This little gem in the heart of the West Side is a pure treasure!!!! The sweet roll (not pictured) is a tasty treat to share & start brunch off with a nice cup of coffee. I had a the shrimp & grits served with a side of greens! Perfect. The grits were the perfect, cheesy consistency. The shrimp were firm and sizable. No complaints. My companion had the breakfast bowl. I didn’t try it but her plate was clean at the end of our brunch so it signified to me that she enjoyed her meal, as well. Directly across from Garfield Park, go give them a try! I will be back!

Visited 3/30/19. They pay a living wage to folks overcoming homelessness and poverty, providing training and jobs. Great service, fantastic comfort food (biscuits and gravy were on point!), and an incredible mission. Couple this with a visit to the Garfield Park Conservatory and you’ve got yourself an amazing day on the West Side.

I had fried green tomatoes, it had a great presentation it lacked a little flavor but the pepper jelly and sauce put it over the top. I also has shrimp and grits now this dish looked great and tastes better more like perfect!!!! The hostes was A1 and I had great service. Things place is a hidden GEM!

Good little spot with good sized portions. The Gumbo and Po Boy were winners in my book. They also had a nice selection of hot teas and desserts. I gave it three stars due to the lack of consistent among their menu items. Some were really good, while others were just ok (Monkey Bread, Biscuits and Gravy). Good experience overall.

I visited on Mothers Day, so the menu was limited to the occasion (which is fine). I like the concept and the cause and the ambience is pretty good with nice decor. The space kind of reminds me a bit of a dining hall at a lodge. The food is pretty decent, though I cant say I liked the way the bacon was prepared (but thats more of a personal preference). Overall, nice place to drop by for brunch. PS: Its a BYOB/BYOW place!

Absolutely phenomenal spot for brunch! The food delicious and perfectly priced, and the socially responsible aspect of Inspiration Kitchens made it ten times better. This will be our first choice for breakfast when we return to Chicago! I recommend the breakfast bowl - every aspect was just brilliant.

Absolutely delicious food. The portions are large, so come hungry! All of the servers were very friendly and helpful.

Good food serving a good purpose. Highly suggest the fried green tomatoes.

Good food and service but very limited menu. Also, not a vegan/vegetarian friendly place. Their only vegan option was beyond burger.

When I tell you that this sandwich is worth the trek I mean it. From now on this spot will be the reason to come here and the conservatory down the street will be the extra perk!Best chicken sandwich I’ve had.

Wanted to go to brunch with friends before we went to the Garfield Park Conservatory so we decided on Inspiration Kitchen and were not at all disappointed. Clean, bright atmosphere, friendly and down-to-earth service... and when I say those were the BEST shrimp and grits Ive ever had... oh boy! Ill definitely be back!

Place used to be better.... its slippin, and only open for 3 hours on friday??

I had no idea this restaurant was open to the public. It was such a treat to stop by after visiting the Garfield Park conservatory. Wish I knew about this hidden gem sooner

Good food. The grits in the Shrimp and Grits were creamy. I recommend the fried green tomatoes that come with sides of dill dressing and jam.

The little bites of everything are delicious!!!!!

Delicious meal, large portions. The wait staff was very friendly and I think this place is great got the community, Pictured are the gumbo and bing bread.

Great atmosphere. Delicious food. This is a hidden gem. Make your next hipster brunch here and do some good.

There arent a lot of restaurants near the Garfield Park Conservatory so I was pleased when I found this one. Reading the write-up on their website, I was even more impressed. And when we set foot into the place I was sold. What a great idea -- helping the less fortunate, even those with histories, is something we all have (or should have) a stake in. Way to go! Oh, and the food is delicious.

Such a wonderful place, fantastic concept. This is a training facility/restaurant. The students are having an opportunity to learn and practice right in their community. The food and service was superb. Ambience is perfect for a lunchtime business meeting. Or an early afternoon date after a walk at Garfield Park.

Such a wonderful place, fantastic concept. This is a training facility/restaurant. The students are having an opportunity to learn and practice right in their community. The food and service was superb. Ambience is perfect for a lunchtime business meeting. Or an early afternoon date after a walk at Garfield Park. Staff are pleasant and welcoming. This is a nice walk from Garfield park conservatory and very reasonably priced. We got the burger and chicken sandwich and they were both great quality. Also, it’s for a great cause so that never hurts.

Listen this was one of them hidden gems of great cruising in Chicago, From the expertly preparation of all the dishes, the Ambience of the setting and most important the services. This is a must place to visit, as a couple, family and friends

A refreshing place to eat, smack in the middle of the hood! I had the Gumbo and my lady had the crispy chicken sandwich. Both were surprisingly amazing. The service is great 👍🏻

Visited for their Valentines Day deal after spending the evening at the Garfield Conservatory. It was a three-course dinner. Relatively small menu, but great meal! Also very affordable and great ambience. Will love an opportunity to be back. Great experience

Went to Garfield Park Conservatory (another review) and walked to Inspiration Kitchen from there, maybe 5 minutes walk. There is a very small parking lot, free, or street parking under the Green line. Also, if you take the Green line, easily walkable from the Conservatory stop. The restaurant opened in 1989, started from the vision of a Chicago policeman, who started handing out soup to homeless people. It turned into training homeless and disadvantaged people, unemployed, cooking and restaurant skills.

The food is fantastic. I had the Shrimp and Grits and the Basil Lemonade. The former was nicely seasoned and the grits were quite creamy. The latter had a great sweetness. Its different than any lemonade that Ive tried before, but I loved that the basil counteracted the sweetness in the lemonade. I highly recommend both and I look forward to coming here again!

The meals and service were ahead of our expectations. We absolutely liked the atmosphere of this place. Extraordinary spot to take my family out for dinner.

Delicious food and a great cause. We walked in excited about eating here completely forgetting we should have made reservations for Mothers Day. No to worry as the phenomenal hostess was more than happy to accommodate our party of 6. Our 2 young kids LOVED the coloring sheets and the chocolate pancakes. Dont miss this hidden gem with service that is top notch!

Love this place. Decor is really cool and chill. Food was cooked perfectly and delicious. Staff is very friendly. Ill definitely be recommending this place.

Great place right near the conservatory. I had the cornmeal catfish and cheddar grits, and those were amazing. The pancakes were good to, but nothing out of the ordinary. The tips you give supposedly go to the Chicago Food Bank, so that is pretty cool of them. Little pricey, but worth it if you are in the area on a little adventure.

The food was excellent! The grits left me wanting more, and the staff and prices are great. Parking is tight in the lot.

Great food supporting a great cause. The menu is somewhat limited but my family of four all found something delicious on a Sunday brunch visit. Cinnamon rolls were warm and yummy, my breakfast bowl was good and filling, and my husband gave a thumbs up to the Impossible Burger

I ordered the shrimp and grits and it was excellent. The only downside is that they didnt have some of the other dishes in stock. For example I wanted the crumb cake that I saw on Yelp and they didnt have it. Other than that the food was good and its a nice clean place to get lunch or brunch.

#1 lunch spot in the Garfield Park area if, like me, youre a North Side tourist coming to see the Conservatory. This location is staffed by people in a job training program. The food is high quality and usually around $12-18. The chicken sandwich was on point.

This place is a hidden gem. We attended an event here for a family member and the staff was great with helping us set up our decorations. The food was really good, and the space was open and well lit.

This spot is such a treasure! Really great food and such a chill atmosphere. Perfect stop for before or after you hit the conservatory. Love this spot so much!!!

Really enjoyed my visit to Inspiration Kitchens this past weekend (10/18/2015). We went in for Brunch at 12:30p on a Sunday with a reservation just in case since we had never been before, but there was plenty of seating and we had a table immediately.First, we got the French toast of the day - filled with cream and topped with berries. Wow, this was incredible...I definitely over-ate just to finish my friends heaping plate because they were just that good.I also ordered the Omelette of the day (southwest). The omelette came perfectly made when tomato, green pepper, mushroom, and onion with breakfast potatoes and toast on the side. It was very good, nothing mind blowing, but just a really solid omelette. Breakfast potatoes were top notch. Toast came with a very tasty jam that I believe they make in house.With bottomless coffee, friendly staff, and beautiful interior, you cant go wrong with Inspiration Kitchens for brunch. Not to mention their mission - you know you are voting correctly with your dollar.

Eat good and do good. A TRAINING KITCHEN for disadvantaged people. Food was excellent, had gumbo and burger and both were distinctive in their flavor. Has a parking lot, next to green line and a quick walk to Garfield Park Conservatory. GO

I like this little gem hidden away in Garfield Park. Its conveniently located when visiting the Conservatory. The staff is friendly and accommodated our 2-year-old creatively. Their philosophy of giving people a hand up instead of a hand out is worth supporting. Nice interior, good food and an open kitchen thats fun to keep your eye on. Its all good.

Wonderful local dining location. Extremely clean, friendly and professional. Grow their own vegetables! But closed for a while between lunch and dinner. Love decor and highly recommend.

WOW! What a surprise. Super service. Excellent food and reasonable prices. Cant wait to try again.

Nice but way to hot inside the conference room and the seat/chairs were to hard.

Great concept with delicious food and good service. Definitely worth a visit. Their meal choices change regularly, so check ahead to see what theyll have.

Food is awesome- Fried Green Tomatoes and Gumbo were the stars of our meal today. Great place for a quick bite after a Garfield Park Conswevatory visit! Great cause, friendly service, will be back soon!!

Beautiful, tasteful, tasty. Love the urban gardens. Superior customer service welcome to Chicago some much needed love in Garfield Park. Bring the whole family. Easy free parking 24/7 and next to the green line too.

What a lovely idea! My husband and I had dinner here yesterday and we were so happy with our experience. I ordered the red snapper and he ordered steak. It is such a great idea to help the community and to enjoy delicious food in a warm environment. It is not necessarily the best neighborhood at night (dont take a stroll after the meal) if you are not from Chicago you may want to take not of that but we felt completely safe once inside. The waitstaff was delightful as well.

I preferred the Uptown location because it was close to me, had super-friendly staff and the food was delicious and reasonably-priced. Unfortunately, that location closed and the Garfield Park restaurant is all that remains. While the food is still tasty and inexpensive, this location is often closed for private parties, and I’ve made the drive more than once only to be surprised by this, so call ahead. The service is fine, not amazing and not bad, just fine. The location isn’t ideal for date night or brunch crowds, but it is for a good cause. This restaurant is a training ground for food service careers to needy and homeless looking for a path out of poverty. I will continue to support it, but I do hope they re-open on the north side once again.

Super friendly staff. Great food. Check for closed days though. They do training days.

I 💘 this place. The food is 👍 good. And the people is kind and courtesy. I enjoyed my food and I will be back.

Possibly the best dining experience Ive ever had. The menu is eclectic and covers a wide range of palettes. The staff is amazingly engaging and knowledgeable (Thank you, Ms. Valerie!). And the food hit the spot for everyone in our group! Ill be back so I can try some more of the menu!

Great food.... fantastic cause...Sunday brunch/ lunch is THE best..order the shrimp and grits... outstanding!! No really...just enjoy and know you are helping improve the lives of the staff!!

My favorite restaurant hands down! Great creative menu, colorful flavors, friendly staff and great concept! Had a private event here and everyone loved it

One of my absolute favorite restaurants. Food is absolutely terrific. A kind of gourmet take on southern/soul food. Supports a good cause too. Put this place at the top of your list.There is ample parking nearby if their small lot is full. Call before you go there--theyre sometimes closed at kind of weird times for events etc. Great to go to after a visit to the conservatory.

I LOVED THEIR FOOD! I ordered the veggie burger, Cesar Salad, and lemonade. For my appetizer I ordered the fried green tomatoes. Best Veggie Burger Ive ever had! And i hate fried green tomatoes but somehow they made me love every bit of it. The salad was fresh( all of the ingredients come from their own garden). I tried some of my fathers fries and let me tell you: McDonalds got nothing on them. Im coming back for sure, next time with friends.

Delicious, large portions. We had the pancakes with veggie sausage and the breakfast bowl. Very impressed. This place is definitely a favorite and I would recommend it.

The food was delicious! The biscuits and gravy were amazing!! We absolutely love the mission and motivation behind Inspiration Kitchens. The restaurant closed an hour earlier than the posted signage, hence the 4 stars.

Great Mission.. Great Food... Go there!Theyre doing the right thing socially for Everyone and providing wonderful fool in a beautiful atmosphere. GO THERE.

I have not been there yet. Does anyone know if the food is good? I also need to known if this restaurant helps the homeless.

Shrimp Po Boy

This place is an amazing mixture of all kinds of forces working together you have homeless people being trained to become culinary chefs you have people who are learning to be servers you are contributing to the community they pay their servers a living wage there is so many good things about this place other than just the food which the food itself speaks volumes because the food is so amazing and unique.

This is a wonderful addition to West Garfield Park. I think it is the best thing that theyve ever put in this neighborhood in its history. This place does not offer just the wonderful food that they prepare, but they also do so much other stuff for the community, including (but not limited to) the following;Besides sending so many kids to college, they also offer catering, job training programs, and all kinds of other assistance to those in need. This also includes a once-a-month that Community dinner that is held gratis.I went for the first time on September 25th, and I have to say that I was amazed at how good the food was and also at how much they do for the community and I never even knew it. If you want good food and want to go to bed knowing that you did something for your community then I would suggest eating at Inspiration Kitchens, where the money that they make always goes back into the community.

Friendly staff, delicious and creative dishes at reasonable prices

Why not eat at an affordable restaurant that is doing purposeful community engagement? You would think that inspiration kitchens would be merely sub-par for the price, but it was just the antithesis--this was some of the best food Ive had in Chicago. Not only do you feel good about your meal, you feel good partnering with community organizations that are helping to be the solution to Chicagos systemic issues. They are giving job opportunities to women and men that have been caught up in the system and are given a second chance in a career in hospitality industry. HOW COOL!

Good food but we waited forever to get our orders. I mean at least 45 min. I consider it a bit too much especially when you are hungry!

There is nothing bad about this place at all.Cause, commitment, and excellence in food is no exceptionI always go for the Shrimp and grits.This has to be the Yummisest dish in the Chi hands down!I would have Shrimp and grits three times a day if i couldThe pulled pork / Po-boy is an excellent option as well.Please support Inspiration kitchen you will not regret it!Share review

Absolutely delicious and staff very friendly!!! Tried chicken and waffles, fried green tomatoes, and crab beignets and basil lemonade was all amazing. Very clean and comfortable for everyone!!!

The food is incredible. It was our second time there. The staff is great. My new favorite place.

An incredible mission providing opportunity to underserved individuals while serving delicious quality meals to guests at very reasonable prices. Truly a worthy cause which I am proud to support!

I love this place. The fried brussel sprouts are the best along with the gumbo and shrimp with grits

Very good food, super nice staff, cool mission-based business.

Food was excellent, best shrimp and grits I have ever had.

What a great concept!! We came in for brunch after a friend mentioned how amazing the food was here. I was even more excited when I heard about the social mission and concept behind the restaurant.We ordered the basket because my eye lit up when i read the words cornbread and biscuits all in the same basket....or was it the molasses butter? Cant recall - fell in to food coma...We shared our entees which included: the veggie biscuits & gravy, daily french toast special, and the root veggies. All of the portions were huge and I definitely needed a to go box for mine.The quality of the food was amazing. The flavors were enough to send you in to food coma before you knew it and the service was the icing on the cake with friendly smiles all around.I couldnt get over how much I loved the experience and the food here. If they make a branch out on the west coast, I have a feeling Ill be quite the regular there....just sayin!

Thanks for treating the neighbors, and patrons to a special pre- Thanksgiving feast 11/17/18. Inspiration Cafe im very appreciative for the fine work that youre doing within and around the city.Giving so many opportunities to those that may not have had the chance to unleash their hidden talents to the culinary industry... Salute to you!!!!

I had the shrimp and grits it was great. The staff was awesome and the food was great and I would recommend it to anyone visiting this area.

Great food great cause

Great Food Great Staff Excellent Chefs in the back.

WE took my son, his bride and the wedding party here. I cannot describe how good this place is, from the homeade dishes to the excellent service. WE enjoyed a leisurely time and would go back in a heartbeat. This is a hidden gem!

A fabulous place to eat. Simple good fare.

Amazing concept to serve those individuals looking for a new beginning. Food is fresh, well prepared, and delicious. Visit the conservatory and make your way here for lunch!

Food is great, service is great, and the prices are reasonable! The street parking currently is abundant.

Excellent food and service. Great concept!!

Food was good, wait time was not, however the overall experience was nice

The Waitress didnt Act like she wanted to be there

The food was very good and the staff friendly. They do great catering and are only a few blocks away from the train.

Great place with airy well lit space. The rail runs overhead close by but is overshadowed by the fast service and sumptuous cooking.

Tasty food, but very limited menu and slow service.

Awesome southern style cooking. Just went for lunch, but looking forward to coming back for dinner

Great place, great people, better than great food.

They had really good food and the staff were really nice to me. They even had really good pie which is hard to come by. Overall, going to this resteraunt was a really good expirience and if youre looking for some good lunch, I would definitely recommend it.

This place was amazing! I had the toast of the day which was an open faced BLT. It was delicious! I had their gnocchi which contained green beans, brussel sprouts and I think spinach. Now Im not a fan of brussel sprouts but these were actually really savory! And THEN... I had their basil lemonade and OMG it was also amazing! I had two of those. Finally, my friend and I shared two different desserts, the chocolate cake and the peach cobbler pound cake. The peach cobbler cake was the best of the two! Both were really good though! And when it came to the cost, it was incredibly affordable. I felt as if I was getting gourmet food! Plus if I could fit more food into my stomach I wouldnt mind spending more money at this place because the restaurant is serving a good cause. Our server was amazing and sweet as well. I highly recommend this place and will most definitely be coming back!

Inspired takes on southern/soul food at decent prices, BYOB, and for a good cause. Very small parking lot, but usually availability on the street. Great day out paired with the nearby Garfield Park Conservatory.

This outing was a very pleasent experience because the restaruants atmosphere was very inviting and the food was Oh so appetizing. They offered an impressible selection of dinning options and the staff was attentive to our needs. It is a great bonus that this non-for-profit also contributes a portion of their earnings to invest in the community.

Very satisfied with the meal.Try the Basil Lemonade, very refreshing!

They have a great selection of food.

Food with a purpose. How can you go wrong. And, the food is amazing! Support, support, support!!!

Nothing but good vibes from this place. Delicious food and friendly staff. A Definite must!

Very worth the trip/experience. Limited menu of good food prepared by a community in a learning/teaching environment.

Love the food here can never get to try the Korean Chicken and Waffles

Great food and a great staff with a great cause. This is one of my favorite places to eat in the city.

Great concept for a restaurant. Their staff is there to be trained to move into better higher paying service industry jobs.

This is one of Chicagos best kept secrets - this restaurant is not only delicious, it provides social services to those struggling with homelessness and poverty. Its a win-win! Their pumpkin pancakes are AMAZING and the quinoa burger is so, so good. Its BYOB, so plan ahead.