Al's Diner — Restaurant in Ottawa

This place ticks the boxes as a diner, but the food was not excellent and our order was messed up so many times that it was way past being funny. NOTE THE OWNER'S OFFENSIVE REPLY TO THIS HONEST REVIEW!!!! Immediately after being seated, we ordered a grilled cheese sandwich from the kids' menu, to feed our hungry toddler, and later ordered for the adults. We got (most of) the food for the adults in a while, though some items were omitted and others were incorrect. But the toddler sandwich didn't arrive. We asked, and got massive apologies, and told that the sandwich had been taken to another table, so they were making a new one. After a while they brought a sandwich --- the WRONG sandwich -- bacon -- which the toddler won't eat. By now, we were working hard to avoid a toddler melt-down, so hardly enjoying our meals, and the breakfast with toast still has no toast (or beans). Finally the correct sandwich came (though the toddler is now too distraught to eat) along with the missing items from the adult meals, but the missing toast was wholeweat not white. After another delay, the correct toast appeared, even though the breakfast is cold by then. I went to pay the bill. The server proudly told me that she'd not charged me for the bacon sandwich .... that we hadn't ordered!!! In fact, she had deducted the price of the correct sandwich - a measly $4 on the kids' menu - which hardly offset all the messing about we'd had. However, the bill included a charge for the toast... which was included with the breakfast. It even took two more attempts to get the bill straight. I can see that the restaurant was very busy, and the staff working hard and were very pleasant, but still, this is an unacceptable level of chaos. Apart from all those mix-ups, I'd say that the food was not excellent (frozen french fries, the home fries tasted stale, the sauce on the poached eggs was from definitely made from powder in a packet). On the positive side, they did get the poached eggs right, the portions were large and the price was reasonable -- but I won't be going again. If you go, don't go at lunch time when it's busy, and don't...

We went there for brunch on 10 Dec around 1:30 pm. We walked in but couldn't find a place to sit because all the open tables were not cleaned; however, there were ladies washing the door window and organizing the back but no one was clearing and washing the tables.

We were directed to sit at a dirty table and someone would come clean it. That did happen but the rag was dirty that the waitress used to wash the table and missed spots. Should have left then. I felt something on my shoe and when I looked under the table it was filled with food scraps, which I just stepped in. There were other debris there like cutlery and used napkins. We looked at the floor and the carpets were nasty. I don't mean just worn but full of stepped on food.

We ordered, our waitress was nice, which accounts partly for the 2nd star. I had a Bloody Caesar. It was awful. I asked for extra spivey but it was not. My spouse had a beer. No complaints.

Waiting for the food I went to the bathroom. Should have definitely left but I've been to holes in the wall before where the food made up for it but that was not the case. Back to the bathroom. The garbage bins in the stalls were overflowing, as they were just open buckets, with all sorts of nasty human excrement! The floors were dirty and sticky and the sink area was filthy.

Now the food. I had eggs Benedict. Stale English muffin, partially toasted with cheap ham slice. The eggs were almost raw and the sauce was congealed. The home fries were cold and chewy and Flavourless. The side sausage were actually very good and my husband's wings were not bad at all.

Overall, a bad experience and we will never return. A restaurant owner friend of mine once told me that the condition of the bathroom is reflective of the management and owners pride in their establishment and commitment to quality food and service....

We were planning to go for breakfast with a group of 5 yesterday and my wife called Al's diner to make reservations. My wife mentioned we have a Service Dog and she was told that the Dog would have to be wearing a Service Dog vest AND they would also need to see a copy of my Service dog letter.

I called them back to explain that the AODA states that

"If you have a guide dog or other service animal, they must be allowed to stay with you when you receive services in Restaurants grocery stores taxis

If your Guide dog/Service animal Does Not Wear a Vest or harness you can show documentation from one of these regulated health professionals:"

Then it lists the professionals you can get a letter from.

This means that if your dog is wearing a Service Dog vest that you do not have to show your doctors letter with your personal medical information.

If you choose to show your letter then the dog does not require a vest (maybe you forgot the vest at home for example.)

It is one OR the other and it is up to the Service dog handler to decide. My dog has been a Service Dog for 6 years and comes with me to my Doctors appointments. We ate elsewhere but would like to try Al,s Diner in the future if they will comply with the AODA.

I will wait for a reply to see if Al and his staff get the opportunity to see how well trained my...