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I have a layover in the morning at Midway Airport. What are some close worthwhile breakfast/lunch places to not miss during the morning layover.

Depending on how much time you have, and if you happen to be here on the weekend, a cab ride to the oak lawn hilton for the all you can eat brunch is worth the $10.

Will be here on the weekend. Thanks. Is there any place closer with breakfast options for an out-of-towner?

Don't know what you mean by "closer." I haven't been to the Oak Lawn Hilton for brunch, but I do know that on a Sunday morning it shouldn't take you longer than ten minutes to get there in a cab. If you mean places you can actually walk to from Midway--well, I'm picturing the area on Cicero right around the airport in my mind's eye, and I'm not seeing any sidewalks. I don't even know how you'd go about doing that.

But I could be wrong.

There are sidewalks, but not really any place reviewed here that you could walk to. If you really want to walk, go north on Cicero - there are some places north of the RR bridge. So go, explore, let us know. I do think, tho, that a cab ride will take less time. The only thing is, from when I worked 5 minutes from O'Hare and would take a cab to my office lot, they really are not too thrilled with those 10 minute fares after waiting hours at the airport. It used to be that they would get a pass back to the front of the line but I am not sure how that works any more.

So go north on Cicero and see what they offer. Let us know.

This is true. But it brings to mind that the Oak Lawn Hilton, being close to the airport, may run its own shuttle busses from Midway and back. Worth checking into, if the brunch sounds appealing.

Not that I'm discouraging exploration on foot northwards on Cicero. It'll be interesting to learn of any discoveries.

I don't know how far the Hilton is, but what does it offer for their brunch?

There also is a La Quebrada and Steve's Shish Kabab on 63rd a little way east of Cicero, but they also would require a cab since it is about 2 miles each way. I believe Steve's opens around noon on Saturday, and La Q may well serve some form of breakfast and open earlier, but call to be sure.

I would prefer either to a hotel brunch of which I am not a big fan, but neither is really a breakfast place either.

La Quebrada 5
(773) 585-9943
3818 W 63rd St
Chicago, IL 60629

Steve's Shish Kabob
3816 W 63rd St
Chicago, 60629
(773) 581-8920

The Hilton is located at 95th and Cicero
They offer standard brunch fare as well as an omelette stand, a waffle stand, fresh carved ham, deserts, coffee, juices.
The building itself is kinda cool. Was built in the fifties and is cylinder shaped. Has that hollywood capitol records feel to it. Not exactly the picture postcard for a chicago visit, but...
Oh! and as long as you are over there you can check out a true sw chicago original. Cupid candies is located across 95th street in an older strip mall, and if you are really up for gastronomical airplane ride grab a ten pack of sliders at white castle which is also located across the street.

A more casual option is Chuck's Southern Comforts Cafe, in Burbank just a few miles south of Midway. They're now open for breakfast at 6 AM on weekends. The chef started out under Rick Bayless at Topolobampo and serves an eclectic mix of dishes, from Mexican regional to Cajun to hickory-smoked barbecue. There's an LTH thread on the place here: http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.ph ... ff755867b; the cafe's Web site is www.chuckscafe.com.


Chuck's Southern Comforts Cafe
5579 W. 79th, Burbank
708-229-8700

Yes, there are sidewalks but I don’t know if they’ll take you anywhere you’d want to eat breakfast. Heading north on Cicero, the first place you’ll hit is Master’s Pancake House (5265 S Cicero) and almost across the street is Brandy’s (5200 S), a 24 hour family restaurant. I wouldn’t be surprised if you could get a decent standard breakfast at one of these. If you turn right on Archer you’ll pass Popper’s (5341 S Archer) where you can sample that southwest side treat, the Big Baby. A little farther up Archer is Bobak’s (5275 S) for a gargantuan Polish buffet (opens at 11am). Continuing north on Cicero toward 47th there’s Burger King, Popeye’s, Pepe’s (a lousy local Mexican chain), Subway, Gelatinas Cris, McDonald’s, Starbucks, Dunkin’ Donuts, and J&J Fish. Gelatinas Cris (4725 S Cicero) is kind of an interesting place for Mexican snacks and desserts but I don’t know if they’re open for breakfast. Between 47th and 31st there’s but a single restaurant: Hot Grill, a 24 hour trucker’s place.

If it were up to me it would be an easy decision: Chuck’s. Or maybe Mabenka (7844 S Cicero) for a Lithuanian breakfast of kugelis and eggs.

Brandy's does an okay breakfast. I haven't been there in a while but it was nice and they didn't fuss when the neighbor I went with wanted to do many substitutions and asked them to 'burn' her rye toast.

Brandy's has the worst pie I've ever tasted. The filling on both the cherry and the blueberry pies is flavorless and gluey. And the crust is rather gluey as well. The people there are very nice; the french fries were acceptable, if a little anemic; just don't order the pie.

I went to Chuck's and it was so good and filling. They are now open in the morning on weekends. They have a large breakfast menu. They're prices are reasonable and their servings are large.

I enjoyed Mabenka this morning in between dropping someone off at Midway and picking up someone else an hour later. Potato pancakes, fat, tasty sausages, and eggs that hit the spot. Quick, efficient service, reasonable but not cheap prices.

Overall the menu and atmosphere are not as (charmingly) Lithuanian as Healthy Foods a few miles east, but the crepes and potato pancakes are there, the breakfast sausage is a definite step above most, and the decor is bright and with more character (lots of wood) than the run of the mill Family Restaurant. It is now firmly on my "breakfast in the vicinity of Midway" list. In fact, I suspect it would work pretty well for a business meeting in the vicinity of Midway - a lot more character and better food than any of the places in the hotel strip on Cicero, with a Chicago vibe, but nothing that would strike anyone as weird.

And part of my subversive goal is to insinuate interesting food and more diverse locations into business situations. You gotta have goals.

Mabenka
7844 S. Cicero Ave.
Burbank, IL 60459
708-423-7679