Eggs Benedict and I have to say one of the best I have had. Adding the pastrami to the Benedict made it even better. The focaccia bread is home made. They even have a cinnamon that's so amazing. Great people and what a treat it was to visit. It's a must stop when you're in Elk Rapids. Family owned and the passion shows. read more

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Today was our first time visiting this little gem in Elk Rapids, and we couldn't have been more pleased with our experience! From the friendly staff to the absolutely yummy food -- this place is 5+ stars! Our server was also the owner, and she was so fun to talk to! We had the breakfast Sammy and smashburger and would totally get those two dishes again! For those who like kale, their kale salad and homemade vinaigrette was SO GOOD! We also ordered a macaroon and brown butter cookie to go (P.S. We scarfed down the cookie before our check arrived ). We are looking forward to visiting this place again and again and again! read more

The food tasted excellent, one of the best meals I have ever had. Out party ordered lunch and breakfast, and both were outstanding. I would highly recommend the faccacia bread, it was really authentic. The food was fresh and tasty and definitely made from scratch - my mom said the banana bread tasted as good as her own homemade. The staff was also very friendly and helpful. They easily accommodated my mom in her wheelchair. I would definitely recommend stopping by if your in the area. read more

Ames Street Cafe - Pesto Mozzarella Melt and authentic Coke! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Elk Rapids, Michigan

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I believe this place recently opened, but they seem to be having a smooth transition! We went around 11:30 or so, and there were plenty of open tables. I'm guessing most of their business occurs around breakfast as that's what the majority of the menu items are. Speaking of the menu, it is a little limited -- being only one page, but we were able to all find something we liked. Our waitress was very kind and answered all our questions. She kept us updated on when the food would be coming out, and she was happy to provide us with extra jams and such. I got the banana french toast, and it was amazing. It also really filled me up! I didn't have to add syrup or anything to it either. Very cute vibe here. I hope they keep expanding their menu! read more

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We were out boating on Elk Lake and a storm popped up. We decided to dock the boat quick and grab a coffee while the rest of our group grabbed a table at Riverwalk Grill (would not go back there). When we got to Ames Street Cafe they looked really busy, as I would imagine they would be on a Saturday in late July. We were greeted immediately by a lovely gal who I believe is the owner and also barista. She made us a couple delicious lattes with homemade syrups. So good! Would highly recommend. I am bummed we didn't eat there as well. The food coming out of the kitchen while we waited for our coffee looked phenomenal. Thanks again for the hospitality and we will absolutely be back when we are in the area next. read more

We enjoyed a lovely Sunday brunch on the sun-drenched patio, ordering breakfast dishes and a cheese-hamburger covered in Gruyère and green olives with tallow fries. It was all delicious. The servers were pleasant and attentive. Would definitely go back when in the area again. read more

Ames Street Cafe is absolutely fantastic! Delicious food, welcoming atmosphere, and great service. We stayed in Elk Rapids for a long weekend and came in for breakfast every single morning because it was so good. Highly recommend! read more

Great local spot with fresh, from scratch food, served by friendly people. There aren't a lot of breakfast spots in the area, so a place like this with good food is going to be jammed! Be prepared to wait a bit - both to be seated and for the kitchen to fire up your order from scratch - but it's worth it. The daily focaccia and quiche, pancakes, and chai are particular favorites! Take the 1 star reviews with a grain of salt. If you look at those Yelpers' other reviews, they're all 1 star or 5 stars - meaning if they didn't think it was perfect, then it was awful - nothing in between. Come on now... read more

Couldn't even make it into the restaurant without them yelling at me. I passed by while walking home from getting coffee and wanted to put my name in/see if there was an open table for my large family. Immediately upon entering the foyer they yelled at me from the kitchen through the entire restaurant that I couldn't have my outside drink. I would never bring an outside drink in if I was sitting down to eat but figured to just put my name in/see if there was a table it was no problem. (You didn't even ask why I was there) This is not how you treat customers. Your menu looked amazing but I will not come to try it. I've been following you on social media and have seen how you've had issues with guests, however maybe the problem is that you yell at guests in front of your entire restaurant. read more

Absolutely amazing service! So glad they are here in elk rapids because this is the kind of business we love! They have a smaller inside seating with roughly 9 tables and 5 or so at a bar. The food came out quite fast which was around 20 minutes. We will definitely be back!!! read more

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Delicious and welcome addition to elk rapids! Absolutely lovely staff, cozy environment, not too loud and the food is jazzed up classics that improve the overall dish not making it into something my meat and potatoes dad is scared to eat (this happens). The potatoes are the bomb, definitely in the top ten best breakfast side potatoes I've had. I've sat at a table, the counter and take out and they've been excellent each time with superior customer service. I expect they'll be slammed in the summer, so plan accordingly and don't be a jerk. I've seen this happen year after year at restaurants downtown TC, if you have a large group I'd call ahead and give them a heads up. Idk how they'll handle the summer but I'm already dreading it for them. Tailgate games, a tent with a coffee bar would go a long way to manage cranky tourists who don't know how to be respectful and expects everyone to operate on their timeline. *If you can't tell I've had Saturday brunch induced trauma after living next to Patisserie Amie and Towne Plaza and seeing people scream at servers and hosts like it's their fault the place seats like 50 people and you roll up with 8 adults and 4 kids and don't expect to wait. It's insane. Anyways rant over. This place is a delicious and woman owned! #girlBoss lol :) read more

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Starting with the friendly and attentive staff, everything was wonderful! The food was so fresh tasting....i almost asked where they kept the chickens! It is a hidden gem but if you are in the neighborhood, definitely stop by!! read more

Food and service is excellent but menu is pricey. Unfortunate they are only open four days a week. Portable sign on Ames St a village eyesore...get rid of it! read more

Such a cute spot. Went with my boyfriend. He got the chorizo breakfast burrito and I got the blueberry pancakes with real maple syrup and a iced maple latte with oat milk. We loved the food, my pancakes were out of this world delicious and one of the best iced lattes ever. I want to call and ask what coffee they use because it was so good. The servers were busy and still so nice. Will come back! read more

Amazing service, as well as great food! Ames Street Cafe is a homey cafe with great style. Including their collection of unique mugs. You will leave there with a full and happy stomach! read more

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6-8 Tables open said there was 25 minute wait. Not enough cooks in kitchen, bad recipe for breakfast spot. Bad explanation of poorly run business. read more

My husband and I were in Elk Rapids for a long weekend and a relative recommended we stop here for brunch. It's a small place, so during the busy season, be prepared to wait. They do have an outdoor patio which is nice when the weather is cooler. Our server was prompt and friendly and gave us honest feedback about our menu questions. She made our visit really enjoyable. I got the kid's pancake stack and hash browns. My husband got the Ames Street breakfast sandwich on a biscuit. The biscuits were clearly homemade and yummy (I stole a bite). I wish the pancakes had more berries in them, however, they were very filling. The coffee was hot and available, but they were out of several pastries by the time we got there closer to brunch, so if this is something you are really interested in, get there early. We will definitely go again. read more

Excellent food and very kind staff! The outdoor seating area is nice and relaxing. I love that the kids cups are reusable.

Based on the reviews - we stopped for breakfast. Had to send my Benedict back because it was cold. My husband said his burrito was ok but couldn't finish it. Their famous house potatoes were not great either. I have a terrible after taste in my mouth from this breakfast. Nope - not 4.8 stars ever. read more

Came here for breakfast on a sleepy winter morning. The staff were incredibly friendly and the coffee on point. We had an order of the oatmeal and the corn beef eggs Benedict. Both dishes hit the spot. read more

Cozy little place for lunch. Mom and daughter working the front of house as a team. Great service. Great sandwiches.

Delicious breakfast and lunch food, very well priced. Staff is super friendly and helpful. I've Eaten here several times and it's always consistently very good. I had a Ruben sandwich with a Homemade focaccia bread, so good. The bacon they use is sooo good, they even have some quick meal for takeaway options and a pastry case ! Very cute inside. read more

We love this restaurant -- the food and wait staff are always excellent. Sometimes you have to wait for a table but it is worth the wait.

Not your ordinary cookie cutter chain cafe' Ames Street Cafe has the perfect balance of friendliness, quality, and engagement that keeps you coming back. Allie and her staff have made a welcoming environment to the entire community. The breakfast and lunch menu is fantastic. Try the pancakes, best I have ever had. Thank you Allie for bringing such a gem to Elk Rapids. read more

This place deserves no stars! This was the worst experience we've had in the area by far in so many levels: 1) Got there shortly after they opened at 9am (kinda late to open for a place that serves breakfast)  and it took 1 hour to get our food!  My young kids were starving. They actually made me wait 15 min to even place the order because the kitchen was overwhelmed?? 2) Food finally arrived and the portions were so small, it was a joke.  It's so overpriced too. We were all still hungry after we left. 3) They overcharged us for the kids' meals. The menu said $8 (which is a lot of money for 1 fried egg, 1 strip of bacon and 1 thin slice of bread) and they charged us $10 for one meal and $11 for the other because they also upcharged us for replacing the toast with 2 mini pancakes. I had to ask them to fix my bill. They blamed it on whoever printed out the menus wrong. Way to throw your staff under the bus. 4) Needless to say, we were not happy with the whole experience so only gave them a 10% tip. While we're walking to our car,  the owner came out screaming and attacking me saying that it was not right for me to leave such a bad tip?! Are you kidding me?  How dare you talk to a customer that way and in front of my 2 young kids, especially after everything that went wrong? If you're so concerned about the tip,  why don't you find more cooks (your husband and you obviously cannot keep up with the orders) so people don't have to wait 1 hour for their food? It's because of you that your 4 waiters (so many for such a small place) didn't get a better tip so do something about it and own your part on it instead of coming after your customers. Learn how to run a business. You're lucky I bit my tongue in the restaurant and didn't complain on the spot in front of all the other customers. I hope they go out of business soon.  I'll be telling all my friends and family about our horrible experience so they stay away from this place.  Go to Cellar 152 for Sunday breakfast buffet or to Happy Camper Coffee Shop for a much better experience. read more

Love the people, food and vibes that come out of this place. Definitely a spot to hit when you are in Elk Rapids.

Great food, great owner, great service and excellent location. If you are in Elk Rapids and need a great breakfast or lunch this is the spot. read more

Great breakfast spot. It's our favorite go to. They have added outdoor seating. Love the pancakes with the local syrup.

The crab bennie with hash browns was out of this world!!! Our waitress was so sweet and everything was amazing. Definitely go check this place out read more

Ames Street Cafe - Matcha latte with oat milk - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Elk Rapids, Michigan

The food is the all American breakfast. Perfectly served. Great northern ambiance. Service friendly. A bit over priced but worth it. There hours need to be more consistent read more

We stopped there for breakfast while visiting and staying at a nearby cabin. According to yelp, this was really the only game in town, so we were hoping it didn't disappoint us. We got there during prime breakfast hours, and the place was bustling on a Saturday morning. The server was very nice and got us our drinks right away, giving us time to look at the menu. The menu had a great variety of traditional breakfast offerings and some interesting ones. I ended up getting the breakfast burrito which was absolutely delicious. But the real hit was the pancakes. Everyone else in our group got some variation of breakfast that included pancakes, and nobody could stop talking about them. in fact, my nephew felt the need to tell about 20 people about the pancakes on our way out of the door and the parking lot. He was still talking about them two days later. This is a great example of a small town, corner café, where the locals go regularly. Prices are reasonable, service is friendly, and the food is good old home cooking. I do not think you would be disappointed coming here for any meal read more

What a GEM! My husband and I stopped for breakfast while in the area. First of all, everything here is made from scratch. I had eggs, sausage and pancakes. This simple breakfast packed extraordinary flavor! The scrambled eggs were creamy and topped with delicious white cheddar (requested). The sausage was slightly sweet (made locally with maple syrup), and the sweet cream pancakes were to die for! My husband had a turkey sandwich made on homemade focaccia and totally enjoyed it. If you appreciate a scratch kitchen with friendly service in a quaint atmosphere, try Ames Street Cafe. You won't be disappointed! read more

Great little place. Loved it! Great service, high quality food. Such a little gem. Totally enjoyed our experience and will be back! The house potatoes were my favorite! Bread was amazing as well. read more

Ames Street Cafe - Breakfast plate. Potatoes must have! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Elk Rapids, Michigan

Bravo Ames Street Cafe team on your first summer open in Elk Rapids, you all did a phenomenal job. I love having you a part of our community. The amazing breakfast isn't bad either. The breakfast potatoes are to die for. Everything on the menu is terrific and everything is always served with a smile. Service has always been top notch. Can't wait to see what's in store for the off season, we don't enjoy Elk Rapids without breakfast at Ames Street Cafe. Special props to the owner, you can tell she loves what she does, loves her employees and loves her customers. Its refreshing to see, keep up the good work. read more

Been a regular at the local for years. When we heard they were leaving at first we were disappointed however Ames Street completely blew us away! We love the family's story and the food is amazing. Make sure you get the pancakes (best we've ever had!) read more

What an absolutely AMAZING little breakfast place for our little town of Elk Rapids. Amazing owners, nice staff, and outrageously good food! We will keep coming back every summer!! read more

Our crew arrived at the Ames Street café is it with four adults and five children. Dining area was full and so the wait staff seated us on the patio that was not open (it had just rained). Even though the patio area was closed today allowed us to congregate in the area. Our very kind waitress helped us get drinks and put in a to go order. We have small children in our party so it was nice for them to have some space to roam and we got a delicious breakfast. Highly recommend the sausage sammie with home potatoes and the pancakes - both were excellent. The food, the service, and the overall accommodations were delightful. Highly recommend this establishment. read more

Had a wonderful breakfast here - best ever pancakes!!! House potatoes were also amazing!

Good food for dining in. I do not recommend getting anything to-go. Today was my second bad experience with to-go service. Thank goodness a new, intelligent, young woman was able to give me change out of her pocket while my server was frantic. I get being busy - which they weren't - I get being frazzled for a minute but to make a customer wait (with their food in hand) for an excessive amount of time and just through your hands up and say "I can't handle it right now" - is a little dramatic. I just might not have made it back to work with enough time to actually eat if it were not for the other server. read more

Fabulous food and such friendly service. New business in the old location of The Local, so happy to have this gem in our town!