The Writing Room
“Our fried chicken entree and side of grilled asparagus eventually came out, and that fried chicken was delicious!”
“Awesome!!!!! ….you'll hear so much about Elaine's; and TWR is our Friday Night spot!”
“I came here with my family for Thursday night dinner, we sat in the library/room with a fireplace and bookshelves.”
The Writing Room
Takes Reservations: Yes
Delivery: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Accepts Apple Pay: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Outdoor Seating: Yes
Has TV: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Price range.
$$$ Price range $31-60
8 reviews
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Great spot for brunch in Yorkville.
I came here this past weekend with a group after seeing positive reviews on Yelp. Thanks for the advice, everyone! We thoroughly enjoyed our brunch.
It was Sunday afternoon so the restaurant was pretty crowded. We were told there would be a short wait to eat in the main dining area; however, we opted to sit in the bar section. We were happily surprised with the size and orientation of our table, as it was very large and faced the bar's televisions (note – clutch for catching a sporting event). Our waiter was beyond friendly and gave helpful tips regarding the menu.
I really liked the brunch menu. They have a prix fixe, which includes a cocktail and entrée for $20 – that is good deal in my opinion. I went with the fried chicken & waffle and a mimosa. The chicken was awesome! The waffles and mimosa were tasty as well. I also snagged a bite of my girlfriend's French toast, and it was delicious.
I will definitely come back here for another meal – check it out sometime!
I don't even know where to start but I guess I'll start with my favorite part of the experience… Which was our bartender/server Prem. She was attentive and polite, extremely sweet and accommodating not to mention very well versed in the menu and helpful with selections! My friend and I met up after a long day of work and as teachers a glass of wine was definitely needed I had the Federalists California Cabarnet Sauvignon and she had the Malbec from Argentina can't Remember the brand though. We instantly got the complimentary garlic buttered challah bread that Prem told us were made in house. They had a crispy crust and a soft moist center. We shared the garlic potato soup that was incredibly delightful due to the creme fraiche that was dolloped at the top with little pieces of bacon and made a perfect dip for the bread. We shared more bread that Prem nicely asked if we wanted more of (yes please!) and got our salmon tartare. I'm not a fan of raw salmon but definitely loved the plantain chips which was a good compliment to the dish to offset the fishy taste. Finally our crispy sweet potato which was charred to a delicious crisp and was paired with a spicy dip that made my mouth orgasm with each bite. The prosciutto and mozzarella charcuterie came with pickled peppers I thoroughly enjoyed. The calamari was crispy and I wish I could have stocked up on the jalapeño sauce! I couldn't get enough. Needless to say I was sad I didn't have any room for dessert. I longed for the apple pie with caramel sauce or the pumpkin pie bread pudding! The only thing I did not like was how the hostess treated us when we first came in, she made it seem as though she didn't want us there since we didn't have "reservations". I'm glad we got to sit at the bar and experience Prem's excellent customer service! Although pricey (17 for the charcuterie board and 12 for the soup seems steep to me?) it was totally worth it and a transcendent food experience!
I had brunch at The Writing Room a few days ago in their library. It's a warmly lit room tucked near the back of the restaurant and lined with countless (not literally) books and tomes. It somehow felt both spacious and cozy. The main room is a more open and traditional space, although it still retains the place's classic charm. The wait staff was refreshingly friendly and courteous. That's something that should be standard in restaurants like this but, sadly, isn't.
The brunch menu was your standard fare, eggs benedict, waffles, pancakes, with soups, salads and burgers from the lunch menu. The standout had to have been the fried chicken and waffles, although I unfortunately did not get to enjoy that day.
I had the buttermilk waffles with fresh strawberries and vanilla whipped cream, a side of breakfast sausages, and shared a little in the eggs benedict. Nothing disappointed. The big surprise was the eggs benedict which was served on what seemed to be a monster of an English muffin. I'm not sure I've ever seen it done that way, but it was good if a bit of a mouthful.
Although brunch was adequate, enjoyable at best, The Writing Room gave off a great first impression and I'd love to come back another time for dinner. Good food, a bottle of wine, and an atmosphere that makes me feel like a 60s movie star? Yes please!
Pretty large restaurant with really cute and hip decorations. They have light bulbs that hang from the ceiling!
Got there before they opened on Saturday morning and there were already people who were waiting for the doors to open.
I ordered the banana bread thinking it would be much much much larger but it's literally one bite. It was pretty tasty but expensive for such a small portion 🙁
The cured salmon eggs Benedict was good. I was bummed they didn't come with any sides as some other brunch places might have.
Solid mimosa brunch.
Came here for brunch and was impressed. Had a chocolate croissant and eggs benedict–both of which tasted delicious. The $30 prosecco deal is fairly reasonable–and it's nice that they give both OJ and peach puree.
Service was good and seating was spacious. I would definitely return for brunch.
The Writing Room is good. Service is hit or miss, either very attentive or totally absent minded. The food is solid and slightly elevated bar food and the prices are solid and slightly elevated bar prices.
I think I would go more often if there was more variety on their menu, but if I go once a week I am pretty bored of the place within a month. That's ok though, some time will pass and I will look forward to it again.
Pro Tip: They have a bread basket as a brunch entree (or at least did, not sure if they still do). You want one of these on your table aside from whatever you order.
Came here for a scholarship dinner. The decor in this place was great! My party rented the back library section. So beautiful.
We ordered an array of food and we ate family style. Salmon Tartar, grilled octopus, filet Mignon, fried chicken, grilled salmon, spaghetti, string beans, mashed potatoes, french fries, to name a few. Everything was great!
4 stars for the bar, 3 for the restaurant.
I hate to spill the beans on the place but the bar area is very cozy and is one of my new favorites in the neighborhood to grab a calm drink with friends. Nice tables, nice bar, good servers, well made drinks.
The restaurant portion I feel is aggressively over priced for what you get, with forgettable food.
Sit at the bar, bring a book, sip the rye drink, enjoy.