I’ll admit being a bit late to the game on this one. Mitchell ain’t exactly some out of the way hole-in-the wall just waiting to be discovered by the Hennacornoelidays Gang. Going strong at a century +, Lou Mitchell’s is the first, last, second and probably also the fifth word in breakfast dining. Hard to believe then that it took us fifty-two years to finally sit down at the joint.

They brag about their coffee (supposedly the world’s finest) and it’s good. But man, what they do to eggs. Had myself some Eggs Benedict and I probably ruined it for every hollandaise mismatch that follows. That sauce! Oh my. It was thick and giving and, honestly, it kind of made me blush. Corey had her eggs Sunnyside up and both of our meals were served with these perfectly fried up scalloped potatoes. Before you order they also gave us each a homemade donut hole and an orange slice. Even cooler, Mitchell’s is known as “the first stop on the Mother Road” due to it being located a stone’s throw from the beginning (or, depending on your perspective, the end) of Route 66.

Afterwards we walked off of our food. We walked it off so far, in fact, that we gave up on the 10:30 train taking us home. It felt peaceful. Maybe partly because the federal thugs roughing up the joint have taken their goon show on the road. I wonder if, in-between their clubbing pastors, harassing brown people and tear gassing children at a Halloween parade, they were able to take a few moments and really appreciate all the city has to offer. I know Bovino did. You can see it in his joyful grin as he posed with his  henchmen by the Bean. They were having so much fun they even took off their masks (which is actually kind of funny since they supposedly only wore it when roughing up the public out of concern for being doxxed).

They will be back. Four times in force I have been told and in Spring which actually kind of makes them the worst kind of tourist. The kind that stays away during winter only to reappear at the same time as the bars lining up the River Walk. In a way it’s kind of a shame. Would have really been something seeing them trying to skate at Millennium Park.