Midday lunch, mostly busy, were offered a table with no waiting…read more Ordered a Turkey Melt with salad and a Reuben with salad side. Both sandwiches were ample with meat and fresh bread. Both were of good flavor and nice portions. Salads were impressive with the fresh ingredients. Nice selection of greens, tomatoes, carrot, cucumbers etc. Service was great and the cafe had that cafe feel where the customer is important.

Excellent breakfast and burgers. Service was great. Fresh ingredients. Would go back again.read more

This might be my favorite customer service I have ever experienced in my life. It's not that…read moreeverything was smooth and efficient; it was more about the attitude and personalities of the wonderful people who served me. I am blown away by how genuine the staff here are! And the food is fantastic too, so that doesn't hurt ;) I was traveling solo to Courtenay last week, and Off Main had popped up in my search as a nice spot for a late brunch/lunch. When I went, I had to wait for about 10-15 minutes, and then I was seated at the same time as this retired couple by the window. It turns out they were regulars at this restaurant, which gave me confidence about how good the food would be--after all, who would be a regular at a horrible food establishment? I ordered a half size chicken and waffles. Super crispy chicken, silky hollandaise, and excellent house made hot sauce. Though the order took a long time to make (super busy day!), my server offered me a drink on the house to apologize. And throughout the meal, I got to chat with the couple seated next to me, which was also so lovely. After they left, one of the servers told me that they had paid for my meal. What an incredibly kind act. I left a thank you note with the staff, in hopes they will get it next time they're back. My server also hand wrote me a list of local recommendations for places to go and where to eat around there. Wow. Just good vibes all around. I can't wait to go back the next time I'm on the island.

Oh My Lord !! Of the…read morecountless breakfast joints have eaten at over so many decades, THIS PLACE is in the top 5. First off, THEY ARE ALL SO SWEET and Kind and Hospitable... They REALLY WANT to give You an excellent meal and experience... They 'SEE' You as a person and not just someone who walked in... I ordered an Omelette and was recommended to add shallots and cherry tomatoes to it. Came with a delicious toast and potatoes which were deep fried... The omelette tasted like it came from a Home Kitchen - truly authentic taste and SO GOOD !! Could tell that the ingredients they used were local and fresh - don't really get that taste in majority of the places i've been to... The Coffee was good and they came by several times to make sure i was having a good experience... If i lived nearby I WOULD EAT HERE EVERY SINGLE DAY !! I had the urge to hug these people for SUCH a delightful experience but then stopped myself :) MOST DEFINITELY coming back here again whenever am in the vicinity to try more items...

The food was great, service was good, and the ambiance was that of a small diner. It was packed to…read morethe brim but still good for walk-in. Don't recommend the vanilla iced coffee but the fruit and crepes as well as the sunny side-up egg were fresh!

We are glad that The Hen and Hog Cafe in Courtenay was recommended to us by The Surly Mermaid…read morerestaurant in Sidney. Another café serving excellent breakfast Egg Benedict, Eggs, Bacon, spuds and toast. Coffee was very good. Definitely recommend if you are in the area.

Breakfast was included with our hotel stay, so of course we are going to take advantage of it. Edie…read moreRae's Cafe is a very small place that serves breakfast and brunch with limited hours. It's inside the Old Courthouse Inn, which is a place you should stay in Powell River. Built in 1939, it's decorated in that era, and it's fantastic in my opinion. The restaurant has a series of photographs that are black and white on the walls, and are not to be missed. The service was prompt and attentive, although to be fair there were only two tables occupied. The food is straight forward, well cooked, tasty and comes out promptly and hot. Bacon and eggs, potatoes and toast along with tea, nothing better in the AM for us. Would most definitely stay at the hotel again and enjoy their breakfast!

Charming little cafe set within The Old Courthouse Inn. You can enter from the front or back…read more(parking lot area) of the historic old building. We decided to sit at the patio to enjoy the warm weather. There is a swing at one side which is fun for both adults and kids. Our server was fantastic! Friendly and very accommodating. Some of us were sharing dishes and he managed to get the orders right and came with extra plates and napkins etc. I shared an eggs Ben (Figgy Linda) and small pancakes (Chase's cakes) with my friend. It was the perfect portion to try the egg Benny and pancakes. The food was very yummy and well executed with fluffy soft pancakes and runny yolk for the eggs. If you like history, go inside and explore. There's even a resident ghost playing the piano every hour. Unfortunately I didn't get to hear it.

Incredible brunch food and kind service! We went back again because it was so delicious, especially…read morethe bennies. Great quality, fresh, and good coffee too.

Their Smoked Brisket Has No Smoked Flavor…read more Went to the Tidal Cafe for lunch, and sat outside with a beautiful view of the waterfront. My wife ordered the Tidal Bowl with smoked brisket, while I got the Beef Brisket Sandwich, which also had smoked brisket. It's not often you see smoked brisket on a menu for a non-BBQ place, so I was kind of excited for our orders. When our plates arrived, the brisket looked great and the pieces were generously thick. I couldn't wait to dig in. Then disappointment hit. The smoked brisket had zero smoke flavor, and the fat wasn't fully rendered. In fact, it was kind of chewy, which together with a lack of flavor was a sure sign it wasn't smoked long enough. To add insult to injury, my sandwich had a strong mustard smeared on the bread which overwhelmed what little flavor the brisket had. When I mentioned all this to our waitress (who was quite nice, btw), she sheepishly responded "Yeah, I'm a mustard kind of girl, so I like it like that." My wife liked her meal, but overall, I don't think Tidal Cafe understands how smoked meats should be done. Also, why is there a bar & a bar stool in their one-toilet bathroom??

Best Halibut and Chips I've had in a long time. Service was very good…read more The building looks unassuming from the street but definitely worth the stop.

Nice little locals place with indoor and outdoor seating looking out over the water with local…read moreartist paintings for decor. We came as soon as they opened on a Sunday. We both ordered breakfast and the omelettes came out hot and tasty. They came with country fries and we both were full. Server came back to refill our water and coffee. We chose to sit inside, the outside looked inviting with umbrellas looking out over the water. After our meal we wondered through restaurant to check out the artist paintings.

Called in Buddha Bowl with salmon from the mountain biking parking lot in Cumberland...lady on the…read morephone was great, food was ready when I arrived, it tasted great and it was healthy...a great choice!

As someone who is dairy free, this is 100% a place I will be coming back to. I ordered the chicken…read moreand mushroom quesadillas with dairy free cheese, AMAZING! Sometimes restaurants offer substitutions and then I try them, and it feels like they don't even try to make it good. This restaurant is the opposite. This dish didn't have me wishing I still ate dairy, 10/10 would recommend!!!

Very very amazing chicken burger. Fries are crispy and the atmosphere is amazing and food comes…read morequickly

The restaurant looks unassuming and on a side street, but once we ordered food and a nice pilsner…read morebeer, it turns out this is a place you don't want to miss. Simply put , it was one of the best hamburgers we've ever had and reasonably priced as well. When we're in Cumberland next time, this will be our goto for burgers and beer.