Two years ago, Lawrence Kreymer, manager of Chicago Waffles was making his first appearance on Steve Dale’s Other World on WGN Radio to promote National Waffle Day. Dale opened by saying he tried to get “The King of Waffles,” but they sent his son instead. Right then and there, Dale dubbed Kreymer, “The Prince of Waffles,” and a nickname was born.
The Kreymers’ story is a classic American tale. As Lawrence tells us, his father, Gary emigrated from Ukraine and had worked an assortment of jobs, including owning a book and DVD store. But he sensed a void among Chicago breakfast spots. He wanted something nicer than a traditional diner but keeping a large menu and the casual, homey vibe.
His idea was to spotlight Belgian waffles rather include them than as part of a full breakfast, with eggs and breakfast meats treated as sides. Gary debuted Chicago Waffles in 2011 in the South Loop and won Time Out Chicago’s “Best New Breakfast Place” award a year later. The business now has restaurants in West Loop, Oak Park and Willowbrook, and a fifth in Lincoln Square that opened in early April 2025.
Over the years the menu has expanded, with innovations like matcha, chocolate, red velvet waffles available, with a variety of toppings. While most are sweet, savory dishes include a bacon & fried chicken and cheddar & short rib options, and the breakfast sandwich replaces the more traditional bagel or biscuit with a waffle. A batter made with rice flour allows gluten-free diners to indulge.
More Than Just Waffles
Despite the restaurant’s name, pancakes, French toasts and crepes are on the menu and given similar treatments. Plus, there are Mexican breakfasts, Benedicts, omelettes, skillets and other egg dishes. For lunch, there are burgers and other sandwiches (served with waffle fries, naturally) and four salad options.
Lawrence, 25, started helping out at the restaurant during vacations from school. After graduating from DePaul University in 2022, Lawrence became full-time, and is now the manager of the Oak Park location as well as the face of the franchise. But he, Gary, general manager Lenka Jakimovski and West Loop manager Erika Estrada work as a team in shaping the direction of all locations.
For example, the cocktail program is a pet project of Jakimovski and Estrada. As with most brunch places, Chicago Waffles has a bloody Mary (with a homemade spice mix), mimosa and espresso martini, but also five margaritas (the pineapple and strawberry are pictured below), mai tai and a peach martini that has become a summertime favorite.
Expanding to the North Side
The decision to expand to Lincoln Square was due to the success of the Oak Park location, which opened three years ago. They were looking for a similarly walkable neighborhood in the city that was also family-oriented where they could develop a base of regular customers. The heart of Lincoln Square, a charming, one-way stretch of Lincoln Ave. lined with local businesses and a plaza with a fountain in the center, made perfect sense. Lawrence added that they won’t rule out expanding to the Loop or River North in the future, but there are no plans as of yet.
That thought process and attention to detail is evident in the food. In a town with no shortage of fine breakfast and brunch places, Chicago Waffles has a leg up on the competition.
