Needless to say, I was excited when I found out that a new brunch place was going to be opening in Western Springs. I am a self-described brunch aficionado, and I was so, so excited to not be forced to drive into the city when I wanted some good chicken and waffles. Unfortunately, though, after my experience at Solstice, 800 Hillgrove Ave., it looks like I’ll be need to continue driving downtown to get my brunch on.

When you first walk in to Solstice, it seems great. They’re a seasonal, farm-to-table restaurant—already a plus—that just screams hip. It’s a very small space, but with its chalkboard menus and breakfast bar, it has a homely ambiance and charm that makes you want to sit down for hours on end. Combined with friendly, helpful staff members, the appearance of Solstice makes you want to enjoy the actual food. Unfortunately, the food isn’t anything special, at best, and often it just was bad.

I was most excited to try the chicken and waffles ($11): a staple of any good brunch place. But, somehow Solstice managed to make a waffle taste like a rock, with almost the same texture. Seriously, I was stunned at how they could mess up a waffle. The chicken part of the chicken/waffle duo was acceptable, but combined with a dry, crunchy waffle, it was overshadowed and brought down.

The next dish we tried were the Chilaquiles ($12), and after a couple of bites, I had to stop eating. The awkward combination of crunchy chips and soft scrambled eggs made the dish taste funny from the start. Then, the “chile crema” began to weigh down the flavors, and combined with the contrasting textures to make the whole dish a bowl of spicy mush.

Dejected by the way that my expectations were crushed, I decided to send a Hail Mary pass and order one last thing: the sunrise burger ($12). I played it safe and asked for it without an egg, so just know that it wasn’t the entire burger that I tried. But, this burger was the one bright point that Solstice provided, and may just give me a reason to return.

With a fluffy brioche bun, melty cheese and perfectly cooked, juicy meat topped with sautéed onions and crispy bacon, this burger was worth an otherwise experience. Served with great french fries, it was perfectly cooked and tasty, and without a doubt one of the best burgers around—certainly the best in Western Springs.

Bottom Line: Don’t get two excited about going to brunch at Solstice, it may not be worth your time. But, for relatively low-priced food, there are some bright spots at the new brunch locale, and the burger is worth a lunch stop, for sure.