Tania's Restaurant — Restaurant in Nanaimo

Tania's Restaurant is a delightfully cozy breakfast and lunch only spot in Nanaimo and may just have taken my number one spot as my top restaurant in town. They close at 3:00 pm (2 pm Sunday), but offer breakfast till then. The parking lot is usually pretty crowded, with most of the people going here. We've been here three or four times and have noticed many others doing the same. That's usually a really good sign and it certainly is for Tania's. First and foremost, their people. Everyone working here is warm, friendly and truly come across as wanting to be there... if you have ever worked in a busy restaurant, you know how rare that is and what a profound effect that will have with regard to the ambience and warmth of a place. Next, their menu. The selection is near perfect. It covers a wide assortment, but doesn't involve reading a novel like menu (like my reviews). Their food. Breakfast at Tania's is hands down, one of the best breakfast places I've enjoyed. Ottawa and Gatineau, where I grew up had some mighty fine breakfast places. Well they could take some pointers from Tania's. Real potato hash browns, homemade breads including sourdough and rye, incredible bacon, tea served in large porcelain tea sets, fresh coffee constantly being refilled, and simply the best Eggs Benedict I've ever had, and I've had plenty. Their Hollandaise sauce is made fresh and is scrumptious, with a hint of lemony tang... Hollandaise perfection. After having it once, I often order extra Hollandaise on the side. Yes, I know how rich it is... It's an occasional guilty pleasure. If you can manage to not order breakfast, their lunch menu is equally impressive in variety and quality. I tried a cheeseburger with fries just before Christmas and was incredibly satisfied with the wonderfully beefy flavor and mozzarella cheese for a change and their fries are downright perfect. Their sourdough melts look amazing and I must try one. Lunch is served from 11:30 am until closing. Update: We finally tried the sourdough melts and homemade soups. Both were heavenly. The last point I wish to make regards their chefs. I particularly love dining places where the chef prepares meals with love, care, and panache. I don't care if it is an upscale place or a cozy diner. If a chef prepares meals with pride and love, it clearly shows. Every meal I've had or seen at Tania's looked like the glossy photo on the menu. That next to never happens! The quality, care and flavours are superb. The portions are very generous. The people are warm and outstanding. Ignore the negative reviews. This place...

I'm perplexed at the other reviews!? I have visited this establishment 3 times over the past few months. Whilst I would love to enjoy this venue(I'm local to the area) I'm afraid I expect a lot more! Forgetting the drab, outdated, food hall style decor, the breakfast menu is limited and also dated. Not one fresh item on the menu(even the strawberries used for pancakes are clearly bulk frozen)! Try adding a fresh fruit option? Not everyone is looking for a large pile of greasy, artery clogging brown food. The sausages were deep fried which is simply lazy and disgusting. The hash browns are old(potatoes turn grey after a day once cut) and are obviously prepared in a food processor, precooked, stored in the cooler, then thrown onto the grill to order. Thus producing a bland, mostly cold, pile of partially fried potatoes. Consistently the worst hashbowns I have ever been served and I have not eaten them on 3 occasions. I keep expecting the servers to question why I do not consume a third of my meal? But they clearly care less about my meal satisfaction and more about tips(not unlike many Nanaimo establishments). The bread used for toast is bottom shelf across all varieties. The poached eggs are well cooked(not an easy item to produce) and the only reason I give more than 1 star. Work on the other items on my plate and I will gladly return and remove this review. If the owners are aiming for a cheap establishment, they succeed everywhere except the pricing. Very disappointed on...

I have been coming to this restaurant at least once or twice a week for 2 years now and I have to say that this restaurant is absolutely amazing with the best breakfast food and lunch food!! I'll either come on my own, or bring some of my family or friends along with me! The staff here are absolutely amazing, in fact they all remember my name, and they were remember what I like to order during lunch time and that is Chicken Strips and Fries and a Pepsi or Iced Tea! But when I go there for breakfast they usually don't remember what I like to order but that's ok though because I have a few food options that I choose between! But it's really great because every time when I come in to this place on my own especially during lunch time my order just goes straight in to the kitchen and they start cooking my food! And then about 3 mins later, lunch is ready!!! The service here is absolutely amazing and here are the foods I recommend! Single Pancake with either sausage or bacon, Belgian Waffle, ClubhousevSandwhich and Chicken Strips and Fries!!! Thanks a...