The Chef, located at 111 S. Fourth St., is a small breakfast diner that seems to be very popular on Sundays since the place was packed when I first arrived at 9:30 a.m. and later at 11:30 a.m. I can completely understand its popularity as it was probably the greatest breakfast food I have had in a very long time. Despite the crowds, The Chef was an excellent restaurant.
Atmosphere
Maybe it was just that there were so many people, but the space seemed tiny. In all honesty, this is probably my only complaint with my experience at The Chef. When there are wait times of 35-40 minutes, there really should be more than two stools in the corner for seating. Really, though, this is a small issue. Once my friend and I were seated, we were comfortable.
The music was a tad loud, but that was probably just to compensate for the large and very loud crowd inside.
Service
My coffee mug never emptied and the waitress always had a smile. She was very prompt and friendly, which are the best qualities in a waitress. I have absolutely no complaints in regards to service. Even with the packed restaurant, she was cool, calm, collected and a delight.
Food
Have you ever had heaven smothered in gravy? I did. The smothered breakfast burrito was amazing and filled with egg, bacon, sausage and cheddar cheese. I have never had a more wonderful breakfast burrito. I highly recommend this dish, though my friend’s French toast looked pretty amazing too.
On the downside, my side of homestyle potatoes were not as spot-on as the burrito. They did not seem very consistent in seasoning as some bites were more flavorful than others. It was sad that the potatoes did not compare to the burrito, but that would have been tough to do anyways.
Price
The prices were all to be expected. For my very large smothered breakfast burrito with the side of potatoes, as well as a never-ending cup of coffee, I paid just slightly over $12. If you are just looking for a cheap meal, this is not the place for you. If you want great breakfast food for a fair price, The Chef has it covered.
While living in Manhattan for almost two years, I had only heard great things about The Chef. This was the first time I made my way in there, and I’ll say it was worth the wait. Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day, so I was very happy with the quality of the food I was given. This place gets a well-deserved 4 out of 5 stars from me.
