this to his attention and instead of apologizing for the mistake he blames the people at the front. No apology and no longer friendly.
Young lady taking names at the front was nice and attentive.
Food: I had the food reheated later in the day. Might have been better when it was fresh earlier in the day but the service ruined that opportunity.
Look at the rest of my reviews. Nothing like this. I am not a snob nor am I hard to please. Actually pretty easy going. I would be willing to try again as I said in the beginning, this may have been an off day for them.

Love the homily and the food was pretty good. We tried the chicken and waffles with the three pieces of chicken. It wasn’t the best chicken I have had, but it was good.
I also tried the Lost Mitten. It is an espresso made with coco and whip cream and it was excellent. The wait staff was wonderful and our wait wasn’t long at all.
I’m mad I got out of there without trying the coffee cake and I’m thinking about it as I write this review. It looked excellent!!!
Our added value was that we got a chance to see a live shoot for the sitcom Shameless right outside. Definitely a must do while in Chicago. Also, remember to take a picture with Ina while your there.

Saturday morning and possibly the worst service I have received in Chicago thus far. And this was not the case of just one bad server, but uniformly bad service all around from the hostess to the bar to the bus boys.
The hostess tells us a 20 minute wait and tells us to wait at the bar when there are no seats at the bar either. The bartender glances over at us and then ignores us for a good 5 minutes, doesn’t even offer menus, so we leave the bar and stand back at the front. We get our seats and there’s a whole snafu about us not being at the bar, but I’m willing to give it to them that we maybe should have checked in after we left the bar.
Over 30 minutes later we get our seats and the server comes around. We order chicken and waffles, side of bacon and an omelette. The server audibly sighs when he hears chicken and waffles, shakes his head ever so slightly, gives us a shrug and says ‘it’s going to be at least twenty minutes if you want that. K?’ and walks away, doesn’t check if we want to change or anything.
30 minutes later my boyfriend has composed a song about chicken and waffles and waiting. Not a single person has stopped by our table. We get our meal, it is thrown on our table by the bus boy who runs off without a word as soon as the food hits the table. We didn’t get our bacon but nobody stops by to ask if everything is okay. About ¾ through our meal I had to flag our server down to ask if we could get our bacon, to which he answers, ‘they forgot to bring that out?’ and stalks off. We finally get our bacon but we’re actually done with the rest of the meal.
Then we wait and wait for our check and finally get it when I flag another server down. The actual swiping of the check was the fastest anything had moved in that restaurant.
In the end, a near 2hr long meal, and nothing to show for it. Next time I feel like being treated like cattle I’ll go to the dmv instead.
P. S. The food was not that great. Bread was delicious but cold. Chicken and waffles majorly lacked salt. Omelette was rubbery and overcooked. Overcooked eggs at breakfast establishments are my biggest pet peeve.

Too much hype and so NOT CHILDREN friendly. Food was fine, nothing extraordinary. However, the two ladies (managers/​owners) kept giving us dirty looks because my 15 month old baby was being loud. I looked around us and the other patrons didn’t seem to mind the baby talk as they smiled when they looked over at us.
When we walked out of the place these two ladies (managers/​owners) said thank you to the people leaving in front of us but they looked at us and said NOTHING. I even smiled when we made eye contact but the famous ‘Breakfast Queen’ looked away without saying a word. Quite rude.
Needless to say, my husband and I aren’t going back.
I gave it two stars because the wait staff were polite and helpful.

Have been wanting to go here for years, but as it is nowhere near where we live, we hadn’t. We did hear she is retiring and closing the restaurant and did not want to miss out, so we went Saturday morning. Are we glad we did. Seated right away, server was very good. My friend ordered the salmon cakes and eggs, I had to have the chicken and waffles. We shared our plates, and she had a bloody mary and i had a mimosa.
Everything was delicious!!! I liked the breads on the table, and completely enjoyed my light but crisp waffle, and the spiced honey made the fried chicken to die for. Salmon cakes were awesome too!
I wish she would stay open forever!!!
Loved the cute salt and pepper shakers!
Bye Ina, you will be missed on the Chicago restaurant scene!

Saw Ina on Windy City Live and heard she was closing her doors in December and decided to check her out. I knew it was a good decision when my friend thanked me for inviting her and she a true foodie!
When you walk in the door Ina is sitting there to greet you. She even let me take her picture. She was getting many well wishes and hugs and you can tell the customers are sad she was closing.
I love her sign by the hostess stand of her «no cell phone policy». We really have gotten away from enjoying the people we are dining with and I totally agree. But if I can be perfectly honest, the food was so delicious you can barely talk to the person you are dining with let alone talk on a cell phone.
I ordered the Buttermilk Pancakes, eggs and bacon. Hands down the best pancakes I promise. Four light and fluffy melt in your mouth buttermilk pancakes. The pancakes are so good you don’t even need butter or syrup.
First place ever that cooked my bacon correct. Don’t like limp bacon, I like it crunchy! And they give you four pieces and not two!
Each table has a different salt and pepper shaker that she has collected or customers have sent to her over the years. And yes there is even a parking lot. I saw Jim Rose from Channel 7 enjoying his breakfast.
Sorry that I only have such a short time to enjoy her wonderful food. I highly recommend you go at least once before she closes her doors.

My wife Cathy and I were in Chicago visiting our daughter. We were meeting a friend of hers and he recommended Ina’s for a late Saturday breakfast. Ina’s is well known for having the best breakfast in the Chicago area. Since this was our first trip to Ina’s we asked our guest and the waiter what they recommended. They recommended the poached eggs over pulled pork, the Paris omelet, or the pancakes. We both tried the Paris omelet. Very delicious.
A few other things that made the experience stand out was the exceptional customer service and the cell phone free atmosphere. Their customers are asked to receive or make calls outside of the restaurant. Great idea Ina! Wish more restaurants would follow your example.
I do have one sad note to report, Ina’s will be closing for good on New Year’s Eve night. The lovely lady is retiring. However, she does have a book coming out later this month, sharing her recipes from the restaurant. Hopefully we can get back to Ina’s before the end of the year.

I slept in past my ideal run time, so we decided to throw that plan to the wind & go out for brunch.
We decided on Ina’s as we had never been to brunch on Randolph St, and the hubs wanted chicken & waffles. We got in around 9:30 and there was no wait for a table. They were quick to get our drink orders (I got a Salty Dog — how often do you see that on the menu?!) and enjoyed perusing the brunch menu. So many options — but I was feeling simple and just got the veggie hash with a side of bacon.
The décor is country cute, the servers were nice. Since we’d seen that the bread & butter service was $ 2.50, we decided to forgo that. It took a little while for our plates to come out, but the food was delicious!
The veggie hash was a nice mix of different vegetables, and not too much potato. Perfectly poached eggs, and good seasoning. The fried chicken on the Chicken & Waffles was perfect — and it came with spiced honey & syrup. SOO Good!
I’d come back here again for an easy going brunch with cocktails. Nicer than a diner, but not the trendiest place in the city.

I went to Ina’s for breakfast with two friends. Due to a miscommunication on our part, the tip was subpar for the ok, not great service we received. Well Ms. Ina lost all of her charm when she saw the receipts. On our way out the door. Ina: (clearly agitated) «Ladies, was the service today not good?» Us: (looking puzzled and before we could reply) Ina: (Lays out our receipts on the counter) because I have never seen anyone tip so low before! My friend attempts to explain the mistake, rectifies it (simple receipt error) then tells Ina «so please don’t speak to me that way» and walks out. Well Ms. Ina didn’t like that and responded as the rest of us left (a toddler in tow) «don’t speak to me like that! Well don’t treat my goddam staff like shit!!»
I have NEVER been cursed out of a restaurant and to do it in the company of a child? Really Ms. Ina?! I expected better! Had she asked us if the service reflected the tip and proceed in a nice manner to inquire and not accuse, the mistake would have been easily rectified without losing customers. I have been on a personal campaign to tell EVERYONE about my experience. There are even a few regulars that were so appalled, they said they will not be returning.
The food: NOTHING SPECIAL. I didn’t even want to eat here because I’m not a fan but went as a convenient location recommendation of my friend. The food is overpriced to be just ok. I don’t mind paying for great food and have happily dropped $ 50+ for breakfast (sans drinks) on several occasions. This visit I had the chicken and waffles. The portion was large. The chicken was extremely crunchy, a plus. However, it lacked flavor! You must season fried chicken. Try.again. The waffle was a standard waffle. Others do it MUCH better.

I am a true fan. I visited Ina’s on a weekday after a solid workout at WAC down the street. (I know, I know, don’t judge me! I earned that breakfast!) The restaurant is large and a little dated inside with it’s décor but I think it gives the spot character! There are a few tables outside that line Randolph so that’s nice to have on a nice day. The service was quick and friendly.
Too eat, I ordered the vegetable hash — delish!!! A wonderful dish with two poached eggs potatoes, yams, com, mushrooms, eggplant, brussels sprouts, onions, and garlic — soooooooooo good!!! On the side, I ordered Chicken Sausage which rounded out by breakfast quite nicely. Great little spot if you are in the area!

I am writing this on behalf of a patron, a summary of her words:
My first and last trip to Ina’s. Food and service was OK at best. And Ina cursed us out in front of my friend’s child. Long story short, as I left Ina’s, I put the wrong copy of the receipt on the table; the one I left had no tip. Ina stopped us at the door to let me and my friends know that she was not pleased and she’d never seen someone leave no tip on $XX check. Realizing my mistake, I gave her the correct receipt with the tip but politely said «Please dont talk to me like that.» And I left. My friends were still standing there shocked and Ina curses them out as they walked out the door. My friend had her child with her.
What kind of establishment is this where the OWNER, 1. doesn’t get that a tip is a courtesy, not a requirement, and 2. would have the gall to approach her customers in such a manner… and with children present! Clearly this is not a family-​friendly establishment if you don’t meet with the owner’s approval.

Had lunch here with my son and his wife. My son and I had the pulled pork sandwich with fries and Ina’s potatoes. The potatoes were done well and seasoned nicely but not quite as freshly made as they could have been. My daughter-​in-​law had the Paris omelet.

Sooo… finally enjoyed breakfast here last week with my husband. I actually am leaning closer to a 3.5 star rating, so I rounded up! Love, the free parking! What a nice treat! Love, the friendly staff, including a smiley Ina who made her rounds and seemed to know everyone. Love, love, love the amazing Amy’s omlette that my husband ordered. Asparagus, cheese, chicken sausage with delicious breakfast potatoes. Love, love, love the breads that were served upon ordering.
Less impressed with the interior. I like the exposed brick but the peach and green walls feel very 80s… I really liked the various salt and pepper shakers on each table-​all different and unique. Nice and creative touch.
The main reason I wanted to come here was to try the scrapple. Unfortunately, I was a bit disappointed with this. I had a version at another restaurant in the past that was amazing. This was not nearly as good as the omlette that my husband ordered.
Will be back for another weekday breakfast!

Best breakfast Ever. Seriously, epic! I came to Chicago for a 4 day and I came with an open mind. I did like Chicago, but wasn’t sold until we came to Ina’s. I wish I lived there (maybe only in the summer… freaking cold winters… Brrrr.) I would go to Ina’s once a week at least for breakfast. The fact they have Gluten-​Free options (and they don’t taste like dirt) give is a 6^th star if it was possible!
We ordered the baked french toast with sauteed apples for my two year old. There wasn’t even syrup left on the plate. It was full of flavor, but not over the top. Reminded me alot of Mama’s cooking.
Whole Wheat Oatmeal pancake with blueberries for my husband. This looked like it was straight off a cooking show. So tasty and fluffy. I was quite surprised with it being oatmeal. The syrup was warm. Warm syrup running into your stomach. Ah! I can’t almost relive the moment!
I ordered the GF Vegetable Hash: Poached eggs, yams, onions, mushrooms, garlic, eggplant, and possibly Brussels sprouts? I can’t remember. It was a really interesting combination of vegetables in a breakfast dish but I really liked it.
I ordered a bloody mary and a double espresso. Espresso was top notch. Italian maybe? And their bloody mary was so good. It was had quite a pepper kick which I love. I remember our waiter telling me it was their house recipe.
For being a super busy restaurant, we were in and out in under an hour and our service was superb. My husband had approximately 2 – 3 ounces left in his drink and the waiter was standing there ready to serve.
I can’t wait to come back here. I will be back every Chicago trip I make.

We went to Ina’s to celebrate my friends graduation. After living in the West Loop for almost 8 years, I should have known better than to not make reservations before hand for Saturday Brunch. Despite the oversight on my part, the staff at Ina’s graciously accommodated our party of 6 though we called an hour and a half before we wanted to eat. We were warned that it was really busy but that they would do their best to accommodate us. Once we were there, we only had to wait 15 minutes before being seated.
Dining at Ina’s feels like you’re in the rustic kitchen down south. Ina’s claim to fame is the smatter of different salt/​pepper shakers some of which have been donated by patrons and others collected by Ina herself. They make you feel like you’re dining in someones home, instead of a restaurant.
The breakfast and brunch menu isn’t anything fancy. Though it is a little more pricey than your typical breakfast/​brunch places, it’s good and it’s organic (the eggs are cage-​free and I believe the chicken is naturally fed), It’s comfort food in a cozy atmosphere, which is probably why it has been a West Loop favorite for so long.
When we were at Ina’s, two people ordered the chopped salad (came with romaine, turkey, blue cheese, avocado, egg, bacon, tomato and blue cheese dressing), which wasn’t anything special, but the ingredients were fresh.
3 people in the party ordered the spicy chicken burger, which was actually very good. It was ground chicken, formed into a patty and served on a bun with the usual toppings of lettuce, tomato and pickles with a little serving of coleslaw. I didn’t care for the fact that though the burger was $ 9, it did not include fries, which were an considered an add-​on item. I have to be honest that I was still a little hungry at the end of my meal!
This is a place I will go back to if I’m feeling lazy and would rather walk somewhere, though they have free parking. It is good comfort food, decent service (I had to wait on multiple occasions for my water glass to be filled), but the food is nothing so memorable that I would rave about it to all my non-​West Loop friends.

Yum yum yum I love breakfast! I went here for a quick meal yesterday morning because I showed up at work too early and the doors were locked. That will probably never happen again, haha! But instead of just hitting up the nearest Starbucks, I realized Ina’s was right around the corner and I was excited to head over for a breakfast treat.
The sunflower bread intro was soooo tasty and healthy. I then ordered 2 eggs scrambled with chorizo and a fruit plate (and more sunflower bread toast!). When the friendly waiter served me, he originally put down someone else’s plate. I thought they had just made a simple mistake so I took a bite of the bacon on the plate. Then he rished back to change out the plate for my actual breakfast. I grabbed the already-​touched bacon so it was nice to try a slice for free. I feel a little bad for ruining that prepared meal but it wasn’t too busy and I didn’t do it to be greedy!!! I’m still feeling a little guilty about that, obviously.
Anyway, my eggs were light and fluffy, the chorizo was hot and spicy, and the fruit was really fresh. Had fresh-​squeezed orange juice and more toast. Everything led to a very enjoyable morning! I even got to eat some egg/​chorizo leftovers this morning so I was impressed twice. Gotta head back to Ina’s for brunch sometime!!! And try one of the decadent french toast or pancake specials.

Was in town visiting friends… they brought me to the breakfast queen and I was sold. Ina was there, sitting in the front and charming as ever.
We tried many things on the menu, but I posted only a couple photos. Wonderful fast breakfast spot!