Highlevel Diner

Finally had a chance to scratch this
E-​town institution off our list!
No question as to how this spot has been around so long.
Great location.
Friendly staff.
Reasonable prices.
Hearty portions…
And just good homestyle cooking.
There is a small lot south of the building with some reserved spots. Be sure to register your vehicle at the front desk when you arrive if you score one of these spots.
The restaraunt has an eclectic, homey feel that csn only come from being established for quite some time.
We shared a Middle Eastern sample platter… delicious! Next time I come here… Full order of their amazing spinach pie!
Our mains consisted of the Pulled Pork Enchiladas, and the Wednesday special… Dinner’s Poutine.
Enchiladas were anazing. Fresh and flavourfull. Poutine was a little bland for my liking, but bot bad.
All in all… We both added this to our «we gotta’ go back» list.

Always a treat for brunch!
The Spinach pie and tabouli salad are some of my favourite items.
Cinnamon buns are fabulous as well.
Service is fairly good, hit or miss.
Overall a great Edmonton hot spot.

Probably one of my favorite restaurants in Edmonton, it just has such a at home vibe and the food is always great! My favorite day might be turkey Tuesday’s when you get a full turkey diner! But I also love Ukrainian Thursdays. Granted I also love stuff off the regular menu. I have never not loved what I order here! This place has been here when my parents were going to school in Edmonton so it’s always a family favorite!

Excellent brunch spot in Edmonton on 109 Street.
The Breakfast Special — $ 7.99 for 2 eggs, multigrain toast, hashbrowns, and bacon (I sub fruit instead) is a great well rounded breakfast. I have been heading here for years and this is always my go to. I must say that there portion sizes have changed somewhat over the years, but I seem to keep going back.
Don’t forget the cinnamon buns! Delicious. My issue is that if I order a cinnamon bun first, I usually fill up before my breakfast special. But, you can always take it home or share.
If you bike, you get 10% off your meal! Just show your helmet. Makes me bike every time and there is bike parking out front.

My eggs Benedict was awesome — tasty acidic hollandaise, perfectly runny eggs. However I was disappointed with the cinnamon bun. It seemed undercooked, not super cinnamon-​y or sweet, and rather doughy. Overall I prefer Sugar Bowl better

I really want to love this place. Which is why I keep going back. And it’s fine. You get decent food. But I always leave somewhat disappointed — whether I come for breakfast lunch or dinner. It’s fine, but I keep expecting it to be great. And it simply never is great. Just fine. The décor is fabulously funky, and the service is really good. But the food? It’s fine.

My rating is based ONLY on their breakfast/​brunch menu. We’ve only been there once and that was for around 9AM– we would definitely go again to try out something less breakfast-​y and see how we like it.
Parking was a pain but that’s to be expected in that location. Entry way is very crowded for the long line-​ups. But still, our wait definitely wasn’t as long as it could’ve been with all those people waiting. (The most frustrating thing was the chick who just stood there next to her friend and LOOKED at us and others trying to squeeze by her instead of moving her ass to the side– but that’s not the Diner’s fault, that’s her pure lack of manners.)
Anyway. I had a bowl of fruit which was OK, nothing special, just the usual, not-​quite-​ripe fruit that you get wherever you order such an item. The bran muffin I had with it was OK– a touch dry but the top crusty part tasted pretty yummy.
Husband had the roasted baby potatoes (which looked like just regular potatoes cut into smaller chunks) and said they tasted OK but nothing special. His eggs Benedict were pretty good, he said. Mom in law had an omelette which she enjoyed.
We definitely enjoyed the atmosphere a lot more than at a chain place like De Dutch or whatever else is out there. However, I’m not 100% sure I’d return for brunch. As someone who grew up strictly on home-​cooked meals and who now also cooks from scratch 98% of the time, I was definitely sitting there going «I could make this myself at home and it wouldn’t take more than 20 minutes for the 3 of us.» Husband was saying he prefers the hash browns we make ourselves over the potatoes he had. But it IS nice to eat out sometimes and let the kitchen at home stay clean and unused for a day :)
All in all: decent but not amazing, MIGHT come back for brunch but not TOO likely, WILL come back to try a different menu before forming final opinion.

Service is great in this place. However, my veggie burger was awful. It was bland, dry and nasty. If vegetarian options are available maybe look into making them taste better.

Lived in Edmonton for many years and this place was always great. Just good wholesome home cooked food. Was up there over the weekend and went to the diner for the first time in probably 20 years. Had the daily special and they were able to sub out the toast with fresh tomato slices. Eggs were perfectly done and the bacon was delicious. Ambience is warm and inviting. Glad I had the chance to go back.

Great service, but the Ural burger was basic; I had to salt my fries (and no good fries ever need salt… they’re already perfectly seasoned when they arrive). Even with the side sauces, it was bland and a bit dry.
My husband had the short ribs. Super blubbery and served with woody vegetables.
Over-​hyped and over-​priced.

They are great at serving a large table during lunch rush.
Always get the orders right. The food is tasty. Cost is reasonable.
Safe for vegan and gluten free dining.
Good beer selection, including Alley Kat brews.
They are very nice to children.
Patio is covered.
90 minutes of free parking. Don’t forget to record your license plate # at check in.
I love the spinach pie, enchiladas, veggie burger and cheddar chicken sandwich.
You have to go up to the counter to pay.
***
High Level Diner will give all uniformed police, fire, military or medical personnel a 10% discount.

We were needing a gluten free restaurant close to downtown as we were going before the chris de burgh concert and was I glad I Google them and listened to the reviews.
This place was amazing from the time we walked in to we left, we all had the Ukrainian platter (they have gluten free perogys for my daughter and her friend) and then a bowl latte and bread pudding for desert and being I grew up on it it was as good as my dad’s recepie and them some and the fresh cream that comes with was to die for. The service was unbelievable always checking on you whether they served you or not.
SO HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS PLACE

Excellent breakfast to be had at this Edmonton institution. I usually go on Fridays when it’s a little less packed.
Great food and friendly service. Parking can, at times, be difficult and the lot directly to the north can fill up.
I would suggest getting here early on weekends to avoid waiting for upwards of an hour in a line that snakes out the door.
I get the pancakes because why not but most of their breakfast offerings are excellent. If you’re up for the caloric indulgence (and diabetic coma) get the cinnamon bun. It’s likely the best in the city, rivaled only by the creation at neighboring Sugar Bowl. They are large and probably should be split between dining mates.

We came here last week for brunch. It was a very nice day and luckily we didn’t have to wait long to be seated. I ordered an omelette and iced coffee while my husband ordered eggs Benedict and coffee. He ordered a cinnamon roll too, and both of us couldn’t believe how huge it was. We shared it and it was sweet and yummy. Our meals were delicious and our server was professional and pleasant. We will come back to High Level Diner in the future for brunch.

Went for brunch yesterday, finally got to try their «famous» cinnamon buns after several disappointing attempts.
We ordered what happened to be the last two buns as soon as we sat down. I highly recommend you do this, especially on the weekends. They are BIG and quite shareable. We were four people and shared the two. We also ordered brunch. Take note, half a cinnamon bun really fills you up. Order something small to eat with it, not a full entrée!
The buns were soft, warm, cinnamon sugar deliciousness. Too bad I found out later you coyld order a caramel sauce to put on it. Not dry as in not moist. They were a bit dry as they do not come with any icing. The caramel sauce is apparently the same as the one they put on their bread pudding. So, if you like it, you will probably enjoy it on the buns.
We all ordered the eggs Benedict. Three Florentine, one regular with back bacon. Sides of potatoes, tomatoes and fruit cup were also ordered.
Everything was quite tasty. The Florentine comes with fluffy puréed mixture of spinach and cream on top of two Englisgh muffins under poached eggs and lovely hollandaise sauce. The amount of sauce was perfect. Enough for each bite of eggs bennie without drowning the lot. Only recommendation is if you like your yolk a bit on the runny side, be sure to adk. Mine was too cooked for my liking. I enjoy a runny yolk on my English muffin.
The regular eggs bennie, was the same but with a thick slice of back bacon instead of spinach.
The hasbrown potatoes were nicely fried chunks of red spuds lightly seasoned. We added the homemade ketchup to them. Wish I hadn’t. Even though their ketchup is good, it contains garlic and herbs, and is more of an Italian tomato sauce than a traditional ketchup. I like traditional ketchup on my fried potatoes.
The fruit cup was just a regular cup of fresh seasonal fruits, nothing to write home about.
The drinks ordered were thoroughly enjoyed by all: Awesome mango frappa (blend of mango and orange juices, yogurt and honey), chai latte, and a refreshing pear spritzer (pear nectar and soda).
The brunch menu is not a long one. If you are looking for plain ham, bacon and eggs, you will not find them on the menu. You will find eggs Benedict, waffles, French toast and pancakes.
From the line up all the way up the door. I think the other menu items are probably pretty tasty too!
Definitely will return to try other menu items.
Expect a 20 minute wait on the weekends.

High Level Diner has been featured on «You Gotta Eat Here» in March 2013. They were in Edmonton in July 2012 for the filming but the episode didn’t air until the following year. I went there for dinner on August the 8, 2012, shortly after they were there. If you’re looking for a good home-​cooked-​meal style of food, or something warm and welcoming, this is the place for you. It’s located at the top of the High Level Bridge (hence the name) near the University Campus. Often frequented by students and general population in the neighbourhood, this place always seems to be busy during breakfast and brunch. It could be because of their famous cinnamon buns, or their amazing dinner fare. They even make their own Ketchup since 1982 that you can now purchase for $ 7.00 a bottle. Many days of the week, they have specialty items such as Fish and Chip Mondays, Turkey Tuesdays, Ukranian Thursdays, Short Rib Saturdays, Prime rib Sundays. This is on top of what they serve regularly.
Parking is a bit sparse there. They have some parking reserved specifically for their restaurant south into their alley. Around the restaurant there are a few parking spots that are for an hour only. Otherwise, some of the residential parking requires permits. Luckily, on my visit someone had just pulled out of their spot and I snuck in. The inside is nice and quaint. There is a lot of wood. In the entrance way, there are bulletin boards where you can promote local events, services, etc. It’s nice to see them promoting local things, especially since they buy a lot of their ingredients locally like their bread, eggs, etc.
Guinness Shepherd’s Pie
Little taste of Ireland! This home-​style cooked Shepherd’s pie really hit home. It’s described as made with lean ground beef, veggies, and Guinness, topped with mashed potatoes then baked. The meat was perfectly seasoned. It wasn’t too bland, nor too salty. There were a lot of different vegetables inside and it was full of flavour. The gravy was really rich, and I’m not a huge fan of dark beer but you could not really taste the bitter flavour of Guinness come through the sweetness of everything else, it was really balanced! The Caesar salad was nothing amazing. Fresh produce and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. The croutons weren’t too salty.
Jambalaya
Mmmmm, a Cajun Classic. I’m a huge fan of spicy foods (or just food in general!) so this was really nice. It was a mixture of pork sausages, chicken, shrimp, tomatoes and rice, served with a home-​made grilled cornbread. Everything blended well together…

An Edmonton institution of sorts, the Highlevel Diner has my absolute favourite Tabbouleh salad. I will often pick out a menu item purely because it features this salad as a side. Otherwise I’ll eat that evening’s special (the turkey dinner is rather good on Tuesday nights for example) and/​or sip on one of their yummy beverage options.
The furniture is unique, everything is put together with loving care and the wait staff is very helpful. I really like the unique touches such as the handwritten special of the day boards, and the kindness of the folks at the bar who take your card payment.
If you are driving you can park in the lot across the street as long as you register your plate. This is good information to know as the area has limited parking options. Otherwise there’s good transit to the area and it is walking distance from Whyte Avenue and/​or the University area and is adjacent to the High Level bridge and thus the river valley. The enclosed patio is nice too.

Gluten free available with a high level of confidence! A dedicated toaster for gluten free bread, although the kitchen is not dedicated wheat-​free. Vegetarian options also on all their menus.
Open for 31 years, they are no stranger to keeping Edmontonians and guests to our city well fed! Specials most days; Monday Fish & Chips (with gluten free beer if you like), Turkey Tuesdays, Ukrainian Thursdays (perogy night!), Short Rib Saturday, and Sunday night Prime Rib supper.
Legendary weekday breakfast, (with cinnamon buns of enormous size — not gluten free), but weekend Brunch as well.
We came most recently for the Fish & Chips on Mondays, but have dined at Ukrainian night as well as weekend brunches. The cod was battered well, crispy and delicious. Tartar sauce made in house and also tasty. The fries… while not my favourite part of the meal weren’t bad. In-​house made ketchup as well as the commercial stuff. Try both — you might be surprised. Sampled the grilled corn bread that’s now gluten free. I missed the grilled part of the description and was a little surprised by the char. Served as a loaf slice. Don’t forget to ask for the honey. It was pretty good, but I could only eat one piece. $ 5 gets you two pieces — so bring a friend or take the rest home!
Note for the Celiacs — the gluten free beer they carry at the time I visited was Mongozo. Not a truly gluten free or wheat free beer, but if you can tolerate it, go for it!
Word of warning, portions are not puny. Bring an appetite, or a container for your leftovers! The gluten free Mexican Lasagne… I don’t see it on the menu now, but it used to come in a giant tinfoil pan when we ordered catering. Enough to feed 4… really good too.
Oh yes, they cater lunches, so if your office is having a meeting — order ahead of time and pick up hot, delicious food.
Décor, a little dark and cozy. Artwork & stained glass for sale, a great way to seek out new local artistans and gifts while you dine!
There is a lovely outdoor patio in summer, sheltered with a plastic wind barrier in fall.
Of note — they’re closed Jan 21, 2015 for a Top to bottom Cleaning Party. The website says:
The entire diner from top to bottom gets cleaned — the kitchen (including the stoves and all the appliances), all the floors, the windows, the walls, the ceiling… everything gets cleaned. This semi-​annual all-​day cleaning is in addition to the on-​going day-​to-​day cleanliness policies that we practice.
BULLY! Not afraid to lose income for a couple of days a year to keep the place hygienic and safe to eat at!
Parking… street, some in the lot by the fence. Park carefully and don’t forget to register your plate in the book as you walk in.
To get here: Walk across the High Level Bridge from downtown, or take the LRT to University and wander over. Bike racks, but they’re usually pretty full.

Really enjoy this place. The only bad things are the lines… often a 20 minute wait at any time. and the parking is nightmare around there with a lot of popular businesses and few spots.
The food is mostly made fresh in house, and you must try their home made ketchup! They cook killer breakfast, that is a good size serving, and flavorful. They also do feature nights throughout the week such as turkey dinner, roast etc.

This review is only based off our brunch meal. Husband and I walked over the bridge for an anniversary brunch. We had always heard great things about HLD but have never gotten the chance to check it out. We waited for about 20 minutes before we were seated, as it was packed for the Labour Day brunch rush. The brunch menu is quite small. I ordered the classic benedict with roasted potatoes. Hubby ordered the farmer’s omelette with multigrain toast, and we ordered one of their legendary cinnamon buns to share (sidenote: Edmontonians really have a thing for cinnamon buns. And green onion pancakes. As a Vancouverite I always found this amusing).
The food took awhile to come but service was otherwise efficient. Our waters were refilled throughout the meal. The benedict was all right, nothing special. I did like the back bacon, and the roasted potatoes were good with the home-​made ketchup, but aside from this, there was nothing that particularly stood out about our meal. My husband was less impressed unfortunately. He wasn’t a fan of his farmer’s omelette and didn’t even finish it; however he did compliment the multigrain toast. The cinnamon bun was all right too. But again, nothing to write home about. I was a bit disappointed because we had always heard about High Level’s brunch and while there was nothing bad about it, I’ve had better in the city.