The yellow rose of Chicago

and the best corned beef hash we've ever eaten

Hello, everyone!

Hope you’re all living your best lives (as you deserve to be).

Just a heads up that next Monday falls on Labor Day, so just like many of you, I’ll be allergic to labor and taking the day off the newsletter. Probably plotting and planning where we’ll be going next, which is weirdly more difficult than you’d think.

Today’s edition of the newsletter is a free one, but I still highly encourage you all to sign up for the upgraded and full version, because every other one is behind a paywall (just the usual spiel):

In short, if I don’t have very smart and attractive subscribers such as you, there’d be no newsletter. Plus, last week’s find was quite a remarkable one, so you’ll get access to that and all the archives. If you’re an existing subscriber — thank you, you’re the fuel that runs this freight train.

Today’s newsletter drop covers a category of restaurant that I’ve woefully managed to neglect in the 79 previous editions of The Party Cut: a good old-fashioned diner.

My friend Gary Wiviott, who’s a legendary barbecue pitmaster and cookbook author (don’t worry, not a sponsored link) here in Chicago, first put this place on my radar via his frequent Instagram posts to the restaurant. He posts pictures of club sandwiches and breakfasts (shoutout to @redhotrancher who does the same), and though the food appears relatively simple, he absolutely gushes about it.

I trust Gary’s judgment when it comes to good things to eat, so Davida and I finally got our asses out of the house before noon on a Saturday to go check this place out.

*dons spiky blond wig, slams on some Oakleys, and cues up Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives theme song*

That’s why we headed up to Jefferson Park to go visit Yellow Rose Cafe on Elston.

Yellow Rose Cafe is on a desolate stretch of Elston across the street from a CTA bus depot. If you’ve ever wondered where the buses go to sleep at night, there’s your answer.

There’s seriously not a whole lot going on around that area, so if you drive, you should be able to find parking pretty easily, but careful crossing the street — it’s Elston. People zoom on Elston, presumably to escape angrily from the DMV down the way.

And a note about Yellow Rose’s hours; the place is open from early morning to mid-afternoon only. No dinner service, and it’s cash only.

Davida and I decided to take a seat at the counter, and I’m glad we did, because we got a chance to see all of the action going on in the back.

This beats a chef’s table any day, if you ask me. The entire space is fairly small, so it’s fun to hear the staff interacting with the regulars, of which there are many. And it’s so casual that whoever’s minding your table might actually shout across the restaurant to make sure you’re doing okay (and you’re welcome to shout back in response).

Also, this place pops, at least on a Saturday. Every time a table emptied out, it seemed like new people wandered in through the door. From the stools to the booths, everything about it is what you probably picture in your head when it comes to a small town diner, seamlessly blended in with Chicago.

When it came to ordering, we split it evenly between breakfast and lunch items, two of each. There’s dinner plates available too, but only from Monday through Friday. The place closes at 2 p.m. on those days, so decidedly not at actual dinnertime.

Davida grew up going to a diner called Hub City in her hometown of Plymouth, WI, and when we go home to visit her family, we sometimes make a special stop in.

She usually orders a steak skillet with eggs, which is why we got Yellow Rose’s version ($14.99). It comes with potatoes, diced steak, onions, green peppers, and cheese, along with eggs done your way (in this case, overeasy, which they nailed).

If you’re a carnivore, you’ll love this, because its meat-to-filling ratio is high. The tender steak’s diced on the small side, which makes forking it up easy, and Davida says it stands up to her favorite at Hub City’s. It’s exactly what you want in a diner skillet, and if you’re hungover, this should pick you right back up.

I’m going to come straight out and say it: The homemade corned beef hash and eggs here ($13.49, comes with hashbrowns, toast, and jelly) is the best version of this diner breakfast staple I have ever had.

My first bite was so arresting that I became internally furious that we hadn’t come here years prior when I first learned of the place through Gary’s Instagram posts. I’ve historically avoided corned beef hash from diners because it’s either some potato and meat mash with a weird consistency, or frankly, it just tastes off.

But Yellow Rose Cafe’s version is just diner bliss, full of huge chunks of fatty corned beef, small diced potato, pepper, and onions, and is griddled to the point where its crust looks nearly blackened — which means its exterior is crisp and caramelized. And the hashbrowns are pitch-perfect too, with a flat top-fried surface and soft (but critically not mealy) interior.

It’s weird thinking I wrote all that about a plate of corned beef hash, but you’ve got to respect when a dish is done properly. And Jesus, those short-order cooks know what they’re doing with laserlike precision.

If you’re in for breakfast, make sure you order a side of grits ($4.99).

That’s because the grits at Yellow Rose are made with cream, which makes them rich and hearty. You’ll be asked if you want any butter for them, but you might not actually need any, that’s how luxuriously prepared these things are.

I can only imagine how good a bowl of these taste on a cold day. They aren’t aggressively seasoned, but that’s a good thing for one particular reason.

That’s because Yellow Rose has its own house hot sauce, which the server just handed us wordlessly when we ordered.

We took full advantage of it on our grits. If you don’t get a bottle, just ask for one (I noticed some people had to ask). It’s bright yellow and has a bright fresh kick to it, and as much as I love a dash of Tabasco at a greasy spoon, this is miles better. It’s great on anything, so I’d say live life to the fullest and douse whatever you can with it.

If the corned beef hash is good, then you know the base corned beef has to be good too, which is why we ordered a Reuben ($16.99 with fries).

It’s a great sandwich, as expected, with the meat piled high. After some digging, I’ve confirmed that Yellow Rose Cafe cooks the corned beef in house, which makes a huge difference from the vacuum-sealed stuff some restaurants get from the restaurant supply store. If you don’t want breakfast but still want to try the corned beef, definitely get the Reuben.

I’ve always thought a patty melt ($10.99) is a solid indicator if the rest of a diner’s lunch menu is going to be good, and I’m happy to say Yellow Rose’s version gets all the details down pat, with one slightly different detail.

The server mentioned offhand that the patty melt comes dressed with thousand island on it, which is a detail I liked (but truthfully didn’t notice too much), and the onions here are softened and browned perfectly. The rye bread is also griddled to that perfect level of lightly greasy crunch, and they aren’t shy about the cheese — it’s featured on both sides of the patty.

About the service, too. It’s wonderful. You guys have probably noticed I don’t care about service levels too much, but at Yellow Rose, the staff treats you like a family member in a no-nonsense sort of way. There’ll be quick check-ins to see how you’re doing, but as Davida described later, they’re the kind “that make you feel doted on.” Once your name is discovered through casual conversation, I’m convinced they’ll remember you the next time you come in.

I’ve been to fine dining restaurants where they could give a shit, but here, at this little diner, they do in fact, give a shit. In fact, I’m pretty sure they love you once you step through their front door. If it’s not evident once you sit down, you’ll know it as soon as you take your first bite of Yellow Rose Cafe’s corned beef hash.

Yellow Rose Cafe
5640 N. Elston Ave
Chicago, IL 60646
(773) 631-2297

Hours:
Monday - Friday: 6 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Saturday: 6 a.m. - 1 p.m.

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Apparently I’m undercharging, but don’t worry, I’m not about to Netflix-price hike this shit on you. I’m just trying to make this newsletter a safe haven for those of you who don’t want to look through TikTok for places to eat, one place at a time.

Okay, enjoy your next long weekend, I know I will. Love you guys and have a stellar week.