Ernest's at NAIT — Restaurant in Edmonton

It’s clear why Ernest’s was named OpenTable’s Top 100 Restaurants in Canada for 2023 and they’re likely going to be up there again after the year they’re having. I’ve been going to Ernest’s for years ever since I found the place and have always had a new and unique experience each time which is the reason why I keep coming back. The students are passionate about their dishes and can get so creative with the flavours they present. The staff are very welcoming and accommodating with great hospitality by going above and beyond. The lunch menu has very reasonable prices especially if you do the Eat, Learn, Celebrate 3-course meal. The most bang for your buck. Why pay $45 for an overcooked steak at the Keg when you can get a full 3-course meal at Ernest’s? Exactly. The student showcase buffet which happens every Friday at lunch is the best buffet in the city. I highly recommend booking the next available date as it sells out months in advance. I’ve booked off a day of work just to go to one of the buffets because I know how fast they book up. Not to mention very affordable. The wine dinners are so much fun (just make sure you have a safe ride home!). They also hold many other events which is what makes this place so special. But what I’m really looking forward to is the Alumni Series happening right now, something they’ve never done before. We got tickets to the October event so I’m excited to see what it’s all about. You will always leave full from this place. YOU...

I went to Ernest's with my mom to celebrate her birthday. They had a little card waiting for her on our table when we arrived, wishing her a happy birthday. She was so pleased; it was a very thoughtful touch. The menu is fairly small, but has a little bit of everything to choose from, including several meat options, vegan, vegetarian, gluten free etc. and they are willing to accommodate other dietary requirements. I also noted there were a lot of Canadian ingredients, which I appreciated seeing. They notified us that they had an 'Eat, Learn, Celebrate' special in which we could get any appetizer, entree and desert for $32. It was a fantastic deal. They also gave us a free selection of freshly baked breads and butter to start. The food was incredible. Prepared with a skillful touch and cooked to perfection. The cocktails were also delicious. When our dessert arrived, they wrote 'Happy Birthday' on mom's plate in dark chocolate. She was thrilled, and I was very grateful for all the little details they provided to help make her feel special on her big day. I'd absolutely come back, and recommend it to anyone. The quality of the food and service, especially when compared to the price, is...

After a somewhat disappointing first experience at Ernest's, maitre d' Mandeep reached out to offer my mom and I a second experience for dinner. This act of incredible generosity and hospitality already sealed the deal for us, but dinner totally blew us out of the water.

The meal was outstanding - every single course had me wanting to scrape my plate to get every little bit of sauce, but I would especially recommend the gnocchi and the duck in sour cherry sauce.

We also had the immense pleasure of chatting with Austin, a graduating pastry student. Not only was his bright, cheerful demeanor the perfect pairing for his obvious passion for pastry, but his dessert recommendations knocked our socks off. The strawberry petit gateau was light and fluffy, and the chocolate petit gateau? Wow! The burst of passion fruit really cut through the rich chocolate, and if that pastry was available at my local bakery, I would absolutely eat it again.

This experience showed us the immense professionalism and passion of Ernest's staff - every member of staff we had the pleasure of speaking to was friendly and knowledgeable. I can guarantee we'll be...