Catalpa Kitchen

Small brunch menu, but it boasted the most common fixings. My attention is brought to the fact that my daughter and I are the only patrons, and it’s noon! It looks like they have beer on tap and a sweet little park area.
I ordered the steak and eggs. Toast was Perfect! The waiter also noticed that my daughter was a little sad with the offering, but quickly perked up when the waiter offered fruit! He later brought over an oranges arranged into a flower. My daughter was very impressed. The steak and eggs were delightful. It was a beautiful dish! More patrons came in and they ordered «what he has.»
This place is awesome and should be given a chance.

VERY SMALL PORTIONS.
Very limited menu offerings.
No way to add on meat to non meat options.
Tiny black bugs on table; blended in with the pepper in the pepper shaker.
Bland food.
Was sorely disappointed by the six pieces of chopped fruit that accompanied the Logan omelette.
Also the potatoes that were included in the dish were not cooked thoroughly so they were hard.
But the outdoor seating area is pretty, except for the view of the creepy bum home across the street.

DO NOT BOTHER! Absolute joke. Thought I would be a good dad and take my son for a Saturday morning breakfast. We arrived around 10:30AM with only four tables occupied. We ordered our food and waiter came back 5 minutes later saying the kitchen was having difficulties and he needed to confirm our order. At this point, no big deal. Mind you, our breakfast order was eggs, waffles, coffee and orange juice. 25 minutes later — no waffle, no eggs, no coffee no juice. Apparently the «not too busy» kitchen forgot. 20 minutes after the promised fix — no waffle, no eggs, no coffee, no juice, and NO EXPLANATION!!.
At that point we had had enough. We got up and left — nearly an hour after sitting down.
Place was not busy, but service and quality control were completely unacceptable. Waffles should not be that hard — nor that expensive.
Plenty of other quality establishments in the area more deserving of my money.

Went here for Sunday brunch, not crowded at all. We got served coffee right away and they were quick with refills on that, which was likely the best part of the meal.
We ordered 2 omelettes, shrimp and grits, and french toast. It took an hour fifteen (!!!) in a ½ full restaurant (no one in the patio) to get out food. And when we did get it: omelette was probably 2 eggs, no cheese, and 3 sad pieces of melon/​pineapple on the side. For over an hour wait, it was so little food that I had to stop for something on the way home. The menu claimed it was served with ricotta and home fries; neither were present. It was a laughably embarrassing thing for a professional chef to serve.
Also: the service. We had to ask the waiter why our food hadn’t come out after an hour of waiting, the explanation was that the food was made «fresh». Okay, lots of places in Logan make fresh food to order. They also get the food to your plate in less than an hour fifteen. It literally took 10 minutes to eat because the portions were so small.
Then the bill: $ 12 for that depressing omelette. We complained about the wait and got 15% off because that was «all he computer could allow». Then, when we got the bill, the discount was only taken off of one check. Another 10 minutes of staring at the screen, and the «manager» blamed it on the «system». They gave us cash back (!) to make up for the difference in discount.
We would have been better off making brunch at home; save your money for all he better spots in Logan.

Seriously? I came with a table of 4 for brunch. We waited breify for a table and ordered food. Then waited 45 minutes… asked when our food would be out. Our server told us it usually takes 15 minutes. Ok? At this point it is not crowded at all. We were one of maybe 5 tables. Ten minutes later our food arrives. I literally could not believe the small plate and tiny «omlet» with a few pieces of fruit that took an entire hour to make. For $ 12?! I would be embarrassed to set that plate in front of someone. It was horrible. No there also no cheese, which was clearly described in the menu. The manager made some excuses and gave us 15% off the tab, which he has to refund us in cash because our cards were overcharged without any explanation. Unbelievably awful.

Don’t bother.
I came here with my girlfriend last Saturday evening. It took 20 minutes from the time we sat down to get anything to drink, including a glass of wine and my cocktail, «The Iliad» which in this case could be summed up as 6 ounces of lemonade and a splash of gin, (it was $ 10.) Our waitress rolled her eyes when we asked for waters, which was actually the most personality she displayed during our time there. Every word she said sounded like a tired reading of a script. We placed our order, but were later told the kitchen was out of one of the key ingredients for our entrée, so we had to choose another. This in and of itself isn’t a huge deal, but the replacement Caesar salad was gross, bitter, and altogether inedible. I’d describe the calamari appetizer ($ 14) as 90% deep-​fried flour, and 10% calamari, served with a little cup of mayo. I asked for my burger to be cooked medium, but it was well-​done by anyone’s standards. Didn’t finish that either. Slightly disconcerting side note: there was a random piece of cauliflower on my burger. Not sure what to do in that situation.
At one point I thought their pretty respectable draft beer list would be the lone redeeming quality of this restaurant. Despite my efforts to flag down our waitress, who seemed extremely pre-​occupied, casually chatting with the bar staff, I finally got the attention of a different waitress, who brought me the long-​awaited beer. The place wasn’t that busy. I think we were 1 out of maybe 5 tables. Pro-​tip: if you make the mistake of coming here, ask for the size of the glass their draft beers come in, because it’s not listed on the menu, and might take ya by surprise.
Step up your game, Catalpa. The place looks nice and I want to support a local business, but the overpriced food and apathetic service need to be improved.

I was a little skeptical to check this place out given the mixed reviews but I went for the plunge and glad I did. Being vegan, there’s only one thing on the menu I can eat and that’s the vegan veggie burger w/​fries. What a pleasant surprise! Had good attentive service and cute ambiance. Wish there were a few more options that are vegan friendly on the menu (at least vegetarian friendly) especially given the neighborhood.
My only complaint was the bathroom situation. Even though you click the button to lock the door from the inside it doesn’t lock! I accidentally walked in on somebody in one bathroom them someone walked in on me in another one. Woops!
I live right down the street so I’ll definitely be back when I have a burger craving!

My boyfriend and I went to Catalpa Kitchen for brunch on a weekend. We’ve been wanting to try it for a while, since it’s right down the street and the menu looked good, but our experience was kind of «meh». First off, the service wasn’t very good. We waited a long time in the doorway for the staff to even acknowledge us, and we only saw our server three times after we were seated – once to take our drink order, once to take our food order, and once with the check, after we flagged him down! He didn’t check in with us once during our meal. To be fair, they were pretty busy, but we’ve been to busier places with better service.
The food tasted okay. A major issue was that the menus don’t accurately describe what you’re getting. I ordered the double cheeseburger and my boyfriend ordered the brunch burger (a play on biscuits and gravy), and neither of our orders matched the menu description. Mine, for instance, said it came with fries but it actually came with (cold) hashbrowns; his was supposed to be a single patty on a biscuit, but it actually came out as (kind of dry) sliders. Also: if you want milk in your coffee, they bring you those single-​serve half-​and-​half containers that don’t need refrigeration instead of real milk. Which is so strange for a restaurant that seems like it’s trying to serve upscale food. Maybe it’s nitpicky, but there are too many restaurants in this neighborhood with better service and better food for me to want to come back.

I really want to like Catalpa — it’s so cute inside and Logan Square NEEDS more solid brunch places that don’t require a 2 hour wait on the weekends. But Catalpa falls so short.
We arrived and stood in the door for nearly 10 minutes before anyone addressed us — this would be understandable if they were packed full, but we were the only ones waiting and while the patio was full, there were many open tables inside.
Then there’s the biggest issue: the wait for food. From the time we ordered to the time our food was delivered, we waited 35 minutes. To make matters worse, our food was all cold. Our veggie burger was cold, our eggs were cold, cold fries & potatoes, cold asparagus. The veggie burger was very good, but it was very small, and the steak (cooked rare — no 35 minute wait was needed) & eggs was really bland. The waiter did apologize and gave us 15% off our meal — that was kind and appreciated, but it didn’t change the fact that we spent a good amount of money on pretty boring food that was cold and late. This could all be attributed to a fluke if we hadn’t had similar experiences in the past.
To top it off, we overheard the host (/​waiter? they seem to be one in the same here, and all constantly stressed out) tell people the wait to sit indoors would be 30 minutes. This, with empty tables all over the restaurant. …not a good look.
On a positive note, their french fries are really good. They’d probably be even better served warm.

This place is super cute inside, the décor, lighting, and atmosphere is comfortable. I selected Catalpa Kitchen as a new spot to check out with friends. We went on a Friday night at 8pm. They were not busy but for a place on the boulevard that closes at 10pm I suppose they wouldn’t be. Which isn’t completely surprising considering the staff was just meh in hospitality. They weren’t bad by any means, I just did not feel the warm inviting, «come hang out with us environment.» But maybe that isn’t the vibe they are going for anyways.
I came with a party of 4. We ordered the salumi plate. It was very tasty and came quick enough. I ordered the starter of mussels/​shrimp as my entrée. The others got the fried chicken special, the pork chop special, and the shrimp po-​boy. Everything was well prepared and delicious. They served 3 of the dishes at the same time and we waited ¹⁰⁄₁₅ minutes for our 4^th dish to arrive which was sort of a bummer. That was a major let down for us as I don’t believe in eating until everyone has their food. So perhaps they need to work more on timing or something to assure that doesn’t happen.
All around our food was good. The fried chicken needed some serious seasoning but was well prepared otherwise. The food quality was high. The prices were typical but maybe a bit steep for the experience. I would give this place another try because I did enjoy the food. There are some things they need to work on I think to shine in a neighborhood full of great food and fantastic service!

Awesome food. Second time here since the opening, had the double cheeseburger this time round, it was amazing, especially with the mustard seed. However, the fries were a little cold and salty.
As always, I enjoy the atmosphere here, will definitely come back again.

Great atmosphere which I picture will be even better when the weather is warmer and the front patio is open. Because it’s a tiny bit removed from the Logan Square main Milwaukee drag, it seems easier to get a table during prime hours.
I like the selection of menu items — comfort food done a little high end. The bloody mary comes in a cool skull glass which was fun.
It took a remarkably long time for our food to come out which wasn’t really a concern for us since we easily passed the time talking. I could however, see how it could be an issue for a family with young children, a group with a time crunch, etc.
I’ll definitely be adding this spot to my rotation.

We were really hesitant to go to Catalpa because of the mixed reviews it has received both on Unilocal and in neighborhood chatter, but we’ve been pleasantly surprised both visits. The décor is welcoming and a great fit for the neighborhood, the staff warm and friendly, and the menu well thought-​out. The coffee is delicious and they serve brunch drinks, to boot!
I highly recommend the vegetarian scramble – it’s phenomenal. We’ve also gotten the scrambled eggs (very good) and the chilaquiles, which are among some of the best in the city, IMO. Don’t get me started on the pancakes. Good lord. Just know that once you know, you can’t unknow. You’ve been warned.

Man, Chicago really has some great places to eat. This is certainly one of them!
Catalpa was conveniently close to our air bnb so we came in here one afternoon to recharge a cell phone and have a couple drinks to warm us up. The servers are very friendly and attentive. The beer and wine selection is great if you just want a drink. We got a good look at the menu and decided to come back to next morning for brunch.
WOW the brunch! My partner got the bread pudding french toast. Holy good gosh. It was like dessert and absolutely delicious. So dense and rich and moist. the perfect combo for bread pudding.
I got the special frittata that was outstanding! It came with a nice side salad and also ordered a side of the biscuit with jam. YUMMY, can I get this recipe? One of the best biscuits I’ve ever had. And the jam was amazing, can I just have a jar of this??? Bloody Mary’s were hefty and very good too. We got mescal in ours which was a nice take on the BM.
Décor and vibe inside is gorgeous, very nice bathroom, and the open kitchen layout is beautiful. It’s nice to see who is making your food. Bravo Catalpa!

What an absolutely adorable little place. I was driving by and stopped to check it out since it was newish. We walked in to the wonderful smell of their food. The hostess (or manager?) was very nice and seated us promptly. Our server was also extremely good and along the way we were waited on by 4 people. Being from the south, I know proper from scratch buttermilk biscuits and sausage gravy when I see or smell it. A fresh tray of buttermilk biscuits was pulled out as we sat down which was totally on the up and up. My wife got the GIANT biscuits and gravy and I opted for the chilaquiles. Not realizing how big the order of B&G was, she mistakenly got a side of sausage links as well. By the time we finished, she’d barely made a dent in the biscuits and I snagged a single sausage link.
In addition to the excellent food and superb service, this establishment gets a 5 star from me for the ambiance. It is a very Logan Square retro modern hipster vibe and gives it a unique feeling. From the bar stools that have old metal tractor seats welded on top to the unusual but still quite pretty artwork. Or the random wall of birch tree trunks. The kitchen is in plain view and we watched the cooks do their magic with good old fashioned cast iron skillets and butter… Just like mom used to do it. Whoever setup the interior of this place really knew what they were doing. Oh and best of all, they have draft beer and whatnot should you opt for a boozy brunch.
Yup, I’ll be back here to try the rest of their menu.

Cute spot. Pretty loud in there when it’s a full house.
Went there this morning for breakfast and there was no wait. I had the vegetarian hash which was just alright, not a ton of flavor given all the delicious foods in it.
The bread pudding French toast was AMAZING. I could eat it every day. Very sweet. I could bathe in the raspberry sauce they put on it.
I would go back again but not get the hash. Want to try the burger.

I tried Catalpa Kitchen for the first time today with 9 friends.
Bar Service: Leah is a chemist! I watched as she crafted beautiful cocktails. They have a great liquor selection.
Server: Kevin was wonderful! He handled our large, boisterous group with ease. He is very warm & friendly. We finished our meal feeling as if we made a new friend.
Food: Bread Pudding French Toast, Flapjacks with Bourbon Cherries, Chorizo Omelet… Everything that I tasted was phenomenal! The eggs are scrambled with yogurt which made them lick your plate delicious. I love the brunch menu and I’m looking forward to returning for dinner.

It’s a diner theme, but it’s hardly better quality or finesse than a local diner. The space looks promising, and the location on Logan blvd is awesome, but the restaurant misses the mark completely. Old fashioned cocktail can’t compare to any other places in the neighborhood, it was a bitters bomb. The food also was nothing special for flavor, seasoning, or finish. Felt totally underwhelmed waking out.
We ordered:
–old fashioned cocktail — D, unbalanced, odd
–Lyonnaise — ran out, let us know after ordering
–burger #1 = B-​, decent, plain
–fries = B+, crispy, fresh
–Halibut = C, good temp/​sear but no season, while dish did not fit with fish

So here it is, Catalpa Kitchen. Half indoor, half outdoor and full of style, charm and all that shit you like to pour in your fat mouth when the weathers dope and the bills are paid. Anyway, I had an omelette and it was dope. Serving sizes do a good job of feeding you, without turning you into a pile of gelatinous dog shit like many Chicago brunch spots tend to do. Oh, and they got all that craft alcohol white people fucking love. Next time, I’m getting a burger and I’m expecting it to be great. Oh, watch out for the $ 4 ice tea. Shit is expensive, it’s a tea bag my dudes, chill on the price tag. But hey, it’s day 4 since the opening, I forgive you. Welcome to the neighborhood and high five for doing it right.

Gave it a try– so totally disorganized. Staff was friendly but confused, we were seated right away, a bit busy on the outdoor patio on a perfect summer night. One waiter stopped by took a drink order, I had a very tasty wheat beer that was on tap. The beer was not filled to the top of the glass– and I noticed that other beers served at other tables came the same way– Please fill your drinks to the brim.
My wife ordered a Burratta salad– it’s on the menu– but our waiter had no idea what is was– he did go back to the kitchen to find out– and answered the question, my wife ordered it. Very tiny for 10 bucks.
I had their #1 Cheeseburger which was very tasty and would order it again. The burger came with french fries that were not much better than McDonald’s. They even looked like McDonald’s fries. Were these frozen prior? We had, no silverware or napkins as our food arrived– the server did notice that, and said he would get us some, which took another couple of minutes. Meanwhile, other tables had left, their dirty dishes remained. There seemed to be a large staff working. Such chaos throughout the whole place.
No salt shakers– they serve sea salt in a little dish– The ketchup bottles– all of them on the tables had barely any ketchup in them– I had to ask the server for a bottle that had some ketchup in it. He found a bottle, but it took him another couple of minutes.
Our server never offered us any dessert, but did bring the check before we were done eating and said their was no rush… ahhh ok. Seems like the wait staff here, is new to the concept of waiting on tables– When we asked for more water, it came after a few minutes– but the waiter poured water on my wife’s foot. He had no idea what he did. She was wearing sandals, it didn’t really matter, but come on!
Catalpa Kitchen is a great space– and has so much potential– I will be back after they work out the first week kinks. At least the food is decent which will save them.