I was in Hyde Park at the University of Chicago for an event this evening and was looking for a place to eat...I really didn't feel like having Italian (i.e. Giordano's or Leona's both of which are... More

I was in Hyde Park at the University of Chicago for an event this evening and was looking for a place to eat...I really didn't feel like having Italian (i.e. Giordano's or Leona's both of which are in the area) and I was looking for a place close to the Border's in the area. Lo and behold I found Valois Cafeteria which looked cozy enough. I parked and went in and decided upon a Roast Beef special....for $5.75 I got a couple generous slices of roast beef along with mashed potato and a choice of vegetable (I had corn on the cob) along with 2 big pieces of cornbread....YUM!! it was very good and satisfied my appetite. With a cup of coffee it came to $7.20 but was well worth it....if ever in the area I am definitely going to go to this place again.
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When you walk into Valois Restaurant, usually there is a long line, no matter the time or day. The reason is because the eatery offers a varierty that will satisfy anyone. Breakfast, which can... More

When you walk into Valois Restaurant, usually there is a long line, no matter the time or day. The reason is because the eatery offers a varierty that will satisfy anyone. Breakfast, which can include pancakes, omelet or hashbrown, are available until the early afternoon and prepared as you wait. Dinner can somtimes consist of roast beef, chicken or fish dishes. The chicken oregano with mash potatoes or rice won me over. Veggies and bread also offered with each meal.
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For 80 years, Valois has been serving short order breakfast and cafeteria-style lunch and dinner with a few soul food standards thrown into the mix. The food is good, the price is amazing, and the... More

For 80 years, Valois has been serving short order breakfast and cafeteria-style lunch and dinner with a few soul food standards thrown into the mix. The food is good, the price is amazing, and the atmosphere... let's start a new paragraph to talk about the atmosphere. If a visitor to Chicago had to go to one place, Valois might be the place to go. It's been there for 80 years, and it's changed some, including a major remodeling and expansion a few years back, but it still takes me back to bygone eras. I think it's the old men in suits and hats sitting around, eating breakfast, talking, and reading the papers. I think it's a safe conjecture that some of these guys have been eating at Valois for 40 years. Of course, the place will also have it's share of families, cops, students, and whoever else is in the area. The accents heard behind the counter are from all over the world. This is, for the most part, a get-in-and-get-out type of place. There are regulars who linger, but I'm not one of them, and you probably aren't either. The tables are always mostly full, the line is always long, and yet somehow it only takes a couple minutes to get your food, and there's always a seat free. Make up your mind and grab a tray before you get to the counter, then watch as your tray gets slid down toward the register and loaded with good things to eat and drink.
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Located in Hyde Park, this diner has been around for a long time and is a Chicago institution. Everyone comes here neighborhood residents, students, professors, police officers, etc. They serve... More

Located in Hyde Park, this diner has been around for a long time and is a Chicago institution. Everyone comes here neighborhood residents, students, professors, police officers, etc. They serve good, hearty breakfasts at a reasonable price.
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