Cal-Harbor Restaurant & Lounge

In and out. Friendly and quick service as always. And never had a bad dish here. Short and simple, delicious breakfast/​lunch spot.

I live near the area and take the Metra train nearby but never really thought about trying this place until my Mom’s refrigerator stopped working and she needed breakfast. I was pleasantly surprised when I looked at the Unilocal reviews of this establishment and they were good ones. It’s what made me decide to try them for take out. Staff was friendly, and I was surprised how many people filled the restaurant on an early morning weekday. Our French Toast and bacon/​turkey link sausage was deliciousl! The only thing we didn’t care for which was a disappointment was the hash browns. Unilocalers said how good theirs was and that’s why I got them. I asked them to add minced onions in them. I think they kept them on the griddle too long because they were dark brown & didn’t look like the ones in the display picture, ha! Other than that, GREAT! I will definitely be back and hopefully I can sit inside and take advantage of be waited on.

Was in the area and stopped by. There aren’t many diners on the south side of Chicago, so I was eager to try this place. I had buttermilk pancakes, sausage links and hash browns. The side of hash brows was so big, I couldn’t finish it. It was literally a whole plate. My pancakes were good as well. I want to come back and try additional items on the menu. Also, for it being Sunday around 11am, it was not so crowded where I have to wait, which was fine with me since I was as hungry. You just gotta make sure you bring cash, since that’s all they accept.

Love this place. It’s one of those joints where everyone knows everyone. Staff is very friendly, food doesn’t take long even when they are busy. They have the best hash browns ever. Had a cheese omelette and grits last time (and of course the hash browns). Delicious! My coffee kept getting refilled sometimes before I was even done with it. For the omelette, hash browns, grits, coffee, and an English muffin, my total bill was $ 8. Not bad at all. I’ll come back here every chance I get and would recommend it to anyone looking for some good breakfast.

Pancakes are really good and the hash brown is my favorite. The lady stated that the prices went up which didn’t reflect the menu I was looking at. That definitely bothered me at first, that was until I ate my pancakes and hash brown.

This place is a gem! You have the full diner experience: a waitress who knows her customers, some folks who are obviously regulars, and great coffee which keeps on coming. I had a Greek omelet which was stuffed with spinach, sauteed onions and creamy feta. It was delicious, but I couldn’t stop eating the hash browns. They are finely shredded and have that buttery crispness which melts in your mouth. Delicious! My husband had a loaded skillet. which he finished (and then he helped eat my hash browns). Prices are low and attention from the wait staff is high. We will definitely go back!

This place is great for what it is. I come here for a good, hot, cheap breakfast. Pablo works his magic on the griddle, and Marge always remembers us. The turkey sausage links are delish, the thinly shredded hashbrown potatoes are unique and tasty, and Marge is the stereotypical diner waitress type (with an extra 30 years). She doesn’t crack her gum, though…

All in all, this is a very recommended breakfast spot. Frank thought his omelette was one of the best omelettes he ever had. He gave it a resounding 5 Brent faces and even went to take his leftovers – and mine – home with him for lunch the next day.
I thought this was a great place and it made me a little nostalgic for the now closed Ramova Grill. The coffee was perfect, the service was as it should be, my omelette (despite Sasquatch’s molestations) was damn tasty and any place that offers grits gets half a Brent face for that alone. I also like that I could have my breakfast and then proceed to the bar ten paces away. I gave it a 4.
Brent was a little less sanguine on the experience and awarded an average 2.5. «It was a good omelette but I didn’t like the hash brows,» he says.
Another dissenter was Sasquatch (also 2.5), who thought his omelette was a little too runny and possibly undercooked. He explained this in the car on the way home because he didn’t want to go on a Sasquatch-​like rant in the restaurant. Although he did admit the bacon was good.
Howard, who scouted this place, gave it a 4, and why not. To counter Brent’s take on the hash browns Howard said that he preferred Cal Harbor’s bronzed, shredded browns as opposed to the cubed variety. He found his Hodgepodge omelette most agreeable.
That gives Cal Harbor Restaurant & Lounge a very good rating of 3.5 Brent faces.

Thank you Unilocal for leading me to this gem of a diner! It’s in Pullman, not Riverdale as labeled here, but when I searched for a restaurant in the area it was the only thing close, so thought we’d check it out. My son had a court date on 111^th, and this diner is less than a mile away. He said he wanted to go for breakfast food at a «real restaurant with some atmosphere», not fast food or a chain. Well this place fit the bill, he said «I love this place!» 3 times before we even got our food, lol. It is definitely a greasy spoon with the décor and ambience you would expect. Service was great, kept my coffee cup filled, asked if we needed anything else even after giving us our check. Food was fabulous, cooked as requested. The hash browns were fantastic, grated finely, crispy on the outside, tender on the inside. Pancakes were so light and fluffy! If I’m ever in the area I will definitely go back. Highly recommended!

Awesome service and I would have to say the best hashbrowns!

As a dive diner, it rates 5 stars. Clean, old, nostalgic, friendly, cooked hot and fresh just for you. Very diverse clientele, and staff. Near Pullman Village, where I hear the owners live. May have been the largest serving of gyros I’ve ever had.

1^st visit down to Pullman (Metra Electric to 115^th) in years. The landmark of the yellow awnings have blown away for now. Waitress said they’ll be back. 115^th between Metra station (just west) & the McDonalds (just east). $ 9 total for coffee, phillie melt plate w/​fries, soup. Good diner food in a funky neighborhood.

Within the category of «dive diner» this place rates the full five stars.
The skillets are my favorite, except maybe for the great friendly staff who always recognize a repeat visitor. Service is efficient and they seem to never make a mistake.
You can sit on a rickety barstool and read the paper with your meal, or you can find a booth in the corner.
It’s cash-​only, but you won’t need much. As another reviewer said, it’s in Pullman, on 115^th — look for the yellow awning.
Only one more word: Grits.

Welcome to America. We’re experiencing a quality diner shortage, and places like Cal-​Harbor are the remedy. Cal Harbor’s attached to a cocktail lounge, which closes before midnight. This may not seem like much until you stop to consider the clientele such a combination is likely to attract: older regulars. Sort of refreshing at a time when the average hot spot’s shelf life is about 17 days.
You can’t do much wrong with a BLT or a grilled cheese sandwich ($ 3-​$ 4), though I wasn’t necessarily interested in giving the cream of broccoli soup a whirl. If, however, you’d like soup, french fries and a sandwich, you’ll be out no more than $ 8.
Standards of decorum are pretty loosely enforced. One man came in and ordered two roast beef sandwiches in separate bags to go. When asked if he wanted mayonnaise, he responded, «you ain’t gotta do anything but load’ em up. Load ‘em up!» He seemed pretty pleased with this formulation, and repeated the command no fewer than four times. In the booth next to ours, a man had fallen asleep at a 45 degree angle, though the staff appeared unconcerned.
Thank goodness for Cal-​Harbor. I once visited a diner and paid $ 8 for a bowl of yogurt and granola. Cal-​Harbor isn’t that kind of diner.

«What would you like, hon?» the pleasant waitress greeted me. I ordered the Cal-​Harbor skillet. Some time to kill, I marveled at all the fake wood– tables, diner bar, side wall paneling.
«Pablo, que pasa?»
«Pablo– what’s the steak come with, as a side?» (everybody seems to know Pablo, the cook, by name).
I noticed tremendous diversity, people of all shapes and sizes and ethnicities and ages. A senior couple leisurely sipped coffee and spoke softly at the table next to me, drowned out by a rowdy double-​date across the room.
«This is not a democracy,» a man sitting alone lectures his daughter over a cell phone. «You do what you’re told.»
I got my skillet after some time. It was exceptional– scrambled eggs, blackened potatoes and sausage, peppers and onions, everything well done and tasty.
«More coffee, hon?»

This little place on the south side of Chicago’s Pullman historic district is a find — an unpretentious neighborhood spot with waitresses who know the menu by heart and call you «Hon.» If you like comfort food they’ve got open face meat sandwiches with gravy, meatloaf, breaded cutlets, sandwiches, pasta, and enormous omelets served all day — and grits! It’s reasonably priced too — my omelet, hash browns and iced tea were $ 7.50.
I noticed liquor is served after 7 a.m. on weekdays so if you’re looking for an early start after a late night out, this will do.
Cal-​Harbor serves an interesting mix of white, brown and black customers. Take a walk to work off that enormous meal you just consumed and enjoy the terrific 19^th century Pullman row-​house architecture, tree-​lined streets and pretty front gardens to the north.

Cal Harbor’s isn’t actually on the Calumet Harbor, but it’s still got some praiseworthy industrial views. The four stars are principally for the omelet that I had, which was greasy, but/​and really delicious. The service is attentive, friendly, and coarse, which made for plenty of entertainment during my solo meal. And the 5:30AM opening time is great, since it means I can get my hot chocolate and griddle-​fare right before bedtime. The prices are low, but actually a step above what I expected for this far south – the omelet & bowl of grits was $ 6.50.
Lastly, Unilocal is calling it in Riverdale, but it’s really in Pullman – easy walking distance from the historic attractions, if you’re visiting.

when i used to live 2 blocks north of this place, i would wake up at 2 in the afternoon if i didn’t have to work that day and place my call for a greek skillet or an omelet with corned beef hash.
in 10 minutes i’d be walking back with a bag full of warm breakfast food goodness.
this place is one of the best breakfast spots i’ve ever eaten at and it looks like a hole in the wall. the prices are reasonable and it’s just like your typical diner (old men talking over coffee. waitresses screaming, the woman at the end of the counter, smoking over a cup of coffee, the little tv showing the news or whatever talk show was on at the time)
it’s a wonderful little spot.
i remember the day i sat and watched my friend eat like 13 pancakes in a row.
whenever i go to visit my family in that area, i stop by there and pick up a petes omelet. you can live off of that thing for a week i swear.

This place is a complete dive – but that’s why I like it. And it’s the only place to eat at (besides McDonald’s) located in Historic Pullman.
They have strange hours (breakfast and lunch only, no longer serving dinner, but the bar is open until 10pm or something).
The food is OK. Some things are really good, others just OK. Its greasy diner food. The people are entertaining to watch. Any given morning you can go here and find the same waitresses screaming orders at each other.
Now that the Pullman Pub has closed, they’re the only drinking game in town… they apparently serve «bar food» type things at night too.