Cafe Elena is just a great restaurant to go to. The food is amazing. I ordered Crepe de Nutella, and a Rich Dark Chocolate smoothie. That was really tasty. The ambience it self is really nice, the bathrooms are really clean, and the restaurant is not too empty and not too crowded. But there was steady traffic. That's how you know it has really good food. The service is amazing. The servers are extremely nice. Our server was recommending food options and always being polite and respectful. They are quick and efficient, and the food was fresh. read more

Stopped here for the first time, and we loved it! The service, space, and food are all great! We had the Nutella crepes and breakfast burrito. I'd highly recommend both. I'll be back! read more

Best english breakfast ever! The candied bacon is excellently cooked. Sausage hits the spot every time. Potatoes are astounding..don't even need to add salt or pepper! Beans give that extra sweet kick. Thank you ! read more

Cafe Elena - Menu - Cafes Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Wanted to give it a 5 for the food but the service was a 4. Everything we tried from the Greek power bowl to the Italian omelette and vegan frittata were delicious. The restaurant is well lit and clean. They have dinner service on Friday and Saturday nights. Definitely looking forward to trying that. Also so many delicious teas to try in the future. read more

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Great breakfast/brunch menu, specializing in various European cuisines...plus American cuisines

The place is really cute and has a nice vibe for brunch. The pricing is about what you'd expect for the area, but I felt like the supercharged netherland was really under seasoned and the portion sizes were slightly on the smaller side. read more

Cafe Elena - Crepes De Nutella - Cafes Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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Family atmosphere . Delightful food with a hint of Russian. Wonderful pastries. Pleasant staff. And owner Elena is there on the premises.

Came in again a year latter. Failed to glance at my past review and ordered the exact same thing I had before. It was still delicious! Looks like the same boyfriend is around, as he brought us a couple of pastries mom had made. Everything was great and I would not hesitate to return...just need to try something new! read more

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Think about going home to see your babushka and that's what the food is like here. Yummy comfort food for us Eastern Europeans. We ordered a pot of black tea with cardamom to sip while we waited. The service is not quick but it's ok bc you know real food takes time. It's not like they weren't working, they were just busy. I had the meat dumplings; they are cooked in a salty water with onions. You must sip the bit of broth from the bottom of the bowl of dumplings. The pastry tastes homemade. The server was very friendly. She was busy but happy to chat for a couple minutes with us and she seemed genuinely happy to work here. The ambiance is clean and reminiscent of Northern European starkness but in a good way. It's all punctuated by tasting the love with which the food is made. The aromas alone made me so excited to eat that I forgot to take a picture of my dish. Next time :) My only request: Ms Elena, please think about adding pierogi to your menu. read more

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I don't normally give4 stars out to any place. This is my first time here. They have a nice layout with their tables and full of colors. Reminds me of Iceland restaurants. Cozy and comfortable. Started with a pot of black tea with cardamom. I decided to treat myself and order the Elena's specialty. The tea was perfect and a must try. Plus the pot it comes in was really cute. These are Russian sweet cheese crepes. Looking forward to trying them since I've not had crepes in a long time. Reading the history of this place, I learned that Elena graduated from culinary school and then went to Russia to work. She eventually came back to the United States and here she is. You can see her working the kitchen area still creating her dishes. I will say I was just a little surprised that it took a bit longer than I thought since they were not busy when we came in. But I did learn they were extremely in the morning due to the holiday. It's a fun little place to come check out. Okay, let's talk food!! After all that's the reason to come. I would definitely order the crepes again. One word "fantastic " and filling even though you get 2 long crepes with enough fruit sauce. Easy to see why Elena is successful. Great job!!! I would like to recommend putting pirogies on the menu because I am sure Elana would draw a new crowd in with that on the menu. I am recommending Cafe Elena to you too come try out. read more

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A friend and I went to Cafe Elena for brunch. The restaurant is unassuming on the outside but bright and vibrant inside. There are desserts for sale at the counter. We were greeted and told we could pick any open table. I started my order with the Blackberry White Mocha. The espresso drink was very sweet and smooth. There were several interesting food options on the menu, but I quickly landed on the Cannoli Italiano Pancakes. The food quickly arrived at the table. The pancakes were fluffy and the cream was very sweet. The ricotta cream and chocolate chips added to the delightful flavor. Overall this was a great experience. I want to visit again to try some other menu items. read more

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Looking for some unique breakfast selections, we are happy we stumbled upon Cafe Elena. On this Friday morning, there was plenty of seating available for us. We selected the Nutella crepes and Blueberry lemon pancakes. We were more than satisfied with our selections. The pancakes had a good amount of blueberries with a delicious lemon drizzle. The crepes delivered the rich chocolatey experience you want with Nutella Crepes read more

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Met a friend for coffee on St Patrick's Day & ended up ordering breakfast! The manager was also offering free shots of Bailey's! I got the Irish coffee and "Elena's Specialty" which is "Two Plain Crepes filled with Russian Sweet Cheese and topped with Fresh Berries Bourbon Compote".... Amazing! Service was fantastic & food was even better. They also have a pastry case! Definitely coming back here! read more

Cafe Elena - Elena's Specialty - Cafes Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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Finally made it into Cafe Elena! This has been on my list for quite some time as I thought their breakfast menu was very unique and interesting. We came in around 9ish on a Saturday morning. It was busy but they were able to seat us immediately. The place was bustling lots of diners and lots of to go orders. Our server was nice - it was his first day. Now for the food. I got the breakfast burrito. Although the British breakfast looked enticing I didn't want a super heavy meal. The burrito was good with the melted cheese and sausage, I just wish it had a little more bulk to it. Maybe some peppers and onions. My son got the rainbow pancakes which he loved. Overall I'd be back maybe when I want to try one of their heavier meals. read more

Cafe Elena - Breakfast Burrito - Cafes Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

First time trying Cafe Elena with my wife for brunch. Busy, but not packed. Wife had a banana crème latte she said was delicious. She had the breakfast burrito which was huge(and really good) and I had the blackberry white chocolate pancakes which were also delicious. I added a side of bacon for some protein and the bacon was cooked perfectly... no greasy and crunchy. Cute place with an interesting menu. We will definitely be back. read more

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Our food was delicious! Very unique offerings, service was great. We already want to return! read more

Cafe Elena - Smoked Salmon crepes - Cafes Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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Came here for the first time over the weekend with my husband. They were busy but we came at the perfect time and were able to get a table quickly. We were greeted by a server within minutes and started with beverages. We decided to share the dumplings to start and for my main meal I got the Nutella crepes. My husband got the Russian grandmother breakfast with potatoes instead of the barley side. The food came out quickly and was delicious all around! My personal favorite was the dumplings and the berry compote that came with my husband's breakfast. We look forward to going back! read more

Cafe Elena - Cafes Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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We came the day after Valentine's Day and this place was popping! Luckily I'd made reservations, which I highly recommend doing for a party larger than two! The server was incredibly sweet and attentive despite being extremely busy. The space is adorable and the food was good! We were sad because they were out of Russian dumplings, but I guess that just means we will have to come back! Highly recommend the Dulce de leche pancakes - omg melt in your mouth deliciousness! read more

How has this spot never popped up on my yelp before when I search breakfast? This place was SOOO good...everything prepared perfectly with decadence but also a light and airiness. My husband got a skillet (not pictured), and I got the Nova Lox and we split the Italian cannoli pancake along with the Russian dumplings. Yes, this sounds like a lot of food. Yes, it's a lot of food. No, not a single crumb was left. Everything was DAMN good. The MUST try here no matter what you get is the Italian cannoli pancake and the Russian dumplings. Don't leave without trying those. Her crepes are fantastic too. Hats off to the chef and owner and the staff because this is a my new favorite hidden gem. read more

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A nice restaurant, with a good European menu. The food was outstanding. I am low carb, but I did order the Shakshuka, which except for the pita bread, was one of the few lower carb foods. Everyone seemed to enjoy their food. The service was great and the place was busy but comfortable. read more

We tried Cafe Elena for the first time and had an overall good experience. We ordered the All American - eggs, bacon, potatoes, oatmeal and a pancake. The eggs were good. The bacon was a little undercooked, but I like my bacon crispy. The fried potatoes were average - a little greasy and not very crispy. My husband ordered the Spanish skillet, which was very good - cooked in a cast iron pan. The star of the show was the blueberry lemon ricotta pancake, perfectly cooked and and flavors were amazing. We also ordered Elena's Specialty - crepes stuffed with sweet cheese and covered in berry compote. They were really good, but not as good as the blueberry one. The service was great, with our server checking on us often. The ambiance was fine - clean, busy and well lit. My only complaint was upon walking in, we waited about 4 minutes and no one acknowledged us. We finally walked to the bakery counter and told the employee we had reservations. Not a big deal but it seems like an easy fix with signage telling customers what to do. Overall we had a very good experience! Wish we lived closer. read more

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I was made to feel like it was a burden when I tried to get a table 1/2 hour before closing. I walked out to never return.

Creative ideas. We had the skillets and there was no seasoning on skillets or 2 eggs. I'm a person that has maybe once in my life added salt to my meal this was a must. read more

We came in for brunch Saturday and Sunday because the food was so good and there were other things we wanted to try. No wait on Saturday, which was shocking. The wait was also not bad for Sunday brunch, but there were tables open they didn't fill, and it felt like we were standing for no reason. The coffee is very good and it's always brewing a fresh pot. You'll wait a couple minutes, but worth it. It's loud in here. The music is not too loud, but the people and the open kitchen make it not ideal for conversation. Saturday we all got various pancakes. Lemon blueberry pancakes, Rolled cannoli cream pancakes, and Elena's Special Russian fruit and cheese crepes. All amazing. The waitress kept apologizing for delays, but I really didn't notice any delay. They were very nice and seemed in top of a weekend brunch crowd. Sunday brunch was our chance to try the egg dishes. My family enjoyed the Spanish frittata skillet. I had the British breakfast, and loved it. It was a great balance of so many terrific flavors. Not like most American breakfasts which fill you up with potatoes. The potatoes were here and good, but they shared the plate equally with eggs, beans, mushrooms, meats, and tomato. 5 stars despite waiting about 15 minutes to be seated at a table that was empty and clean for 10 of those 15 minutes. read more

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we literally walked in and immediately just knew this place was going to be something. It has the family dinner feel. The decor is so cute. It reminds me of island colors scheme. the owner came to greet us and to ensure his new employee was doing well. he offered us a shot of Irish coffee liqueur for our coffee. best coffee by the way. The food was out of this world. The flavor was incredible. we even got to sample their maple syrup bacon. so good. we enjoyed every bite and every bit of this Ohio best kept secret. Can't wait to go back. read more

Cafe Elena - Cafes Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Food is usually good but it doesn't always work because it's so crowded many times that it's difficult to converse or spend time together Wait staff is understaffed sometimes and they try but it can be very inconsistent That has led us to carry out which is not my preference for breakfast or brunch read more

I cannot believe it took me so long to finally try breakfast here. I am already thinking about going back! It has a very homey, cozy atmosphere and the staff makes you feel welcome. The service is European style - a bit more leisurely and food takes a bit longer. It is so worth it. Food was served piping hot and is like true home cooking at its finest. The vegan skillet was loaded with lots of fresh veggies and was big enough for two meals. The almond buckwheat pancakes were served with a homemade berry compote and delicious coconut cream. The coffee was not my favorite, but it did get me caffeinated for the day. The sweets case was full of goodies and I have my eye on the Russian honey cake for a future visit. read more

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A friend recommended I try this place out and I was finally in the area. Very nice experience. Located in a strip so parking is easy with an attached lot. The restaurant is very clean. We were quickly seated. Our server was attentive and polite. I ordered the Buttermilk pancakes which came with eggs, bacon and potatoes. The pancakes are delicious. Eggs and potatoes were standard. The serving size is excellent. I'm looking forward to returning to try some of the other options on the menu. The smoothies looked good too. read more

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Good clean atmosphere. Great service with a smile. The food was excellent. Liked everything we ordered. The cordon blue crepes were worth the visit alone. The common roll w AWESOME and they even warmed it up. read more

Cafe Elena - Almond Buckwheat Pancakes - Cafes Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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The service was amazing, the owners were really nice and attentive the whole time. Food was great, ambiance was calm.

They have really stepped up their tea game. Glass pots with tea candle warmers. Unique flavors with loose leaf tea, fruit purées and fruit slices. read more

Cafe Elena - Glass pots with tea candle warmers. Unique flavors with loose leaf tea, fruit purées and fruit slices. - Cafes Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Fantastic A hidden Gem Will return Five start service and food in nice cafe setting read more

I ordered a delivery off their website. When it arrived it was wrong. I called to ask for assistance. The phone was picked up and hung up immediately 3 times. When I finally spoke to someone they said owners and management are out of town. He told me the kitchen is busy and he could not reissue the order or refund my the money for the items that were not delivered. Instead of being and to do anything, he told me to look up the email address and send a request for assistance and maybe someone would respond when they're back in town. Alex, a manager, was reviewing the orders and had my information and called me to make this right. He went above and beyond by refunding the incorrect order and offering a credit. We've always enjoyed the food and atmosphere and I'm glad Alex salvaged our faith in the restaurant by taking ownership and accountability. read more

The food was sooo...good. I went with my daughters and each of us got something different and it was all delicious. Go if you get a chance you'll enjoy it. Make a reservation though they get very busy on the weekends. read more

I probably just didn't order the right thing. When I looked at the menu, I have very high hope with all the varieties. We ordered the California skillet and huevo ranchero based on the server's recommendation. But the food is quite bland in my opinion, also the coffee gave off a barley tea taste, maybe it is what their coffee supposed to taste like, what do I know. The service is good though. read more

I finally took the family of four to Cafe Elena's. The first thing you notice is the bright, clean, modern space and decor with the perfect "vibe." The service was exceptional. The food was mixed. The price wasn't too bad, considering it's hard to leave McDonald's for much less. The fresh-squeezed OJ is worth the premium. Soft drinks are from the can only. The kid's meals are perfect sizes for my hearty 8yos, and this is now my boy's second fav breakfast spot EVA! My wife had the Huevo Rancheros, eggs perfectly cooked to over medium. Everything had a fresh made taste. Beans were just a little undercooked, but the salsa, tortilla, everything had good flavor. I was underwhelmed by the British breakfast, mainly because there was zero seasoning on any of it. The potatoes--nothing, no flavor. Mushroom, a bit over cooked, but also very bland. I mean, it is "British," but at least add some salt and pepper to things. But the caramelized bacon--who? That's a different story. It was amazing! So while the British was a flop, everything else was great so we'll return to try some other tempting dishes. I have my eyes on the crepes next time. read more

Wow what an amazing breakfast spot!! They have lunch too, but honestly I think I could order a different breakfast meal every time and be happy! Love the European vibes here, great place to take people visiting from out of town. The portion sizes are huge and there's lot of coffee and drink options. There was so much fresh fruit on my French toast, it was delicious! Service was fantastic and our group of six was comfortable at a big table. Can't wait to go back! read more

Cafe Elena - Cafes Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Oof this won't be an easy review. It's hard to leave reviews on bad experiences, but I always aim for honesty. It's a Sunday morning about 10. I expected it to be busy and it was, but we didn't wait but a minute to be sat. A young woman asked if we had reservations (we did not) so she told us to sit at any table. We picked a small 2-top. +1 star: The space itself is cute and modern. Nice looking cakes in the case next to the cashier stand. -1 star: After we sat ourselves, our server came over and asked us what we wanted to drink before bringing menus. We ordered a coffee and a water each (blindly since we didn't have menus yet.) Someone else brought our drinks. We got menus after a bit longer. At this point, I felt ok with things but could tell the way they handle service is strange and our server had a lot of tables. The table next to us was laughing at how hard it was to get the server to come to their table. Also, our server called everyone overly familiar "cute" names. I can handle a "hon" every now and again, but "my love" is a first for me and was weird. -1 star: It took eternity for our food to come. Zero seasoning added to anything. It was ok. Very simple breakfast. Bacon is weirdly sweet, almost like candied bacon but not crispy. Our food took awhile to get and not everything came at once. Server said "I will be right back with your parfait" but she never came back. She never brought butter or syrup for my pancake. We finished our other food before she came back to check on us -- I had to ask then for butter and syrup and to make my parfait to-go. The pancake was as good as a cold pancake can be. I give a lot of grace on service when servers are overworked. I truly get it, but please, just pop in. Bring everything the first time. Check if we are ok after a couple mins. Server was apologetic and thanked us for our patience, but it was wild. When she came back the last time, our server asked if I'd like the check and I said yes please. That also took ages for her to bring. Maybe 8 minutes. She passed our table 3 times before bringing the check. -1 star: We go to the cashier stand to pay and they have a note on the register that says they charge 3% for all credit and debit processing. Don't love this. -1 star: Pre-tip, pre-extra service fee for using a CC, our two breakfasts, two coffees, plus my almost $4 yogurt parfait came to almost $45. Too expensive for what you get (basic diner food.) Always glad to try a new-to-me place but this was a bust. We want to support our local businesses but this wasn't it. Can't recommend. read more

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First time at Caffe Elena's busy place, plenty of staff, great service. Food was very good. I had the Huevos Rancheros cooked just right. My wife had Dutch Baby pancakes claiming delicious and stating will be back. read more

Was excited to try this place for Mother's Day, however it was slightly disappointing. Although cute and well decorated, is was way too loud to have a conversation at my table. The servers seemed to have good hustle with it being a crowded Mother's Day and turn around seemed appropriate. I was looking forward to the chicken cordon bleu crepes (I love chicken cordon bleu) but they did not live up to expectations at all. While this was good (not great) the filling was very lacks, especially in chicken! For a chicken dish I expected to have more than 2 measly chunks of overcooked chicken that I had to really dig to find. Husband ordered the cannoli pancakes, however only ate about half of them as the chocolate was over whelming and the filling was a bit bland. Presentation of the dishes was nice and pretty, made us want to dig in. Daughter enjoyed her sausage and coffee. The tea selection looked plentiful. Unless they do something to eliminate some of the sound we probably won't be giving a second try, though other menu items have caught my eye. read more