Porters Grille & Fountain

My wife and I have been meaning to try this place for years. The last review says «They make you feel like family». Would tonight be the the night…
1 — 6:10PM, all lights are on
2 — The sign says «Open»
3 — The hours read «Mon-​Sat XX to 7pm»
4 — We get out of the car, and a small Filipino lady notices us while talking to a customer putting his coat on
5 — She shoots toward the door. Must be coming to greet her family :-)
6 — She hurriedly opens the inside door, and as we face her on the opposite side of the outside door, she flips the sign from «Open» to «Closed» :-(
7 — Then she cracks open the door and asks, «Can I help you?» :-\
8 — Me:“Well, I guess you’re closed.” Her:“Yes, we close 6:30″
Welcome to the family.

Family owned and operated. Constance & Vicky are the daughter’s and servers. They will make you feel like family! Chocolate phosphates are the best!

I enjoyed a good breakfast here this morning with my family. The ambiance was bright and cheerful with a real family business feel. Eggs, bacon, pancakes, waffles with topping… my group of seven people all enjoyed what we ordered. I liked the side of potatoes with onions and peppers. Prices were surprisingly affordable (under $ 7 for a ham omelette,) and I found the quality of the food to be just as good as any place else.
My elderly parents use walkers, and they found it easy to enter the restaurant as well as to get to the table and back to the car.

Anna and her husband, Nick, have cut corners on there food over the past year. They eater down the Tabasco, the ketchup in Heinz bottles aren’t Heinz, and the meats are cheaper. Not worth it anymore.

Porters is a interesting place. When I first moved into the area I didn’t really know what to think of it because I was never sure if it was even open. The outside of it is doesn’t give much of a hint to the life inside. When I finally decided to give it a try my husband and I walked into a very clean, simple interior. It had an old diner look and seemed very well taken care of. There weren’t alot of patrons that particular visit but they might other times. We ordered some standard breakfast fare, like an omelet and I remember it being good. Good, as in an acceptable breakfast vs something you remember and crave later. Service was very polite.
Unfortunately Des PLaines has a lot of great breakfast options around that win over them every time I go out. It’s not even so much the food, but the ambiance. The other places have noise and people and big windows that brighten the place. Porters just feels very insulated and somewhat sterile in comparison. Maybe I will give it another try during a busy time and change my review. Still, I feel they would do alot better if the chased a little of the gloominess away. That could be just my impression though– check them out still and decide for yourself. You wont get a bad breakfast out of it.

If you’re heading to Des Plaines or just in the area, do yourself a favor and go to Porter’s. The place isn’t big on décor or frills, but they do food right there. I got a club sandwich there recently, and it wasn’t just simple cold cuts but actual sliced turkey! The only downside to the place is that the hours are limited. I believe it closes at 7 p.m. so it’s essentially a breakfast/​lunch place but worth the trip! As a helpful FYI, it’s a cash-​only place.

One of those places for which you wish more business for the nice, diligent owners. A fair meal at a very fair price. Clean, well kept. Chicago Greek coffee shop food at its purest. Turkey burger is good. Greek salad is good. Omelettes are good. Nothing flamboyant or overstuffed. Just good food in a quiet, well lighted place on the outskirts of downtown Des Plaines. What more do you want in life?