Ann Sather’s

Felt pretty stuffed after finishing off the cinnamon rolls when I went there for Saturday brunch a week ago. The rest of my dish — can’t honestly remember what entrée it was — something with eggs. But really — how creative can you really get with basic scrambled eggs?
So, honestly, minus the cinnamon rolls, everything else was standard — large portions, hard chairs, pleasant waiters, water always topped off.
I really liked those rolls though.

For a place known for its cinnamon rolls, I was expecting greatness. Like divine greatness. But, Sather’s did not give me anything close to that taste of the divine.
I was at an airport last week with my lady friend. We tried the McDonald’s cinnamon rolls, and they were tastier than Ann Sather’s. I’m just saying.
But there was some redemption: the portions are enormous, and my breakfast burrito was loaded with meat and eggs. The hash browns were basic, but I’ll never really complain about well-​seasoned potatoes.
If you’re looking for something quick and hearty, Ann Sather’s is a safe bet. But do not go there solely for the cinnamon rolls.

I love a lazy weekend breakfast at Ann Sather’s. The breakfast is the same bacon and eggs that you will get everywhere else. But they will throw cheese on those eggs if you ask. Yum!
The hash browns are the homestyle chunk potatoes with onions. But if you don’t like onion, they are large enough pieces that you can easily pick them out.
But, let’s be honest, none of us are here for the bacon and eggs, filling though they may be. We are here for the cinnamon rolls. Big, hot, fluffy squares of goodness, just oozing with that sugary white icing all over them. Oh, honey, are those babies good eating! You’ll love them. And you can ask for some extras to take home. Nuke one for 10 seconds and they will be a hot and gooey as they were in the restaurant.
The only negative about this location is that it is a very small place inside. So on busy weekends seating can be tough. In the summer, the patio in front and on the side is open, but a word of warning… that side patio is right under the El. It’s only the Brown line so the train isn’t a constant annoyance, but it can still be damned loud as it goes by. So be warned if you are hung over. Still, I will deal with the rumbling, because those cinnamon rolls are quieting the only rumbling that matters to me… the one in my tummy!

Ann Sather’s is a 4 out of 5 if you take it for what it is; an in-​and-​out breakfast/​brunch/​lunch place. I understand that some of the other locations may not be as such, but the Southport location is too small to be anything else. If you didn’t know that when you were headed there (so basically, if you were me), then you would certainly realize it when you got there. I would estimate that it can seat about 30, but they are great about getting you in and out.
I thought it was incredible that with the breakfast/​brunch entrees come with two sides, and that one of those options is not one but TWO of the huge cinnamon rolls… I mean really, one cinnamon roll could have been my entire breakfast. You MUST try one. There’s no excuse not to.
I try smoked salmon eggs benedict wherever possible, and this was no exception. I will say that it wasn’t the most appealing plate I’ve ever seen — the hollandaise was runnier than I expected and there were no extra frills on the plate, but once I took a bite, that was completely fine with me. The man friend really enjoyed his scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast combo.
The service was quick and friendly, but as it’s an «in-​and-​out» kind of place, they aren’t hanging around trying to be your bff. And that’s fine. I’ll most likely be back, and I can definitely see myself going back just to pick up some cinnamon rolls to eat at home.

My first time here, I thought I was getting an amazing deal. With most egg entrées ($ 8 – 11) you get TWO sides, enabling you to indulge in the gastronomic paragon of american excess (do you really need cinnamon rolls and an omelet? I guess it depends on how much you drank last night…) And there is certainly something to be said for menu options that allow you to avoid the scourge of indecisiveness.
Unfortunately, the cliché of quality over quantity reigns supreme. Food here is truly mediocre; even the cinnamon rolls are not that great. Though moist in the middle, the outsides can tend to be a little dry, the icing is just a cloying, slightly lemony mess, and the cinnamon flavor is lacking.
Bottom line, especially if you are seated in the garage-​esque annex in the back of this location, there are too many great brunch places around the city to waste your time and money here.

This place is one of those things where you don’t notice it much, until one day it sticks and suddenly it seems like everyone is talking about it. One of my best friends raved about it first, and then I saw this on Food Networks’ Best Thing I Ever Ate. Soon, every time I heard the words «cinnamon rolls» I began to associate it with Ann Sather, which seemed like this magical, elusive place that I absolutely cannot miss.
Maybe I didn’t enjoy my company — I came here with two complete strangers (don’t ask how that happened). Or maybe I wasn’t too hungry — I ordered an omelet and the cinnamon rolls were one of the sides, when I should’ve just ordered the rolls. Don’t get me wrong because they weren’t bad, although I liked Cinnabons better (they’ll probably blacklist me for making this comparison now…). I was expecting some sort of blissful, cathartic release, and to feel like I never want to eat another cinnamon roll again if it isn’t from Ann Sather’s, but I didn’t leave feeling this way.
I guess I definitely built it up too much in my mind, so I’m at fault. I didn’t have a bad experience, but I just didn’t think it was that great and my omelet was very average too.

Just thinking of Ann Sather’s cinnamon rolls just makes my mouth water! Everything else I’ve had here has been great as well, and comes in huge portions. They have a nice little outdoor seating area although they are right next to the El track so it can be a little noisy. The indoor seating area is a little cramped but the servers are friendly and we get our food fast, so we’re happy!

Ok breakfast. It was nice not to have to wait in a long line. Convenient location right near Brown line el station. Had the swedish meatballs and pancakes. The swedish potato sausage was so-​so. Wouldn’t make a special trip to eat here though.

Five star cinnamon buns (even better with coffee) and two to three-​star brunch food overall. My friend ordered the steak Benedict and found it rather lackluster. Meanwhile, I went the ala carte route with two buns, a fruit bowl, and coffee. As previously stated, the warm cinnamon buns slathered in glazed frosting stole the show with their doughy sweetness. However, although the fruit looked beautiful, the watermelon (as the majority fruit) came out mealy and tasteless. Next time, I’ll skip the healthy and head straight for the sugar and cinnamon.

I have had brunch a couple of times at Ann Sather’s and overall am underwhelmed. While I agree the cinnamon rolls are outstanding, I am scared to think how many calories they contain so they are not something I’d want to enjoy more than on a rare occasion (and preferably after a very long run).
Aside from the cinnamon rolls the menu is rather mundane and uninspiring and the main courses I have tried were very mediocre. Nothing special about the ambiance or service; no complaints, but again just ho-​hum.
What I also found odd was one time we attempted to eat at Ann Sather’s during a neighborhood parade and they had a «special holiday menu» (even though it was not a holiday) and the only thing «special» about the menu was it seemed they jacked up the price $ 2 to $ 3 on most of the dishes. As much as I searched and squinted my eyes I could not find anything else «special» about the menu, so our party on that occasion opted to take our business elsewhere.

4 stars because they do have the greatest cinnamon rolls.
It is an overly rated restaurant. Everyone keeps bragging about going to Ann Sather’s like it’s the new hip and cool place for high school girls to hang out after school. Their breakfast food is average and what you’d expect. Decent sized. It’s like a healthy diner placer, I suppose.
It can get very crowded. So, do me a favor: wake up at 6:30 am and go there to order a take-​out of their cinnamon rolls for breakfast. You get their signature 2 rolls for $ 3!

Ann sathers cinnamon rolls are the greatest and I think almost everyone who has eaten here can agree.
The more amazing thing is, I had the benedict here and the eggs were cooked so perfectly. I really enjoyed this breakfast restaurant

Its really just ok.
We walked in, were not greeted and were pushed aside as the servers walked out the door to get other customers. Finally the hostess greeted us, and we were seated right away which was great for noon on a Sunday.
I know the fact of getting «sides» with breakfast can be a bid odd of a thought, but man their cinnamon rolls are tasty! I ordered the Swedish breakfast sampler, and the only yummy thing was the pancake. The potato sausage was bland and had a weird texture, and the meatballs were in this cold brown gravy.
My guy got an omelet which looked very tasty and it was HUGE!
Drinks and coffee were refilled regularly but when it came time to get a to go box, the servers didn’t want to give us one, they ignored us, and then finally gave us a tiny pie container for almost a whole omelet.

I came here on a Tuesday morning around 11AM and so there was relatively no one present except for two other females eating cinnamon buns.
I really, really liked Ann Sather and can see why it’s such a Chicago staple.
I ordered a hot apple cider, which was delicious, and then proceeded to order two eggs and bacon with TWO sides of a monstrous, signature-​style cinnamon bun and hash browns.
For about $ 9 you get a FILLING and DELICIOUS breakfast.
The service was very quick and our waiter was a very nice guy. If you come here when it’s not busy you can expect the same service and quality.
I definitely will be back, maybe not this location, but the fact that it is literally across the street from the entrance to the Southport Brown Line stop, it’s hard to beat.
I will say this, you can EASILY split the cinnamon bun with a friend, or eat it by yourself alone. They are that big, and so so good!

Eh, just ok. Definitely not the top of my breakfast joint list.
The menu is really small. It’s disappointingly small. And yes, size does matter. I reluctantly tried the «swedish pancakes & meatballs», reluctantly because the meatballs are served in «brown gravy». When food is described by it’s color, it frightens me. But I was brave, and they were delicious. The potato pancakes are ok, not great, but ok.
The service is always good and friendly. It’s not a big place, so it gets busy quickly. I would not wait in line to eat here. Definitely not worth a wait.

Don’t let the lines concern you (it’s Brunch in Lakeview, people, you have to come prepared), Ann Sather’s manages to get you seated quickly without making you feel rushed once you are at your table.
As you’ve read, get the cinnamon rolls. Seriously, if you don’t, you have to come back next Sunday ’cause ya messed up. They come as a «side» option for many of the breakfast specials, so just. do. it. Mmmm. With cinnamon rolls and bottomless coffee, I could seriously hang out here all morning. However, we are brunching, not lounging, so let’s get to it.
I had the French Toast Fantasy because… well… Rachael Ray told me to (no, I don’t watch her show (s), her recommendation is written on the menu). It’s a french toast sandwich with Mascarpone cheese in the middle and granola and berries on top. While I could have done with a little less cheese, it offset the sweetness of the powdered sugar and french toast nicely (and, you can easily modify the sandwich innards by scraping some of the Mascarpone to the side).
Boyfriend went with the Southern Decadence — biscuits, eggs, and gravy. As a child of Dixie, I can assure you that these were spot-​on. Made me miss Grandma a little, even. Aww.
Service was quick and attentive, food was quite good. It’s obvious why Ann Sather’s draws such a line.

I’ve spent a year in Chicago and my boyfriend has been here for just under three, and neither of us have been graced by Ann Sather’s goodness… until yesterday morning, that is.
We racked our brains for brunch options as we dragged ourselves out of bed at noon. It was Sunday and we were in Chicago– do we really have a choice?! We’re sandwiched between two Ann locations — Belmont and Southport, but I opted for Southport for the outside seating.
We walked our happy butts over, excited for the possibility of stuffing ourselves into a weary-​eyed nap state of mind, and we basically did just that.
We wanted outside seating, and after awkwardly standing around inside waiting for someone to recognize our presence for the moment (this seemed to take longer than necessary, as in the inside is quite cramped and I assume two more people’s presence is pretty noticeable) and we were directed to wait outside until a table got cleared off. No biggie.
We waited a while for a server and for water, etc. Which, again, surprised me, seeing as this is a place with no more than 20 tables total. But, it’s Sunday! Who cares if we wait.
What’s this? Two cinnamon rolls are a SIDE on your meal? Plus another side? Heart attack station. I ordered a ‘make your own’ breakfast wrap with avacados (which later turned out to be guacamole… essentially the same, but if you’re going to serve guac, say guac. Not avacado, please.), hashbrowns and cinnamon rolls. My dude ordered the veggie… egg…something. Hashbrowns and cinnamon rolls.
Rolls came out first. As a gooey, sticky, fattening appetizer. I ate one, savored the other for later. Then our food got delivered to the wrong table and sat in front of two girls who looked confused until the waiter came back and delivered it to us.
Our meals were pretty decent. Portions were HUGE. I ate half of my wrap and took the rest home plus my roll. BF did the same.
Overall, I was mostly entranced by the rolls and then enjoyed another one later at home. I don’t know if Ann’s will be my first place to rush back to for brunch… but for a pack of the rolls to keep lovingly at home: you know it.

GET A CINNAMON ROLL. DO IT.
This location is A LOT more cramped than the location on Belmont, so I’d skip Southport altogether if it’s not May-​October. Their outdoor seating is nice and we didn’t wait long, but I can’t imagine how they cram anyone inside during the winter months. There didn’t seem to be that many tables inside so if you don’t live in this area, definitely go to the Belmont location.
Menu is large and there’s daily specials that I highly recommend. Obviously, the Swedish Sampler is a go-​to favorite meal of mine, but this time I opted for some eggs and bacon. Still really good and you always get your choice of two sides which makes any reasonable sized meal enormous. I opted for a side of hash browns and cinnamon rolls because I clearly wasn’t watching my calorie or carbohydrate intake. How delicious…
Service was quick and friendly and we were in and out in about 45 minutes. Not bad for a breakfast on the run. Located near the L if you need to go downtown after your super-​filling meal. Oh, and you can get cinnamon rolls to go. Get some. Now.

I really wish I could give this place more than 3 stars. I always have a good experience here but the food is just ok.
The servers are always attentive, friendly and quick. I never feel neglected here… my water glass is always full. When I’ve brought kids in, they’re awesome and don’t roll their eyes when we have a spill. I was just in there this week and had a great experience.
But the food… the best way I can describe it is high quality institutional fare. The eggs are always slightly chewy. The bicuits feel microwaved. It’s not BAD… it’s just not great either. It’s one of the few places in the area you can get bicuits and gravy so that’s a plus… but I’ve been to MUCH better diners.
I’ll go back because it’s convenient but if another breakfast spot opened up on southport, I’d celebrate.

I tend to get cranky if I don’t get fed every few hours… and this place makes my tummy happy (and minimizes my cranky-​ness).
Quick and friendly service.
Yummy cinnamon rolls.
Good coffee.
Inexpensive.
In my neighborhood.
I heart Ann Sather.