March 2011: I had a few hours to kill while waiting for my show to start at McCormick Place in Chicago, so I decided to see which Diners, Drive-ins and/or Dives were nearby. A 40-minute leisurely walk to the White Palace Grill seemed to be just the ticket to kill some time. Upon arriving, we were immediately greeted and seated. The menu for breakfast was very similar to that of a Waffle House type of place, with a few extras added. There were many Mexican inspired dishes on the menu, but we decided to keep it simple and order some basic breakfast food.
I ordered a chop steak with eggs, hash browns and toast, and Mel ordered some pancakes, eggs, and bacon. The food arrived quickly, and the presentation was nice. Everything was cooked just the way we ordered it, which was good, as eggs don’t always turn out good everywhere. The pancakes were light and fluffy, and had a really good flavor. The hash browns were sort of bland, thus needing help from our friends ketchup and Tabasco. The rest of the food was pretty average. The preparation was excellent all around, and the service was excellent. I guess I was just expecting a little more oomph in the flavor category. Don’t get confused here. It wasn’t bad or anything… it just wasn’t special, you know? Maybe breakfast was the wrong meal to eat here. (Either that, or we just ordered food that was TOO simple.) I’d try them again for dinner if I were in the area though, as there was definitely some good looking stuff on the menu.
Food: [usr 8]
Service: [usr 10]
Show: Diners, Drive-ins and Dives — Episode: Open 24/7 (210)
Restaurant Info: White Palace Grill — 1159 S. Canal St, Chicago, IL 60607 — (312) 939-7167