eleven city diner

inside eleven you will find a deli shop (not open for breakfast), candy shop and a diner. there are neon signs, vintage spray bottles and cake displays along the bar - all had to the modern but old school diner feel.

they serve breakfast all day. our server was friendly and asked if it was our first time there. super helpful as it was our first time so he began to advise of what their popular dish (french toast) and when we ordered, he would explain the dish to ensure we were aware of what we were ordering.

we ordered:
1. a la carte - 2 eggs, 3 pieces of lox (the waiter confirmed the price of the order and even tried to find a combo on the menu that might be cheaper)
2. corn beef and pastrami hash - 2 eggs on top of a lot of corn beef and a side of potatoes $12.99
3. 11cityfrench toast - fresh baked challah, strawberries, bananas and toasted coconut $12.75

if you are a dessert person, there's a separate menu for cakes, pies and shakes :)

for the first time in my life, i was actually thrown out of a restaurant (elevencitydiner, 1112 s wabash ave, chicago, il 60605) by the owner and was told that i wasn't allowed in there again after patronizing the restaurant for the last three months on a weekly basis. 

the food is incredible. the staff is amazing except for one exception -- the owner.  

in my entire life -- i have never seen anyone treat his staff so horribly and disrespectful. to be completely honest, i never said anything to him about the way he treated his customers and staff until today (9.27.15) because i loved the food so much and the staff. however, today, for the first time, my food was cold. when i said something to the owner about it, he treated me like crap. then, at that point, i finally decided to give him constructive feedback about his management style. he proceeded to literally throw me out of his establishment and told the host to never allow me in there again.

so, despite my love for their food and their incredible staff, i stuck to my principles -- and made a moral choice rather than the easy way out--continuing to support the restaurant. no one deserves to be treated like the way this owner treats his customers and staff. no one.

friendly staff, warm atmosphere. i liked this restaurant but the deli scramble was below my expectations. i saw all the good points of elevencitydiner then i said i should try this! but nothing special here.

fantastic classic jewish delicatessen, really great vibe inside, and most of the wait staff is great. my go to for breakfast is the tom waits which is about 100lbs. of breakfast food, and my go to lunch item is the schwartzy. matzo ball soup is on point, and they have a unique selection of classic sodas. 11cityis one of the best brunch and lunch spots in the sloop.

after our indulgent meal, we were stuffed! i enjoyed the spacious atmosphere and gigantic portions but my only complaint is related to the service. i'm not sure if they were understaffed on the evening we dined, but our waitress was inattentive and we found ourselves trying to wave her down several times. despite the poor service, elevencitydiner gets 4 stars for their fun diner atmosphere, decadent cakes and flavorful meats. i'll be back to have "the schwartzy" and a new variety of cake!

...this restaurant reminds me of  a "small diner in the hugecityof chicago."  they have perfected the huge sandwich, open faced sandwich, and many other diner classics.  their sandwiches are easily enough for two people and each has enough meat for three.  

had a wonderful lunch here. the concierge at the hotel recommended elevencitydiner as a choice for a light lunch and it did not disappoint. my server, amy, was very attentive and the tomato basil soup was among the best i have had. i highly recommend stopping by!

great cornbeef sandwich. my father came in for the holiday and we ate at the elevencitydiner three times in the two days he was here. the first time we were running late to get to the field museum before they closed. i asked my father if he would be willing to wrap up the second half of his cornbeef sandwich so we could make it to the museum. he flat out refused, saying "i'm not leaving here till i finish this sandwich!" needless to say we ended up enjoying the adler planetarium with a bellies full of corned beef. i recommend the woody allen and if you bring a scotch-irishmen who loves cornbeef, a timetable.

elevencitydiner is the real deal !. i've been going to 11citysince they opened, and have never been disappointed. the corned beef is the real deal, the matzoh ball soup is heartwarming, and the pastrami is the tastiest in chicago. the atmosphere is cool, it looks like it's been there forever and a day. i always take my out of town friends there and feel like i'm in-the-know when i do.

best restaurant in the south loop. this authentic jewish diner brilliantly combines the ambiance of a bigcityhot spot with small town hospitality. owner, brad rubin, enthusiastically settles for nothing less than superior customer service which is a quality the staff exudes. they are friendly and accomidating, while providing fast efficient service. from beginning to end, this hidden gem brings character to the south loop! try the woody allen or the turkey burger...the best!

love it!!. i cannot say enough about the elevencitydiner! it is definitely what thecityhas been missing for so many years. the food is great(for vegetarians too) and the surface is always friendly and helpful. lots of choices depending on the time of day you come. good for breakfast. great for afternoon coffee and a yummy bagel. what would brunch be without the diner??
love it!

heaven on eleven. i fell in love with elevencitydiner the first time i came in, and that was before i even tried any of the food. brad, rose, and marty made us feel like we were sharing a meal with them in their home. i didn't want to leave after that first brunch--they practically had to force the heeb magazine out of my hands and walk me back to my car--and i've been back for many more since. i mean, who could hate a place as beautiful as elevencitythat lets you have a shot of bourbon with your challah french toast? and don't even get me started on how good the chopped liver is. my only wish is that there could be another one around the block from my house. i also wouldn't mind having a t-shirt.

elevencitydiner. i very much enjoy taking my family to this very popular spot. we have always had great foood, and great service. it's exactly what we're looking for in a restaurant like this: great food and service; not other places like it really; lots of energy so its fun to be there; and quite a selection of things to eat - all seem very high quality.

we like the little touches that make it more than just another neighborhood restaurant, like the "mom" that often will seat us (who doesn't like that attention); to the soda "jerk" making milk shakes. good looking staff too.


sometimes you have to wait to get seated, but that of course if way better than walking into a "dead" restaurant with no customers. there's a line for a reason.
we go on the weeknds quite a bit.

love it!. if you are looking for a great, classic diner, elevencitydiner is truly the best i've been to in chicago. the place has all the right touches; from the old-school bar stools and counter to the candy store in the corner. the menu had all the classic sandwiches and sides. my friends and i headed there for lunch today. i had the chicken soup first. it's was like a little old jewish grandmother made it herself. i had a patty melt that just melted in my mouth. it was huge. topped it off with a killer slice of carrot cake. everything was just right. very impressed with the way this place was put together. the owner, brad rubin, introduced himself, made sure were we taken care off. he explained the whole concept to us and really cared about our thoughts on the joint. that was nice touch. brad's staff, from the hostess who sat us, to the waiter who served us, really made this a first rate deli experience. it was way better than we expected. thanks

great retro deli/diner. i recently moved to chicago from new york and finding a good jewish stlyle deli has been difficult. elevencitydiner is a great old school deli with the added plus of a big diner menu.

i'm a sucker for good matzo ball soup and i have searched the neighborhood high and low -- this one (served in the style of one big matzo ball) does not disappoint. and the corned beef & pastrami hash scrambled eggs really hits the spot. i always have it with the freshly squeezed oj.

elevencityis a bustling place with a comfortable modern retro atmosphere, which makes me feel at home. i love the long diner counter and corner candy store. the guy who runs the place, brad, and the waitstaff, are friendly with a touch of ny attitude, which is a big draw for a transplant like myself. highly rated.