My friend and I stumbled across this diner after our walk from High Park. We didn't know it was on the Michelin Guide. The ambiance of the diner reminded me of my go to college bar in my college days in New York. We tried 4 appetizers to share and sticky toffee pudding as the dessert. We started off with the oysters, which was paired with a ginger vinaigrette. The ginger vinaigrette and lemon added the perfect elevated touch to the oysters. The oysters were not too briney. The vinaigrette that came with the salmon Crudo was delicious. If they sold it by the bottle, I would purchase it. Then we got the carrots with cardamom labneh and dukkah spices. The dish sound so simple but taking complex spices like cardamom and dukkah truly elevated the flavour of the carrot. The eggplant came with white bean and stracciatella dip with a side of sourdough. I wished sourdough was a bit more toasted however, the dish itself was very well executed. However, I was pretty disappointed at the sticky toffee pudding. Where is the toffee sauce? (Gordon Ramsey voice) The vanilla Chantilly cream was nice and light, the pistachios were also a great touch, however, the cake itself had too much flaky salt in it. The cake was nice and moist though. Comparing to the other dishes the execution was not the best. Will I come back? Yes hundred percent. This is definitely a repeat restaurant. Bring your friends over or even your date! read more

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Fantastic on all levels. Food was amazing service was spot on. Recommendations were perfect. Oysters were clean and fresh. Thank you! Daniel is the man! read more

Very good cocktails and appetizers. Food prep is a tad uneven, cod and leeks - but leeks are crunchy and raw, braised cabbage is amazing, but on a bed of cold bean purée. read more

The Ace Toronto is one of the rare find Michelin brunch spot in Toronto. Highly recommend for reservation in order to get the table seats, or else expect bar seats. We walked in at 2pm, and still wait for 15-20 mins before we got seated. Ordered the duck confit sourdough, daily salmon omelette, and finish off with small portion French toast. All the brunch comes with either salad or potatoes or a mix of both. The omelette portion is huge, but with small portion of salmon and stuff with few large potatoes. Duck confit sourdough with two poach eggs is good, but not to the point of Wow factor. The French toast is the best of all, with berries sauce and pistachio cream. This brunch spot definitely better than lots of brunch spot in Toronto, but don't go there with high hopes. read more

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I saw this place come up on TikTok and generally I'm a little skeptical of hyped places but we were in the area and I thought to give it a go. We walked in for brunch at 1130am and it was full. The only seats they could offer us were at the bar. The space is quaint, long, narrow but small so no room for large bulky winter jackets. Sitting at the bar was a bit uncomfortable with tiny hooks at the bottom for bags. Thankfully after we ordered there was a table behind us that finished up so we asked to be moved to the 2 person booth. So clutch! The staff here were super accommodating and very friendly. We did note that the menu prices were steeper than most brunch places. Each dish averaged $23-25 dollars per plate. And add ons averaged $8 (eg. Extra bacon would cost you $8) We decided to order the duck confit and king oyster mushroom toast with a side of mixed greens and the ace Benny with a side of patatas Bravas aka home style potatoes. Both dishes tasted amazing. The poached eggs were runny and perfectly cooked. I love oyster mushrooms so having that with the duck was a nice touch compared to regular cremini mushrooms. The vehicle in which both dishes were plated on aka the sourdough toast was probably the star of both dishes. It was perfectly toasted and had the griddle taste ... ugh so good. The duck confit could be a tiny bit more seasoned but the ace Benny was perfectly seasoned and balanced. The side dishes were both just ok which then really played up how the focus of the dish should have been the Benny and toast. Overall, I'm a sucker for brunch and this place ranks top for the brunch spots I've been to downtown. The food, music, and the staff were 10/10. After our visit we found out this place was named a bib gourmand for the Michelin star ranking. Everything now makes sense. Anyway, 100% would recommend if you're in the Roncy's. Just not with a large group cause you might have issues with seating. Ps. Whoever is in charge of the music playlist here needs a raise. 10/10 read more

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Did not dine here, but was looking forward to trying the brunch at The Ace. We got to the restaurant 15 minutes after opening, and when the hostess got to us she asked if we made a reservation... we said "no, it's our first time here and didn't know you took reservations for brunch". The hostess looked at us with a disgusted face and responded 5 seconds later with a condescending "Yeah." Not sure what her deal was, but it is not the service you expect from a Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant. read more

This place is legendary. It feels like it's been here forever, got props from michelin, always been super busy. I finally found time to make it down recently and I can't get enough. The place is retro, super smoothly run, awesome service, and a simple beautiful menu. Get a side of the french toast to have your life changed. It's awesome. Get ready for a decent line up but it's not that bad(check out the store next door while you wait... it's got some cool/hilarious stuff). read more

My first visit last wkd and we went for brunch. Heard a lot about the brioche French toast and it didn't disappoint. Poached pears, pistachios and ricotta, everything tasted really good. Only note is that The bread didn't have firm/ crispy edges to Give it more texture. Also tried the duck with eggs Benedict and the eggs were made perfectly. Would have liked to see more flavour combinations though. The potatoes bravos served with it were delicious. read more

Great experience. Staff was awesome. Shout out to Archie. Food was excellent. Highly recommend.

Came here 1 year ago and it was a disaster. Four orders of duck breast that were so well done, we could barely cut into them, and an overcooked steak that was inedible. Staff apologized. Decided to give them another shot last night, and while the food was better, our salmon ($42) and chicken ($36) were both dry and overcooked. The accompanying pan sauce & purée were delicious, thankfully. Vibe, staff & cocktails are great. read more

Visiting Toronto for the day today and was able to stop in and dine at the Ace! So glad we could! the Ace burger was fantastic! Saw it featured and Diners, Drive Inns, and Dives and everything was as great as I expected! read more

The Ace - The Ace Burger! So juicy and the caramelized onions were a spectacular flavor addition! - Comfort Food Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

It was the first time that i have been to this place.. The Ace is usually a bar, but they serve brunch over the weekends between 11 and 3. It seemed to be like busy at all time.. was there around 11:30 and the lady at front counter took my name and number but also mentioned the wait time. Its cool that they send you a text message not just with a confirmation but also has a link where you could see where you are standing at when it comes to waiting(roughly no of mins/position Also i felt like they are very good at remembering faces and she came out and mentioned that they are just cleaning the table while i was looking at the wait list. But as soon as we were seated, it wasn't that long before they kept asking what we would like but also the food came quite quickly to our surprise. As much as we appreciated the fact that the food and service was very quick and efficient - the actual fact that they are also trying to push you out as quick as they can is something that put us off and made us not to think of this place next time we are in roncy area. I understand the fact that they are trying to accommodate as many people as they can.. but usually the brunch existed for a reason, and it's like they ask you if you need anything more every now and then which is indirectly asking if you are done Also for a fact after my friend said - he wants more coffee, the waitress got more coffee with bills and kept them on the table already. And the one star is off for this only reason! read more

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Go here for brunch!!! Fresh Mimosas, great biscuits and gravy followed by amazing coffee!! I loved everything about this small. I am all about small cozy nooks and this place is a perfect example of that! Our server was so warm and smiley, he gave great suggestions! I loved their fried chicken breakfast as well. I couldn't try their french toast but it looked sooo good!!! I definitely want to come back again to try more from their menu, shall update this review then. I found my perfect Sunday brunch place! read more

The Ace - Biscuits and gravy with runny egg - Comfort Food Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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A hidden gem for sure! Great brunch menu and vibe! It's a perfect place for a weekend brunch in Roncy with friends

Tried the Ace for the first time today after reading the many positive reviews. There was a 30 minute wait for a table which we spent in a nearby coffee shop next door (Lit espresso bar makes a good cup of coffee). The restaraunt is typical of the neighborhood. Narrow space with the tables running along the side opposite an open concept kitchen. The staff are friendly and seem to know the menuwell. Despite their close proximity to oneanother, the tables feel private and intimate. The food we tried ranged from good to fantastic. The fried chicken with johnycakes have a good sweet-savory balance. The chicken was crunchy on the outside and juicy on the inside. The johnycake was good but a little too thick and a dry for my taste. I would have preferred for a larger piece of chicken and a thinner pancake. The challah french toast was out of the park amazing! Perfect size slices with the right amount of toppings (banana and blueberry) and not too sweet. Seriously the best french toast I remember having. read more

The Ace - Comfort Food Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Have had great experiences and not so great. I used to love it when it opened. It's hit and miss now on the food.

Came in for dinner and didn't realize it would be so in demand for dinner, luckily even without reservations we got a booth. Seated right next to the open kitchen we could see all that is going on there. The steak frites is cooked with a char but still quite medium to medium rare on inside. The frites are delicious. The kale salad, tasted fine for some greens. The oysters, fresh, wish there was selection though I can understand why there is only one kind, this is not a oyster place. Dont forget to ask about the kids menu, otherwise the original menu is quite expensive for kids. The service, friendly, seemed to not always have all the answers but not a big deal. Saw some kindness also offered to other tables. It's a good local spot to grab drinks and food at if in the area. read more

I've never written a review like this but I feel compelled to let others know. Last night was a terrible experience. We were excited to have dinner at The Ace for a friend's birthday but when we arrived, instead of a warm or even polite welcome, we were told by the manager that we needed to be out in two hours. This was not mentioned when we made our online reservation. Since it was a pre-planned special occasion and others were about to join us, we decided to stay and hope the food and service would be good. We had planned to have cocktails, appetizers, dinner, wine, desserts, after dinner drinks and coffee - in other words, we weren't just going to take up the table space without spending any money. We were there to celebrate! However, we were rushed to order, eat and leave so didn't have time to do this. The food was awful - overcooked duck and steak. My friend mentioned the duck to the waiter but she didn't have time to order anything else and we were still charged for her meal. No apologies for our half eaten burnt meals. The cocktails and wine were good but the rude manager and terrible food made this a very very disappointing experience. We really wanted to like this local spot but with so many other wonderful choices in the city, we will not return to The Ace. read more

Better make a reservation before you go!!! The restaurant always pack of people and busy. We went to the restaurant via walk-in which took an hour for getting a table. I'd say it's worth for waiting. They have indoor and outdoor seating areas. We're lucky to have the indoor window seat. The vibes are really good, with the vintage dining setting. It is an Instagrammable spot. I ordered the Ace Benny, it was a Large portion and tasty. Of course, the servers were very attentive and friendly. read more

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I think some things could be better. There is a disconnect between the prices and treatment/ service you get.

Omg, this is probably one of THE BEST brunch places I have EVER been to!!!! The brunch is SO spot on and DELICIOUS. If I could give a six or seven star, I definitely would have! The service is superb and the flavors in the dishes are just... YUMMMMMM!!! If this place were in Seattle where I'm from, this would have a MASSIVE line outside the restaurant wrapping around the building. This place opens at 9:30am on Sundays and my husband and I came around 9:40am and it was already pretty full (we got the last table, but the bar area was still empty). We ordered the Ace Country-fried chicken & Johnny cake and the Challah french toast. Both of them were just AMAZING!!!! The fried chicken was crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, the slaw was yum, and the Johnny cake had a little kick to it (thanks to the jalepenos). The Challah french toast had caramalized bananas and fresh blueberries on top and powdered sugar. My husband I were just AMAZED at the burst of flavors in both dishes. The coffee is really good too (usually diner coffee js all right), but I would definitely say the brewed coffee here is better than average. Overall, this hidden jem is a MUST GO if you're in Toronto! read more

The Ace - Brunch menu - Comfort Food Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Came here for brunch last weekend with my momma. It was super busy at The Ace so we decided to sit at the little bar setup. The ladies making the coffees were friendly and fixed our caffienated drinks quickly. My mom ordered The Ace Breakfast and I selected the huevos rancheros. Our meals took a very long time to arrive (about 45 minutes), which we didn't necessarily mind as we were catching up and chatting on our mother/daughter date. When the food finally arrived however, I was kind of shocked at how small the portion of my meal was. My mom pointed out that this is probably all a human should eat at breakfast time (haha thanks mom!) but it was very disappointing to me as I was absolutely ravenous by the time the food got to me. The meal itself was tasty but I would have appreciated more salsa, beans, and gauc on the plate (see pic I uploaded). The only other comment I should make is that the ladies seemed to be upset over someone they had working for them booking reservations when they supposedly don't take reservations. They had groups of customers coming in who had booked reservations with a live human at this restaurant only to be told rudely that was impossible as they are "first come, first served." Try to keep the employee politics in the back room, accommodate your customers, and please don't talk about this while people are trying to enjoy themselves in your establishment, it was very awkward. I would not go out of my way to return here. read more

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Came by the Ace after a walk in high park on a Sat morning. It's a 5 min drive btw. I'd describe the decor as super cozy and hip. Loved the menu and I was wowed by the dessert selection but sadly I was too full to order any. Besides the typical eggs Benedict, Ace breakfast (eggs, meat, toast, home fries, beans etc), breakfast burrito, huevo rancheros, they also had a wide selection of alternatives such as challah French toast with blueberries and bananas (looked Heavenly), croque madame (sold out by the time we got there at 11:30), Ace country fried chicken and johnnycakes, and candied salmon and avocado toast. Everything looked Drooooool worthy. Anyway, I decided to try something new. I had a Dutch Baby. Made by a Dutch gentleman using Tomato Jam, Old Forester Bourbon Maple Syrup, Sunny Egg, Stonecroft Farms Pork Shoulder, Scallion, & Pickles. basically it was a big fluffy pancake with syrup, tomato jam, ham topped with some greens and pickles. Pretty interesting! If I wasnt too worried abt carbs I would have gone for the challah French toast xD Their latte was great. Although they didn't have lactose free milk, they had almond milk! Drip coffee was just okay and regular for me. Tip - reserve about 30 mins before you're ready to eat. Take a hike around high park and when you get back you'll be ravishing and ready to feast! read more

The Ace - The Dutch Baby - Comfort Food Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Brunch is probably my favourite meal of the day when I'm able to wake up for it. The ace is definitely top 5 of places to check out and worth the early alarm. Popped in last Sunday, the wait was about 40 minutes. Didn't feel too long since there's lot of things to keep you occupied in the ronces area. The hostess took down number when we arrived and mentioned we'd be receiving a text as soon as a table is ready. Space and seating is fairly limited since it's a pretty small place. The food is really good. We ordered the challah French toast with fresh blueberries and caramelized bananas and the eggs bene with peameal bacon. French toast was so good, I'd take that over pancakes any day. The added banana on the French toast was perfect, really compliments the sweetness of the maple syrup and the savouriness of the French toast itself. The eggs bene was incredible, eggs cooked to perfection, the true definition of yolk porn. Wish I can upload the slow motion video for you. Home fries that came with the eggs bene was really good too. Really crispy and not over salted. Gotta day the meal overall was really good. Also got in a ginger beer which was delicious. Wanted to give them 5 stars but as good as it was. It didn't blow my tastebuds away. I'd highly recommend ACE for some tasty brunch. read more

The Ace - Comfort Food Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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The Ace is excellent! I came here for the first time after the High Park Spring Run-Off so naturally, I was ravenous. I had the Ace Breakfast which comes with the works - eggs, bacon, sausage, home-fries, toast, and black beans. To say that I was satisfied would be an understatement. It's rare to find a "run-of-the-mill" brunch joint do scrambled eggs properly, but this is it! The eggs were fluffy, buttery, and NOT runny; I'd come back for the eggs alone. This place is on the smaller side and it was jam-packed on a Saturday morning. I'd prepare ahead if you want to come for breakfast during peak hours. I'm planning to be back here for dinner someday. If you're in the High Park area, definitely give The Ace a try! read more

If you're looking for an inviting, low key, and relaxed diner with personality, this would be your place for brunch. We arrived fairly early on a Sunday morning (just before 10 am) and snagged a free table that just finished. Though its no where as crazy as Lady Marmalade for line up but there was a steady stream where of families to keep a waiting list going. This closely reminds me of Lady Marmalade except Ace a bit more hip, chill, and considerably less little kids running about. We maybe had 1 table here with a child ... whereas Lady Marmalade was a near zoo with much food tossing and little feet pittering and pattering. Ace does not have a lot of tables... mostly tables of 3 people. You could push 4 into an area if you know each other really well. It's not well lit so for those who are avid food picture takes (ahem me...) it really pushes your photo editing skills to the limit. Service here is really friendly ... they have this great relaxed vibe that you feel you could just open with a funny story of your day and they'll love it. There are definite regulars here and you can see in the way they interact in the staff that it's their perfect spot. Almost like old friends. The menu here is not very big but its fairly well curated. We came for the French Toast so that was not negotiable and I got their daily omelette (kale & brie) with a good cup of coffee & the Pluck Muskoka Chai tea. Before I get into the food, this place does tea and coffee pretty good... you don't get coloured water but actually enough tea leaves and spices to make a good cup. Blueberry caramelized banana french toast - Soft challah bread that are soaked in custard and grilled up nicely but leaving the interior quite eggy soft. The caramelized bananas add a wonderful flavour and the blueberries give it a nice sweet tart berry note to it. Though this didnt come with syrup or much powdered sugar, I think it hit the right sweet notes. 4.5/5 Kale Brie omelette - it came with a generous portion of breakfast potatoes (really fries but in chunks). The addition of the hot sauce made it a hearty meal as the omelette was a fair portion. I did feel there was not much brie at all in there but I was happy with seeing some greens peak through. I liked how the omelette wasn't overcooked or rubbery. 4/5 Definitely come here for the relaxed easy Sunday brunches and indulge in a very good french toast. I would say it's definitely in the top 5 and with the prices fairly reasonable and the wait not too bad, this is a good decent spot to keep on your regular brunch rotation. read more

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The Ace is aces. If you've had the time to read through my (really excellent) reviews, you know that I crush hard on places with booths. High end diners with cocktail lists and old classics always sit well with me, and The Ace falls into this coveted category. I popped in for lunch with my buddy Kent P. He had their famous burger, I had a kale salad with fried chicken and I can't wait to come back for a weekend breakfast or an evening drink in a diner booth. read more

The Ace - Kale salad fried chicken - Comfort Food Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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My Financial Advisor Rick tricked me into committing to a variable rate mortgage on a 35 year term that I cannot afford. I told Rick multiple times that I had BIG reservations about purchasing a home at any price due to a string of impulse purchases/ investments that I made earlier this fiscal year (cryptocurrency). I have had NO money for extra expenditures like treats and designer suits (Top Shop). Rick gave me his "personal guarantee" and swore to me that buying real estate was my only option to recoup the financial damages I have caused for my family. Due to inflation, I have now sold my son Robe's bike so that I can enjoy the simple pleasure of eating at my favourite restaurants and diners. Robe was initially resistant to the idea of selling his prized bicycle but after seeing the exciting new menu at The Ace he agreed to sell his bike and other beloved childhood items on Facebook Marketplace so that we could have lunch together at this trendy and fun hotspot for fine dining and family connection. There is NO PRICE too high for quality time with my son and his bike sacrifice was a necessary casualty in what I feel was an unforgettable father and son experience. Thank you to The Ace staff for providing what will likely be my last meal before declaring bankruptcy as I am no longer able to afford my mortgage or my fast paced lifestyle as a restauranteur. read more

First time visit for a Saturday brunch and the vibe matched the food perfectly. Friendly staff made me feel like I've been a regular for years and that they were holding my spot at the counter just in case I popped by. Had the Huevos Rancheros and wish I snapped a pic ... layers of flavour that made every bite taste amazing. Will I be back? Of course ... i know they're holding my spot at the counter just in case. read more

A neat little place for brunch in Roncesvalles. This vintage feel diner will seat you in small booths for two, which makes it an intimate place to catch up with good ol' friends, or just casual brunch with your lover . Food talk, we had ..... Fried Chicken & Johnnycakes | the chicken was Juicy, tossed in a light layer of syrup, and topped with refreshing Carolina slaw. Johnnycakes was a subtle sweet yet salty dense corn bread in the shape of a pancake . Challah French Toast | Moist and eggy on the inside, caramelized on the edges. Challah bread was deliciously wrapped in egg, poured over with warm banana foster, topped with fresh blueberries and icing sugar. The perfect brunch dessert ... forget about the extra carbs, and stuff yourself with cuz you worked hard all week, and you deserve it! Ace Benedict | the eggs had a weird over poached bubbly texture but the ham & english muffin were fine to eat, hollandaise sauce was nothing special . I would recommend ordering the homefries as a side. They were gooood. Approx. $20-25 per person Will come back eventually to try other things. @ The Ace read more

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My halibut was so over cooked it was like sawdust in my mouth. Fortunately the sauce was tasty which made it at least bearable. It would've been difficult to give you oysters much smaller than the ones they charged $36 a dozen for. If you'd like the tacky old style diner ambiance this definitely has that. I won't be going back soon. read more

I just love the Ace. Amazing brunch, great dinner and even a solid trivia night. The decor is eclectic and unique with a diner feel and plates that are reminiscent of your grandma's house. The service is Ace - I'm probably not the only one using that dad joke but there ya have it folks. Expect a bit of a wait during peak hours but I promise it's worth it. read more

Went here a couple of weeks ago and loved the food. Arrived here at 11AM and only had to wait about 5-10 minutes for a table. The place is cozy with not a lot of seating so I can see how there might be a wait for a table. We ordered the Challah French toast, pork belly and my friend got the ace breakfast but vegan. Seriously so good. The challah bread really worked as French toast and the combination of the fruits (caramelized banana and berries) and maple syrup just made it awesome. The pork belly was also a great savoury dish. It seems almost out of place in terms of the rest of the menu but it tasted great. The scallion and kimchi fried rice was really great and the pork belly was cooked well, not rubbery at all. Definitely will be back for brunch again! read more

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Very cosy little brunch spot. Came here for brunch and just finished eating my Ace Benedict. The place isn't super busy so you won't have to wait in line like over hyped place like Maha's. I ordered Ace Benedict, wasn't the best looking benny but can't complain about the taste. The potatoes on the side were little too big and crispier than I like. My gf didn't like her Huevos Rancheros that much but she super picky. Great service topped up the good Benny. The fact that it's close to my place I'm going to come here again. read more

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Ordered the French toast and eggs benny. Both were okay, the eggs benny didn't have enough sauce (like to dip my potatoes in it), potatoes lacked any seasoning and no veggies on the plate to balance out the richness. Cappuccino was just okay. The French toast was good but after the first few bites it gets really rich. I will say if you are a French toast fan to check this place out! Wouldn't come out of my way to come back here again. read more

GREAT COFFEE | MUST TRY: DUTCH BABY Came here for brunch with some friends. I had the candied salmon eggs benedict. The fish was really well cured and tastes amazing with the eggs. We also got the Dutch Baby which was an amazing sweet and savoury treat; I recommend it to all my friends who are coming here. Of course we had waffles as well which were great but not outstanding. If you like coffee, get the coffee; it's one of the best coffees. Definitely worth coming back! read more

The Ace - Comfort Food Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Yes breakfast here is good and the coffee is hot BUT dinner is a delight. We had the carrot soup which had warm spice and tons of flavour, topped with toasted chickpeas. The kale salad was perfect as was the duck confit. House ice cream was rich and satisfying Service is friendly and attentive. Even by 9 pm on a Tuesday the place was full. read more

This little joint is located in a trendy neighborhood a little ways from the downtown area but you have to go here. The food is all fresh and you will love the atmosphere. The the chefs are fast on point with their choice of flavors. Got to try their pork belly and fried rice with eggs. The staff is friendly; however, the space is a little tight and you will likely have to wait for a table. Therefore, I recommend getting there earlier than the typical breakfast, lunch, and dinner rush hours. read more

We randomly decided to stop in because the other restaurant closed early so we decided to take a chance because it was getting late and places were starting to close up. I was pleasantly surprised and I'm really happy we stumbled upon this spot. It is small, super cozy and the food is amazing. It tastes homemade, it is apparent that all the ingredients they use are fresh and the portion sizes are quite generous. Their food menu is not expansive as some places, they definitely do have a larger selection of alcoholic beverages. If that is something you enjoy, this place is also worth checking out for that reason. I will definitely be back in the future. read more

Very nice little spot, has that old diner charm to it. Workers are super friendly and food was great. Came in for brunch - had egg/cheese sandwich and some french toast. Very good. Real maple syrup was given, big plus! Their home fries are awesome, very unique. If you have a group, keep in mind more that 4 people will be tough - their is one section here that could accommodate more, maybe 6 people or 8, but that's it. read more

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