Wishbone

161 N Jefferson St, Chicago
(312) 850-2663

Recent Reviews

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Kelly McNew

“What do you recommend about Wishbone Restaurant?” Absolutely everything. My first visit (from Baltimore) in 2022 was perfect. Everything from the food to the service to the drinks. My second visit in 2025 managed to top the previous trip. Such a fantastic experience and great conversation. The *N.C. Style crab cake* was impressive ~ this coming from a Marylander 🤓 Keep up the great food & atmosphere!

Kim Ramsey

We enjoyed our meal here. The food was pretty good. They fried my catfish hard just the way I like it!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Fried Catfish

M D

When I tell you this is the place for THE BEST shrimp and grits, my goodness! I can't say it enough! Very busy on the weekends but always grear food and great service. The mimosa was a little different. Never had a flat mimosa before. But again, the food is so good, who cares about a mimosa!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Cajun Shrimp & Grits, Fried Catfish, Corn Muffin

Botanical Gardens

Food was great but the server, Joselin, was outstanding. Suggested excellant recommendations,, fast and attentive seivice.

Parking: Chicago street parking and close lots

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 4

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Crunchy French Toast, Lemonade

Carlos Hopkins

Fantastic Breakfast Spot with Amazing Service!

I had the pleasure of dining at Wishbone in Chicago, and it was an incredible experience from start to finish. The breakfast menu is fantastic, offering a variety of delicious options. I went with the shrimp and grits, which were absolutely mouthwatering—definitely a must-try!

What made the visit even better was our server, Jocelyn. She was so welcoming, gracious, and truly the epitome of excellent customer service. Her attentiveness and warmth added so much to the overall experience, making us feel right at home.

The atmosphere at Wishbone is cozy and inviting, perfect for a casual yet enjoyable meal. Once you try it, you’ll want to come back for more. Highly recommend this spot!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Cajun Shrimp & Grits

A ChitownJ

Had brunch at this location and was pleased with most of the items I ordered. I ordered fried catfish with macaroni and cheese and sautéed spinach. Pros: catfish was well seasoned and very flavorful. The macaroni and cheese was really good. The corn muffin also had a nice flavor but a little on the sweet side. I had a hurricane mimosa which I highly recommend. Cons: my sautéed tasted and smelled as if it was sautéed in some type of lard or bacon grease. Since I don’t was pork that was a real turn off for me. I couldn’t eat it. Other than that I would highly recommend. My friend ordered shrimp and grits and throughly enjoyed it as well. Solid 4.5/5.

Parking: Parking depends on the day of the week. I went on a Sunday afternoon and there was plenty of parking.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 4

Service: 4

Recommended dishes: Cajun Shrimp & Grits, Fried Catfish, Corn Muffin

Jordyn Kincy

The service is piss poor! The option to sit down doesn’t exist after you pay for “take out” is ridiculous! It doesn’t give good customer service or an inviting environment. Was here to celebrate my mother’s birthday and the manager left a bad taste in our mouths about this establishment! Won’t be back and wouldn’t recommend. Good customer service goes a long way.

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 2

Service: 1

Rebecca Wilt

We haven't been back to Wishbone since we lived here 22 years ago. We HAD to come back and while it was at a different location, the food was just as amazing as we remembered! I had the Cajun shrimp and grits (absolutely delicious) and my husband had the Cajun omelet (he was very impressed).

Danielle was our waitress and she was very attentive and kind. We hope to make trips back to Chicago more often and will keep Wishbone on the agenda!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Cajun Shrimp & Grits

Yoim63

This was my 1st time visiting wishbone since they moved. Here is my honest opinion and I am very critical when it comes to restaurants.

Pros:
1. Granted it wasn't busy I was seated promptly upon entering. This stood out to me because usually the hostess acts like they have to complete a calculus exam before they decide where to sit you.
2. The server Roberto provided very good service. He was patient and knowledgeable about the menu.
3. The wait time on the food was average.
4. The temperature of the food was impressive. All of the items were the same temperature and held the temp during the meal.
5. The ingredients of the meal I ordered tasted fresh.
6. I saw a server pick something up off the floor that was very small and she could have left it there and it would have not been a big deal. Things like that let me know she wants to be there.

Cons:
1. They don't have chicken/turkey patties. This is worth noting because while they offer non pork items sometimes the casing in the items that are links contain beef or pork.
2. The bathroom did not have any paper towels in the dispenser and there was no way to open the door without touching it with your hand. Also the lighting was dim. I mentioned the lighting because I think it is important for the people who are responsible for cleaning the bathroom to be able to see/identify problem areas. I honestly don't remember the condition of the bathroom so it must have been satisfactory.
3. It is typical street parking approximately 5 dollars per hour
4. The aesthetics of the place seem a little out of touch with the quality/type of food served.
5. The layout of the place is not the most efficient use space.
6. They have a revolving door which I am assuming helps with the heating and cooling.

Now on to the meal. I ordered the salmon patties and had the greens and eggs as my sides.
1. Salmon patties: Were cooked to perfection. Nicely seared on the edges but still flaky and moist inside. They were with flavor but the seasoning did not over power the dish. The flavors blended well together. Me personally I would have liked to taste more seasoning but just being honest they were prepared properly with the right balance.
2. The eggs were light and fluffy. Judging by the texture and color I have to assume either they use high quality eggs, cook them at a lower temperature than most places, or cook them in a lighter oil than most places. Also the eggs were not overcooked. Many places fail when cooking eggs. Wishbone has it figured out.
3. The greens were cooked with turkey wings. They were slightly above average in my opinion. They were cooked properly but they were not as flavorful as I would have liked. They seem to be missing something. It could be they don't use smoked turkey meat. In all honesty they were good but not great but I would get them again.
4. The cornbread was a winner. Not sure of what they are doing but they are doing it right. When I mixed the cornbread with the greens it took the greens to the next level.

So overall I enjoyed my meal. When it first arrived at the table I initially thought the portion sizes were small. After finishing the meal I realized they were the correct size. I felt satisfied but not stuff and the food did not feel heavy on my stomach.

On a scale of 10 based on this meal I have to give them a 9.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 4

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Corn Muffin, Salmon Cakes

Shavon Perkins

A Taste of the South in Chicago
Wishbone in Chicago delivered a truly delightful Southern brunch experience! The Cajun shrimp and grits were creamy and flavorful, with a perfect kick of spice. The salmon cakes were flaky and perfectly cooked, and the pancakes were fluffy and light. The fresh fruit was a refreshing addition, and the mimosas were bubbly and delicious.
But what truly made the experience unforgettable was our host, Deidre. Her warm and friendly demeanor made us feel right at home. She was attentive, knowledgeable, and provided excellent service.
If you're looking for a delicious and inviting brunch spot in Chicago, Wishbone is a must-visit!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Cajun Shrimp & Grits

Greg B

The food was decent but needed more seasoning. I would try place again and will try something different.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 4

Service: 5

Laura A

Great atmosphere, great food and great service. I ordered the blacken catfish, greens (and no they were not salty) cornbread and red beans and rice. My partner ordered shrimps and grits. Everything was delicious, I will definitely return. Parking was readily assessable on the street.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Anica F

My review is for my overall experience at Wishbone. I've been here more times than I can count even when they were at the original location. All the servers are usually very nice and greet you all the time. The food I usually order is always flavorful!! From the fried chicken, fried catfish, brisket hash, andouille sausage bowl, and the Louisiana bowl. You just can't go wrong if you order these items. Just a few of my favs!!!! I just so happen to order a salmon patty today, which I never have, and I wasn't impressed. It lacked seasoning, which I was surprised. Don't need to get those anymore. Overall a must go.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Cajun Shrimp & Grits, Red Beans, Smoked Brisket Hash, Chicken & Waffles, Fried Catfish

tracey Williams

The restaurant have great service but these shrimps wasn’t deveined and that’s not good my meal was ruined because of these non deveined shrimp

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 2

Service: 4

CO JR

Terrible service today on 8/31. Waited for while to even have a waitress acknowledge us. After taking our order, our food never came after 30 mins - so we left. Actually on two separate occasions, wait staff said our food would be coming soon - but it did not l.

This was definitely not your best showing of proper service

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 1

Service: 1

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