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Ernest's at NAIT

4.7
4.7
1160 Reviews
CAN$31 to CAN$50
Global, International
Top Tags:
Ernest's Dining Room at NAIT has been aptly described as the "jewel in the crown" of Hokanson Centre for Culinary Arts in the School of Skilled Trades. Ernest's decor is described as "understated elegance". Tasteful compliments of cherry wood and brass highlights, a beautiful rock feature wall, muted lighting and attention to detail provide the room with a distinct corporate ambience. Critically acclaimed and numerous accolades identify the "haute cuisine" prepared by second year Culinary Arts diploma students as "outstanding". OpenTable diners voted Ernest's top 100 in Canada for two consecutive years. Seasoned chef instructors emphasize the importance of using high quality local regional products. Mastery of traditional cookery combined with contemporary artistry has resulted in a truly electric cuisine. Elegant service is provided by eager Culinary and Hospitality students. An emphasis on etiquette and authenticity is encouraged through the guidance of professional mentors.

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2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 12 times today
Private dining

Private dining

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Additional information

  • Dining style

    Casual Elegant

  • Cuisines

    Global, International, Contemporary American, Contemporary European

  • Hours of operation

    Lunch Mon–Thu 11:15 am–12:15 pm Fri 11:00 am–12:30 pm Dinner Tue–Fri 5:00 pm–7:15 pm

  • Phone number

    (780) 471-8676 ext. 1

  • Website

    http://www.nait.ca/ernests

  • Payment options

    AMEX, MasterCard, Visa

  • Dress code

    Business Casual

  • Executive chef

    Our Culinary seasoned Chef instructors/Second year Culinary students

  • Private party facilities

    Ernests at NAIT offers a unique opportunity to have our Culinary Arts students provide an outstanding service by booking one of our semi-private room (up to 25 guests), a private room (up to 40-60 guests), or the entire restaurant buyout (up to 50-100 guests).

  • Private party contact

    Tanya Wright: (780) 471-8676

  • Location

    10701 118 avenue NW, Edmonton, AB T5G 2R1

  • Neighborhood

    Edmonton

  • Cross street

    118 Ave and 106 Street

  • Parking details

    We have Free limited parking stalls reserved for Ernest's at NAIT, please email twright@nait.ca to request a permit. We also use Ernest's at NAIT Parking stalls for curbside pickup. Please do not park in these stalls if you do not have a parking permit you will need to pay for parking in Lot C or A/B Parkade or along the street with EPark on 10701-118 Ave.

  • Public transit

    There is a Public Transit stop at the corner of 106th Street and 118th Avenue, as well as a Stop at Kingsway Garden Mall and LRT -NAIT stop: Ernest's is located at the North end of the school

  • Entertainment

    During the school year Ernest's is a venue for a variety of "special events" allowing students to demonstrate creativity while interacting with the community. The Toque Demagny Scholarship Dinner, Young Culinarians Conquering Cancer, Team NAIT and Le club Culinaire fundraisers, etc... provide students with the opportunity to challenge their personal and professional bests. We also feature wine dinners with regional wines paired to perfection with our students culinary creations.

  • Additional

    Banquet, Beer, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, High Tea, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Featured in

Popular dishes

What 1,160 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7
4.7 based on recent ratings
  • 4.6Food
  • 4.7Service
  • 4.5Ambience
  • 4.7Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

  • Edmonton / Northern Alberta

    Best Value

  • Edmonton / Northern Alberta

    Innovative

  • Edmonton / Northern Alberta

    Gluten-free-friendly

  • Edmonton / Northern Alberta

    Good for special occasions

  • Edmonton

    Best Value

  • Edmonton

    Innovative

  • Edmonton

    Gluten-free-friendly

  • Edmonton

    Good for special occasions

Sort by

Filters

  1. A

    Atari

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 3 days ago

    overall5food4service4ambience4
    Fantastic dining experience and opportunity to fine dine on a budget
  2. LB

    LadyB

    Edmonton

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 5 days ago

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Earnest is by far the best place for a formal dining experience. The student and the instructors efforts into presentation, quality make this place one of a kind. Beautifully prepared dishes... 5 star hands down. Edmonton's hidden gem.
  3. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    Edmonton

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined 6 days ago

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Incredible 5 star dining at a portion of the price. The new addition of the rolling dessert cart is beyond brilliant! Have never had a bad experience. Worth every penny!
  4. BM

    BrianM

    Edmonton

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 6 days ago

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    It was great to be able to have dinner again ( after Covid). Boyd was attentive and personable. The timing of the various courses of dinner was perfect ( not rushed nor any undue delay). Would I return to Ernest’s, YES. Would I recommend Ernest’s to friends and family , absolutely. Thanks to all at Ernest’s for the hospitality!
  5. KS

    KeithS

    Edmonton

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 6 days ago

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    We have dined at Ernest's a number of times and have found it an outstanding restaurant! It never disappoints!
  6. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    Edmonton

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 6 days ago

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    This was our first visit and will definitely not be our last. Everything was perfect and top quality. If you’re a fan of gourmet food and If you’ve never been, I highly recommend.
  7. LR

    LesR

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on January 30, 2023

    overall4food4service4ambience4
    Service and food was very good. there were some novel food ideas that I have not had before
  8. SK

    SueK

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on January 28, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Both the food and the service were excellent. It was nice to have the music low enough to enjoy conversation. The students impressed us very much!
  9. s

    sdmalaniuk

    Edmonton

    3 reviews

    4.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on January 27, 2023

    overall4food3service4ambience4
    Service was good.. food was ok.. buns were dry. Portions were small but cost was good. All 4 of us had short rib.. all 4 were overcooked.. dry..
  10. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    Edmonton

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on January 26, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Great dining experience. The student created menus are interesting and tasty. The desserts cart was different but made selecting a dessert easier as you had a visual of the item and could see what you would be getting.
  11. TM

    TaylorM

    Edmonton

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on January 21, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    An absolutely Amazing dining experience. Great value
  12. G

    Guest

    Edmonton

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on January 20, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Excellent! One thing I miss is dipping vanilla popsicles in nuts; this time they had crepes which are also good.
  13. T

    Tobe

    Edmonton

    4 reviews

    4.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on January 19, 2023

    overall4food4service5ambience4
    We were there on a Wednesday evening, it was nice and quiet. Boyd was our server and was very attentive. The Amuse Bouche was fantastic, cracker with, I think, pepper and 2 small pieces of steak, awesome. The bun with the sour cream and chive in it was a bit too much for all of us, a smaller one would have been better, none of us ate more than half. I started with the Beet & Endive Salad that was very tasty, however, I would have liked a couple more endive pieces, there were only about 4 endive leaves. Husband had the Coconut Corn Velouté Soup that was very tasty but very thick. Friend had the Gnocchi ‘Fondue’, it was deceiving since it was not a fondue, but Gnocchi in a bowl with a bit of cheese. Friend said it was good but not as expected. Main course, the Red Curry ‘Bouillabaisse’ was small but good, not the best I have had but not bad. It did say there were grilled vegetables but I did not see any. Lamb Rack was tasty but tough. Chicken Suprême was good. Overall very tasty but not overwhelming this visit.
  14. HL

    HarveyL

    Edmonton

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on January 14, 2023

    overall5food4service5ambience5
    One of our best meals at Ernest’s. I started with a caesar which was much better than other establishments. We were served a shrimp and scallop appetizer on a toast bit was dry toast. I would love to know how they prepared it. the bread offering was a lovely brioche bun with sour cream and chives. I enjoyed the pork belly appetizer as well as the sous vide rack of lamb. It was perfectly cooked. The chocolate desserts were beautifully done. The food was creative.
  15. RB

    RocketBouchard

    Edmonton

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on January 12, 2023

    overall4food4service4ambience4
    Service was good. Not quite as attentive with refills and check-ins as you would expect from a high-end place, but reasonable with students learning these skills. The food was generally excellent with a few misses. The haloumi fritters had bites that were fantastic and other bites that were rubbery and with a weaker flavour. perhaps they were just meant to be a base for the lovely sauce, but I think a flavour boost wouldn't hurt. The citrus salad had a bit too much going on for me. It felt like the strong flavours of dill and citrus and arugula and at least one other strong vegetable (endive?) were competing and not collaborating. The duck was spectacular! For my main, I got the cabbage, and it was good but there were some challenges. The way it was cut and cooked made it hard to eat cleanly. The knife struggled with it, and I kept taking too large bites and getting frustrated. The flavour was good, but it was too simple. To make a mind-changing cabbage steak, I think it benefits to marinate in some beefy/beef-adjacent flavours like a balsamic, maybe a soy. I also had the extra Chimichurri steak. Mine had a chewy strip down the middle that ruined it. i should have sent it back, but i thought I had just got the cut wrong. Then I had a bite of another person's steak, and it was PERFECT, so i was sad that i didn't sent mine back.
  16. JM

    JacqueM

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on December 14, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience3
    Excellent meal, as always! Edmonton's hidden gem.
  17. OC

    OneilC

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on December 14, 2022

    overall4food4service4ambience4
    Want a fine dining experience at a reasonable price? Ernest's is your best bet in Edmonton. You also will be supporting NAIT's Culinary School.
  18. S

    Sandy

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on December 9, 2022

    overall4food5service3ambience4
    We have been here many times and always enjoy it. Unfortunately this time, we had a less than stellar waitress. Forgot our wine. Too spicy of Ceasars we could not drink and had tonsend them back. She dropped a fork and left it on the floor which others or myself could of tripped on. Overall poor service. Food fantastic.
  19. ML

    MajellaL

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on December 8, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    The food was very good. My friend and I enjoyed what we had on our plate. Nice atmosphere! We had quality and honest food without breaking the bank.
  20. c

    cassie

    Edmonton

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on December 2, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Excellent food and customer service. The ambiance is very cozy .
  21. M

    Mila

    Edmonton

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on December 2, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    I was so impressed with a service, food and atmosphere!
  22. AD

    AlainD

    Edmonton

    2 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on December 1, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    We will be going there as often as possible, it was assomme.
  23. RC

    RichardC

    Edmonton

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on November 25, 2022

    overall5food5service4ambience5
    Now that Ernest's is back to a buffet on their Fridays service, I am back even more than before :)
  24. L

    Luisa

    Edmonton

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on November 25, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Great food, atmosphere and service. I have been going to Ernest's at NAIT for years now and always enjoy it. Great value for your dollar also!
  25. c

    crimsonjane

    Edmonton

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on November 25, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Awesome selection of food prepared by culinary students. Sometimes innovative but always delicious. A perfect spot to celebrate a special occasion.
  26. DB

    DavidB

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 24, 2022

    overall4food5service3ambience4
    Food was delicious. Student server was clearly a beginner which resulted in us waiting between courses.
  27. BB

    BettyB

    Edmonton

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on November 24, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience3
    Overall dining experience was excellent. Delicious foods, book an early table as menu items were limited.
  28. JW

    JuneW

    Edmonton

    12 reviews

    4.0

    12 reviews

    Dined on November 17, 2022

    overall4food4service5ambience5
    Six friends went for a meal at Ernest’s tonight (Wednesday). Four of our party had never eaten there before. Everyone really enjoyed the experience. The food and service were excellent.
  29. WS

    WhitneyS

    Edmonton

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 17, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    The food was excellent. The service was great. The price was reasonable. It was a fancy meal for a regular price.
  30. AR

    AllisonR

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 17, 2022

    overall5food4service4ambience3
    Went to Ernest's on a quiet Wednesday evening. I was called ahead of time to be notified that there would be a limited menu that evening because it was the beginning of a new block for the student chefs. I was sent the menu via email a week before our reservation. Our server was very good. I think he was new and a bit nervous, but he was charming and happy to give recommendations about the menu. We ordered scallops and we're surprised by the presence of cilantro on the dish, since it wasn't included in the menu description. Our server offered to get us a new dish without cilantro, and did so efficiently. The food was an excellent value for the price. We will definitely be returning at a time when they have their full menu available.
  31. JD

    JonD

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 4, 2022

    overall5food4service5ambience4
    Ernest's is great value and the menu selection is pretty good. The food is well prepared. I will be going back.
  32. SW

    SamW

    Edmonton

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on November 4, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Students did an amazing job with all their dishes. Service was superb as usual. Thanks again!
  33. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    Edmonton

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 4, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Excellent food, excellent service, excellent ambience
  34. C

    Conrad

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 3, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Student dishes were very good, especially the pork belly!
  35. DN

    DaveN

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 3, 2022

    overall4food4service4ambience4
    Ultimately a great lunch, we both really enjoyed our meals. We were sitting next to the window and I was cold . The students were great ! Well done!!
  36. T

    Tlarge

    Edmonton

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 3, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    All the employees were very warm and welcoming and easy to talk to. The food was outstanding. They really went above and beyond our expectations by touring my son through the kitchen, as it was his birthday and they knew he has a interest in attending a culinary program in the future. And after our evening he is even more excited. I would recommend that if you haven’t tried Ernest that you make it a stop you try at least once.
  37. KH

    KennyH

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 3, 2022

    overall4food4service5ambience4
    Good food, excellent service! I will recommend to my friends.
  38. MB

    MarkB

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 2, 2022

    overall4food3service3ambience4
    Ernest's is a fantastic restaurant but the recent menu changes to the entrees are.... Unusual to say the least. Please go back to normal menu items that have meat without it being a paid option. $15 for a chunk of cabbage 'steak' isn't what your customers want to order.
  39. CM

    ClaireM

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 1, 2022

    overall4food4service4ambience4
    A very nice option for a business lunch or a special lunch with friends or family. The atmosphere is very relaxed and conducive to conversation. Thank you
  40. I

    Idlc

    Edmonton

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on October 28, 2022

    overall4food5service5ambience5
    Everything was good although one of the choices for main was not available.

Safety precautions

  • Cleaning & sanitizing

    • Surfaces sanitized between seatings
    • Digital, disposable or sanitized menu provided
    • Common areas deep-cleaned daily
    • Sanitizer or wipes provided for customers
    • Contactless payment available

  • Physical distancing

    • Distancing maintained in common areas

  • Screening

    • Sick staff prohibited in the workplace

FAQs

Ernest's at NAIT offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (780) 471-8676 ext. 1.

Ernest's at NAIT is rated 4.7 stars by 1160 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 12 times today
Google Map for Ernest's at NAIT

10701 118 avenue NW, Edmonton, AB T5G 2R1

Additional information

  • Cross street

    118 Ave and 106 Street

  • Neighborhood

    Edmonton

  • Hours of operation

    Lunch Mon–Thu 11:15 am–12:15 pm Fri 11:00 am–12:30 pm Dinner Tue–Fri 5:00 pm–7:15 pm

  • Cuisines

    Global, International, Contemporary American, Contemporary European

  • Dining style

    Casual Elegant

  • Dress code

    Business Casual

  • Parking details

    We have Free limited parking stalls reserved for Ernest's at NAIT, please email twright@nait.ca to request a permit. We also use Ernest's at NAIT Parking stalls for curbside pickup. Please do not park in these stalls if you do not have a parking permit you will need to pay for parking in Lot C or A/B Parkade or along the street with EPark on 10701-118 Ave.

  • Public transit

    There is a Public Transit stop at the corner of 106th Street and 118th Avenue, as well as a Stop at Kingsway Garden Mall and LRT -NAIT stop: Ernest's is located at the North end of the school

  • Payment options

    AMEX, MasterCard, Visa

  • Executive chef

    Our Culinary seasoned Chef instructors/Second year Culinary students

  • Entertainment

    During the school year Ernest's is a venue for a variety of "special events" allowing students to demonstrate creativity while interacting with the community. The Toque Demagny Scholarship Dinner, Young Culinarians Conquering Cancer, Team NAIT and Le club Culinaire fundraisers, etc... provide students with the opportunity to challenge their personal and professional bests. We also feature wine dinners with regional wines paired to perfection with our students culinary creations.

  • Additional

    Banquet, Beer, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, High Tea, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

  • Website

    http://www.nait.ca/ernests

  • Phone number

    (780) 471-8676 ext. 1

  • Private party facilities

    Ernests at NAIT offers a unique opportunity to have our Culinary Arts students provide an outstanding service by booking one of our semi-private room (up to 25 guests), a private room (up to 40-60 guests), or the entire restaurant buyout (up to 50-100 guests).

  • Private party contact

    Tanya Wright: (780) 471-8676

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