Egg Harbor

This week we hit up Egg Harbor Cafe in Orland Park. Remember that each week, the person selecting the restaurant prepares a conversation-starter question. This week's question was about our favorite trips. One by one, we described faraway places and travel adventures, which in hindsight is ironic given Egg Harbor is more of a homey / comfort food vibe. 

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QUICK STATS

Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ [4/5]

Price Range: $$

Best For: Families seeking reliable, well-executed breakfast classics from a chain that's known for knowing what they’re doing

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BEHIND OUR RATINGS

Food Quality: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ [4/5]

Egg Harbor delivers solid, well-executed breakfast fare. Portion sizes were substantial and they didn’t skimp on the fundamentals: hash browns, bacon, eggs - all cooked just right. Lots of seasonal options which appear across the menu with heavy emphasis on their beverage creations. That said, we think their strength is actually in the staples vs the bells & whistles.

Slightly darker coffee - less of a diner-type coffee for those that like a bit of a kick.

Service: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ [5/5]

Our server Sydney was lovely. Greeted us within moments, and was the epitome of our standard for service: she gave us space but didn’t disappear. 

Also, they leave the pot here, which we agree is the way to go if a place is hopping and cups would otherwise be in danger of running dry. 

Atmosphere: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ [4/5]

Bright, clean, and much bigger on the inside than you’d expect. Don't expect anything wildly unique in terms of decor, but it's comfortable and well-maintained. We all agreed we would not want to sit in the two-table booths along the entry with folks passing by on either side. Stressed me out just looking at those.

Noise Level: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ [5/5]

Manageable even during a busy Saturday morning. We could hear each other fine and had good conversation throughout our meal.

Value for Money: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ [4/5]

Portions are generous and prices are reasonable for what you get. 

Wait Time: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ [5/5]

We didn’t wait at all. And while I’m sure larger parties and busiest times do build up a bit of a wait, this place is run so efficiently, you can be sure they’re moving through it at a good clip. 

Kid-Friendly: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ [5/5]

Absolutely kid-friendly. Kids menu, patient & attentive server. It’s a family place.

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WHAT WE ORDERED

Court went with the seasonal pumpkin pancakes with pecans. The portion was substantial and they were not mind-blowing, but good. The thick cut maple bourbon bacon was a show-stopper though. And special mention to the butter. 

Kay ordered the oatmeal with berries - good consistency, not watery or paste-y. She had a pumpkin latte which was excellent and also held up well to the addition of coffee. 

I had scrambled eggs & potatoes. I ordered the potatoes well done and I was scared they were undercooked when I saw them but they had a good crisp. Fruit bowl was a real fruit bowl, not just a handful of chopped strawberries otherwise destined for pancake topping (which a lot of places do). My pumpkin spice chai latte was slightly more hat than cattle in my opinion. Not like a foam but a milk + whip cream topping thing. 

Sunny stuck with his tried-and-true chicken fingers which came with chips but he wished there were more. He was not a fan of the chicken but couldn’t put his finger on why. He loved the smoothie!  

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THE BOTTOM LINE

Our Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ [4/5]

What Made Us Smile:

This place knows what they're doing. Consistency in food, well-run operation, and QR code payment (seriously, why isn't everyone doing this?)

What Could Be Better:

Probably atmosphere & warmth. It's a chain so it lacks the unique personality of some independent spots, but that's not really a criticism, nor are they trying to be something they’re not.

Will the SSBC Be Back? For sure. In fact, we want to go back and buy some of their mugs (they have great servingware).

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Well, that's a wrap from your SSBC! Don't forget to follow our breakfast adventures on the socials. And get some SSBC merch (holidays are just around the corner ya know). If you'd like to recommend a place for us to visit, drop us a line on our contact page.

Thanks for reading and please endeavor to be as gracious a guest as you expect of your establishment. Mind your manners, tip well, and if you linger during peak times (as we sometimes do), order lots and tip even better.