Hedy Gutfreund Staff Writer It’s Thursday morning of Project Week, and I have some time to kill and a stomach to fill. At times like this, I, for one, become thankful for Elly’s Pancake House. Elly’s has been subject to high expectations from its arrival in the Latin neighborhood last year. As a replacement of Michael’s diner, students were instantly excited to taste the new breakfast restaurant. First impressions, it seems, went well, but can Elly’s maintain the popularity it had at the start? Though there was no clear consensus to begin, the question now is if Elly’s is convenient enough to survive the critics of the Latin community. Elly’s, with three locations: Mundelein, Arlington Heights, and our very own location on North Avenue, is a classic diner-style breakfast restaurant with menu options that extend far past breakfast food. Freshman Maddy Turner sums up her feelings concisely, saying, “It’s convenient, not too expensive, and the milkshakes are amazing.” Maddy does, however, say that she tends to gravitate towards more speedy options for lunch such as Starbucks or Potash. Fellow freshman Josh Martin agrees, though, about the quality of the food and said, “Elly’s customizable omelets and skillets are so mouth-watering. It’s one of the best diners in the city.” Personally, my favorite part of Elly’s is the cheerful staff at any hour of the day. Elly’s also gets a claim to fame outside of the Latin community for its reputation of being open twenty-four hours a day. There are, though, drawbacks to take into account when heading to Elly’s for a lunch block. The friendly servers, at times, are also slow servers, and with a time crunch, Elly’s is not always the best plan. Close to Latin as it may be, Elly’s never seems to be the most popular restaurant option. Whether it is the fact that meals often take more than a free block or that Bacci’s is much more affordable, sit-down restaurants once again seem to fall behind on the list of restaurant options. And, I would argue that if you are not in the mood for breakfast food, Elly’s is not your best choice. I would consider venturing past North Avenue and making a run for Chipotle. Though the pancakes at Elly’s are fantastic, the salads and hamburgers tend to disappoint. Sophomore Sarah Heilbronner indicates, though, that  she goes to Elly’s when she has extra time on her hands and frequents other restaurants more often. The good news about Elly’s,  is that it is never too crowded at any time and always seems quite open. With the good weather, I have been noticing huge lines at other favorites like Chipotle.  Elly’s seems to never attracts the same huge crowd. In the end, it still seems that students, including myself, enjoy it enough for it to stay a neighborhood favorite, and if you have time, it’s hard to go wrong there. My recommendations? The blueberry blintz and chocolate chip pancakes.]]>