The mad old time circus theme of Earwax Café is good offbeat fun. Sitting down to eat, you are surrounded by enormous hand painted posters of sword swallowers, tight rope walkers and freaks; the ornate figureheads of circus wagons jut from the walls; brightly colored lights are everywhere. And like the big top itself an unapologetic grottiness is in evidence. The name of the place, Earwax, sends a warning shot across the bow of the squeamish. Germ-a-phobes and fussy yuppies need not apply.
Yet how much of Earwax’s unwashed charm is genuine and how much a cleverly calculated sop to the old art school crowd is debatable. Earwax is a holdout from Wicker Park’s grungy boho art student days and stands proudly cheek and jowl with chic martini lounges and high priced boutiques wearing its pedigree on its sleeve in the form of appearing to be a bit down at the heels and perhaps one step ahead of the health department. I’m fairly certain that it’s not nearly as grungy as they would like you to believe.
What is for certain is that unlike every other restaurant in the immediate vicinity, Earwax is perfectly content being what it is and is not striving mightily to conform to current trends. No DJ that starts at nine; no scattershot menu offering everything from sushi to pork belly fritters; no list of candy cocktails; no annoying techno blaring through the speakers. Earwax is nothing more than an ordinary diner dressed up in a cleverly executed circus theme with a dash of vegetarian consciousness.
Plastic tumblers, thick rimmed coffee mugs, flatware that’s been slightly mangled by the dishwasher. The menu is mostly ordinary. The food is of a kind you could easily rival on your own at home with very little effort; the hearty breakfast burrito perhaps the lone exception. The coffee is supposedly from the Coffee and Tea Exchange but they must’ve chosen it for its remarkable lack of distinction, since it’s no better than what you could get from a run-of-the-mill food service distributor. The fresh squeezed orange juice, on the other hand, was a pleasant surprise.
If Earwax shares most of the shortcomings of your average greasy spoon it also shares its virtues. You never feel rushed at Earwax, pressured to give up your table because there’s a long line at the door. You could sip a bottomless cup of coffee all day and no one would ever say boo. And you never have to ask the waitress to explain something; you’ve seen it all before. The service is prompt - most of the time. The food arrives hot - usually. And the price is reasonable - always.
Earwax is what it is and makes no apologies about it, and in this neighborhood, where too many restaurants are flailing around frantically trying to cater to the trendoids, it has a certain grungy appeal that's oddly refreshing.
Earwax Café
1561 Milwaukee Ave.
773-772-4019 / Reservations Not Accepted
Hours: M-Th 9am-11pm; F-Su 9am-12am
Features: Cash Only, BYOB, Outdoor Dining, Carryout
Avg price of a meal for two including drinks and tax $30
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