Busy spot Saturday mid Morning, food was great, service was polite and quick once we ordered. Would return. read more

Elle's Bistro - Fantastic smoked meat Benny. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Halifax, Nova Scotia

Not far from the expensive breakfast at our hotel. A little dark, but clean with great service. The meal was reasonable for Halifax downtown and great. We'd go back. read more

Really really really good waitress. The food was pretty average at best however it was also fairly cheap. I did get a comfort wrap which consisted of turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and gravy. So, that was really great and festive considering it is thanksgiving :D read more

See all

Do NOT go to this place! My sister and I went there for lunch. We hadn't finished our lunch and we found two mice just running around in the dining area. After we informed them, they did absolutely nothing! The only thing we got was "I'm so sorry ! " from the waiter. we paid and left and on our way back we were thinking how awful their customer service was and we need to inform the manager. We went back and asked to talk to the manager - they called the manager and manager did absolutely nothing either! The only thing was feel free to email us. They didn't even give her money back and get this my sister is pregnant! read more

Absolutely, great breakfast And they haven't doubled prices after the pandemic like a lot of others. My wife and I both had eggs Benedict. Our server was really friendly and brought toys for our daughter to play with. This will definitely become a regular spot for us. read more

Fantastic on all levels... Everyone who works here is super friendly, the prices are reasonable and every bit of the food we ate was fantastic to the last bite. What else needs to be said? read more

Service a slow and food average at best. Personally I don't see what the hype is all about. We were seated and waited 10 minutes before our drink order was taken. Then the drinks came roughly 10 minutes after that. The server took our food order at that time. About 20 minutes later, our food started arriving one plate at a time with another 7-8 minutes between plates. Place is disorganized. Like I said the food is average at best. read more

Good location on Barrington.Excellent brunch choices!! great service,loved the lobster Bennie

Delicious food and wonderful service! We came here for brunch. I will definitely return to Elle's!!

Three stars is a good rating, ok? Four and five stars are for exceptional eating experiences. Le Bernadine in NYC is exceptional. Arzak in San Sebastián is exceptional. Elle's is good. The eggs were cooked as orders; the sausage was tasty and cooked perfectly; the bacon was crispy, not over-cooked. The toasts were buttered just perfectly. And the coffee was palatable. Service was friendly and attentive. It's just a tad dark in there. Elle's is a good restaurant. read more

Elle's is a quaint, downtown diner, one of the few lunch-focused places that is open for dinner, albeit not past 7pm. There's a handful of tables up front, with more in the back, plus a dessert cooler and the open kitchen. It was nice to see several beers on display, mostly local, although there's Coors Light for anyone without taste buds. When I arrived one evening, I was the only one there, although a couple people came in for take out. It's obviously a family operation as there was a young child sleeping in a stroller and there's a playpen up front as well. While they have a hefty breakfast menu that's served all day (kudos!), I already had bacon and eggs for breakfast. Their diner burger sounded like a fitting choice, so I went with that, with a garden salad on the side to balance the saturated fat-heavy foods I had to eat that day. It was a quick turn around for my food, and I soon had my food in front of me. The cheeseburger comes with mustard relish and sauteed onions, and the server/cook brought some packets of ketchup as well, but I wasn't going to mess with a diner classic. The patty was probably about a quarter pound, and was a bit on the chewy side from being overcooked or the meat worked too much. The toppings were a winning combination, and the bun was lightly toasted. My garden salad was comprised of chopped romaine, tomato, cucumber and mushrooms, and with the house vinaigrette, and was refreshing if not overly inspiring. I opted for dessert as well and got a slice of the house-made cheesecake. Compared to the bargain burger ($4.95), the cheesecake came in at a hefty $6.95, but it was worth it. Taller than most cheesecakes, it also had a thick gingerbread base, fluffy cheesecake, and chocolate on top. I'm not a picky cheesecake person, but this was good stuff. Service was great, although it's hard to gauge when you're the only one there, but it was really friendly. Elle's is a decent option for your breakfast or diner fix, and once more population density comes downtown, I'm sure they'll have a solid future. read more

See all

I stopped by hoping to get a quick lunch before catching the bus for a flight. I picked this place mainly out of convenience as it's right outside of the convention centre. Their menu had the standard diner fair for a good price in downtown Halifax. I originally wanted the hot turkey sandwich, but was told after ~10 mins of ordering that they didn't have any turkey. I opted for the hot burger sandwich instead. When the food came, it looked kind of sad. It was a chunk of ground beef in between 2 slices of white bread drowned in gravy. It came with a side of "vegetables" - which was just sliced carrots in butter. The home fries were probably the best part of the meal. The servers themselves were friendly but seemed disorganized. Not a personal issue, but maybe at the restaurant level. read more

Now my favorite place to eat. Outstanding service and staff that go out of their way to please you. If you have never eaten there, treat yourself to a great lunch at Elle's read more

Went in for a late lunch with my sons. We had been hiking around town and they were pretty hungry. First, the place looks like a dive and could use some cleaning. But, I recognize some of the least attractive places have the best food so I kept an open mind. There was only 1 waiter, however he only had 2 tables. Yet, he couldn't seem to find the time to take our order. Second, we ordered a grilled cheese, a burger and a veggie burger. My sons had finished their drinks and we were nearly 30 minutes in when the food arrived. When we asked for ketchup he brought a bunch of packets. Seriously, is this McDonalds that you can't afford an actual bottle of ketchup? Finally, we had to ask for the bill and ask for a to go box. I would not recommend anyone take the time. There is nothing there worth stopping for... read more

This bistro popped up in every search we did on where to have brunch. The lineup when we arrived was affirmation of the popularity of this Halifax eatery. The place is unassuming and the prices are very reasonable. The food was abundant and delicious! I had the Greek omelet with lots of veggies and feta. The fried potatoes were truly homemade and very good! My spouse had the French toast which was excellent! My only criticism would be the slow service - perhaps more the fault of our server than anything - and honestly the place was mega busy the whole time we were there. read more

They had the best pancake! It was substantial and lasted me nearly all day. The service was excellent. The waiter was delightful, the cook was cheerful, and the setting was charming. I would also recommend the sausage links. They were different than classic American sausage links but still quite delicious. This is a great stop for breakfast! read more

Would give here a 3.5 from my most recent visit for breakfast around 9:30 on a chilly, overcast Saturday in April. There were two tables taken out of the dozen or so in the place. I took a two-seater halfway down the back, where it's narrow and away from any windows, but has a little cozy feel to it. Tried the spinach & tomato Eggs Benny, which I don't see on their online menu, but they basically customize any breakfast dish to what you would like anyway. Forget the price but was reasonable, I'm sure at $12 or less. The home fries were very good, but found the hollandaise watery and not much taste. Still a satisfying breakfast overall. Friendly service. Latest visit: 9am Sat, Sept 1. Tried the Jalapeno bacon cheddar breakfast sandwich. YUM!!!!! Served on potato latkes instead of the usual English muffin, etc. Spicy but not too spicy, not too big to be bursting full, but just right for a greasy breakfast that's not the standard. Served with home fries for $7.95. read more

See all

Where do I start with Elle's? It's charming, it's full of delicious food, and it's super cozy. There's nothing bad about it, honestly. My hubby and I went for brunch a few weekends ago because we had yet to try it and oh boy were we wrong to wait so long! We were greeted by a very busy restaurant (it was noon on a Saturday, it was our own fault!) but a very cheerful waitstaff who told us promptly that there were no tables available but if we waited ten minutes there would be one free. So we did. It was a beautiful day so we waited outside, admiring the splendour of Barrington Street with no traffic and chatted until a table was ready, debating whether we should try the eggs benny (so many options!) or the bluebbery stuffed french toast or the the blueberry pancakes or, or, or.... It definitely took less than ten minutes for a table to free up and the owner was so apologetic for the wait. Honestly we didn't mind one bit - we had time to figure out what to order. ;) (For the record - I went with the blueberry pancakes, my husband decided on the hungry hippo breakfast.) Our order was out in no time considering how busy they were, and in the wait time we were entertained by the owners toddler in the corner, who was busy playing. The portions are huge - you definitely get good value for your money at Elle's. I devoured my pancakes with just enough time to notice they were fluffy and that the blueberries were perfection. My hubby also had nothing but good things to say about his breakfast, and from what I managed to sneak from his plate (some bacon, hashbrowns and a bit of sausage) I have to say I agree. The bacon was crispy but not over done, the sausage had that outside crunch that I love and the hashbrowns were the perfect bite-size. Honestly, this was one of the best breakfasts I've had in a long time. I'm shocked that we haven't been back yet. read more

Elle's Bistro - It's a bit hidden thanks to the scaffolding, but it's worth it! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Halifax, Nova Scotia

See all

Our server, Jacob, was excellent! Highly recommend the Maple pecan Brie French toast! Will definitely be back! read more

We had the Lobster benny, delicious! Also we tried the French toast with Brie and pecan maple syrup, wow!

It was delicious (pancakes, eggs benny!) However it took a very long time to get our order. I suggest you hit this spot if you are not on a schedule. read more

Had their ribs and bacon wrap with poutine. Very tasty and perfectly sized, lots of meat in the wrap and it's not dry, home fries are crispy and not greasy. Service is very good and pretty fast. Enjoyed the meal, thanks! read more

Waited over an hour, never coming back. Service was terrible, menu options... "oh we're out of that. We're out of that too" seriously? Dirty tables, should have turned around and walked back out. Truely and experience better not to have had. read more

This was our absolute favorite place for breakfast/lunch fare in Halifax. The prices were perfect, staff are awesome, and food is great. I was unfortunately sick the whole time we were on vacation - but there was always something on Elle's menu that worked for my sick system. Definitely check it out. it's super busy on weekends, so try and get there earlier. read more

Found this gem on Yelp. It was so good!! The wait staff was excellent!! So personable. The food was delicious! I had split pea soup with a small spinach salad/grilled chicken. It looked as good as it tasted Highly recommend Elle's Bistro!!! read more

Food's fine - standard diner fare. Love that it's family run. I've eaten here a few times. But the last time I was there was super lame. Their policy on outside drinks is ridiculous. Walked in with a cup of tea from Weird Harbour down the block. Elle's refused to serve us with it, and suggested I either walk around the block to finish it or hand it to them while we ate (they would re-heat it - milk and all - when we were done). So we left. To recap: they refused a $30-40 check because, presumably, they'd rather I bought a cup of tea from them. Which I wasn't going to do because a) I had just bought one that was better than what Elle's offers and b) I wasn't up for two cups of tea at breakfast. So instead of doing the sensible thing and taking our money, they cut their nose off to spite their face. Silly and definitely left a bad taste in my mouth, which nobody wants when leaving a restaurant. read more

While searching the web for a lunch spot I came across the listing on Yelp, it was relatively close by and seeing as I had never been there I suggested to a co-worker that we could try it out. I am glad we did! I am a huge breakfast fan so the fact that they offer an all day breakfast is a hit with me. I ordered the SGOmellette (spinach, goat cheese, mushrooms and onions) and it was good. It came with home fries and toast, together with my coffee the total bill was just over $15, very reasonable. The portion size was just perfect, filling but not overwhelming. My co-worker had the strawberry-rhubarb stuffed french toast. She raved about it and it looked delish! On my next visit I will likely test out a pita and hopefully they will have either the baklava cheesecake or the cinnamon rolls which I was dying to try out but they were out of both :( Service was great, friendly, efficient and fast. Looking forward to my next visit! read more

Nice breakfast stop! I had a half order of French toast and it was more than enough! Good coffee, service was good, food was a bit slow to arrive. read more

I ordered the sautéed spinach and goat cheese eggs benny with home fries, and it was absolutely delicious. Unfortunately the service was very disappointing. I waited for 40 minutes for a single order.. when there were maybe 5/6 other people in the restaurant? Super disappointing when people who had ordered after me were almost done their meals.. I would still maybe come back for the food alone but it's a shame that I was late for an appointment because I had waited so long for my meal. read more

This is one of the only breakfast restaurants in the area, and they had lobster eggs Benedict so we gave them a try. Service was great, food was as expected for a typical "greasy spoon". The sad part was the attitude and treatment by the owner. After eating half of my meal, I found a long blond hair in my mouth. This sort of thing is unfortunate, but it happens even in the best of restaurants. We brought it to the server's attention, but didn't make a big deal about it. However, the bill still had everything we ordered on it. I asked the owner, "Are you going to make me pay for all of this?" Her reply was, "I'll take the coffees off, you almost finished the meal!" Is it relevant when the hair was discovered? She was implying I "planted" it! (We both have dark brown hair). When I questioned her, she ducked around the corner. I paid and left, no need to make a scene. Poor leadership on so many levels - good luck retaining your competent staff. read more

This is my families very favourite place to eat! We've started going about once a month with our two kids, and they never disappoint! The food is always prompt and delicious, service is amazing and the staff incredibly warm and personable. I feel like more than just a customer when I go there, and look forward to each visit! The best part about the food is it's consistent, a lot of places I go to the quality seriously varies per visit. I can always count on Elle's to be satisfying (My daughter adore the pancakes; and raves about them every trip) They're also very accommodating. I can remember a visit during my pregnancy where they were so busy but rushed to get a place for me; just so I could sit down. Staff then continued to check on me often, making sure I was comfortable, not too warm, had enough to drink etc They're beautiful people, and I can't recommend them enough! read more

I really wanted to try this place out after stumbling across while my wife and I were in Halifax for ten days. The reviews all looked very promising and the write up in a local hospo. magazine sounded enticing! We tried on three separate occasions at three different times of the day over breakfast and lunch, but the place was either closed with a sign on the door with different excuses and the third and final time it was just explained to us they were closing early, but they wouldn't even provide an explanation. It's too bad because it looked like a rad little spot. Guess it just wasn't meant to be! read more

So this place gets the best rating because of the combination of food, service and pricing. In a time where dining out is getting ridiculous for cost, Elle's Bistro stands out for sure as a much better value than expected. They have an excellent breakfast menu with a huge range of choices. I will go there again. read more

Went here quite a few times during my years in Halifax. The service was always great and so was the food. The potato latkes were delicious. Definitely a bistro worth trying! read more

Sweet little restaurant with friendly people and great food. They have a whole bunch of different types of eggs Benedict that are not listed on the website menu. You can't go wrong with Eggs Benedict. Was just in town for business and wanted a quick morning breakfast before I headed to the airport. Service was fast, food was great, price was right. read more

I would like to update my review, since I now frequent this diner on a weekly basis, my opinion of Elle's has changed greatly! You can't beat the price of breakfast here. Hands down the best bang for you buck, not to mention a good variety. I've started getting the meatless breakfast with fresh tomatoes instead of bacon and to my surprise I really liked it, I thought I would miss the bacon but tomatoes with egg is the new me. I love it! I also love the family atmosphere and seeing that smiling, giggling baby face wipes away all the stress of the work week. Great family run business, lots of heart and good ol' home cooked meals! read more

Elle's Bistro - The cinnamon roll! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Halifax, Nova Scotia

See all

Wanted to find a decent brunch place for our last meal in Halifax and Elle's Bistro was exactly what we expected. A place with many breakfast options and tasted just like what you would find a home. The service was attentive and friendly as with all the service that we encountered on this trip. We were presented with a few breakfast features and specials but opted for their eggs benny with tomato, avocado, and bacon and their Western Omelette breakfast. We also ordered their split pea and ham soup, it was tasty but would have liked it to be hotter rather than lukewarm. All 3 dishes were the perfect portion and were delightfully delicious. Minus one star because the restaurant was a bit run down both on the outside and inside but I guess these food places always tastes better like this. Lol. Come here if you are looking for a quick and east breakfast place in the downtown area. read more

See all

I love cheap diner breakfasts, and I was really hoping Elle's would bring me that but I was sadly disappointed. Like other reviewers, I really wanted to love this place. I was psyched to try it after having been recommended by Yelp and friends. I found the space cramped, even as it opened up in the back. Air felt stuffy. There are no windows in the back where most of the seating is. It didn't have the throwback diner feel I was kind of hoping for. In fact, it could probably use a bit of a makeover. I felt like I was in an old office, to be honest. Service was pretty great. Nothing to complain about, but nothing memorable. My partner loved the eggs Benny- it seems to be a popular choice. I opted for your traditional ham, eggs, toast. Ham was delish! Toast was slathered in butter. Prices were pretty reasonable - with the exception of the orange juice, which I recall being overpriced (as it is at most breakfast joints...). Honestly, the space is really killing my vibe. And for that reason I probably wouldn't revisit. Given that my review of Elle's seems to be the exception to most positive reviews, I'd recommend Elle's to others. read more

A nice diner with all-day breakfast. My friend and I arrived in the early afternoon so it wasn't busy at all. Since I wasn't too hungry, I ordered a side of pancakes with sausages, which was the right amount of food. The sausages itself was nothing special and something that can be easily skipped, but the real star of the show were the pancakes, which were on the thicker side, yet remained fluffy and moist. Overall, the pancakes were really good and I'd definitely return. read more

Nice little place, portions were great. Will eat there again if I ever visit Halifax again. read more

Elle's Bistro - Breakfast - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Halifax, Nova Scotia