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Zak's Diner
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 12 am - 12 am
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Late Night, Breakfast
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
30 reviews for Zak's Diner
Review Highlights
-
"...zucchini, and their deep-fried Mars bar with ice cream and..." In 2 reviews -
"They serve all-day breakfast, hamburgers and sandwiches." In 2 reviews -
"Fresh orange juice and the toast are really the best things..." In 4 reviews
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30 reviews in English
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Review from Darren L.
Scarborough, ON
3/13/2012 1 Check-in Here
Great all day breakfast food. Amazing chocolate chip pancakes. Don't bother with the hot chocolate.
Nice atmosphere. -
Review from Nicholas N.
Vancouver, BC
4/22/2012 1 Check-in Here
Touristy little diner,
- -Brief-
- Service: good
- Food: average
- Décor: good
- Value: good
- Overall: good
Fun little diner in the heart of Ottawa. Food, décor and service what you would expect from a diner that caters to students and tourists.
I try and base my scoring on what one would expect from the type of restaurant they are in, so while the food here would score most restaurants one or two stars, when one is dining at a greasy spoon, ordering onion rings and a milk shake
Service:
Was friendly, young and relatively swift.
Food:
The food wasn't bad, I had the fajita wrap, and it was flavorful, if a bit bean and rice heavy. Nothing spectacular, but good for a cheap diner.
Overall:
Fun atmosphere, friendly staff and cheap food, great for students or a quick low cost meal. -
Review from Lynn C.
2/2/2012
We went to Zak's Diner for lunch. This place is pretty cool and the servers are super friendly. This 24 hour joint is supposed packed with people at 4am, but was relatively empty for the lunch crowd. To be fair, I'd probably like the food better at 4am, that at noon since it's so greasy and heavy.
Their creamy premium milkshake is $6...a bit expensive, tastes okay.
The French Onion soup is $8...also a bit expensive, but tasty.
The crunchy chicken wrap with honey garlic sauce was not crunchy, but it was okay. The side pickle was awesome, coleslaw meh and side salad meh. For $12 the portion was good.
Bonus points for playing the smurfs on tv! Totally retro diner!!
They have freshly squeezed orange juice. That's definitely a bonus. I'd up them to a 4 star, but I didn't try it. -
Review from Karen S.
5/11/2012
Oh, man. We were on the prowl for some rib-sticking food and we definitely got it here. Dressing up the usual burger with brie and bacon, the bistro burger left me completely satisfied. The mocha milkshake was huge and more than enough to share between two people. It's touristy - but so what - I'm a tourist in a touristy area! It's all cool.
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Review from Garrett K.
10/24/2011
Typical diner fare and fit the much needed breakfast bill; had a pancake combo which was perfectly acceptable for what I was craving. The price first off was amazing: 3 Banana pancakes, eggs, fruit, coffee, and juice for $11.99 CAD. The pancakes, albeit small, were light and fluffy with the banana cooked in, which I love! Everything else was good too, especially the bacon I ordered as a side to get some extra protein. Good fuel that kept me on my feet for a long session of presenting at my conference.
Ottawa doesn't do too good of a breakfast IMHO, but I would visit Zak's again over Eggspecation in a second. -
Review from Danielle F.
Toronto, ON
6/28/2011
Wow, I've come here a lot more times than I care to admit. What keeps the crowds coming back? The selection and appeal to all taste buds and most importantly, the hours. 24 HOURS, PEOPLE. Rare and very important to know of in Ottawa.
The food is exactly what you should expect so as long as you have that in check, you'll enjoy yourself. Sometimes the food will be a little too this or that, salty or overcooked, etc.
Personally, I liked the hamburger and triple decker grilled cheese. I think you'll be safer with the classics!
The service! I've never had a bad experience. The waters are always full, the orders get in quickly, and the servers always accommodating. They must only put pro's on during the late night hours, people who can handle all sorts of numbers and people. There's a even new system in place where they have to stamp everyone's paid bills before they can leave the restaurant. Hopefully that cuts down on people running out on their bills!
Zak's is in the heart of the market and a welcome addition to any night out.Listed in: Late Night EATS
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Review from Jef F.
Québec, QC
6/29/2011
My girlfriend went sick after eating a burger and a caesar salad at Zaks..
Avoid this diner and choose something else.
The food is not good.
TOURIST TRAP -
Review from Laura R.
1/25/2012 1 photo
Good little dinner in Byward market. Great breakfast food, which I think they serve all day long.
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Review from Dave C.
Ottawa, ON
stopped by Zak's with my girls during March break for alittle snack - service was quick and friendly - i ordered the grilled cheese with fries, hot dog and fries for the girls, my girlfriend ordered a burger - everything was solid, fries came out of a bag (frozen) though....such as difference between fresh cut and frozen....makes me sad....lol
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Review from Sarah H.
Halifax, NS
6/24/2011 1 Check-in Here
We went here on vacation. It was super hot, and we were looking for someplace to grab quick bite to eat.
We got seated pretty much right away. Off to a good start. But then our waitress only asked one of us what we wanted to drink. Then she didn't return for a long time. Then she took our orders and left before we finished (still didn't have a drink at this point). We got our food and it was ok. Nothing spectacular. Again our waitress was gone for a long time, and forgot my fiance's mayo he asked for.
When we finished, we waited for at least 10 minutes before getting up and standing at the door. She didn't ask if we wanted anything more, if we wanted our bill, or if we enjoyed the meal. When I went to pay with debit, she explained that they only took cash or credit. That would have been ok if I had known that upfront, and perhaps if I lived there I would have, but there was no sign or anything. I reluctantly handed over my visa and we left, pretty disappointed in the service. -
Review from Sandra M.
11/15/2010
We headed here for a lazy Sunday morning breakfast and by arriving before 10 we didn`t have to wait for a seat. A plus too is that if you arrive by car, parking in the ByWard Market is free on Sundays.
Sometimes Zak`s can get crowded but the restaurant is just big enough and the turnover fast enough that you never really wait long. If you do have to wait, there`s usually someone interesting that you can watch (either patrons or staff). The decor is 50`s diner, with cute and kitschy ads posted and while I can`t remember any of them (well, it was Sunday morning) they`re written by someone with a campy sense of humour. With lots of aqua vinyl, comfy booths, polished chrome and mirrors it`s bright and soothing at the same time.
Service was fast friendly and efficient and the food was excellent. Each member of our party of four ordered something different...the breakfast club, banana pancakes, the big breakfast, and for me (who has a hard time eating before noon) a rich and delicious breakfast smoothy. Usually there`s at least one in my group of very picky eaters that doesn`t like something, but everyone loved their food. They don`t skimp on orange juice and the coffee is good. I`ll be back again. -
Review from Amanda B.
Ottawa, ON
11/26/2010 4 photos
Zak's is easily one of my Top 5 in Ottawa. First of all, it's a 24-hour diner, so that's pretty prime itself, but the fact that it serves all-day breakfast puts it high on my list. The only thing that would make it better is if it delivered. I can only hope they'll over delivery in the future.
There are two main things I need to get out of the way first - their milkshakes and Zak's Famous Special Club are GINORMOUS. This special club even has a warning on it - "for the hungry only!" When they say "grilled chicken breast", they mean A chicken breast.. like.. a whole one. Big high-five to anyone that finishes it. They have over 15 different flavors of milkshake to wash down your massive meal, and the best part is that they give you your milkshake in a glass, as well as all the extra in another metal glass. So basically, you get two milkshakes for the price of one. You can even add a shot of alcohol if you please.
I've also had their Eggs Benny, Reuben Sandwich, hot roast beef sandwich with mashed potatoes and gravy, basket of deep-fried zucchini, and their deep-fried Mars bar with ice cream and whipped cream (not all at once). I've never left Zak's disappointed. I'm always full and always satisfied with their service, as well as their prices. Love.Listed in: Glutton
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Review from Chloe P.
Ottawa, ON
6/12/2011
You should only come to Zak's when there is no other option. And by that I mean when you are hungry at 2 am and there is no other place that you can get food after a night out in the Market.
Good desserts, mediocre mains. The shakes aren't really worth the price. -
Review from Samantha M.
Ottawa, ON
10/28/2011
It's hit or miss here. Some of their food is great and some of it sucks, no other way of putting it. Their shakes are good, breakfast poutine is something you have to try, and their deep fried mars bar is also incredible, the rest I've been disappointed with. I do hear their breakfast is awesome though. 24/7, I'll probably be back after I've had a few too many.
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Review from Cynthia D.
9/12/2010
Place is ok. Seems pretty popular and a ton of people were drinking milkshakes. We ordered a moca milkshake which was fantastic, however, the food not so much.
Burger with onion rings, nothing really special and I ordered a chicken sandwich with curly fries. Curly fries were lukewarm and a bit soggy. Disappointing. The chicken was a bit overcooked. Coleslaw was way too sweet. Boo.
Waitstaff is friendly and the place in general has the good ole diner feel. -
Review from Purazar B.
Nepean, ON
3/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
I've been to Zak's Diner numerous times in the past. The service and food are always great. It has an 'old skool' feel with the decor and posters.
I was there on a Saturday almost at the close of the bar scene (2:30am). There was a security guard checking receipts to stop any dine and dash attempts. Completely fair! There was a line up but it didn't take long to get a seat.
The waitress was friendly and courteous, even after having to put up with masses of drunk clubbers.
They had a reduced menu but again just to help speed up service. I was looking for a healthy last night snack and the closest thing was a breakfast sandwich. Two eggs over easy between sour dough bread. Perfectly stacked with tomatoes and lettuce. Home fries were well cooked and seasoned. My only gripe would be the shot glass amount of baked beans - can never have enough baked beans!!
For a place that was jam packed at 2:30am the food and service was exceptional. -
Review from Matthew M.
10/21/2009
I went here once on a very drunk Friday a few years ago and again on a very sober Saturday this last trip. Fresh orange juice and the toast are really the best things on the menu.
The food to be quite honest isn't that great even for a diner but its palatable. If you are looking for the true diner experience I would seek other venues. Ottawa has two others that are very decent that I know of. -
Review from Patty L.
North York, ON
8/30/2010 1 Check-in Here
My friend brought me to this cute 1950's diner last week for breakfast. The decor is adorable - aqua vinyl booth seats, mini-jukeboxes to pick a tune (if you pop in a quarter) and REAL milkshake machines. We each ordered a milkshake ($5.99) and breakfast.
I noticed they have a machine for freshly squeezed orange juice - but since my milkshake was huge I decided to pass. For my plate of scrambled eggs, French toast and sausage ($11.99) I was given a couple of take-out condiment containers of table syrup. Would it have killed them to put it in a little syrup jug? I mean even Denny's does that... The eggs were dry and the French toast was mediocre at best.
I could imagine coming in here at 2am after hitting the bars and needing something to stuff my face with - which you can do since Zak's is open 24hrs.
All the quality of the food my friend and I got, this place is overpriced. For my underwhelming breakfast & milkshake I paid about $23 after taxes and tip. There are much better breakfast spots that don't cost nearly as much.
The staff here are really awesome though - very friendly, attentive and chatty (in the good way). Kids can colour their own placemat and they get hung up on the walls :) It's a cute little touch. -
Review from Devon B.
10/5/2008
Zak's is a popular place in the Ottawa area. If you're ever looking for a good breakfast and you're in the Byward Market, check out Zak's. And I do mean ever, it is open 24/7.
In the heart of tourist country, Zak's is often packed, especially during peak morning hours. Go Terr expecting to wait for 20 minutes or so. The only downside to waiting is the sheer amount of people that you will be waiting beside. it gets pretty cozy some mornings.
Once you're at the table, you'll be a lot happier. It's a '50s style diner without being too cheesy. The food is good and with a huge menu, it's hard to pick a dish you won't like. The pancakes great, as are the milkshakes. There are healthier options on the menu for those looking for an alternative to grease.
There are some seats at the bar, but they fill up quickly. If you do have a seat at the bar look for them making their famous shakes and other drinks. It will probably cause you to order one of your own. -
Review from Thomas B.
North Bay, ON
5/21/2009
I went to visit my friend in Ottawa for a weekend and the first place he brought me to was this place.
The first thing he warned about was that many of the waiters are very feminine. He was right. But no harm done. I've got lot's of gay friends; some of the nicest people I know... also some of the strangest. But we're all strange in our own way right! :P
Anyways back to the diner. The atmosphere was neat having the walls coated in mirrors was almost confusing at times. While there I was lucky enough to have chosen an awesome meal by pure chance. It's called the lumber jack breakfast. It is essentially everything awesome about breakfast put in a bowl and baked with cheese on it. IT WAS F'ING DELICIOUS! I'm going back to Ottawa this weekend and I'm already putting the pressure on to go back.
The place seemed clean and the staff were all very pleasant. My only complain is the drinks. We ordered juice and they brought us the juice except it was in a glass suited for an infant. There was maybe 2.5 oz of juice in this thing it was terrible.
Final verdict: when in Ottawa and craving an awesome filling and delicious breakfast; Zack's diner is the place you want to be. Stop in and get some eats! -
Review from Azim A.
Ottawa, ON
11/8/2008 1 photo
A cool and unique place to check out in the byward market area, Zak's is a '50s style diner that has an extensive menu full of greasy items.
While not for someone looking for the healthiest items, they have made an effort to include salad's and healthier alternatives. The fries are ok, the burgers are good, and the milkshakes are out of this world.
The great part of Zak's is that it's open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It gets really busy late on friday and saturday night, when the clubbers and bar-goers come here after partying. Mornings can also be busy, as people flock here for its famous pankcakes and waffles.
I might have a soft spot for Zak's because it's where my sister and now brother in law kick-started their romance. I know, not exactly the most romantic establishment, but its cozy charm does have its merits! -
Review from Alan G.
London, ON
6/25/2011
Nice. It had been awhile since I had decent poutine, and Zak's version definitely scratched that itch. I'm used to the relatively vile versions that pass for poutine anywhere west of Ottawa, and it was great to finally have a plate of crispy fries with flavourful gravy and texture-rich cheese curds. I'm not sure why west of O just can't get this simple dish right, but I would definitely be back here for more the next time I'm in the area. Decent milkshakes too!
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Review from Amanda D.
Ottawa, ON
11/10/2008
I have only had bad experiences at Zak's. However, take this review with a grain of salt because they may have all been flukes...I'm aware that most people love Zak's.
From my experiences, Zak's slogan "Don't starve...eat at Zak's" is pretty accurate because starvation seems like a close second to eating at this diner. My bad experiences haven't even been just my own; the people I came with on separate occasions also had bad meals. We even had to send some items back because they were incorrect, undercooked or the cheese tasted rancid. Honestly, I've probably sent a meal back only six times in my life.
But the diner atmosphere is nice and it's a great location for people getting out of Byward Market bars late at night. The staff is very friendly and the prices are moderate.
Perhaps I'll try Zak's again someday. I know it's apparently great. -
Review from Ashley B.
2/16/2010
This is a really cute diner in a great part of downtown Ottawa.
I went on a Saturday morning and the place was insanely busy but the staff was really on top of their game, keeping everything flowing without problems.
The food was good diner food, no frills but filling.
My only problem was with the orange juice, it was a really small cup, maybe 8 oz. Plus, it tasted horrible, I didn't even finish it. It's fresh squeezed but I'm pretty sure they used bad oranges. I hope that was a one time mistake.
Zaks is somewhere you should try if you're in the mood for good diner food.
But, beware, if you come on a weekend morning there will be about 30 babies and little kids in the restaurant with you. NOT a time to go if you don't like loud children. -
Review from George T.
North York, ON
12/4/2009
Great Restaurant, Great service! Poutine was AWESOME...and the milkshakes are HUGE!
The Curly rings are my favourite here! -
Review from Adrienne L.
Ottawa, ON
2/25/2009
Zaks definitely deserves a stop in, by anyone at at any time.
I used to go to Zaks as a kid with my dad on weekends when we'd wander in the market popping in and out of stores and taking it easy. I was always so pumped to sit in those big booths and colour or get a baloon and eat super greasy, yummy food!
As I got older and was downtown for other, less wholesome reasons, Zaks was the perfect place to pacify a liquor filled stomach after the bars closed. I'm sure the wait staff witness some pretty ridiculous things there between spaced out people...
Now Zaks is the perfect place to meet up for a quick brunch or milkshake. It's really chilled and comfy, but can have a wait if you go at peak times (weekend mornings a big no-no). -
Review from Jason D.
Ottawa, ON
10/20/2008
I really wish I could tell you that I discovered Zak's Diner one Sunday morning on my way home from church. The truth is I stumbled into Zak's one night (actually the early AM) after a night of liver-beating debauchery with my brother-in-law. We had the after-guzzling munchies and he said he knew the best greasy spoon in town. He was so right. Zak's is the quintessential diner - booths, counter seating, surly but straight-shooting wait staff, bottomless coffees and a menu with all the diner necessities: eggs, ham, bacon, home fries, pickles, burgers, grilled cheese, etc. Zak's is open 24/7 and appears to be well-frequented all day long. At night it is chock-a-block with interesting "characters" so choose your booth mates with care. It is a lot of fun and VERY reasonable.
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Review from C G.
Montréal, QC
5/26/2010
They serve all-day breakfast, hamburgers and sandwiches. Place is big, in the late afternoon it's not too crowded, usually late-night.
Quick-fast service (maybe because it's empty when I was there) and waitress is very friendly and nice.
Ordered regular hamburger. The meat was tender (which is good) and the burger buns are not like the ones from fast-food chain. -
Review from Robo t.
10/7/2009
50's themed standard diner with standard diner fare. Nothing amazing, nothing repulsive. Great service though.
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Review from Dawn A.
1/2/2010
When Cora's and Eggspectations were closed on New Year's Day, we were excited to find somewhere that would serve us eggs and toast. Zaks is a pretty standard diner and the food and service matched what you'd expect.
