Solstice

My husband and I tried out this restaurant today for lunch. He ordered a hamburger and I had their chicken salad sandwich. Both were delicious! I love the spices they used for the chicken salad. And we had a serving of their French fries… scrumptious!
Lucas, one of the brothers who own Solstice was very friendly and helpful.
We will for sure go back… with friends and family too!

I had heard great things about this restaurant and finally got a chance to check it out. My husband and I went there with two other couples and everyone agreed… it was amazing food! Our meals were so fresh and delicious. We all got something different and everyone loved every bite. I especially loved the incredible Bloody Marys… a bit unique and so tasty! Do yourself a favor… check out Solstice! You won’t regret it!

My search for a good brunch spot in the burbs unfortunately has left me stumped. A spot with a good bloody, portions not large enough to feed a small country and quality ingredients have been scarce. Enter Solstice. I had been around there several times but never even noticed it; my bad. It’s a small spot but cozy. It has an industrial feel to it inside. They also have outside seating. But why do that when you can sit at the bar? The bar is only a few stools but is very inviting. They have some awesome coffee (I’m not a coffee drinker) and these donuts that I guess are famous. Again, didn’t get around to trying those yet but these are two reasons I can see a lot of food traffic here. Lucas, one of the owners, was behind the bar and extremely attentive and friendly. He gave me the background of Solstice and his brother, the chef, also is extremely nice. I don’t even know these guys and they treated me as though I had been a loyal patron for years (which works out, considering I plan to be). As much as the atmosphere of a place is what separates the 3 stars from the 5 stars, what keeps me going back to somewhere is the food… so onto that!
So I start with a bloody mary, cause, why not? This is le-​git. They do everything in house here (cure their own bacon, make their own sausage, etc.) and the jalepeno and cilantro infused vodka is no different. I was lucky enough to get a taste of it on its own because I wanted to see if it was just their delicious mix that made this so tasty but the vodka itself was nice and spicy. If you don’t like spice, I’m sure they can figure something out but then you probably wouldn’t be getting a bloody anyway! This was savory and spicy and had a level of acidity from the house made pickles that garnished it. It was truly one of the best bloodies I’ve ever had. I’m not sure if there is anything I could suggest to improve upon that. It also comes with their outstanding bacon as a garnish as well. Nom nom. I also tried the mimosa, which is a good alternative if bloodies are not your thing. There was some pulp in there which you would expect since they’re not exactly using Tropicana. I look forward to trying more! So I asked Lucas what he liked and he recommended the chicken biscuit. Awesome, that’s what I was eying anyway but I always like to ask because sometimes people will be honest and say it’s not their favorite or guide you toward something else. I mentioned I was between that and the biscuits and gravy. So I get the chicken. It’s boneless chicken that they must marinate for a while because it was super moist. The skin was a good crispy. But what made this was the biscuit. Oh the biscuit! It literally was the best biscuit I’ve ever had. It must have won some accolades or something, right? Actually, yes (
). But I digress. They also pour honey on it cause honey makes everything better (sorta like bacon). Now, you can’t eat this as a sandwich but who cares? The potatoes were just potatoes to me but I didn’t really care cause I was just nomming this chicken biscuit. I liked the grilled onions on the potatoes but probably would like some more throughout or some dill or something. My benchmark for potatoes is Bongo Room and that’s a high bar to compare against. Oh and how can I forget, there is a fried egg on top. Everyone is throwing an egg on top of everything nowadays but here is really belongs cause it soaks into the biscuit and coats the chicken. The portion was a bit large for me but my guess is most of the rest of their patrons would disagree. I was fortunate enough to also get to try a sample of the biscuits and gravy. Are… you…kidding…me? Hands down the best sausage gravy I’ve ever had. It starts again with their own housemade sausage. There are decent sized chunks throughout. The texture is absolutely perfect. I feel it’s quite easy to have too thick (which also tastes like flour) or too thin gravy but this was just right. I will definitely be a regular here and can’t wait until they start their dinner service on the weekends!

I love this place. The food is always top notch and of high quality (all ingredients are from local farms). We go there so often the owner, Lucas, always recognizes us! The menu changes seasonally and there’s outdoor seating in the summer. Western Springs needed a place like this!

I was going back and forth between a 3 and a 4. I settled on a 4 because of the really amazing service. Food was good, it was perfectly fine. Portions were pretty small and a bit pricey for what you get but considering the food is locally sourced and well prepared certainly not overpriced. It’s a good breakfast and a nice place to go but I suppose I wouldn’t go out of my way for it. I do have one complaint. Order the chicken and waffles to go and the chicken was literally burnt to a crisp on one side. Also they serve the food to go in cardboard box so all the juicy goodness is lost by the time you get home.

Amazing coffee. Very smooth and not bitter at all. The poutine was beyond delicious. The potatoes were so crispy, the cheese curds were gooey and awesome, and the pork sausage gravy was super flavorful and a great consistency. Everything tasted super fresh. Our water was nice and attentive. I really enjoyed the atmosphere and my Saturday brunch!

I’ve been dining at Solstice since they opened. Each experience has been excellent. Great service. Great food. Very fortunate to have this place in the neighborhood.

Stan’s Donuts + La Colombe coffee both make winners in my book! The restaurant is super cute and gave a city-​like feel tucked away in Hindsdale (a more modest Meli Café, which is also a plus). The ingredients were fresh and my vegetable omelet had a unique set of ingredients specific to the day.

My mother and I like to go to different breakfast places, and we have some consistent ones in the area. We decided to try out the breakfast at Solstice, and we were both very impressed. She had the Belgian Waffle with fruit, and I had the breakfast burrito with potatoes.
In terms of the restaurant itself, it was clean and quiet. There was a hum of conversation, but it was not overpowering by any means. The staff was friendly and helpful. They were always around to refill my coffee as well! (coffee was good)
In terms of food, it was excellent. My burrito had a great combination of foods in it, and nothing was overpowering the rest of the flavors. The country potatoes on the side were the best I’ve ever had! They were crispy, not soggy, and with the right amount of salt to give them an excellent aftertaste. We got in and out for 25 $ with tip, which was a good price for the quality of food.
Overall, we had an outstanding experience and both agreed that Solstice will our new breakfast place!

I must admit I was skeptical at first. Once the food came, all doubts were removed. It is rare to find a place that does two eggs with bacon and potatoes differently. This place is a rarity. With the hand cut bacon, farm fresh eggs and wheat toast with homemade jam it is on another level. Throw in the Solstice Potatoes made with caramelized onions and you have the paragon of breakfast.
The only reason I can’t give it five stars is I have not tried the lunch… yet.

It was not good and it was not horrid. The menu full of fancy descriptions sadly flavors that did not match. Perhaps with time they will get the hang of it.

We went there for brunch this past Saturday — everything is sourced locally and everything was delicious! I had the country fried steak which was delicious.

Our visit was okay. I really like locally sourced restaurants and I guess I was expecting to have my socks knocked off, but it was just okay. Yes, the portions were small, but likely what they should be. My husband and I both had the veggie omelet for $ 10. It was probably 2 eggs worth and was tough/​dry, but the goat cheese was good. The kids portions were also miniscule, I had to give them my dry toast (no butter on the table and we never got the apple butter we asked for). Coffee was good, donuts were fresh off the truck, service was friendly. It was good to see a place like this busy.
With the price for the portion, it should be stellar! We will probably try it again, but get something different.

Great service. Food was amazing. We had bloodys, Benedict, brunch pouting and a candied bacon waffle. We really enjoyed every single dish we tried. I especially enjoyed how kind and helpful the servers were. It’s always great to find a nice little spot with great food and exemplary service. Not to mention, it’s farm to table. A must try!
*Check groupon for a sweeter deal

The best thing about dining at Solstice is that it is farm to table. I can eat delicious food knowing that it has nothing in it that isn’t good for me. I have brought several friends and they all agree it is great in all respects.

We drove 27 miles to try out this restaurant, and it was well worth the drive. Traditional menu items have a nice flair and become phenomenal dishes. Everything is made from scratch. We need to get Guy Fieri to Western Springs to feature them on his show! They use local ingredients, feature local craft beers, and the service is excellent. We’ll make this drive again!

They serve Stan’s Donuts on weekends after 9am. That alone is reason enough to try this place.
The menu is simple and creative.
The vibe is definitely city.
Owned by two brothers who give it 100%.

So I finally went back and was happy to see place was buzzing late in the morning. Our service was friendly and attentive. Coffee still good. I ordered one of the breakfast burritos which was very good. Not overly large or slathered in unnecessary cheese and served with a side of tomatillo salsa. Potatoes were really good but still a little less salt for my taste would be perfect– but they do use kosher salt which is nice. My friend loved her bacon– cooked perfectly crisp and a thicker cut– yum!
The only bad thing was it felt slightly a little warm but there was outdoor seating that we should have taken advantage of on such a beautiful day–

It’s a good place to come for, believe it or not, a light breakfast. It’s refreshing to see smaller portions of good old unhealthy breakfast food. I had the biscuits and gravy. The biscuits were a little too hard and could have used more gravy, but I otherwise enjoyed the dish. It’s a new restaurant and I’m sure they will only get better in the future!

How does this place only have 3.5 stars? The food is outstanding! I have been here twice now (first for breakfast, then lunch) and I have not been disappointed. Just about everything on the menu comes from local farms and businesses. They make everything in house, from the bacon and sausages to the ketchup, mustard and pickles.
On my first visit, I stopped in for brunch. The coffee is the sort that makes one remember a place. I had the benedict (which I understand changes weekly). It had shrimp and house-​made andouille sausage. It might have been the best benny I have ever had. My wife had the pancakes, which were fluffy and delicious, served with the most amazing maple syrup from Driftless Breeze Farm in Wisconsin. For our little guy, we ordered the muesli which was very good (perfect for a two year old). Mallory was our server and she was very attentive and knowledgeable.
A few weeks after that, I found myself in the area with time enough for lunch. I had the pulled pork sandwich, topped with a Carolina-​style mustard BBQ sauce and wonderfully crisp and fresh cole slaw. It was truly one of the best pulled pork sandwiches I have ever had. The chips that came with were outstanding (again, made in house). Claire was my server and she was as cheerful as she was helpful.
They recently added a full bar, which never hurts. They feature some vodka and rye from Quincy Street Distillery, which is right up the tracks in Riverside. I tried both while on a tour of said distillery and can confirm that they are very worth a taste at the least. They also had Belt and Suspenders IPA from Buckledown Brewing in Lyons, keeping with the local theme. It is also very tasty. I have sampled it previously at the brewery as well as with my lunch that day and it was a lovey accompaniment to the BBQ.
The food and drinks were wonderful. The service was above average, to say the least. The place is comfortable and appealing. There is nothing to not like about this place. Five stars and big thumbs up!