Favorite Waffles in Chicago

My wife considers herself a waffle connoisseur. It's her favorite breakfast food, and a reassuring meal in tough times. And there is something undeniably soothing about spreading butter over the peaks of a freshly made waffle, then filing each of its nooks with warm syrup. Over the years, this has led to the two of us spending far too much time at various Chicago-area Golden Nuggets, where the quality of ham and egg in the Waitress Special (one giant creme butter waffle, choice of meat and two eggs as you like) is starting to bring us down.
So we were wondering if folks had a favorite place in town to go for a waffle fix. The ones at the Lincoln Park and Gold Coast Original Pancake Houses are pretty solid, but parking stinks. Pauline's drowns theirs in whipped cream. Angel Food (our current weekend breakfast favorite) doesn't carry the dish. I did see the pictures of the waffle at Pannekoken Cafe, and the link for the wangs and waffles at Lagniappe, both of which look intriguing. Any additional suggestions or recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

Anderson

The best restaurant waffle I've had recently was at the Blue Angel, a 24-hour diner up at Milwaukee/Central/Foster. Served nice and crispy. Plus ample free parking.

We bought a top-of-the-line waffle iron and get most of our waffles at home now. They keep surprisingly well upon re-toasting too.

Blue Angel
5310 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago
773-631-8700

I love waffles.. Crispy sweet waffles.. When I was growing up my mother would get out the waffle maker which seemed when it was built it came with the old tattered and frayed electrical cord. It did not look pretty and seemed a bit dangerous but it made great waffles I think it was because it was well seasoned like a Wok should be and added extra waffle flavor. When going to collage I strayed from home made waffles and started eating Eggos.. I still have to say I loved the crispiness of a Eggo. Many a night I can remember coming home from the bars and finishing off a whole 8 pack of Eggo Waffles this fact earned me the name waffle boy at the time. Im happy to say I have a waffle maker of my own now after years of eggo-ing. It was a perfect gift after a life long buddy learned of my love of waffles as we dined on fried chicken and waffles at Joeys Brick House on Belmont ave which is here in chicago. I like the syrup on a waffle but I do love them with just butter I dont know if that makes me a waffle purest or just more savory then sweet when it comes to waffles. I can give you one idea for waffles which is in my neighborhood here in Lakeview its called Baladoche and located at 2904 N Clark ave. Its not so much a breakfast style as it is a snack> They offer all different toppings for it my favorite is Nuttela or powdered sugar. Yes these waffles make me stray from my love of savory waffles . I will say they are not cheap but they are tasty..

http://www.baladoche.com/

Jambajay wrote:I can give you one idea for waffles which is in my neighborhood here in Lakeview its called Baladoche and located at 2904 N Clark ave

Baladoche got considerable discussion in this thread.

Right. Having spent a little too much time wandering around Brussels, I'm definitely very aware of the portable, traditionally Belgian-style waffle of the type that Baladoche makes. It makes for a pleasant snack, and thank you for the suggestion. I was more on the prowl for American breakfast style waffles though-- served hot on a plate, with plenty of butter and syrup handy.
Were the waffles at Joey's Brickhouse tasty?

Anderson G wrote:Were the waffles at Joey's Brickhouse tasty?

I like Joey's Brickhouse and think its a fun place with a good vibe. Its a casual place with some interesting specials ,all you can eat pizza , salad and rice crispy treats and all you can drink beer is one , its every Tuesday and is 15 bucks. Some things are better then others but I have never been disappointed. The waffles were good plus it was the first time I had waffles with fried chicken. It was a good combo . The dish came with 2 waffles Belgium style waffles with deep pockets for pools of butter and syrup to pool, the chicken was a boneless breast served nice and crispy and the whole thing came with butter and warm maple syrup. I picked the french fries as my side dish and it made for a good choice. One important thing to me when eating waffles especially as I like them just with butter most of the time then to dip in the maple syrup is to have very soft butter and a hot waffle so the butter melts nicely. Joeys was not soft butter and the waffle was not as hot as it could of been but the butter still ended up melting so it was not all off. I liked it and would get it again but ask for softened butter and a really hot waffle.. . I like it when I get a dish that I don't think I can make better at home, I think I could of beat this dish in a waffle off. Little off the topic but.... Id be interested in trying a savory waffle with some sort of cheese and bacon mixed into the batter with some shredded chicken or pork on top and instead of syrup maybe some sort of waffle gravy haha...anyone ever hear of a dish like that...the waffle maker might make it out of the box tonight...

Jambajay wrote:... When going to collage...

I am SOOO sorry I am pointing this out. I just think it's hilarious. No offense, Jambajay. I'm sure I've written things like this plenty of times. It's not even about the spelling, it's the context it's in. I have really nothing to add to the thread, other than I'm the person who goes to the waffle station each trip through the buffet line at a brunch buffet. - And no, I don't want one square. I want all four! Again, I'm sorry, and not trying to be any kind of spelling dick, but in the context, c'mon!

Waffles generally don't excite me much, but the Belgian waffle at Tre Kronor is terrific. I'd eat it dry.

Best,
Michael

Jambajay wrote:Id be interested in trying a savory waffle with some sort of cheese and bacon mixed into the batter

While the batter is typical sweet, not savory, Walker Brothers in Wilmette serves a waffle with bacon mixed into the batter. I was going to post it as my favorite waffle in Chicago before I saw your comment. They are the round, inch-tall style, and the bacon is chopped but starts as very thick slices, so there's a nice texture variety going on.

Walker Bros Original Pancake House
153 Green Bay Rd, Wilmette, IL
(847) 251-6000

Any place in the Chicago area that serves the thin, crispy Waffle House-style waffle? This thread so far seems to be exclusively populated with big, thick "Belgian" waffles.

Hi,

CJ's Eatery offers Chicken and Waffles:

Image by Steve Z


CJ's Eatery
3839 W Grand Ave
Chicago, IL 60651
773-292-0990
Grand is just 4 blocks south of north ave. at this address
Neighborhood: Humboldt Park

Evan - the relatively flat waffle seems displaced by Belgium or modified Belgium style waffle forms. It is likely fashion or giving the sense to the customer of more for their money. The waffle irons we have at home are all the flat style.

Long ago, I assumed waffles were made from pancake batter or at least that seemed to be my Mom's approach. I was a bit surprised when I learned the waffle batter has a much higher level of butterfat to facilitate the crispness.

Regards,

Cathy2 wrote:the relatively flat waffle seems displaced by Belgium or modified Belgium style waffle forms. It is likely fashion or giving the sense to the customer of more for their money.

I prefer the Belgian style for the simple reason that there's more surface area and hence more crispiness. Similar to the function of s hole in a donut.

Cathy2 wrote:Long ago, I assumed waffles were made from pancake batter or at least that seemed to be my Mom's approach. I was a bit surprised when I learned the waffle batter has a much higher level of butterfat to facilitate the crispness.

I always thought that the primary purpose of their higher level of butterfat was to prevent them from getting stuck in the waffle iron. I suppose the crispness helps this too, but the additional butterfat makes the surface less sticky.

the more melted butter in the batter the crsipier the waffle, the less melted butter added, the lighter, and fluffier the waffle.

Id be interested in trying a savory waffle with some sort of cheese and bacon mixed into the batter with some shredded chicken or pork on top and instead of syrup maybe some sort of waffle gravy haha

We use waffles for hors d'oeuvres - a roasted corn waffle with smoked salmon and a corn & bacon waffle with pulled pork. They're a hit at parties and a fun way of using waffles savory-style. Of course, we don't have a restaurant so you'd have to hire us for a party in order to partake (or you can recreate at home).

figmolly wrote:We use waffles for hors d'oeuvres

I had an absolutely spectacular waffle appetizer at Oakley's Bistro in Indianapolis a few months ago. It was their "Lobster Waffle - chive waffle / maine lobster / sweet corn zucchini relish / bacon cream / tomato fondue". It was served as a "tower", with the small round waffle on top, and layers of the other ingredients including nice chunks of lobster. One ingredient not listed, and making an important contribution to the dish, was artichoke hearts, with large chunks throughout the bottom layer of the dish. I really loved this dish, which became much more than the sum of its delicious parts.

The rest of my dinner there was equally wonderful, the best meal I've had in my frequent visits to Indiana. If you're ever in the area, I highly recommend it.

It's funny you folks mentioned the thicker Belgian waffles vs. the thinner, less crunchy variety. The wife likes the traditional Belgian thickness and texture, but my favorite waffles of all time are actually at Roscoe's House of Chicken & Waffles in LA (the Pico/LaBrea location, especially), which serves up the thinner, softer variety. I don't know what they do to them, but they're intensely buttery and seem to have a light honey taste, and I don't miss the crispness at all. Maybe it's just the contrast with the salty crispiness of the chicken. And even though the picture doesn't show it properly, they really are quite thin-- in fact, most folks get two in one order. Last time we were out in LaLa Land, I took the wife there and she cried foul, wanting the crispy, Belgian-style. T'was a sad day...

Thanks, Cathy2 and garmuska, for your recommendations.
Anderson

Anderson,

You may want to cruise over to this thread on chicken and waffles. Toward the end is my do-it-yourself chicken and waffles by ordering a broasted chicken dinner and waffles, then combining them at my table. Your wife will be pleased to know they were Belgium waffles.

Thanks for an interesting question.

Regards,

jimswside wrote:

the more melted butter in the batter the crispier the waffle

There is something almost Zen about this. Good forum tagline candidate, though I was hoping to claim the current spot myself with "The Umamification of America" in the most hated trends thread.

I second Tre Kroner. I just had their delicious waffle this morning. Did I mention it was delicious? They cover it liberally with sliced bananas and strawberries and finish it with a generous dollop of fresh whipped cream. Which is easily pushed aside if one doesn't like generous dollops. Today, I was in the mood for the royal treatment including maple syrup and a side of potato sausage.

I remember seeing waffles with bacon in the batter at Yolk on S. Michigan, but did not try it.

Yolk
1120 S. Michigan
60605

http://www.thatsdlicious.com/yolk/index.html

I make my waffles with bacon in the batter. Got the idea from my friend Jay's mom and it has stuck.

My favorite waffle moment came at the hands of a dear friend, a master of sourdough. The batter was made with buckwheat flour and his amazing ten year sourdough starter. He threw a whole dang sausage patty in the middle of the thing and as a strictly savory breakfast guy, I opted for a drizzle of country gravy rather than maple syrup. Indulgent!

I like the waffles at the Omega restaurant. They are nothing fancy or different but are cooked just crisp enough but not overdone. It's not worth a special drive but if you are in the area and like waffles give it a shot. The restaurant moves fast enought that you can get a seat on Saturday or Sunday morning without too horrible a wait (even though it is crowded). I would stick to breakfast food there (tried ham and sweet potato, and also sliced turkey plate, and these were only so-so). Oh, and they serve croissants free with the bread plate if you need an additional source of calories before the waffles.

Omega Restaurant
9100 West Golf Road
Niles, Illinois 60714
847.296.7777

Hi,

How is the fried chicken at the Omega? Asked largely in the context of desiring DIY chicken and waffles.

Regards,

Cathy2 wrote:How is the fried chicken at the Omega? Asked largely in the context of desiring DIY chicken and waffles.

I found the web site:
http://omeganiles.com/
Move your mouse over the squares to see the options.
You could get half a fried half chicken a la carte (under "dinner suggestions") and then order a waffle.

I would guess that their fried chicken would be OK, maybe even better than OK. The dinner foods I've had there have not been bad, just sort of blah. To be fair, I haven't tried any of the Greek items.

Breakfast options have all been good. They don't overcook scrambled eggs, which I appreciate!

Hi folks,
Thought I'd report back. The wife and I tried the waffle at Tre Kronor the other weekend and had a pleasant experience. Our previous ordering experiences at Three Crowns had been limited to omelets, danishes, Swedish pancakes and the Anders Hash. The wife is not one for the sundae style waffles, so she held the whipped cream and had the berries on the side.

Even without the garnishes, it's a pretty dish, especially when properly buttered and syruped:

I had the orange french toast and some veal sausage (which unfortunately did not photograph well). In all a very pleasant meal, as always at TK.
On the way home, I pestered her a little about the specifics of her waffling and how she'd rate it comparatively. After some discussion, she gave it an 8 out of 10, with the Golden Nugget's Giant Creme Butter Waffle still setting the standard. She said TK's had excellent taste and crispiness, but that it could have stood to be slightly more tender on the inside. So the quest for the great waffle in the post-Golden Nuggest era continues.
Any other suggestions for top notch Belgian waffles?
Thanks to everyone for their suggestions.

Anderson G

Anderson G wrote:Hi Any other suggestions for top notch Belgian waffles?

You got quite a list before, nothing else intrigued you?

Regards,

Sorry Cathy, didn't mean to be overly demanding.
We've just already tapped Walker Brothers (many times) and Yolk, and waffles seemed like a temporary special at Joey's Brickhouse. (The miraculous internet has revealed the dish is not a regular brunch offering.)
We hit up Blue Angel last weekend and it went over very well. I'll try to post some pictures in the next day or two.

grits wrote:

Cathy2 wrote:How is the fried chicken at the Omega? Asked largely in the context of desiring DIY chicken and waffles.

I would guess that their fried chicken would be OK, maybe even better than OK. The dinner foods I've had there have not been bad, just sort of blah.
Breakfast options have all been good. They don't overcook scrambled eggs, which I appreciate!

My husband got the roast chicken at Omega this weekend. He gave it a "meh" rating. The scrambled eggs were a bit overcooked so I'll have to take that back. And the "grapefruit juice" appeared to be some kind of nuclear-colored grapefruit-flavored Tang. I've never seen or tasted anything like it. They do serve fresh orange juice so I'm not sure what the grapefruit stuff was...since we were with my FIL I let it go.

But the waffle was good as always!