Valois Restaurant in Chicago

Great breakfast spot. Huge portions and their homemade buiscuit is out of this world! Loved the veggie omelette (#6 on Obama's favorites list -yes, Obama used to have breakfast here, how cool is that!).

Amazing rustic place. Ordered Mediterranean omlet from Obama's menu and that man has a taste. Just remember, they only accept cash.

Good dishes, fast service

The staff was all so very lovely. The guy behind the counter was able to get my overly shy daughter to talk to him which made her mow comfortable. The food was amazing!

Food was really good, everything was cooked perfect and quick. Need more space between tables though.

I didnt even get a chance to taste the food i ordered over the phone the lady didnt tell me how much my order was or that they only take cash which was a hassle since everything closed and i couldnt find any drive thru atm with chase so i said forget it and went somewhere else

Prices went up and food is not to tastey anymore...oh yeah they charge .25 cent for a to go container.

The breakfast taste just like home. Cash only establishment.

The number 3 is really good. I love they pancakes!

Great value, delicious steak. 10% discount for UChicago students made it even better

A little late on my review. Went on my birthday last month for the first time and it was a great experience. Food freshly cooked right in your face to mere perfection. Wide variety of breakfast/lunch entrees for you to choose from. Lines move pretty quickly not much of a wait at all.

Great value for the price you are paying. Best diner experience in Chicago. Blueberry pancakes and NY steak and eggs are must try. The blueberry sauce is light, fresh and not too sweet and it pairs perfectly with pancakes. 10% off for UChicago students. Must show ID

No frills cafeteria style diner. Standard American fare. Homemade biscuits. Line moves quick. Cash only!

It wasn't all that... I was kinda disappointed... Bacon cheeseburger, no fries... Bitter Kool-Aid... Hard strawberry cheesecake... idk if that was President Obama's favorite spot, I won't be going back no time soon

Great Breakfast a d lunch spot, for the value of the portions size, it's a great deal for the money with a large cafeteria style section.

Fantastic service and good food as well. I was not mistaken about choosing this place to study. Their ambiance was quiet and peaceful. I am heartily impressed by how they handled their many customers correctly with no hassles at all. The quality of service they provided was amazing as expected! BEST!

Great short order place that transports you a bit in time before chains were the goto places for breakfast. Gets crowded quickly.

Came back to my Hometown Chicago and this restaurant was on my list of must eats, before heading back to my new home Las Vegas. Food is just as good as it was before I left. Denver omelet was delicious, fresh ingredients, and the potatoes were tastey and plentiful.

It's a mixed crowd at Valois. In fact, the clientele is so socioeconomically diverse that a U of C sociology professor wrote a well-known book about it, titled Slim's Table.

Good breakfast food for a good price. They serve breakfast all day I believe. I got the pancakes with eggs and sausage. Cash only. Fast service. Cafeteria style kitchen. Most things are prepared beforehand. Big portions. Plenty of seating. Unfortunately my pancakes were a bit burnt. 10% off for uchicago students.

Nice little diner selling mostly breakfast food. Cash only, so be ready for that. Prices are very reasonable and you get a ton of food quickly. Even though it comes out of the kitchen fast, the food is also great, I would highly recommend going here. If you're a fan of NY Steak and eggs, theirs is great and cheap.

super inexpensive dinner - corned beef + cabbage, and beef short rib dinners. they were tender and full of flavour. we both had a side of spinach, but had the option to ordercorn or green beans. add two iced Teas to the tab - total came to 24$ including tax. outrageous.

Nice little place to grab a bite to eat. Grab a tray lunchroom style dining. The food was great and service was fast

I dont usually eat beef... but I had the short ribs and the food BLESSED ME! I'm from NYC the potatos and beef was unusually fresh to me. The meat was so tender. The rest if the vegetables seems formally frozen but cooked nicely in a chicken stock. The coffee was also very good. The staff was all racially integrated and so were the customers. everyone was together in harmony. mashed potatoes were also very good. breakfast and dinner served all day. good lemonade.

Very good food and you get to see it before you buy it (except for the eggs). They give you these huge chunks of bread for some reason, no one can eat that much bread. Cash only. Also Obama apparently has his favorites here but I thought Obama lives in DC now?

Fair price. Big dishes.

I love this place. The food is fast, good and cheap. I would go there more often if they accepted cards.

We ordered ahead and was able to pick up our food within the time they said it would be ready even though the restaurant was busy. The breakfast was nice too!

I love this place. They have the best french toast and sausage. President Obama has a meal named after him because he frequents this breakfast place. They serve dinner to and have large great biscuits. This place is cafeteria styled.

This place gets a lot of press because Obama loves it, but quite frankly, as a NYer, this is a poor imitation of a diner. The sad thing is, this is the best of the mediocre and not just in Hyde Park, but through all of Chicago and the surrounding burbs. I have had better diner food and would expect that, though seeing how Chicago has an inflated sense of self worth, I understand why this is held in such high esteem. Worth a visit, nothing to go out of your way about

Super good food!!!! One of Obama's favorite spots in Hyde Park!!!! You should come check it out.

I always have enjoyed the food I just didn't care too much for the chop steak

Great food...always seems to be just the right size portion. In my 20 plus years going here to eat, I have always been satisfied with my food and service.

Great food and friendly staff! One of my favorite places to eat. Not to mention the large portions for an affordable price.

Fast, good service. Steak and eggs were done to my liking. Decent food, good value.

This cafeteria efficiently turns out a wonderful breakfast. The folks behind the counter are friendly and helpful. Our Mediterranean Omelets were perfectly cooked - neither runny nor overdone. The combination of feta cheese, tomato and spinach (#5) was perfect. The hash browns and biscuit rounded out a perfect breakfast!

I love the atmosphere, it's like a small diner. Friendly staff and clean place. But the food is........ well let's say I will not go back for a third time. I've tried lunch and dinner on two seperate occasions and was severely disappointed. I left half of my food barely eaten. Didnt want to disrespect a homeless person with that mess. Sorry guys. Bland, cold, and no flavor. But the staff were Awesome!

Food is always good and priced reasonably. They have a little something for everyone on the menu but the go to meals are breakfast related. Service is nice as well. They are promoting social distancing but not enforcing masks which is required by the STATE law. Ppl still are entering the establishment and allowed to order when patrons should be wearing a mask. Today, I saw a patron that wasn't. Which is not fair to me and others that are following rules. Please push ur customers to wear the mask unless they are eating or leaving your establishment.

Found this by doing a quick search. It was close and walking distance from the Sophy hotel. More inclined after I saw it had Obama stamp of approval. True cafeteria style. Grab a tray if you are staying in to eat. Cash only. Yes, I had Kool-aid for breakfast - though they have juice, tea, coffee, etc. Mediterranean omelette with w side of bacon. It's busy and you see a array of people from all walks of life here.

Great food and reasonable prices! Cash only makes it inconvenient sometimes because I don't usually carry much cash on me. There's an ATM but who wants to pay service fee? I will always come back because of the yummy foods.

Excellent home cooked meal! The dessert looked delicious but didn't have room! Pictures of food is from Obama's favorites #4 & #5

The best of the best interior I've experienced with a cafeteria. Their desserts were perfectly awesome and admirable. A loyal customer here forever! I won't forget to recommend this cafeteria to my colleagues and relatives for sure. The most attractive place to visit. Trust me! You will never be disappointed for sure!

Very few diners stand the test of time, as a truly beloved part of an established community. You can feel the communal history, walking through the door. Locals love to talk about the big, fluffy omelets, and the homemade desserts, as examples of the type of food mama would put on your plate. It is clear that the staff is tight knit, just by walking through the cafeteria style line. The food is reasonably priced, and tasty. Enjoy this Hyde Park institution, and hang out with the locals.

Great food and friendly staff! One of my favorite places to eat. Not to mention the large portions for an affordable price.

I am, only personally, not too attracted to the rushed feel of the cafeteria line. I felt rushed in my food decision making, and being that it was my first time, I was confused, told to move all the way down, took steps back to get hashbrowns, just confusing. However, the food was EXCELLENT. Distinct, homemade taste.

This is a unique diner in all of Chicago. One of the few places where both the locals and UChicago students hang out. Weekend mornings are packed for brunch, while it's quieter in the evenings. Food is copious and delicious, but bring cash. Staff always friendly and welcoming no matter how busy.

Service was fast and delicious! If you're in the the Hyde Park area, stop by and enjoy this popular restaurant! This restaurant is cash only so be prepared.

Been going here with my family since I was a kid and I'm 45 yrs old now and the biscuits still taste exactly the same!!!! Everything does! One of my favorite restaurants in Chicago..

Great experience! It was my first time in this cafeteria, and the food and drinks that I ordered were very good. Also, the waiter that entertained me at that time was very friendly and professional. Even the ambiance, it was clean and comfortable. It was a great service, as well. Thank you so much. Till next time!

Loved the food but the place was cold