Some places don't just serve breakfast -- they serve comfort. Grilled fish, soft scrambled eggs, warm toast, and cinnamon apples that taste like home. The coffee keeps coming, and the staff treat you like you belong there. It's simple. It's honest. I'll be back. read more

This morning for brunch we stopped by Ellen's Kitchen, a classic diner in Neptune Beach where the regulars and the staff greet each other like old friends. The room hums with easy conversation, the kind that makes you relax before the coffee even hits the table. I went sweet with the Crescent City French Toast. Thick slices of brioche, soft in the middle with just enough structure to hold the weight of bananas, caramel sauce, and maple syrup. It was unapologetically indulgent and did exactly what brunch should do, it made the morning feel like a small celebration. My wife went savory with the fish and eggs. A simple whitefish fillet, seasoned and grilled on the flat top, paired with fluffy scrambled eggs and a side of baked apples. The fish was spot on, clean, tender, and quietly confident in a way diner fish rarely is. Places like this earn regulars the slow way, by being steady. Good food, warm service, and no pretense, just breakfast done right. 4 out of 5 A dependable neighborhood diner that makes mornings better. read more

Ellen's Kitchen - Diners Near Me - Neptune Beach, Florida

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I've been coming to this place for years and have been keeping it secret lol! Two blocks from the beach and such great food!!! The staff is the best and have hardly changed over the years and is essentially a family restaurant. Everything on the menu is amazing!!! They have the best pancakes, they're are soo fluffy and you can even add chocolate chips! read more

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Outstanding hole in the wall restaurant. The wait staff is friendly and attentive. The food is made with love and tastes fabulous. I've had the breakfast numerous times, but the Cobb salad with blackened chicken is amazing. The chicken is made to order. With so many breakfast/lunch restaurants in the area, this one is by far the very best. Quality ingredients, delicious and well seasoned. read more

Ellen's Kitchen - Jr. Early Bird #2 - Diners Near Me - Neptune Beach, Florida

You can't beat the good or the service at Ellen's Kitchen, a treasured local breakfast and lunch spot. The place is bright and cheerful with colorful local paintings. There are a few sidewalk tables. Breakfast are served hot and fast. All the usual suspects plus some surprises. Fantastic soups, salads and sandwiches are served at lunchtime. read more

I want to start by saying the staff here is SO FRIENDLY!! Everyone we talked to was wonderful!! A+ service for SURE. When it comes to food, I was underwhelmed. I think I would just order something different next time though. I got an omelet, and everything was stuffed inside versus cooked into the eggs, which I did not prefer but I think this is totally preference. I also imagine I could have asked for it the way I like, had I known. My mom's hash browns were perfectly crispy and and the bacon was so good! read more

Ellen's Kitchen - North Beach Omelette*, baked cinnamon apples - Diners Near Me - Neptune Beach, Florida

We checked out some places and decided to come to Ellens. The staff is amazing and the breakfast is spot on. This place is so good that we came back the next day before leaving town. When we end up in town in the future, we will have breakfast here every day. read more

Seated as we walked in on a very busy Sunday(Opening of the Beaches Day). Comfortable feel and very clean and decorated tastefully. Food? It was just ok, no real WOW factor. Downside, was the mini English Muffin. Hard as a rock, unlike the regular standard size English Muffin. Must be a food cost cutting measure. Save the owner money and still charge full fair as if it were the standard muffin. Plus sacrifice flavor for a few cents, nobody will pay attention. All in all, average breakfast place. read more

First time visiting Ellen's for breakfast and it was as advertised by my friends who took me there... it was first and most important that the staff and customer service was terrific. Second, the food was great. Nothing better than food cooked well and consistent according to my friends who frequent there. I would absolutely go again. I had for the first time fried fish for breakfast with my eggs, toast and bacon. The fish was so light and tender. I recommend it to change your normal breakfast pallet up, you won't be disappointed because it's just fresh fried fish that compliments everything for breakfast. Thank you Shawn and Joy for the wonderful Father's Day time spent! Great choice! Lastly, everything was clean and kept up with a fresh atmosphere and inviting design. But again, the staff made the experience even more home felt. read more

We visited on a very busy Opening of the Beaches Day morning and were seated promptly. The place had such a home feel, was very clean, and tastefully decorated. The food was pretty good overall! I ordered the Grandpa item from the menu, which included chicken fried steak with country gravy, scrambled eggs with cheddar cheese, baked apples, and an English muffin. The orange juice tasted like it came from a carton rather than being freshly squeezed, but it was still refreshing. The chicken fried steak seemed like a precooked frozen patty, but it was surprisingly tasty. The baked apples were a delightful change, though not quite like those from a popular interstate franchise. The muffin was tiny but okay, and I absolutely loved the eggs! My friend got a basic breakfast sandwich and was more interested in my English muffin, haha. His meal looked good, but he didn't have much on his plate. Overall, it's a solid breakfast place with a cozy atmosphere. read more

Haven't been here in a couple of years. There was a cook named Johnny who was fantastic and he left and went somewhere else. After that I didn't go there because nobody else seemed to know how to cook eggs and hash browns correctly. Used to go here all the time, especially when it was in silver's drugs but this restaurant was bought out a few years ago and most of the wait staff left that should tell you something. read more

Inside. Is very pleasant. Food was good. Service was amazing. Nothing really special about anything. If you are just looking for breakfast with good service and pleasant atmosphere this is the place. read more

Ellen's Kitchen - North Beach Omelette - Diners Near Me - Neptune Beach, Florida

Absolutely amazing! The servers are so friendly and our food was absolutely wonderful. The ambiance is very old school welcoming and the music is wonderful. Not too loud that you can't talk to each other! I highly recommend the fries and the breakfast bowl, they are wonderful! read more

Late lunch - got there 30 minutes before they close at 2pm. Just a few customers left as staff began their cleanup. I had the Reuben sandwich with fries. Everything was great. Nice hot fries (like they should be) and a taste Reuben. Wife had breakfast tacos- 2 on the order. Good but have had better. Andy took excellent care of us. So I'm thinking it's a 5. read more

Ellen's Kitchen - Breakfast tacos - Diners Near Me - Neptune Beach, Florida

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What's not to love about Ellen's. The service is always fantastic. Jenn was awesome - Super personable and on it! Food is affordable, delicious and always comes out promptly. I absolutely love that I can get my brekky exactly how I want it - the most perfect over medium eggs, shredded hashbrowns - crispy; and my biscuit griddled. We ordered the Kelly's Hash and breakfast burrito. The hash was good, but I'm figuring out that I'm a "show me your brisket" kinda girl. They said it was home made, and it didn't taste canned. Enjoyed the burrito which was stuffed with filling. This is a laid back, beach spot that I'll continue to go to. read more

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Food was okay - Omelet wasn't properly salted. Cinnamon apples are definitely not homemade. Biscuit was meh. Loud place when too many people are together- we couldn't hear each other talking over a large group that was incredibly loud. The one thing going is the service - incredible! Fast and friendly and extremely attentive. read more

We went in on a moderately busy day and were greeted very abruptly by a server who basically said we should leave. I was disappointed because they previously have been friendly and warm. Even though it was only a 15 minute wait, due to the shortness of the server we decided to go somewhere else. Kindness costs nothing. read more

Good quality food, well prepared and served by personable waitstaff. Ellen is in heaven, but there are some lovely people keeping the vibe alive. read more

My girlfriend and I went here. I had Eggs Benedict and she had the boss Omelette. Good food and environment. read more

Great beach area local eatery. I had eggs Benedict, bacon and grits, everything was perfect. The bacon was thicker cut with a smoky flavor!! Everything was cooked to perfection, the staff was very friendly, I will definitely come back next time I'm thru here, keep up the good work! read more

I dare you not to try Ellen's Kitchen! if you don't your belly is going to hold a grudge against you for the rest of your life! Not only does Ellen's offer unique, tasty options but they bring it to you quickly! The service is very attentive and responsive! i have yet to go through the entire menu (but I will(! Myt recommendations so far: The Boss Omelet French Toast w bananas and caramel Crab Cakes Benedict I plan on trying their Rueben which is very reasonably priced (thanks for that Ellen's in these expensive times)! Go get something good for your belly! read more

This breakfast nook was walking distance from the Seahorse Oceanfront Inn(Aprox. 2 blocks away). They were opening with spaced out seating, due to the Corona Virus pandemic. Ernie and I walked in and were lucky enough to get the last table available. Service with a smile:the buss boy/man(very important to this place)hooked us up with water, napkins and silverware. Then we had a nice young lady to take our order, and then another male Waiter to bring our breakfast out and kept our coffee cups full to the brim. WOW SERVICE HERE. The prices were spot on. We had so much food, we could not eat all of it. We both had the corned beef hash breakfast and we split a cup of grits with real butter. I look forward to coming back soon. They also have outdoor dining and pet friendly area. read more

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Good food, good service, a little loud but good ambiance. Overall pretty good place and we will return.

The breakfast here was so good and the early bird special was so cheap! Our waiter was very attentive and friendly. The service was quick and I really loved my French toast. read more

Ellen's Kitchen - Over easy eggs , French Toast , sausage link - Diners Near Me - Neptune Beach, Florida

We stopped at Ellen's for breakfast near the beach. This cute restaurant is clean, spacious and the servers are very attentive. Everyone was friendly and the food was good. read more

Ellen's Kitchen - Cute coffee mugs - Diners Near Me - Neptune Beach, Florida

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I am giving this restaurant 5 stars because of the amazing service of the entire staff. They take great pride of making sure that everyone has what they need from the time you sit down until the time you leave. The food is very good as well. Hats off to the kitchen staff for getting the food out quickly, hot and delicious. 4.5 stars for the food. Highly recommend the grandpa with a grilled biscuit. Will definitely be back and you wont be dissapointed coming here for breakfast. read more

This is the place to go if you love crispy hash browns, not to be mistaken for breakfast potatoes! They have been around for years and are a breakfast staple at the beaches. Staff is friendly and super attentive. Regardless of inflation, prices over the years have remained very fair for the portion size and sides. read more

i come here practically once a week with my grandfather and have been coming since i was a little girl. i have never once had a bad experience in the amazing restaurant. the food reminds me of an old southern grandmas breakfast, the workers are so sweet and know how to make their customers laugh. i would kill for ellens read more

The entire staff at Ellen's have made this place my family's go to breakfast spot. The local family feels throughout the place adds to the beach ambiance. The good food for breakfast and lunch always serves up a full and happy satisfied meal. read more

I have to be honest and say I am usually a Waffle House guy, I usually never deviate. I put a call in order to Ellen's for my wife, I preceded to go to Waffle House to get my food, the line was as long and things weren't organized so I thought let me give Ellen's a chance. I might be changing up and making Ellen's my go to breakfast spot. I called it in, they do a great job taking orders over the phone and even though it's highly populated the wait time is very reasonable,, only 10 mins. My wife orders the blackened fish with eggs, which she said was awesome. I ordered eggs and an sausage croissant sandwich. Everything was fresh and tasty. Great job read more

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A very nice place for breakfast. I had the veggie omelet with cheese, mushrooms, tomato and avacado. Its 3 eggs and I couldnt even finish it! It came with a side of potatos, which you can choose deep fried crispy or on the grill. I choose crispy! Yum! I had a homeade bisquit that they split in half and put on the grill. A nice little touch. The rest of the fam had lunch as it was 11 and my son is gluten free. Its pretty limited for lunch gf, so he opted for the chicken mandarin orange salad, which he enjoyed. My husband had a house made burger with bacon and avocado. I frequent this very homey restaurant quite often... the prices are very reasonable, the staff is nice and the food is good quality. No frills or foo foo....just a great prepared meal, which is all we want anyway!!! The best you will find at Jax beach! read more

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I love breakfast food and checking out local diner/breakfast joints, so I was happy to find them open on Monday, when some of my other go to spots were closed. They have been around a long time and are a local favorite. I read the reviews with trepidation, as my hubby was not going to be ok with slow or rude service and neither was I. Good news, service was pretty good. We were told to pick our seat upon entering and because it was after 1:00, it was not very crowded. We were greeted within a few minutes and drinks served soon after. I chose the north beach omelet without onions, so it had eggs, mushrooms, avocados, spinach, tomatoes and cheese. I had a biscuit, cheese grits and a side of hash browns. A lot of food, so I shared with hubby and still brought over half home. The omelet was good but a little over cooked, the cheese grits were very good but needed a lot of salt and pepper, biscuit was good and so were the hash browns. Hubby had the early bird with scrambled eggs with an added egg, bacon, hash browns and wheat toast. He thought the eggs were cooked really good. The price is more if you don't actually get there early, but no biggie. The servers are very casual, almost a little too much so, as we saw one eating and answering the phone and serving food with no hand washing between. One was dancing around to the music and that's OK for us, but some people seemed put off by it. One word of caution... no alcohol served here. So, while weekday dining might make me return, I would never consider this place for brunch on a weekend. Breakfast and lunch only. Worth checking out. read more

Ellen's Kitchen - Early bird with added egg, bacon, hash browns and wheat toast - Diners Near Me - Neptune Beach, Florida

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Obviously a local lunch stop as the waitress seemed to know everyone who walked in. I ordered a chef salad and it arrived gorgeous and delicious! A full bowl of lettuce was topped with heaps of crisp bacon, grilled chicken, tomato, sliced avocado and a quartered boiled egg. All this topped with a tangy dressing was a yummy lunch and very filling. The down side, the service was really slow, we waited to place or order and waited to pay our check. Not being a local, I didn't have the luxury of extra time and I felt a bit dismissed by the waitress as twice I had to ask for service and was told to wait. No doubt, the food was great... service, not so much. read more

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This was a nice little brunch spot very close to the beach. Despite it being quite busy at the time we went, the staff was very warm and friendly - cracking jokes, complimenting our food choices and checking in periodically. We had 3 different waitresses attend to us (one taking our order, one offering to top up coffee, and one checking us out) but they all had the same quality of service. I ordered the crab cakes benedict with a side of hashbrowns. I requested the hashbrowns to be sprinkled with cheddar cheese and they used a good amount of cheese. The crab cakes were very good - shredded texture and well seasoned - and the hollandaise sauce was a little tangy but in a good way. The eggs were slightly overdone as the yolk was a bit harder than I like it. Overall though it was a good meal. My friends ordered the Belgian waffle and short stack of chocolate chip pancakes. Although I didn't have space to try this since I was stuffed by my portion, they had good things to say about those as well! read more

Ellen's Kitchen - Crab Cake Benedict - Diners Near Me - Neptune Beach, Florida

Food & service was excellent from all servers and kitchen. Even prepared some gluetin-free items nicely. We will be back.

After reading through some local options I selected Ellens and we were very very happy with this choice. First, the OJ tasted like authentic freshly squeezed-- yum!! I haven't had that in a long time and it was soooo good. Also ordered the EB 3 which includes french toast and my wife ordered breakfast tacos. We both cleared our plates! Delicious and quick service and everyone was very friendly. read more

Really excellent breakfast! I got one of the early bird specials and absolutely cleaned my plate. The hashbrowns were perfectly crispy, the waffle was amazing, and the bacon was delicious! They also have really good diner coffee. And a house made spicy tomato sauce on each table that really elevated the potatoes! Service was good - two servers shared the space which was confusing for a moment but it was quickly remedied. read more

Another mom and pop place for breakfast and lunch and they did pretty good. Place was busy but moved along pretty good. No list just stand in line and you'll get in Candyce got the chicken fried steak with toasted biscuits. Good touch on the toasted biscuit. I tried the steak and it was nice and tender. I got the combo biscuit and gravy with 2 eggs and sausage link. Great gravy. Ellen's is worth the waiting in line. Look for it read more

Ellen's Kitchen - Chicken fried steak and the combo. With home fries. Very good breakfast - Diners Near Me - Neptune Beach, Florida

I was able to enjoy Ellen's Kitchen a few days before all venues were closed for dine-in options. I loved the large menu options but opted for the traditional steak & eggs with some really delicious home fries. Of course, the raisin toast hit it out of the park. I was most impressed with the staff during these trying times. Hard-working people trying to serve the community and keep people working. It was humbling to me watching Grace in action. read more

Ellen's Kitchen is a Jax Beach breakfast favorite hot spot for many. It has moved locations a couple of times. Ellen's Kitchen is a no frills straightforward Diner (with a friendly laid back atmosphere and speedy service). You seat your self as you walk in if there are open booths or tables. The restaurant can get very crowded on the weekends but isn't too bad during the week. Ellen's serves both breakfast and lunch. We came for breakfast on a Monday at about 8 am and walked right to a booth. They have a couple of early bird specials (before 9am) but we ordered the following: Pat's Special (Two Eggs any style on Hash Browns with melted American Cheesewith Grits and Toast or English Muffin) The Surfer (Two Poached Eggs on English Muffin, sliced Ham and Cheese) & Grits (side) Blueberry Pancakes X 2 Our order came in about 10 minutes. Everything came as ordered. There wasn't anything special about the breakfast although the pancakes were nice and fluffy with fresh blueberries. Note: I wasn't expecting an additional charge for $1.25 Hollandaise sauce on the side. It wasn't mentioned in the menu nor did the waitress mention the additional charge. Ellen's Kitchen is great for those wanting exactly what's on a standard breakfast Diner menu. If you are looking for something different you probably will want to try another breakfast option. read more

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