Kitsch'n Looks Like a Hoarder Lives There. The Pancakes Are Better Than That Implies.
Chicago's self-proclaimed original hangover brunch has been here since 1998 and looks every year of it. The food earns its keep anyway.
The logo screams Photoshop 3.0, which is the version I taught myself digital design on, so I recognize it immediately and with affection. The interior is aggressive in its commitment to a weird 70s funk, afro, retro, exploitation aesthetic: lava lamps, vintage lunchboxes, beer-can collections, old advertisements, and enough pop-culture clutter to make the whole place feel like it has been accumulating since well before 1998. I'm not convinced I care for it, but that's just one mans opinion. It is a little dark. A little dingy. Honestly it feels like it has been there longer than it has, which is either a feature or a flag depending on your tolerance for that kind of thing.
I walked in a little worried. I walked out surprised.
The food is better than the space lets on. The pancakes are above average, which in a neighborhood doing serious breakfast competition is not a small thing. The sandwiches hold up. The shredded string potatoes are the sleeper item on the menu — not quite fries, not quite hash browns, their own crispy delicious thing that gets the job done in a way that makes you order them again. Portions are large enough to share if you are at the table with someone who eats like a reasonable person.
Kitsch'n describes itself as Chicago's original hangover brunch and leans into that identity without apology. The cocktail program reflects it which has things like Bloody Marys, mimosas, and a Tang-Tini that is exactly what it sounds like. My company made good use of the full bar and enjoyed it. For the sober diner, the options do not extend much beyond coffee, soda, and water. That gap is a miss for a place this committed to the social brunch experience, and worth knowing before you arrive.
The outdoor situation is the right way to experience this place when the weather allows. A patio out front on one of Roscoe Village's most walkable blocks and a backyard courtyard in the back that carries the decoration outside through murals and mismatched patio furniture. The courtyard is secluded and heated when necessary. On a good Chicago day, sitting outside makes the whole visit click in a way the interior does not quite manage on its own.
Tables are not hard to come by. The space is large enough that even on a busy weekend, the wait should be short if there is one at all.
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