Great spot to eat. Staff were very friendly. Would definitely go back whenever I am in the area. Bloody Mary was delicious.

Excellent breakfast and outstanding service. Great diner atmosphere. Downtown location. Walkable from downtown hotels.

Ernie's Cafe & Steak House, is a true classic diner. I was in town for a wedding and they gave a list of restaurant recommendations. Ernie's was not on the list, but once in town both the bride and groom verbally recommended it for breakfast. The wedding was Saturday, so before I left town on Sunday, I filled my tummy with a classic breakfast. It's a popular diner, so there was a line out the door. I will say, the manager/hostess kept it moving. A Karen, cut past several of waiting a went inside and went to take an open stool. She was quickly sent back outside and to the end of the line. The hostess, then came out and told another single diner and myself to come and take which stool we wanted at the counter. Ernie offers 12 different combos for breakfast, I picked one that I thought I wanted. When I ordered and said to hold the buttered toast and give me an half order of Biscuits and Gravy. My waitress was so sweet, she said, nope. She said she was going to save me money by ordering me the #11 and replacing the French Toast with the B&G. That's excellent customer service. My Combo #11 was delicious. Had my eggs scrambled and they were super fluffy and simply seasoned. The three slices of bacon were crispy and the Hash Browns had crispy edges. However, the true star of my breakfast was the Biscuit and Gravy. The biscuit wasn't as fluffy as I'd like, but the gravy was top notch. I love pepper and it was extremely peppery which made me happy. If anyone is going to Columbia, I'd tell them to stop by Ernie's for breakfast. When I come back to COMO, I'm going to stop by for lunch and enjoy a burger. Dick Tracy, thinks about them all the time. read more

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We loved the food at this old school diner. Our waitress, Mel, was a gem and gave us lots of great recommendations. read more

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Ernie's Cafe & Steak House is a breakfast hotspot in Columbia, MO! This spot is so popular that you can expect a small wait on a weekend morning if you don't get there early enough! The service is friendly and quick, which makes the wait time for a table shorter than you would expect! This spot is known for their steaks, but you have to try the biscuits & gravy or the stacked French toast! Honestly, you can't go wrong ordering anything on the breakfast menu. If you are looking for a vintage vibe breakfast spot with spectacular entrees, visit Ernie's Cafe & Steak House! read more

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We were in town for a weekend and stopped here for breakfast and loved this little cafe! The atmosphere is super cozy and retro, plus the food and service were great! read more

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We came in for brunch on a weekday, and our party of 5 was seated right away. Ambiance is a typical casual breakfast diner. Menu is basic but lots of options. Service was good. - Omelet (4.5/5): I was impressed how tasty the omelet was! I got sausage, pepper jack, mushrooms, onion, peppers. Plus hash browns on the side, which were very crispy which I love. - Biscuits and sausage gravy (4/5): Good portion size. Biscuits were fluffy, lots of gravy and super flavorful. read more

Ernie's Cafe & Steak House - Biscuits and gravy - American Near Me - Columbia, Missouri

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Good food. Quick service. Unlimited coffee for sure. Girls are so attentive. A lot of people at all times. read more

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Very good priced breakfast. The coffee was not charged for refills which was great, each item of my meal was fantastic. The decorations were very cool and retro. Everyone at the table was satisfied, I will return. read more

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Delicious food, friendly service, great atmosphere. Small location but we got lucky and got right in without a wait. read more

Ernie's Cafe & Steak House - 1/2 order French toast with bananas - American Near Me - Columbia, Missouri

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Been here a few times now while visiting Mizzou. Fantastic In every way. Great food. Good prices. Fantastic, quick service. 5 stars. read more

Best breakfast in town. Awesome nostalgia and atmosphere. Classic diner vibe! Highly recommended!!!

A MUST if you are in CoMo! Traditional style breakfast food from breakfast sandwiches to omelets to plates. The grilled cheese was also phenomenal. The servers and staff were extremely nice and had exceptional service. The inside is small but gives that old school feel. read more

Ernie's Cafe & Steak House - Eggs, hash browns, bacon, and chocolate chip pancakes - American Near Me - Columbia, Missouri

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Came here with my family, and it's safe to say we will definitely be repeat customers! I love that they have vegetarian sausage available as something like that is actually rare to come by! Our waitress was super pleasant and the atmosphere in there just couldn't be beat! read more

Food was solid! Our party had eggs, bacon, ham, hash browns, waffles and French toast. All were really good. The French toast and bacon got rave reviews. Service was very attentive. read more

The number 11 is my go to meal. You get a choice of ham, bacon or sausage, french toast or short stack(pancakes), eggs your way and hash brown. I always ask for extra crispy hash browns. I have never gone wrong with this choice. Service is fast as its like an in and out old time type diner. read more

Ernie's Cafe & Steak House - Number 11. Choice of meat, hash brown, french toast and eggs with orange mimosa. - American Near Me - Columbia, Missouri

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The food was great here! It was delicious! The service was great as well. The waitress was helpful and very friendly. At this restaurant you have a choice of sitting outside or inside. The menu prices were reasonable! read more

This morning I had the most amazing service! In and out within the hour. I was very happy with the food!

I stopped here for lunch on a Tuesday at 12:30 pm and it was not that busy. This is an old diner that has a lot of character. I was greeted right away by a very friendly and upbeat server. He gave me my menu and took my drink order. The menu is not that large, but it is in the diner tradition, 1/3 is for breakfast and 2/3 is for lunch. I was very happy with the selections. My server brought me my coke and took my order. I ordered the #1 Bacon & Turkey "World Famous Pyramid Club" with American cheese on white bread along with the house chips. The meal was served within 5 mins, and it looked fantastic. It was two layers high like a traditional club, but it was only cut in half, which was nice, the sandwich doesn't fall apart when you eat it. This is an "upscale" classic club sandwich. The lettuce is not iceberg, it is a fancy type of lettuce. Normally I find these types to be bitter, but this was really good. The tomatoes were very fresh, and the meat was outstanding. This is the best club sandwich I have ever had... But wait, there's more... The house made potato chips are fantastic. Everything about this place was good. From the décor to the overall atmosphere to FANTASTIC service... You cannot go wrong trying this place, it is truly a special diner. I wish this was in my hometown. read more

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Had the Breakfast Combos. Waffles were large and fluffy. Eggs and sausage were delicious and the hash brown crisp. The staff was nice and friendly making the whole experience enjoyable. Will definitely swing by again when I'm in town read more

Ernie's Cafe & Steak House - Breakfast Combo - American Near Me - Columbia, Missouri

I have been here a few times and have always had excellent service and food! Chloe has been my server and she is the best!! She is always so friendly and accommodating. She takes the time to explain the menu and answer questions even if the place is bustling! 10/10!! read more

A hole in the wall diner downtown, but it's a hidden gem to those not from here. Excellent staff, when you go enough they remember you and everyone is so friendly! The owner (?) is almost ALWAYS there, I see him in the kitchen helping and at the front helping whenever needed. It is set up like an old school diner and it's like a trip back in time when you walk in the doors. I love that appeal! As for the food, everything is amazing! I've never had any complaints, I've never had to send anything back, they keep their prices low and offer decent portion sizes. There is outdoor seating for those perfect weather days and although there is not a lot of indoor seating, there is more than enough. There is a bit of a wait sometimes, but I've never waited more than 15 minutes and it's ALWAYS worth the wait! I have lived in Columbia 23 years and I've been going ever since. Definitely in my Top 3 of locally owned brunch places here in CoMo. read more

Best breakfast place in Columbia, MO! We are traveling from out of state, stopped at Ernie's for a quick breakfast. Great food, perfectly cooked, and I'm a bit picky: Fried eggs were over easy but not watery, bacon was perfectly crispy as I'd asked, French Toast hot & buttery with no powdered sugar (I loathe extra sugar!), hash browns also perfectly crisp. Served within 10 minutes! Our server, Craig, was amazing. Friendly and efficient, he helped made our breakfast at Ernie's a great meal. It's a simple old-fashioned diner; nothing fancy except for their great service and marvelous food! read more

Ernie's Cafe & Steak House - Ernie's - American Near Me - Columbia, Missouri

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This place will not let you down at all. The food is all high quality, yet incredibly cheap. The servers all seem like they love their job and know the ins and out of everything on the menu so it's a super enjoyable experience. It is also set in an old time diner so it's a wonderful dining area to go with wonderful food. You can see your food prepared and see everything going on. Great place to get breakfast. There is usually a little wait so plan ahead for about a 20 to 30 minute wait but the food is easily worth it read more

Charm all around! Staff, decor, & bar. I wanted an omelet, husband wanted lunch. Ernie's came through. Coffee was good, & refills kept coming. Will absolutely return when we're in town. read more

Super quick perfectly cooked breakfast. Server was super sweet. This is a small quaint diner.

Food was wonderful! Service was even better! Make sure your entire party is present in order to be seated. Totally for the wait! read more

Typical diner fare, affordable in the same respects. There wasn't anything insanely, crazy good about our experience, but there weren't any complaints at all. The food is really good. Given, we only got breakfast food, and it's hard to go wrong. Side note: I was blown away that they store the syrup in a coffee pot on a warmer. Genius?!?!?!!!! read more

Ernie's Cafe & Steak House - got all this as a combo. delicious and affordable, especially if you like a little bit of everything in one breakfast. - American Near Me - Columbia, Missouri

This no frills diner is cute and quaint. It's the perfect place to start your weekend morning. They kindly ask that you wait outside with your group until your table is ready because it is a very small space. You probably won't have to wait very long for a table because Ernie's has a smooth operation going. The food comes out quick and it is super tasty! Come hungry because they give you big portions. All of the staff is friendly. We only have good things to say about this place! read more

What a cute spot!! Came here on a whim and man I'm glad we did! We stopped by for breakfast and were greeted by super friendly staff and seated right away. The prices here are SO NICE! Coming from Minneapolis (where breakfast is always at least $25), I was shocked to see entrees available for less than $5. Gotta love that "small" town charm! The food was awesome, I ordered a waffle and hash browns. I love hash browns, and these ones were PERFECT! Just the right amount of crispy. Our waitress, however, was the star of the show. She was the sweetest waitress I have ever had in my life (no joke). She was incredibly kind, efficient, and made us all feel so so welcome. Every time she stopped by, my friends and I would be shocked by her kindness. I absolutely loved her, I wish I got her name and regret not asking! But just know that your service here will likely be top notch, if not phenomenal, especially if you have the waitress that we had! I'd definitely recommend this spot for an easy and classic American breakfast. read more

One of our favorite columbia hot spots. Can never go wrong with breakfast at Ernie's :) The staff is always so welcoming and friendly. Love this small diner and outside seating for a nice day. read more

Ernie's Cafe & Steak House - American Near Me - Columbia, Missouri

Rude waitress, bad food, and way overpriced! Stay away from this place! Not worth it!

Food was pretty good service was greT! Loved the building and talking to people. Very clean.

Great food and the staff was super friendly and accommodating. Drinks were refilled before empty!

Down at Mizzou a few weeks ago with my son and my daughter we were encouraged to try Ernie's. I guess this place was there when I was at college in the 70s but I don't remember it. Anyway it's fantastic. Small old fashion diner with great service, and great food! We will return. read more

If you want 50's American Diner experience, I'd give them a Diner excellence award Food pretty basic diner fare. No fancy here, just great quality food, atmosphere, and the service is pretty good . I'd bring my family here and they cater to the little ones so overall, Five yea! read more

I had breakfast and the food was good with great prices, however the waitress was phenomenal and that what makes me give it a 5 star rating. She was super sweet and attentive and made me feel like she really loves her job and her customers. The place was small so be prepared to wait if you don't get a seat. read more

Ernie's is my favorite breakfast place in town. Not only because the food is amazing, but the staff are the kind of people that make your morning better. The place could be packed and have a line out the door and the food will still comes out so fast. Best omelette and the #11 has everything you could want. Very affordable too. read more

Food was hot and fresh and taste was immaculate. I would definitely visit again. Warm and cozy inside

Food is great - typical diner options as you would expect . Honestly, the staff makes this place special. It feels like a true local at a diner, something you don't get everyday - I loved it. Tip: Get the cinnamon toast for a delicious throwback to childhood! read more