Here you will be able to see all the information of real people like you who buy the services of Alice's Restaurant (Restaurant) in Nanaimo (Canada).
At this moment the business receives a rating of 4 out of 5 and this rating has been based on 127 reviews.
You may have noticed that its rating is positive, and it's founded on a very large number of reviews, so we may say that the valuation is quite reliable. If people have bothered to evaluate when they've done well, is that it works.
As you know, we don't usually bother to place opinions when they are correct and we usually do it only if we've had a problem or incidence...
This Restaurant is included in the category of Canadian restaurant.
Best hangover breakfast in town.
Great staff, food and prices
Staff was nice and very friendly, food was very good and served quickly. Eggs were nicely poached and delicious. The big Alice's breakfast is a good meal to start a long day on the open roads! My wife who doesn't like eggs that much was very satisfied with the vegetarian omelette with peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms and onions. I would recommend this place to anyone who drives by or is just hungry!
need a place with good morning food this is it
Very old school feel. Good value for your money. Awesome breakfast options.
Good breakfast and a good burger. The desert was good as well but unlike the breakfast and the burger the price is a little high. Decor is dated but adds to the diner feel to the place. Since it is on the 2nd floor you do get an ocean view, not a great one but it is there. Good place to get a good meal at a fair price if you can get past the location.
7.50 for 2egg no hashbrown, +3.50 for coffe
Excellent all day breakfast
We have a normal Sunday breakfast joint we love, but decided to switch it up this morning and head to Alice's, a place in the opposite direction from our usual haunts, because their menus were huge and varied. It was probably about half full when we arrived shortly before noon, and we sat down immediately, ordered, and then proceeded to wait almost 30-40 minutes for our food. Not a great start, but luckily, this is the only really negative thing I have to say. I opted for the black forest waffle, which is a waffle, with a piece of pork schnitzel on it, covered in mushroom gravy, with eggs and hashbrowns on the side. Because I'm a fat kid, I also opted to poutine up my hashbrowns (shredded) which was a modest $2.50 upcharge. The waffle was huge, basically the size of the entire plate, and the schnitzel was just slightly smaller than the waffle, and it had a substantial portion of mushroom gravy. It was all very tasty. The poutined shredded hash were also good, though I think if I was gonna do it again I'd opt for the chunky hash instead. My partner was craving a grilled cheese, so a grilled cheese she got. For a very modest price, it hit all the right notes (looked to be kraft singles rather than cheddar, but it was still great) and it had a generous helping of fries. All in all we enjoyed the experience and we'll definitely be back. They do all you can eat schnitzel on Saturdays so I might have to come back and experience that. The above with sodas (free refills) before tip came to $34.
Slow service food was good
Great breakfasts at a good price. Lots of windows to observe the local wildlife from.
Walked in and she warned us that it would take a half hour. As if no one there wanted to work. It takes a half hour Everywhere lady! She thanks us for leaving.
Great food great value!
Good food, like having Mom's home cooking. I especially enjoy breakfast any time of day.
Breakfast
Very solid food, really hits the spot! I love their breakfast hashbrowns!
Sub par customer service.
Large delicious portions and friendly staff
Poor and extremely slow service. I waited there for 45 mins and they did not bring my order. Not recommend.
Breakfast
Just came from there with my daughter. Amazing food at an amazing price and excellent service. Definitely going back with the rest of the family.. I am a cheeseburger fanatic and these guys have one of the best cheeseburgers I have ever had in my life, and I’ve had them from all over the world!
Delicious food, great prices! I frequent this restaurant often.
Amazing staff and they are great with kids
Worst experience ever waited for almost a hour for our wings and there was only 7 and they poured the sauce on them not tossed and they were cold and we even tried getting the waiters attention and he completely ignored us and walked away
(Translated) oohhh so good. (Original) oohhh so good.
Good food.
First time going there and food was awesome
The food wasn't great, but I still mildly enjoyed my burger. The main problem was the service. I have never met a server with less personality or willingness to chat in my entire life. I used to come here often but I'm not sure I'll be back.
They have very delicious food waiters are very friendly aspecially the tall skin guy
The place is old, the bathrooms smell of urine and the waiter we had wasn't very personable ... BUT, the food is excellent and the omelets are huge!
I ordered the benny, and the hollandaise sauce was sour, and the breakfast poutine came out with no cheese curds and luke warm gravy, sent the poutine back and they just put cold cheese curd and more luke warm gravy on it. I have never had such awful food from there before, unfortunately not food safe so I wasnt able to eat my meal. Still charged me regardless, will think twice before going there again.
excellent breakfast and view of the gulf islands
Rude staff and long wait for food. Not going back there :(
Staff is quite friendly & the sunrise breakfast is great! It hasn't been renovated,since coming here years ago. It looks dated and dull,however the food makes up for it.
Home cooking at it's finest.
Huge pancakes, occasionally bizarre music, great diner environment.
Can be busy at peak times but wonderful staff - best breakfast in town...
We went here for the first time after seeing some good reviews. Sadly, I’m not sure how those people had that experience. We ordered dinner, and the turkey was sooo dry not even a pound of gravy could fix it. Tasteless mashed potatoes, and just overall incredibly bland. The service was okay, but the music playing was loud and annoying. And the washrooms - wow. In the time of covid, you’d like to have clean ones. In this case, no. Dirty, smelly - you just didn’t want to go there, literally.
Great food and service
Great food, but the service isn't top notch. But we do go for the food!
Nothing outstanding but good food and pleasant service.
The menu is good The food comes out good Paul is a great people person and makes you feel welcome. I would bring anyone here anytime
the food was good !
Expensive and not so good food wise.
Highly affordable with great food. The service was quick and the staff were really friendly.
We order from here quite often and never had a bad experience, been ordering since I was young. The omlettes are amazing and tasty everytime.
Awesome pub food, good drinks, awesome company. Extremely pleasurable evening.
Awesome pancakes with blueberries ????
After a long day of hiking this was the perfect old original diner restaurant to eat at , the service was polite and we almost had the whole restaurant to ourselves , the food was fast and good , I ordered the savory waffle breakfast with shredded hashbrowns it was soooo good and filling !
Awesome place. Staff are friendly. Thanks for letting us study :)
Great breakfast, awesome service. Fresh ground pepper and constant coffee refills!
When did they change owners over. I used to go there every weekend. I have plans to go tomorrow....there eggs benny better have the original AMAZING hollandaise sauce!!! Fingers crossed ????
Amazing everytime my family loves this place the employee's the customers the owner guy all wonderful and the food is second to none great prices big portions.
Waffles were on point
great food great service great great great
Good grub and reasonable prices. Actually it was quite inexpensive. "Delicious pancake" said the wife. May have been mold along the window sill . All in all, pretty good.
Wiked staff, great food, fast service and always with a smile! Breakfast anytime you want it, and a clean shower ? >~< who can ask for more! ;)
Old timey diner with a massive menu. Food took a bit, but was good. Decent portions, reasonable price. Menu doesn't have time cut offs so you can get breakfast or dinner when you want it. I wanted to ask about the song but was afraid I'd confuse people with the dad joke. On the downside the bathroom downstairs was not usable. One was closed, and the other someone made a mess of.
The food was good,but that didn't make up for the extremely rude behavior of what we found out later was an off duty staff member (Sue). We entered the restaurant and were told to sit ourselves. The tables were laid out so there was proper social distancing. However, when we tried to sit at a table, when Sue rudely snapped at us that we couldn't sit there. I asked why, and she said that we weren't 6 ft away, which we would have been 6 ft away. Just to appease her, I told her that my friend would sit at the end of the table. Sue didn't seem happy about it, but oh well. Then she repeatedly walked right by me 5 times a few times (less than 2 feet away). Sue also visited other patrons getting within a foot of them. For someone who is so worried about people getting in her personal space, she obviously has no issue getting in others. This off duty server is just another "Karen" who thinks the whole world revolves around her. I certainly won't dine here again, and I'm going to spread the word around on social media, friends and co-workers to avoid this place. None of the staff members respected any distancing policy or masks. Shame on you for letting someone like this work in this environment.
The decor isn't anything to write home about, but it's got comfy booths and tables, which is nice. You won't even notice once the food gets to your table, though! Heaping portions, excellent quality, tons of diner-style menu options, and breakfast all day! This is definitely one hole in the wall restaurant that you don't want to overlook! (And let's be real; any place that lets you 'poutine' your hash browns is an automatic win in my book.)
Best food, best prices, amazing service! Favourite restaurant by far! 12/10
Nice food there service is great nice and clean
Food was good. Prices were good. Standard diner fare. Seems to be mostly homemade. Server was competent, but unenthusiastic. Bathroom downstairs was unpleasant - dark and dirty.
Been going here for years always loved the food and actually enjoyed the local feel to the diner until recently when I ordered a $6.00 berry parfait. It was explained to me berries weren't in season so it would be a fruit parfait. Long story short what I received was a few canned pineapple pieces on the bottom, a little yogurt, lots of granola, little yogurt and a few chunks of apple? on top. When I was asked how everything was and said I wasn't happy with it, he literally argued with me! I would of been happier if they had used a can of fruit cocktail! Haven't been back and undecided if I will. It won't be for a $6 parfait for sure!!
A really great place for breakfast!
Good all day breakfast
Three choices for hash browns! Need l say more?!
Always very good food and if you like liver and onions the best in town I've had and the breakfast is great as well and good service always been going there for 30 years and will continue doing so
Solid food and good prices. It's a diner, and it does that well. It's not any other type of restaurant.
Relaxed atmosphere and large portions. My eggs benny was too salty but it was good overall.
Great service! Love new owners and very good and reasonable prices!
Consistenly good food, good service, great prices.
Good food amazing service
down hill, food barely cooked no pride in service rude staff long waits
Great meal, love there veal cutlets
This used to be one of my favorite breakfast restaurants but has sadly gone extremely downhill over the past few years. The service is slow & the waitor is rude, yes it's one of the only places that serves breakfast after 2pm but if you over cook my eggs just make new ones! Definitely dont order off the lunch menu its not worth it & NEVER go to the bathroom here it NOT WORTH IT.
Good food, good service
For a local restaurant it's okay
Great food. Excellent service. Decent prices. Perfect for family outings.
It is what is advertised. Great prices and large portions of food, classic diner experience and nice staff
Delicious
Great food, even better hospitality. Been coming here over 10 years still my favorite breakfast spot on the island, let alone in town.????
Great food????
Good food not too expensive
Horrible service from the guy with the accent. Hes rude and not a good at being a server. Long waits bad food and very bad service
Dine in
A great classic diner experience. Cheap food and vintage decor. If you love greasy spoons, you'll love Alice's.
Great little greasy spoon diner, breakfast is inexpensive and delicious.
Great food, prices are very good too!
Meal type
Slow service
Breakfast lunch or dinner all day. The menu has something for everyone and it has a great view of the ocean. Great prices and good eats, doesn't get better than that
wooo hooo lets go to Alices .
Food was good , service was good,but the please is little tired
Great breakfast
Brunch
This place never fails to deliver an amazing meal !! While I have never been to the actual restaurant every type of food I have ever ordered from them is simply perfection. From bacon chocolate chip pancakes to new York steak and mashed potatoes- and ALWAYS piping hot !If I could give them 10 stars I would ????
A great old school diner feel, good customer service unless it is very busy. The price is right!
Good food.
The WORST experience EVER!!!!!! Took over an hour to get our breakfast served. When we finally got it served it was cold!!!! Sent it back, and it was still not hot!! Took 25 mins to get a refill of coffee!!! Requested 3 times to get a refill of OJ!!!! Over 45 mins for a hotdog!!! Our service last time was bad, but we were hoping that this time would be better. HARDLY!! WE WILL NEVER BE BACK!!!!! STEVE.. FIRE THEM ALL except the tall drink of water with glasses, he at least TRIED!!
Piping hot hashbrowns and perfectly toasted bread. Makes me go woozy in the head
Good food at a very reasonable price. Best Veal cutlets in town!
Wouldn't bother poor service and sub par food
Good handmade food.
Food was fantastic! Large portions. Server was polite. Prices were good value. However restaurant itself was dated and probably not updated or refreshed in what looks like 30 years... You would get 5 stars if u cleaned interior of restaurant and updated decor. There was dust on things and carpet looked threadbare and dirty. Could be great little spot with a ambience update.
Food was ok, service was slow. An hour to get food for a table of 4 and only ones seated
Great view of the sunrise and good sized breakfast for $10 including tea/coffee during the week. Can't comment on any other meals as breakfast was all I went here for.
The coffee is a bit expensive but the food is really good and it's clean place I like to meet my friends there so it's all right I love it it's a hangout.
That guys works hard and has great service
What a great restauant experience. Great food here is a guarenter as the restaurant is a city staple from way back. Family Restaurant open on Xmas Day all day. They have a vast menu of options. The inside is dated but fitting also for where its located in the south end of City. Definitely a good place to go and get a good meal.
A local favorite
Large portions excellent pancakes
Mediocre food price I dunno not the worst but not a place I'd seek out. Go to Tania's diner instead.
Actually a 4 1/2. The food and view are wonderful. The ambience is 'Island' friendly and somewhat quaint. If you're looking for fancy or expensive, this is NOT the place for you!????
Hidden ????
Just like home
Uninspired presentation of standard bacon and eggs and the special didn't include coffee. Nice water view and reliable Internet, but server seemed uncomfortable with my extended stay to work, even though there was never more than about 6 tables at a time in a very large restaurant.
Best breakfast in Nanaimo
Small breakfast and not much on the plate and the restaurant smells bad Men's washroom forget it worst than any truck stop .....
Food was just OK.I Had a New York steak that was way over cooked.my Husband had the Salisbury steak.and it was just all in pieces.falling apart.The washrooms were really AWFULL!! The stench from that bathroom was enough to make you lose your appetite.I think it was some kind of deodorizer. Sad to say i won't be returning to alice"s anytime soon.I used to love this place years ago.it was always packed with people.The last few times ive gone its been totaly empty.The food used to be awsome! SO Sad????
Basic diner fare, with great service. Have the blueberry pancakes!
I had made a reservation a month in advance for my family reunion. I specifically told the employee that there would be two people wanting to try the Alice's challenge. When we went they said they had no buns for the Alice's burger or the Mountain burger and could not make the burgers. It was very disappointing. The waitress just apologized and there was no compensation given. We would not even have gone to Ms Riches if we had know there was no Alice's challenge. We ate there anyway and the food wasn't very flavorful. My mother had a draft beer and had stomach issues the next day. All in all it was a very disappointing experience. I will never go back again.
Excellent food takes a little while to get to you but well worth the wait and very friendly staff and pricing is well within line of what you should pay 4 good food
Love this place! All day breaky can't beat it
New owners not the same. Lost its Ora
I agree with Ken C. I have only been to alices 4 times in my life. In 2002 they tried to get me to pay over one thousand dollars for a soup and sandwitch! When on the menu the soup and sandwitch was under 20 dollars. I got a grilled cheese and cup of soup to be exact
Delicious food and a large menu
Yummy food, I had the BBQ chicken sandwich and my date had the chicken Alfredo, both good meals. While we waited for food we played this fun mind teaser game that was on the table for us. Made time fly by.Fast friendly service, would recommend.
The server was really nice and the food was amazing.
What a delicious surprise. From the outside you dont think Alice's would be good. It is very understated. Even the interior is understated and reminds you of a typical low class diner. The food blew me out of the water! It was so good. We went two days in a row and I got the egg benny in a bowl. It was delicious and very consistent. We are making this our new breakfast spot.
Long wait but totally worth it! Would breakfast again :)
Friendly staff, but I personally found the menu a bit lacking in inexpensive options to be able to afford a snack with coffee.
Two and a half because my omelette was coldish warm and I wanted white onions in my pan potatoes but I got green onions on top
Great service
Amazing food and huge portions!
I didnt get the memo that all HOT vegetables are now to be served cold as hell! On top of that, the oysters tasted like a 2 year olds vomit. The service was subpar. The only decent thing was the fish. The salad was alright, but for the HUGE amount of greens, there was barely any dressing. All of it needs more seasoning.
Meal type
Very good service, great breakfast. Enjoy there coffee.????
Not hugely hungry having eaten on the ferry we decided to share the very affordably priced breakfast special ($8.50 plus tax)...eggs perfectly cooked, sausages well done and the best toast I have tasted in a long time. Service quick and efficient. I highly recommended.
The food on Halloween Day was phenomenal! I saw a young ponytailed woman in the kitchen, slaying. I had the salmon benny breakfast bowl that was fantastic! Huge portion, and it cooked to perfection even though it was takeout. My husband had Alice's Big Breakfast because he's the world's hungriest Boilermaker and was beyond happy to get some decent food after having worked 16 days straight. We recommend Alice's for sure and I now have cravings for your Salmon Benny Bowl. See you soon!
We go here often, food is excellent and service is friendly
Best breakfasts at the best price
I hoped to support a home grown local business. Hostess paid no attention to us, front of house didn't seem to care. Hostess wouldn't respond after we left with a friendly "good bye" I hope this was an off day and hope they return back to normal.
Best place for brunch! Great prices!
Good food, Good price, worth driving from the north side of town.
Tucked outta the way, those who didn't know better might just drive on past. The food here is typical diner fare, large portions at a reasonable price. Only draw back is if you have mobility issues, the stairs can be a killer.
Breakfast
Meal type
Hearty food, good views. I enjoyed the place and will visit again ????
I was here with family and my boyfriends food was cold. I also ordered a chicken quesadilla and recieved a veggie one (basically filled with tomatoes and cheese). I ate it anyways because I always give the benefit of the doubt, but I definitely let our waiter know when we were done because I wanted to see what was on the reciept. U thought I made the mistake but I didn't. The cook argued and said he definitely made a chicken one but it was minced and I couldnt see it. When I said again no, there was no chicken in it, he continued to say there was! I couldn't believe it ! There was 100% no chicken in it . Luckily the owner or whoever he was stuck up for us but a cook shouldnt argue with customers. Anyways... my first time there was not a good experience.
The basic egg bacon ham sausage toast breakfast was a bit underwhelming and over priced. A tad greasy- but some like it this way. The service might normally be better than what I experienced. The coffee was the highlight. If I went again I would order lunch.
Great place.. has the 70's early 80's diner vibe (the real one not the trendy). Great food, healthy portion an a good price
Will not be going back again or recommending anyone go here. I ordered a shrimp ceasar salad which was disgusting so I didn't eat it. When I asked the waiter with glasses at the end of the meal if they could take it off the bill because I wasn't satisfied and it wasn't eaten he got attitude and started to chastise me for not saying something sooner. He was very rude and refused to comp the meal even when we explained what was wrong. Will not be going back. $15 is steep for a pathetic amount of lettuce, gross ceaser dressing, processed shaker cheese and microwaved flavourless baby shrimp.
Good comfort food
You know those places that have a hundred things on their menu, and you know they're mostly probably frozen until ordered at which point they're either deep fried or microwaved? It's that. We were the only table in the restaurant and somehow the service was still sluggish. I had the seafood platter and the oysters tasted almost sour. I've had far better meals from Joey's Only Seafood. Look at my other reviews, I'm not that person that rates things badly often. This place was really that bad.
Great, inexpensive breakfasts. Hash browns can be hit or miss. Still, no complaints, service is friendly and there's a nice view of the water. This is uncomplicated diner-style fare; no frills, large quantities, served hot.
Mediocre at best
Pretty average, sure could use a good freshen up overall.
July 10/2020 update: Again tried their smores waffle. This time did a take out. I have to say, the food was hot inside the container and the warmth just made the marshmallows and chocolate even more soft and melted by the time I ate it!! Holy jeez it was like eating a piece of decadent cake!! This place is a hidden gem for this item! Would absolutely go there again for the smores waffle!! The decor could be updated, but the food was worth it! Older review (July 2019): I tried their smores waffle and it is absolutely delicious! Decent coffee. Would try other places as well when visiting Nanaimo again.
One on Nanaimo's hidden gems. Fresh food at great prices
Good breakfast spot
Food very good and service has inproved . clean redonne washrooms
A nice family friendly environment and quality of service I've had the pleasure of eating here a few times and the food has always been good
Quality, both service and food!!
good service! Blackstone benny is my fav
Good pancakes.
I have been dining at this restaurant for over 30 years and have had many different experiences, some good and some bad. Lately I have eaten lunch here during the pandemic being its close to my residence. I have to say the food quality is better than its ever been. They had a BBQ bacon cheddar burger special a few weeks ago and it had to be the best burger I have ever eaten out at any restaurant period. There is a show on TV my father watches called Diner & Dives... or something along that nature. This special was worthy of being on that show in my opinion. The new owner should be proud of his accomplishments being this restaurant has been a classic place for many people over the years, and some people had a hard time with the management/ownership change. I think he is doing a great job in such an economically difficult time!
Hell yeah, this is a classic breaky joint. Not wheelchair accessible though, and the bathroom is down a tough set of stairs.
Great service. The food was delicious!
Great food good service good price
Food was good, ample in quality. Service was top notch. The mocha we ordered was very watery, waffles were not that great as well.
Alice's Restaurant is very nice.good food & has been there for a long time
Has gone way down hill in recent years with the new owner. All the good staff has left and the service is terrible. Was waited on by the owner himself and had to ask for a glass of water 5 times over 20 minutes as he kept walking by.
Food was fresh and fast. The server was polite and accomodating. We loved the quiet atmosphere. We were there very early on Mother's Day. Good homestyle food
Alice's Restaurant in Nanaimo South is another average family restaurant. I tried the breaded veal cutlet. I wasn't really impressed with it. The others ordered breakfasts, which turned out to be a pretty good choice. Their burgers looked decent.
Decent breakfasts. Great prices! Still can't seem to get "over medium" eggs right but good food overall.
Its an old staple of Nanaimo. Been going there all my life. Relaxed, peaceful, good food.
Decent diner food near the ferry
We came here for breakfast and wanted to return for lunch!
Decor is dated but the background music was great. The restaurant was clean and the menu had something for everyone. We were there for breakfast and everyone was happy with their meal. Food was well prepared and tasty. Loved their coffee. We will be back.
Luv the Apple juice gud services friendly place lol it there
Good food without the small talk!
Food is good well priced
MMM very nice Canned dog food reminds of home.
Because I don't have a life besides Trucking
10/10 good almost every time and have amazing menu and food definitely recommend there pancakes
This place is hit-and-miss. Good value for your dollar if you don't mind sub-par food.
Good selection, reasonable prices , average staff
Service was very slow. Almost an hour to get breakfast. Food was mediocre at best.
Alice's has always been a great place to go eat and relax. Alice's has been around for a lot of years. I am 68 and I remember my mom saying she use to go to Alice's. A place which has been around for this many years has got to be good and the food speaks for itself. The staff care always friendly.
Alice's is back peeps! New owners, we took a chance, it was freaking delish! Just like when I was a kid!
Good food
Good food fair prices. Can get very busy at times.
This place used to be a miserable choice for a meal, but now it's one of the best choices for breakfast dining I've been to. The pancakes are huge. Like, plate-sized and fluffy. Eggs, hashbrowns, it's all good. I'd rate the lunch menu, but I'm still working my way through the breakfast one. However, my husband speaks well of their burgers.
Dirty and gross! There was a hair in my food :( The place needs a reno for sure, and maybe then I'd try it again.
Benny bowl was AMAZING!
Best food ever. We loved it. Definitely coming back.
Beef dip was great, a little pricey. But I would order it again.
Very friendly staff. Delicious breakfast!
Service
So, two diverging experiences eating here. Firstly, the food is absolutely delicious, large portions and reasonably priced. On the other hand, the facility had a worn feeling about it. Will totally frequent again, and a curriously nostalgic experience.
Great menu, generous portions, great prices, and they even have a Christmas day menu. Really good family restaurant.
Blue berry pancakes
Very okay. Restaurant is very dated, service was decent, food was decent (breakfast) but slightly over priced. Decent place to stop in for some food on the way from the ferry, wouldn’t go out of my way for it.
food was awesome, waited about 30 mins for food at noon on a Saturday but wouldn't hesitate to return
My wife loves to have the fish and chips here at Alice's. I have to thank my mom and dad for bringing me here a few years ago. ;-}
Food is good, owner and chef are great guys to talk to, prices are a little bit up there but overall it is worth it!
Food amazing. Ambiance misleading.
Great food, reasonably priced and friendly staff.
Always have great experience here . Cozy little place with self seating, polite staff and a very welcoming owner , always takes the extra second to have a little chat with you or say a quick hello well you enjoy your visit .... last week I was there I had the best yam fries in years ! Truly recommend this place .
Great cheap breakfasts
Super friendly. Great food. And not too expensive.
Had lunch here the other day. Friendly service, food was hot and fresh. My husband had a huge breakfast, I had the deluxe Salisbury steak with onions, mushrooms, and bacon. Very tasty, definitely recommend it!
Alices has been the "family usual diner" My family has been going to this restaurant for as long as I can remember and once knew the owners before the new ones bought it. Although the quality has declined at Alice's (Sorry Chef) it will always be one of my favourite go-to restaurants if I want my classic or a nostalgia trip.
This place has serious issues with their cleanliness. No employees wearing face mask or hair net (including kitchen crew) and while every other table is blocked off for distancing, they're not properly sanitizing between uses. They have not increased cleaning procedures in response to COVID-19. They are doing the bare minimum that should be done outside of a pandemic. Definitely a risk dining here.
Very poor customer service. I waited there for exact 60 mins but they did not serve my food. when I asked why he said I can leave the place or it will take 20 more minutes. I know it gets busy sometimes but they should be respectful of everyone and apologize for their poor service but they did not. Never going there again.
A Nanaimo classic! Blueberry pancakes or strawberry waffels.....
Food is great and delicious, the serving not great it's slow and they don't visit your table much and the bathrooms??!? Don't get me started, it was dirty sinks were broken the smell was horrible and there were bugs everywhere and bugs dead on the counters and sticky floor and instead of cleaning they tried masked the fact they don't clean with air fresheners. I'm not sure if the bathroom is owned by them or the hotel but either way it's bad.
Absolutely incredible waitstaff who multitask in calming style. I had the blueberry waffle and loved it! There is a dinghy smell of antiquity but I guess that's the only -ve of being in business for a longtime and for good reasons, I am sure!
Food is great however the place stinks like old cigarette.. better off to order for pickup or delivery :)
Good food nice service
This is definitely a place I'll be returning to ???? the food is delicious and the portions are very generous. The fellow with the glasses is a great waiter, very friendly and lets you enjoy your meal in peace, but there if you need him! The decor is dated, but in a charming way. Eating here is a pleasant experience that I would definitely recommend!
When I was little my Nana and Grandpa used to take me here every week for brekky and dinner. My most beloved place to eat and we lived just a couple of alley ways away. When my Grandpa passed away my Nana and/or Dad took me instead. I ended up moving out of the province in 2003 after my Nana passed away. In 2017 my Dad passed away and when I came back to attend his funeral I asked my Husband to take me here.. So I could sit and reminisce about the good old days with my Dad, Nana and Grandpa. The food was still as delicious as I remembered. The service was wonderful as always. Thank you for allowing me to a keep a positive memory ????
Awesome food, I drive across town every weekend for it.
Great menu, generous portions, super clean and exceptional friendly and helpful staff.
Server was excellent! Food was perfect, had a big family breakfast and all items were delicious! The bathrooms are absolutely awful. My wife couldn’t use the women’s and one stall in men’s was barely usable. Need a professional cleaning and …
Great food but not super clean for COVID purposes... First restaurant I have been in since COVID that have salt and pepper shakers, ketchup and all condiments in the table. No wiping of anything anywhere .. quite dirty ..
Fast service and good tasting food at great prices..
I love this place
Outrageously overpriced. $16 for a simple burger with a paltry portion of onion rings.
Great meal.....big portions
Very tasty! Everyone in our party enjoyed their lunch.
Small town feel with decent food. Prices are industry standard, but the food is worth it.
Good food, slow service, grungy atmpsphere
Great home-cooked food and friendly staff
Lack luster. The staff was attentive and friendly, just didn't care for the breakfast. It felt like some ingredients (ie. Gravy) were a bit old and stale. Needs a few updates.
Pricey
Service
We had breakfast there 3 out of the 4 days we were in Nanaimo. Wonderful food and service!
Well priced old school bar and grill
Great place for breakfast with fantastic view of the harbour.
Good food great staff
A Nanaimo favourite for decades. Really good food. Lots of options for everyone on the menu. I wish it wasnt so far south. It is out of the way if you live central or north. Location is not good. Make sure you lock cars. Friendly atmosphere and experienced staff.
Always awesome. Simple as that, I'd right more, but I say go in and try it. Its old school and awesome. Greasy spoon in the best way possible.
Great food always. Lots to choose from.
Simple, but excellent food! The decor is dated but you don't go to Alice's for ambience. This is our favourite place for breakfast!
Decent family food at fair prices, open early.
I was in Nanaimo visiting family & I made Alice's my morning routine for breakfast. I have eaten at hundreds of diners & I have to say Alice's is one of the best. Great food & excellent & fast service. Much better than any chain restaurant.
You can get anything you want as long as it's deep fried.
Great place and food Just go there and find out
Not very good ..
Love the liver & onions with bacon and mushrooms. Old and dated but good food and fast service. Well worth putting up with the dated decor.
Great places
Absolutely delicious takeout food! We were in town for a night and got takeout for supper - it was so tasty we came back the next morning for breakfast! One of the better restaurant burgers I’ve had in quite some time, and the breakfast food was great as well.
Always been very good food but just heard they won't stand up to the tyranny of our government. Will NEVER go back!!!!! Lost a long time customer cause they won't grow a set
Great breakfast. Best hashbrowns ever!!!
Food was good. They did good for service being short staffed. First time being there in years. Server we had wasn't to friendly but the one who went in due to waitress being off was very nice. His son was there also was so cute watching him trying to help his dad.
As someone who has been eating here for about 25 years I can say that the food is good, unfortunately the business has suffered over the years and the restaurant is in desperate need of an update.
Great breakfast ????
If I could give -5 stars I would haven’t been here in years and decided to go there walked in and could not stand the smell in there so NASTY IT WAS UNBELIEVABLE!!!!I do not know how this place is not shut down this is the dirtiest most disgusting restaurant I’ve ever been to in my entire life, we did sit down for two seconds and before the waiter even came over we got up and left! The health department needs to shut this place down not suitable for sitting in because I believe there’s serious mould in there, and absolutely not suitable for serving food ewwwww! Let’s put it this way McDonald’s is probably about 400 times cleaner than that place!
This restaurant always has awesome breakfasts. Their pancakes are huge, and sooo good! (Especially the blueberry ones). Their lunches are good as well. They are quick to get the food to you, and its usually hot. I drive across town just to come to this restaurant, that says something. This place has been here for as long as I can remember.
Dine in
Good food good price but way to much food!
Not that good shity pay so much for very little food not happy with them
Good solid breakfasts well prepared
Great little cozy diner spot. Well known for it's breakfast menu, but has a lot of variety and a big menu. One of the owners name is Paul, super friendly guy and always provides great service and banter. Love their veggie omelette, poutine, and quesadillas. All super delicious. Only criticism I got for this place is it's parking, needs some work to make it more leveled. I definitely recommend this restaurant though : )
We love the fish and chips. Whenever we are in the neighborhood we have to get the fish and chips. ;-}
Classic family diner style with broad selection menu. Prices are fair and service goes hand in hand with how busy it is. Full turkey dinner every day. All-day breakfast.
Hearty, delicious, amazing service, good discovery spot for breakfast, Lunch, or dinner. Would definitely eat here again.
Good service and good food. A freindly place to go with family or friends.
Very fast services
Classic Nanaimo staple. Best out.
Best breakfast in town! Def a must stop!
NEVER KNEW IT WAS HERE MY SPOUSE BROUGHT ME FOR LUNCH THERE, GOOD FOOD PROMPT SERVICE, COMFORTABLE SETTINGS ND WELL MANNERED STAFF, COULD'NT ASK FOR ANY MORE THAN THAT, COMFORT FOOD AT THEIR FINEST, GOOD COFFEE, EXCELLENT SERVICE
This place is a hidden gem, they have something for everyone, I go for the Veal Cutlets.
The food was good and hot but the gravy was a congealed and not hot, scapped it to the side of our plates. Couldn't take off our coats as the restaurant was quite cold. …
My favorite place to have Benny's in a bowl thanx guys fir always taking good care of me
We go here quite often for breakfast. The one server we usually have(i think he always works the mornings FT) is awesome! I feel bad i forget his name and we always get him. Anyways the food is very fresh compared to some restaurants and good quality. Definitly one of the better places.
Great breakfast and quick service
This is my favorite breakfast place in nanaimo. I always get excellent service especially the past year there has been a new owner and he is excellent. So nice to see someone put so much care into this local business.. I had the eggs Benny for breakfast and It was so good I died. Thank you will be returning asap.
My favourite breakfast place in Nanaimo. Popular with locals. Eggs are always perfect and the blueberry pancakes are delish!
Great food and service.
Excellent place for a breakfast. Friendly fast staff and a good size portion with proper bacon. Can not go wrong with a breakfast here. Il be back.
great food and best prices in town. very laid back relaxed old diner style restaurant. AAA
I’m torn about this place, the food and value are fantastic! But the service a facility needs work, very slow service, the dining room and bathrooms haven’t been upgraded in 50 years! The bathrooms smell like sewage, and only 1 tap works, I’ve used better outhouses
It's allright
Terrific food, nicely done on your omelettes!
Great service yummy food
Fast friendly service great breakfast good prices and the coffee is really good too. a year later and im a regular here never dissapoints . one of the best restaurants in nanaimo.
The past in the 1980’s was awesomely busy. Nowadays people trickle in.
Pretty good service, appropriately priced cuisine, tasty breakfast, decent view - I will return again.
Alice's is a good, classic diner. I enjoyed a filling sit-down breakfast for under $5, which is almost unheard of in 2016
Seriously delicious food! Great variety and the pancakes are the size of your head! It is conveniently located on the motel strip heading into town, and so is great as a stop on your travels.
Good basic diner food. Good service
Good food ran reasonable
Great service. Huge menu
Very good food. Friendly staff. Dine in is available and take out.
the staff are super nice here. the food tastes really good too!
Good
Food was good decent prices waiter was good owner seems kind of rude when he came in specially is words to his kid other than that it was very pleasant there was a great view
Great music playing in the background.
Really nice, "American old fashion style", restaurant.
You can do anything you want at Alice’s Restaurant
Great little greasy spoon! Been going there since I was born. Great view, especially on stormy days! Excellent service, quiet and the food is good! Best diner vibe in nanaimo.
They do what i call good honest food.not a fancy place. But food is good, and you wont be hungry after.
It was good.
What a wonderful breakfast!!!
Great food, windows over look Nanimo, but hard to spot and get in and out.
Pretty average diner style breakfast
Sorry no pictures today was really hungry. Breakfast at Alice's is always a great way to start a day. Meat Lovers omelette is a good option on the menu. Enjoy your day.
Tons of options of things to eat. A lot of food for very good price Great Food and Service. I highly recommend!
Great food and I love coming here for a fast and tasty breakfast
Great food n great staff
Just another breakfast diner. This place has lost its charm with the most recent ownership and higher prices.
Another great breakfast. This place doesn't look fancy, but the decor is well maintained and very clean. Food is served fast, hot, accurate. Waiter was attentive and right amount of good attention and service. This place is also consistent in food and experience. A hidden gem in Nanaimo with a regular diner menu. 20 year patron.
the best burger 100% chuck on brioche bun and breakfast all day till 8pm. all kinds of "diner food" and "comfort food", "full service", hand breaded veal cutlets and pork schitzel, appetizers, excellent deep fried foods, outstanding specialty pancakes and special house made desserts, kids menu.
Very nice and clean. They are. Fast. Friendly. The food is good and hot.
Surprisingly fantastic breakfast
I went to Nanaimo for a work trip and stopped in here every morning for the duration of my trip. The food and staff were excellent. The pancakes were some of the best I've ever had. Grear place, I wil miss it!
Great small town diner feel, quite good food, and wonderful service. Horrible, horrible management. The "owner" George was rude to all his staff, treating them as toddlers and acting as if they were completely incompetent at their jobs, loud enough for the whole restaurant to hear, right in the middle of the floor. Splitting a large table's order at the till during busy hours is stressful as it already is, and it sure doesn't help if the owner stands next to the cash berating his employees. When I confronted him about his behaviour he brushed me off saying "Okay guy, thanks, okay bye." I have never been so disgusted with management.
Ordered take out ,had a Monte criso and fries all was good except for the Gravy not bad but definitely used a spice I did not care for
Great breakfast/brunch. Reasonable price and friendly staff.
Decent food, terrible service, over an hour and half between food order and food showed up.
Good food. Nice service
Good food and great service , food was quick. And cooked to exact order . great overall. Breakfast.
Worst food ever my nieces and I ate there ,reheated food ,everything taste old ,Terrible ! Don't recommend it at all!
Always a great experience
Best place to grab a quality and affordable meal. Bonus excellent view!
A diner for sure, you can get liver for dinner, not many places like it any more. Food is good and prices are very reasonable.
Friendly service and a perfect diner breakfast. Try the shredded potatoes!
Well I had the best French toast there a few days ago and I will go back for more .
Great food! Super fast and great service!! I'm a Calgary Flames Fan and I walked in and got a high five and a smile, was lovely!!
Dine in
Excellent food, friendly staff
Im not sure who thinks this place is great but its just nasty. Smells terrible, waiter is unfriendly and awful. Just skip this place all together.
I have been here 5 times. I ordered something different everytime and was amazed at how one restaurant can have so many incredibly well prepared meals. Most places have two or three of a certain kind of food. Thus one has everything from fish and chips to liver and onions to omelets and all are expertly prepared. I swore I would be back if I could. I've been here five times so far. I plan to return.
Good Food and Portions
Excellent food and service. Speedy and good prices
Well, the food was good and reasonably priced. The blueberry pancakes were chock full of blueberries, and tasty even without syrup. Coffee was decent, service was adequate. However, the whole place was kind of stinky, and the smell turned me off a bit. It might have been the old carpet, but whatever it was, it wasn't pleasant. The place is connected to a cheap hotel, and it doesn't look like much from the outside.
New to the area so I thought I'd give it a try due to all the positive reviews. I'm not sure if it's new management or staff but the food wasn't anything special. I got the chicken fettuccini and it was so bland I couldn't taste anything! My SO got the eggs Benny , and was disappointed. The hollandaise sauce had seperated before it even arrived ( believe it was packaged). Staff was attentive and kind so no issue with that , just wish the food had more flavour and love in it.
It is not the nicest place, but the food and service are amazing! I always go there for breakfast, it is very reasonably priced, I would say on the cheaper side considering what you get! The service is good and welcoming. They have breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as drinks. They have free coffee refills which is really nice! Lots of parking space, and no wait time, at least not that I have experienced. Good family place.
Good basic fair.
Excellent food and service
Very impressed with the food. Everything was homemade. Everyone at our table was very happy with their meal.
Best bang for your buck
Good food
Never had worst service I have had yet there. I understand being busy but there was maybe 4 other tables. We ordered an appetizer of wings and got them cold. Waited over half an hour for the server to come back and looked our food 4 times. Finally we ended up walking out with our even getting our meal orders taken. We said hey to get the severs attention. He heard us looked and walked away.
The breakfast was good, but the prices have increased so much that I'll probably just go to another restaurant for breakfast now. I miss the cheap prices :( That's one reason why I loved coming here for breakfast.
Yummy Waffles!
Excellent food and service
As soon as you walk into the restaurant you get a friendly vibe. Quaint decor, good view, and friendly staff. The food is great and inexpensive, with good portions! Definitely my favourite restaurant For Sunday brunch !
Terrible service
Who doesn't like Alice's? Best G spoon in town. Quality grub. Massive portions..
Great food fast. The way restaurants should be! Thanks
Meal type
I've eaten here for years, they have consistent good food for decent prices. Friendly staff and overall happy with almost every meal I've bought there. their Belgium Waffles are awesome!
Great food for a good price! Doesn't look like it from the outside. Excellent service too.
Amazing food.
Great food at reasonable prices. Old diner feeling to the place.
Dont judge a book by its cover! Great portion size! I had the bacon cheese burger with fries and gravy. The veggies on the burger were so fresh and yummy, the bun was toasted, the onion on the bottom of the burger was perfect, the fries were cooked perfectly, crisp, golden. It all tasted very clean and healthy (if you can say that about a bacon cheese burger lol), i left feeling satisfyingly full. I will definitely be telling friends and family about this hidden gem and will absolutely be back to try everything else on the never ending menu.
Awesome place with a great view and comfy seating. The staff are very pleasant.
Food was fresh and fast. The server was polite and accomodating.
Ordered veal cutler dinner that was pretty gnarly. The “meat” was gritty and smelled like canned dog food. Also got a chicken wrap that was basically a mayo wrap. Who ever made that wrap ain’t going no where in life... Small portions and expensive. Wouldn’t recommend this place to anyone.
Dingy, grimy hole of a situation here. I'm almost sure I caught my first dose ever of food borne illness at this location. Staff aren't necessarily polite,depending how they decide where you've come from. Not to mention the ultra rude cross dressed man who is a cook(simply specified to help for identification of the individual). Just not my kind of place. Had they even been kind...
Pretty good
Great food
Honestly I was shocked by how hearty and tasty all the food was. I got breakfast and it was served with perfectly crispy hash browns, fluffy eggs and excellent meats. To be honest I've been dissapointed with Nanaimo restaurants. They've been overwhelmingly bland and expensive. This place is awesome. I highly recommend it. Owners is awesome also, he was saying a lot of the negative reviews are for an Alice's in the states, so don't pay attention to them, this place is a real gem!
Good food not open after 8pm
Legit open every single day. Food is great. Take out is perf. My favorite breakfast place in town as a night shift worker.
Huge selection for food. We went for breakt. I had the Alice breakfast with a side of hash browns. Quite substantial amount of food, and was tasty. Everyone enjoyed their food, clean plates all around!
Huge portions!! Excellent value for money!! Amazing breakfast!! Love the square hash browns!! Definitely recommend!!
A must if you’re in Nanaimo. Home dining, reasonably-priced.
If you're looking for a place to eat with decent prices and generous servings, this is it. Me and the family usually go here to eat breakfast food (any time of the day for most menu items). Try the pancakes, they're massive!
This is a hidden gem of Nanaimo. A diner-style breakfast restaurant with great food and service.
Best breakfast in town.
Home cooked food, in a retro style setting.
Cute little place, massive delicious pancakes. The people here are super friendly.
Service
Great turkey dinner!
Mediocre at best