I never write reviews. I really tried to give this place the benefit of the doubt but we had a terrible experience. I ate here for lunch with some girlfriends. Our food took forever to come, it was practically cold when we got it, my sisters fruit had fruit flies, even the pancake was bad. So disappointing. Maybe it was an off day but it was so bad I don't think we'll ever go back.
(1)
Jennifer B.
Let me get this straight, you complained you didn't think there was enough fries on your plate and then when the waitress brought you more, you complained that her hand slipped while she was trying to give you more fries? Full disclosure, I'm a regular at Kristina's and for a reason. I love this place and definitely get the "Cheers" vibe when I walk in. I have not had a bad meal yet - and my friend and I have been going for a while - and the staff is warm, friendly, fun and completely accommodating. I was also there the same afternoon as poster Cory F. Yup, they were pretty much made infamous when my friend and I commented to the staff about the two teenagers standing in front of the restaurant - in full view of everyone in the place - making out, one with a sucker in their mouth. And yes, the mother was standing right there. I'd rather have my waitress touch my fries than watch that again.
(5)
Christina F.
Wanted to try something different in the neighborhood for breakfast so we hit up Kristina's. The service was great but the food was mediocre. We kind of felt like at the end of the meal we should have stayed home and made breakfast instead. My food was good, but what looked to be a delicious side of fruit was not ripe and I didn't eat 3/4 of it. Not a great place for vegans FYI as the people there don't know what that is. It was enough to get us full and have us leave b/c at the end of our meal, we wanted out with the screaming children running around everywhere. I'd consider going back for lunch but will skip the breakfast there.
(3)
Dan B.
In downtown Downers Grove sits a small little cafe called Kristina's. After looking over reviews of previously unvisited breakfast places I decided to make the trip there to give it a try. After walking in I was offered seating both inside and outside and decided to stick to the air conditioned indoors. After looking over my menu options, I settled on a meat lovers skillet and chose pancakes as the extra option. I then waited a little bit longer than most places for my food to be ready, but once it was out I was excited to dig in. The skillet here was excellent, the amount of meat in the meat lovers skillet was definitely satisfactory. The pieces of meat were both abundant and thick. There was also a good amount of cheese on this skillet. The eggs were soft and well prepared as well. The potato at the bottom of the skillet was a little on the bland side, this along with the slightly longer than normal wait are my only complaints about the skillet. So the positives were lots of thick cuts of meat, lots of cheese. The negatives were somewhat bland potato at the bottom. The pancakes here were also good, there were two berries for eyes and a strawberry for a mouth on the top pancakes. This extra charm puts a tingly feeling in the back of your head and makes you feel special as you think to yourself "Awww they made a face on the pancakes." The pancakes themselves were soft, the powdered sugar gave it a dash of extra flavor. These pancakes were good as well. Overall I was quite impressed by both the food and the service at Kristina's Cafe. Things like the face on my pancakes give it that extra bit of effort and caring that really shines through, they don't cut corners on meat or cheese which is somewhat common among breakfast places. I am going to give Kristina's Cafe four stars, a recommendation and I plan to visit again.
(4)
Mike N.
Closest thing to Connie's restaurant (berwyn) you'll find out here in downers. Aside from the rather creepy owner who is around 50% of the time, the staff is quite inviting. Not your usual toothless Greek restaurant servers. Food is consistent and not bad. The washrooms could've used an upgrade about twenty years ago, but the owner makes up for it by keeping the urinal filled with ice. That said I eat here couple times a month and I'm not disappointed, but maybe part of that is I know what to expect. I suppose what I'm saying is keep your expectations in check and Kristinas will probably exceed them.
(3)
Rachel M.
We love Kristina's and eat there at least once or twice a month. Service is always friendly and fast and the food is delicious. There are great options both for breakfast and lunch. My favorite is Kristina's chicken salad or a breakfast scrambler with pancakes - can't go wrong with anything you order though!
(5)
Chloe M.
This place is my go to brunch spot! Their gypsy skillet and their steal and eggs are my favorite. The portion size is big and the staff is always really friendly. I also like that they serve hash browns instead of breakfast potatoes called hashed browns. I definitely recommend.
(5)
Amanda M.
This is our GO TO family breakfast place. The food is great and the service is wonderful. The place is always clean. We go every few weeks and request our favorite waitress, Ciara. She is the sweetest! My husband and I usually get omelettes, the 2 kids split a kids' pancake meal and with coffee and juice, we average $30 or so. It's reasonably priced and the food is really good. I change my meal at times and I don't think there's ever been something I was uninterested in. Sometimes I order their specials which are delicious- their Cream of Chicken soup on Sundays is delicious! I guess I'd have to say sometimes the coffee tastes a little bitter, but they have the flavored creamers at every table so with a little bit of creamer, it tastes fine. They also have a stack of napkins on every table- VERY convenient for families with little kids!! The booths are comfortable. We use a highchair every time. I guess I'd prefer the highchairs were a little bit cleaner but I can just as easily wipe one down before putting my kiddo in it. We are always greeted with a smile when we walk in and the kids love to go and pay the bill because they each pick one of the complimentary suckers by the register. They have outdoor seating which we've yet to do. With a dog bakery a couple doors down, you will see TONS of people walking their dogs if you sit outside. We just like to see them from the window. Parking CAN be difficult if it's a beautiful day. We often times have to park on the side street instead of Main Street due to no parking available. The area is perfect. There many boutiques and shops all along the street. You could easily head here for a breakfast and make a morning of shopping afterwards. Nearby there is a bakery, dog bakery, ice cream/yogurt place, toy store across the street, kids consignment shop down the side street and book shop down the road. Super fun. We also tend to eat breakfast first and then head down Main Street afterwards for a super quick walk just to get to the train station and watch the trains for a bit. There is also a beautiful fountain by the train station which is super popular. Also, look out for the Farmers market that takes place in the Spring/Summer. Our routine becomes eating breakfast here and then heading to the train station for some fresh produce to bring home.
(5)
Sam P.
Darn, I really thought we were going to have a great lunch here today! Having received 4 star ratings from two respected Yelp friends of mine, Kristina's made it onto my itinerary when I planned an outing in downtown Downers Grove. I arranged to meet a friend here for lunch. She and her kids arrived first and got a table in the back. "The back" is where you hope to be seated when dining with four kids under four. My son's kids meal looked really nice. Two mini burgers and a generous portion of very fresh fruit. I wish I'd snapped a pic, but apparently he was starving and inhaled the entire plate immediately. His buddy had a Micky pancake that he seemed to enjoy. I wish I could say my burger (cheddar jack) was impressive, but it was really just eatable. It actually had very little taste, which is odd for anything with cheese. I chose shoestring potatoes as my side because they sounded interesting, but they turned out to be just slivered chips that were difficult to eat without looking like a wild mongrel. Aside from the food, we found the service inattentive. I waited with an empty water glass for what seemed like a very long time, especially considering that there were only three or four other tables occupied on our visit. I almost think they were hoping we'd get the kids packed up and leave more quickly if we weren't well cared for. Even though this was a semi disappointing visit, I think I'd give Kristina's another chance...maybe I'll order something different in hopes that burgers just aren't their strong suit, and maybe service would be better on a different day. With such good reviews, our experience must be somewhat of an anomaly.
(2)
Lupe D.
Cute place in downtown Downers Grove. The food is really good, very healthy portions and a great bang for your buck. The menu is very extensive, so it took us a bit to order. I got the Kristinas Skillet - with no jalapeños - added green peppers and had toast instead of the pancakes (included). the BF had one of the grove combos - eggs, meats, pancakes, coffee and juice. Everything was delicious. I guess if I had one minor criticism it's the salsa that came with my skillet. It was clearly from a jar - if they just made a simple pico de gallo, and had the option of a few tortillas instead of the pancakes/toast, this dish would be over the top delish. Out waitress, Danielle, was soooooo wonderful!!! Love her, she was patient with us, went over the menu, gave suggestions - she is a gem. We are already making plans to return. Yummy, budget friendly breakfast places are hard to find - this one is definitely a keeper!
(4)
Steve S.
Really enjoyed the combo breakfast on a Sunday morning. Two eggs, two bacon strips, two sausage links and choice of pancakes/waffle, along with fresh OJ; all for 7.95. Tremendous value, high quality, attentive service. Only gripe was the dining room was on the noisy side with families and groups but not over the top. A great downtown alternative. The dining room is larger than you would think by looking at the front of the building.. Very attractive dining room.
(5)
Alyssa D.
Let me just cut to the chase: this place sucks--don't waste your time. Giving a two star rating is even being generous for this place. Anyways, I decided to stop by today since we were in the area. Seeing as how we've never been here before and since you can never really go wrong with breakfast, we decided to give it a try. We walked in, and I noticed that it was very spacious in here, almost too spacious for a breakfast place. After we were seated, I also noticed that the noise level is absolutely silent in here. Not a good place to have a conversation--I felt the need to whisper. I mean I could almost hear the guy sitting next to us chewing his food. Okay, so let's get to the food portion, shall we? I opted for the Three Cheese Omelette, hash browns, and pancakes (it's a Friday during Lent). And this is where my meal absolutely took a turn for the worst. Instead of having mozzarella, jack, and some other cheese in the omelette, I received a half-melted slab of Velveeta in the center of some fluffy eggs. The menu said nothing about Velveeta, so at this point I was like "how the hell could you mix that up?" We decided not to complain to our waitress, because it would be futile since we knew we weren't coming here again. The pancakes were spongy and also had an elastic quality to them--which I hate. The two people I was with got a frittata, which was burnt and flavorless, and a smoked salmon omelette. The smoked salmon omelette was actually "okay", which was the ONLY redeeming quality of this place. Overall, the meal was just flat out horrible. I didn't think it was possible to mess up breakfast this badly, but I was yet again proven wrong. To whoever gave this place a good rating: I would love to know what you were smoking when you wrote your reviews. The hunt for a great breakfast still continues.
(2)
Eileen K.
Always love to go to Kristina's Cafe! Portions are very generous and staff is very friendly and accommodating. Prices are very good too!
(5)
Sam B.
Food is fresh, delicious, and perfectly flavored. Get the chicken noodle soup and reuben sandwich with a side of fresh fruit. You can't go wrong. I never realized how important maintaining the temperature of soup was until today. It was amazing.
(5)
Chris G.
My omelette came out with a dead roach on top. Waitress handled as best she could, very apologetic. She handed the plate to the manager, he said nothing and just took the plate away. She came back to apologize again, he did not even come back. Needless to say we did not eat any of our food and left. Disgusting!!
(1)
Julie S.
Our waitress was great! Coffee was intelligencia and brewed well. I had the Gypsy skillet w poached eggs and it was fantastic! My husband enjoyed a huge Bacon and American Omlet. Large portions, standard breakfast menu. Good pancakes too!
(5)
Chrissy W.
They've got rockstar quality ingredients. Unique and funky breakfast combinations are on the list. Decent serving staff, but most importantly, Kristina's knows how to poach an egg. The BF and I dined here a few weeks ago (this was not my first trip, and will not be my last) for a rather leisurely and enjoyable meal. One con of Kristina's--if you're hungry, you may want to ask for some crackers or something. I've yet to have a rapid turnover from seating to ordering to dining. The food was awesome. Special requests were accommodated, and they poached me the most beautiful egg in the world. The crepes were really tasty, and I couldn't help but eat all of them. YUM! The BF had a skillet, because that's what the BF enjoys, and it too was delightful. All in all a solid 4 stars to Kristina's.
(4)
Karen G.
Went for lunch and had the grilled cheese. Nice lunch with lots of cheese and super yummy french fries. The service was quick and attentive. The soup while good, reminded me too much of Mrs Grass to be enjoyable.
(3)
Robin L.
I was looking for a caterer who could bring food to a church following a funeral service. My Mother suggested I check with a local restaurant. I called Kristina's and asked if they could even do this especially with such short notice. I'm so glad I did! The owner, Lance was very helpful in assisting with food selections. And ways to keep costs down. He setup when and where I needed, and the best part, EVERYONE commented how good the food was.
(5)
Elizabeth G.
I have been here a handful of times. I keep coming back for the chocolate chip belgian waffle. You can order it "igloo style" which is pretty awesome for breakfast. Request extra whipped cream though as they are a bit stingy with it. The service is a little bit slow so it is good for a meal where you want to talk to your companion. This is why it is a go-to place for mommy-daughter brunches.
(4)
David B.
Always friendly service. Sometimes very busy and short staffed therefore services suffers. But overall food quality is good. Nice to have fresh fruit as a side option for kids and adults
(4)
V R.
One of my favorite places for breakfast. Outdoor seating during the summer lets you people watch in downtown Downers Grove. The fresh squeezed orange juice is perfect. The servings are huge - husband and I usually share a dish with an extra side (pancakes are my addiction there and I HATE pancakes). The mushroom omlette is wonderful! The scramblers are great! The side of fresh fruit is amazing - I know that sounds weird but so many places give you yucky fruit!
(5)
Jessie W.
I went there on Monday and had one of the best breakfast I have had in a long time. The service was amazing and the server was so sweet. I had the Salmon/cream cheese omelet with asparagus and hollandaise. It was so good and the omelet was huge. I would have given them 5 stars however I cannot understand why so few potatoes that didn't make sense to me and the bathroom was out of paper and just really dirty. I would still go back it is now my favorite place to go.
(4)
K M.
Kristina's Cafe is a go-to for me when I have friends or family in town and we want to go out. It isn't super close for us, but it is worth the trek to get to. The waitresses are phenomenal, and know their food ingredients and preparations well, which is a huge benefit in my life as my roommate and I both have lots of allergies (gluten and soy highest ranking). They make notes and take great care in the preparations of our food, and we haven't EVER gotten sick. This is to say A LOT because it happens to us a lot more than it should when we go other places. Their food is phenomenal, and comes in large enough portions you could share, if you wanted to (you won't though, have your fork weapon ready). Personally, I could eat their French toast for the rest of my life and be completely ok with that, and their omelets could cure the worst of hangovers. I've slowly been making my way down their lunch menu, but I prefer their breakfast items. It's hard to make a bad cheeseburger, anyway.
(5)
Jennifer Q.
Cute little place. Great food, great service. I visited here for the first time with my friend Taisha after her Zumba class in the nearby park. This whole area is so cute! We walked from the park. Special shout out to the awesome busboy who found a piece of my jewelry I had lost on the floor! He picked it up so when I came back, he had it! I was very grateful!
(4)
Mystii G.
How disappointing. We hadn't been there since this cafe changed over from Dali's Cafe. The "updated interior" was basically just a redone ceiling. We had Eggs Benedict and it was sad. Over-cooked eggs, under-cooked sauce and the homemade hashbrowns were definitely undercooked. For $23+ I expected better. We won't bother coming back.
(2)
Abhay S.
Solid experience. We've been here twice and we were seated quickly. The service was excellent and portions were HUGE. (I brought home leftovers, which I almost *never* do with breakfast!) We'll be returning soon!
(4)
Ellen M.
Food was fine (I got some huge salad with grilled chicken, probably black beans and avacado), we sat outside on a beautiful day, the kids were happy and service was good. Best of all, our dog was allowed to hang with us, and they brought him a dish o' water. It's nice to have the silly greyhound nearby.
(4)
Amy W.
Kristina's is pretty much an average diner with an extensive menu of eggs, pancakes, waffles, crepes, salads, and sandwiches. I enjoyed the booths and the large, open feeling of the interior. Service was decent -- we were seated after standing at the front for a few minutes, and the waitress promptly attended to my coffee, which I greatly appreciated. For brunch I ordered the Main Street Prosciutto Omelette, which was pretty loaded up with prosciutto (obviously), red peppers, mozzarella, and other standard omeltte ingredients like mushrooms and onions. The side of hash browns was pretty good; I liked how they were more like shaved potatoes rather than your typical stringy hash browns. Overall, pretty decent, and if I were in the area again I'd consider coming back -- but nothing terribly spectacular.
(3)
Christina K.
Pros: Mocha French Toast is to die for Cons: Saw a cockroach in the bathroom before I left. :(
(4)
Darcy R.
I have been going here about once or twice a week recently. The food can be very good and quite reasonable. Sometimes there is some variation depending on who's preparing the food, but for the most part it is consistently good. My only gripe is the service. A blond, middle-aged female server is top notch and a real dynamo at tending to all her customers in a timely manner. Other servers just don't compare and it seems to be related to whether the owner is there. The other day I asked a male server for a coffee refill and it never came. After 15 minutes or so, I walked over to the back and he was eating something and quickly retreated to the kitchen when he saw me. Of course, the owner had already left the restaurant. Standards diminish drastically when he is not there and with the blond server, it simply doesn't matter because she just does an excellent job. Today I went elsewhere (Egg Harbor, which is across the street and around the block) and both the food and service were excellent.
(2)
E B.
I've tried Kristina's a couple of times because I work hard to support local business. However, each experience I've had has been worse than the last. Certainly, this last visit will be my final. I took my 6 y/o son for pancakes and after 5 minutes of waiting at an empty register, I found the Manager and asked to be seated. My son and I were given a table for two - lovely. There was silverware on his side, nothing on mine. Neither place had coffee cups. I'm not a "picky" person - I spend my money wisely, tip well, show respect to the restaurant (and workers) and expect a good job in return. After placing our order I noticed that the half wall we were sitting next to was covered in dust. Not just a spot here or there, literally a layer. I have kids and am not easily grossed out, but this was disgusting. After 20 minutes of no water, no waitress, etc. I went to the back, where our waitress was standing, and asked when our order was coming? "Well, you ordered when a lot of people came in so it will be out soon," was her reply. At 30 minutes of waiting for 1 Mickey Mouse pancake and 1 vege. skillet, I told my son we were leaving. He swore he could wait 10 more minutes... and we did. 40 minutes(!) after placing our order, it was delivered. Again, I had to ask for water and silverware. My son said his pancake was "OK," but a "really small Mickey face." My vege. skillet was 80% mushy hashbrowns, 10% undercooked egg (literally the white was not cooked), 10% vegetable. I will say that they did use fresh broccoli and that's nice. We didn't see the waitress again until she dropped the receipt at our table. Before leaving I noticed that two other tables had requested to see the Manager - one woman was served the wrong food and was treated rudely and as were were leaving another couple in the outside area were expressed displeasure at their whole experience. Sorry, Kristina, you've lost the business of myself and my family.
(1)
Tom H.
My wife and I dined here on a whim and were not disappointed. We strolled in not long after noon and were seated immediately. I was pleased to see variety in the menu and variety in the side options. I can't wait to come back here to try their breakfast items. My wife had the chicken Philly and I had a chicken panini. We sampled each other's dishes and loved them. The panini was cooked perfectly and tasted great. Best of all, it was not greasy in the least. Some places may over-drench their bread in olive oil or slather far too much oily pesto sauce, but not here. Everything was portioned just perfectly, and the side of fruit was a great side option instead of the standard fries. My wife's sandwich was great to taste, too. It was basically a seasoned kabob on French bread, but it was done right. Moist, well-seasoned, and fresh (even the bread - you can tell it wasn't the flaky stale crap sitting around for days). And who can complain about the location? Right on main street, in the heart of the action. Everyone was friendly and polite. It's family and kid-friendly too!
(4)
Dan R.
This is a serious upgrade from the previous establishments at this location. Clean, bright and well staffed. Pretty much a standard menu but they seem to sweat the details to plus everything up. This would be the top spot in Downers Grove for breakfast and a top 5 for lunch.
(4)
Tony D.
I live in town and this is my go 2 breakfast place! Good prices and great food!
(5)
Dan P.
I went to Kristina's Cafe this morning with my five year old son, and we had a really good time. We sat where we could people watch out the windows overlooking downtown Downers, a view that is hard to beat in the area. I had one of their skillets, it was really well done, with perfectly cooked steak and eggs, and generous portions. My son had pancakes, and the picky little guy at faster than usual. The real drawback, and hopefully this was a one off, was the service. It took over ten minutes to even get a cup of coffee which the host had to get for me while yelling across the room to get our waitress. The other waitress seemed to be on the ball though, so maybe this isn't indicative of what we should expect. I'll return, and will write again.
(3)
Samantha K.
The Village of Downers Grove may have Egg Harbor, but it was lacking a breakfast place with character. Kristina's Cafe has an ideal location on Main Street in Downtown Downers Grove and although the street parking may be limited there is a parking garage a block away to accommodate its customers. The restaurant is designed for high volume capacity, so even on the weekends when its the most busy there is never that long of a wait. The owner Lance, has made a menu that appeals to everyone so even the pickiest eater will find something they will enjoy. Personally, I am not much of a breakfast person, but I do recommend any of the ten styles of Eggs Benedict, yes I said ten styles. The lunch menu includes a variety of wraps, salads, burgers, paninis, and sandwiches. The Tuna Salad Italiano sandwich is phenomenal, it's served open faced on an English muffin. Kristina's serves two soups daily and a version of Chicken Noodle is always one of them. Soup is always included with your sandwich order as well as your choice of side. I work in the area, so I frequently order food to go and they always ensure that you have everything you could possibly need with your order. The website allows online ordering, but you can also call in. When I do dine in the servers are very attentive and take excellent care of you. If you live in the area or you're in town visiting, Kristina's should be your go to breakfast destination.
(4)
Matt B.
I never ate at Dali's Cafe, so I can only comment on what this place was like on my first visit. Overall, it was a nice experience. The inside is fun, with light colors and a generally open feeling to it. It was quite busy for a Sunday morning, like most breakfast places are, but we had no trouble getting a seat or the attention of our waitress, who was very friendly. I'm not a fan of restaurants that put a slice a lemon in your drinking water; however, I am a fan of cucumber in the water. As such, Kristina's Cafe put me in a difficult position when they put both in my water. We ordered the fresh fruit crepes, which were good, but were covered in powdered sugar, despite no mention of that on the menu. The powdered sugar reduced the healthiness of the item, which was under their "Healthy Living" section, or whatever it's called. But they were good, as were the potato pancakes, which tasted like they had included cream cheese and chives. The turkey sausage was fine, but nothing remarkable. Overall, the bill for two meals, one side, and an OJ came to about $25, a little higher than I expected, but not by much. If I am in the Downers Grove area again during breakfast time, I will not hesitate to return.
(4)
Sarah L.
Our meal started out good with their coffee drinks. And well, that was about it. When I got my food there was a long dark hair in my fries (I'm blonde). The replacement fries were obviously the bottom of the barrel. The waitress had us and another table. She dropped the bill when only half of our meal was finish and without asking if we wanted more. Not impressed.
(2)
Melissa K.
Nothing too special, but not bad. The price seemed a bit high for the amount of food you get. I ordered eggs benedict sans canadian bacon, which is my standard dish. The hollandaise had a great flavor, but the poached eggs seemed to be cooked a bit too much. The fruit dish was fresh and had a nice variety (melon, pineapple, blueberries, strawberries, and a cherry).
(3)
Rexcrisanto D.
The pumpkin cheesecake pancakes are unbelievably delicious. Service is very good and friendly. Bright colorful art and decor throughout brightens any cloudy morning. My only downfall was their coffee. It had a very weak and watered down taste (2/3 the strength of Mcdonalds and Dunkin Donuts coffee). If you're a Starbucks person, you'll be very disappointed with the coffee. I took my entire family and they liked this restaurant very much. I will definitely be coming back for more, but next time with a shot of espresso to spike the coffee :)
(4)
Kara Z.
I went here for my first time the other day. I really like the people working here- warm, welcoming, and attentive. They refilled my water (which had cucumber and lemon in it and tasted great) a lot and I appreciated that. I ordered a scrambled egg and it seemed more like 2 or 3 eggs which was nice because it was delicious. It came with hashbrowns which were homemade and not my favorite- not very crispy at all but I'm sure other people love them. It came with bacon that was pretty good. It also came with pancakes and it had two blueberries and a slice of strawberry and it looked like a cute face which made me and my friend smile. They have a big menu and some creative menu items I've never heard of that I'd like to try sometime like mocha french toast and berry pancakes topped with granola- yum. My friend got an omelet and it was huge. The restaurant was comfortable with a lot of booths. Great location in downtown Downers Grove. My only complaint is that there were flies flying around and one kept landing on my friend's food- kind of gross. Otherwise, it's a good place with great service.
(4)
N S.
This place is amazing for breakfast. Have eaten outside and inside and have had great experiences with the service but can only speak for the breakfast food which is amazing, my husband and I have never had anything we didn't like. Tons of choices and options such as cage free and organic eggs, substitutions with egg whites, freshly squeezed juices, and a variety of coffee drinks. The staff had always been extremely friendly, and this has become our new favorite place for breakfast.
(5)
Michelle Marie R.
Just had lunch there this week. Cute decor reasonable prices and a killer menu. Try the turkey brie panini and apple chicken sausage. I would dine there again!
(3)
Lorie O.
I was there during the lunch hour today (12/6/10), and it was only one quarter full, which should have been a tipoff. The Berry Berry Oatmeal had great berries, but the worst oatmeal I've ever eaten. The oats were no more than pulverized bits obviously made with water, lukewarm with no taste, no...actually a bad taste. For the same price, I could have had "to-die-for" oatmeal at Egg Harbor one block east, but I wanted to give the new place a try. In addition, my friend's scrambled egg was as flat as a pancake. Our waitress was nice, but it took forever to get our food (one scrambled egg and microwaved oatmeal should not have taken fifteen minutes when the place was 3/4 empty). The booth seat was as hard as a rock, and the lighting was annoying. Not a good experience for a new place, and certainly not worth the money. There is no way this place can compete with Egg Harbor. I predict Kristina's will be out of business within a year, unless some serious changes are made. Sorry, but I felt I should warn others.
(1)
Gloria L.
Even though they don't take reservations, we called a head to let them know that we had a big party of 8 coming and they were very nice and able to accomodate us. There is a very nice charm about this place, they have their own special coffee mugs (which they also sell) that are very cute and unique. The menu is MASSIVE, they are so many different choices and options, me and my friends were surprised by the huge range of foods they had at the cafe. I think we all pretty much went with breakfast foods and it was all good, I don't remember hearing any complaints. We forgot to ask them to split the bill so when we got it, it was sort of hard to decipher and read but that was just a minor detail. Overall, it was a great place to meet with friends for brunch!
(5)
Donna M.
Seriously addicting is all I can say. I'm one of the pickiest people when it comes to restaurants because if I can cook it at home I think I can probably do it better. Putting my snobbish ways aside...this place is GREAT! My mom and I went in for brunch two weeks ago and were extremely pleased with everything from the soup to her omelette to my turkey/brie panini. The bacon-cheddar-potato soup is to die for. They must be taking a loss on the turkey and brie panini because there is a ton of brie on it. The fries are fresh cut too! My mom's omelette was easily big enough for two and she said it was delicious. Great waitress, comfy seats, seated right away by the attentive owner. I went back with a friend last week and she ordered the skillet with asparagus and said it was delicious. Some of the food is classic Greek, i.e cream of chicken rice on Sunday but still solidly good. Highly recommended. I'm going back for sure!
(5)
Christina M.
Hit Kristina's at 10:30 a.m. today (Saturday) and was seated right away, got water and coffee right away, and our order was taken very quickly, even though they were busy. Huge menu to choose from - I got the biscuits/gravy, 2 eggs over medium (cooked perfectly), and hash browns that actually tasted like potatoes! DH got corned beef hash, eggs over medium (also perfectly cooked) and rye toast (thick cut). Sweet, fresh fruit was included - yummy. Terrific first experience - we'll be back soon!!
(5)
Sara A.
My husband and I live in downtown Downers grove and just visited Katrina's for breakfast. I finished my delicious French toast and thought "what a pleasant lovely place" . My eggs and bacon were perfect and the French toasts were great. It's nothing out of the ordinary, no gluten free fancy shmancy city uppity thing. Just dang good breakfast with really nice service. Good Job Katrina's
(5)
Gina N.
Delicious oreo pancakes! Great service. Amazing egg white omelets.
(5)
Christine S.
I noticed this place the other week, so my roommate and I ventured here for lunch. We both ordered breakfast items, however, which they serve all day. The interior is nice, just a basic hometown diner - which I like. The service was good, everyone was very nice. They have a pretty extensive menu, so it took a long time for me to decide what I wanted. In the end, I ordered the biscuits and gravy. They are my staple breakfast diner food, so i like to try them out whenever I go to a new breakfast place. They were really good. The gravy wasn't too heavy, not too overly spiced and had just the right amout of sausage. Biscuits were light, fluffy and fresh. My roommate had a scrambler and hashbrowns. He said his food was great, too. He also ordered an orange juice that turned out to be 3.25 - little too spendy, in my opinion, especially for this place. All in all, a great little restaurant and I definitely will go back to try more. We ate for under $20, including that orange juice.
(4)
Ray T.
I had some time to kill and I was hungry. I decided to try this restaurant on the spur of the moment. I will not be eating anything until dinner. The Meatlover's Skillet did quite a job on me --- filled my stomach to the esophageal sphincter. This menu item was one find in a huge breakfast menu. It is a wonderful skillet of eggs, hash browns, cheese, bacon, ham, sausage. I am not sure what else. Normally, I do not eat skillet breakfasts, but I did and do not regret it too much ( I really am stuffed). Service. Outstanding. Still, I expect that especially when there are only a few other customers. Cleanliness. Absolutely. I do like it when I see the wait staff checking on empty tables and getting the help to clean tables when they weren't cleaned properly in the first place. Sitting down at a table that is dirty/sticky is no fun. I doubt that could happen here because the staff really seems to care about cleanliness. The decor is pleasant and open. I sat in a booth for two. That is a problem for me since I fit very tightly in a "standard" booth. Fortunately, the tables move and I was alone. I think there are some tables with chairs, but I didn't ask since it didn't matter today. It may when I come back with my wife - a booth might be kind of tight for me. I will be giving this place another try, probably with my wife.
(4)
Russell G.
Went for lunch this past Saturday .. The service was fine... The food was bland and didn't seem fresh, very disappointed ...There was also a disturbance in the restaurant, a man who I think was the owner was being very rude to a woman and her 2 small children . Seems like he was forcing them out , not sure what this woman could have done to deserve such rude treatment with what looked like a 1 and 3 year old. It was very uncomfortable and I felt like the woman was being bullied . This along with the mediocre tasting food is reason enough for me to never return here and I cant recommend it to anyone..
(1)
Autumn H.
If you are looking for great dinner food, this is THE place to go. My burger was made/seasoned fantastically. Food was fresh. I loved the fries and the slaw. My husband said his soup was much better than other dinner soups and he could tell it was made fresh in store. I am very excited about all you can eat fish ans chips night (fridays after 3pm). Loving this place!
(4)
William K.
They should have a picture of Kristina's next to "3 yelp-stars" in the dictionary. It's pretty much the cookie cutter Greek breakfast/lunch place. Average food. Average service, complete with the requisite scowling Greek owner/manager to greet/seat you. Average prices. Average average. 3 stars.
(3)
Jeff O.
One of the best breakfasts in the burbs! A true family run restaurant where the customer service is amazing and food delicious.
(5)
Irina H.
I took the kids here for breakfast, but we couldn't get out for less than $50 (including tip) for just the usual pancakes, etc. (to their credit, the portions are huge, if that's all you are looking for). When we first sat down, I noticed the "clean" coffee cups on the table were greasy. On the plus side, the menu is huge and the waiter checked up on us often.
(2)
Jennifer P.
This is seriously my favorite place to eat in Downtown Downers Grove. The chicken noodle soup is to die for! Always homemade and always fresh! They also make a killer Chicken Dumpling Soup. Always service with a smile the owner is usually there and really nice. I haven't had anything on this menu that I don't like. 110x better than the previous Dali Cafe!
(5)
Brian F.
Service was bizarre. We arrived on a busy Sunday and although the host didn't seem to keep a log of waiting guests, people did get seated pretty efficiently. The very young serving girl forgot our requests twice and ended up spilling water on me. I had the salmon Benedict dish: Bagel with salmon, hollondaise, and capers. It wasn't the best sauce I've ever had but it appears that they do make it from scratch. Fruit was very fresh and the orange juice The real problem here is the coffee. It was so weak and tasteless that I actually considered getting a shot of espresso to fortify my "cup of joe". Oh well...
(2)
Nan D.
Very pet friendly, I had a delicious scramble breakfast. As a Scout lover, I was so happy at the sensitivity of the waitress. When she saw the dog,, she immediately brought him a bowl of water. The food was a value and everything was tasty and fresh . The waitress was very attentive . As I watched the world go by, I felt like I was back in Kolanaki Square in Athens!
(5)
Kymberly J.
It's a diner trying to pass itself as a neato cafe. Not gunna happen. They don't have anything fancy on the menu; plain old diner fare. I did appreciate the insult soup and the half sandwich that unexpectedly came with fruit and coleslaw. fast service and cheerful service.
(3)
A Z.
They put lemon an cucumber in their water - high five to that! But the water was just the first surprise. Next was the "fresh squeezed" orange juice which really did taste like it just got squashed straight from an orange. An finally, I was super excited to be delivered WARM maple syrup! The menu is gigantic and the choices are all so awesome that you will definitely have a hard time choosing. Pumpkin Cheesecake pancakes? Got it. 8 different types of fresh toast? Got 'em. A giant list of omelets, skillet meals and anything else that you can imagine? Check, check, check. All of our food was great and this place really pays attention to the little details in everything so I'm sure anything you order will be yummy. I don't say this often, but Kristina's is actually worth driving to if you're within an hours distance and want a great breakfast.
(4)
Christopher K.
Kristina's is a pretty solid breakfast and bunch place (though in 4/12 they apparently added dinner hours). You do get a pretty full diner menu here, as others have pointed out, I think the place aspires to be more than it is (did I mention they are offering dinner now). Service is always good, and portion size is very large. We have had a variety of the breakfast and brunch-type items and nothing has managed to distinguish itself -- apart from the fact that is walkable from home. I will add in its favor that it does not have that dark, depressing feeling that a lot of the other Greek-style family diners on, say, Ogden have. And as a rejoinder to the pet-friendly outdoor seating mentioned in other reviews -- if you are seated outdoors, you might wind up sitting next to someone's pet. Personally, that is not my scene. Still, we'll be back in the future, it is what it is.
(3)
Shannon C.
Best breakfast in town. Sit out on the sidewalk and people watch while ordering what I would consider gormet quality breakfast items. The decor inside (and the sign outside) is pretty tacky but don't let it scare you away. The food is great, the service is terrific (ask for Denise or Jaime) and the owner is a down to earth, good guy. Stop by Friday night during the car show and enjoy the grilled items served by the owner, out on the sidewalk and sometimes a 3 piece jazz ensemble playing tunes from the 80's that you will find you cannot help singing along.
(5)
Paul W.
Huge menu, great food, quick service, fair prices and sidewalk seating to watch the classic cars drive by on Friday nights during the summer. Highly recommended.
(5)
Dave M.
We eat breakfast here periodically and enjoy it. The food is not terribly creative, but it's well prepared and tasty. Service is always very friendly and helpful. The coffee is pretty decent although a bit on the weak side. Very kid and family friendly.
(4)
Tiffany P.
This is a great place in downtown DG for brunch! Prices are reasonable, food is hot and fresh, and I can't complain about the service! The breakfast menu is huge; pancakes, eggs benedict, lunch sandwiches, French toast, lox, skillets... The menu is about 10 pages long! Everyone can find something they enjoy here. I am happy with the quality of our dishes that we received. The eggs were cooked just right, and everything was so hot and wonderful. Crispy bacon, crispy hot hash browns, and AWESOME giant Texas bread that caters to my carb addiction! Total bill for 2 people was around $40. We left with full bellies and plenty of caffeine in our system thanks to bottomless coffee they provide! It was both satisfying and refreshing to go to Kristina's for Sunday brunch. I recommend it!
(4)
Cory F.
Just had a horrible experience here. They are under new management and did not have many of the options on their menu. The waitress tried giving us waters from another table, and they brought a cold "plate" of fries (barely any on it) and when she brought more to us, touched them as she was combining plates. The manager was less than interested in helping or resolving any issues.
(1)
Kleid G.
Food is really good and reasonably priced. Staff is friendly and accommodating. Decor is outdated and bathrooms are really run down
(4)
Michael M.
This has always been an enjoyable breakfast place. Food is good, wait staff friendly and attentive. The owner Lance is a really cool guy too.
(4)
Misha I.
One word: cockroach. We saw a huge cockroach under the table as we were being seated and needless to say we left. Most alarming was the hostess' lack of surprise when we pointed it out to her and told her why we were leaving.
(1)
Mary Lou R.
Fresh food, huge selection, friendly owner and efficient staff. The neighborhood breakfast place... What more can you ask?
(4)
Loreli P.
Great breakfast, lots of choices of healthy and "splurge" breakfast items.
(4)
Cory F.
Just had a horrible experience here. They are under new management and did not have many of the options on their menu. The waitress tried giving us waters from another table, and they brought a cold "plate" of fries (barely any on it) and when she brought more to us, touched them as she was combining plates. The manager was less than interested in helping or resolving any issues.
(1)
Kleid G.
Food is really good and reasonably priced. Staff is friendly and accommodating. Decor is outdated and bathrooms are really run down
(4)
Amanda M.
This is our GO TO family breakfast place. The food is great and the service is wonderful. The place is always clean. We go every few weeks and request our favorite waitress, Ciara. She is the sweetest! My husband and I usually get omelettes, the 2 kids split a kids' pancake meal and with coffee and juice, we average $30 or so. It's reasonably priced and the food is really good. I change my meal at times and I don't think there's ever been something I was uninterested in. Sometimes I order their specials which are delicious- their Cream of Chicken soup on Sundays is delicious! I guess I'd have to say sometimes the coffee tastes a little bitter, but they have the flavored creamers at every table so with a little bit of creamer, it tastes fine. They also have a stack of napkins on every table- VERY convenient for families with little kids!! The booths are comfortable. We use a highchair every time. I guess I'd prefer the highchairs were a little bit cleaner but I can just as easily wipe one down before putting my kiddo in it. We are always greeted with a smile when we walk in and the kids love to go and pay the bill because they each pick one of the complimentary suckers by the register. They have outdoor seating which we've yet to do. With a dog bakery a couple doors down, you will see TONS of people walking their dogs if you sit outside. We just like to see them from the window. Parking CAN be difficult if it's a beautiful day. We often times have to park on the side street instead of Main Street due to no parking available. The area is perfect. There many boutiques and shops all along the street. You could easily head here for a breakfast and make a morning of shopping afterwards. Nearby there is a bakery, dog bakery, ice cream/yogurt place, toy store across the street, kids consignment shop down the side street and book shop down the road. Super fun. We also tend to eat breakfast first and then head down Main Street afterwards for a super quick walk just to get to the train station and watch the trains for a bit. There is also a beautiful fountain by the train station which is super popular. Also, look out for the Farmers market that takes place in the Spring/Summer. Our routine becomes eating breakfast here and then heading to the train station for some fresh produce to bring home.
(5)
Jennifer B.
Let me get this straight, you complained you didn't think there was enough fries on your plate and then when the waitress brought you more, you complained that her hand slipped while she was trying to give you more fries? Full disclosure, I'm a regular at Kristina's and for a reason. I love this place and definitely get the "Cheers" vibe when I walk in. I have not had a bad meal yet - and my friend and I have been going for a while - and the staff is warm, friendly, fun and completely accommodating. I was also there the same afternoon as poster Cory F. Yup, they were pretty much made infamous when my friend and I commented to the staff about the two teenagers standing in front of the restaurant - in full view of everyone in the place - making out, one with a sucker in their mouth. And yes, the mother was standing right there. I'd rather have my waitress touch my fries than watch that again.
(5)
Alie B.
I never write reviews. I really tried to give this place the benefit of the doubt but we had a terrible experience. I ate here for lunch with some girlfriends. Our food took forever to come, it was practically cold when we got it, my sisters fruit had fruit flies, even the pancake was bad. So disappointing. Maybe it was an off day but it was so bad I don't think we'll ever go back.
(1)
Chloe M.
This place is my go to brunch spot! Their gypsy skillet and their steal and eggs are my favorite. The portion size is big and the staff is always really friendly. I also like that they serve hash browns instead of breakfast potatoes called hashed browns. I definitely recommend.
(5)
V R.
One of my favorite places for breakfast. Outdoor seating during the summer lets you people watch in downtown Downers Grove. The fresh squeezed orange juice is perfect. The servings are huge - husband and I usually share a dish with an extra side (pancakes are my addiction there and I HATE pancakes). The mushroom omlette is wonderful! The scramblers are great! The side of fresh fruit is amazing - I know that sounds weird but so many places give you yucky fruit!
(5)
Jessie W.
I went there on Monday and had one of the best breakfast I have had in a long time. The service was amazing and the server was so sweet. I had the Salmon/cream cheese omelet with asparagus and hollandaise. It was so good and the omelet was huge. I would have given them 5 stars however I cannot understand why so few potatoes that didn't make sense to me and the bathroom was out of paper and just really dirty. I would still go back it is now my favorite place to go.
(4)
K M.
Kristina's Cafe is a go-to for me when I have friends or family in town and we want to go out. It isn't super close for us, but it is worth the trek to get to. The waitresses are phenomenal, and know their food ingredients and preparations well, which is a huge benefit in my life as my roommate and I both have lots of allergies (gluten and soy highest ranking). They make notes and take great care in the preparations of our food, and we haven't EVER gotten sick. This is to say A LOT because it happens to us a lot more than it should when we go other places. Their food is phenomenal, and comes in large enough portions you could share, if you wanted to (you won't though, have your fork weapon ready). Personally, I could eat their French toast for the rest of my life and be completely ok with that, and their omelets could cure the worst of hangovers. I've slowly been making my way down their lunch menu, but I prefer their breakfast items. It's hard to make a bad cheeseburger, anyway.
(5)
Jennifer Q.
Cute little place. Great food, great service. I visited here for the first time with my friend Taisha after her Zumba class in the nearby park. This whole area is so cute! We walked from the park. Special shout out to the awesome busboy who found a piece of my jewelry I had lost on the floor! He picked it up so when I came back, he had it! I was very grateful!
(4)
Mystii G.
How disappointing. We hadn't been there since this cafe changed over from Dali's Cafe. The "updated interior" was basically just a redone ceiling. We had Eggs Benedict and it was sad. Over-cooked eggs, under-cooked sauce and the homemade hashbrowns were definitely undercooked. For $23+ I expected better. We won't bother coming back.
(2)
Abhay S.
Solid experience. We've been here twice and we were seated quickly. The service was excellent and portions were HUGE. (I brought home leftovers, which I almost *never* do with breakfast!) We'll be returning soon!
(4)
Ellen M.
Food was fine (I got some huge salad with grilled chicken, probably black beans and avacado), we sat outside on a beautiful day, the kids were happy and service was good. Best of all, our dog was allowed to hang with us, and they brought him a dish o' water. It's nice to have the silly greyhound nearby.
(4)
Amy W.
Kristina's is pretty much an average diner with an extensive menu of eggs, pancakes, waffles, crepes, salads, and sandwiches. I enjoyed the booths and the large, open feeling of the interior. Service was decent -- we were seated after standing at the front for a few minutes, and the waitress promptly attended to my coffee, which I greatly appreciated. For brunch I ordered the Main Street Prosciutto Omelette, which was pretty loaded up with prosciutto (obviously), red peppers, mozzarella, and other standard omeltte ingredients like mushrooms and onions. The side of hash browns was pretty good; I liked how they were more like shaved potatoes rather than your typical stringy hash browns. Overall, pretty decent, and if I were in the area again I'd consider coming back -- but nothing terribly spectacular.
(3)
Christina K.
Pros: Mocha French Toast is to die for Cons: Saw a cockroach in the bathroom before I left. :(
(4)
Darcy R.
I have been going here about once or twice a week recently. The food can be very good and quite reasonable. Sometimes there is some variation depending on who's preparing the food, but for the most part it is consistently good. My only gripe is the service. A blond, middle-aged female server is top notch and a real dynamo at tending to all her customers in a timely manner. Other servers just don't compare and it seems to be related to whether the owner is there. The other day I asked a male server for a coffee refill and it never came. After 15 minutes or so, I walked over to the back and he was eating something and quickly retreated to the kitchen when he saw me. Of course, the owner had already left the restaurant. Standards diminish drastically when he is not there and with the blond server, it simply doesn't matter because she just does an excellent job. Today I went elsewhere (Egg Harbor, which is across the street and around the block) and both the food and service were excellent.
(2)
Brian F.
Service was bizarre. We arrived on a busy Sunday and although the host didn't seem to keep a log of waiting guests, people did get seated pretty efficiently. The very young serving girl forgot our requests twice and ended up spilling water on me. I had the salmon Benedict dish: Bagel with salmon, hollondaise, and capers. It wasn't the best sauce I've ever had but it appears that they do make it from scratch. Fruit was very fresh and the orange juice The real problem here is the coffee. It was so weak and tasteless that I actually considered getting a shot of espresso to fortify my "cup of joe". Oh well...
(2)
Nan D.
Very pet friendly, I had a delicious scramble breakfast. As a Scout lover, I was so happy at the sensitivity of the waitress. When she saw the dog,, she immediately brought him a bowl of water. The food was a value and everything was tasty and fresh . The waitress was very attentive . As I watched the world go by, I felt like I was back in Kolanaki Square in Athens!
(5)
Tiffany P.
This is a great place in downtown DG for brunch! Prices are reasonable, food is hot and fresh, and I can't complain about the service! The breakfast menu is huge; pancakes, eggs benedict, lunch sandwiches, French toast, lox, skillets... The menu is about 10 pages long! Everyone can find something they enjoy here. I am happy with the quality of our dishes that we received. The eggs were cooked just right, and everything was so hot and wonderful. Crispy bacon, crispy hot hash browns, and AWESOME giant Texas bread that caters to my carb addiction! Total bill for 2 people was around $40. We left with full bellies and plenty of caffeine in our system thanks to bottomless coffee they provide! It was both satisfying and refreshing to go to Kristina's for Sunday brunch. I recommend it!
(4)
Sam B.
Food is fresh, delicious, and perfectly flavored. Get the chicken noodle soup and reuben sandwich with a side of fresh fruit. You can't go wrong. I never realized how important maintaining the temperature of soup was until today. It was amazing.
(5)
Chris G.
My omelette came out with a dead roach on top. Waitress handled as best she could, very apologetic. She handed the plate to the manager, he said nothing and just took the plate away. She came back to apologize again, he did not even come back. Needless to say we did not eat any of our food and left. Disgusting!!
(1)
Julie S.
Our waitress was great! Coffee was intelligencia and brewed well. I had the Gypsy skillet w poached eggs and it was fantastic! My husband enjoyed a huge Bacon and American Omlet. Large portions, standard breakfast menu. Good pancakes too!
(5)
Chrissy W.
They've got rockstar quality ingredients. Unique and funky breakfast combinations are on the list. Decent serving staff, but most importantly, Kristina's knows how to poach an egg. The BF and I dined here a few weeks ago (this was not my first trip, and will not be my last) for a rather leisurely and enjoyable meal. One con of Kristina's--if you're hungry, you may want to ask for some crackers or something. I've yet to have a rapid turnover from seating to ordering to dining. The food was awesome. Special requests were accommodated, and they poached me the most beautiful egg in the world. The crepes were really tasty, and I couldn't help but eat all of them. YUM! The BF had a skillet, because that's what the BF enjoys, and it too was delightful. All in all a solid 4 stars to Kristina's.
(4)
Karen G.
Went for lunch and had the grilled cheese. Nice lunch with lots of cheese and super yummy french fries. The service was quick and attentive. The soup while good, reminded me too much of Mrs Grass to be enjoyable.
(3)
Robin L.
I was looking for a caterer who could bring food to a church following a funeral service. My Mother suggested I check with a local restaurant. I called Kristina's and asked if they could even do this especially with such short notice. I'm so glad I did! The owner, Lance was very helpful in assisting with food selections. And ways to keep costs down. He setup when and where I needed, and the best part, EVERYONE commented how good the food was.
(5)
Elizabeth G.
I have been here a handful of times. I keep coming back for the chocolate chip belgian waffle. You can order it "igloo style" which is pretty awesome for breakfast. Request extra whipped cream though as they are a bit stingy with it. The service is a little bit slow so it is good for a meal where you want to talk to your companion. This is why it is a go-to place for mommy-daughter brunches.
(4)
David B.
Always friendly service. Sometimes very busy and short staffed therefore services suffers. But overall food quality is good. Nice to have fresh fruit as a side option for kids and adults
(4)
Dan P.
I went to Kristina's Cafe this morning with my five year old son, and we had a really good time. We sat where we could people watch out the windows overlooking downtown Downers, a view that is hard to beat in the area. I had one of their skillets, it was really well done, with perfectly cooked steak and eggs, and generous portions. My son had pancakes, and the picky little guy at faster than usual. The real drawback, and hopefully this was a one off, was the service. It took over ten minutes to even get a cup of coffee which the host had to get for me while yelling across the room to get our waitress. The other waitress seemed to be on the ball though, so maybe this isn't indicative of what we should expect. I'll return, and will write again.
(3)
Samantha K.
The Village of Downers Grove may have Egg Harbor, but it was lacking a breakfast place with character. Kristina's Cafe has an ideal location on Main Street in Downtown Downers Grove and although the street parking may be limited there is a parking garage a block away to accommodate its customers. The restaurant is designed for high volume capacity, so even on the weekends when its the most busy there is never that long of a wait. The owner Lance, has made a menu that appeals to everyone so even the pickiest eater will find something they will enjoy. Personally, I am not much of a breakfast person, but I do recommend any of the ten styles of Eggs Benedict, yes I said ten styles. The lunch menu includes a variety of wraps, salads, burgers, paninis, and sandwiches. The Tuna Salad Italiano sandwich is phenomenal, it's served open faced on an English muffin. Kristina's serves two soups daily and a version of Chicken Noodle is always one of them. Soup is always included with your sandwich order as well as your choice of side. I work in the area, so I frequently order food to go and they always ensure that you have everything you could possibly need with your order. The website allows online ordering, but you can also call in. When I do dine in the servers are very attentive and take excellent care of you. If you live in the area or you're in town visiting, Kristina's should be your go to breakfast destination.
(4)
Matt B.
I never ate at Dali's Cafe, so I can only comment on what this place was like on my first visit. Overall, it was a nice experience. The inside is fun, with light colors and a generally open feeling to it. It was quite busy for a Sunday morning, like most breakfast places are, but we had no trouble getting a seat or the attention of our waitress, who was very friendly. I'm not a fan of restaurants that put a slice a lemon in your drinking water; however, I am a fan of cucumber in the water. As such, Kristina's Cafe put me in a difficult position when they put both in my water. We ordered the fresh fruit crepes, which were good, but were covered in powdered sugar, despite no mention of that on the menu. The powdered sugar reduced the healthiness of the item, which was under their "Healthy Living" section, or whatever it's called. But they were good, as were the potato pancakes, which tasted like they had included cream cheese and chives. The turkey sausage was fine, but nothing remarkable. Overall, the bill for two meals, one side, and an OJ came to about $25, a little higher than I expected, but not by much. If I am in the Downers Grove area again during breakfast time, I will not hesitate to return.
(4)
Sarah L.
Our meal started out good with their coffee drinks. And well, that was about it. When I got my food there was a long dark hair in my fries (I'm blonde). The replacement fries were obviously the bottom of the barrel. The waitress had us and another table. She dropped the bill when only half of our meal was finish and without asking if we wanted more. Not impressed.
(2)
Christina M.
Hit Kristina's at 10:30 a.m. today (Saturday) and was seated right away, got water and coffee right away, and our order was taken very quickly, even though they were busy. Huge menu to choose from - I got the biscuits/gravy, 2 eggs over medium (cooked perfectly), and hash browns that actually tasted like potatoes! DH got corned beef hash, eggs over medium (also perfectly cooked) and rye toast (thick cut). Sweet, fresh fruit was included - yummy. Terrific first experience - we'll be back soon!!
(5)
Christina F.
Wanted to try something different in the neighborhood for breakfast so we hit up Kristina's. The service was great but the food was mediocre. We kind of felt like at the end of the meal we should have stayed home and made breakfast instead. My food was good, but what looked to be a delicious side of fruit was not ripe and I didn't eat 3/4 of it. Not a great place for vegans FYI as the people there don't know what that is. It was enough to get us full and have us leave b/c at the end of our meal, we wanted out with the screaming children running around everywhere. I'd consider going back for lunch but will skip the breakfast there.
(3)
Sara A.
My husband and I live in downtown Downers grove and just visited Katrina's for breakfast. I finished my delicious French toast and thought "what a pleasant lovely place" . My eggs and bacon were perfect and the French toasts were great. It's nothing out of the ordinary, no gluten free fancy shmancy city uppity thing. Just dang good breakfast with really nice service. Good Job Katrina's
(5)
Gina N.
Delicious oreo pancakes! Great service. Amazing egg white omelets.
(5)
Christine S.
I noticed this place the other week, so my roommate and I ventured here for lunch. We both ordered breakfast items, however, which they serve all day. The interior is nice, just a basic hometown diner - which I like. The service was good, everyone was very nice. They have a pretty extensive menu, so it took a long time for me to decide what I wanted. In the end, I ordered the biscuits and gravy. They are my staple breakfast diner food, so i like to try them out whenever I go to a new breakfast place. They were really good. The gravy wasn't too heavy, not too overly spiced and had just the right amout of sausage. Biscuits were light, fluffy and fresh. My roommate had a scrambler and hashbrowns. He said his food was great, too. He also ordered an orange juice that turned out to be 3.25 - little too spendy, in my opinion, especially for this place. All in all, a great little restaurant and I definitely will go back to try more. We ate for under $20, including that orange juice.
(4)
Michael M.
This has always been an enjoyable breakfast place. Food is good, wait staff friendly and attentive. The owner Lance is a really cool guy too.
(4)
Misha I.
One word: cockroach. We saw a huge cockroach under the table as we were being seated and needless to say we left. Most alarming was the hostess' lack of surprise when we pointed it out to her and told her why we were leaving.
(1)
Dan B.
In downtown Downers Grove sits a small little cafe called Kristina's. After looking over reviews of previously unvisited breakfast places I decided to make the trip there to give it a try. After walking in I was offered seating both inside and outside and decided to stick to the air conditioned indoors. After looking over my menu options, I settled on a meat lovers skillet and chose pancakes as the extra option. I then waited a little bit longer than most places for my food to be ready, but once it was out I was excited to dig in. The skillet here was excellent, the amount of meat in the meat lovers skillet was definitely satisfactory. The pieces of meat were both abundant and thick. There was also a good amount of cheese on this skillet. The eggs were soft and well prepared as well. The potato at the bottom of the skillet was a little on the bland side, this along with the slightly longer than normal wait are my only complaints about the skillet. So the positives were lots of thick cuts of meat, lots of cheese. The negatives were somewhat bland potato at the bottom. The pancakes here were also good, there were two berries for eyes and a strawberry for a mouth on the top pancakes. This extra charm puts a tingly feeling in the back of your head and makes you feel special as you think to yourself "Awww they made a face on the pancakes." The pancakes themselves were soft, the powdered sugar gave it a dash of extra flavor. These pancakes were good as well. Overall I was quite impressed by both the food and the service at Kristina's Cafe. Things like the face on my pancakes give it that extra bit of effort and caring that really shines through, they don't cut corners on meat or cheese which is somewhat common among breakfast places. I am going to give Kristina's Cafe four stars, a recommendation and I plan to visit again.
(4)
Mike N.
Closest thing to Connie's restaurant (berwyn) you'll find out here in downers. Aside from the rather creepy owner who is around 50% of the time, the staff is quite inviting. Not your usual toothless Greek restaurant servers. Food is consistent and not bad. The washrooms could've used an upgrade about twenty years ago, but the owner makes up for it by keeping the urinal filled with ice. That said I eat here couple times a month and I'm not disappointed, but maybe part of that is I know what to expect. I suppose what I'm saying is keep your expectations in check and Kristinas will probably exceed them.
(3)
Rachel M.
We love Kristina's and eat there at least once or twice a month. Service is always friendly and fast and the food is delicious. There are great options both for breakfast and lunch. My favorite is Kristina's chicken salad or a breakfast scrambler with pancakes - can't go wrong with anything you order though!
(5)
Sam P.
Darn, I really thought we were going to have a great lunch here today! Having received 4 star ratings from two respected Yelp friends of mine, Kristina's made it onto my itinerary when I planned an outing in downtown Downers Grove. I arranged to meet a friend here for lunch. She and her kids arrived first and got a table in the back. "The back" is where you hope to be seated when dining with four kids under four. My son's kids meal looked really nice. Two mini burgers and a generous portion of very fresh fruit. I wish I'd snapped a pic, but apparently he was starving and inhaled the entire plate immediately. His buddy had a Micky pancake that he seemed to enjoy. I wish I could say my burger (cheddar jack) was impressive, but it was really just eatable. It actually had very little taste, which is odd for anything with cheese. I chose shoestring potatoes as my side because they sounded interesting, but they turned out to be just slivered chips that were difficult to eat without looking like a wild mongrel. Aside from the food, we found the service inattentive. I waited with an empty water glass for what seemed like a very long time, especially considering that there were only three or four other tables occupied on our visit. I almost think they were hoping we'd get the kids packed up and leave more quickly if we weren't well cared for. Even though this was a semi disappointing visit, I think I'd give Kristina's another chance...maybe I'll order something different in hopes that burgers just aren't their strong suit, and maybe service would be better on a different day. With such good reviews, our experience must be somewhat of an anomaly.
(2)
Lupe D.
Cute place in downtown Downers Grove. The food is really good, very healthy portions and a great bang for your buck. The menu is very extensive, so it took us a bit to order. I got the Kristinas Skillet - with no jalapeños - added green peppers and had toast instead of the pancakes (included). the BF had one of the grove combos - eggs, meats, pancakes, coffee and juice. Everything was delicious. I guess if I had one minor criticism it's the salsa that came with my skillet. It was clearly from a jar - if they just made a simple pico de gallo, and had the option of a few tortillas instead of the pancakes/toast, this dish would be over the top delish. Out waitress, Danielle, was soooooo wonderful!!! Love her, she was patient with us, went over the menu, gave suggestions - she is a gem. We are already making plans to return. Yummy, budget friendly breakfast places are hard to find - this one is definitely a keeper!
(4)
Alyssa D.
Let me just cut to the chase: this place sucks--don't waste your time. Giving a two star rating is even being generous for this place. Anyways, I decided to stop by today since we were in the area. Seeing as how we've never been here before and since you can never really go wrong with breakfast, we decided to give it a try. We walked in, and I noticed that it was very spacious in here, almost too spacious for a breakfast place. After we were seated, I also noticed that the noise level is absolutely silent in here. Not a good place to have a conversation--I felt the need to whisper. I mean I could almost hear the guy sitting next to us chewing his food. Okay, so let's get to the food portion, shall we? I opted for the Three Cheese Omelette, hash browns, and pancakes (it's a Friday during Lent). And this is where my meal absolutely took a turn for the worst. Instead of having mozzarella, jack, and some other cheese in the omelette, I received a half-melted slab of Velveeta in the center of some fluffy eggs. The menu said nothing about Velveeta, so at this point I was like "how the hell could you mix that up?" We decided not to complain to our waitress, because it would be futile since we knew we weren't coming here again. The pancakes were spongy and also had an elastic quality to them--which I hate. The two people I was with got a frittata, which was burnt and flavorless, and a smoked salmon omelette. The smoked salmon omelette was actually "okay", which was the ONLY redeeming quality of this place. Overall, the meal was just flat out horrible. I didn't think it was possible to mess up breakfast this badly, but I was yet again proven wrong. To whoever gave this place a good rating: I would love to know what you were smoking when you wrote your reviews. The hunt for a great breakfast still continues.
(2)
Eileen K.
Always love to go to Kristina's Cafe! Portions are very generous and staff is very friendly and accommodating. Prices are very good too!
(5)
Kymberly J.
It's a diner trying to pass itself as a neato cafe. Not gunna happen. They don't have anything fancy on the menu; plain old diner fare. I did appreciate the insult soup and the half sandwich that unexpectedly came with fruit and coleslaw. fast service and cheerful service.
(3)
A Z.
They put lemon an cucumber in their water - high five to that! But the water was just the first surprise. Next was the "fresh squeezed" orange juice which really did taste like it just got squashed straight from an orange. An finally, I was super excited to be delivered WARM maple syrup! The menu is gigantic and the choices are all so awesome that you will definitely have a hard time choosing. Pumpkin Cheesecake pancakes? Got it. 8 different types of fresh toast? Got 'em. A giant list of omelets, skillet meals and anything else that you can imagine? Check, check, check. All of our food was great and this place really pays attention to the little details in everything so I'm sure anything you order will be yummy. I don't say this often, but Kristina's is actually worth driving to if you're within an hours distance and want a great breakfast.
(4)
Christopher K.
Kristina's is a pretty solid breakfast and bunch place (though in 4/12 they apparently added dinner hours). You do get a pretty full diner menu here, as others have pointed out, I think the place aspires to be more than it is (did I mention they are offering dinner now). Service is always good, and portion size is very large. We have had a variety of the breakfast and brunch-type items and nothing has managed to distinguish itself -- apart from the fact that is walkable from home. I will add in its favor that it does not have that dark, depressing feeling that a lot of the other Greek-style family diners on, say, Ogden have. And as a rejoinder to the pet-friendly outdoor seating mentioned in other reviews -- if you are seated outdoors, you might wind up sitting next to someone's pet. Personally, that is not my scene. Still, we'll be back in the future, it is what it is.
(3)
Shannon C.
Best breakfast in town. Sit out on the sidewalk and people watch while ordering what I would consider gormet quality breakfast items. The decor inside (and the sign outside) is pretty tacky but don't let it scare you away. The food is great, the service is terrific (ask for Denise or Jaime) and the owner is a down to earth, good guy. Stop by Friday night during the car show and enjoy the grilled items served by the owner, out on the sidewalk and sometimes a 3 piece jazz ensemble playing tunes from the 80's that you will find you cannot help singing along.
(5)
Paul W.
Huge menu, great food, quick service, fair prices and sidewalk seating to watch the classic cars drive by on Friday nights during the summer. Highly recommended.
(5)
Dave M.
We eat breakfast here periodically and enjoy it. The food is not terribly creative, but it's well prepared and tasty. Service is always very friendly and helpful. The coffee is pretty decent although a bit on the weak side. Very kid and family friendly.
(4)
Russell G.
Went for lunch this past Saturday .. The service was fine... The food was bland and didn't seem fresh, very disappointed ...There was also a disturbance in the restaurant, a man who I think was the owner was being very rude to a woman and her 2 small children . Seems like he was forcing them out , not sure what this woman could have done to deserve such rude treatment with what looked like a 1 and 3 year old. It was very uncomfortable and I felt like the woman was being bullied . This along with the mediocre tasting food is reason enough for me to never return here and I cant recommend it to anyone..
(1)
Autumn H.
If you are looking for great dinner food, this is THE place to go. My burger was made/seasoned fantastically. Food was fresh. I loved the fries and the slaw. My husband said his soup was much better than other dinner soups and he could tell it was made fresh in store. I am very excited about all you can eat fish ans chips night (fridays after 3pm). Loving this place!
(4)
Steve S.
Really enjoyed the combo breakfast on a Sunday morning. Two eggs, two bacon strips, two sausage links and choice of pancakes/waffle, along with fresh OJ; all for 7.95. Tremendous value, high quality, attentive service. Only gripe was the dining room was on the noisy side with families and groups but not over the top. A great downtown alternative. The dining room is larger than you would think by looking at the front of the building.. Very attractive dining room.
(5)
E B.
I've tried Kristina's a couple of times because I work hard to support local business. However, each experience I've had has been worse than the last. Certainly, this last visit will be my final. I took my 6 y/o son for pancakes and after 5 minutes of waiting at an empty register, I found the Manager and asked to be seated. My son and I were given a table for two - lovely. There was silverware on his side, nothing on mine. Neither place had coffee cups. I'm not a "picky" person - I spend my money wisely, tip well, show respect to the restaurant (and workers) and expect a good job in return. After placing our order I noticed that the half wall we were sitting next to was covered in dust. Not just a spot here or there, literally a layer. I have kids and am not easily grossed out, but this was disgusting. After 20 minutes of no water, no waitress, etc. I went to the back, where our waitress was standing, and asked when our order was coming? "Well, you ordered when a lot of people came in so it will be out soon," was her reply. At 30 minutes of waiting for 1 Mickey Mouse pancake and 1 vege. skillet, I told my son we were leaving. He swore he could wait 10 more minutes... and we did. 40 minutes(!) after placing our order, it was delivered. Again, I had to ask for water and silverware. My son said his pancake was "OK," but a "really small Mickey face." My vege. skillet was 80% mushy hashbrowns, 10% undercooked egg (literally the white was not cooked), 10% vegetable. I will say that they did use fresh broccoli and that's nice. We didn't see the waitress again until she dropped the receipt at our table. Before leaving I noticed that two other tables had requested to see the Manager - one woman was served the wrong food and was treated rudely and as were were leaving another couple in the outside area were expressed displeasure at their whole experience. Sorry, Kristina, you've lost the business of myself and my family.
(1)
Donna M.
Seriously addicting is all I can say. I'm one of the pickiest people when it comes to restaurants because if I can cook it at home I think I can probably do it better. Putting my snobbish ways aside...this place is GREAT! My mom and I went in for brunch two weeks ago and were extremely pleased with everything from the soup to her omelette to my turkey/brie panini. The bacon-cheddar-potato soup is to die for. They must be taking a loss on the turkey and brie panini because there is a ton of brie on it. The fries are fresh cut too! My mom's omelette was easily big enough for two and she said it was delicious. Great waitress, comfy seats, seated right away by the attentive owner. I went back with a friend last week and she ordered the skillet with asparagus and said it was delicious. Some of the food is classic Greek, i.e cream of chicken rice on Sunday but still solidly good. Highly recommended. I'm going back for sure!
(5)
Melissa K.
Nothing too special, but not bad. The price seemed a bit high for the amount of food you get. I ordered eggs benedict sans canadian bacon, which is my standard dish. The hollandaise had a great flavor, but the poached eggs seemed to be cooked a bit too much. The fruit dish was fresh and had a nice variety (melon, pineapple, blueberries, strawberries, and a cherry).
(3)
Dan R.
This is a serious upgrade from the previous establishments at this location. Clean, bright and well staffed. Pretty much a standard menu but they seem to sweat the details to plus everything up. This would be the top spot in Downers Grove for breakfast and a top 5 for lunch.
(4)
Tony D.
I live in town and this is my go 2 breakfast place! Good prices and great food!
(5)
Tom H.
My wife and I dined here on a whim and were not disappointed. We strolled in not long after noon and were seated immediately. I was pleased to see variety in the menu and variety in the side options. I can't wait to come back here to try their breakfast items. My wife had the chicken Philly and I had a chicken panini. We sampled each other's dishes and loved them. The panini was cooked perfectly and tasted great. Best of all, it was not greasy in the least. Some places may over-drench their bread in olive oil or slather far too much oily pesto sauce, but not here. Everything was portioned just perfectly, and the side of fruit was a great side option instead of the standard fries. My wife's sandwich was great to taste, too. It was basically a seasoned kabob on French bread, but it was done right. Moist, well-seasoned, and fresh (even the bread - you can tell it wasn't the flaky stale crap sitting around for days). And who can complain about the location? Right on main street, in the heart of the action. Everyone was friendly and polite. It's family and kid-friendly too!
(4)
Gloria L.
Even though they don't take reservations, we called a head to let them know that we had a big party of 8 coming and they were very nice and able to accomodate us. There is a very nice charm about this place, they have their own special coffee mugs (which they also sell) that are very cute and unique. The menu is MASSIVE, they are so many different choices and options, me and my friends were surprised by the huge range of foods they had at the cafe. I think we all pretty much went with breakfast foods and it was all good, I don't remember hearing any complaints. We forgot to ask them to split the bill so when we got it, it was sort of hard to decipher and read but that was just a minor detail. Overall, it was a great place to meet with friends for brunch!
(5)
William K.
They should have a picture of Kristina's next to "3 yelp-stars" in the dictionary. It's pretty much the cookie cutter Greek breakfast/lunch place. Average food. Average service, complete with the requisite scowling Greek owner/manager to greet/seat you. Average prices. Average average. 3 stars.
(3)
Jeff O.
One of the best breakfasts in the burbs! A true family run restaurant where the customer service is amazing and food delicious.
(5)
Irina H.
I took the kids here for breakfast, but we couldn't get out for less than $50 (including tip) for just the usual pancakes, etc. (to their credit, the portions are huge, if that's all you are looking for). When we first sat down, I noticed the "clean" coffee cups on the table were greasy. On the plus side, the menu is huge and the waiter checked up on us often.
(2)
Jennifer P.
This is seriously my favorite place to eat in Downtown Downers Grove. The chicken noodle soup is to die for! Always homemade and always fresh! They also make a killer Chicken Dumpling Soup. Always service with a smile the owner is usually there and really nice. I haven't had anything on this menu that I don't like. 110x better than the previous Dali Cafe!
(5)
Ray T.
I had some time to kill and I was hungry. I decided to try this restaurant on the spur of the moment. I will not be eating anything until dinner. The Meatlover's Skillet did quite a job on me --- filled my stomach to the esophageal sphincter. This menu item was one find in a huge breakfast menu. It is a wonderful skillet of eggs, hash browns, cheese, bacon, ham, sausage. I am not sure what else. Normally, I do not eat skillet breakfasts, but I did and do not regret it too much ( I really am stuffed). Service. Outstanding. Still, I expect that especially when there are only a few other customers. Cleanliness. Absolutely. I do like it when I see the wait staff checking on empty tables and getting the help to clean tables when they weren't cleaned properly in the first place. Sitting down at a table that is dirty/sticky is no fun. I doubt that could happen here because the staff really seems to care about cleanliness. The decor is pleasant and open. I sat in a booth for two. That is a problem for me since I fit very tightly in a "standard" booth. Fortunately, the tables move and I was alone. I think there are some tables with chairs, but I didn't ask since it didn't matter today. It may when I come back with my wife - a booth might be kind of tight for me. I will be giving this place another try, probably with my wife.
(4)
Rexcrisanto D.
The pumpkin cheesecake pancakes are unbelievably delicious. Service is very good and friendly. Bright colorful art and decor throughout brightens any cloudy morning. My only downfall was their coffee. It had a very weak and watered down taste (2/3 the strength of Mcdonalds and Dunkin Donuts coffee). If you're a Starbucks person, you'll be very disappointed with the coffee. I took my entire family and they liked this restaurant very much. I will definitely be coming back for more, but next time with a shot of espresso to spike the coffee :)
(4)
Kara Z.
I went here for my first time the other day. I really like the people working here- warm, welcoming, and attentive. They refilled my water (which had cucumber and lemon in it and tasted great) a lot and I appreciated that. I ordered a scrambled egg and it seemed more like 2 or 3 eggs which was nice because it was delicious. It came with hashbrowns which were homemade and not my favorite- not very crispy at all but I'm sure other people love them. It came with bacon that was pretty good. It also came with pancakes and it had two blueberries and a slice of strawberry and it looked like a cute face which made me and my friend smile. They have a big menu and some creative menu items I've never heard of that I'd like to try sometime like mocha french toast and berry pancakes topped with granola- yum. My friend got an omelet and it was huge. The restaurant was comfortable with a lot of booths. Great location in downtown Downers Grove. My only complaint is that there were flies flying around and one kept landing on my friend's food- kind of gross. Otherwise, it's a good place with great service.
(4)
N S.
This place is amazing for breakfast. Have eaten outside and inside and have had great experiences with the service but can only speak for the breakfast food which is amazing, my husband and I have never had anything we didn't like. Tons of choices and options such as cage free and organic eggs, substitutions with egg whites, freshly squeezed juices, and a variety of coffee drinks. The staff had always been extremely friendly, and this has become our new favorite place for breakfast.
(5)
Michelle Marie R.
Just had lunch there this week. Cute decor reasonable prices and a killer menu. Try the turkey brie panini and apple chicken sausage. I would dine there again!
(3)
Lorie O.
I was there during the lunch hour today (12/6/10), and it was only one quarter full, which should have been a tipoff. The Berry Berry Oatmeal had great berries, but the worst oatmeal I've ever eaten. The oats were no more than pulverized bits obviously made with water, lukewarm with no taste, no...actually a bad taste. For the same price, I could have had "to-die-for" oatmeal at Egg Harbor one block east, but I wanted to give the new place a try. In addition, my friend's scrambled egg was as flat as a pancake. Our waitress was nice, but it took forever to get our food (one scrambled egg and microwaved oatmeal should not have taken fifteen minutes when the place was 3/4 empty). The booth seat was as hard as a rock, and the lighting was annoying. Not a good experience for a new place, and certainly not worth the money. There is no way this place can compete with Egg Harbor. I predict Kristina's will be out of business within a year, unless some serious changes are made. Sorry, but I felt I should warn others.
(1)
Mary Lou R.
Fresh food, huge selection, friendly owner and efficient staff. The neighborhood breakfast place... What more can you ask?
(4)
Loreli P.
Great breakfast, lots of choices of healthy and "splurge" breakfast items.
(4)
Mike N.
Closest thing to Connie's restaurant (berwyn) you'll find out here in downers. Aside from the rather creepy owner who is around 50% of the time, the staff is quite inviting. Not your usual toothless Greek restaurant servers. Food is consistent and not bad. The washrooms could've used an upgrade about twenty years ago, but the owner makes up for it by keeping the urinal filled with ice. That said I eat here couple times a month and I'm not disappointed, but maybe part of that is I know what to expect. I suppose what I'm saying is keep your expectations in check and Kristinas will probably exceed them.
(3)
Rachel M.
We love Kristina's and eat there at least once or twice a month. Service is always friendly and fast and the food is delicious. There are great options both for breakfast and lunch. My favorite is Kristina's chicken salad or a breakfast scrambler with pancakes - can't go wrong with anything you order though!
(5)
Chloe M.
This place is my go to brunch spot! Their gypsy skillet and their steal and eggs are my favorite. The portion size is big and the staff is always really friendly. I also like that they serve hash browns instead of breakfast potatoes called hashed browns. I definitely recommend.
(5)
Steve S.
Really enjoyed the combo breakfast on a Sunday morning. Two eggs, two bacon strips, two sausage links and choice of pancakes/waffle, along with fresh OJ; all for 7.95. Tremendous value, high quality, attentive service. Only gripe was the dining room was on the noisy side with families and groups but not over the top. A great downtown alternative. The dining room is larger than you would think by looking at the front of the building.. Very attractive dining room.
(5)
Cory F.
Just had a horrible experience here. They are under new management and did not have many of the options on their menu. The waitress tried giving us waters from another table, and they brought a cold "plate" of fries (barely any on it) and when she brought more to us, touched them as she was combining plates. The manager was less than interested in helping or resolving any issues.
(1)
Kleid G.
Food is really good and reasonably priced. Staff is friendly and accommodating. Decor is outdated and bathrooms are really run down
(4)
Michael M.
This has always been an enjoyable breakfast place. Food is good, wait staff friendly and attentive. The owner Lance is a really cool guy too.
(4)
Misha I.
One word: cockroach. We saw a huge cockroach under the table as we were being seated and needless to say we left. Most alarming was the hostess' lack of surprise when we pointed it out to her and told her why we were leaving.
(1)
Dan B.
In downtown Downers Grove sits a small little cafe called Kristina's. After looking over reviews of previously unvisited breakfast places I decided to make the trip there to give it a try. After walking in I was offered seating both inside and outside and decided to stick to the air conditioned indoors. After looking over my menu options, I settled on a meat lovers skillet and chose pancakes as the extra option. I then waited a little bit longer than most places for my food to be ready, but once it was out I was excited to dig in. The skillet here was excellent, the amount of meat in the meat lovers skillet was definitely satisfactory. The pieces of meat were both abundant and thick. There was also a good amount of cheese on this skillet. The eggs were soft and well prepared as well. The potato at the bottom of the skillet was a little on the bland side, this along with the slightly longer than normal wait are my only complaints about the skillet. So the positives were lots of thick cuts of meat, lots of cheese. The negatives were somewhat bland potato at the bottom. The pancakes here were also good, there were two berries for eyes and a strawberry for a mouth on the top pancakes. This extra charm puts a tingly feeling in the back of your head and makes you feel special as you think to yourself "Awww they made a face on the pancakes." The pancakes themselves were soft, the powdered sugar gave it a dash of extra flavor. These pancakes were good as well. Overall I was quite impressed by both the food and the service at Kristina's Cafe. Things like the face on my pancakes give it that extra bit of effort and caring that really shines through, they don't cut corners on meat or cheese which is somewhat common among breakfast places. I am going to give Kristina's Cafe four stars, a recommendation and I plan to visit again.
(4)
Sam P.
Darn, I really thought we were going to have a great lunch here today! Having received 4 star ratings from two respected Yelp friends of mine, Kristina's made it onto my itinerary when I planned an outing in downtown Downers Grove. I arranged to meet a friend here for lunch. She and her kids arrived first and got a table in the back. "The back" is where you hope to be seated when dining with four kids under four. My son's kids meal looked really nice. Two mini burgers and a generous portion of very fresh fruit. I wish I'd snapped a pic, but apparently he was starving and inhaled the entire plate immediately. His buddy had a Micky pancake that he seemed to enjoy. I wish I could say my burger (cheddar jack) was impressive, but it was really just eatable. It actually had very little taste, which is odd for anything with cheese. I chose shoestring potatoes as my side because they sounded interesting, but they turned out to be just slivered chips that were difficult to eat without looking like a wild mongrel. Aside from the food, we found the service inattentive. I waited with an empty water glass for what seemed like a very long time, especially considering that there were only three or four other tables occupied on our visit. I almost think they were hoping we'd get the kids packed up and leave more quickly if we weren't well cared for. Even though this was a semi disappointing visit, I think I'd give Kristina's another chance...maybe I'll order something different in hopes that burgers just aren't their strong suit, and maybe service would be better on a different day. With such good reviews, our experience must be somewhat of an anomaly.
(2)
Lupe D.
Cute place in downtown Downers Grove. The food is really good, very healthy portions and a great bang for your buck. The menu is very extensive, so it took us a bit to order. I got the Kristinas Skillet - with no jalapeños - added green peppers and had toast instead of the pancakes (included). the BF had one of the grove combos - eggs, meats, pancakes, coffee and juice. Everything was delicious. I guess if I had one minor criticism it's the salsa that came with my skillet. It was clearly from a jar - if they just made a simple pico de gallo, and had the option of a few tortillas instead of the pancakes/toast, this dish would be over the top delish. Out waitress, Danielle, was soooooo wonderful!!! Love her, she was patient with us, went over the menu, gave suggestions - she is a gem. We are already making plans to return. Yummy, budget friendly breakfast places are hard to find - this one is definitely a keeper!
(4)
Alyssa D.
Let me just cut to the chase: this place sucks--don't waste your time. Giving a two star rating is even being generous for this place. Anyways, I decided to stop by today since we were in the area. Seeing as how we've never been here before and since you can never really go wrong with breakfast, we decided to give it a try. We walked in, and I noticed that it was very spacious in here, almost too spacious for a breakfast place. After we were seated, I also noticed that the noise level is absolutely silent in here. Not a good place to have a conversation--I felt the need to whisper. I mean I could almost hear the guy sitting next to us chewing his food. Okay, so let's get to the food portion, shall we? I opted for the Three Cheese Omelette, hash browns, and pancakes (it's a Friday during Lent). And this is where my meal absolutely took a turn for the worst. Instead of having mozzarella, jack, and some other cheese in the omelette, I received a half-melted slab of Velveeta in the center of some fluffy eggs. The menu said nothing about Velveeta, so at this point I was like "how the hell could you mix that up?" We decided not to complain to our waitress, because it would be futile since we knew we weren't coming here again. The pancakes were spongy and also had an elastic quality to them--which I hate. The two people I was with got a frittata, which was burnt and flavorless, and a smoked salmon omelette. The smoked salmon omelette was actually "okay", which was the ONLY redeeming quality of this place. Overall, the meal was just flat out horrible. I didn't think it was possible to mess up breakfast this badly, but I was yet again proven wrong. To whoever gave this place a good rating: I would love to know what you were smoking when you wrote your reviews. The hunt for a great breakfast still continues.
(2)
Eileen K.
Always love to go to Kristina's Cafe! Portions are very generous and staff is very friendly and accommodating. Prices are very good too!
(5)
Sam B.
Food is fresh, delicious, and perfectly flavored. Get the chicken noodle soup and reuben sandwich with a side of fresh fruit. You can't go wrong. I never realized how important maintaining the temperature of soup was until today. It was amazing.
(5)
Chris G.
My omelette came out with a dead roach on top. Waitress handled as best she could, very apologetic. She handed the plate to the manager, he said nothing and just took the plate away. She came back to apologize again, he did not even come back. Needless to say we did not eat any of our food and left. Disgusting!!
(1)
Julie S.
Our waitress was great! Coffee was intelligencia and brewed well. I had the Gypsy skillet w poached eggs and it was fantastic! My husband enjoyed a huge Bacon and American Omlet. Large portions, standard breakfast menu. Good pancakes too!
(5)
K M.
Kristina's Cafe is a go-to for me when I have friends or family in town and we want to go out. It isn't super close for us, but it is worth the trek to get to. The waitresses are phenomenal, and know their food ingredients and preparations well, which is a huge benefit in my life as my roommate and I both have lots of allergies (gluten and soy highest ranking). They make notes and take great care in the preparations of our food, and we haven't EVER gotten sick. This is to say A LOT because it happens to us a lot more than it should when we go other places. Their food is phenomenal, and comes in large enough portions you could share, if you wanted to (you won't though, have your fork weapon ready). Personally, I could eat their French toast for the rest of my life and be completely ok with that, and their omelets could cure the worst of hangovers. I've slowly been making my way down their lunch menu, but I prefer their breakfast items. It's hard to make a bad cheeseburger, anyway.
(5)
Jennifer Q.
Cute little place. Great food, great service. I visited here for the first time with my friend Taisha after her Zumba class in the nearby park. This whole area is so cute! We walked from the park. Special shout out to the awesome busboy who found a piece of my jewelry I had lost on the floor! He picked it up so when I came back, he had it! I was very grateful!
(4)
Mystii G.
How disappointing. We hadn't been there since this cafe changed over from Dali's Cafe. The "updated interior" was basically just a redone ceiling. We had Eggs Benedict and it was sad. Over-cooked eggs, under-cooked sauce and the homemade hashbrowns were definitely undercooked. For $23+ I expected better. We won't bother coming back.
(2)
Abhay S.
Solid experience. We've been here twice and we were seated quickly. The service was excellent and portions were HUGE. (I brought home leftovers, which I almost *never* do with breakfast!) We'll be returning soon!
(4)
Ellen M.
Food was fine (I got some huge salad with grilled chicken, probably black beans and avacado), we sat outside on a beautiful day, the kids were happy and service was good. Best of all, our dog was allowed to hang with us, and they brought him a dish o' water. It's nice to have the silly greyhound nearby.
(4)
Amy W.
Kristina's is pretty much an average diner with an extensive menu of eggs, pancakes, waffles, crepes, salads, and sandwiches. I enjoyed the booths and the large, open feeling of the interior. Service was decent -- we were seated after standing at the front for a few minutes, and the waitress promptly attended to my coffee, which I greatly appreciated. For brunch I ordered the Main Street Prosciutto Omelette, which was pretty loaded up with prosciutto (obviously), red peppers, mozzarella, and other standard omeltte ingredients like mushrooms and onions. The side of hash browns was pretty good; I liked how they were more like shaved potatoes rather than your typical stringy hash browns. Overall, pretty decent, and if I were in the area again I'd consider coming back -- but nothing terribly spectacular.
(3)
Christina K.
Pros: Mocha French Toast is to die for Cons: Saw a cockroach in the bathroom before I left. :(
(4)
Darcy R.
I have been going here about once or twice a week recently. The food can be very good and quite reasonable. Sometimes there is some variation depending on who's preparing the food, but for the most part it is consistently good. My only gripe is the service. A blond, middle-aged female server is top notch and a real dynamo at tending to all her customers in a timely manner. Other servers just don't compare and it seems to be related to whether the owner is there. The other day I asked a male server for a coffee refill and it never came. After 15 minutes or so, I walked over to the back and he was eating something and quickly retreated to the kitchen when he saw me. Of course, the owner had already left the restaurant. Standards diminish drastically when he is not there and with the blond server, it simply doesn't matter because she just does an excellent job. Today I went elsewhere (Egg Harbor, which is across the street and around the block) and both the food and service were excellent.
(2)
Brian F.
Service was bizarre. We arrived on a busy Sunday and although the host didn't seem to keep a log of waiting guests, people did get seated pretty efficiently. The very young serving girl forgot our requests twice and ended up spilling water on me. I had the salmon Benedict dish: Bagel with salmon, hollondaise, and capers. It wasn't the best sauce I've ever had but it appears that they do make it from scratch. Fruit was very fresh and the orange juice The real problem here is the coffee. It was so weak and tasteless that I actually considered getting a shot of espresso to fortify my "cup of joe". Oh well...
(2)
Nan D.
Very pet friendly, I had a delicious scramble breakfast. As a Scout lover, I was so happy at the sensitivity of the waitress. When she saw the dog,, she immediately brought him a bowl of water. The food was a value and everything was tasty and fresh . The waitress was very attentive . As I watched the world go by, I felt like I was back in Kolanaki Square in Athens!
(5)
Kymberly J.
It's a diner trying to pass itself as a neato cafe. Not gunna happen. They don't have anything fancy on the menu; plain old diner fare. I did appreciate the insult soup and the half sandwich that unexpectedly came with fruit and coleslaw. fast service and cheerful service.
(3)
A Z.
They put lemon an cucumber in their water - high five to that! But the water was just the first surprise. Next was the "fresh squeezed" orange juice which really did taste like it just got squashed straight from an orange. An finally, I was super excited to be delivered WARM maple syrup! The menu is gigantic and the choices are all so awesome that you will definitely have a hard time choosing. Pumpkin Cheesecake pancakes? Got it. 8 different types of fresh toast? Got 'em. A giant list of omelets, skillet meals and anything else that you can imagine? Check, check, check. All of our food was great and this place really pays attention to the little details in everything so I'm sure anything you order will be yummy. I don't say this often, but Kristina's is actually worth driving to if you're within an hours distance and want a great breakfast.
(4)
Christopher K.
Kristina's is a pretty solid breakfast and bunch place (though in 4/12 they apparently added dinner hours). You do get a pretty full diner menu here, as others have pointed out, I think the place aspires to be more than it is (did I mention they are offering dinner now). Service is always good, and portion size is very large. We have had a variety of the breakfast and brunch-type items and nothing has managed to distinguish itself -- apart from the fact that is walkable from home. I will add in its favor that it does not have that dark, depressing feeling that a lot of the other Greek-style family diners on, say, Ogden have. And as a rejoinder to the pet-friendly outdoor seating mentioned in other reviews -- if you are seated outdoors, you might wind up sitting next to someone's pet. Personally, that is not my scene. Still, we'll be back in the future, it is what it is.
(3)
Shannon C.
Best breakfast in town. Sit out on the sidewalk and people watch while ordering what I would consider gormet quality breakfast items. The decor inside (and the sign outside) is pretty tacky but don't let it scare you away. The food is great, the service is terrific (ask for Denise or Jaime) and the owner is a down to earth, good guy. Stop by Friday night during the car show and enjoy the grilled items served by the owner, out on the sidewalk and sometimes a 3 piece jazz ensemble playing tunes from the 80's that you will find you cannot help singing along.
(5)
Paul W.
Huge menu, great food, quick service, fair prices and sidewalk seating to watch the classic cars drive by on Friday nights during the summer. Highly recommended.
(5)
Dave M.
We eat breakfast here periodically and enjoy it. The food is not terribly creative, but it's well prepared and tasty. Service is always very friendly and helpful. The coffee is pretty decent although a bit on the weak side. Very kid and family friendly.
(4)
Russell G.
Went for lunch this past Saturday .. The service was fine... The food was bland and didn't seem fresh, very disappointed ...There was also a disturbance in the restaurant, a man who I think was the owner was being very rude to a woman and her 2 small children . Seems like he was forcing them out , not sure what this woman could have done to deserve such rude treatment with what looked like a 1 and 3 year old. It was very uncomfortable and I felt like the woman was being bullied . This along with the mediocre tasting food is reason enough for me to never return here and I cant recommend it to anyone..
(1)
Autumn H.
If you are looking for great dinner food, this is THE place to go. My burger was made/seasoned fantastically. Food was fresh. I loved the fries and the slaw. My husband said his soup was much better than other dinner soups and he could tell it was made fresh in store. I am very excited about all you can eat fish ans chips night (fridays after 3pm). Loving this place!
(4)
E B.
I've tried Kristina's a couple of times because I work hard to support local business. However, each experience I've had has been worse than the last. Certainly, this last visit will be my final. I took my 6 y/o son for pancakes and after 5 minutes of waiting at an empty register, I found the Manager and asked to be seated. My son and I were given a table for two - lovely. There was silverware on his side, nothing on mine. Neither place had coffee cups. I'm not a "picky" person - I spend my money wisely, tip well, show respect to the restaurant (and workers) and expect a good job in return. After placing our order I noticed that the half wall we were sitting next to was covered in dust. Not just a spot here or there, literally a layer. I have kids and am not easily grossed out, but this was disgusting. After 20 minutes of no water, no waitress, etc. I went to the back, where our waitress was standing, and asked when our order was coming? "Well, you ordered when a lot of people came in so it will be out soon," was her reply. At 30 minutes of waiting for 1 Mickey Mouse pancake and 1 vege. skillet, I told my son we were leaving. He swore he could wait 10 more minutes... and we did. 40 minutes(!) after placing our order, it was delivered. Again, I had to ask for water and silverware. My son said his pancake was "OK," but a "really small Mickey face." My vege. skillet was 80% mushy hashbrowns, 10% undercooked egg (literally the white was not cooked), 10% vegetable. I will say that they did use fresh broccoli and that's nice. We didn't see the waitress again until she dropped the receipt at our table. Before leaving I noticed that two other tables had requested to see the Manager - one woman was served the wrong food and was treated rudely and as were were leaving another couple in the outside area were expressed displeasure at their whole experience. Sorry, Kristina, you've lost the business of myself and my family.
(1)
Tom H.
My wife and I dined here on a whim and were not disappointed. We strolled in not long after noon and were seated immediately. I was pleased to see variety in the menu and variety in the side options. I can't wait to come back here to try their breakfast items. My wife had the chicken Philly and I had a chicken panini. We sampled each other's dishes and loved them. The panini was cooked perfectly and tasted great. Best of all, it was not greasy in the least. Some places may over-drench their bread in olive oil or slather far too much oily pesto sauce, but not here. Everything was portioned just perfectly, and the side of fruit was a great side option instead of the standard fries. My wife's sandwich was great to taste, too. It was basically a seasoned kabob on French bread, but it was done right. Moist, well-seasoned, and fresh (even the bread - you can tell it wasn't the flaky stale crap sitting around for days). And who can complain about the location? Right on main street, in the heart of the action. Everyone was friendly and polite. It's family and kid-friendly too!
(4)
Loreli P.
Great breakfast, lots of choices of healthy and "splurge" breakfast items.
(4)
Tiffany P.
This is a great place in downtown DG for brunch! Prices are reasonable, food is hot and fresh, and I can't complain about the service! The breakfast menu is huge; pancakes, eggs benedict, lunch sandwiches, French toast, lox, skillets... The menu is about 10 pages long! Everyone can find something they enjoy here. I am happy with the quality of our dishes that we received. The eggs were cooked just right, and everything was so hot and wonderful. Crispy bacon, crispy hot hash browns, and AWESOME giant Texas bread that caters to my carb addiction! Total bill for 2 people was around $40. We left with full bellies and plenty of caffeine in our system thanks to bottomless coffee they provide! It was both satisfying and refreshing to go to Kristina's for Sunday brunch. I recommend it!
(4)
Rexcrisanto D.
The pumpkin cheesecake pancakes are unbelievably delicious. Service is very good and friendly. Bright colorful art and decor throughout brightens any cloudy morning. My only downfall was their coffee. It had a very weak and watered down taste (2/3 the strength of Mcdonalds and Dunkin Donuts coffee). If you're a Starbucks person, you'll be very disappointed with the coffee. I took my entire family and they liked this restaurant very much. I will definitely be coming back for more, but next time with a shot of espresso to spike the coffee :)
(4)
Amanda M.
This is our GO TO family breakfast place. The food is great and the service is wonderful. The place is always clean. We go every few weeks and request our favorite waitress, Ciara. She is the sweetest! My husband and I usually get omelettes, the 2 kids split a kids' pancake meal and with coffee and juice, we average $30 or so. It's reasonably priced and the food is really good. I change my meal at times and I don't think there's ever been something I was uninterested in. Sometimes I order their specials which are delicious- their Cream of Chicken soup on Sundays is delicious! I guess I'd have to say sometimes the coffee tastes a little bitter, but they have the flavored creamers at every table so with a little bit of creamer, it tastes fine. They also have a stack of napkins on every table- VERY convenient for families with little kids!! The booths are comfortable. We use a highchair every time. I guess I'd prefer the highchairs were a little bit cleaner but I can just as easily wipe one down before putting my kiddo in it. We are always greeted with a smile when we walk in and the kids love to go and pay the bill because they each pick one of the complimentary suckers by the register. They have outdoor seating which we've yet to do. With a dog bakery a couple doors down, you will see TONS of people walking their dogs if you sit outside. We just like to see them from the window. Parking CAN be difficult if it's a beautiful day. We often times have to park on the side street instead of Main Street due to no parking available. The area is perfect. There many boutiques and shops all along the street. You could easily head here for a breakfast and make a morning of shopping afterwards. Nearby there is a bakery, dog bakery, ice cream/yogurt place, toy store across the street, kids consignment shop down the side street and book shop down the road. Super fun. We also tend to eat breakfast first and then head down Main Street afterwards for a super quick walk just to get to the train station and watch the trains for a bit. There is also a beautiful fountain by the train station which is super popular. Also, look out for the Farmers market that takes place in the Spring/Summer. Our routine becomes eating breakfast here and then heading to the train station for some fresh produce to bring home.
(5)
Jennifer B.
Let me get this straight, you complained you didn't think there was enough fries on your plate and then when the waitress brought you more, you complained that her hand slipped while she was trying to give you more fries? Full disclosure, I'm a regular at Kristina's and for a reason. I love this place and definitely get the "Cheers" vibe when I walk in. I have not had a bad meal yet - and my friend and I have been going for a while - and the staff is warm, friendly, fun and completely accommodating. I was also there the same afternoon as poster Cory F. Yup, they were pretty much made infamous when my friend and I commented to the staff about the two teenagers standing in front of the restaurant - in full view of everyone in the place - making out, one with a sucker in their mouth. And yes, the mother was standing right there. I'd rather have my waitress touch my fries than watch that again.
(5)
Alie B.
I never write reviews. I really tried to give this place the benefit of the doubt but we had a terrible experience. I ate here for lunch with some girlfriends. Our food took forever to come, it was practically cold when we got it, my sisters fruit had fruit flies, even the pancake was bad. So disappointing. Maybe it was an off day but it was so bad I don't think we'll ever go back.
(1)
Chrissy W.
They've got rockstar quality ingredients. Unique and funky breakfast combinations are on the list. Decent serving staff, but most importantly, Kristina's knows how to poach an egg. The BF and I dined here a few weeks ago (this was not my first trip, and will not be my last) for a rather leisurely and enjoyable meal. One con of Kristina's--if you're hungry, you may want to ask for some crackers or something. I've yet to have a rapid turnover from seating to ordering to dining. The food was awesome. Special requests were accommodated, and they poached me the most beautiful egg in the world. The crepes were really tasty, and I couldn't help but eat all of them. YUM! The BF had a skillet, because that's what the BF enjoys, and it too was delightful. All in all a solid 4 stars to Kristina's.
(4)
Karen G.
Went for lunch and had the grilled cheese. Nice lunch with lots of cheese and super yummy french fries. The service was quick and attentive. The soup while good, reminded me too much of Mrs Grass to be enjoyable.
(3)
Robin L.
I was looking for a caterer who could bring food to a church following a funeral service. My Mother suggested I check with a local restaurant. I called Kristina's and asked if they could even do this especially with such short notice. I'm so glad I did! The owner, Lance was very helpful in assisting with food selections. And ways to keep costs down. He setup when and where I needed, and the best part, EVERYONE commented how good the food was.
(5)
Elizabeth G.
I have been here a handful of times. I keep coming back for the chocolate chip belgian waffle. You can order it "igloo style" which is pretty awesome for breakfast. Request extra whipped cream though as they are a bit stingy with it. The service is a little bit slow so it is good for a meal where you want to talk to your companion. This is why it is a go-to place for mommy-daughter brunches.
(4)
David B.
Always friendly service. Sometimes very busy and short staffed therefore services suffers. But overall food quality is good. Nice to have fresh fruit as a side option for kids and adults
(4)
V R.
One of my favorite places for breakfast. Outdoor seating during the summer lets you people watch in downtown Downers Grove. The fresh squeezed orange juice is perfect. The servings are huge - husband and I usually share a dish with an extra side (pancakes are my addiction there and I HATE pancakes). The mushroom omlette is wonderful! The scramblers are great! The side of fresh fruit is amazing - I know that sounds weird but so many places give you yucky fruit!
(5)
Jessie W.
I went there on Monday and had one of the best breakfast I have had in a long time. The service was amazing and the server was so sweet. I had the Salmon/cream cheese omelet with asparagus and hollandaise. It was so good and the omelet was huge. I would have given them 5 stars however I cannot understand why so few potatoes that didn't make sense to me and the bathroom was out of paper and just really dirty. I would still go back it is now my favorite place to go.
(4)
Kara Z.
I went here for my first time the other day. I really like the people working here- warm, welcoming, and attentive. They refilled my water (which had cucumber and lemon in it and tasted great) a lot and I appreciated that. I ordered a scrambled egg and it seemed more like 2 or 3 eggs which was nice because it was delicious. It came with hashbrowns which were homemade and not my favorite- not very crispy at all but I'm sure other people love them. It came with bacon that was pretty good. It also came with pancakes and it had two blueberries and a slice of strawberry and it looked like a cute face which made me and my friend smile. They have a big menu and some creative menu items I've never heard of that I'd like to try sometime like mocha french toast and berry pancakes topped with granola- yum. My friend got an omelet and it was huge. The restaurant was comfortable with a lot of booths. Great location in downtown Downers Grove. My only complaint is that there were flies flying around and one kept landing on my friend's food- kind of gross. Otherwise, it's a good place with great service.
(4)
N S.
This place is amazing for breakfast. Have eaten outside and inside and have had great experiences with the service but can only speak for the breakfast food which is amazing, my husband and I have never had anything we didn't like. Tons of choices and options such as cage free and organic eggs, substitutions with egg whites, freshly squeezed juices, and a variety of coffee drinks. The staff had always been extremely friendly, and this has become our new favorite place for breakfast.
(5)
Lorie O.
I was there during the lunch hour today (12/6/10), and it was only one quarter full, which should have been a tipoff. The Berry Berry Oatmeal had great berries, but the worst oatmeal I've ever eaten. The oats were no more than pulverized bits obviously made with water, lukewarm with no taste, no...actually a bad taste. For the same price, I could have had "to-die-for" oatmeal at Egg Harbor one block east, but I wanted to give the new place a try. In addition, my friend's scrambled egg was as flat as a pancake. Our waitress was nice, but it took forever to get our food (one scrambled egg and microwaved oatmeal should not have taken fifteen minutes when the place was 3/4 empty). The booth seat was as hard as a rock, and the lighting was annoying. Not a good experience for a new place, and certainly not worth the money. There is no way this place can compete with Egg Harbor. I predict Kristina's will be out of business within a year, unless some serious changes are made. Sorry, but I felt I should warn others.
(1)
Mary Lou R.
Fresh food, huge selection, friendly owner and efficient staff. The neighborhood breakfast place... What more can you ask?
(4)
Gloria L.
Even though they don't take reservations, we called a head to let them know that we had a big party of 8 coming and they were very nice and able to accomodate us. There is a very nice charm about this place, they have their own special coffee mugs (which they also sell) that are very cute and unique. The menu is MASSIVE, they are so many different choices and options, me and my friends were surprised by the huge range of foods they had at the cafe. I think we all pretty much went with breakfast foods and it was all good, I don't remember hearing any complaints. We forgot to ask them to split the bill so when we got it, it was sort of hard to decipher and read but that was just a minor detail. Overall, it was a great place to meet with friends for brunch!
(5)
Melissa K.
Nothing too special, but not bad. The price seemed a bit high for the amount of food you get. I ordered eggs benedict sans canadian bacon, which is my standard dish. The hollandaise had a great flavor, but the poached eggs seemed to be cooked a bit too much. The fruit dish was fresh and had a nice variety (melon, pineapple, blueberries, strawberries, and a cherry).
(3)
Donna M.
Seriously addicting is all I can say. I'm one of the pickiest people when it comes to restaurants because if I can cook it at home I think I can probably do it better. Putting my snobbish ways aside...this place is GREAT! My mom and I went in for brunch two weeks ago and were extremely pleased with everything from the soup to her omelette to my turkey/brie panini. The bacon-cheddar-potato soup is to die for. They must be taking a loss on the turkey and brie panini because there is a ton of brie on it. The fries are fresh cut too! My mom's omelette was easily big enough for two and she said it was delicious. Great waitress, comfy seats, seated right away by the attentive owner. I went back with a friend last week and she ordered the skillet with asparagus and said it was delicious. Some of the food is classic Greek, i.e cream of chicken rice on Sunday but still solidly good. Highly recommended. I'm going back for sure!
(5)
Dan R.
This is a serious upgrade from the previous establishments at this location. Clean, bright and well staffed. Pretty much a standard menu but they seem to sweat the details to plus everything up. This would be the top spot in Downers Grove for breakfast and a top 5 for lunch.
(4)
Tony D.
I live in town and this is my go 2 breakfast place! Good prices and great food!
(5)
Dan P.
I went to Kristina's Cafe this morning with my five year old son, and we had a really good time. We sat where we could people watch out the windows overlooking downtown Downers, a view that is hard to beat in the area. I had one of their skillets, it was really well done, with perfectly cooked steak and eggs, and generous portions. My son had pancakes, and the picky little guy at faster than usual. The real drawback, and hopefully this was a one off, was the service. It took over ten minutes to even get a cup of coffee which the host had to get for me while yelling across the room to get our waitress. The other waitress seemed to be on the ball though, so maybe this isn't indicative of what we should expect. I'll return, and will write again.
(3)
Christina M.
Hit Kristina's at 10:30 a.m. today (Saturday) and was seated right away, got water and coffee right away, and our order was taken very quickly, even though they were busy. Huge menu to choose from - I got the biscuits/gravy, 2 eggs over medium (cooked perfectly), and hash browns that actually tasted like potatoes! DH got corned beef hash, eggs over medium (also perfectly cooked) and rye toast (thick cut). Sweet, fresh fruit was included - yummy. Terrific first experience - we'll be back soon!!
(5)
Christina F.
Wanted to try something different in the neighborhood for breakfast so we hit up Kristina's. The service was great but the food was mediocre. We kind of felt like at the end of the meal we should have stayed home and made breakfast instead. My food was good, but what looked to be a delicious side of fruit was not ripe and I didn't eat 3/4 of it. Not a great place for vegans FYI as the people there don't know what that is. It was enough to get us full and have us leave b/c at the end of our meal, we wanted out with the screaming children running around everywhere. I'd consider going back for lunch but will skip the breakfast there.
(3)
Samantha K.
The Village of Downers Grove may have Egg Harbor, but it was lacking a breakfast place with character. Kristina's Cafe has an ideal location on Main Street in Downtown Downers Grove and although the street parking may be limited there is a parking garage a block away to accommodate its customers. The restaurant is designed for high volume capacity, so even on the weekends when its the most busy there is never that long of a wait. The owner Lance, has made a menu that appeals to everyone so even the pickiest eater will find something they will enjoy. Personally, I am not much of a breakfast person, but I do recommend any of the ten styles of Eggs Benedict, yes I said ten styles. The lunch menu includes a variety of wraps, salads, burgers, paninis, and sandwiches. The Tuna Salad Italiano sandwich is phenomenal, it's served open faced on an English muffin. Kristina's serves two soups daily and a version of Chicken Noodle is always one of them. Soup is always included with your sandwich order as well as your choice of side. I work in the area, so I frequently order food to go and they always ensure that you have everything you could possibly need with your order. The website allows online ordering, but you can also call in. When I do dine in the servers are very attentive and take excellent care of you. If you live in the area or you're in town visiting, Kristina's should be your go to breakfast destination.
(4)
Michelle Marie R.
Just had lunch there this week. Cute decor reasonable prices and a killer menu. Try the turkey brie panini and apple chicken sausage. I would dine there again!
(3)
Matt B.
I never ate at Dali's Cafe, so I can only comment on what this place was like on my first visit. Overall, it was a nice experience. The inside is fun, with light colors and a generally open feeling to it. It was quite busy for a Sunday morning, like most breakfast places are, but we had no trouble getting a seat or the attention of our waitress, who was very friendly. I'm not a fan of restaurants that put a slice a lemon in your drinking water; however, I am a fan of cucumber in the water. As such, Kristina's Cafe put me in a difficult position when they put both in my water. We ordered the fresh fruit crepes, which were good, but were covered in powdered sugar, despite no mention of that on the menu. The powdered sugar reduced the healthiness of the item, which was under their "Healthy Living" section, or whatever it's called. But they were good, as were the potato pancakes, which tasted like they had included cream cheese and chives. The turkey sausage was fine, but nothing remarkable. Overall, the bill for two meals, one side, and an OJ came to about $25, a little higher than I expected, but not by much. If I am in the Downers Grove area again during breakfast time, I will not hesitate to return.
(4)
Sarah L.
Our meal started out good with their coffee drinks. And well, that was about it. When I got my food there was a long dark hair in my fries (I'm blonde). The replacement fries were obviously the bottom of the barrel. The waitress had us and another table. She dropped the bill when only half of our meal was finish and without asking if we wanted more. Not impressed.
(2)
Sara A.
My husband and I live in downtown Downers grove and just visited Katrina's for breakfast. I finished my delicious French toast and thought "what a pleasant lovely place" . My eggs and bacon were perfect and the French toasts were great. It's nothing out of the ordinary, no gluten free fancy shmancy city uppity thing. Just dang good breakfast with really nice service. Good Job Katrina's
(5)
Gina N.
Delicious oreo pancakes! Great service. Amazing egg white omelets.
(5)
Christine S.
I noticed this place the other week, so my roommate and I ventured here for lunch. We both ordered breakfast items, however, which they serve all day. The interior is nice, just a basic hometown diner - which I like. The service was good, everyone was very nice. They have a pretty extensive menu, so it took a long time for me to decide what I wanted. In the end, I ordered the biscuits and gravy. They are my staple breakfast diner food, so i like to try them out whenever I go to a new breakfast place. They were really good. The gravy wasn't too heavy, not too overly spiced and had just the right amout of sausage. Biscuits were light, fluffy and fresh. My roommate had a scrambler and hashbrowns. He said his food was great, too. He also ordered an orange juice that turned out to be 3.25 - little too spendy, in my opinion, especially for this place. All in all, a great little restaurant and I definitely will go back to try more. We ate for under $20, including that orange juice.
(4)
William K.
They should have a picture of Kristina's next to "3 yelp-stars" in the dictionary. It's pretty much the cookie cutter Greek breakfast/lunch place. Average food. Average service, complete with the requisite scowling Greek owner/manager to greet/seat you. Average prices. Average average. 3 stars.
(3)
Jeff O.
One of the best breakfasts in the burbs! A true family run restaurant where the customer service is amazing and food delicious.
(5)
Irina H.
I took the kids here for breakfast, but we couldn't get out for less than $50 (including tip) for just the usual pancakes, etc. (to their credit, the portions are huge, if that's all you are looking for). When we first sat down, I noticed the "clean" coffee cups on the table were greasy. On the plus side, the menu is huge and the waiter checked up on us often.
(2)
Jennifer P.
This is seriously my favorite place to eat in Downtown Downers Grove. The chicken noodle soup is to die for! Always homemade and always fresh! They also make a killer Chicken Dumpling Soup. Always service with a smile the owner is usually there and really nice. I haven't had anything on this menu that I don't like. 110x better than the previous Dali Cafe!
(5)
Ray T.
I had some time to kill and I was hungry. I decided to try this restaurant on the spur of the moment. I will not be eating anything until dinner. The Meatlover's Skillet did quite a job on me --- filled my stomach to the esophageal sphincter. This menu item was one find in a huge breakfast menu. It is a wonderful skillet of eggs, hash browns, cheese, bacon, ham, sausage. I am not sure what else. Normally, I do not eat skillet breakfasts, but I did and do not regret it too much ( I really am stuffed). Service. Outstanding. Still, I expect that especially when there are only a few other customers. Cleanliness. Absolutely. I do like it when I see the wait staff checking on empty tables and getting the help to clean tables when they weren't cleaned properly in the first place. Sitting down at a table that is dirty/sticky is no fun. I doubt that could happen here because the staff really seems to care about cleanliness. The decor is pleasant and open. I sat in a booth for two. That is a problem for me since I fit very tightly in a "standard" booth. Fortunately, the tables move and I was alone. I think there are some tables with chairs, but I didn't ask since it didn't matter today. It may when I come back with my wife - a booth might be kind of tight for me. I will be giving this place another try, probably with my wife.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Breakfast Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : No Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes
Alie B.
I never write reviews. I really tried to give this place the benefit of the doubt but we had a terrible experience. I ate here for lunch with some girlfriends. Our food took forever to come, it was practically cold when we got it, my sisters fruit had fruit flies, even the pancake was bad. So disappointing. Maybe it was an off day but it was so bad I don't think we'll ever go back.
(1)Jennifer B.
Let me get this straight, you complained you didn't think there was enough fries on your plate and then when the waitress brought you more, you complained that her hand slipped while she was trying to give you more fries? Full disclosure, I'm a regular at Kristina's and for a reason. I love this place and definitely get the "Cheers" vibe when I walk in. I have not had a bad meal yet - and my friend and I have been going for a while - and the staff is warm, friendly, fun and completely accommodating. I was also there the same afternoon as poster Cory F. Yup, they were pretty much made infamous when my friend and I commented to the staff about the two teenagers standing in front of the restaurant - in full view of everyone in the place - making out, one with a sucker in their mouth. And yes, the mother was standing right there. I'd rather have my waitress touch my fries than watch that again.
(5)Christina F.
Wanted to try something different in the neighborhood for breakfast so we hit up Kristina's. The service was great but the food was mediocre. We kind of felt like at the end of the meal we should have stayed home and made breakfast instead. My food was good, but what looked to be a delicious side of fruit was not ripe and I didn't eat 3/4 of it. Not a great place for vegans FYI as the people there don't know what that is. It was enough to get us full and have us leave b/c at the end of our meal, we wanted out with the screaming children running around everywhere. I'd consider going back for lunch but will skip the breakfast there.
(3)Dan B.
In downtown Downers Grove sits a small little cafe called Kristina's. After looking over reviews of previously unvisited breakfast places I decided to make the trip there to give it a try. After walking in I was offered seating both inside and outside and decided to stick to the air conditioned indoors. After looking over my menu options, I settled on a meat lovers skillet and chose pancakes as the extra option. I then waited a little bit longer than most places for my food to be ready, but once it was out I was excited to dig in. The skillet here was excellent, the amount of meat in the meat lovers skillet was definitely satisfactory. The pieces of meat were both abundant and thick. There was also a good amount of cheese on this skillet. The eggs were soft and well prepared as well. The potato at the bottom of the skillet was a little on the bland side, this along with the slightly longer than normal wait are my only complaints about the skillet. So the positives were lots of thick cuts of meat, lots of cheese. The negatives were somewhat bland potato at the bottom. The pancakes here were also good, there were two berries for eyes and a strawberry for a mouth on the top pancakes. This extra charm puts a tingly feeling in the back of your head and makes you feel special as you think to yourself "Awww they made a face on the pancakes." The pancakes themselves were soft, the powdered sugar gave it a dash of extra flavor. These pancakes were good as well. Overall I was quite impressed by both the food and the service at Kristina's Cafe. Things like the face on my pancakes give it that extra bit of effort and caring that really shines through, they don't cut corners on meat or cheese which is somewhat common among breakfast places. I am going to give Kristina's Cafe four stars, a recommendation and I plan to visit again.
(4)Mike N.
Closest thing to Connie's restaurant (berwyn) you'll find out here in downers. Aside from the rather creepy owner who is around 50% of the time, the staff is quite inviting. Not your usual toothless Greek restaurant servers. Food is consistent and not bad. The washrooms could've used an upgrade about twenty years ago, but the owner makes up for it by keeping the urinal filled with ice. That said I eat here couple times a month and I'm not disappointed, but maybe part of that is I know what to expect. I suppose what I'm saying is keep your expectations in check and Kristinas will probably exceed them.
(3)Rachel M.
We love Kristina's and eat there at least once or twice a month. Service is always friendly and fast and the food is delicious. There are great options both for breakfast and lunch. My favorite is Kristina's chicken salad or a breakfast scrambler with pancakes - can't go wrong with anything you order though!
(5)Chloe M.
This place is my go to brunch spot! Their gypsy skillet and their steal and eggs are my favorite. The portion size is big and the staff is always really friendly. I also like that they serve hash browns instead of breakfast potatoes called hashed browns. I definitely recommend.
(5)Amanda M.
This is our GO TO family breakfast place. The food is great and the service is wonderful. The place is always clean. We go every few weeks and request our favorite waitress, Ciara. She is the sweetest! My husband and I usually get omelettes, the 2 kids split a kids' pancake meal and with coffee and juice, we average $30 or so. It's reasonably priced and the food is really good. I change my meal at times and I don't think there's ever been something I was uninterested in. Sometimes I order their specials which are delicious- their Cream of Chicken soup on Sundays is delicious! I guess I'd have to say sometimes the coffee tastes a little bitter, but they have the flavored creamers at every table so with a little bit of creamer, it tastes fine. They also have a stack of napkins on every table- VERY convenient for families with little kids!! The booths are comfortable. We use a highchair every time. I guess I'd prefer the highchairs were a little bit cleaner but I can just as easily wipe one down before putting my kiddo in it. We are always greeted with a smile when we walk in and the kids love to go and pay the bill because they each pick one of the complimentary suckers by the register. They have outdoor seating which we've yet to do. With a dog bakery a couple doors down, you will see TONS of people walking their dogs if you sit outside. We just like to see them from the window. Parking CAN be difficult if it's a beautiful day. We often times have to park on the side street instead of Main Street due to no parking available. The area is perfect. There many boutiques and shops all along the street. You could easily head here for a breakfast and make a morning of shopping afterwards. Nearby there is a bakery, dog bakery, ice cream/yogurt place, toy store across the street, kids consignment shop down the side street and book shop down the road. Super fun. We also tend to eat breakfast first and then head down Main Street afterwards for a super quick walk just to get to the train station and watch the trains for a bit. There is also a beautiful fountain by the train station which is super popular. Also, look out for the Farmers market that takes place in the Spring/Summer. Our routine becomes eating breakfast here and then heading to the train station for some fresh produce to bring home.
(5)Sam P.
Darn, I really thought we were going to have a great lunch here today! Having received 4 star ratings from two respected Yelp friends of mine, Kristina's made it onto my itinerary when I planned an outing in downtown Downers Grove. I arranged to meet a friend here for lunch. She and her kids arrived first and got a table in the back. "The back" is where you hope to be seated when dining with four kids under four. My son's kids meal looked really nice. Two mini burgers and a generous portion of very fresh fruit. I wish I'd snapped a pic, but apparently he was starving and inhaled the entire plate immediately. His buddy had a Micky pancake that he seemed to enjoy. I wish I could say my burger (cheddar jack) was impressive, but it was really just eatable. It actually had very little taste, which is odd for anything with cheese. I chose shoestring potatoes as my side because they sounded interesting, but they turned out to be just slivered chips that were difficult to eat without looking like a wild mongrel. Aside from the food, we found the service inattentive. I waited with an empty water glass for what seemed like a very long time, especially considering that there were only three or four other tables occupied on our visit. I almost think they were hoping we'd get the kids packed up and leave more quickly if we weren't well cared for. Even though this was a semi disappointing visit, I think I'd give Kristina's another chance...maybe I'll order something different in hopes that burgers just aren't their strong suit, and maybe service would be better on a different day. With such good reviews, our experience must be somewhat of an anomaly.
(2)Lupe D.
Cute place in downtown Downers Grove. The food is really good, very healthy portions and a great bang for your buck. The menu is very extensive, so it took us a bit to order. I got the Kristinas Skillet - with no jalapeños - added green peppers and had toast instead of the pancakes (included). the BF had one of the grove combos - eggs, meats, pancakes, coffee and juice. Everything was delicious. I guess if I had one minor criticism it's the salsa that came with my skillet. It was clearly from a jar - if they just made a simple pico de gallo, and had the option of a few tortillas instead of the pancakes/toast, this dish would be over the top delish. Out waitress, Danielle, was soooooo wonderful!!! Love her, she was patient with us, went over the menu, gave suggestions - she is a gem. We are already making plans to return. Yummy, budget friendly breakfast places are hard to find - this one is definitely a keeper!
(4)Steve S.
Really enjoyed the combo breakfast on a Sunday morning. Two eggs, two bacon strips, two sausage links and choice of pancakes/waffle, along with fresh OJ; all for 7.95. Tremendous value, high quality, attentive service. Only gripe was the dining room was on the noisy side with families and groups but not over the top. A great downtown alternative. The dining room is larger than you would think by looking at the front of the building.. Very attractive dining room.
(5)Alyssa D.
Let me just cut to the chase: this place sucks--don't waste your time. Giving a two star rating is even being generous for this place. Anyways, I decided to stop by today since we were in the area. Seeing as how we've never been here before and since you can never really go wrong with breakfast, we decided to give it a try. We walked in, and I noticed that it was very spacious in here, almost too spacious for a breakfast place. After we were seated, I also noticed that the noise level is absolutely silent in here. Not a good place to have a conversation--I felt the need to whisper. I mean I could almost hear the guy sitting next to us chewing his food. Okay, so let's get to the food portion, shall we? I opted for the Three Cheese Omelette, hash browns, and pancakes (it's a Friday during Lent). And this is where my meal absolutely took a turn for the worst. Instead of having mozzarella, jack, and some other cheese in the omelette, I received a half-melted slab of Velveeta in the center of some fluffy eggs. The menu said nothing about Velveeta, so at this point I was like "how the hell could you mix that up?" We decided not to complain to our waitress, because it would be futile since we knew we weren't coming here again. The pancakes were spongy and also had an elastic quality to them--which I hate. The two people I was with got a frittata, which was burnt and flavorless, and a smoked salmon omelette. The smoked salmon omelette was actually "okay", which was the ONLY redeeming quality of this place. Overall, the meal was just flat out horrible. I didn't think it was possible to mess up breakfast this badly, but I was yet again proven wrong. To whoever gave this place a good rating: I would love to know what you were smoking when you wrote your reviews. The hunt for a great breakfast still continues.
(2)Eileen K.
Always love to go to Kristina's Cafe! Portions are very generous and staff is very friendly and accommodating. Prices are very good too!
(5)Sam B.
Food is fresh, delicious, and perfectly flavored. Get the chicken noodle soup and reuben sandwich with a side of fresh fruit. You can't go wrong. I never realized how important maintaining the temperature of soup was until today. It was amazing.
(5)Chris G.
My omelette came out with a dead roach on top. Waitress handled as best she could, very apologetic. She handed the plate to the manager, he said nothing and just took the plate away. She came back to apologize again, he did not even come back. Needless to say we did not eat any of our food and left. Disgusting!!
(1)Julie S.
Our waitress was great! Coffee was intelligencia and brewed well. I had the Gypsy skillet w poached eggs and it was fantastic! My husband enjoyed a huge Bacon and American Omlet. Large portions, standard breakfast menu. Good pancakes too!
(5)Chrissy W.
They've got rockstar quality ingredients. Unique and funky breakfast combinations are on the list. Decent serving staff, but most importantly, Kristina's knows how to poach an egg. The BF and I dined here a few weeks ago (this was not my first trip, and will not be my last) for a rather leisurely and enjoyable meal. One con of Kristina's--if you're hungry, you may want to ask for some crackers or something. I've yet to have a rapid turnover from seating to ordering to dining. The food was awesome. Special requests were accommodated, and they poached me the most beautiful egg in the world. The crepes were really tasty, and I couldn't help but eat all of them. YUM! The BF had a skillet, because that's what the BF enjoys, and it too was delightful. All in all a solid 4 stars to Kristina's.
(4)Karen G.
Went for lunch and had the grilled cheese. Nice lunch with lots of cheese and super yummy french fries. The service was quick and attentive. The soup while good, reminded me too much of Mrs Grass to be enjoyable.
(3)Robin L.
I was looking for a caterer who could bring food to a church following a funeral service. My Mother suggested I check with a local restaurant. I called Kristina's and asked if they could even do this especially with such short notice. I'm so glad I did! The owner, Lance was very helpful in assisting with food selections. And ways to keep costs down. He setup when and where I needed, and the best part, EVERYONE commented how good the food was.
(5)Elizabeth G.
I have been here a handful of times. I keep coming back for the chocolate chip belgian waffle. You can order it "igloo style" which is pretty awesome for breakfast. Request extra whipped cream though as they are a bit stingy with it. The service is a little bit slow so it is good for a meal where you want to talk to your companion. This is why it is a go-to place for mommy-daughter brunches.
(4)David B.
Always friendly service. Sometimes very busy and short staffed therefore services suffers. But overall food quality is good. Nice to have fresh fruit as a side option for kids and adults
(4)V R.
One of my favorite places for breakfast. Outdoor seating during the summer lets you people watch in downtown Downers Grove. The fresh squeezed orange juice is perfect. The servings are huge - husband and I usually share a dish with an extra side (pancakes are my addiction there and I HATE pancakes). The mushroom omlette is wonderful! The scramblers are great! The side of fresh fruit is amazing - I know that sounds weird but so many places give you yucky fruit!
(5)Jessie W.
I went there on Monday and had one of the best breakfast I have had in a long time. The service was amazing and the server was so sweet. I had the Salmon/cream cheese omelet with asparagus and hollandaise. It was so good and the omelet was huge. I would have given them 5 stars however I cannot understand why so few potatoes that didn't make sense to me and the bathroom was out of paper and just really dirty. I would still go back it is now my favorite place to go.
(4)K M.
Kristina's Cafe is a go-to for me when I have friends or family in town and we want to go out. It isn't super close for us, but it is worth the trek to get to. The waitresses are phenomenal, and know their food ingredients and preparations well, which is a huge benefit in my life as my roommate and I both have lots of allergies (gluten and soy highest ranking). They make notes and take great care in the preparations of our food, and we haven't EVER gotten sick. This is to say A LOT because it happens to us a lot more than it should when we go other places. Their food is phenomenal, and comes in large enough portions you could share, if you wanted to (you won't though, have your fork weapon ready). Personally, I could eat their French toast for the rest of my life and be completely ok with that, and their omelets could cure the worst of hangovers. I've slowly been making my way down their lunch menu, but I prefer their breakfast items. It's hard to make a bad cheeseburger, anyway.
(5)Jennifer Q.
Cute little place. Great food, great service. I visited here for the first time with my friend Taisha after her Zumba class in the nearby park. This whole area is so cute! We walked from the park. Special shout out to the awesome busboy who found a piece of my jewelry I had lost on the floor! He picked it up so when I came back, he had it! I was very grateful!
(4)Mystii G.
How disappointing. We hadn't been there since this cafe changed over from Dali's Cafe. The "updated interior" was basically just a redone ceiling. We had Eggs Benedict and it was sad. Over-cooked eggs, under-cooked sauce and the homemade hashbrowns were definitely undercooked. For $23+ I expected better. We won't bother coming back.
(2)Abhay S.
Solid experience. We've been here twice and we were seated quickly. The service was excellent and portions were HUGE. (I brought home leftovers, which I almost *never* do with breakfast!) We'll be returning soon!
(4)Ellen M.
Food was fine (I got some huge salad with grilled chicken, probably black beans and avacado), we sat outside on a beautiful day, the kids were happy and service was good. Best of all, our dog was allowed to hang with us, and they brought him a dish o' water. It's nice to have the silly greyhound nearby.
(4)Amy W.
Kristina's is pretty much an average diner with an extensive menu of eggs, pancakes, waffles, crepes, salads, and sandwiches. I enjoyed the booths and the large, open feeling of the interior. Service was decent -- we were seated after standing at the front for a few minutes, and the waitress promptly attended to my coffee, which I greatly appreciated. For brunch I ordered the Main Street Prosciutto Omelette, which was pretty loaded up with prosciutto (obviously), red peppers, mozzarella, and other standard omeltte ingredients like mushrooms and onions. The side of hash browns was pretty good; I liked how they were more like shaved potatoes rather than your typical stringy hash browns. Overall, pretty decent, and if I were in the area again I'd consider coming back -- but nothing terribly spectacular.
(3)Christina K.
Pros: Mocha French Toast is to die for Cons: Saw a cockroach in the bathroom before I left. :(
(4)Darcy R.
I have been going here about once or twice a week recently. The food can be very good and quite reasonable. Sometimes there is some variation depending on who's preparing the food, but for the most part it is consistently good. My only gripe is the service. A blond, middle-aged female server is top notch and a real dynamo at tending to all her customers in a timely manner. Other servers just don't compare and it seems to be related to whether the owner is there. The other day I asked a male server for a coffee refill and it never came. After 15 minutes or so, I walked over to the back and he was eating something and quickly retreated to the kitchen when he saw me. Of course, the owner had already left the restaurant. Standards diminish drastically when he is not there and with the blond server, it simply doesn't matter because she just does an excellent job. Today I went elsewhere (Egg Harbor, which is across the street and around the block) and both the food and service were excellent.
(2)E B.
I've tried Kristina's a couple of times because I work hard to support local business. However, each experience I've had has been worse than the last. Certainly, this last visit will be my final. I took my 6 y/o son for pancakes and after 5 minutes of waiting at an empty register, I found the Manager and asked to be seated. My son and I were given a table for two - lovely. There was silverware on his side, nothing on mine. Neither place had coffee cups. I'm not a "picky" person - I spend my money wisely, tip well, show respect to the restaurant (and workers) and expect a good job in return. After placing our order I noticed that the half wall we were sitting next to was covered in dust. Not just a spot here or there, literally a layer. I have kids and am not easily grossed out, but this was disgusting. After 20 minutes of no water, no waitress, etc. I went to the back, where our waitress was standing, and asked when our order was coming? "Well, you ordered when a lot of people came in so it will be out soon," was her reply. At 30 minutes of waiting for 1 Mickey Mouse pancake and 1 vege. skillet, I told my son we were leaving. He swore he could wait 10 more minutes... and we did. 40 minutes(!) after placing our order, it was delivered. Again, I had to ask for water and silverware. My son said his pancake was "OK," but a "really small Mickey face." My vege. skillet was 80% mushy hashbrowns, 10% undercooked egg (literally the white was not cooked), 10% vegetable. I will say that they did use fresh broccoli and that's nice. We didn't see the waitress again until she dropped the receipt at our table. Before leaving I noticed that two other tables had requested to see the Manager - one woman was served the wrong food and was treated rudely and as were were leaving another couple in the outside area were expressed displeasure at their whole experience. Sorry, Kristina, you've lost the business of myself and my family.
(1)Tom H.
My wife and I dined here on a whim and were not disappointed. We strolled in not long after noon and were seated immediately. I was pleased to see variety in the menu and variety in the side options. I can't wait to come back here to try their breakfast items. My wife had the chicken Philly and I had a chicken panini. We sampled each other's dishes and loved them. The panini was cooked perfectly and tasted great. Best of all, it was not greasy in the least. Some places may over-drench their bread in olive oil or slather far too much oily pesto sauce, but not here. Everything was portioned just perfectly, and the side of fruit was a great side option instead of the standard fries. My wife's sandwich was great to taste, too. It was basically a seasoned kabob on French bread, but it was done right. Moist, well-seasoned, and fresh (even the bread - you can tell it wasn't the flaky stale crap sitting around for days). And who can complain about the location? Right on main street, in the heart of the action. Everyone was friendly and polite. It's family and kid-friendly too!
(4)Dan R.
This is a serious upgrade from the previous establishments at this location. Clean, bright and well staffed. Pretty much a standard menu but they seem to sweat the details to plus everything up. This would be the top spot in Downers Grove for breakfast and a top 5 for lunch.
(4)Tony D.
I live in town and this is my go 2 breakfast place! Good prices and great food!
(5)Dan P.
I went to Kristina's Cafe this morning with my five year old son, and we had a really good time. We sat where we could people watch out the windows overlooking downtown Downers, a view that is hard to beat in the area. I had one of their skillets, it was really well done, with perfectly cooked steak and eggs, and generous portions. My son had pancakes, and the picky little guy at faster than usual. The real drawback, and hopefully this was a one off, was the service. It took over ten minutes to even get a cup of coffee which the host had to get for me while yelling across the room to get our waitress. The other waitress seemed to be on the ball though, so maybe this isn't indicative of what we should expect. I'll return, and will write again.
(3)Samantha K.
The Village of Downers Grove may have Egg Harbor, but it was lacking a breakfast place with character. Kristina's Cafe has an ideal location on Main Street in Downtown Downers Grove and although the street parking may be limited there is a parking garage a block away to accommodate its customers. The restaurant is designed for high volume capacity, so even on the weekends when its the most busy there is never that long of a wait. The owner Lance, has made a menu that appeals to everyone so even the pickiest eater will find something they will enjoy. Personally, I am not much of a breakfast person, but I do recommend any of the ten styles of Eggs Benedict, yes I said ten styles. The lunch menu includes a variety of wraps, salads, burgers, paninis, and sandwiches. The Tuna Salad Italiano sandwich is phenomenal, it's served open faced on an English muffin. Kristina's serves two soups daily and a version of Chicken Noodle is always one of them. Soup is always included with your sandwich order as well as your choice of side. I work in the area, so I frequently order food to go and they always ensure that you have everything you could possibly need with your order. The website allows online ordering, but you can also call in. When I do dine in the servers are very attentive and take excellent care of you. If you live in the area or you're in town visiting, Kristina's should be your go to breakfast destination.
(4)Matt B.
I never ate at Dali's Cafe, so I can only comment on what this place was like on my first visit. Overall, it was a nice experience. The inside is fun, with light colors and a generally open feeling to it. It was quite busy for a Sunday morning, like most breakfast places are, but we had no trouble getting a seat or the attention of our waitress, who was very friendly. I'm not a fan of restaurants that put a slice a lemon in your drinking water; however, I am a fan of cucumber in the water. As such, Kristina's Cafe put me in a difficult position when they put both in my water. We ordered the fresh fruit crepes, which were good, but were covered in powdered sugar, despite no mention of that on the menu. The powdered sugar reduced the healthiness of the item, which was under their "Healthy Living" section, or whatever it's called. But they were good, as were the potato pancakes, which tasted like they had included cream cheese and chives. The turkey sausage was fine, but nothing remarkable. Overall, the bill for two meals, one side, and an OJ came to about $25, a little higher than I expected, but not by much. If I am in the Downers Grove area again during breakfast time, I will not hesitate to return.
(4)Sarah L.
Our meal started out good with their coffee drinks. And well, that was about it. When I got my food there was a long dark hair in my fries (I'm blonde). The replacement fries were obviously the bottom of the barrel. The waitress had us and another table. She dropped the bill when only half of our meal was finish and without asking if we wanted more. Not impressed.
(2)Melissa K.
Nothing too special, but not bad. The price seemed a bit high for the amount of food you get. I ordered eggs benedict sans canadian bacon, which is my standard dish. The hollandaise had a great flavor, but the poached eggs seemed to be cooked a bit too much. The fruit dish was fresh and had a nice variety (melon, pineapple, blueberries, strawberries, and a cherry).
(3)Rexcrisanto D.
The pumpkin cheesecake pancakes are unbelievably delicious. Service is very good and friendly. Bright colorful art and decor throughout brightens any cloudy morning. My only downfall was their coffee. It had a very weak and watered down taste (2/3 the strength of Mcdonalds and Dunkin Donuts coffee). If you're a Starbucks person, you'll be very disappointed with the coffee. I took my entire family and they liked this restaurant very much. I will definitely be coming back for more, but next time with a shot of espresso to spike the coffee :)
(4)Kara Z.
I went here for my first time the other day. I really like the people working here- warm, welcoming, and attentive. They refilled my water (which had cucumber and lemon in it and tasted great) a lot and I appreciated that. I ordered a scrambled egg and it seemed more like 2 or 3 eggs which was nice because it was delicious. It came with hashbrowns which were homemade and not my favorite- not very crispy at all but I'm sure other people love them. It came with bacon that was pretty good. It also came with pancakes and it had two blueberries and a slice of strawberry and it looked like a cute face which made me and my friend smile. They have a big menu and some creative menu items I've never heard of that I'd like to try sometime like mocha french toast and berry pancakes topped with granola- yum. My friend got an omelet and it was huge. The restaurant was comfortable with a lot of booths. Great location in downtown Downers Grove. My only complaint is that there were flies flying around and one kept landing on my friend's food- kind of gross. Otherwise, it's a good place with great service.
(4)N S.
This place is amazing for breakfast. Have eaten outside and inside and have had great experiences with the service but can only speak for the breakfast food which is amazing, my husband and I have never had anything we didn't like. Tons of choices and options such as cage free and organic eggs, substitutions with egg whites, freshly squeezed juices, and a variety of coffee drinks. The staff had always been extremely friendly, and this has become our new favorite place for breakfast.
(5)Michelle Marie R.
Just had lunch there this week. Cute decor reasonable prices and a killer menu. Try the turkey brie panini and apple chicken sausage. I would dine there again!
(3)Lorie O.
I was there during the lunch hour today (12/6/10), and it was only one quarter full, which should have been a tipoff. The Berry Berry Oatmeal had great berries, but the worst oatmeal I've ever eaten. The oats were no more than pulverized bits obviously made with water, lukewarm with no taste, no...actually a bad taste. For the same price, I could have had "to-die-for" oatmeal at Egg Harbor one block east, but I wanted to give the new place a try. In addition, my friend's scrambled egg was as flat as a pancake. Our waitress was nice, but it took forever to get our food (one scrambled egg and microwaved oatmeal should not have taken fifteen minutes when the place was 3/4 empty). The booth seat was as hard as a rock, and the lighting was annoying. Not a good experience for a new place, and certainly not worth the money. There is no way this place can compete with Egg Harbor. I predict Kristina's will be out of business within a year, unless some serious changes are made. Sorry, but I felt I should warn others.
(1)Gloria L.
Even though they don't take reservations, we called a head to let them know that we had a big party of 8 coming and they were very nice and able to accomodate us. There is a very nice charm about this place, they have their own special coffee mugs (which they also sell) that are very cute and unique. The menu is MASSIVE, they are so many different choices and options, me and my friends were surprised by the huge range of foods they had at the cafe. I think we all pretty much went with breakfast foods and it was all good, I don't remember hearing any complaints. We forgot to ask them to split the bill so when we got it, it was sort of hard to decipher and read but that was just a minor detail. Overall, it was a great place to meet with friends for brunch!
(5)Donna M.
Seriously addicting is all I can say. I'm one of the pickiest people when it comes to restaurants because if I can cook it at home I think I can probably do it better. Putting my snobbish ways aside...this place is GREAT! My mom and I went in for brunch two weeks ago and were extremely pleased with everything from the soup to her omelette to my turkey/brie panini. The bacon-cheddar-potato soup is to die for. They must be taking a loss on the turkey and brie panini because there is a ton of brie on it. The fries are fresh cut too! My mom's omelette was easily big enough for two and she said it was delicious. Great waitress, comfy seats, seated right away by the attentive owner. I went back with a friend last week and she ordered the skillet with asparagus and said it was delicious. Some of the food is classic Greek, i.e cream of chicken rice on Sunday but still solidly good. Highly recommended. I'm going back for sure!
(5)Christina M.
Hit Kristina's at 10:30 a.m. today (Saturday) and was seated right away, got water and coffee right away, and our order was taken very quickly, even though they were busy. Huge menu to choose from - I got the biscuits/gravy, 2 eggs over medium (cooked perfectly), and hash browns that actually tasted like potatoes! DH got corned beef hash, eggs over medium (also perfectly cooked) and rye toast (thick cut). Sweet, fresh fruit was included - yummy. Terrific first experience - we'll be back soon!!
(5)Sara A.
My husband and I live in downtown Downers grove and just visited Katrina's for breakfast. I finished my delicious French toast and thought "what a pleasant lovely place" . My eggs and bacon were perfect and the French toasts were great. It's nothing out of the ordinary, no gluten free fancy shmancy city uppity thing. Just dang good breakfast with really nice service. Good Job Katrina's
(5)Gina N.
Delicious oreo pancakes! Great service. Amazing egg white omelets.
(5)Christine S.
I noticed this place the other week, so my roommate and I ventured here for lunch. We both ordered breakfast items, however, which they serve all day. The interior is nice, just a basic hometown diner - which I like. The service was good, everyone was very nice. They have a pretty extensive menu, so it took a long time for me to decide what I wanted. In the end, I ordered the biscuits and gravy. They are my staple breakfast diner food, so i like to try them out whenever I go to a new breakfast place. They were really good. The gravy wasn't too heavy, not too overly spiced and had just the right amout of sausage. Biscuits were light, fluffy and fresh. My roommate had a scrambler and hashbrowns. He said his food was great, too. He also ordered an orange juice that turned out to be 3.25 - little too spendy, in my opinion, especially for this place. All in all, a great little restaurant and I definitely will go back to try more. We ate for under $20, including that orange juice.
(4)Ray T.
I had some time to kill and I was hungry. I decided to try this restaurant on the spur of the moment. I will not be eating anything until dinner. The Meatlover's Skillet did quite a job on me --- filled my stomach to the esophageal sphincter. This menu item was one find in a huge breakfast menu. It is a wonderful skillet of eggs, hash browns, cheese, bacon, ham, sausage. I am not sure what else. Normally, I do not eat skillet breakfasts, but I did and do not regret it too much ( I really am stuffed). Service. Outstanding. Still, I expect that especially when there are only a few other customers. Cleanliness. Absolutely. I do like it when I see the wait staff checking on empty tables and getting the help to clean tables when they weren't cleaned properly in the first place. Sitting down at a table that is dirty/sticky is no fun. I doubt that could happen here because the staff really seems to care about cleanliness. The decor is pleasant and open. I sat in a booth for two. That is a problem for me since I fit very tightly in a "standard" booth. Fortunately, the tables move and I was alone. I think there are some tables with chairs, but I didn't ask since it didn't matter today. It may when I come back with my wife - a booth might be kind of tight for me. I will be giving this place another try, probably with my wife.
(4)Russell G.
Went for lunch this past Saturday .. The service was fine... The food was bland and didn't seem fresh, very disappointed ...There was also a disturbance in the restaurant, a man who I think was the owner was being very rude to a woman and her 2 small children . Seems like he was forcing them out , not sure what this woman could have done to deserve such rude treatment with what looked like a 1 and 3 year old. It was very uncomfortable and I felt like the woman was being bullied . This along with the mediocre tasting food is reason enough for me to never return here and I cant recommend it to anyone..
(1)Autumn H.
If you are looking for great dinner food, this is THE place to go. My burger was made/seasoned fantastically. Food was fresh. I loved the fries and the slaw. My husband said his soup was much better than other dinner soups and he could tell it was made fresh in store. I am very excited about all you can eat fish ans chips night (fridays after 3pm). Loving this place!
(4)William K.
They should have a picture of Kristina's next to "3 yelp-stars" in the dictionary. It's pretty much the cookie cutter Greek breakfast/lunch place. Average food. Average service, complete with the requisite scowling Greek owner/manager to greet/seat you. Average prices. Average average. 3 stars.
(3)Jeff O.
One of the best breakfasts in the burbs! A true family run restaurant where the customer service is amazing and food delicious.
(5)Irina H.
I took the kids here for breakfast, but we couldn't get out for less than $50 (including tip) for just the usual pancakes, etc. (to their credit, the portions are huge, if that's all you are looking for). When we first sat down, I noticed the "clean" coffee cups on the table were greasy. On the plus side, the menu is huge and the waiter checked up on us often.
(2)Jennifer P.
This is seriously my favorite place to eat in Downtown Downers Grove. The chicken noodle soup is to die for! Always homemade and always fresh! They also make a killer Chicken Dumpling Soup. Always service with a smile the owner is usually there and really nice. I haven't had anything on this menu that I don't like. 110x better than the previous Dali Cafe!
(5)Brian F.
Service was bizarre. We arrived on a busy Sunday and although the host didn't seem to keep a log of waiting guests, people did get seated pretty efficiently. The very young serving girl forgot our requests twice and ended up spilling water on me. I had the salmon Benedict dish: Bagel with salmon, hollondaise, and capers. It wasn't the best sauce I've ever had but it appears that they do make it from scratch. Fruit was very fresh and the orange juice The real problem here is the coffee. It was so weak and tasteless that I actually considered getting a shot of espresso to fortify my "cup of joe". Oh well...
(2)Nan D.
Very pet friendly, I had a delicious scramble breakfast. As a Scout lover, I was so happy at the sensitivity of the waitress. When she saw the dog,, she immediately brought him a bowl of water. The food was a value and everything was tasty and fresh . The waitress was very attentive . As I watched the world go by, I felt like I was back in Kolanaki Square in Athens!
(5)Kymberly J.
It's a diner trying to pass itself as a neato cafe. Not gunna happen. They don't have anything fancy on the menu; plain old diner fare. I did appreciate the insult soup and the half sandwich that unexpectedly came with fruit and coleslaw. fast service and cheerful service.
(3)A Z.
They put lemon an cucumber in their water - high five to that! But the water was just the first surprise. Next was the "fresh squeezed" orange juice which really did taste like it just got squashed straight from an orange. An finally, I was super excited to be delivered WARM maple syrup! The menu is gigantic and the choices are all so awesome that you will definitely have a hard time choosing. Pumpkin Cheesecake pancakes? Got it. 8 different types of fresh toast? Got 'em. A giant list of omelets, skillet meals and anything else that you can imagine? Check, check, check. All of our food was great and this place really pays attention to the little details in everything so I'm sure anything you order will be yummy. I don't say this often, but Kristina's is actually worth driving to if you're within an hours distance and want a great breakfast.
(4)Christopher K.
Kristina's is a pretty solid breakfast and bunch place (though in 4/12 they apparently added dinner hours). You do get a pretty full diner menu here, as others have pointed out, I think the place aspires to be more than it is (did I mention they are offering dinner now). Service is always good, and portion size is very large. We have had a variety of the breakfast and brunch-type items and nothing has managed to distinguish itself -- apart from the fact that is walkable from home. I will add in its favor that it does not have that dark, depressing feeling that a lot of the other Greek-style family diners on, say, Ogden have. And as a rejoinder to the pet-friendly outdoor seating mentioned in other reviews -- if you are seated outdoors, you might wind up sitting next to someone's pet. Personally, that is not my scene. Still, we'll be back in the future, it is what it is.
(3)Shannon C.
Best breakfast in town. Sit out on the sidewalk and people watch while ordering what I would consider gormet quality breakfast items. The decor inside (and the sign outside) is pretty tacky but don't let it scare you away. The food is great, the service is terrific (ask for Denise or Jaime) and the owner is a down to earth, good guy. Stop by Friday night during the car show and enjoy the grilled items served by the owner, out on the sidewalk and sometimes a 3 piece jazz ensemble playing tunes from the 80's that you will find you cannot help singing along.
(5)Paul W.
Huge menu, great food, quick service, fair prices and sidewalk seating to watch the classic cars drive by on Friday nights during the summer. Highly recommended.
(5)Dave M.
We eat breakfast here periodically and enjoy it. The food is not terribly creative, but it's well prepared and tasty. Service is always very friendly and helpful. The coffee is pretty decent although a bit on the weak side. Very kid and family friendly.
(4)Tiffany P.
This is a great place in downtown DG for brunch! Prices are reasonable, food is hot and fresh, and I can't complain about the service! The breakfast menu is huge; pancakes, eggs benedict, lunch sandwiches, French toast, lox, skillets... The menu is about 10 pages long! Everyone can find something they enjoy here. I am happy with the quality of our dishes that we received. The eggs were cooked just right, and everything was so hot and wonderful. Crispy bacon, crispy hot hash browns, and AWESOME giant Texas bread that caters to my carb addiction! Total bill for 2 people was around $40. We left with full bellies and plenty of caffeine in our system thanks to bottomless coffee they provide! It was both satisfying and refreshing to go to Kristina's for Sunday brunch. I recommend it!
(4)Cory F.
Just had a horrible experience here. They are under new management and did not have many of the options on their menu. The waitress tried giving us waters from another table, and they brought a cold "plate" of fries (barely any on it) and when she brought more to us, touched them as she was combining plates. The manager was less than interested in helping or resolving any issues.
(1)Kleid G.
Food is really good and reasonably priced. Staff is friendly and accommodating. Decor is outdated and bathrooms are really run down
(4)Michael M.
This has always been an enjoyable breakfast place. Food is good, wait staff friendly and attentive. The owner Lance is a really cool guy too.
(4)Misha I.
One word: cockroach. We saw a huge cockroach under the table as we were being seated and needless to say we left. Most alarming was the hostess' lack of surprise when we pointed it out to her and told her why we were leaving.
(1)Mary Lou R.
Fresh food, huge selection, friendly owner and efficient staff. The neighborhood breakfast place... What more can you ask?
(4)Loreli P.
Great breakfast, lots of choices of healthy and "splurge" breakfast items.
(4)Cory F.
Just had a horrible experience here. They are under new management and did not have many of the options on their menu. The waitress tried giving us waters from another table, and they brought a cold "plate" of fries (barely any on it) and when she brought more to us, touched them as she was combining plates. The manager was less than interested in helping or resolving any issues.
(1)Kleid G.
Food is really good and reasonably priced. Staff is friendly and accommodating. Decor is outdated and bathrooms are really run down
(4)Amanda M.
This is our GO TO family breakfast place. The food is great and the service is wonderful. The place is always clean. We go every few weeks and request our favorite waitress, Ciara. She is the sweetest! My husband and I usually get omelettes, the 2 kids split a kids' pancake meal and with coffee and juice, we average $30 or so. It's reasonably priced and the food is really good. I change my meal at times and I don't think there's ever been something I was uninterested in. Sometimes I order their specials which are delicious- their Cream of Chicken soup on Sundays is delicious! I guess I'd have to say sometimes the coffee tastes a little bitter, but they have the flavored creamers at every table so with a little bit of creamer, it tastes fine. They also have a stack of napkins on every table- VERY convenient for families with little kids!! The booths are comfortable. We use a highchair every time. I guess I'd prefer the highchairs were a little bit cleaner but I can just as easily wipe one down before putting my kiddo in it. We are always greeted with a smile when we walk in and the kids love to go and pay the bill because they each pick one of the complimentary suckers by the register. They have outdoor seating which we've yet to do. With a dog bakery a couple doors down, you will see TONS of people walking their dogs if you sit outside. We just like to see them from the window. Parking CAN be difficult if it's a beautiful day. We often times have to park on the side street instead of Main Street due to no parking available. The area is perfect. There many boutiques and shops all along the street. You could easily head here for a breakfast and make a morning of shopping afterwards. Nearby there is a bakery, dog bakery, ice cream/yogurt place, toy store across the street, kids consignment shop down the side street and book shop down the road. Super fun. We also tend to eat breakfast first and then head down Main Street afterwards for a super quick walk just to get to the train station and watch the trains for a bit. There is also a beautiful fountain by the train station which is super popular. Also, look out for the Farmers market that takes place in the Spring/Summer. Our routine becomes eating breakfast here and then heading to the train station for some fresh produce to bring home.
(5)Jennifer B.
Let me get this straight, you complained you didn't think there was enough fries on your plate and then when the waitress brought you more, you complained that her hand slipped while she was trying to give you more fries? Full disclosure, I'm a regular at Kristina's and for a reason. I love this place and definitely get the "Cheers" vibe when I walk in. I have not had a bad meal yet - and my friend and I have been going for a while - and the staff is warm, friendly, fun and completely accommodating. I was also there the same afternoon as poster Cory F. Yup, they were pretty much made infamous when my friend and I commented to the staff about the two teenagers standing in front of the restaurant - in full view of everyone in the place - making out, one with a sucker in their mouth. And yes, the mother was standing right there. I'd rather have my waitress touch my fries than watch that again.
(5)Alie B.
I never write reviews. I really tried to give this place the benefit of the doubt but we had a terrible experience. I ate here for lunch with some girlfriends. Our food took forever to come, it was practically cold when we got it, my sisters fruit had fruit flies, even the pancake was bad. So disappointing. Maybe it was an off day but it was so bad I don't think we'll ever go back.
(1)Chloe M.
This place is my go to brunch spot! Their gypsy skillet and their steal and eggs are my favorite. The portion size is big and the staff is always really friendly. I also like that they serve hash browns instead of breakfast potatoes called hashed browns. I definitely recommend.
(5)V R.
One of my favorite places for breakfast. Outdoor seating during the summer lets you people watch in downtown Downers Grove. The fresh squeezed orange juice is perfect. The servings are huge - husband and I usually share a dish with an extra side (pancakes are my addiction there and I HATE pancakes). The mushroom omlette is wonderful! The scramblers are great! The side of fresh fruit is amazing - I know that sounds weird but so many places give you yucky fruit!
(5)Jessie W.
I went there on Monday and had one of the best breakfast I have had in a long time. The service was amazing and the server was so sweet. I had the Salmon/cream cheese omelet with asparagus and hollandaise. It was so good and the omelet was huge. I would have given them 5 stars however I cannot understand why so few potatoes that didn't make sense to me and the bathroom was out of paper and just really dirty. I would still go back it is now my favorite place to go.
(4)K M.
Kristina's Cafe is a go-to for me when I have friends or family in town and we want to go out. It isn't super close for us, but it is worth the trek to get to. The waitresses are phenomenal, and know their food ingredients and preparations well, which is a huge benefit in my life as my roommate and I both have lots of allergies (gluten and soy highest ranking). They make notes and take great care in the preparations of our food, and we haven't EVER gotten sick. This is to say A LOT because it happens to us a lot more than it should when we go other places. Their food is phenomenal, and comes in large enough portions you could share, if you wanted to (you won't though, have your fork weapon ready). Personally, I could eat their French toast for the rest of my life and be completely ok with that, and their omelets could cure the worst of hangovers. I've slowly been making my way down their lunch menu, but I prefer their breakfast items. It's hard to make a bad cheeseburger, anyway.
(5)Jennifer Q.
Cute little place. Great food, great service. I visited here for the first time with my friend Taisha after her Zumba class in the nearby park. This whole area is so cute! We walked from the park. Special shout out to the awesome busboy who found a piece of my jewelry I had lost on the floor! He picked it up so when I came back, he had it! I was very grateful!
(4)Mystii G.
How disappointing. We hadn't been there since this cafe changed over from Dali's Cafe. The "updated interior" was basically just a redone ceiling. We had Eggs Benedict and it was sad. Over-cooked eggs, under-cooked sauce and the homemade hashbrowns were definitely undercooked. For $23+ I expected better. We won't bother coming back.
(2)Abhay S.
Solid experience. We've been here twice and we were seated quickly. The service was excellent and portions were HUGE. (I brought home leftovers, which I almost *never* do with breakfast!) We'll be returning soon!
(4)Ellen M.
Food was fine (I got some huge salad with grilled chicken, probably black beans and avacado), we sat outside on a beautiful day, the kids were happy and service was good. Best of all, our dog was allowed to hang with us, and they brought him a dish o' water. It's nice to have the silly greyhound nearby.
(4)Amy W.
Kristina's is pretty much an average diner with an extensive menu of eggs, pancakes, waffles, crepes, salads, and sandwiches. I enjoyed the booths and the large, open feeling of the interior. Service was decent -- we were seated after standing at the front for a few minutes, and the waitress promptly attended to my coffee, which I greatly appreciated. For brunch I ordered the Main Street Prosciutto Omelette, which was pretty loaded up with prosciutto (obviously), red peppers, mozzarella, and other standard omeltte ingredients like mushrooms and onions. The side of hash browns was pretty good; I liked how they were more like shaved potatoes rather than your typical stringy hash browns. Overall, pretty decent, and if I were in the area again I'd consider coming back -- but nothing terribly spectacular.
(3)Christina K.
Pros: Mocha French Toast is to die for Cons: Saw a cockroach in the bathroom before I left. :(
(4)Darcy R.
I have been going here about once or twice a week recently. The food can be very good and quite reasonable. Sometimes there is some variation depending on who's preparing the food, but for the most part it is consistently good. My only gripe is the service. A blond, middle-aged female server is top notch and a real dynamo at tending to all her customers in a timely manner. Other servers just don't compare and it seems to be related to whether the owner is there. The other day I asked a male server for a coffee refill and it never came. After 15 minutes or so, I walked over to the back and he was eating something and quickly retreated to the kitchen when he saw me. Of course, the owner had already left the restaurant. Standards diminish drastically when he is not there and with the blond server, it simply doesn't matter because she just does an excellent job. Today I went elsewhere (Egg Harbor, which is across the street and around the block) and both the food and service were excellent.
(2)Brian F.
Service was bizarre. We arrived on a busy Sunday and although the host didn't seem to keep a log of waiting guests, people did get seated pretty efficiently. The very young serving girl forgot our requests twice and ended up spilling water on me. I had the salmon Benedict dish: Bagel with salmon, hollondaise, and capers. It wasn't the best sauce I've ever had but it appears that they do make it from scratch. Fruit was very fresh and the orange juice The real problem here is the coffee. It was so weak and tasteless that I actually considered getting a shot of espresso to fortify my "cup of joe". Oh well...
(2)Nan D.
Very pet friendly, I had a delicious scramble breakfast. As a Scout lover, I was so happy at the sensitivity of the waitress. When she saw the dog,, she immediately brought him a bowl of water. The food was a value and everything was tasty and fresh . The waitress was very attentive . As I watched the world go by, I felt like I was back in Kolanaki Square in Athens!
(5)Tiffany P.
This is a great place in downtown DG for brunch! Prices are reasonable, food is hot and fresh, and I can't complain about the service! The breakfast menu is huge; pancakes, eggs benedict, lunch sandwiches, French toast, lox, skillets... The menu is about 10 pages long! Everyone can find something they enjoy here. I am happy with the quality of our dishes that we received. The eggs were cooked just right, and everything was so hot and wonderful. Crispy bacon, crispy hot hash browns, and AWESOME giant Texas bread that caters to my carb addiction! Total bill for 2 people was around $40. We left with full bellies and plenty of caffeine in our system thanks to bottomless coffee they provide! It was both satisfying and refreshing to go to Kristina's for Sunday brunch. I recommend it!
(4)Sam B.
Food is fresh, delicious, and perfectly flavored. Get the chicken noodle soup and reuben sandwich with a side of fresh fruit. You can't go wrong. I never realized how important maintaining the temperature of soup was until today. It was amazing.
(5)Chris G.
My omelette came out with a dead roach on top. Waitress handled as best she could, very apologetic. She handed the plate to the manager, he said nothing and just took the plate away. She came back to apologize again, he did not even come back. Needless to say we did not eat any of our food and left. Disgusting!!
(1)Julie S.
Our waitress was great! Coffee was intelligencia and brewed well. I had the Gypsy skillet w poached eggs and it was fantastic! My husband enjoyed a huge Bacon and American Omlet. Large portions, standard breakfast menu. Good pancakes too!
(5)Chrissy W.
They've got rockstar quality ingredients. Unique and funky breakfast combinations are on the list. Decent serving staff, but most importantly, Kristina's knows how to poach an egg. The BF and I dined here a few weeks ago (this was not my first trip, and will not be my last) for a rather leisurely and enjoyable meal. One con of Kristina's--if you're hungry, you may want to ask for some crackers or something. I've yet to have a rapid turnover from seating to ordering to dining. The food was awesome. Special requests were accommodated, and they poached me the most beautiful egg in the world. The crepes were really tasty, and I couldn't help but eat all of them. YUM! The BF had a skillet, because that's what the BF enjoys, and it too was delightful. All in all a solid 4 stars to Kristina's.
(4)Karen G.
Went for lunch and had the grilled cheese. Nice lunch with lots of cheese and super yummy french fries. The service was quick and attentive. The soup while good, reminded me too much of Mrs Grass to be enjoyable.
(3)Robin L.
I was looking for a caterer who could bring food to a church following a funeral service. My Mother suggested I check with a local restaurant. I called Kristina's and asked if they could even do this especially with such short notice. I'm so glad I did! The owner, Lance was very helpful in assisting with food selections. And ways to keep costs down. He setup when and where I needed, and the best part, EVERYONE commented how good the food was.
(5)Elizabeth G.
I have been here a handful of times. I keep coming back for the chocolate chip belgian waffle. You can order it "igloo style" which is pretty awesome for breakfast. Request extra whipped cream though as they are a bit stingy with it. The service is a little bit slow so it is good for a meal where you want to talk to your companion. This is why it is a go-to place for mommy-daughter brunches.
(4)David B.
Always friendly service. Sometimes very busy and short staffed therefore services suffers. But overall food quality is good. Nice to have fresh fruit as a side option for kids and adults
(4)Dan P.
I went to Kristina's Cafe this morning with my five year old son, and we had a really good time. We sat where we could people watch out the windows overlooking downtown Downers, a view that is hard to beat in the area. I had one of their skillets, it was really well done, with perfectly cooked steak and eggs, and generous portions. My son had pancakes, and the picky little guy at faster than usual. The real drawback, and hopefully this was a one off, was the service. It took over ten minutes to even get a cup of coffee which the host had to get for me while yelling across the room to get our waitress. The other waitress seemed to be on the ball though, so maybe this isn't indicative of what we should expect. I'll return, and will write again.
(3)Samantha K.
The Village of Downers Grove may have Egg Harbor, but it was lacking a breakfast place with character. Kristina's Cafe has an ideal location on Main Street in Downtown Downers Grove and although the street parking may be limited there is a parking garage a block away to accommodate its customers. The restaurant is designed for high volume capacity, so even on the weekends when its the most busy there is never that long of a wait. The owner Lance, has made a menu that appeals to everyone so even the pickiest eater will find something they will enjoy. Personally, I am not much of a breakfast person, but I do recommend any of the ten styles of Eggs Benedict, yes I said ten styles. The lunch menu includes a variety of wraps, salads, burgers, paninis, and sandwiches. The Tuna Salad Italiano sandwich is phenomenal, it's served open faced on an English muffin. Kristina's serves two soups daily and a version of Chicken Noodle is always one of them. Soup is always included with your sandwich order as well as your choice of side. I work in the area, so I frequently order food to go and they always ensure that you have everything you could possibly need with your order. The website allows online ordering, but you can also call in. When I do dine in the servers are very attentive and take excellent care of you. If you live in the area or you're in town visiting, Kristina's should be your go to breakfast destination.
(4)Matt B.
I never ate at Dali's Cafe, so I can only comment on what this place was like on my first visit. Overall, it was a nice experience. The inside is fun, with light colors and a generally open feeling to it. It was quite busy for a Sunday morning, like most breakfast places are, but we had no trouble getting a seat or the attention of our waitress, who was very friendly. I'm not a fan of restaurants that put a slice a lemon in your drinking water; however, I am a fan of cucumber in the water. As such, Kristina's Cafe put me in a difficult position when they put both in my water. We ordered the fresh fruit crepes, which were good, but were covered in powdered sugar, despite no mention of that on the menu. The powdered sugar reduced the healthiness of the item, which was under their "Healthy Living" section, or whatever it's called. But they were good, as were the potato pancakes, which tasted like they had included cream cheese and chives. The turkey sausage was fine, but nothing remarkable. Overall, the bill for two meals, one side, and an OJ came to about $25, a little higher than I expected, but not by much. If I am in the Downers Grove area again during breakfast time, I will not hesitate to return.
(4)Sarah L.
Our meal started out good with their coffee drinks. And well, that was about it. When I got my food there was a long dark hair in my fries (I'm blonde). The replacement fries were obviously the bottom of the barrel. The waitress had us and another table. She dropped the bill when only half of our meal was finish and without asking if we wanted more. Not impressed.
(2)Christina M.
Hit Kristina's at 10:30 a.m. today (Saturday) and was seated right away, got water and coffee right away, and our order was taken very quickly, even though they were busy. Huge menu to choose from - I got the biscuits/gravy, 2 eggs over medium (cooked perfectly), and hash browns that actually tasted like potatoes! DH got corned beef hash, eggs over medium (also perfectly cooked) and rye toast (thick cut). Sweet, fresh fruit was included - yummy. Terrific first experience - we'll be back soon!!
(5)Christina F.
Wanted to try something different in the neighborhood for breakfast so we hit up Kristina's. The service was great but the food was mediocre. We kind of felt like at the end of the meal we should have stayed home and made breakfast instead. My food was good, but what looked to be a delicious side of fruit was not ripe and I didn't eat 3/4 of it. Not a great place for vegans FYI as the people there don't know what that is. It was enough to get us full and have us leave b/c at the end of our meal, we wanted out with the screaming children running around everywhere. I'd consider going back for lunch but will skip the breakfast there.
(3)Sara A.
My husband and I live in downtown Downers grove and just visited Katrina's for breakfast. I finished my delicious French toast and thought "what a pleasant lovely place" . My eggs and bacon were perfect and the French toasts were great. It's nothing out of the ordinary, no gluten free fancy shmancy city uppity thing. Just dang good breakfast with really nice service. Good Job Katrina's
(5)Gina N.
Delicious oreo pancakes! Great service. Amazing egg white omelets.
(5)Christine S.
I noticed this place the other week, so my roommate and I ventured here for lunch. We both ordered breakfast items, however, which they serve all day. The interior is nice, just a basic hometown diner - which I like. The service was good, everyone was very nice. They have a pretty extensive menu, so it took a long time for me to decide what I wanted. In the end, I ordered the biscuits and gravy. They are my staple breakfast diner food, so i like to try them out whenever I go to a new breakfast place. They were really good. The gravy wasn't too heavy, not too overly spiced and had just the right amout of sausage. Biscuits were light, fluffy and fresh. My roommate had a scrambler and hashbrowns. He said his food was great, too. He also ordered an orange juice that turned out to be 3.25 - little too spendy, in my opinion, especially for this place. All in all, a great little restaurant and I definitely will go back to try more. We ate for under $20, including that orange juice.
(4)Michael M.
This has always been an enjoyable breakfast place. Food is good, wait staff friendly and attentive. The owner Lance is a really cool guy too.
(4)Misha I.
One word: cockroach. We saw a huge cockroach under the table as we were being seated and needless to say we left. Most alarming was the hostess' lack of surprise when we pointed it out to her and told her why we were leaving.
(1)Dan B.
In downtown Downers Grove sits a small little cafe called Kristina's. After looking over reviews of previously unvisited breakfast places I decided to make the trip there to give it a try. After walking in I was offered seating both inside and outside and decided to stick to the air conditioned indoors. After looking over my menu options, I settled on a meat lovers skillet and chose pancakes as the extra option. I then waited a little bit longer than most places for my food to be ready, but once it was out I was excited to dig in. The skillet here was excellent, the amount of meat in the meat lovers skillet was definitely satisfactory. The pieces of meat were both abundant and thick. There was also a good amount of cheese on this skillet. The eggs were soft and well prepared as well. The potato at the bottom of the skillet was a little on the bland side, this along with the slightly longer than normal wait are my only complaints about the skillet. So the positives were lots of thick cuts of meat, lots of cheese. The negatives were somewhat bland potato at the bottom. The pancakes here were also good, there were two berries for eyes and a strawberry for a mouth on the top pancakes. This extra charm puts a tingly feeling in the back of your head and makes you feel special as you think to yourself "Awww they made a face on the pancakes." The pancakes themselves were soft, the powdered sugar gave it a dash of extra flavor. These pancakes were good as well. Overall I was quite impressed by both the food and the service at Kristina's Cafe. Things like the face on my pancakes give it that extra bit of effort and caring that really shines through, they don't cut corners on meat or cheese which is somewhat common among breakfast places. I am going to give Kristina's Cafe four stars, a recommendation and I plan to visit again.
(4)Mike N.
Closest thing to Connie's restaurant (berwyn) you'll find out here in downers. Aside from the rather creepy owner who is around 50% of the time, the staff is quite inviting. Not your usual toothless Greek restaurant servers. Food is consistent and not bad. The washrooms could've used an upgrade about twenty years ago, but the owner makes up for it by keeping the urinal filled with ice. That said I eat here couple times a month and I'm not disappointed, but maybe part of that is I know what to expect. I suppose what I'm saying is keep your expectations in check and Kristinas will probably exceed them.
(3)Rachel M.
We love Kristina's and eat there at least once or twice a month. Service is always friendly and fast and the food is delicious. There are great options both for breakfast and lunch. My favorite is Kristina's chicken salad or a breakfast scrambler with pancakes - can't go wrong with anything you order though!
(5)Sam P.
Darn, I really thought we were going to have a great lunch here today! Having received 4 star ratings from two respected Yelp friends of mine, Kristina's made it onto my itinerary when I planned an outing in downtown Downers Grove. I arranged to meet a friend here for lunch. She and her kids arrived first and got a table in the back. "The back" is where you hope to be seated when dining with four kids under four. My son's kids meal looked really nice. Two mini burgers and a generous portion of very fresh fruit. I wish I'd snapped a pic, but apparently he was starving and inhaled the entire plate immediately. His buddy had a Micky pancake that he seemed to enjoy. I wish I could say my burger (cheddar jack) was impressive, but it was really just eatable. It actually had very little taste, which is odd for anything with cheese. I chose shoestring potatoes as my side because they sounded interesting, but they turned out to be just slivered chips that were difficult to eat without looking like a wild mongrel. Aside from the food, we found the service inattentive. I waited with an empty water glass for what seemed like a very long time, especially considering that there were only three or four other tables occupied on our visit. I almost think they were hoping we'd get the kids packed up and leave more quickly if we weren't well cared for. Even though this was a semi disappointing visit, I think I'd give Kristina's another chance...maybe I'll order something different in hopes that burgers just aren't their strong suit, and maybe service would be better on a different day. With such good reviews, our experience must be somewhat of an anomaly.
(2)Lupe D.
Cute place in downtown Downers Grove. The food is really good, very healthy portions and a great bang for your buck. The menu is very extensive, so it took us a bit to order. I got the Kristinas Skillet - with no jalapeños - added green peppers and had toast instead of the pancakes (included). the BF had one of the grove combos - eggs, meats, pancakes, coffee and juice. Everything was delicious. I guess if I had one minor criticism it's the salsa that came with my skillet. It was clearly from a jar - if they just made a simple pico de gallo, and had the option of a few tortillas instead of the pancakes/toast, this dish would be over the top delish. Out waitress, Danielle, was soooooo wonderful!!! Love her, she was patient with us, went over the menu, gave suggestions - she is a gem. We are already making plans to return. Yummy, budget friendly breakfast places are hard to find - this one is definitely a keeper!
(4)Alyssa D.
Let me just cut to the chase: this place sucks--don't waste your time. Giving a two star rating is even being generous for this place. Anyways, I decided to stop by today since we were in the area. Seeing as how we've never been here before and since you can never really go wrong with breakfast, we decided to give it a try. We walked in, and I noticed that it was very spacious in here, almost too spacious for a breakfast place. After we were seated, I also noticed that the noise level is absolutely silent in here. Not a good place to have a conversation--I felt the need to whisper. I mean I could almost hear the guy sitting next to us chewing his food. Okay, so let's get to the food portion, shall we? I opted for the Three Cheese Omelette, hash browns, and pancakes (it's a Friday during Lent). And this is where my meal absolutely took a turn for the worst. Instead of having mozzarella, jack, and some other cheese in the omelette, I received a half-melted slab of Velveeta in the center of some fluffy eggs. The menu said nothing about Velveeta, so at this point I was like "how the hell could you mix that up?" We decided not to complain to our waitress, because it would be futile since we knew we weren't coming here again. The pancakes were spongy and also had an elastic quality to them--which I hate. The two people I was with got a frittata, which was burnt and flavorless, and a smoked salmon omelette. The smoked salmon omelette was actually "okay", which was the ONLY redeeming quality of this place. Overall, the meal was just flat out horrible. I didn't think it was possible to mess up breakfast this badly, but I was yet again proven wrong. To whoever gave this place a good rating: I would love to know what you were smoking when you wrote your reviews. The hunt for a great breakfast still continues.
(2)Eileen K.
Always love to go to Kristina's Cafe! Portions are very generous and staff is very friendly and accommodating. Prices are very good too!
(5)Kymberly J.
It's a diner trying to pass itself as a neato cafe. Not gunna happen. They don't have anything fancy on the menu; plain old diner fare. I did appreciate the insult soup and the half sandwich that unexpectedly came with fruit and coleslaw. fast service and cheerful service.
(3)A Z.
They put lemon an cucumber in their water - high five to that! But the water was just the first surprise. Next was the "fresh squeezed" orange juice which really did taste like it just got squashed straight from an orange. An finally, I was super excited to be delivered WARM maple syrup! The menu is gigantic and the choices are all so awesome that you will definitely have a hard time choosing. Pumpkin Cheesecake pancakes? Got it. 8 different types of fresh toast? Got 'em. A giant list of omelets, skillet meals and anything else that you can imagine? Check, check, check. All of our food was great and this place really pays attention to the little details in everything so I'm sure anything you order will be yummy. I don't say this often, but Kristina's is actually worth driving to if you're within an hours distance and want a great breakfast.
(4)Christopher K.
Kristina's is a pretty solid breakfast and bunch place (though in 4/12 they apparently added dinner hours). You do get a pretty full diner menu here, as others have pointed out, I think the place aspires to be more than it is (did I mention they are offering dinner now). Service is always good, and portion size is very large. We have had a variety of the breakfast and brunch-type items and nothing has managed to distinguish itself -- apart from the fact that is walkable from home. I will add in its favor that it does not have that dark, depressing feeling that a lot of the other Greek-style family diners on, say, Ogden have. And as a rejoinder to the pet-friendly outdoor seating mentioned in other reviews -- if you are seated outdoors, you might wind up sitting next to someone's pet. Personally, that is not my scene. Still, we'll be back in the future, it is what it is.
(3)Shannon C.
Best breakfast in town. Sit out on the sidewalk and people watch while ordering what I would consider gormet quality breakfast items. The decor inside (and the sign outside) is pretty tacky but don't let it scare you away. The food is great, the service is terrific (ask for Denise or Jaime) and the owner is a down to earth, good guy. Stop by Friday night during the car show and enjoy the grilled items served by the owner, out on the sidewalk and sometimes a 3 piece jazz ensemble playing tunes from the 80's that you will find you cannot help singing along.
(5)Paul W.
Huge menu, great food, quick service, fair prices and sidewalk seating to watch the classic cars drive by on Friday nights during the summer. Highly recommended.
(5)Dave M.
We eat breakfast here periodically and enjoy it. The food is not terribly creative, but it's well prepared and tasty. Service is always very friendly and helpful. The coffee is pretty decent although a bit on the weak side. Very kid and family friendly.
(4)Russell G.
Went for lunch this past Saturday .. The service was fine... The food was bland and didn't seem fresh, very disappointed ...There was also a disturbance in the restaurant, a man who I think was the owner was being very rude to a woman and her 2 small children . Seems like he was forcing them out , not sure what this woman could have done to deserve such rude treatment with what looked like a 1 and 3 year old. It was very uncomfortable and I felt like the woman was being bullied . This along with the mediocre tasting food is reason enough for me to never return here and I cant recommend it to anyone..
(1)Autumn H.
If you are looking for great dinner food, this is THE place to go. My burger was made/seasoned fantastically. Food was fresh. I loved the fries and the slaw. My husband said his soup was much better than other dinner soups and he could tell it was made fresh in store. I am very excited about all you can eat fish ans chips night (fridays after 3pm). Loving this place!
(4)Steve S.
Really enjoyed the combo breakfast on a Sunday morning. Two eggs, two bacon strips, two sausage links and choice of pancakes/waffle, along with fresh OJ; all for 7.95. Tremendous value, high quality, attentive service. Only gripe was the dining room was on the noisy side with families and groups but not over the top. A great downtown alternative. The dining room is larger than you would think by looking at the front of the building.. Very attractive dining room.
(5)E B.
I've tried Kristina's a couple of times because I work hard to support local business. However, each experience I've had has been worse than the last. Certainly, this last visit will be my final. I took my 6 y/o son for pancakes and after 5 minutes of waiting at an empty register, I found the Manager and asked to be seated. My son and I were given a table for two - lovely. There was silverware on his side, nothing on mine. Neither place had coffee cups. I'm not a "picky" person - I spend my money wisely, tip well, show respect to the restaurant (and workers) and expect a good job in return. After placing our order I noticed that the half wall we were sitting next to was covered in dust. Not just a spot here or there, literally a layer. I have kids and am not easily grossed out, but this was disgusting. After 20 minutes of no water, no waitress, etc. I went to the back, where our waitress was standing, and asked when our order was coming? "Well, you ordered when a lot of people came in so it will be out soon," was her reply. At 30 minutes of waiting for 1 Mickey Mouse pancake and 1 vege. skillet, I told my son we were leaving. He swore he could wait 10 more minutes... and we did. 40 minutes(!) after placing our order, it was delivered. Again, I had to ask for water and silverware. My son said his pancake was "OK," but a "really small Mickey face." My vege. skillet was 80% mushy hashbrowns, 10% undercooked egg (literally the white was not cooked), 10% vegetable. I will say that they did use fresh broccoli and that's nice. We didn't see the waitress again until she dropped the receipt at our table. Before leaving I noticed that two other tables had requested to see the Manager - one woman was served the wrong food and was treated rudely and as were were leaving another couple in the outside area were expressed displeasure at their whole experience. Sorry, Kristina, you've lost the business of myself and my family.
(1)Donna M.
Seriously addicting is all I can say. I'm one of the pickiest people when it comes to restaurants because if I can cook it at home I think I can probably do it better. Putting my snobbish ways aside...this place is GREAT! My mom and I went in for brunch two weeks ago and were extremely pleased with everything from the soup to her omelette to my turkey/brie panini. The bacon-cheddar-potato soup is to die for. They must be taking a loss on the turkey and brie panini because there is a ton of brie on it. The fries are fresh cut too! My mom's omelette was easily big enough for two and she said it was delicious. Great waitress, comfy seats, seated right away by the attentive owner. I went back with a friend last week and she ordered the skillet with asparagus and said it was delicious. Some of the food is classic Greek, i.e cream of chicken rice on Sunday but still solidly good. Highly recommended. I'm going back for sure!
(5)Melissa K.
Nothing too special, but not bad. The price seemed a bit high for the amount of food you get. I ordered eggs benedict sans canadian bacon, which is my standard dish. The hollandaise had a great flavor, but the poached eggs seemed to be cooked a bit too much. The fruit dish was fresh and had a nice variety (melon, pineapple, blueberries, strawberries, and a cherry).
(3)Dan R.
This is a serious upgrade from the previous establishments at this location. Clean, bright and well staffed. Pretty much a standard menu but they seem to sweat the details to plus everything up. This would be the top spot in Downers Grove for breakfast and a top 5 for lunch.
(4)Tony D.
I live in town and this is my go 2 breakfast place! Good prices and great food!
(5)Tom H.
My wife and I dined here on a whim and were not disappointed. We strolled in not long after noon and were seated immediately. I was pleased to see variety in the menu and variety in the side options. I can't wait to come back here to try their breakfast items. My wife had the chicken Philly and I had a chicken panini. We sampled each other's dishes and loved them. The panini was cooked perfectly and tasted great. Best of all, it was not greasy in the least. Some places may over-drench their bread in olive oil or slather far too much oily pesto sauce, but not here. Everything was portioned just perfectly, and the side of fruit was a great side option instead of the standard fries. My wife's sandwich was great to taste, too. It was basically a seasoned kabob on French bread, but it was done right. Moist, well-seasoned, and fresh (even the bread - you can tell it wasn't the flaky stale crap sitting around for days). And who can complain about the location? Right on main street, in the heart of the action. Everyone was friendly and polite. It's family and kid-friendly too!
(4)Gloria L.
Even though they don't take reservations, we called a head to let them know that we had a big party of 8 coming and they were very nice and able to accomodate us. There is a very nice charm about this place, they have their own special coffee mugs (which they also sell) that are very cute and unique. The menu is MASSIVE, they are so many different choices and options, me and my friends were surprised by the huge range of foods they had at the cafe. I think we all pretty much went with breakfast foods and it was all good, I don't remember hearing any complaints. We forgot to ask them to split the bill so when we got it, it was sort of hard to decipher and read but that was just a minor detail. Overall, it was a great place to meet with friends for brunch!
(5)William K.
They should have a picture of Kristina's next to "3 yelp-stars" in the dictionary. It's pretty much the cookie cutter Greek breakfast/lunch place. Average food. Average service, complete with the requisite scowling Greek owner/manager to greet/seat you. Average prices. Average average. 3 stars.
(3)Jeff O.
One of the best breakfasts in the burbs! A true family run restaurant where the customer service is amazing and food delicious.
(5)Irina H.
I took the kids here for breakfast, but we couldn't get out for less than $50 (including tip) for just the usual pancakes, etc. (to their credit, the portions are huge, if that's all you are looking for). When we first sat down, I noticed the "clean" coffee cups on the table were greasy. On the plus side, the menu is huge and the waiter checked up on us often.
(2)Jennifer P.
This is seriously my favorite place to eat in Downtown Downers Grove. The chicken noodle soup is to die for! Always homemade and always fresh! They also make a killer Chicken Dumpling Soup. Always service with a smile the owner is usually there and really nice. I haven't had anything on this menu that I don't like. 110x better than the previous Dali Cafe!
(5)Ray T.
I had some time to kill and I was hungry. I decided to try this restaurant on the spur of the moment. I will not be eating anything until dinner. The Meatlover's Skillet did quite a job on me --- filled my stomach to the esophageal sphincter. This menu item was one find in a huge breakfast menu. It is a wonderful skillet of eggs, hash browns, cheese, bacon, ham, sausage. I am not sure what else. Normally, I do not eat skillet breakfasts, but I did and do not regret it too much ( I really am stuffed). Service. Outstanding. Still, I expect that especially when there are only a few other customers. Cleanliness. Absolutely. I do like it when I see the wait staff checking on empty tables and getting the help to clean tables when they weren't cleaned properly in the first place. Sitting down at a table that is dirty/sticky is no fun. I doubt that could happen here because the staff really seems to care about cleanliness. The decor is pleasant and open. I sat in a booth for two. That is a problem for me since I fit very tightly in a "standard" booth. Fortunately, the tables move and I was alone. I think there are some tables with chairs, but I didn't ask since it didn't matter today. It may when I come back with my wife - a booth might be kind of tight for me. I will be giving this place another try, probably with my wife.
(4)Rexcrisanto D.
The pumpkin cheesecake pancakes are unbelievably delicious. Service is very good and friendly. Bright colorful art and decor throughout brightens any cloudy morning. My only downfall was their coffee. It had a very weak and watered down taste (2/3 the strength of Mcdonalds and Dunkin Donuts coffee). If you're a Starbucks person, you'll be very disappointed with the coffee. I took my entire family and they liked this restaurant very much. I will definitely be coming back for more, but next time with a shot of espresso to spike the coffee :)
(4)Kara Z.
I went here for my first time the other day. I really like the people working here- warm, welcoming, and attentive. They refilled my water (which had cucumber and lemon in it and tasted great) a lot and I appreciated that. I ordered a scrambled egg and it seemed more like 2 or 3 eggs which was nice because it was delicious. It came with hashbrowns which were homemade and not my favorite- not very crispy at all but I'm sure other people love them. It came with bacon that was pretty good. It also came with pancakes and it had two blueberries and a slice of strawberry and it looked like a cute face which made me and my friend smile. They have a big menu and some creative menu items I've never heard of that I'd like to try sometime like mocha french toast and berry pancakes topped with granola- yum. My friend got an omelet and it was huge. The restaurant was comfortable with a lot of booths. Great location in downtown Downers Grove. My only complaint is that there were flies flying around and one kept landing on my friend's food- kind of gross. Otherwise, it's a good place with great service.
(4)N S.
This place is amazing for breakfast. Have eaten outside and inside and have had great experiences with the service but can only speak for the breakfast food which is amazing, my husband and I have never had anything we didn't like. Tons of choices and options such as cage free and organic eggs, substitutions with egg whites, freshly squeezed juices, and a variety of coffee drinks. The staff had always been extremely friendly, and this has become our new favorite place for breakfast.
(5)Michelle Marie R.
Just had lunch there this week. Cute decor reasonable prices and a killer menu. Try the turkey brie panini and apple chicken sausage. I would dine there again!
(3)Lorie O.
I was there during the lunch hour today (12/6/10), and it was only one quarter full, which should have been a tipoff. The Berry Berry Oatmeal had great berries, but the worst oatmeal I've ever eaten. The oats were no more than pulverized bits obviously made with water, lukewarm with no taste, no...actually a bad taste. For the same price, I could have had "to-die-for" oatmeal at Egg Harbor one block east, but I wanted to give the new place a try. In addition, my friend's scrambled egg was as flat as a pancake. Our waitress was nice, but it took forever to get our food (one scrambled egg and microwaved oatmeal should not have taken fifteen minutes when the place was 3/4 empty). The booth seat was as hard as a rock, and the lighting was annoying. Not a good experience for a new place, and certainly not worth the money. There is no way this place can compete with Egg Harbor. I predict Kristina's will be out of business within a year, unless some serious changes are made. Sorry, but I felt I should warn others.
(1)Mary Lou R.
Fresh food, huge selection, friendly owner and efficient staff. The neighborhood breakfast place... What more can you ask?
(4)Loreli P.
Great breakfast, lots of choices of healthy and "splurge" breakfast items.
(4)Mike N.
Closest thing to Connie's restaurant (berwyn) you'll find out here in downers. Aside from the rather creepy owner who is around 50% of the time, the staff is quite inviting. Not your usual toothless Greek restaurant servers. Food is consistent and not bad. The washrooms could've used an upgrade about twenty years ago, but the owner makes up for it by keeping the urinal filled with ice. That said I eat here couple times a month and I'm not disappointed, but maybe part of that is I know what to expect. I suppose what I'm saying is keep your expectations in check and Kristinas will probably exceed them.
(3)Rachel M.
We love Kristina's and eat there at least once or twice a month. Service is always friendly and fast and the food is delicious. There are great options both for breakfast and lunch. My favorite is Kristina's chicken salad or a breakfast scrambler with pancakes - can't go wrong with anything you order though!
(5)Chloe M.
This place is my go to brunch spot! Their gypsy skillet and their steal and eggs are my favorite. The portion size is big and the staff is always really friendly. I also like that they serve hash browns instead of breakfast potatoes called hashed browns. I definitely recommend.
(5)Steve S.
Really enjoyed the combo breakfast on a Sunday morning. Two eggs, two bacon strips, two sausage links and choice of pancakes/waffle, along with fresh OJ; all for 7.95. Tremendous value, high quality, attentive service. Only gripe was the dining room was on the noisy side with families and groups but not over the top. A great downtown alternative. The dining room is larger than you would think by looking at the front of the building.. Very attractive dining room.
(5)Cory F.
Just had a horrible experience here. They are under new management and did not have many of the options on their menu. The waitress tried giving us waters from another table, and they brought a cold "plate" of fries (barely any on it) and when she brought more to us, touched them as she was combining plates. The manager was less than interested in helping or resolving any issues.
(1)Kleid G.
Food is really good and reasonably priced. Staff is friendly and accommodating. Decor is outdated and bathrooms are really run down
(4)Michael M.
This has always been an enjoyable breakfast place. Food is good, wait staff friendly and attentive. The owner Lance is a really cool guy too.
(4)Misha I.
One word: cockroach. We saw a huge cockroach under the table as we were being seated and needless to say we left. Most alarming was the hostess' lack of surprise when we pointed it out to her and told her why we were leaving.
(1)Dan B.
In downtown Downers Grove sits a small little cafe called Kristina's. After looking over reviews of previously unvisited breakfast places I decided to make the trip there to give it a try. After walking in I was offered seating both inside and outside and decided to stick to the air conditioned indoors. After looking over my menu options, I settled on a meat lovers skillet and chose pancakes as the extra option. I then waited a little bit longer than most places for my food to be ready, but once it was out I was excited to dig in. The skillet here was excellent, the amount of meat in the meat lovers skillet was definitely satisfactory. The pieces of meat were both abundant and thick. There was also a good amount of cheese on this skillet. The eggs were soft and well prepared as well. The potato at the bottom of the skillet was a little on the bland side, this along with the slightly longer than normal wait are my only complaints about the skillet. So the positives were lots of thick cuts of meat, lots of cheese. The negatives were somewhat bland potato at the bottom. The pancakes here were also good, there were two berries for eyes and a strawberry for a mouth on the top pancakes. This extra charm puts a tingly feeling in the back of your head and makes you feel special as you think to yourself "Awww they made a face on the pancakes." The pancakes themselves were soft, the powdered sugar gave it a dash of extra flavor. These pancakes were good as well. Overall I was quite impressed by both the food and the service at Kristina's Cafe. Things like the face on my pancakes give it that extra bit of effort and caring that really shines through, they don't cut corners on meat or cheese which is somewhat common among breakfast places. I am going to give Kristina's Cafe four stars, a recommendation and I plan to visit again.
(4)Sam P.
Darn, I really thought we were going to have a great lunch here today! Having received 4 star ratings from two respected Yelp friends of mine, Kristina's made it onto my itinerary when I planned an outing in downtown Downers Grove. I arranged to meet a friend here for lunch. She and her kids arrived first and got a table in the back. "The back" is where you hope to be seated when dining with four kids under four. My son's kids meal looked really nice. Two mini burgers and a generous portion of very fresh fruit. I wish I'd snapped a pic, but apparently he was starving and inhaled the entire plate immediately. His buddy had a Micky pancake that he seemed to enjoy. I wish I could say my burger (cheddar jack) was impressive, but it was really just eatable. It actually had very little taste, which is odd for anything with cheese. I chose shoestring potatoes as my side because they sounded interesting, but they turned out to be just slivered chips that were difficult to eat without looking like a wild mongrel. Aside from the food, we found the service inattentive. I waited with an empty water glass for what seemed like a very long time, especially considering that there were only three or four other tables occupied on our visit. I almost think they were hoping we'd get the kids packed up and leave more quickly if we weren't well cared for. Even though this was a semi disappointing visit, I think I'd give Kristina's another chance...maybe I'll order something different in hopes that burgers just aren't their strong suit, and maybe service would be better on a different day. With such good reviews, our experience must be somewhat of an anomaly.
(2)Lupe D.
Cute place in downtown Downers Grove. The food is really good, very healthy portions and a great bang for your buck. The menu is very extensive, so it took us a bit to order. I got the Kristinas Skillet - with no jalapeños - added green peppers and had toast instead of the pancakes (included). the BF had one of the grove combos - eggs, meats, pancakes, coffee and juice. Everything was delicious. I guess if I had one minor criticism it's the salsa that came with my skillet. It was clearly from a jar - if they just made a simple pico de gallo, and had the option of a few tortillas instead of the pancakes/toast, this dish would be over the top delish. Out waitress, Danielle, was soooooo wonderful!!! Love her, she was patient with us, went over the menu, gave suggestions - she is a gem. We are already making plans to return. Yummy, budget friendly breakfast places are hard to find - this one is definitely a keeper!
(4)Alyssa D.
Let me just cut to the chase: this place sucks--don't waste your time. Giving a two star rating is even being generous for this place. Anyways, I decided to stop by today since we were in the area. Seeing as how we've never been here before and since you can never really go wrong with breakfast, we decided to give it a try. We walked in, and I noticed that it was very spacious in here, almost too spacious for a breakfast place. After we were seated, I also noticed that the noise level is absolutely silent in here. Not a good place to have a conversation--I felt the need to whisper. I mean I could almost hear the guy sitting next to us chewing his food. Okay, so let's get to the food portion, shall we? I opted for the Three Cheese Omelette, hash browns, and pancakes (it's a Friday during Lent). And this is where my meal absolutely took a turn for the worst. Instead of having mozzarella, jack, and some other cheese in the omelette, I received a half-melted slab of Velveeta in the center of some fluffy eggs. The menu said nothing about Velveeta, so at this point I was like "how the hell could you mix that up?" We decided not to complain to our waitress, because it would be futile since we knew we weren't coming here again. The pancakes were spongy and also had an elastic quality to them--which I hate. The two people I was with got a frittata, which was burnt and flavorless, and a smoked salmon omelette. The smoked salmon omelette was actually "okay", which was the ONLY redeeming quality of this place. Overall, the meal was just flat out horrible. I didn't think it was possible to mess up breakfast this badly, but I was yet again proven wrong. To whoever gave this place a good rating: I would love to know what you were smoking when you wrote your reviews. The hunt for a great breakfast still continues.
(2)Eileen K.
Always love to go to Kristina's Cafe! Portions are very generous and staff is very friendly and accommodating. Prices are very good too!
(5)Sam B.
Food is fresh, delicious, and perfectly flavored. Get the chicken noodle soup and reuben sandwich with a side of fresh fruit. You can't go wrong. I never realized how important maintaining the temperature of soup was until today. It was amazing.
(5)Chris G.
My omelette came out with a dead roach on top. Waitress handled as best she could, very apologetic. She handed the plate to the manager, he said nothing and just took the plate away. She came back to apologize again, he did not even come back. Needless to say we did not eat any of our food and left. Disgusting!!
(1)Julie S.
Our waitress was great! Coffee was intelligencia and brewed well. I had the Gypsy skillet w poached eggs and it was fantastic! My husband enjoyed a huge Bacon and American Omlet. Large portions, standard breakfast menu. Good pancakes too!
(5)K M.
Kristina's Cafe is a go-to for me when I have friends or family in town and we want to go out. It isn't super close for us, but it is worth the trek to get to. The waitresses are phenomenal, and know their food ingredients and preparations well, which is a huge benefit in my life as my roommate and I both have lots of allergies (gluten and soy highest ranking). They make notes and take great care in the preparations of our food, and we haven't EVER gotten sick. This is to say A LOT because it happens to us a lot more than it should when we go other places. Their food is phenomenal, and comes in large enough portions you could share, if you wanted to (you won't though, have your fork weapon ready). Personally, I could eat their French toast for the rest of my life and be completely ok with that, and their omelets could cure the worst of hangovers. I've slowly been making my way down their lunch menu, but I prefer their breakfast items. It's hard to make a bad cheeseburger, anyway.
(5)Jennifer Q.
Cute little place. Great food, great service. I visited here for the first time with my friend Taisha after her Zumba class in the nearby park. This whole area is so cute! We walked from the park. Special shout out to the awesome busboy who found a piece of my jewelry I had lost on the floor! He picked it up so when I came back, he had it! I was very grateful!
(4)Mystii G.
How disappointing. We hadn't been there since this cafe changed over from Dali's Cafe. The "updated interior" was basically just a redone ceiling. We had Eggs Benedict and it was sad. Over-cooked eggs, under-cooked sauce and the homemade hashbrowns were definitely undercooked. For $23+ I expected better. We won't bother coming back.
(2)Abhay S.
Solid experience. We've been here twice and we were seated quickly. The service was excellent and portions were HUGE. (I brought home leftovers, which I almost *never* do with breakfast!) We'll be returning soon!
(4)Ellen M.
Food was fine (I got some huge salad with grilled chicken, probably black beans and avacado), we sat outside on a beautiful day, the kids were happy and service was good. Best of all, our dog was allowed to hang with us, and they brought him a dish o' water. It's nice to have the silly greyhound nearby.
(4)Amy W.
Kristina's is pretty much an average diner with an extensive menu of eggs, pancakes, waffles, crepes, salads, and sandwiches. I enjoyed the booths and the large, open feeling of the interior. Service was decent -- we were seated after standing at the front for a few minutes, and the waitress promptly attended to my coffee, which I greatly appreciated. For brunch I ordered the Main Street Prosciutto Omelette, which was pretty loaded up with prosciutto (obviously), red peppers, mozzarella, and other standard omeltte ingredients like mushrooms and onions. The side of hash browns was pretty good; I liked how they were more like shaved potatoes rather than your typical stringy hash browns. Overall, pretty decent, and if I were in the area again I'd consider coming back -- but nothing terribly spectacular.
(3)Christina K.
Pros: Mocha French Toast is to die for Cons: Saw a cockroach in the bathroom before I left. :(
(4)Darcy R.
I have been going here about once or twice a week recently. The food can be very good and quite reasonable. Sometimes there is some variation depending on who's preparing the food, but for the most part it is consistently good. My only gripe is the service. A blond, middle-aged female server is top notch and a real dynamo at tending to all her customers in a timely manner. Other servers just don't compare and it seems to be related to whether the owner is there. The other day I asked a male server for a coffee refill and it never came. After 15 minutes or so, I walked over to the back and he was eating something and quickly retreated to the kitchen when he saw me. Of course, the owner had already left the restaurant. Standards diminish drastically when he is not there and with the blond server, it simply doesn't matter because she just does an excellent job. Today I went elsewhere (Egg Harbor, which is across the street and around the block) and both the food and service were excellent.
(2)Brian F.
Service was bizarre. We arrived on a busy Sunday and although the host didn't seem to keep a log of waiting guests, people did get seated pretty efficiently. The very young serving girl forgot our requests twice and ended up spilling water on me. I had the salmon Benedict dish: Bagel with salmon, hollondaise, and capers. It wasn't the best sauce I've ever had but it appears that they do make it from scratch. Fruit was very fresh and the orange juice The real problem here is the coffee. It was so weak and tasteless that I actually considered getting a shot of espresso to fortify my "cup of joe". Oh well...
(2)Nan D.
Very pet friendly, I had a delicious scramble breakfast. As a Scout lover, I was so happy at the sensitivity of the waitress. When she saw the dog,, she immediately brought him a bowl of water. The food was a value and everything was tasty and fresh . The waitress was very attentive . As I watched the world go by, I felt like I was back in Kolanaki Square in Athens!
(5)Kymberly J.
It's a diner trying to pass itself as a neato cafe. Not gunna happen. They don't have anything fancy on the menu; plain old diner fare. I did appreciate the insult soup and the half sandwich that unexpectedly came with fruit and coleslaw. fast service and cheerful service.
(3)A Z.
They put lemon an cucumber in their water - high five to that! But the water was just the first surprise. Next was the "fresh squeezed" orange juice which really did taste like it just got squashed straight from an orange. An finally, I was super excited to be delivered WARM maple syrup! The menu is gigantic and the choices are all so awesome that you will definitely have a hard time choosing. Pumpkin Cheesecake pancakes? Got it. 8 different types of fresh toast? Got 'em. A giant list of omelets, skillet meals and anything else that you can imagine? Check, check, check. All of our food was great and this place really pays attention to the little details in everything so I'm sure anything you order will be yummy. I don't say this often, but Kristina's is actually worth driving to if you're within an hours distance and want a great breakfast.
(4)Christopher K.
Kristina's is a pretty solid breakfast and bunch place (though in 4/12 they apparently added dinner hours). You do get a pretty full diner menu here, as others have pointed out, I think the place aspires to be more than it is (did I mention they are offering dinner now). Service is always good, and portion size is very large. We have had a variety of the breakfast and brunch-type items and nothing has managed to distinguish itself -- apart from the fact that is walkable from home. I will add in its favor that it does not have that dark, depressing feeling that a lot of the other Greek-style family diners on, say, Ogden have. And as a rejoinder to the pet-friendly outdoor seating mentioned in other reviews -- if you are seated outdoors, you might wind up sitting next to someone's pet. Personally, that is not my scene. Still, we'll be back in the future, it is what it is.
(3)Shannon C.
Best breakfast in town. Sit out on the sidewalk and people watch while ordering what I would consider gormet quality breakfast items. The decor inside (and the sign outside) is pretty tacky but don't let it scare you away. The food is great, the service is terrific (ask for Denise or Jaime) and the owner is a down to earth, good guy. Stop by Friday night during the car show and enjoy the grilled items served by the owner, out on the sidewalk and sometimes a 3 piece jazz ensemble playing tunes from the 80's that you will find you cannot help singing along.
(5)Paul W.
Huge menu, great food, quick service, fair prices and sidewalk seating to watch the classic cars drive by on Friday nights during the summer. Highly recommended.
(5)Dave M.
We eat breakfast here periodically and enjoy it. The food is not terribly creative, but it's well prepared and tasty. Service is always very friendly and helpful. The coffee is pretty decent although a bit on the weak side. Very kid and family friendly.
(4)Russell G.
Went for lunch this past Saturday .. The service was fine... The food was bland and didn't seem fresh, very disappointed ...There was also a disturbance in the restaurant, a man who I think was the owner was being very rude to a woman and her 2 small children . Seems like he was forcing them out , not sure what this woman could have done to deserve such rude treatment with what looked like a 1 and 3 year old. It was very uncomfortable and I felt like the woman was being bullied . This along with the mediocre tasting food is reason enough for me to never return here and I cant recommend it to anyone..
(1)Autumn H.
If you are looking for great dinner food, this is THE place to go. My burger was made/seasoned fantastically. Food was fresh. I loved the fries and the slaw. My husband said his soup was much better than other dinner soups and he could tell it was made fresh in store. I am very excited about all you can eat fish ans chips night (fridays after 3pm). Loving this place!
(4)E B.
I've tried Kristina's a couple of times because I work hard to support local business. However, each experience I've had has been worse than the last. Certainly, this last visit will be my final. I took my 6 y/o son for pancakes and after 5 minutes of waiting at an empty register, I found the Manager and asked to be seated. My son and I were given a table for two - lovely. There was silverware on his side, nothing on mine. Neither place had coffee cups. I'm not a "picky" person - I spend my money wisely, tip well, show respect to the restaurant (and workers) and expect a good job in return. After placing our order I noticed that the half wall we were sitting next to was covered in dust. Not just a spot here or there, literally a layer. I have kids and am not easily grossed out, but this was disgusting. After 20 minutes of no water, no waitress, etc. I went to the back, where our waitress was standing, and asked when our order was coming? "Well, you ordered when a lot of people came in so it will be out soon," was her reply. At 30 minutes of waiting for 1 Mickey Mouse pancake and 1 vege. skillet, I told my son we were leaving. He swore he could wait 10 more minutes... and we did. 40 minutes(!) after placing our order, it was delivered. Again, I had to ask for water and silverware. My son said his pancake was "OK," but a "really small Mickey face." My vege. skillet was 80% mushy hashbrowns, 10% undercooked egg (literally the white was not cooked), 10% vegetable. I will say that they did use fresh broccoli and that's nice. We didn't see the waitress again until she dropped the receipt at our table. Before leaving I noticed that two other tables had requested to see the Manager - one woman was served the wrong food and was treated rudely and as were were leaving another couple in the outside area were expressed displeasure at their whole experience. Sorry, Kristina, you've lost the business of myself and my family.
(1)Tom H.
My wife and I dined here on a whim and were not disappointed. We strolled in not long after noon and were seated immediately. I was pleased to see variety in the menu and variety in the side options. I can't wait to come back here to try their breakfast items. My wife had the chicken Philly and I had a chicken panini. We sampled each other's dishes and loved them. The panini was cooked perfectly and tasted great. Best of all, it was not greasy in the least. Some places may over-drench their bread in olive oil or slather far too much oily pesto sauce, but not here. Everything was portioned just perfectly, and the side of fruit was a great side option instead of the standard fries. My wife's sandwich was great to taste, too. It was basically a seasoned kabob on French bread, but it was done right. Moist, well-seasoned, and fresh (even the bread - you can tell it wasn't the flaky stale crap sitting around for days). And who can complain about the location? Right on main street, in the heart of the action. Everyone was friendly and polite. It's family and kid-friendly too!
(4)Loreli P.
Great breakfast, lots of choices of healthy and "splurge" breakfast items.
(4)Tiffany P.
This is a great place in downtown DG for brunch! Prices are reasonable, food is hot and fresh, and I can't complain about the service! The breakfast menu is huge; pancakes, eggs benedict, lunch sandwiches, French toast, lox, skillets... The menu is about 10 pages long! Everyone can find something they enjoy here. I am happy with the quality of our dishes that we received. The eggs were cooked just right, and everything was so hot and wonderful. Crispy bacon, crispy hot hash browns, and AWESOME giant Texas bread that caters to my carb addiction! Total bill for 2 people was around $40. We left with full bellies and plenty of caffeine in our system thanks to bottomless coffee they provide! It was both satisfying and refreshing to go to Kristina's for Sunday brunch. I recommend it!
(4)Rexcrisanto D.
The pumpkin cheesecake pancakes are unbelievably delicious. Service is very good and friendly. Bright colorful art and decor throughout brightens any cloudy morning. My only downfall was their coffee. It had a very weak and watered down taste (2/3 the strength of Mcdonalds and Dunkin Donuts coffee). If you're a Starbucks person, you'll be very disappointed with the coffee. I took my entire family and they liked this restaurant very much. I will definitely be coming back for more, but next time with a shot of espresso to spike the coffee :)
(4)Amanda M.
This is our GO TO family breakfast place. The food is great and the service is wonderful. The place is always clean. We go every few weeks and request our favorite waitress, Ciara. She is the sweetest! My husband and I usually get omelettes, the 2 kids split a kids' pancake meal and with coffee and juice, we average $30 or so. It's reasonably priced and the food is really good. I change my meal at times and I don't think there's ever been something I was uninterested in. Sometimes I order their specials which are delicious- their Cream of Chicken soup on Sundays is delicious! I guess I'd have to say sometimes the coffee tastes a little bitter, but they have the flavored creamers at every table so with a little bit of creamer, it tastes fine. They also have a stack of napkins on every table- VERY convenient for families with little kids!! The booths are comfortable. We use a highchair every time. I guess I'd prefer the highchairs were a little bit cleaner but I can just as easily wipe one down before putting my kiddo in it. We are always greeted with a smile when we walk in and the kids love to go and pay the bill because they each pick one of the complimentary suckers by the register. They have outdoor seating which we've yet to do. With a dog bakery a couple doors down, you will see TONS of people walking their dogs if you sit outside. We just like to see them from the window. Parking CAN be difficult if it's a beautiful day. We often times have to park on the side street instead of Main Street due to no parking available. The area is perfect. There many boutiques and shops all along the street. You could easily head here for a breakfast and make a morning of shopping afterwards. Nearby there is a bakery, dog bakery, ice cream/yogurt place, toy store across the street, kids consignment shop down the side street and book shop down the road. Super fun. We also tend to eat breakfast first and then head down Main Street afterwards for a super quick walk just to get to the train station and watch the trains for a bit. There is also a beautiful fountain by the train station which is super popular. Also, look out for the Farmers market that takes place in the Spring/Summer. Our routine becomes eating breakfast here and then heading to the train station for some fresh produce to bring home.
(5)Jennifer B.
Let me get this straight, you complained you didn't think there was enough fries on your plate and then when the waitress brought you more, you complained that her hand slipped while she was trying to give you more fries? Full disclosure, I'm a regular at Kristina's and for a reason. I love this place and definitely get the "Cheers" vibe when I walk in. I have not had a bad meal yet - and my friend and I have been going for a while - and the staff is warm, friendly, fun and completely accommodating. I was also there the same afternoon as poster Cory F. Yup, they were pretty much made infamous when my friend and I commented to the staff about the two teenagers standing in front of the restaurant - in full view of everyone in the place - making out, one with a sucker in their mouth. And yes, the mother was standing right there. I'd rather have my waitress touch my fries than watch that again.
(5)Alie B.
I never write reviews. I really tried to give this place the benefit of the doubt but we had a terrible experience. I ate here for lunch with some girlfriends. Our food took forever to come, it was practically cold when we got it, my sisters fruit had fruit flies, even the pancake was bad. So disappointing. Maybe it was an off day but it was so bad I don't think we'll ever go back.
(1)Chrissy W.
They've got rockstar quality ingredients. Unique and funky breakfast combinations are on the list. Decent serving staff, but most importantly, Kristina's knows how to poach an egg. The BF and I dined here a few weeks ago (this was not my first trip, and will not be my last) for a rather leisurely and enjoyable meal. One con of Kristina's--if you're hungry, you may want to ask for some crackers or something. I've yet to have a rapid turnover from seating to ordering to dining. The food was awesome. Special requests were accommodated, and they poached me the most beautiful egg in the world. The crepes were really tasty, and I couldn't help but eat all of them. YUM! The BF had a skillet, because that's what the BF enjoys, and it too was delightful. All in all a solid 4 stars to Kristina's.
(4)Karen G.
Went for lunch and had the grilled cheese. Nice lunch with lots of cheese and super yummy french fries. The service was quick and attentive. The soup while good, reminded me too much of Mrs Grass to be enjoyable.
(3)Robin L.
I was looking for a caterer who could bring food to a church following a funeral service. My Mother suggested I check with a local restaurant. I called Kristina's and asked if they could even do this especially with such short notice. I'm so glad I did! The owner, Lance was very helpful in assisting with food selections. And ways to keep costs down. He setup when and where I needed, and the best part, EVERYONE commented how good the food was.
(5)Elizabeth G.
I have been here a handful of times. I keep coming back for the chocolate chip belgian waffle. You can order it "igloo style" which is pretty awesome for breakfast. Request extra whipped cream though as they are a bit stingy with it. The service is a little bit slow so it is good for a meal where you want to talk to your companion. This is why it is a go-to place for mommy-daughter brunches.
(4)David B.
Always friendly service. Sometimes very busy and short staffed therefore services suffers. But overall food quality is good. Nice to have fresh fruit as a side option for kids and adults
(4)V R.
One of my favorite places for breakfast. Outdoor seating during the summer lets you people watch in downtown Downers Grove. The fresh squeezed orange juice is perfect. The servings are huge - husband and I usually share a dish with an extra side (pancakes are my addiction there and I HATE pancakes). The mushroom omlette is wonderful! The scramblers are great! The side of fresh fruit is amazing - I know that sounds weird but so many places give you yucky fruit!
(5)Jessie W.
I went there on Monday and had one of the best breakfast I have had in a long time. The service was amazing and the server was so sweet. I had the Salmon/cream cheese omelet with asparagus and hollandaise. It was so good and the omelet was huge. I would have given them 5 stars however I cannot understand why so few potatoes that didn't make sense to me and the bathroom was out of paper and just really dirty. I would still go back it is now my favorite place to go.
(4)Kara Z.
I went here for my first time the other day. I really like the people working here- warm, welcoming, and attentive. They refilled my water (which had cucumber and lemon in it and tasted great) a lot and I appreciated that. I ordered a scrambled egg and it seemed more like 2 or 3 eggs which was nice because it was delicious. It came with hashbrowns which were homemade and not my favorite- not very crispy at all but I'm sure other people love them. It came with bacon that was pretty good. It also came with pancakes and it had two blueberries and a slice of strawberry and it looked like a cute face which made me and my friend smile. They have a big menu and some creative menu items I've never heard of that I'd like to try sometime like mocha french toast and berry pancakes topped with granola- yum. My friend got an omelet and it was huge. The restaurant was comfortable with a lot of booths. Great location in downtown Downers Grove. My only complaint is that there were flies flying around and one kept landing on my friend's food- kind of gross. Otherwise, it's a good place with great service.
(4)N S.
This place is amazing for breakfast. Have eaten outside and inside and have had great experiences with the service but can only speak for the breakfast food which is amazing, my husband and I have never had anything we didn't like. Tons of choices and options such as cage free and organic eggs, substitutions with egg whites, freshly squeezed juices, and a variety of coffee drinks. The staff had always been extremely friendly, and this has become our new favorite place for breakfast.
(5)Lorie O.
I was there during the lunch hour today (12/6/10), and it was only one quarter full, which should have been a tipoff. The Berry Berry Oatmeal had great berries, but the worst oatmeal I've ever eaten. The oats were no more than pulverized bits obviously made with water, lukewarm with no taste, no...actually a bad taste. For the same price, I could have had "to-die-for" oatmeal at Egg Harbor one block east, but I wanted to give the new place a try. In addition, my friend's scrambled egg was as flat as a pancake. Our waitress was nice, but it took forever to get our food (one scrambled egg and microwaved oatmeal should not have taken fifteen minutes when the place was 3/4 empty). The booth seat was as hard as a rock, and the lighting was annoying. Not a good experience for a new place, and certainly not worth the money. There is no way this place can compete with Egg Harbor. I predict Kristina's will be out of business within a year, unless some serious changes are made. Sorry, but I felt I should warn others.
(1)Mary Lou R.
Fresh food, huge selection, friendly owner and efficient staff. The neighborhood breakfast place... What more can you ask?
(4)Gloria L.
Even though they don't take reservations, we called a head to let them know that we had a big party of 8 coming and they were very nice and able to accomodate us. There is a very nice charm about this place, they have their own special coffee mugs (which they also sell) that are very cute and unique. The menu is MASSIVE, they are so many different choices and options, me and my friends were surprised by the huge range of foods they had at the cafe. I think we all pretty much went with breakfast foods and it was all good, I don't remember hearing any complaints. We forgot to ask them to split the bill so when we got it, it was sort of hard to decipher and read but that was just a minor detail. Overall, it was a great place to meet with friends for brunch!
(5)Melissa K.
Nothing too special, but not bad. The price seemed a bit high for the amount of food you get. I ordered eggs benedict sans canadian bacon, which is my standard dish. The hollandaise had a great flavor, but the poached eggs seemed to be cooked a bit too much. The fruit dish was fresh and had a nice variety (melon, pineapple, blueberries, strawberries, and a cherry).
(3)Donna M.
Seriously addicting is all I can say. I'm one of the pickiest people when it comes to restaurants because if I can cook it at home I think I can probably do it better. Putting my snobbish ways aside...this place is GREAT! My mom and I went in for brunch two weeks ago and were extremely pleased with everything from the soup to her omelette to my turkey/brie panini. The bacon-cheddar-potato soup is to die for. They must be taking a loss on the turkey and brie panini because there is a ton of brie on it. The fries are fresh cut too! My mom's omelette was easily big enough for two and she said it was delicious. Great waitress, comfy seats, seated right away by the attentive owner. I went back with a friend last week and she ordered the skillet with asparagus and said it was delicious. Some of the food is classic Greek, i.e cream of chicken rice on Sunday but still solidly good. Highly recommended. I'm going back for sure!
(5)Dan R.
This is a serious upgrade from the previous establishments at this location. Clean, bright and well staffed. Pretty much a standard menu but they seem to sweat the details to plus everything up. This would be the top spot in Downers Grove for breakfast and a top 5 for lunch.
(4)Tony D.
I live in town and this is my go 2 breakfast place! Good prices and great food!
(5)Dan P.
I went to Kristina's Cafe this morning with my five year old son, and we had a really good time. We sat where we could people watch out the windows overlooking downtown Downers, a view that is hard to beat in the area. I had one of their skillets, it was really well done, with perfectly cooked steak and eggs, and generous portions. My son had pancakes, and the picky little guy at faster than usual. The real drawback, and hopefully this was a one off, was the service. It took over ten minutes to even get a cup of coffee which the host had to get for me while yelling across the room to get our waitress. The other waitress seemed to be on the ball though, so maybe this isn't indicative of what we should expect. I'll return, and will write again.
(3)Christina M.
Hit Kristina's at 10:30 a.m. today (Saturday) and was seated right away, got water and coffee right away, and our order was taken very quickly, even though they were busy. Huge menu to choose from - I got the biscuits/gravy, 2 eggs over medium (cooked perfectly), and hash browns that actually tasted like potatoes! DH got corned beef hash, eggs over medium (also perfectly cooked) and rye toast (thick cut). Sweet, fresh fruit was included - yummy. Terrific first experience - we'll be back soon!!
(5)Christina F.
Wanted to try something different in the neighborhood for breakfast so we hit up Kristina's. The service was great but the food was mediocre. We kind of felt like at the end of the meal we should have stayed home and made breakfast instead. My food was good, but what looked to be a delicious side of fruit was not ripe and I didn't eat 3/4 of it. Not a great place for vegans FYI as the people there don't know what that is. It was enough to get us full and have us leave b/c at the end of our meal, we wanted out with the screaming children running around everywhere. I'd consider going back for lunch but will skip the breakfast there.
(3)Samantha K.
The Village of Downers Grove may have Egg Harbor, but it was lacking a breakfast place with character. Kristina's Cafe has an ideal location on Main Street in Downtown Downers Grove and although the street parking may be limited there is a parking garage a block away to accommodate its customers. The restaurant is designed for high volume capacity, so even on the weekends when its the most busy there is never that long of a wait. The owner Lance, has made a menu that appeals to everyone so even the pickiest eater will find something they will enjoy. Personally, I am not much of a breakfast person, but I do recommend any of the ten styles of Eggs Benedict, yes I said ten styles. The lunch menu includes a variety of wraps, salads, burgers, paninis, and sandwiches. The Tuna Salad Italiano sandwich is phenomenal, it's served open faced on an English muffin. Kristina's serves two soups daily and a version of Chicken Noodle is always one of them. Soup is always included with your sandwich order as well as your choice of side. I work in the area, so I frequently order food to go and they always ensure that you have everything you could possibly need with your order. The website allows online ordering, but you can also call in. When I do dine in the servers are very attentive and take excellent care of you. If you live in the area or you're in town visiting, Kristina's should be your go to breakfast destination.
(4)Michelle Marie R.
Just had lunch there this week. Cute decor reasonable prices and a killer menu. Try the turkey brie panini and apple chicken sausage. I would dine there again!
(3)Matt B.
I never ate at Dali's Cafe, so I can only comment on what this place was like on my first visit. Overall, it was a nice experience. The inside is fun, with light colors and a generally open feeling to it. It was quite busy for a Sunday morning, like most breakfast places are, but we had no trouble getting a seat or the attention of our waitress, who was very friendly. I'm not a fan of restaurants that put a slice a lemon in your drinking water; however, I am a fan of cucumber in the water. As such, Kristina's Cafe put me in a difficult position when they put both in my water. We ordered the fresh fruit crepes, which were good, but were covered in powdered sugar, despite no mention of that on the menu. The powdered sugar reduced the healthiness of the item, which was under their "Healthy Living" section, or whatever it's called. But they were good, as were the potato pancakes, which tasted like they had included cream cheese and chives. The turkey sausage was fine, but nothing remarkable. Overall, the bill for two meals, one side, and an OJ came to about $25, a little higher than I expected, but not by much. If I am in the Downers Grove area again during breakfast time, I will not hesitate to return.
(4)Sarah L.
Our meal started out good with their coffee drinks. And well, that was about it. When I got my food there was a long dark hair in my fries (I'm blonde). The replacement fries were obviously the bottom of the barrel. The waitress had us and another table. She dropped the bill when only half of our meal was finish and without asking if we wanted more. Not impressed.
(2)Sara A.
My husband and I live in downtown Downers grove and just visited Katrina's for breakfast. I finished my delicious French toast and thought "what a pleasant lovely place" . My eggs and bacon were perfect and the French toasts were great. It's nothing out of the ordinary, no gluten free fancy shmancy city uppity thing. Just dang good breakfast with really nice service. Good Job Katrina's
(5)Gina N.
Delicious oreo pancakes! Great service. Amazing egg white omelets.
(5)Christine S.
I noticed this place the other week, so my roommate and I ventured here for lunch. We both ordered breakfast items, however, which they serve all day. The interior is nice, just a basic hometown diner - which I like. The service was good, everyone was very nice. They have a pretty extensive menu, so it took a long time for me to decide what I wanted. In the end, I ordered the biscuits and gravy. They are my staple breakfast diner food, so i like to try them out whenever I go to a new breakfast place. They were really good. The gravy wasn't too heavy, not too overly spiced and had just the right amout of sausage. Biscuits were light, fluffy and fresh. My roommate had a scrambler and hashbrowns. He said his food was great, too. He also ordered an orange juice that turned out to be 3.25 - little too spendy, in my opinion, especially for this place. All in all, a great little restaurant and I definitely will go back to try more. We ate for under $20, including that orange juice.
(4)William K.
They should have a picture of Kristina's next to "3 yelp-stars" in the dictionary. It's pretty much the cookie cutter Greek breakfast/lunch place. Average food. Average service, complete with the requisite scowling Greek owner/manager to greet/seat you. Average prices. Average average. 3 stars.
(3)Jeff O.
One of the best breakfasts in the burbs! A true family run restaurant where the customer service is amazing and food delicious.
(5)Irina H.
I took the kids here for breakfast, but we couldn't get out for less than $50 (including tip) for just the usual pancakes, etc. (to their credit, the portions are huge, if that's all you are looking for). When we first sat down, I noticed the "clean" coffee cups on the table were greasy. On the plus side, the menu is huge and the waiter checked up on us often.
(2)Jennifer P.
This is seriously my favorite place to eat in Downtown Downers Grove. The chicken noodle soup is to die for! Always homemade and always fresh! They also make a killer Chicken Dumpling Soup. Always service with a smile the owner is usually there and really nice. I haven't had anything on this menu that I don't like. 110x better than the previous Dali Cafe!
(5)Ray T.
I had some time to kill and I was hungry. I decided to try this restaurant on the spur of the moment. I will not be eating anything until dinner. The Meatlover's Skillet did quite a job on me --- filled my stomach to the esophageal sphincter. This menu item was one find in a huge breakfast menu. It is a wonderful skillet of eggs, hash browns, cheese, bacon, ham, sausage. I am not sure what else. Normally, I do not eat skillet breakfasts, but I did and do not regret it too much ( I really am stuffed). Service. Outstanding. Still, I expect that especially when there are only a few other customers. Cleanliness. Absolutely. I do like it when I see the wait staff checking on empty tables and getting the help to clean tables when they weren't cleaned properly in the first place. Sitting down at a table that is dirty/sticky is no fun. I doubt that could happen here because the staff really seems to care about cleanliness. The decor is pleasant and open. I sat in a booth for two. That is a problem for me since I fit very tightly in a "standard" booth. Fortunately, the tables move and I was alone. I think there are some tables with chairs, but I didn't ask since it didn't matter today. It may when I come back with my wife - a booth might be kind of tight for me. I will be giving this place another try, probably with my wife.
(4)