This is a basic diner that is clearly a local fave. We found it on Yelp as we are visiting Ottawa this weekend. The food was done as requested (eggs were actually over easy). The staff are friendly, even tho they are kept busy on their feet! The place is busy and so it was loud but it was clean. Steps to get in tho if you have mobility device. read more

Al's Diner - Classic breakfast - Diners Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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Showed up here on a Saturday mid-morning after visiting Crappy Tire and the place was busy, but certainly not at capacity as there was at least four 4-seater tables open and a couple of two seaters right in front of the door. No line-ups. We weren't keen on sitting by the door due to the draft coming in. We were told we had to wait for a two-seater because they didn't want us to take up a four seat table. We're like wtf??? I can see this if you the hot new restaurant in town and huge demand, but quite literally there was four 4-seat tables sitting empty and no line-up. In any event, we stayed, sitting in some two-seater jammed in the corner. And then we ordered a breakfast. I'm a Ozempic user, so I don't eat much - I was going to take an egg, a piece of bacon, and a couple of potatoes from my wife's plate. Oh - can't do that. There's a $2 "sharing charge". Like, wtf? I'm done with this place and their stupid policies. The food is typical diner fair that you can get any diner, nothing special here. read more

Al's is an awesome classic diner. I had a Club Sandwich and it was exactly what a Club should be. A real triple decker with piping hot fries. The service is fast, efficient and friendly. Nothing fancy, but if you want delicious diner food then give Al's a try. read more

Overall: A wonderful greasy spoon that delivers exactly what you want for an incredible price. Food: We got the "Good Morning Special" which is two eggs, choice of beans or potatoes, choice of meat and toast. It was perfect, food was nice and hot when it arrived and was super good. No frills, just good breakfast. Atmosphere: This place is my kind of place. Diner feel with TVs playing sports, what more could you want on a Sunday. Price: What can I say, you get a lot of good food for a little price. The fact that coffee is included in the price of breakfast let's you know that these people know what they're doing. So tired of getting charged for coffee or paying $25 for breakfast. Our meal was $10 each, you can't beat that. Service: Our server was extremely prompt and nice. She was refilling our coffee, checking in on us, and just doing an incredible job making us feel welcome. read more

Al's Diner - a plate of breakfast food - Diners Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Always a good spot for a quick brekkie. Everything tasted right. Eggs bacon sausage taters rye toast. Eggs Bennie was also well received. Yup all around. Coffee is decent. Service is friendly. I still give Reynolds a very slight edge but it's close! read more

Al's Diner - Eggs Benny - Diners Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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I just discovered this little Ottawa gem about a week ago and I'm in love. This is exactly what the name and pictures suggest. Total diner vibes. Nothing fancy here. Prices match the vibe. I absolutely appreciate being able to have a sit down meal out of my house for under $15. So unheard of these days! The food was delicious. I went with the standard eggs and bacon meal. Others at the table had other meals and also super enjoyed their choices. It was super busy on the Sunday morning we went. We did wait maybe 10 mins, which is nothing in Ottawa. It was packed inside but reasonable volume. Staff was attentive and friendly and actually pretty funny too. We will totally come back soon! read more

Very good food. Great service. Kid friendly. Reasonable price. Good portions. Bennes are really good. I loved the smoked meat. Kids loved the pancakes. French toast was good also. Omelet was very good. read more

Have only had their breakfast which is great and it's all day. Service is excellent and staff are friendly.

Great food and great service! Ended up being served by the owned and you can tell he loves what he does. Very friendly! all my praises.

Stopped in for breakfast this morning. Excellent food and friendly fast service, had one of their signature breakfasts & the wife had the Salmon Bennie. We will be back again. read more

Had my fill of Tim Horton's, so decided to seek out a diner in Ottawa. I decided to try Al's as it had the most ratings on Yelp and 4 stars. Hoping it lives up to the hype....... Ordered a coffee and they give a small carafe with cream, would be a plus for the wife, if on this trip. I also ordered a large tomato juice, and waitress confirmed "you want the 20oz right?"... I said yes before realizing it was going to be a real LARGE. I'm used to puny juice sizes typical at many diners, but when Al's says LARGE, they mean it. Tasted good, I'm addicted to all things tomato. On bill $2.75, what a deal, "go large" if you are thirsty. I've really been a downer on coffee lately, even faithful Tim Hortons just not the same anymore, however the coffee here was very good, though I'm no barista.....but alas my wife missed out on the coffee, as she searches endlessly for coffee like this. My hope was building as I ordered the eggs Benedict per the Yelp photo that looked tasty. Well, it only took one bite to determine it was umm umm good and I'm on a roll with Yelp. Benny was awesome and home fries perfect as well. Not sure about other items on menu but can't go wrong with eggs Benedict if that's your thing. All in all, a winner. read more

Al's Diner - Diners Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Staff were friendly and eager to sit us, we told them we had no problem waiting for a table because we didn't want a cramped table. They sat us in a really awkward spot where one of our chairs was blocking the coat rack and where they store kid booster chairs. Got a little annoying since people kept taking them and putting them back while we were seated. I don't know why they just didn't wait a few more mins to seat us at a normal table. We placed our order and food did take about 25 mins to come out, for a breakfast place that's a bit slow. They gave me someone else's food and the table beside ours had my food. When the server had noticed she said "did either of you touch the food?" as she was gonna swap the plates. Thankfully she changed her mind last minute, because I wouldn't have taken the food. They remade our food and brought it out in a few mins. Food was decent, but husband found a hair in his hash browns. The chairs are super wobbly and falling apart, I was super nervous to sit in them. We had to try and find a chair that wasn't as broken. Probably won't return. read more

Very nice food for what they have. Service was atrocious. Milkshake was good. Waffles where good. Frozen berries and no fruit available for 2 weeks. I'd like to support this business as I live near by but not even the waffle could get this bad taste out my mouth read more

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Al's has the BEST breakfast in Ottawa! I get eggs benedict every time I go out for breakfast, and Al's takes the cake! Boyfriend gets the breakfast special at whatever location we go to, and he can only rave about Al's. The split sausages were done to perfection, eggs were excellently runny, and the hash browns were amazing! To top it all off, it took about 10 minutes for our food! The shortest wait for breakfast in town! Coffee was great, staff were better :) read more

Food is delicious; portions are big but not oversized; prices are VERY reasonable, 22$ got breakfast for 2 with a generous tip. This is the kind of diner that has real nostalgia for me, not that fake 50s style, but rather the kind of place that reminds me of my childhood and Sunday breakfasts with my family in a small town. The food was delicious, the kind of breakfast that makes you feel at home. The atmosphere was that of a true diner from the 90s, and it was constantly busy. And the price was amazing. Only one little complaint: the bathrooms could use some love. But, overall, I will come back, and I will bring out of town company. read more

Al's Diner - Diners Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

There really is not much to say here, other than if you want a good quality breakfast, good coffee and fast service, this is the place to be. It's not fancy, but boy is it good, never met a breakfast here I did it like. Al is always reliable and I always enjoy myself when I come. So what are you waiting for? read more

Al's Diner - Classic never fail breakfast, gotta love it! - Diners Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

This place reminds me so much of the Russell Restaurant that I used to frequent when I was in high school, in a little tiny town. It's got advertisements for local businesses on their menus, sponsored sports team photos on the walls and china from the 70s. I can generally sum up a few things when I such such paraphernalia: they probably have an item with liver on the menu, and 2, they serve breakfast late and they do it right! Fauve G and her lovely boyfriend brought me here for a late breakfast last weekend and it was just as I imagined: quick, greasy, served with mounds of homefries and delicious. And they serve it till 3! I ordered a straight up BLT and homefries and it was exactly what diner breakfast should be. It soaked up any remainder alcohol left over from the night before's Halloween party, tasted freaking delish and made me think I probably didn't need to eat for the rest of the day. Also - super inexpensive. I thought this place was a well-kept secret/50+ hang out, but it was packed on a Sunday at noon and people were coming steadily in and out. Across from the Canadian Tire on Carlingwood in a definite industrial area, it's off the beaten path but an awesome choice for breakfast. read more

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I've lived in the area for over 4 years and have walked and driven past Al's on a regular basis. I always assumed it was a dingy greasy spoon. My boyfriend kept insisting on us trying it out and I finally caved today. Boy, was I wrong. The place is bright, clean, and looks more like a sports bar with all the TVs. I ordered the Western eggs Bennie with an extra side of bacon and Jason ordered the Big Al's Special with French toast, over easy eggs and sausages. My Western Benny was delicious, eggs were poached perfectly, the hollandaise was tasty, and it came with diced onion and green peppers. The home fries were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside and well seasoned. The service was friendly and fast and it was a busy Saturday morning. Our meal was about $28 including tax and tip and we left with a take out box with leftover food. Now I want to try their pizza! read more

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First time here and I ordered the classic Benedict. I was surprised to see a Benedict plate go for less than 10 dollars. It arrived quickly, friendly service but at that price, you can't expect a heaping pile of fruits in the plate. It was potatoes (home style) and the Benedict with one slice of tomato. It tasted great. Classic. No complaints. I don't give it a 5 because 5 is reserved for omg I want more, so my rating will stay at 4 until I have a chance to sample more food here. Looking forward to it. read more

Al's Diner - Diners Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

I came here as a kid and loved it, and now it's my Uber eats place of choice for lunch and breakfast. I highly, highly recommend because their food isn't delivered soggy or cold. They also will listen to special instructions. Definitely hands down my favourite restaurant! read more

When you're hungry and don't want the same as usual, look no further. You've come the right spot. Big hit for sure! Will gladly host any occasion here. Take care and stay COVIDWise! read more

Ate the diner deluxe pizza. Wow very bad. To start crust was soggy. Whole pizza undercooked. Vegetables super crunchy. And almost no sauce. It was so bad I returned it to the kitchen. I ate almost one slice just to be kind and told them it was not acceptable. This place is known for their breakfast but stay away from the pizza. Definitely don't recommend the pizza. Whoever is making these pizzas in the kitchen needs to cook something else. read more

You really cannot go wrong with a place like Al's. Came here for breakfast one Saturday morning with my girlfriend and the place was packed (around 9ish). We snagged a seat quickly, but others coming in behind us weren't as lucky (although they move at a quick pace so people do get seated in a reasonable time). Our waitress was super friendly and we quickly placed our orders. The food came quickly and the coffee was served in simple white diner mugs as one would expect. I had eggs, sausage, toast, home fries and a pancake on the side (the gf wanted it), and she ordered a poutine because of a craving she had. Food was great, absolutely no complaints. As I said, you really cannot go wrong with a place like Al's. read more

Great grub at a great price! I was very happy with my experience at Al's Diner. I came in with Holly O. on a Saturday around noon for brunch -- I got a breakfast platter with two eggs and my choice of eggs, bacon, or ham -- every dish on their breakfast menu also automatically comes with coffee, toast, and your choice of tomato slices, baked beans, or home fries! I asked for my eggs done over-medium and they came out perfect. Runny and delicious. The bacon was crisp, you actually get two slices of toast with your meal, and the coffee tasted good! I made myself a little egg sammy and it was perfect. I think the value for Al's is spot-on. It's super casual, so our check did take a little while to come at the end, but overall a very pleasant experience, and a great breakfast spot! Keep in mind that they do serve breakfast all day, but there's an upcharge if you order breakfast after 11:30 AM on a weekday or after 2 PM on a weekend. read more

Seems that every time I visit friends in the national capital, I find myself comfortably situated in a booth at Al's. Breakfast all day tempts after a night out in with friends. The trucker special is best on a hungry morning. Waffles, pancakes and so many other choices make deciding nearly impossible. Prices are easy on the pocketbook and the staff is welcoming and always ready with quick witted banter. read more

I am a huge fan of diners. The great ones are clean and friendly and serve honest food. They usually have the friendly lifelong waitress. Als scores 1 out of 3 They charge 2.50 extra for breakfast after 11. Thats not friendly. Thats just being bossy and greedy and stupid, and breakfsst is a diner's major margin maker at any time of the day The plastic tabletalkers are covered in a layer of grease. The waitress wins the point for being friendly and trying to explain why the upcharge makes sense. How is food? 1 point isn't good enough to try it. Als earned its way off my list in the first 4 minutes. read more

(This review relates to Al's breakfast menu. I can't comment on their lunch or dinner items). After checking out reviews for nearby breakfast places, I decided to try out Al's. I've now been three times in the past two weeks so, I guess you can say I like it. PRICE AND SPEED The two main reasons to go to Al's are that the dishes are relatively cheap ($10 for most dishes like Eggs Benedict) and your food comes pretty darn fast after ordering ( (really can't say I waited more than 10 minutes each time after ordering). I have not been to another restaurant in Ottawa that is as fast or likely as cheap as Al's and for that pretty much alone they get the four stars. FOOD Now while the price and speed is great, I have to say that in terms of the food, I would rate is as normal and decent. Now there is nothing bad with 'normal'. To me that would be like what you can get making it yourself and in fact I think Al's prides themselves on offering 'home cooking'. But just keep in mind that you wont get fancy dishes with fancy ingredients. You also wont have to be waiting in line to get a breakfast, miss an appointment because you are waiting for your food or take out a second mortgage to pay for it. SERVICE I had quite a varied experience with the service on my three visits. The first time I have to say the waitress was more interested in having conversations with colleagues and customers then actually serving them (so wasn't too impressed but the speed in getting my order offset that). The second time, I was left waiting 10-15 minutes for someone to take my order as the waitress forgot (though she apologized and again the food came quick). And the third time everything was just right... Almost like Goldilocks and the three bears I guess... OTHER What else can I say. They have a decent amount of parking so you should be able to park at the restaurant as I don't think you can park on the street. There are also a fair number of tables inside so you shouldn't have to wait. SUMMARY To summarize all this, yes I liked it, yes I would go back. With that being said, I don't think I would go out of my way to go here though as I think its strength relies on it being an easy access kind of place where you could be at home thinking about making breakfast and thinking to yourself... Hmm... I could be at Al's in 5 minutes and save myself the cooking and not spend too much. So, easy decision. If I had to drive 20-30 minutes to get there... well then I'd probably go more local or more fancy and pay the difference. read more

Al's Diner has been happily serving up Eggs Benedict, Pancakes and hearty lunch fare for 25 years. Why did I just learn of this neighbourhood gem? Located on a busy stretch of Carling ave behind a big box Canadian tire, I have driven by Al's countless times and written them off as yet another anonymous diner catering to work crowds with bland club sandwiches and soggy fries. I was so wrong. This little restaurant is deceptively large and welcoming, with comfortable seating and plenty of room. Service is prompt and causal and the menu does NOT disappoint. I was there for a casual business breakfast and we were immediately seated. Coffee was hot, flavourful, and bottomless. Food was fresh, home fries were golden and crunchy with a soft interior. And they NAILED the hollandaise on my smoked meat Benedict. The chefs took care to crisp the smoked meat and it was....amazing. It will take me some time to work through their menu l, but I will be back with my family for weekend brunch! read more

Went there for breakfast on a Saturday morning. The place is pretty big, especially with the outdoor patio in the summer. Had the "Al's Big Hit" breakfast (2 eggs, choice of meat, home fries, toast, choice of pancake or french toast, and tea or coffee) for under $8!!! I chose the pancake, it wasn't really fluffy and the flavour was ok. Next time I'll try the french toast. Service was super fast and very friendly. For that price and service I will be definitely going back. read more

I went in looking for a diner and found it. Al's serving staff are friendly and offer up a cup of coffee as soon as you take a seat. I had a Starbucks latte with me and they gave me no grief about having an outside beverage. Even offered to warm it up for me. I ordered the basic breakfast. Two eggs poached medium with bacon and home fries. The eggs were perfect! The bacon was crisp (probably oven baked) and the home fries were good. Overall 4 stars, mostly because personal preference on home fries, I like them a bit on the hotter side (fresh out of the fryer). I will be back again. read more

Best place I've come across yet for breakfast. Fast service, decent prices and good quality food. I've eaten here 3 times and it has stayed consistant whether it is busy or dead. Its a basic diner with outdated decor but I love it. read more

Good stick to the gut foods at reasonable prices. Visited for late breakfast. Service was good but we did have to wait for a table. Portions good sized, prices low, quality high. They even agreed to make a lunch dish for one of our party. Decor so-so but who cares. Worth a visit. read more

Al's Diner is amazing, my friend and I went there for dinner and it was great! Prices are amazing. We found out that night there was karaoke, everyone there was so inviting and we had so much fun we decided to go back for a birthday night. They asked us the week before what drinks we wanted and stocked up on pornstar ingredients just for us! You don't want to be anywhere else on a Friday night! Best place I have been to yet. read more

I loved this place so much more than I expected to. It's such a genuine diner experience. There are a ton of diners in Ottawa, but I feel like a lot of them are sort of style over substance and play too much into the idealized version of a diner that they coast on being cool and instagrammable (not that I'm against being trendy and instagrammable), that they lose the charm and point of what a diner is. In contrast this place has simple, tasty food, big portions (I could hardly finish my food), unlimited coffee that's included with the meal and really, really great service. I've had servers do a great job, but still give off an "I'd rather be anywhere else right now vibe" while the server here went above most others and was so friendly and pleasant on top of that. I really don't think there's anything I could complain about and absolutely intend to go back soon. read more

Just discovered this place as i dropped car at Meineke next door, early morning and had an hour to kill. This place has great breakfasts for cheap! Friendly service, fast and conscientious staff! This is a great place. read more

Good news! If u like eggs shells in your food then this place is for u! When I complained about it the cook actually came from the kitchen and asked why I was being so pissy. Insane. Very average Frozen nonsense food that is available anywhere. Servers are rude unless your a regular that compliments them after 3 beers. Dont bother. read more

Very friendly staff. Good coffee. Quick service. Very good breakfast food. I had an omelet which was cooked perfectly. The home fries were hot and crispy and very good. read more

Love this place!! My boyfriend and I eat here all the time. Great prices about $20.00 for us both to have a full breakfast. Service is fast and the servers are very nice. Food is good normal breakfast food but if that's what your looking for then its perfect. They only complaint I have is on the weekends is loud but that's because its always full in there but I have never had to wait long for a table. read more

My first time at this joint. Went for half price pizza on a Thursday night. The pizza was meh. Not the worst I've had, but not the best either. Middle of the road. Had better. But definitely worth it at half price. Would not pay full. Where this place fell short for me was the attitude of the waitress. Her name was Mal and a ticking time bomb! You can't say anything to this waitress without her snapping at you. Our group was afraid to ask for anything. If you are having a bad day you should not take it out on the customers. A response to a customer who asks for a beverage when you get a minute should be 'sure', and not "YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO WAIT I HAVE OTHER TABLES TO LOOK AFTER". One of the guests in my party requested his bill whenever the waitress had a moment and she literally went off again. Management should not hire staff who are not friendly to customers. And we were not a group that required a lot of service. We simply requested a refill and a bill. She seems very short and lacks customer service. If you don't like your job, then quit. Worst server experience ever in my life. read more

Ate there by accident last week in mid afternoon when restaurants are usually at their worst. Not this place. Excellent in all respects : service and food. Off my usual routes but it will be well worth a detour some time soon. John Delroy read more