Orange on Harrison

Look, this place was ok, and it had the benefit of being a stone’s throw from my house. But Yolk on Michigan is nearby, and superior in every way.
Yes, the orange coffee was an interesting novelty, and one of the omelets (with basil and mushrooms) was good.
I say the odds are about ⁵⁰⁄₅₀ that something better moves in (and I say this having no clue what’s going to happen with the space, just that Orange is average).

I frequently dine here because 1. it’s good. 2. it’s right around the block from where I live.
The service I’ve gotten here has always been pretty good. Waitstaff has always been pretty attentive and helpful with menu selections. I like it when you ask your waiter what they like and they can list a few items from each section. It tells me that they actually eat the food and enjoy it. I’ve had their juice blends a few times– overpriced and not as good/​flavorful as when I make it at home. I do admit they have very creative selections when it comes to their sweeter dishes, ie their pancake flights, chai tea infused french toast, etc. I usually get a savory option (not much of a sweet tooth) and it’s always been good, but then again it’s kind of hard to mess up eggs. I’ve sampled some of the sweeter things and they’re also good, but I wouldn’t be able to eat the whole thing without something to counter the sweetness.
Overall, a great brunch place. Their one plus for me is that it’s so close by. I definitely prefer Yolk on Michigan and Roosevelt because of their huuuuge menu selction, but since it’s a farther venture, I settle for Orange. Prices are comparable to other brunch places, slightly overpriced for food that is makable at home. One thing I did not like about Orange– that I have to walk out of the restaurant and down a long corridor to go to the bathroom. No biggie just a hassle for ppl like me who wash their hands before and after every meal (germ-​phob).
note– sometimes i see certificates for orange at
so check to see if it’s available to save some cash!

Well, Orange on Harrison closed it doors for good about… an hour ago, and I just had my first (and last) experience there today. I know they’re moving, and while I had a good time there, I dunno if it’d be worth the trouble to get there past the 5 minute walk I did today.
Things were busy, as expected, but we managed to find a spot at the bar. I ordered a pear-​grape-​strawberry juice to start, which was quite nice, though it had a strong green apple-​y flavor. The food took quite some time to arrive, slow to the point where the packed house wasn’t really an excuse.
Now my roommate ordered the 11.5 omelet which is stuffed with bacon and has an avocado spread on top, while I got the 6 omelet which is filled with mushrooms and asparagus and dressed with balsamic vinegar. When our food came, things looked all right… until my friends looked in their omelet and surprisingly found mushrooms inside. Sure enough, they mixed up the innards of our foods. Good thing I have nothing against bacon, but a lot of people do… they did replace the food quite quickly, though.
We also ordered a the honey pancake flight listed in another review here, but one of the pancakes was bacon flavored, which turned out subtle but savory. Overall, the food was good, price was decent (unless you do like me and order a ton of food), juice was excellent, wait was lengthy, and none of this matters because it’s gone now. :(

The service here was only ok. The food here was mediocre. I ordered an omelette and it was good but not outstanding. I had higher hopes for this place. The prices are also on the expensive end.

I have been to this place a million times, always with my friends. They take reservations for parties of 8 or more, which is nice because I like to come here with big groups (the last time we were there, we were in the corner «VIP» room). If you come here as a party of two, the wait is never too long so it isn’t really a problem as long as you aren’t so hungry you’d be willing to trade your first born for a tic tac.
Some of the things that I have ordered have included the Orange Rosemary French Toast, which is the perfect blend of sweet and savory. Also, the french toast comes in a bowl with the soupy sauce so it is never dry (which I can’t say for the French Toast Kabobs. A little boring). I also recommend to pass on the frushi. It’s a cute concept, but really, it’s fruit wrapped in rice. Next.
Their make your own fruit juices that are made to order are DELISH. Orange lime juice, orange banana, both winners.
the only qualms I have with this place are A) the servers have always been a little off. The first time i came here, my friends tried to have bacon held off of their meals and the waitress said it would ruin the integrity of the dish and that she wouldn’t do it. Wow. Offensive. And B) what’s with the Where’s Waldo type bathroom search? it’s down a few halls, past a fountain, surrounded by foliage… really out there.

I’ve been to Orange on Clark, and was happier with it than the Harrison location.. . but never completely delighted. Sure, it’s hard not to be carried away by enchanting visions like fruishi (though ours looked more like a splatter painting and cantaloupe? That’s a pretty low-​grade fruit, no offense), and the pancake flight. The pancakes were gummy, dry and needed a LOT of syrup to be palatable. Sorry to say too that the orange coffee was pretty bitter.
The good news is you can get in with NO line. I think the location is beneficial to quick in and out, unlike the nearby Bongo Room, which I favor. Also, you really can’t beat the ambiance. It delivers on the whimsy of the food. I don’t think we’ll be back. Not for almost $ 50 for two people. I think that’s a bit criminal for gummy flapjacks, no matter how cute they are. We didn’t even have mimosas!

Went here again more recently after eating a lot at Yolk!
The ambiance here is better because it’s more spaced out and not as loud, but the food just couldn’t compare to Yolk!
They had some interesting things on the menu and some are decent, but most are an overdose. So eat with caution and enjoy in small quantities only.

I love this place… The airiness, the fresh fruit juices, and the creative and delicious selections are enough to keep bringing me back to this joint.
My favorite is the Pancake Flight of the day. Pure artistry! Not to mention, quite tasty. I also like their Green Eggs & Ham (scrambled eggs with pesto and Italian ham).
I’m not a huge fan of the orange flavored coffee — I’m kinda traditional in that regard. But other than that, I’ve always been happily stuffed when dining at Orange.
I’ll definitely be back now that I live right around the corner…

I’m giving them four stars for the dish my friend ordered (Eggs Benedict with Basil Pesto and Tomatoes), the cool atmosphere, and pretty short wait time, considering the Sunday morning brunch crowd. I would give them 2 to 3 stars for the absentee server who started out great then fizzled shortly thereafter and my lackluster dish of Omelet #11.5 (brie, bacon, leeks, and overcooked eggs… I forgot that I do not like brie but it was not the dish killer). Tried the frushi: cool dish, interesting taste, probably wouldn’t order it again. They offer fresh squeezed juices. I tried to make my own fruit juice combination: disaster, should have stuck with the classics, i.e. orange+pineapple. (FYI, cucumber, ginger, and lime are not as delicious together as I thought)
My recommendation: Go to Orange for a delicious brunch in a hip atmosphere at decent prices.

Really fun atmostphere. It’s BYOB — but the mixes they serve up are kinda… well, gross. I ordered their tomoto juice to mix it up with some vodka and well, I’m just not an «unprocessed» tomoto juice drinker. it was way too pure — the tomato separated into ½ water, ½ tomato.
I tried so hard to add tobasco, then worcestire, etc to make it taste like my normal brunch bloody. didn’t happen.
On another note though, the breakfast was really good. Eggs benedict was done pefectly and my friend ordered the steak and eggs which was excellent. I’m ordering that next time I come.
Service, lacking a little. but I guess it’s because this place is SO busy every time I come and visit.

I happened to be going to Chicago for a wedding and looking for things to do. I had foodnetwork on at home, and Giada was at Orange having some Frushi. I decided to give this place a go as it was pretty close to Museum Campus.
I visited twice (just a hop and skip away from the Harrison station), and thoroughly enjoyed both visits. Unfortunately, I did not have a chance to get the Frushi (available only on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday), but I did get to enjoy one of the omelettes and pancake flights.
Tuesday: The omelet was filled with asparagus, mushrooms, cheese, and covered with a balsamic glaze. Potatoes and toast on the side. Now, most people who have eaten with me know that I’m a big eater. For as small as I am, I can pack away a decent amount of food. The omelette was so big, that it was a battle though. I ate half of it. It stared at me. I stared back. I cut it with a fork, and it bled balsamic glaze. I shoved more mushrooms into my mouth. I was winning the battle. About 10 minutes later, I had defeated the beast. All was well. The waitress helped roll me out the door so I could go to the Shedd Aquarium.
Thursday: Pancake Flight — the Olympic theme. Four stacks of silver dollar pancakes each with a different country and theme. USA was raspberry infused pancakes with whipped cream and blueberry jello. Cuba was coffee infused condensed milk with cinnamon. Japan was sweet potato paste with toasted sesame seeds. France (I think it was France) was banana pudding with chocolate ganache. Mmm… they all sound delicious, but the pancakes themselves were a little tough. Also, the waitress asked if I wanted bacon or sausage though I didn’t think it came with the pancake flight. I said «bacon.» Whatever, I’ll take it if it comes with. When I get the bill, the bacon was an extra 3.50. While it was good bacon, unless it was covered with shaved white truffles, it isn’t worth 3.50.
+1 Big as yo face omelettes
+1 Cute and colorful décor
+1 Creative pancakes
+1 Squeezed juice to order (I got a free glass when they moved my table for another party)
+1 Cute hallway with flowers to the maze to the bathroom. The security guard at the station on the way to the ladies room chatted with me twice. She’s really friendly.
+ Practically empty on the weekdays. I was in and out and first in line at the Field Museum on Thursday.
–1 Tough pancakes. I like them tender and fluffy.
–1 This place is also kind of pricey.

It’s a South Loop locale and a favorite with Depaul/​Roosevelt college students (you can see them drift in after 11AM on weekends).
Green Eggs and Ham is a cute and savory dish, the Pancake Flights are hit or miss (my favorite was Ben and Jerry’s week… mmm), and the Frushi is tasty, but overly trendy and overpriced.
PS: the hallway to the bathroom is trippy — like being in Alice in Wonderland. yeah, you know what I’m talking about.
I like it — I don’t love it. I think I’m just over it though.

I’m sad that the Clark location has a higher rating than this one. I love Orange. It’s such a unique breakfast experience. The wait is rough, but it’s a busy Chicago restaurant, and is worth it. I’d rather spend 45 minutes waiting to eat a plate of delectable frushi than wait 25 minutes to eat some lame appetizer at Bennigan’s or some other lame downtown spot.
Came here with a huge group after Lollapalooza and had some of the greatest service ever. Everything came out fast and delicious! The server had no problem with my ordering off of the kids menu (I was sad that they didn’t let me at the Clark location). I love their juice bar and the juicer never ceases to amaze me!

2.5 stars. I wanted to like it. I really did. I’ve been to the Orange on Clark and was only mildly impressed.
So I walk in this location on Sunday at noonish by myself. I was told that I would be better off waiting for one of the bar stools to open and that most of those folks were waiting for a table. As I stand smooshed in their waiting area, I eye not only the menu that was given to me, but also the people carelessly chatting away in «my» seat! Finally I ask if I can claim their seat when they are called and they gladly give it up saying I should have asked earlier. Thanks, but really the restaurant shouldn’t allow people to sit and chat while other folks need those seats to sit and eat (read: trying to give them more money).
So I finally have a seat. Love the kid behind the counter. He gets me a yummy orange strawberry banana drink and takes my order quickly. I knew what I wanted for about an hour at this point! I wanted something different and boy did I get it. It was the orange cherry rosemary french toast. I don’t know; there is just something weird about rosemary in your breakfast, ya know? It was soggily swimming in a milky sauce and had cocktail cherries strewn throughout. Huh. Side of bacon: ok, but overpriced.
My overall experience here was frustrating and meh. Probably won’t be back. One star: Fruit drink. Two stars: Cool guy at bar. Half star: Food trying to be different.

Orange on Harrison was one of the first places I visited when I started visiting Chicago several years ago. I was impressed then and continue to enjoy this restaurant.
The chef is particularly creative, and you should always be able to find something interesting. As far as customization, I know they are sensitive to dietary needs, and what happened to enjoying culinary creations for what they are, not what YOU would make at home. I appreciate having preferences, but sometimes it’s nice to try what someone else has crafted.
I love the staff and management. They handle small and large crowds well and really balance attention with letting you enjoy your meal.
Orange is a quick few steps away from the Red Line-​Harrison stop and well worth a weekday lunch as well as a weekend brunch.

Orange’s décor is certainly funky. The atmosphere is very warehouse-​y, which is pretty appropriate for that part of town. The ceilings are very high, giving the restaurant an industrial feel. Adorning the walls are all sorts of art for sale, most of them paintings in extremely vibrant colors.
Glasses of water have a cucumber slice floating on top (you’d think they’d use orange, but no! The water has a hint of cucumber flavor, which is really quite refreshing).
Orange’s menu is ridiculously creative but a tad limited. For example, they offer five types of omelets, and five types only ($ 7.95−8.95); custom orders can take a hike. In addition to your traditional Eggs Benedict, you can get Caprese Benedict and Steak and Eggs Benedict. Pancakes are available in a number of versions ($ 6.95−8.95), including cinnamon roll and jelly donut, and a particularly interesting take on French toast involves skewers, coconut, and fresh fruit ($ 8.95).
In addition to breakfast standards like eggs and oatmeal, Orange also serves some lunch items. For under $ 10, you can have your choice of soups, salad, and sandwiches, all served in hefty portions.
The pancake flights are absolutely gorgeous. A square plate segmented into quadrants holds each variety of pancake. The pancakes themselves are stacks of kiddie-​sized cakes, which makes perfect sense considering how many pancakes come in the flight (four or five per stack I think). The pancake flight sets you back $ 10.95, but it was soooo worth it. Plus, it fed two of us handily, so it was a rather good bargain.
Orange has an orange-​squeezing machine behind the bar which is in constant production. In addition to orange juice, the restaurant has a make-​your-​own-​fresh-​juice menu. Check off your main juice (orange, apple, etc.), add a second flavor (watermelon, mango, carrot, etc.), and throw something else in there (ginger, etc.) for a bit more panache if you’re feeling sassy. For $ 3 – 4, you can have a custom-​squeezed juice to enjoy w/​your brunch.
The Fruity Pebble pancakes on the kids’ menu are worth pretending you’re a kid. They consist of about five Fruity-​Pebbly cakes topped w/​a blob of Fruity Pebble butter. Sprinkled on the plate like confetti is – you guessed it! – more of the colorful cereal. The original combination is so unique, so faux-​fruity, and so truly tasty. Fantastic presentation aside, these cakes are winners, with just the right amount of fluff and just the right size pat of butter.
The grilled cheese consists of two thick slices of bread topped w/​cheese, caramelized onions, and roasted tomato, all thrown under a broiler; thus, no butter, margarine, oil, or mayo had been used to lube up the bread. The heartiest grilled cheese I’ve eaten, I had to use a fork and a knife to tackle the monster. Served alongside the sandwich was Orange’s potatoes, which seem to me like roughly mashed potatoes thrown briefly onto a griddle to crisp up the outside. I think this is a great concept, but I would have preferred fries w/​this instead of undersalted breakfast spuds.
It’s hard to find an original breakfast place that serves quality food at good prices. But with friendly, personal service, nice-​sized portions, a completely bitchin’ menu, and damn tasty food, I know Orange is a winner. Places like that make me sad that I don’t have a reliable brunch place near me to fall back on.

Reviewers report long waits at this busy eatery, and those fortunate enough can grab a first-​come-​first-​serve seat at the bar. I was able to score a bar seat and did not have to endure the 30 minute wait for a table on a Sunday morning. However, that did not save me from waiting entirely. I sat at the corner for the bar for nearly 15 minutes, menuless and starving. Everyone behind the counter was busy shuffling around and making juice, but where was the waitress? It turns out that there was only one person managing the business behind the bar and unfortunately, she was not easy to flag down.
I finally got my hands on a menu and I decided to move to a more open location on the bar, in hopes of faster service. I was not tempted by the traditional breakfast fare but got what I had come for: the pancake flight. It is a dish of pancakes, prepared four ways and following a central theme. This week, it was muffins: lemon poppyseed, carrot, almond streusel, and banana chocolate. For a drink, I turned to the customizable juice bar and ordered a grapefruit juice, adding another dollar for strawberries.
And then I waited some more. The bartenders came around the talk to me while they hurriedly prepared juice, using the industrial-​size juicer. I watched the mesmerizing orange juicer behind the bar as it sliced orange after orange and pressed them for all their worth.
My pancakes finally arrived. I was astounded by the size of the pancakes and quickly deemed it as a dish that is better off being shared with friends. The «dollar pancakes» were at least 4 inches in diameter each, and they were arranged in piles of three for each of the four styles.
I started with the lemon poppy seed, which was very delicious and reminded me strongly of the muffin version. The vanilla lemon glaze wasn’t too sweet but it didn’t taste much like lemons either. I loved the crunch of the poppyseeds and the zest should be eaten with caution.
Normally, I don’t favor chocolate in breakfast foods but this pancake actually turned my thoughts. I just wish that there had been more banana slices on the pancake. I felt that the white chocolate chips were unnecessary.
The almond streusel pancake was topped with almond anglaise and almond streusel. I couldn’t make out that anglaise as the topped seemed as if it were one and it was thick and held its form. Streusel is of German origin and a crumb topping of butter, flour and sugar baked on top of a pastry. I didn’t get any inkling that the streusel was in any way baked on to the top of my pancake.
The only pancake to fall short of expectations was the carrot. It did not resemble a moist carrot muffin at all, which I absolutely adore. The pancake was utterly dry and the cream cheese frosting did nothing to alleviate that issue. I think it could have been much better if the carrot were somehow worked into the pancake batter.
Overall, I ate about 30% of my dish but I wish I could have finished it.
Update: I really wish I checked out the website before I visited because there’s student discounts available: 20% off tab or one free large drink w/​purchase of entrée (you need to prvoide student ID and coupon).

I had a good experience here on Sunday at Noon. The place was packed and we were told the wait would be upwards of an hour or more… we didn’t really want to wait, but luckily there were two chairs at the bar… which we snatched up. The whole atmosphere is just awesome, a fun place with great décor and some great music.
I ordered the pancake flight, which had awesome presentation and decent flavor combinations, but the pancakes themselves lacked moisture. My wife had two of the biggest cinnamon pancakes I have ever seen, they were at least 10″ in diameter and were probably an inch think each. They tasted pretty good.
We each had a glass of freshly squeezed OJ and watched the juice-​tender whip up glasses of various juices from an industrial juicer.
This place is better than Ann Sather (sans their cinnamon rolls) and it is running pretty close to Lou Mitchell’s (minus the grease). Will be back for sure… probably during a less crowded time!

The wait will likely kill you if you are starving.
We (like every other breathing Chicagoan) headed down to Orange during the Printer’s Row book fair. Not the brightest bulb on a Sunday morning, I suppose. :) The wait was 1.5 hours, and they did not overestimate… luckily, we just perused some overpriced books for an hour or so and then reported back… my best gal pal got us in good with the host, as they were both from Omaha. I think it knocked a whole 3 minutes off of our wait! ;)
This was actually my best experience at Orange besides the crowd and wait. The cofee is supersonic. No other coffee on earth hypes me up like Orange coffee. Our waiter delivered 2 carafes to our table and we just got to serve ourselves, how convenient! And how dangerous!
The fruishi was divine, as it always is. Perfection squared with raspberry drizzle and mango chunks. My green eggs and ham (a staple) was absolutely fantastica, perfectly prepared, piping hot with two big slices of buffalo mozzarella melting nicely on top… yummmm. Gal pal got the french toast kabobs and loved them, I drooled at her ability to consume major carbs and be skinny. Boyfriend ordered the benedict and finished it swiftly, as well as my potatoes and toast.
Overall, just a great breakfast.
One odd thing is that the bathroom requires you to walk out of the restaurant and into the lobby of an office building, its seriously like a one block walk. I got lost of course… but with all that coffee… you know how it goes. :)
Def a good place. I suggest going on a weekday if possible, or trying to go when there isn’t a large, huge, street event less than a block away :)
The self park in the building is only $ 8 with Orange validation.

I had read about Orange on Unilocal,and never having had a really trendy brunch before, thought a free Thursday with hubby would be a good time to give it a try. It was a fun experience, and I would probably go back again, especially on a weekday because I hate waiting.
We got the pancake flight, which was yummy and easily enough for two, and the «Popeye scramble» of scrambled eggs with spinach and tomato. We figured we’d share both, and the healthiness of the spinach would somehow cancel out all the fat and calories of the sweet and creamy toppings on the pancakes. I can really rationalize anything.
I liked the unique taste of the orange coffee, but I didn’t think much of Orange’s potatoes that came with the eggs. It was a sort of bland cake of skin-​on mashed spuds. The whole dish needed an application of salt and pepper.
Overall, a fun change of pace. In spite of the crowd they cater to, there is a kids’ menu. The whole thing set us back about $ 30. One star off for the annoying lengthy schlep to the bathrooms.