Reviews of Ellison's Bistro (Restaurant)

Petch 420

I ordered jerk chicken and rice with peas, the chicken doesn't taste like real jerk, just breast covered in seasoning! To me it tasted very chewy. The rice taste microwaved! Some of the other food I've tried is good! I recommend coming here if your not looking for jerk, rice and peas! You'll enjoy the other food. The staff is very nice there and they try their best to make you happy! Enjoy!

Abhishek Joshi

Excellent food. Great hosts. Elvis and staff make you feel at home!

Brett Vandermey

As always a great meal, and great service. I WAS CALL IN and pick up because I love hearing his infectious and positive attitude. Ellison Bistro is one of favorites in the region

Dawn Tobler

Amazing Caribbean food at a good price with great service!

mia clemente

Accidentally found this place on our way through Kitchener. Quaint place with a family feel. Chef came out several times to check in on us. Curry goat was super flavourful and tender with a nice thick gravy. Friends were super happy with their jambalaya and roti. Portions were generous and everything was home made and fresh. We'll be back next time we drive through.

Shu Pui Lui

Great food, nice ambiance, so friendly it made me feel like home.

Mike Sweeny

Amazing food and service! Happy to have found it.

shawn riggs

Good food and service!

Matthew Jacobs

delicious pepper pot soup. best caribbean food in kw.

Garrett Shoemaker

Great food. The fish is excellent. The best fried fish in the world. So crisp and flavorful

Shannon Coffey

Good food. Good customer service!

Debbie Constantine

Curried goat with a helping of bok choi, carrots, and rice & peas, banana pop alongside. Everything delicious. The owners were kind and conversational, and I loved the cozy atmosphere. Do support this fine place. And a heads up - cash only currently.

Taylor Piske

I know good Caribbean food and Ellison’s has some excellent dishes. The Pepper Pot Soup and roti are especially delicious.

Jon P

Great jerk chicken with loads of flavor n low heat. So I got the extra hot sauce on the side to spice it up

Sean Fullerton

Great authentic Jamaican cuisine. Only draw back is that they accept cash only.

Howard Lenos

The staff are really friendly. Space is small and intimate for small groups and couples dining in. The food was honestly mediocre in my opinion. The jerk chicken wasn't special. Little bit pricey for portion.

Fred Greidanus

Have eaten here several times, just had takeout due to Covid. Spicy, delicious Caribbean food. Friendly service, highly recommend.

Tait Townsend

Went for the first time and there jerk chicken was not jerk chicken at all no taste. I also got doubles which were horrible. They only take cash and are way overpriced. Will not go back

Scarlett Diaz

Awesome little restaurant, You can tell Elvis has a passion for cooking. All ingredients were fresh, everything made from scratch... Even the deserts! Great food, great service definitely will go back

Shawna-kay Mills-Trepair

Take out

John Dibben

Very nice staff and great atmosphere

Kate Groot

Owners are wonderful and prices are decent but the food was cold and tasted old. We had the ox tail, jerk chicken and jerk chicken salad. Nothing tasted fresh which was very disappointing.

Sarhan Abu-kwiek

I was with some coworkers in the neighbourhood and we spontaneously decided to eat at Ellison's Bistro. Two of us are vegetarians, so we asked to see a menu before being seated (there are plenty of vegetarian options). We were in a bit of a hurry, so we didn't linger long, but our lunch was great. We'll be back!

Stephen Hayes

Excellent food!! The roti and doubles were amazing. Great service as well. We will be back.

Joanne Lenos

The staff were very friendly and the food was delicious. A beautiful and inviting environment with incredibly intricate meals for a very affordable price. This place is a must visit and has great vegan and vegetarian options!

Sharda M

Fantastic, authentic Jamaican food! Great place for groups and intimate dinners!

Rorie Shade

Good food, great people. Do yourself a favour, and stop in!

Inna Pugacheva

Enjoyed the Montego Bay wrap this afternoon for lunch. While we were the 1st of only 2 tables we say dine today for lunch the food was fresh, flavourful and complex. This is quick but not "fast" food. Friendly service to boot! Would recommend for sure, just remember it's cash only.

Kobhi N

Great jerk chicken and curried goat!! Looking.forward to my next meal

Elliott Parke

Been there three times, LOVED IT EVERY TIME! The chef, Elvis, likes to interact with the customers asking them about the food and he's a super nice guy. I have had the Goat Roti, the Vegetable Roti and today I had the soup of the day which was Pumpkin and Sweet potato and I also had the special of the day which was the Smoked Turkey and Mozzarella Wrap. The Rotis are delicious and the soup is homemade, fresh and delicious beyond belief. The wrap was amazing, it had mangoes and pineapples in it for the extra Caribbean kick. Loved it. CHECK THIS PLACE OUT YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT!

Lindsey F

Love this place. Great food, always amazing!

Jamie Moffat

Had the goat curry and the catfish dish and was amazing. The atmosphere and the service was unique and definitely a hidden gem. Would always go back and recommend this place to everyone. You will not be disappointed.

Emma Hernout

Lovely service, fantastic food. I got the goat roti and came back the next week to return the umbrella that they lent me. HOW SWEEET!!!! ig: @eatyourfeelingsonabudget

Ken Ram

Good place for take out

Caroline Meyer Riley

The owners exude kindness and goodwill, and their food is hearty and delicious. Looking forward to trying their other vegan options; I always end up getting the chickpea potato roti.

Nat Roman

Great food at reasonable prices.

Jason Legacy

I ordered Paupiettes and Sole Style Frenette however all I got was a tiny piece of sole (maybe half a fillet) sitting on top of a single leaf of spinach. It sure wasn't a paupiette, nor was anything stuffed. There also wasn't any red pepper. Very disappointing. Will not be back, what a joke at $20.

Amber Nope

Excellent!

Thusenth Dhavaloganathan

I love their roti.

Alec Higgins

Food was tasty but it took 1.5 hours for it to arrive after the order was placed, which is in contrast to the small number of people in the restaurant. Portions are small. The provided rice was sized with a bowl smaller than your French onion bowl. Service was friendly; however, the delay experienced negated our enjoyment of the restaurant.

Mira Bethy

We placed an order for pick up. They were very accommodating as one of the items we order was off the lunch menu. Order process was easy on the phone. When picking up, staff was very welcoming and super friendly. The jerk chicken was the bomb. Also ordered veggie jumbalaya, Caribbean pizza and the samosas. Every item was delicious. Glad we picked this local business for dinner tonight. Thank you for an awesome dinner. Our family will be back 100%

Terry Pender

If you want to experience a whole new level of deliciousness then go visit Ellison's Bistro. Caribbean flavours from a French trained Chef in a cozy atmosphere. You won't be disappointed.

Emily Huang

Wanted to try this place as there are not many Caribbean joints in town. Ordered through Skip The Dishes. I ordered the fish escovitch and the blackened catfish. Was disappointed on many counts. The escovitch fish was not fresh at all. If you are going to offer a fish dish you better ensure it's fresh or take it off the menu. Give me some more rice and peas with my meal please. This is the cheapest part of the meal. My wife wasn't too excited about the blackened catfish either. It was not representative of a region that has very flavourful food. Good luck.

Dolly B

Cosy, quaint environment with a personal touch. Excellent food and service.

Maarij Rehman

This hidden gem in downtown Kitchener has been on my list for quite a while and tonight I finally made it there :). It was a great choice for a Friday night dinner with a friend: tasty food, great atmosphere and very friendly owner and staff. We enjoyed both the food and the interaction with the chef and the server. Too bad I was too full and didn’t have any room for dessert, next time!

Galen Fernandes

A delicious little restaurant with one cook who cooks everything from scratch and one server. Great vibe and delicious food. The food is spicy, which I like.

Mike

Amazing food, and very amicable staff. Heads up, though: they're cash only.

Emily Shelton

A hidden gem in the downtown core of Kitchener. If you're looking for a huge, beautifully decorated, modern restaurant there are plenty of big name chains serving mediocre food that you will probably enjoy. What Ellison's Bistro has to offer is authentic Caribbean dishes in a cozy restaurant with some of the nicest people you'll ever meet. Elvis, the owner & chef at Ellison's Bistro has a passion for cooking that is obvious and translates into amazing dishes and a really unique atmosphere. I have been visiting this place regularly for over 5 years and each time he exceeds my expectations. Stop by for lunch or dinner, you will be hooked!

Gary Tong

I love this restaurant! Best chicken I have ever had. I got Elvis to cater my wedding and everyone loved it. Very reasonable prices too.

Gordon McCague

The paprika chicken was delicious.

Jasmine Au

Had a goat roti, a chicken roti and a veggie roti. All were superb. Especially loved the tenderness and flavour of the goat roti. Elvis is such a nice and friendly gentleman. Always enjoy conversing with him while he cooks our roti. Only ever had take out roti there and it's always good. His menu looks terrific, as does the ambiance of Ellison's Bistro. Would love to take my wife there some night and try the blackened catfish.

Jaksa Maric

Cozy atmosphere, original decor, friendly owners, food was natural tasting and superb presentation. Would definitely go again.

Pat Burke

Literally the best food I've ever had!! The Curried goat & Catfish, were exceptional! I can't believe it took me so long to discover this place! ...I even bought dinner rolls to go, who does that!?!? ;)

Aditya Sharma

Cozy restaurant with delicious dishes. Chef Ellison makes meals that are hearty and homey, stylish and exciting. After coming here for dinner my partner and I are excited to return for the lunch menu! The location is very accessible, across from the GRT terminal. There is a vegetarian menu as well, making it a great place to visit after having a drink at veg*n friendly Cafe Pyrus next door.

Rachel F

Wanna great meal, and help out small business. Order from Elvis, great food and super nice guy.

Reese Hart

My friend and I both grew up in KW and got sick of going to the same mediocre places for dinner. So we set out to seek out the hidden gem restaurants our region has to offer. Tonight was our first time to Ellison's Bistro - and it won't be our last! The menu was filled with temptation so we consulted with the owners to make our selections. We started with callaloo fritters (awesome), followed by a flavourful jambalaya risotto and curried goat. We left fully satisfied and with a new destination to share with our friends and family. We'll be back - definitely need to try the jerk chicken... And save room for dessert!

Greg Thornton

Just had this for the first time tonight! Ordered for take out and was greeted politely on the phone as well as in person. When I went to pick it up, the restaurant had an inviting, intimate atmosphere, with nice decor. Ordered the jerk chicken and the lamb curry and they were both delicious! I will definitely be going back to dine in!

Fani H

This was honestly, some of the best food I've had in Kitchener. Just delicious soul food. Try the goat curry, jerk chicken salad and the home made buns are to die for.

Kat Bee

We ordered food from Ellison's last night and were not disappointed. The Curried Goat was just the right amount of spicy and the potatoes were roasted perfectly. The vegetables and the homemade bun completed the meal perfectly. We will look forward to when we can dine in once again. Elvis always makes us feel welcome and takes such good care of us.

Keith Schappert

I love this chef-run bistro. I accidentally found it on my way to a meeting. The owner trained in Europe, and is very down to earth. I go back and enjoy his wonderful food whenever I am in the area.

Ann Costen

Very friendly staff, I like them a lot. Food was excellent, juicy chicken

Jairaj Sethi

Great place with cozy atmosphere. Staff was amazingly friendly, interesting people, wonderful to converse with. Ordered the goat curry and jerk chicken and both were good.

Violet Umanetz

Blackened catfish was amazing. Service was friendly and suitable. Cozy environment great for conversation. I'll be back.

Jennifer McBain

My parents always say I need to try this place.. glad I did. The food is amazing!!!

Ravi S.

Very tasty food and nice interaction with owner and server. Well worth a visit .

Viktor Y

Awesome cuisine, welcoming staff, cozy

Darren Maginnis

Love this place! The food and the service!

Andy P

Amazing owner, personable front of house staff and most importantly fantastic food! My boyfriend and I decided to get take out and chose Ellison's, and we were pleasantly surprised! The food was so fresh and flavourful. I highly recommend the jambalaya, or roti-chicken, but my favourite was the curried goat! Their website is currently down, so CALL IN! Don't use door dash If you are picking up, as they take 30 percent of the sale from the owner. Support local - Ellison's Bistro is a great choice!

Pablo S

Quite nice for a couple's dinner.

Neil Erskine

I'm not sure how this place has such good reviews. The food was horrible like worse I have had. microwaved rice chicken that was just barely cooked enough to eat. no spice or flavor to any of it. I was such high hopes as the palce has amazing reviews

Max Montana

Had oxtail and red snapper. It's okay. Not much flavor. Would not come back here again. The vegetables were very undercooked and basically Raw.

Anne Pelgrims

My favourite restaurant in KW. Friendly staff, and delicious food. If there's sweet potato pudding on offer for dessert, have it. It's amazing.

Matthew Kissoondass

Took my parents there on Mother's day and very disappointed. Friendly stuff but the food is absolutely terrible. Over salted, overpowering seasoning, with bland side. Would not recommend. I gave 2 stars because the restaurant staff were friendly.

Robin Cheng

Food is amaaaaazing. Thx Ellison ;)

Ian Hillier

Nice place and very close to the Kitchener bus terminal. The food is good - our group liked the doubles and the potato Roti. The service was good. They have good options for vegetarians. There are good take out deals and there is more value if your doing take out with the specials they have. Need to have cash as that is the only mode of payment.I stepped in to get takeout.. ok it's a bit of a dive but got my jerk chicken and had great veggies with it that I never seen before but it was excellent.. the chef came out to say hello.. friendly place but you have to pay cash.. I will definitely go back.. food was excellent

Naima Samuel

Staff was incredibly friendly and personable. The food was also really great. I had their potato and chickpea roti which was vegan. Their sweet potato pudding was also vegan! The pudding had an unexpected kick of spices but it was really good.

Susan Hoshowski

Great carribean type food. Elvis, the cook/owner of 15 years spent some time sharing with us. Zerena, the waitress/server did too. They both love what they do and the patrons who come to eat what Elvis cooks. Food was delicious. They start their dishes at low spicy and will Do to order. The atmosphere was a bit darker than I might like and if felt cool inside. It warmed up after we got our food. Of course outside was -12 so it would be a bit chillier if the front door opened more often. If planning to visit, bring cash as they don't use machines.

vladimir tchourakov

Amazing customer service and Jamaican food. I had the jerk quarter chicken combo and it was a great deal at $13.50 takeout (includes salad and rice/beans). Food was prepared quickly and tasted fresh. The couple who owns it were very friendly conversationalist and had some good recommendations. I would recommend this spot to anyone in the area, especially if you like some spice!

Dave Shearon

Ordered the oxtail, because it sounded amazing and it was! Ordered via phone and picked it up, cash only so come prepared. The cook was such a sweet guy and the lady who gave me my food was as well. Good portion size and the meat was cooked perfectly, couldnt have asked for a better, heartier supper. Will absolutely be trying more of their menu soon ♡

Abbas Hassuji

Really nice Caribbean food. Lots of Vegan options in the Vegetarian menu. We really enjoyed the food and definitely go back for more. The staff are super friendly. #supportlocal

opara uchenna

Everything here is fantastic... Elvis, staff, food, atmosphere... One of the best places to go in Kw. Will go back again and again...

Albert Francis

Great food, owner was very polite

Shane Everest

So far the best Caribbean food I had in KW. And I've purposefully tried them all. The restaurant is small but quaint. Dont forget your cash as that's the only form of payment. Owner is a friendly Jamaican who knows how to cook. Great service all around. I recommend you check it out. Will definitely be back here.

André Haynes

The Jamaican patties are off the hook

KCSfam100

Great place to pick up some amazing home cooked Jamaican food! I will definitely return.

Mark Weaver

Excellent food and service. Extremely nice and attentive staff.

Christine Sinclair

Solid lunch time grab n go spot.

Lily Hua

Amazing food and service! very polite and kind! recommend 100%

Chris Drolle

Awesome food. Nice and spicy.

Therese T

A cozy, unassuming place with food that speaks for itself. I went in for a late lunch and had the entire place to myself. Ordered the hot pepper soup for the appetizer and jerk chicken for the entrée. Both arrived quickly, and were absolutely delicious. The chicken was just right, not too hot, and the owner was considerate to offer their in house hot sauce that added quite a kick to it. Great ambience, friendly owner, and delicious food. Will definitely come back.

Benjamin Colussi

Absolutely love this place. What a wonderful hidden gem

Connie

awsome place to eat friendly service

Talya Smith

I've never had such fresh samosas in a beautiful pillowy pastry. An excellent recommendation to accompany the pumpkin fritters. My brother had goat, I had beef, and neither of us were disappointed with the roti. We'll be back again. Elvis is a great guy and an amazing chef.

Stuart Hallifax

If you aren't getting a bowl of the pepper pot soup from this place every time you visit, you're doing it wrong. In the words of the chef, it's liquid dynamite! The jerk chicken with rice and peas is awesome too. Ellison's is a fantastic local flavour and Kitchener is lucky to have them.

Priyanka Aggarwal

Jamaica me return for more.

Marina T.

I am SO happy I discovered this place! Amazingly flavourful food and awesome service :)

Scott Clark

Casually dropped by and enjoyed a wonderful meal. Chef Ellison is superb!

Kev Zhang

very small and dusty/dirty, very dark The food was not very good at all. We got jerk chicken, jerk pork and roti. The rice and beans was very plain and not cooked very well the chicken was very bland the roti was probably the best thing we ordered. I was surprised because most of the reviews were so good. Was very disappointed had high hopes for this place. The staff was friendly enough.

Tammy Calcutta

Ellison's Bistro is a wonderful, small world Bistro. Very good food, prepared by a calibre chef.

Lee Angold

BEST FOOD IN ALL OF KITCHENER-WATERLOO

Felly Yong

Amazing! Soul food made with Love! The mango chicken wrap and black bean soup were delicious and the owner is really friendly. I highly recommend supporting this business. I will definitely be coming back when I'm in the city. I wish I got a picture because the presentation was really nice but it smelt too good to not eat right away. Thank you for blessing us with your food.

Claire O'sullivan

The food was delicious and the people adorable!

Arielle N

Food was very good. Ordered the goat curry and it was delicious. The meat was extremely tender. Service was impeccable and accomodating.

Jamie Roth

Great Caribbean place. Friendly service, the chef came out himself to welcome the customers. Highly recommended

Sylvia Panschow

What an amazing little nook with great food and fantastic service...

Gautam Khanna

I've been trying to support local restaurants during this quarantine period and Ellison's Bistro was a delicious discovery! This was my first time trying their food. We ordered pumpkin fritters to share, curried goat for my boyfriend and a vegetable jambalaya for me. I was delighted to see that they have a selection of options for vegetarians which is always exciting for me because Carribean restaurants that I've been to before either had only one option or none. We didn't need to wait long for our takeout to be ready. When we brought the food home, it was very fresh, hot and well-portioned. The pumpkin fritters paired really well with the vinegary dipping sauce. My vegetable jambalaya included a variety of vegetables and had exceptional spice and flavor! I was really pleased with our meal overall and hope others discover this KW gem!

Bob Schultheiss

Elvis is an excellent cook and a great host. Good portions, flavourful food, and nice music. You must try it if you're ever in the area.

Rachelle Papineau

Had a great Jerk Chicken lunch with rice and peas here today. Friendly owner and tasty food.

Leo K

Amazing food, Service, atmosphere Best jerk chicken!

Jozef Magolon

My company's office moved to downtown Kitchener 2 years ago and probably the best result of the move was me finding Ellison's Bistro. I started going there for their great lunch specials. My fave's are Jerk Chicken on Tuesdays, Chicken Roti on Wednesdays, and an amazing Jerk Burger on Thursdays. The owner and chef is Elvis Ellison, a great chef and really nice guy. Whenever he has the time he makes sure he greets each and every one of his tables. The restaurant itself is nice and cozy. Can't say enough great things about this place!

Tait Kelly

Accommodating and delicious samosas and pumpkin fritters.

Julianna S. (Julianna)

Love this cozy restaurant! Great food, value, and atmosphere. You have to try it!

Julie Anthony

Went to Ellison's recently and it was like walking into a time machine. I kind of liked it in a weird way, definitely got the Caribbean vibe, the man himself was there and talked about his food a bit, really really nice guy with good food and service. We've passed on his cards to a few friends. We'll be back some time.

Kallie Edmonson

We found the establishment to be cozy, intimate, friendly yet private. The food was delicious. Even though it was our first time the waitress and the chef treated us as regular. It is one of those restaurants where your kids can be kids while you relax, unwind and enjoy your meal.

Moyez B

Excellent food and atmosphere at a great price. Had very nice interactions with the owner. I recommend this place to everyone!

DREW MORRISSEY

Awesome place! We stop in once in awhile and are never let down. The food, so delicious! The bread is incredible, doubles are some of the best! The service always tops it off for us, so welcoming, they make you feel at home. A must try and we will always be returning.

Andrew E

I've been to Ellison's Bistro several times and each time has been fantastic! The food is so tasty and unusual...just the right amount of spice for me. I had the goat curry and the pumpkin yam soup the last time I was there. Both were delicious! I recommend this place to anyone who wants something a little different. 5 Star dining at 3 star prices...you won't be disappointed!

Jenna Smith

I stepped in to get takeout.. ok it's a bit of a dive but got my jerk chicken and had great veggies with it that I never seen before but it was excellent.. the chef came out to say hello.. friendly place but you have to pay cash.. I will definitely go back.. food was excellent.

Jasmine Sanchez

Been going to this little spot for over 10 years. The food and service are always worth the visit. He makes everything from scratch to leave his signature on everything. The Bistro is a gem and a must try for everyone.

Hardeep Dhillon

Unreal Food! I'm a student from the University of Waterloo and all I can say is that I love this place. The food has amazing blends of tastes and spices with beautiful presentation while being reasonable priced. Not to mention, really friendly service. You'll frequently see Ellison out talking to customers. 10/10 would recommend going here.

Greig Cameron,

Great friendly service! The Jerk chicken is amazing!

Rosie Watkins

I ordered this for my mother’s bday & we were super disappointed. The chicken tastes like water, no flavour at all.. it’s was super sad & distasteful.

Lester Andrews

Absolutely wonderful curried goat! The peas and rice that accompanied it was nicely seasoned too. The veggies could have been steamed a little more; were on the crunchy side. Best of all, they had Blue Mountain coffee! A short walk from the Crowne Plaza Hotel. I will definitely be going back the next time I'm in town. Service was excellent too.

breezy brouwer

One of Kitchener's finest hidden gems! Elvis prepares some of the best chicken I've ever tasted. His seasoning is always out of this world, and the overall execution never disappoints! You won't find kinder, more genuine service anywhere else. I urge all my friends and family to pop-in and enjoy a meal. I know they're suffering due to all the awful construction surrounding them...It's 100% worth the trip!

Shailesh Mulki

Service

Sandy Zhen

Great taste. Horrible portions. If you are used to Caribbean food order 4-6 times what you would regularly do.

David Thain

This was a no no,I ordered jerk chicken ???? big mistake....the chicken tasted like it had no seasoning what so ever it also came with so called rice and peas...I would not recommend really disappointed.

Ross Arnold

I have been eating at Ellison's Bistro for more than 17 years. And I would go back for another meal at any time. It is always very good. Elvis Ellison is the owner and chef. His mother loved Elvis Presley (still does), and named her son after The King of Rock and Roll. The Jambalaya here is excellent. In fact, I have never had a bad meal at Ellison's Bistro. I first started going to Elvis' restaurant when it was in Market Village off Market Lane. That was when I first moved into Downtown Kitchener in May 2000. A great place for lunch or dinner. A great place to take date. A warm, wonderful and intimate atmosphere. The service is attentive and personal. Prices are decent.

Hashveenah

Ellison's Bistro is an unassuming gem in DTK. The food is great value - big portions that are expertly prepared. My husband had the catfish and it was the best catfish I'd ever tried. I had the oxtail and it was.so flavourful and rich. A very friendly place. Decor is no frills because it's all about the food!

Shawn

Delicious delicious food! And great service

Jon Yuzwak

The owners are really nice and welcoming when I went there. They had lunch specials for each day if the week for really cheap, about 8 dollars I think. Their curried goat was decent with lots of meat. One thing to note is that it's CASH ONLY.

Aarón Graciani

Being new to Kitchener I followed reviews when looking for some home comfort food. I purchased the curry goat rice n peas. First what I received smelled really good, first taste and the flavoring was great; however the meat was tough and still firmly attached to the bones, rice and peas were flavourfulbut the side salad was sad tired and poorly executed. My grandmother would have sucked her teeth and pushed that plate aside. For the price $21.40 with taxes if was a huge disappointment. This is a strange time and the pandemic has had a huge impact on restaurants. I am not dissing Ellisons, I plan on going back and try the oxtail I may have hit a bad time and or day. Everyone deserves a second chance.

Jennifer Gurbin Harley

Great atmosphere and staff, great food.

Linda Yuzwak

Absolutely lovely food, and even more lovely people! If you decide to come here you will not be disappointed, great food, great ambiance, we will be coming again!!

Sunny Yin

Great food and service. Curry goat roti and ask for their housemade hot sauce!

Dionne B

Jerk is best in Kitchener!

Lena Caskey

Friendly staff, fantastic food! If you like hot sauce, ask for their sauce, it's great. Definitely going again!

Jason T.

Elvis is a great chef, the location is ok, but the size of the place is small, so very intimate, and warm, I imagine if he had a bigger place, it wiould be full often.

Jay Mantle

Walked in and was greeted by the owner as chef who made a dangerously delicious curried chickpea with roti and veggies. You can tell Elvis is passionate about creating authentic Caribbean Cuisine! Will definitely return soon!

Jeff Dyson

Absolutely delicious food with very kind owners. I was craving something rich and flavourful and Ellison's was a great choice - I'm already planning what to order next time.

Gerald Dube

I went here for the first time last night with my grandparents and at first I wasnt sure what to expect until the Chef, Elvis came out and greeted us all making us feel very welcome. The service was great and we were all so hungry that he brought us out fresh made rolls right away.. which were awesome. I really liked the atmosphere of the restaurant and the menu items all were unique and flavourful. My favourite part must have been the ceasar salad! I always get a ceasar salad for an appetizer when I go to restaurants but this one was by far the best one I have ever had! The display was amazing and it had homemade warm croutons as well as warm thicker/ small slices of bacon.. it was awesome. I also got the Jumbalaya without seafood but Elvis added in chicken for me and there was also spicy sausage in the dish, once again the food was amazing. They have huge portions so we all went home with extras. Also, when we left Elvis the Chef said bye to us all and you can tell he is very proud of his food and he should be because it is amazing. I will definitley be coming here again and anyone who hasnt gone or heard of Ellison's before I strongly reccommend you go.

Jerry andrusko

I enjoyed this restaurant very much.

Sean Jackson

Overall the food was amazing! This is a small family-owned restaurant that serves Caribbean food. I ordered lamb curry with rice and beans and it was delicious. The goat was tender, the curry was flavourful and the rice was done well. The friendly owners also took the time to chat with us. I would recommend this place to anyone who is looking for a good Caribbean meal!

Ron Hammond

A place we've been meaning to try and very happy we finally did. Stopped in for a late bite on a Friday and we were treated with a delicious and affordable meal. Our goat curry roti was tender and flavourful and the oxtail was so good I want more right now. We took home some fresh made doubles and pepper pot soup for lunch but couldn't wait because it was all so good. Our server was very friendly and it was nice to meet the chef at our meals end so we could share how much we enjoyed the meal. Sad it took this long for us to find Ellison's Bistro, but very glad we did. Will recommend and return ASAP.

Graeme Murtagh

Food was excellent and the service was impeccable! I loved the pepper pot soup and the ox tail, my girlfriend had a goat dish and it was also delicious. The staff were very friendly and truly cared about our experience. I would 100% recommend checking this place out. Truly authentic Caribbean food.

Livia Dittmer

Delicious, fresh and flavourful food. Very vegetarian friendly, a rarity in Carribean restaurants.

Eat Your Feelings On A Budget

The food has good quality but occasionally it is a bit salty. It's also a bit pricey and the location can be a little hard to find. Only cash is accepted. Service is very good :)

Amir Panahi

Great food with prices that won’t rob you. Cash only. Have been here about a dozen times over the last decade, the last time was March 2019 and it didn’t disappoint. This is not a fancy restaurant or a place to be seen but if you want high quality Caribbean this is the place. I think it needs a wider selection of alcohol for example more wines to choose from .

Cory

Great jerk chicken. Pretty reasonable prices for lunch menu. Only thing is that the tap water tastes really funny, but that's a downtown Kitchener thing.

Jackie Covey

I love this restaurant. The chef is extremely skilled with both cooking and hospitality. The restaurant has a comfortable atmosphere which makes dining in very enjoyable. I also regularly buy takeout roti on Wednesdays. Don't forget to try the pumpkin fritters too!

alaudecuffs

Food is great. We were there so early that the wait staff wasn't there yet but the chef served us. Fish was perfect. We cleaned our plates

Doris Schreiber

Elvis is the man! Whether it is gourmet jerk chicken for $3.50 or a customized salad for Vegetarians (with avocado, mangoes, green / red peppers); he knows how to make really healthy and delicious food on the fly. I highly recommend it :)

Danny Barratt

Great food lovely people.

Nick Byam

One of the best Caribbean restaurants outside of the Caribbean!!! The food was awesome and tasted like home cooked. Jerk chicken, Sole fish & Goat curry were all super!!! Service was also great, will visit again for sure.

Zach Poole

Excellent carribean food. I ordered goat roti and the meat was fantastic! The owners were also very friendly :)

stanton lucas

I listened to Elvis the chef and had the special, pork in a pineapple and coconut sauce, and I'm so glad I did. It was amazing.

dorsa kord

Their street is under construction, but the quality of the food is still top notch. I had their roti one time and curry goat another time. Both were delicious! They deserve more customers!

Sergio Severs

Have to say the best samosas I've had. The owner is very nice and friendly. A great place for a nice meal. Will definitely be back.

Nate C

Very good and interesting food, we had the jambalaya and the goat, the goat wasn't particularly meaty however i have never eaten goat prior to this and what meat there was did taste good so I won't discredit that. The jambalaya was excellent and you can tell the veggies are fresh. Only difficult thing is that they say they prefer cash, but they essentially only take cash so unless you want to waste several minutes talking through whether you can go to an atm just bring cash and you'll be all squared away for an interesting treat.

Jonathan Lo

Family owned, tasty restaurant. Was offered complimentary homemade potato bread which was very good!

E. Saldana

Good people and good food. :)

Riki Bolhuis

Amazing food, service. Have been going bfor 12years

Garnet Abel

Best West Indian cuisine in Kitchener. Delicious food and friendly service. The Ox Tail is amazing!

james Rhodes

Food was a bit bland.

Randy Knipping

It's was a nice experience.... Great chef, great hospitality

Mina Le

Delicious food! Love the jerk chicken and rotis (both beef and chicken are delicious). We have always done take-out but some day want to come in for a proper sit-down meal.

MT. V

First time ordering from here, have wanted to for a little while but timing was off. Anyway, we got the beef and chicken roti's. They were delish! Ordering was very easy, and we picked up. Ordering and pick up went very smoothly and food was good :) Was surprised to get homemade bread rolls with the Roti's and they were good! Will be back! Thanks for an easy and enjoyable dinner!

Earl Sweat

The food was incredible! Definitely try the jerk chicken when you get a chance, the owner and the waitress were also really friendly. The decor and the atmosphere is very comfortable, you will not be disappointed :)

Jane Veska

I brought a co-worker here who was visiting from the US. She was in the mood for Caribbean food so I started looking for the best option not far from her hotel. I had never been here before. I am a lover of authentic Jamaican/Caribbean food and this did not disappoint. We had the Curry Goat Roti and the Jerk Chicken. Roti made in house as was the delicious hot sauce that we took a bottle of home with us. I absolutely loved that it was a nice sit down restaurant with option to have a nice glass of wine as opposed the the takeout style of most Caribbean restaurants. Elvis (Owner/Chef) and Zorina (hostess/waitress) were so awesome and attentive.

Thomas Andrusko

Ellison and his food are both FABULOUS! It was my first time having Caribbean food and I honestly can’t wait to have it again. I specifically recommend the Pumpkin Soup. I didn’t think I would like it, but Ellison convinced me to try it and it was OUT OF THIS WORLD! Not only was the food phenomenal, Ellison is very personable. I’m excited for the pandemic to be over so I can go eat in the restaurant.

Stephan Ziegenbein

Went here for lunch with co-workers. Didn't dine in. I got 3 small samosas and 3 small fritters all for $4 (including tax). Amazing price and decent quality. The owner had a great vibe. Nice little place.

R H

Lots of love goes into the food here. Friendliest staff too