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

See all

Good food and great service. Basic breakfast at fair price. Don't judge on outside. Will be back

We arrived and there was already a few people in line ahead of us - a good sign! Ellen's is first come, first serve; you don't have to wait to be led to a table but literally need to snag it when someone leaves even before they clear it. They turn tables pretty quickly here so a wait isn't very log at all. I had the Eggs Benedict with Lump Crab instead of Canadian bacon. Not on the menu but they were willing to make the substitution - it was a $4 up-charge and worth every penny. Eggs Benedict is tricky, if you get the eggs undercooked or the hollandaise isn't perfect, the whole meal is off. Not the case at all here, absolutely delicious and I polished it off with gusto! Husband had the special which was a Meat Lovers omelette. When he asked for a hot sauce they asked which of the 60 he wanted. Not knowing, they offered to bring a selection and we were able to try 4 different options, some of which were local. Service was quick, friendly and the food was excellent and the prices make this a great brunch option. read more

Ellen's Kitchen - Meat lovers Omelette- the special of the day - Diners Near Me - Neptune Beach, Florida

See all

Food was amazing but they charge extra for using a credit card - that is not on the menu or their website but only on the receipt after you pay. BUYER BEWARE - What should have been around $45 to the website/menu prices ended up being $56 for 4 people. Each item was $1-2 more than the website/menu plus a $2 transaction fee on the receipt too?! Realized it too late as you pay on their iPads(without seeing what you are paying for) and after is when you get to see the receipt. It's a printed/throwaway menu so this should really be told to their customers before purchasing or advertise the prices you are actually charging. read more

We love Ellen's! Great food, great prices especially with the Early Bird specials (prior to 9am). I got corned beef hash with home fries, scrambled eggs, and a toasted biscuit. Crystal got a biscuit with sausage gravy and scrambled eggs. The menu has a wide array of choices. We've been long time customers and love coming here. Come early on the weekends, it gets pretty busy! read more

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

See all

The folks at Ellen's were just awesome this morning. Breakfast with my daughter is our thing. It's usually Saturday's but when we are on the road we throw in some bonus days. This spot was so cool with her. Telling jokes, playing along with her silliness and even making her some Minnie Mouse pancakes. Spots like this are few and far between now, I love finding cool people like this in new cities. The food also rocked. I went a weird path and had fish and eggs for breakfast. Fried Swai filet and cheese eggs. I can't get that in Tennessee, I could here. And it was well worth it. We will probably be back tomorrow. read more

Ellen's Kitchen - Minnie Mouse Pancakes!!! - Diners Near Me - Neptune Beach, Florida

Yesterday (Sunday morning) was maybe my 5th visit to Ellen's in the past 6 years or so. I've always been on a late Saturday or Sunday morning and there's always been a wait. This trip we only waited maybe 5 minutes for a booth to open up and about 10 min for someone to clear & clean the table from the previous customers. There was a continuous line of patrons waiting though, the whole time we were there. I would say Ellen's is definitely a locals place. And locals usually know the best places! Located in a small nondescript strip mall, you probably wouldn't know it was there unless someone told you about it. Booths for 4 or maybe more line each side of the restaurant...Tables & chairs in the middle...or you can sit at the counter. The servers really hustle at Ellen's! We saw ours juggling 5 (yes five!) cups of hot coffee with 2 hands to 3 different tables at one point! Now that is talent! Daniel had the Crab Cakes Benedict with hash browns and a side of bacon. He loved it. The eggs were perfectly cooked. I had a bite of it and I agree. Also sampled the bacon and it was cooked just right, and not too salty. I had what I think is called Big Breakfast #2. This consisted of your choice of eggs (I had scrambled); your choice of bacon, or sausage link or patty (I chose the link which was very plump and tasty); also your choice of hash browns, home fries or grits (hash browns for me). And then you have the option of toast or an English muffin, or a biscuit... Ellen's does something special- if you like-you can have a grilled biscuit! The biscuit is cut in half and buttered, then placed on the grill until it's crispy on one side of each half, and the inside of the biscuit is nice and soft. You should definitely try the grilled biscuit! There are so many breakfast options and some lunch items too. Ellen's is open until 2, I believe, and breakfast is served all day. At Ellen's, the coffee is always hot, the service is always great. The food is consistently good, and the place is bright & clean. What more could you ask for?! You should go! read more

See all

Yum! Can't go wrong with some good diner food. The place is self seating, which means you pop in, and if you see a seat open, you seat yourself. This can be rough at some places if their staff can't clean off tables in time and you're left sitting at a table for a good while before it gets cleaned, but not here. Everything is cleaned swiftly as soon as a customer leaves. The atmosphere was so delightful, especially since we were there for the beach and friends. It was relaxing, and everyone was smiling. What a great morning! I had their early bird #2 (it's cheaper before 9am!), and it was great. Perfect eggs bacon, and hash. Our server suggested getting the biscuits grilled, and boy was that a good idea. It was lightly grilled with butter I think, and it came out warm and delicious. It was a great start to my day! read more

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

Another diner not too far away may claim themselves, "where the locals go," but Ellen's is legitimately where the locals go. Folks young and old, shirtless and sleeved, all walks of life find their way at this no fuss diner. My experience was definitely run of the mill - service can use some smiles, but the diner-style fare is right up my alley. Pat's Special, eggs your style, hash browns and American cheese, served with a mammoth-sized, buttery biscuit was the breakfast of champions. Mmmm, good! As soon as we sat, the table busser yelled in our ears (literally) what we'd like to drink. It was startling, yet amusing. After our coffee's were brought out, we waited ten minutes for our waitress, who replied, "Ready?" After she delivered our food, she sat at the counter and began eating her shift meal, before preparing the bill. Ask anyone, Ellen's is an institution in Jax, specifically at The Beaches. But I don't care how long you've been in business, if your attitude is "my way or the highway," you're going to lose customers along the way. I'll return because their breakfast was delicious and because I have an odd fascination with diners, in general. Thanks Ellen! read more

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

Came in on a Saturday morning around 8AM, it wasn't too busy at first, my husband and I opted to sit outside since the a/c was blasting inside. Took a little while for them to clean off the tables. Service was extremely slow, barely ever saw a server. We ordered a Crab Cake Benedict and an Early Bird. The couple next to us ordered the same time as us and they got their food within 15 minutes. We got ours after about 40 minutes and my toast was sadly burnt. They brought out another one which was half burnt. Great prices but very disorganized and disappointing. read more

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

We enjoyed an amazing breakfast this morning with some friends. Our waitress, Elizabeth did an exceptional job taking care of us throughout the meal. The usual drink order first then we chatted catching up and weren't ready when she came back to take our order. The menu is chock full of tasty options to choose from. We shared an omelette with cheddar cheese and mushrooms, it came with choice of grits, potatoes or fruit, we went grits. Choice of breads were whit, wheat, multi grain, muffin, biscuit or cinnamon toast, we went cinnamon toast. I also ordered a biscuit and ask them to grill it plus ordered a side of sausage. The kitchen went ahead and split our order and we each got 1/2 the omelette, cup of grits and 2 slices of cinnamon toast. My grilled biscuit was the bomb, loved it. The omelette was stuffed perfectly with cheddar cheese n shrooms that satisfied our taste buds. Great job Ellen's and thank you to the kind gentleman behind us that tossed a $5 coupon on the counter for us to use, the Christmas spirit is alive and kicking! read more

Ellen's Kitchen - Omelette with mushrooms and cheddar, grilled biscuit and hashbrowns - Diners Near Me - Neptune Beach, Florida

See all

Local favorite for sure. The regulars are easy to spot. The food is basic but excellent and delivered by friendly staff. All the staff greets and checks on everyone Would recommend for sure. read more

Place is clean and service is good. But the food was perfect. The omelette was cooked perfectly with no brown spots, and my burger came out just as requested. Just a good value. Like to get what i pay for rather than settling for something less. read more

I love the atmosphere, and the food and the prices at Ellen's kitchen. It is clean and welcoming. One can sit where they want without having to wait up front. There are numerous booths to sit at. There is also special pricing for early breakfast. read more

The country combo is what I ordered. That consists of two eggs any way you want them, two biscuits with sausage gravy and your choice of sausage patty or bacon. I chose sausage patty. Since relocating from jax beach to Neptune beach I would expect everything to appear new and clean. That is exactly what you will see when you arrive. Everything is in perfect condition to the naked eye. The food I listed above was amazingly cooked. The sausage patty did taste fresh compared to the frozen you will get across the street at Dennys. Refills are fast and prompt. There was only one issue worth mentioning. When the cashier was asked about a military discount, she explained that the military discount only applies to the person that served in the military. My wife may have never served but she is a dependent with her own card. If the owner has to nitpick on approximately eighty cents discount to a military dependent, I do have to worry where else they pinch pennies. read more

Ellen's Kitchen - The country combo of 2 eggs any way you want them, 2 biscuits with sausage gravy and your choice of sausage or bacon. I chose sausage patty. - Diners Near Me - Neptune Beach, Florida

We have eaten here many times, but been awhile so thought we'd check it out with all new rules! They have 3 outdoor tables and inside is seating with much distance between. Wait staff is in masks and cleaning constantly. Our waitress was Payten, what a pleasant young lady! She was very accommodating with the fact that my husband and I eat keto. My husband ordered three eggs scrambled with cheddar cheese and a side of avocado and a side of bacon extra crispy, which many get wrong! He stated perfection for his meal! The eggs scrambled perfect with the right amount of cheese, oh and the bacon, they got it just perfect for his liking. The avocado was good and ripe. I ordered the North Beach omelette which has different vegetables in it and it was really delicious. It was cooked and had plenty of cheese in the middle and vegetables cooked to a desirable consistency. The only thing is it was supposed to come with a side of tomatoes which I never got but other than that she did bring a wonderful dad that was locally done and the food was hotAnd very well prepared. Again Ellens doesn't let you down I recommend it for anyone and they truly seem to care about the new rules with all the social distancing and cleanliness read more

Ellen's Kitchen - Throw away menu but good stuff - Diners Near Me - Neptune Beach, Florida

See all

Service was fantastic and food doubled it, the French toast was out of this world amazing and the pancakes and sausage links were fantastic !!! One of the servers came up to my table and told us that the pancakes were made "too small" and that they were working on new ones and they would be out shortly, I didn't expect them to care that much about the size of things, let alone their customers, especially with our prior experience at the Mexican place next door that I also left a review for, I was very excited to hear that they cared about their customers experience, all of the servers were super sweet, the food was amazing, and the drinks were also pretty good, they treated us like we were family, and it was a very homey vibe in the restaurant, people all around were happy to be there and enjoyed everything, smiles on every face in the room. This is going to be my new favorite breakfast joint !! 10 out of 10 recommend! read more

Really nice diner environment. Very beach local vibe but everything was great. The food was excellent and the price was great. The service was stellar and the bathrooms were very clean. I ordered two eggs scrambled well, we'll done bacon, hash browns and wheat toast. Everything was cooked eggzactly as I had requested. And to think all this is less than $5 on the early bird (before 9am) what a deal! My wife ordered a waffle that was obviously not frozen but fresh, a bowl of fresh blueberries and fresh made whipped cream. Outstanding! Try them out- you won't be disappointed! read more

Literally the best service that we've had in a looooong time. We were greeted as we walked in, the restaurant was busy but had a few tables open. This is one of those places that you know that 80% of the customers are regulars. We ordered a grilled peach muffin and there was no going back from there. The biscuits were huge and the sausage gravy almost perfect, but I'm a gravy critic. The crescent city French toast was to die for, will definitely come back for this. Not a fan of the hash browns. Definitely a great breakfast spot. read more

Old school breakfast joint with amazing staff and enjoyable place to start your day! Sat at the bar and would do that entry time.

Fast and fresh. Good off the path food from local owners. The food was delicious in a peaceful environment Would visit again. The food was fine. read more

. Highly disappointed, Very rude! Place is bright, light colored casual breakfast food. Will not return.

Decided to have breakfast here for the house made Corned Beef Hash as the reviews said it was delicious. What a disappointment...it was definitely canned hash and my potatoes was cold . When someone loves Hash as I do you can immediately tell when it is not fresh and/or house made. Great customer service and the food came out in a timely fashion. If you advertise "House Made" maybe you should specify what that mean. read more

Decided to head out to the beach this morning for a nice breakfast with my wife. We decided on Ellen's Kitchen. We have been there before and had really enjoyed it. The place is very clean and was pretty busy at that time of the morning. My wife settled for the banana pancakes which was very good. She also got a side of corn beef hash. It too was very good. This was not canned corn beef hash. I had to give her some assistance with the corn beef hash. I had the three egg spinach omelette. It was full of mushrooms cheese and spinach. I also had a side of hashbrowns with onions and cheese. They were just great. We enjoyed our breakfast. We thought it was a little pricey. The bill ended up at $31 plus tip. Parking is very easy out front. The service was a bit scattered and inconsistent this morning mostly because they were busy. But OK. I like this place. read more

Hit up Ellen's Kitchen for breakfast this chilly friday morning for the first time. It was a pleasant experience. Walked in around 9:30 AM, it was busy but not packed - there were a couple empty tables. Greeted nicely at the door and told to pick a seat. Our drink order was taken immediately, food order taken shortly there after. The setup is clean, well spaced out and the big window brings in plenty of natural light. The menu is kind of standard, which is fine, the cool thing being that it's diner style - everything is available morning or afternoon. I had a delicious cobb salad (yes people, salad for breakfast... learn you some) haha. The chicken was so tender, felt like I could cut it with just my fork. I don't know how they got it to be so delicate but keep it up! The portion was a good size. The lettuce was just iceberg but it was in good shape; nothing wilted and sad looking in the bowl. Couple halved eggs, mound of bacon tidbits, and plenty of bleu cheese chunks - it was a well built cobb. It came with a vinaigrette that I didn't try, I just got a side of ranch that was light and flavorful. Good stuff. My breakfast comrade had french toast, eggs, and bacon. The presentation looked great and I was told it tasted like "real breakfast." (lol - don't hate on my tasty salad) I wanted to check out Ellen's for a while and finally was smart enough to slide through... it will not be the last you see of me. Keep up the good work and cheers to the friendly staff. read more

Ate there this morning for breakfast. Service is good but that doesn't compensate for the blan food. Hash browns luke warm and tasteless due to sitting around for some time. Got the avocado, spinach omelette. No cheese came with this and it also wasn't very hot as well. My wife ordered a side of bacon and this was probably cooked hours earlier. Nice location and cleanliness was good. Glad we had a Groupon to try this place. See no reason to go back again. read more

After spending a morning at the beach, we were in need of sustenance. I fired up the ol' Yelp app and found Ellen's Kitchen. Located in a strip mall off 3rd street, we ventured inside. We were told to sit anywhere and grabbed a booth along the wall. Our waitress quickly brought us drinks while we checked out the menus. Breakfast and lunch were both available but we decided to split the fish hoagie with sweet potato fries and a side of fruit. The hoagie was definitely large enough to share. They split it in the back so no messy shifting of food at the table. The hoagie was swai, lightly breaded and fries but not greasy. The sweet potato fries were really good - nice and crisp with good flavor. The size of fruit was your usual melon, grape, pineapple mix bit with added strawberries and kiwi. Lunch was quick, filling, tasty, and inexpensive. I would definitely try it again next time I'm at the beach. read more

This was my first time at the new location and it was really impressive. I've been a loyal fan of Ellen's for years now ever since a friend introduced both me and my wife to a great breakfast place. For me what makes this place special is the simplicity of the menu and the quality of the food. They know what they are doing and they do it well. The Kelly's is corned beef hash and it is solid. Eggs, corned beef, hashed browns, toast and toast. What else could you ask for? I love the food and its consistently brings me and my wife back again and again. Service is no nonsense here. You seat yourself, Tiny comes by to get your drink order immediately and then you meet your server who takes care of you. It's the same thing every time and I like it. They are friendly, they are helpful and they are professional too. I love the new location as it's much larger than the old one and it's so clean and beautifully decorated. I only wish I lived closer so that I could go more often. read more

Ellen's Kitchen - Kelly's plate is fantastic. Corned beef hash that I love. - Diners Near Me - Neptune Beach, Florida

We didn't end up staying to eat, just had drinks. I brought some friends from out of town for brunch and it was our first time. The service was lackluster and disorganized. They didn't have mimosas and the atmosphere just wasn't what we were going for. There weren't as many customers as I would have thought should have been at a diner at noon on a Saturday, about half full. We ended up paying for our drinks (which we had to stand in line for a while for) and going somewhere else. read more

One of our favorite spots for breakfast after we watch the sunrise on the beach. Their early bird specials are a great deal. They are usually busy but we've never had to wait more than 15 minutes. Fast friendly service and good food! read more

Great find, recommended by a life long local that owns the hotel we stayed in this weekend. The restaurant was friendly and very clean. I had two breakfast tacos made with chorizo. My husband had an early bird special with bacon, eggs and French toast. Our bill was $11.66. Great food, wonderful prices, perfect portions. We will be back. Oh, they allow dogs in their outside seating area. read more

Set up for social distancing. Your perfect little dinner food. Great staff! Minimal outdoor seating. Bring Dido or Spot if you are dining outside, if you are or and about with your furbaby. Great breakfast/ brunch spot! read more

Great local breakfast just off the beach. We sat outside in the shade of the overhang. Waitress was very friendly. Menu had wide variety of breakfast items and some lunch items. Three of us chose the crab cake salad, amazing. And the other person had corned beef hash breakfast combo, which he said was great. Best part was we requested hot sauce and the waitress brought us a variety of local hot sauces to try. So much fun because the hot sauces were delicious with crab cakes and eggs. Would definitely stop by this friendly place again if in Jax. read more

New favorite! Love going to breakfast here before going to the beach. Great menu with friendly staff. Lunch menu looks yummy too.

My coworker and I stumbled across this little gem a couple days ago. We were actually looking to go to the sushi place next-door but they unfortunately did not open until 11 AM and we have a meeting at 12:30 so we popped are heading to Ellen's kitchen and we're not disappointed. The staff is very friendly and everybody seems very homey. They have breakfast and lunch items on their menu. My friend ordered the French toast that had bananas on top of it and I ordered a short stack. Both were extremely delicious and the service was amazing. I waitress was very attentive and they also provide a military discount with your purchase if you show your ID or show up in uniform which is always a plus. We will definitely be returning to this location. read more

As someone who can be categorized as a regular - BUT the last 4-5 months the restaurant has really been a downward trajectory. I mean this in terms of service delivery (don't sit at the bar, it will take forever). Secondly, if you are not recognized as a 'regular' - be careful. And some of the wait staff will tend to favor a local vs. someone that they may not know. You will WAIT and they do not care. Really. Food is good, but the attitude of wait staff and slow service has been so bad lately, I will never come here again. BUT, the good news is, Grumpy's just opened up across the street and offers a wait staff that is cordial and the menu is awesome. Sorry Ellen's but you really have a negative pattern the last few months that really shows some bad attitudes and SLOW (and you just don't care, it shows) service. Bye. Hello Grumpy's. read more

So good I forgot to take a picture! I was up early to drop parents off to the airport and trekked out to the beaches to try this hot spot I had passed by many a time! Arrived around 7am with hubby and was able to grab a table right away! During the course of our meal the restaurant rapidly filled up both inside and out! Because we were out so early- we opted for some earl bird specials- I ordered the one with 2 eggs, bacon & pancakes and added a side of rye toast, hubby ordered the special with 2 eggs, bacon & a biscuit and added a side of grits. I must've had early morning brain because I completely forgot to take pictures! The food arrived to the table so fast and I was half way through all of it before hubby mentioned that I didn't even take a pic! HA! oh well- it was that good! Pancakes were huge, delicious, fluffy and great flavor! Eggs were cooked perfect- no runny mess and no brown on my scrambled eggs! My only complaint was that my toast was burned :( which I despise burnt food- it was the bottom side and I didn't notice until I had a mouthful. I didn't complain, because I loved everything else and was stuffed anyway! Near the end of our meal I excused myself to use the restroom- and not only was it clean (a must) but it had good TP! Like- at home soft, thick paper- it's worth mentioning, because I don't think I have ever had that level of TP in a public place (hubby died laughing when I mentioned it and knew I would add it to the review). So- 5 stars for cleanliness, 5 stars for service- our server Debbie (I still remember her name days later), 4.9 stars for food! I will be sure to be back- oh and way more than 5 stars for value! Early bird specials were $4.95! No wonder they are always packed! read more

See all

Our favorite breakfast place! Very great service every time. I get the southwest breakfast wrap and it never fails to satisfy. Sometimes it gets a little busy so you want to go after 12:30 or when they open! read more

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

This place is awesome for breakfast. The food is always hot and delicious and the service is super quick! The chicken and waffles are served with a delicious mango chutney. You get so much food too! I order the croissant sandwich every time and an always pleased. They forgot my cheese this time, but it was still delicious because of how amazing the croissant is. Give this place a try--reasonable prices and quick service will keep me coming back! read more

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

See all

Usually a long wait on the weekends but absolutely worth it. Cruise by on a Tuesday or Wednesday to get a more reasonable wait time. The food at Ellen's is really good, straight forward diner food. The chicken and waffles are half chicken style so you get a wing, breast, thigh, and a leg. The waffle was a little soggier than I would have liked, but it was still really delicious. It's really hard to find somewhere who cooks eggs the way I like them: scrambled, well done, borderline brunt. I've noticed their eggs are cooked really well regardless of how they're ordered. I've gotten them over medium, scrambled well done, and poached. Each time they were cooked absolutely amazingly. I'm so impressed, because cooking eggs so perfectly is not an easy task. I'd also like to take a minute to give a shout out for the level of cleanliness. It's easy to get gross when you're slammed with people, but Ellen's is always clean and fresh. The tables are NEVER sticky, unlike a certain chain of American diners where EVERYTHING is sticky all the time. I'm always impressed with how clean Ellen's is considering how many people they move through on a daily basis. I haven't had any of their lunch food, but Ellen's is my go to breakfast place! read more