Review The Early Bird - London

The Early Bird is a great restaurant in downtown London for Breakfast or brunch. I did not know what to expect, but place was great. Decor is fun (to say the least) and very casual and the atmosphere is fun and easy going. Can't say enough about the decor, your first visit here will be a lot of fun. Food is great!!! Some unique menu items that you will not find in most breakfast places and executed very well. I had the cuban sandwich which was excellent and so was the mushroom toast. Place is very popular and not very big, so you are asked to wait outside before your table is ready.. which is not ideal when its raining, but worth it. Service was good, food was delicious, prices are a bit on high side, but food is definitely worth it. Many more items on the menu that I will try on my next visit for sure.

Excellent food at a reasonable price. Had the croque madame special, it was delicious. The homemade duck bacon was a great addition to the mushroom toast. Turducken sandwich was decent. The music was a little loud but it fit the atmosphere. Having to wait outside was fine, but it would be nice for a bell or something to let them know you're there. Have gone a few times, enjoyed it each time.

The food was really good. Had their avocado Benny and chicken waffle. They both are nice. Chicken had a bit of oil on it but it was moist and delicious so extra oil can be forgiven for sure. I don’t like potatoes that much personally so I can’t comment on home fries. Other than that ambience was good. I shall come back for sure

A cool place to have breakfast in downtown London. The menu is extensive and prices are reasonable. It was busy but the tables turned over quickly.

The Early Bird Surprised me in the best way possible, by having amazing food! The pancakes were thick and fluffy, the bacon was thick and crispy. This was worth every penny! I got the stacker, and would highly recommend to anyone wanting some sweet and salty.

5 Stars across the board! Just relocated back to London and came across this gem! Incredible menus, breakfast to dinner, flavours to quantity you won't be disappointed. Pictured are the breakfast burrito and the "fat Elvis" French toast. Amazing!!

People talk about The Early Bird. It has over a thousand reviews and a decent rating…, but does it live up to all the hype? The pricing isn’t overly expensive. Their food is creative and unique; they put their own spin on classic dishes and even invented some! They serve a delicious eggs Benedict with avocado and tomato. And they serve a dish called the Fat Elvis that has peanut butter, French toast, bacon, and deep fried bananas. The atmosphere is fun, stylish and casual. The walls are decorated with pop culture references accompanied by fitting music. This restaurant is great. It should be high on your list because it offers tasty food and appealing ambience. One of the best in London!

Just great. Arrived in Canada a few days ago. Locals recommended this place so took the family here this morning for breakfast. A great sign when there is a Q outside before opening! We had a range of breakfasts for adults and kids and all was really well prepared and tasty. Service was attentive and friendly without being overbearing. Only snag was we only ordered one pancake between the lot of us and that was so good we’ll have to go back for more.

Love, love, love The Early Bird. There is so much to love about the early Bird. Located on Talbot Street just South of the The Covent Garden Market Bld. It is a great diner. First: Easy parking. Second: Great service. Third: Awesome food. Our server was plain awesome. They start serving lunch a bit early which worked out great for us. Coffee was great. Portions are huge and likely you will take some food home. Highly recommend.

One of my fav places to go in London. They are always playing classics on the TV, and the decor is cool. The food was delicious as always and good portion sizes. The staff members are always super friendly and informative. Would highly recommend.

Great spot and a must try. They have great breakfast and the gentleman at the bar serving us was fantastic. Definitely a cool atmosphere but you might want to call ahead to get on the list to avoid a decent wait time. The only thing that wasn’t perfect were the home fries could have been cooked a little longer as most of them were still a little hard on the inside. Not a big deal though. I’ve been here a few times and ordered out a few and will definitely be back!

Great breakfast place! The hostess at the door was super nice and accommodating, and our waitress Dylan (spelling?) was even better.The avacado toast and pancakes were delicious and the presentation was really fun. The food was so fresh and everything tasted yummy. The kids loved their classic breakfast. Good portion sizes. Overall great service and friendly staff, good eccentric decor, and excellent food quality. Will be coming here again!

This place is the place for breakfast in London. Friendly staff and great food! One of the best playlists I’ve ever come across at a breakfast stop ever. Well worth a visit!

I got a yummy brunch place for those who are in London, ON!! The Early Bird is located in downtown London and serve different types of brunch items like egg benny, waffles and sandwiches ✨ I think they are a bar spot at night 😶‍🌫️ Their interior design really surprised me, it was very retro-like (great for pics!) This time, I got…. 🍳 Ham and Chedder Egg benny 🍳 Who could resist to eat egg benny? Their egg bennies were perfectly cooked and with the ham and cheddar under it, it was the best combo! 🥰 I was in love with the sauce 🫣 the potato’s were not soft but very crispy and crunchy so if you like crunchiness then this is for you 🤓 🧇Chicken Waffle 🧇 If you like both sweet and savoury flavours in a dish, this is for you! The chicken on top of the waffle is deep fried and seasoned with maple syrup! (Could also be honey 🍯) Both dishes are very filling, I was full after the meal and was still full at night! 😆 I will definitely come back for more! Thank you for the yummy food and great hospitality! ✨💗

First heard of this place from a "You Gotta Eat Here" episode, and had The Burger. The food is mostly made in house, high quality and so, so delicious. Get something smoked (pulled pork was amazing) but really you can't go wrong with anything on the menu. The Reuben sandwich is one of my favorites Been back many times since!

Breakfast on steroids! Couldn’t finish it all. Had the Eggs Benedict and it was just the right amount, the Pancake Stacker was ridiculous, the Fat Elvis will add to your waistline. The flavors….can’t say any more. Give them a try. Only complaint, the bottomless coffee.…you can do better. First come first served….there was a line up when we went but it didn’t take too long.

Stopped in with some friends while visiting London. Really fun atmosphere with great music. The food was delicious - pumpkin baos were a delicious treat for the end. Really enjoyed. I had the Bird BLT which was incredible, and the rest of our crew had varying eggs Benny which they said was amazing. Cool twists on classic meals 💕Thank you very much!

Love the food there! Staff are friendly, service is great. My favorite brunch spot!

Very nice place in London, of the few restaurants that I think are worth going, with friends I went we ordered avocado toast among other dishes, warm costumer attention.

Ordered Eggs Benedict Montreal- that's with the brisket below the poached egg. The poached egg is well made. Just the right amount of flavor. I like how they incorporated the brisket and the sauerkraut below the egg so it all balances the flavours from the egg, the meat, the hollandaise sauce and the sauerkraut. Good combo. The salad that came with it was delicious as well. The potatoes were too dry and overcooked tho. Didnt really care much about that. Good vibes here you might wanna have a drink on their cocktails to suit the vibe. The only downside i experienced was when the server gave us our bill when we didn't even asked for it yet. She just assumed and put it directly on the table and i was stunned. I'm not sure if she wanted us to leave or that she's leaving off the shift and she needed her tip. I'm not sure bout that tho. But it was kinda rude and i hope it doesnt happen again. I'd still give this a 4 star tho, not for one server but for the food, the vibes, and the comfort of the restaurant.

The best chicken waffles I've ever had, the portion size was huge. The wait for a table was a bit long, but it was well worth it.

ye  jagah bhot hi mast hai. mai apne pariwar ke saath yaha aaya tha or sabko khana bhot tasty laga. firse aana chahunga yaha. aap sab bhi yaaha aaiye or khaake jaiye

The menu is full of amazing delicious foods with lots of variety selections..best place to go for breakfast or even brunch..ambience and service are also great..highly reccomended

Food to die for. Even the small house salad left you wanting more! Service is a little meh. Still waiting for coffee refill, or the bill, or something. No server in sight. But who cares. We’ll be back for sure. So so delicious.

Been to this restaurant many times. Decor is artsy and different. Casual environment. Menu is awesome. Try the chicken an waffles with bacon jam very good. The fat Elvis is French toast with bacon. Peanut butter and fried bananas. Portions are generous. One of my favorite places to eat in London for sure.

Food was amazing, atmosphere was wonderful and the staff was friendly and helpful. My only 'complaint' was that the servings were tremendous! Definatly a place I can recommend.

If you are in London, you must visit The Early Bird for breakfast. The menu is full of amazing and different selections. Always great service too.

We where advised there would be a 15 minute wait. We observed 2 groups that arrived after us seated 1st they appeared to know the servers. The food was good and plentiful I had the pancake stacker. We needed to ask for additional cream, maple syrup. The tables are close and cramped the narrow room echos the noise. We waited 10 minutes for bill and toast. Good quality food, bacon, ham and sausage the waffles where dense.

I've eaten here twice. Got the chicken and waffles the first time, and the pancake stacker the second time. There's nothing on the menu that I would call cheap, but they put their own unique spin on just about everything on the menu, and from what I can tell, everything is homemade!<br/>For me, it's definitely worth the slight premium if you want some comfort food with a twist.

I felt I had been transported to a different world upon walking into the Early Bird, with rock memorabilia lining the walls and funky paper flowers on the ceiling. The servers seated us soon after we arrived and sat us down at one of the indoor booths. There's also the option of patio seating. The tabletops are decorated with bumper stickers which make for great conversation and laughs while you wait for your food. I ordered The Bird (a traditional brunch option) with scrambled eggs, buttered toast, peameal bacon, breakfast sausages, and fruit. My dish was a bit underwhelming. The meats were too salty, the toast was soggy, and the scrambled egg was average - which was disappointing because I really enjoyed the service and the atmosphere of the restaurant.

Just had the Bird Breakfast. Great funky atmosphère, cool waitstaff and really good food. Scrambled eggs were perfect but the showstopper in this plate is the in-house smoked bacon. Amazing! I highly recommend.

Always our first stop when we are in town. Food always on point , great atmosphere , service always on point as well. Had chicken and waffles today. Delicious. Highly recommend

All I have to say is YUM. My mom and I were just strolling by and decided to give it a shot. The service was fast, super friendly, great prices on the food with awesome portions. It's a place that you get more than what you paid for. I will for sure be coming back here again.

I saw an interview with Marco Pierre-White in Oxford University on YouTube and he said that there are three things that are important in dining experience: first is service, second is ambiance, and third is the food, in that order. Immediately I thought "Bollocks! The food is everything!". But then again, Marco was a 3 Michelin starred chef and I am not. In fact, I won't even feed my cooking to my worst enemy (or will I, muahahaha!?). Anyways, quickly I was reminded of a certain burrito place that I used to visit frequently. In an attempt to build a good rapport with his customers, the business owner would come over and chat with his customers. Sounds good so far? Well, except my coworker and I were on a limited lunch hour and we have our own conversation going already before this dude interrupted and forced us to do small talk with him. Because of that my coworker and I stopped going to that burrito place. Mind you, their burritos are better than the other places I went to, and service was spot on, by the way, but just the same, we haven't been back since. It is like this: Imagine the Keg restaurant downtown chooses to have an open concept right where they are next to a railroad. Every time a train goes by you won't be able to have any conversation at all. Horrible isn't it?<br/>Enter The Early Bird. Yesterday I went there for breakfast. "Wait to be seated" sign was plastered on the door, so I waited. Quickly I was seated but not before I was asked: "Sorry, I should've asked if you want to seat outside in the patio or inside". To that I answered that inside is fine. I had their special which was a Mac and 3 cheese egg Benedict (the waitress made sure I got the 3 cheese part) with bacon strips. While the Mac and cheese was good, the eggs were overcooked and that ruined the whole dish. The waitresses, took care of me very well, though. Every time they walk by, they would peek at my coffee cup to see if I needed refil. What amazed me though was this: Their dining room is sectioned into several booth with tables of 6s and 8s. Their 8 tabled booth has 2 tables of 2s on each sides of the booth and a table of 4 in the middle. I was seated on one of the 2-seat tables in one of the 8 seater booth when a group of 6 came in. It would be an obvious choice to sit that group in the booth that I was in because the booth was right up front. Instead, the waitress sat the group elsewhere leaving me in my quet bliss. She could have sat the group of 6 next to me and overwhelmed me with whatever they had to talk about and in process ruin my dining experience but she didn't.<br/>So, based on 1 experience, I say the food sucks but service is top notch and I am definitely a returning customer.<br/>Marco, you are the boss!

The food is fabulous!! I can't speak highly enough about the food at The Early Bird. The pulled pork Sandwich is a fav as well as the perogie poutine and popper sandwich yum yum!!<br/>

Restaurant design is very different looking from a lot of the restaurants in London which I love. Food was amazing and related fresh. The staff was very friendly and kind I will be going back for sure. Only con is that you have to pay for parking.

Just want to say the prices are a tad pricey for london. Also, depending on the time, may be a long wait. But the portion size and flavour are well worth it. Early Bird makes sandwiches giant and super flavorful. I recommend the duck burger but also try the club sandwiches and the turducken sandwich.

Best food ive had in a long time. Great atmosphere. Great taco's, great great food. Can't wait to go back again! The staff was wonderful as well, on a very busy night. Can't say enough!!!

Are you kidding me! This place is the bomb!<br/>We decided to go here on the Family Day holiday when we felt it would less crowded. Forgot there was a hockey game today and the place was packed. We managed to find a place to sit right away. Got a menu and laboured over what to order as there were so many delicious options. I ordered the Turducken Club which features separate layers of turkey, chicken and duck on thicker layers of toasted bread. This sandwich was voted one of the top 30 in Canada and, unless you have a hollow leg, can usually only eat half the sandwich. Comes with home made fries that were equally delicious. My partner had the Egg McJustin consisting of egg, beef patty, ham and home made roast potatoes topped by a circular crop of bread. She gave it a thumbs up. <br/>Orders are a bit slow when the place is packed but that just gives you time to take in the retro decor which just gives one another reason to eat here. Prices were decent and service was good. Will definitely return. You gotta eat here!

Chicken and waffles really hit the spot.

They have a lot of good options. Amazing poutine. Their taco menu was really good when it lasted, offering 4 or 5 different tacos with fresh ingredients. Didn't like their Fat Elvis though I don't think those thick pieces of bacon fit the average human mouth. Their service was good the first time then it gradually got worse, the third time I was there the server was so impatient and pre occupied that was just annoying. My friend tipped 28℅ he didn't even say anything.

This is one of those spots that gets busy for good reason. A limited but creative menu that isn't too expensive (around the 13$ mark) with decent portion sizes, so you definitely get your money's worth. Opted for the brunch, but they also have an extensive sandwich menu and some really interesting looking cocktails. I cannot wait to go back and try some of the other items.

Limited menu, but the food is fabulous. I had the waffles, which were one of the best I have had. Vanilla fried waffles with poached apples and maple syrup are perfectly complimented by coffee whipped cream. The perfect big breakfast for anyone with a sweet tooth.

Bacon Wrapped pickles!! Smashbomb on Tap! Friendly service. Amazing Tacos!!! Exciting decor!! Love this place!!! So coming back @canadian_carrie

Awesome food and great atmosphere. The smoked wings are top notch wing. <br/>Turducken sandwich was huge and had great flavor.

Awesome!. My daughter Laura from Laura's Local Favorites wanted to come here to eat for her birthday. It was the first time for either of us and we were so pleased. The tacos are delectable and the burger my daughter had was so friggin tasty, I couldn't get over it. I had a Fresh greens salad with a delicious dressing. I'm going back for the burger next time, I don't care about the calories, it's too good to pass up.

Incredible. Fantastic polite service even when the place is busy, the food is inventive and delish. Keep an eye out for the Chicken and Waffles special. Nothing like it.

The Early Bird Gets Shown the Door.. Horrible Experience. Have been there on several occasions, and today was the last time I will ever set foot in that establishment. I am not the type of person to comment publicly about such issues, but decided to make an Urbanspoon account today, just to be able to communicate my experience.<br/><br/>Our group was told that we had to wait 25 minutes to get a table, so we went down the street for a cup of coffee. Five minutes later, just after we had paid for our beverages, we got a call saying that our table was ready. When we got back to the restaurant, I was told that I wasn't allowed to bring my drink inside. I explained to the waitress that in the past, other servers at the restaurant had allowed me to bring in a coffee. She was extremely rude towards me and my group, so finally I gave her my drink and told her that I would dispose of it, but wouldn't be leaving a tip.<br/><br/>The same lady came to our table after we were seated and told us that if we were going to be rude and not tip, then we had to leave. I'm sorry, but tipping is supposed to reflect good service, it is not a given. I explained to her that if I hadn't had to throw out my untouched coffee, and waste $3, then I would have left a tip. The server then insisted that we leave. <br/><br/>Based on this experience, with the inconsistent policies and horrible service, I WILL NOT be returning to the Early Bird in this lifetime, and I WILL be sure to tell everyone I know about my horrible experience.

Great Food, Service is atrocious. I work beside this place and have visited on numerous occasions with co-workers. I now avoid it like the plague and tell others to do the same.<br/>I've never left a restaurant before ordering so many times. <br/>First time we were seated and not talked to for 15 minutes - so we got up and left.<br/>Second time, I asked them to cook my eggs over hard, and they said they wouldn't do it - so I got up and left.<br/>Third time, the waitress was clearly inconvenienced by our presence (it was rammed). Major attitude and took 20 minutes to bring us coffee. So we left before it arrived.<br/>There's been one time I ordered and received my food with decent service, and the food was great, good portions, but overpriced.<br/>Not gambling on this place anymore.

Great food, terrible servjce. The food was great, we had the Italian and Philly sandwiches. However, the service was downright a awful. Our waiter ignored us the entire meal for a larger table nearby. We never had our drinks refilled, nor did he stop by to check up on us. Disappointing that the bad service overshadowed the meal.

Breakfast surprise. Came for a traditional egg and bacon breakfast and heard they had a sausage gumbo special. Perfection! Smooth and smokey broth infused with spicy sausage, chicken, rice, and peppers. My mood improved with every spoonful.

Mmm. Went for breakfast and had the pancake half stacker. More than I needed, but delicious. Food also took longer than usual.

The Burger. Amazeballs

Great sandwiches. You can basically point at anything on the card and you will be happy with your choice and the portions are generous. The cocktails are always good. The staff knows their stuff and the restaurant is cute and family-friendly.<br/>That being said they need to overhaul their side dishes. the fries thingy that come with the sandwiches is drenched in oil. Is it decorative? is it meant for eating? I usually leave it. The onion rings were undercooked and unseasoned the two times Ive ordered them. <br/><br/>So yeah that kind of sucks. I wouldnt mind paying a bit extra on my main dish if it came with a choice good homemade fries/salad or soup . <br/><br/>tl:dr : Great main dishes. oily side dishes. cute place. friendly staff.

Tofu burger is amazing. Quality of sides can be a bit hit and miss. Expensive, but servings are huge. Prepare to share, or take home lunch for tomorrow. Mexican coke is a nice bonus.

MUST-TRY if you're visiting London!. LOVE this place. On the expensive side, but VERY WORTH IT! HUGE portions--you'll never leave hungry. You can tell these people are very passionate about their food.<br/><br/> I'm obsessed with the smoked meat sandwich, which I get every time I go--London's selection of smoked brisket is VERY limited, and this is by far the best. Homemade aiolis are amazing--I highly suggest you try the ranch one. Fries are awesome--mildly spiced, not just salted, and crispy. Best pancakes I've ever had. Delicious, fresh, HOMEMADE soups. I always start with one of their Rock Au Tacos now--the pork belly one is amazing, with so many flavours complementing each other and a selection of salsas for people who like mild or spicy. The Fat Elvis sandwich is absolutely delicious. I've taken all my friends here, and everyone loves it.<br/><br/>Service has always been solid, and the decor is funky and interesting. I don't drink, so I can't speculate on the quality of their cocktails, but they certainly have an interesting selection.<br/><br/>My one gripe: they don't have gluten-free buns. I'm not gluten-free, but I know people who are, and they'd LOVE to eat here if more gluten-free options were available. To my knowledge, their only gluten-free items are salads and tacos (maybe the soups, if they aren't thickened with flour).

Went for fathers day and was excited by the hype. Place had a cool style and wait staff was nice. I was really shocked by the prices though, with sandwiches costing 15$ a side should definetly be included! Not be an extra 5.99 for fries with your sandwich. Pretty crazy. A talapia sandwich and fries was almost 20$! How about a little less food and a better price. My review on the food is meh. Pretty basic. Pulled pork had a flavour of something metallic and the big salad was huge but came un tossed and had two things of "home made ranch dressing" that tasted more like a heavy garlic Aoli. There was a lot of food, but what's the point if you pay so much for it and it doest taste the way a 15$ sand which should. Over all I feel ripped off and my stomach is having trouble digesting the thick butter they called ranch dressing. I would give them a 6/10.

Love this place!. Great atmosphere, excellent service, large menu selection and it's licensed (woo hoo!). I'm vegan, none of my friends are, yet this place pleases all of us. I've only had the tofu sandwich, but it is amazing! They are able to omit a couple items making it vegan friendly. My friends have ordered various items from the menu and have not been disappointed (clean plates by all!). My only suggestion would be to include a side. The sandwiches used to come with a side salad, but no longer do. $13 is steep for a sandwich and no side.

Apparently they need to know how to cook eggs. So the server doesn't argue with the customer<br/>http://m.wikihow.com/Cook-Over-Easy-Eggs<br/><br/>Way over priced for pretty poor food. <br/>The most tasteless tough pea meal bacon possible

Good food, distractingly ugly decor. I had the Fat Elvis, which I loved but peanut butter and banana holds a very special place in my heart. My GF had the waffles, she enjoyed them and shes sort of a waffle expert. I tried them and they were the best waffles I have ever had, but I don't really ever eat waffles. The services was good. My only gripe about The Early Bird is the ultra hipster/rocker decor. Its ugly and distracting, conversation is hard because the walls are so loud. I can't wait to go back and try more of their menu.

Great breakfast joint. Dropped by this place on the weekend to try it out cause a friend of ours recommended it. The Turducken Club, and Pancake Stacker's are really good. Like I said great place to try for breakfast.

So good!!!. After reading some of the negative reviews on here, I was not quite sure what to expect, and my expectations were somewhat low. But it was amazing! I ordered the turducken club, and it was really flavourful. The maple mayo is a delicious addition. I'm not a very big person and I managed to eat the entire thing (mind you, I was pretty hungry). It's a large sandwich, but not as giant as people make it out to be. My friend got the poutine perogies, which she enjoyed, and my other friend got the maple B.S.T, which she also enjoyed. The only thing we weren't sold on was the bacon wrapped pickles - they were very salty. If you're thinking about going here, please do! You won't regret it!

Mostly awesome. I'd like to preface this review with saying I've never actually eaten in at this restaurant, so my exposure to the overall experience is minimal.<br/><br/>Everytime I've ordered food to go (5-6 times), the staff has been great on the phone and very friendly on pickup. What I hate the most about this place is the parking - I refuse to pay to park downtown to go eat somewhere, so I often illegally park to run in and out, and there are very few options on that block. It's not a good to-go lunch spot if you aren't working within walking distance.<br/><br/>The food is outstanding - I'm not a fan of the smoked wings, but everything else is terrific. The sandwiches are unreal, and the turducken club is unique and interesting and delicious. The prices dictate me not going there as often as I would like to, but the food is delicious, plentiful, and interesting.

The food is embarrassingly bad.. Got the chicken sandwich - pretty sure it was a Hungry Man dinner for $15. It was slimy and the batter was falling off of it. Clearly straight out of the microwave. Alright atmosphere, retro design. Absolutely freezing inside. Cheap London restaurant owners: turn up your heat! If you have any semblance of a pallet, go to the grocery store and buy a frozen Michelina's box instead, because it will probably taste better.

I ate here with my girlfriend last week. Service is meh, but what really sucks is that it is WAY TOO OVERPRICED!!! 6$ to add fries to a 13.85$ burger... 16$ for a club sandwich. It doesn't surprise me why the menu isn't posted, I was not impressed with my meal at all, the portions are too huge. Its like asking for icecream and getting a gallon tub and having to eat it all at once. They should change the 'a la carte' BS and incorporate a combo type deal. I can't see it lasting much longer in the area it is in. 3$ parking to add just made the experience even worse.

Perfect Diner Food. This is my dream diner. The dishes are unique and the menu is updated frequently, the place has character, friendly service, and HUGE portions. Seriously, be prepared to take a doggie bag with you, even if you haven't eaten all day. The Turducken Club is a winner, but you have to try the Pancake Stacker, that thing is a MONSTER. You will never appreciate regular pancakes after this, it's that good. Great spot for casual brunch or late night cravings!

Great spot. Portions too big.. This is a great place to go if you have a good appetite. My biggest complaint is most of the mains seem to be sized for two people !<br/><br/>Everything is freshly made in house and I am particularly fond of the smoked brisket.<br/><br/>I would really like it if they scaled back the serving sizes because as it stands it is just a waste of food.

Did not enjoy this restuarnt at all. Food was way over priced and not enough options on menu. Service was slow and never came to refill water. Waitress got a n order wrong and which ended up costing an extra 5

Toad in a Hole. I got the toad in a hole last night and it was delicious! And bigger than what I expected, and tasted so fresh! Im defiantly recommending this place to my friends and family and coming back for sure

Very very very disappointing! Saw this restaurant on "you gotta eat here" read the other reviews on urbanspoon and was expecting a stellar meal. I was completely disappointed with every aspect of my meal and so was my husband! Started with the smoked bacon caesar and fried pickles - caesar dressing was good however the rock hard pieces and duck bacon and actually chunk of DIRT in my salad overshadowed any positives. The bacon wrapped pickles were subpar and the fat on the bacon was undercooked. Ordered the smoked meat sandwich and rings and could not even bring myself to swallow the first and only bite I took - the sour kraut was tasteless and the meat looked and tasted like it was thee leftover scrapes from some severely under seasoned smoked meat plus my onion rings were soggy. My husbands turducken club was 3 layers of razor sharp rock hard bread topped with lack luster poultry and rock hard duck bacon. To top it all off when the server came to asked me how I was and I stated that I did not like my obviously untouched meal - she gave me attitude, cleared my plate and brought me a $65 bill with no discounts or apologies. Paid $14 for a sandwich I took one single bite of (and actually has to discreetly dispose of in my napkin) all in all a HORRIBLE experience! Defiantly taught me not to believe everything you see on tv!!

Okay.... Dropped in for a late lunch with a large group. Great decor, but taste was just okay. We had tried 6 different dishes but everyone found the food salty; especially, the deep fried bacon pickles that were dried and over fried. Must have caught them on a bad day.

Pretty good. Had food here last week, it was ok for tastes and not too expensive, nice

Great food!. I've been here to eat a few times, twice for breakfast and once for lunch and all times were fantastic! Service is great, vibe is so cool, quality of food is delectibly amazing. You'll leave more full than any other restaurant.

Love it. I love this restaurant. I used to live in Toronto and this is the kind of place I would go to. It's cool, it's not pretentious and the food is really good. Love the location downtown. Love the decor. I had the Italian style chicken sandwich which was great. My brother had the turnduckin sandwich - it's huge! Be prepared to take half home unless you haven't even for days. Overall, great place.

Incredible. The Early Bird is, for me so far, the best restaurant I've frequented in London to date. It lacks a level of pretentiousness but doesn't sacrifice charm or food quality. <br/><br/>Upon arriving, I walk into a diner-style layout that is laced with records, old school ads, and the like. It's fantastic, unassuming and interesting. You can easily get lost standing there, examining all the objects hanging from the walls. <br/><br/>Just looking at its humble decor, you'd never think you would get some of the best food in the city out of this place. The menu is simple and you aren't bombarded with a hundred different choices like your mediocre chain restaurants. Instead, you're faced with a few incredible options, making it painful to select a single choice because everything sounds so incredible. <br/><br/>My friend and I first started out with the Beet and Arugula salad ($10/dinner size) and Bacon Pickles ($7 for 5 pickles and some waffle fries). The salad was incredibly large but the flavour combination worked so well. You get the little kick from the goat cheese and the peppery arugula to cut through the sweetness of the strawberries and dressing. The bacon pickles are nearly life altering. The pickles are wrapped in a single strip of bacon and fried until the bacon is slightly crisp but retains some chewiness while the pickle is softened. It's served with this mustard aioli that is addicting. I dipped my potatoes, waffle fries, and pickles in it. Earth shatteringly good. <br/><br/>For dinner, I ordered the duck sliders with roasted potatoes ($15). If you have ever had duck confit and you love it then you'll love these. Delicious shredded duck served on pillowy, light rolls served with a slightly sweet sauce and onions. These were stellar and as a duck lover, it was my first choice. My friend purchase the Old School grilled cheese sandwich ($6). Even though the grilled cheese was pretty basic, it was well executed and one of the best grilled cheeses I have ever tasted. Crisp with a slight hint of garlic and explosive cheese flavour, the grilled sandwiches are a bargin on the menu. <br/><br/>The service was fantastic. Our server was absolutely hilarious and her knowledge of the menu was fantastic, a rarity in London's food scene. Her attentiveness was balanced and, even after I paid, she stuck around and chatted with us, providing us with great conversation and laughs. <br/><br/>If you haven't been to The Early Bird yet then come here now. There is nothing on the menu that exceeds $16 (which is fairly cheap) and the portions are quite reasonable. If you're looking for fantastic, elevated diner food made with great ingredients then check this place out.

Great food, huge portions. The Turducken Club, Fat Elvis, and Pancake Stacker are all amazing! All are obviously made with high-quality, homemade ingredients. But the portions are really way too big for any normal person to consume in one sitting. I'd really be fine with them reducing the portion sizes (and prices) by 25-30%. Or I guess you could just split a meal with someone else and accomplish the same thing on your own.

Has dropped in quality, but still good!. I first fell upon The Early Bird when it was in its first couple months of business. I was satisfied by the giant and delicious duck demi poutine, and my friend loved his Egg McJustin. Our server was great too, and the decor and atmosphere is pretty unique and well done, especially for London. Think 50's diner meets goth-tattoo culture, with a friendly vibe.<br/><br/>Since that original visit, I've gone back probably 6 or 7 times, and the overall food quality has dropped. The last time I ordered the Egg McJustin, for example, it looked and tasted nothing like it had previously. The tofu sandwhich also sucked hard the second time I tried it. This decline in quality and consistency might be partly due to who is working in the kitchen, since in those original few months, the chefs who created the menu were the ones pushing the food out. So, if you can figure out when those guys are cooking (if they still are), that'd be the time to go.<br/><br/>Nevertheless!!! I will go back plenty more times! It's worth a try, 100%. You'll be full, and probably very happy, too.<br/><br/>They all can be hit and miss, but I recommend:<br/>Poutine<br/>Beer cheddar soup<br/>Montreal smoked meat sandwhich<br/>Egg McJustin

Weak tofu. I get it, tofu sucks to most people. But if you are one of those lousy vegans like me, you might get excited to see a tofu sandwich on the menu! Unfortunately, it is not marinated or seasoned in anyway, so the sandwich you get is pretty disappointing. Its good for the first inch in, and then you hit the flavourless tofu, and then you frown. My friend had that, I had the portabello sandwich. It was ok though. Nothing special. I really should have just bought a bunch of portabellos and a bag of buns for the price, and made it properly. Cool decor and atmosphere, but if you aren't a corpsegrinder, don't expect much.

Went there for the first time 3 wks ago after having my tattooist telling me to go there and I think its the best comfort food in London

This is the type of place you hope to find in a new city, but hope not everyone else in the world finds it too. Food is terrific, service good, menu is nice and simple, decor and lighting very unique, like being in a cooler older cousins jamspace. This is the type of place that are everywhere in Toronto, but you have to stand in line for 2 hours, so you don't bother. Cannot recommend enough.

Delicious and busy!. I went there for breakfast Saturday morning. It was crazy busy, but we got a table approx. 6 inches from the people beside us. We got the toad in the hole and the big Justin, both were really delicious. The side of roasted potatoes weren't the best; most of mine were burnt and they didn't have any kind of seasoning. A little garlic, maybe? The service was okay. Very friendly but also painfully slow. We waited 10mins while our server chatted to the next table about really pointless stuff, not impressed. Overall a really sick place to eat

This place is a must! Amazing fresh and quality ingredients!! <br/><br/>If you are a true foodie you will appreciate this gem of a diner.... The decor is awesome and the staff are courteous. <br/><br/>Amazing place! Top 5 on my list

Great little place. My friends and I love this place an go here often. They have an interesting and very tasty menu. Lots of cool things to try out for fair prices. (I recommend the turducken sandwich with the soup of the day) Service is usually pretty good and the whole vibe is def something a little different. Main complaints is that it's really small so you can end up waiting for a table quite often, and they also tend to run out of certain foods which can be really frustrating. All in all, I highly recommend trying this place out!

Demonically Delicous. In a very short time the "Boid" has become my favourite joint. I have never eaten anything there that did not taste delicious (somehow they even made beets tasty...I hate beets) and the staff are amazing. I have never had less than superb service. I don't know how long the magic can last but I intend to ride the wave as long as possible.

Awesome!!. Came here the day i went to the Price Is Right.. It was awesome. we got the beef sliders one with fries and gravy the other with thier special beef stew.<br/>The sliders were cooked perfectly medium, toped with pickles it was super tasty. the buns were soft. Fries were good the seasoning on them was perfect however the oil needed to be changed so they were alittle soggy. The beef stew was amazing! huge chunks of beef and super tasty. The service was decent and the decor was wicked. it was more pricey then i had orignaly thought though, but will return!

Not impressed. It was good when we went first time not too long after their official opening early in February...top score if you are looking for a "Good Junk Food" meal....however the quality of food gone down hell when we went recently...we ordered smoked meat (which we really liked when we ordered first time) and pulled pork sandwiches...the smoke meat was way too greasy...the bottom bun was basically soaked in grease...and the pulled pork was tasteless.....our friends ordered a Phillie and poutine...that they were not impressed with either...the server was unfriendly (even if you are covered with tatoos, that doesnt mean you have to act so cold)...won't go back again!...

Must Try!. Came by last night for dinner before the London Lightning game. Had a Mia Tia and the Fat Albert. <br/><br/>It was my first time at The Early Bird but I wanted to follow up from my visit and express how pleased I was with my experience. <br/><br/>I love the Atmosphere. The decor was Awesome. Service was excellent. But on top of all that, The Food Is Fantastic!!!<br/> <br/>Delicious, Creative, Menu. The menu has a wide variety of items ranging from the All Day "Grand Slam" Breakfasts to the Signature Sandwiches.<br/> <br/>I have never taken the time to write a post about a restaurant or experience I have had but this was to good not to share. <br/><br/>See You Soon!

The turducken sandwich is an absolute must. The duck bacon is tremendous and although maple mayo sounds strange, they make it work!

Not fussy on the breakfast...sausage was dry, bacon had no flavour, scrambled eggs was supposed to have cheese but the onion and potatoe hash was excellent.

Enjoyed the food. I have to say for the price you get a great tasting meal. I ordered the french onion soup on a cold monday for lunch and was surprised to find little pieces of very tender steak stewed into it. Its little touches like this that make the food something to remember. Will be returning

Where to eat London. You know when the guys of the Night Owl open a restaurant, it's going to be interesting and unique. This place doesn't disappoint. From the decor to the menu, there really is no place like it in London. Most importantly the food is fresh and flavorful, and stacked high All I can say is try it, you'll love it.

Struggles with balance. The food at this place has a lot of potential and in theory, this sandwich should be great. But there was way too much bread and cream cheese with not nearly enough pickled jalapeno and pepper jelly - made for a pretty bland and textureless experience. I think the tortilla chips are supposed to address the latter but they get pretty soggy in a hot sandwich.<br/><br/>Loved the fries though (and the art on the walls).

Had the popper grilled cheese and bacon wrapped pickles. They were amazing! Everything everybody else was eating looked great too!

Early Bird Rocks My World. The best diner-style food I have EVER had.... My boyfriend and I stopped in last week to try it out, and we were kicking ourselves for not trying it out sooner! Great vibes, and our waitress was lovely. I had the smoked meat sandwich and mixed greens salad. Not only was the sandwich meaty and juicy and delicious, my salad was the best I have ever had in any restaurant. Super fresh with yummy dressing. It is obvious that care and attention to detail goes into the food here, and I have paid twice as much for food that wasn't half as good!<br/>We can't wait to go back for more!

The food is amazing-fresh and from scratch. I've had nearly everythin on the menu-the bacon wrapped pickles are the best!! I had a huge salad tonight and am stuffed...from a salad!

The early bird has a delicious selection of breakfast. I had the waffles and they came to the table piping hot and fresh. They tasted great and the portion was huge. The roasted potatoes that came with the waffles were a little under done and tasted old but other than that everything was great. I would highly recommend the early bird.

Just awesome. Went here for dinner tonight with my boyfriend. I ordered the smoked meat sandwich with bacon fried pickles, and he had the daily special which was a pound of smoked wings and fries. The food was amazing, GIANT portions that were perfectly cooked and so tasty. Good service, we were served immediately and we got our food within 10-15 minutes of ordering. The decor was fun and the music was decent, and the prices were great for the amount of food you get (my sandwich will make two meals)

Fresh, unique, well-priced!. I aboslutely loved this restaurant! I've been twice and both times the food was out of this world. I love how unique the menu is, with options you dont normally see but are always craving. The ingredients are fresh and local which is a huge plus as well. The portions are generous and healthy. Seriously one of the best places to eat in london - if you havent tried it yet, you are missing out!!

FANTASTIC. An excellent way to begin an evening out on the town! <br/>Every other restaurant was packed with a 40 minute wait, while The Early Bird had tables available outside right away, with a 20 (ish) minute wait for a table inside.<br/>As Canadians, we'll brave the weather no mater what elements we're faced with, but when you add a delicious meal @ at The Early Bird, forget about the weather, this about the "Mmm Mmm Good" comfort food.<br/><br/>Excellent prices, Amazing staff/service, we can't wait to go back and enjoy another delicious item off the menu.

Can't stop thinking about it!. Been here once, can't wait to go again! I had the pork sliders which were amazing, my friend had the jalapeño popper grilled cheese which is her new go-to meal. My goal is to try everything on the menu.

A Meal for the Senses. I really enjoyed my time at The Early Bird. My wife and I went with another couple for breakfast. The breakfast was slow to come as it was really busy but when it did show up it looked great with a taste to match. My wife wasn't too happy about waiting but the wait staff was really good and I had my coffee filled up about five times. As long as I have coffee I am OK. Thanks for the great experience.

Good food and big portions! Make sure you loosen your belt for this one. Friendly staff and fresh and interesting decor which I haven't seen in a restaurant in London except maybe for a rock bar or lounge. You can't go wrong with this place!

Phil the Bartender...?. I haven't been at this rapidly fast popular place just yet, <br/>but needless to say, here's my Q for Phil <br/>or anybody that may be able to help me out perhaps. <br/><br/>When you referred to the attractive staff as painted ladies, <br/>did you mean coloured women or actual ladies with paint...?

Went for breakfast. This was hands down the best breakfast I have ever had! I highly recommend the "toad in a hole".<br/>I loved the environment, the decor, and the staff. Can't wait to go back. (next time I visit London)

Early Bird is the BEST of London. I have been to the Early Bird 10+ times now, and I recommend it to everyone for absolutely delicious food. I first experienced it as AMAZING post-bar food, but have been back for Brunch almost every week since. The Fat Elvis, a double-decker french toast with homemade peanut butter, house-smoked bacon and panko-crusted bananas cannot be beat. I have also loved the Jalepeno Popper Grilled Cheese (jalepenos, cream cheese, hot pepper jelly and mozzerella) and the Smoked Meat sandwich (tonnes of pulled brisket on great bread). The tempura battered onion rings are also not to be believed.<br/><br/>I constantly take pictures of the food because it is that amazing.

Amazing food, I've had the Turducken and Smoked Meat sandwiches so far I want to get through the whole menu!

Great Flavour!. Went for lunch with a friend, service was OK - took 30 mintues to get our entrees. Really like the atmoshpere other than how loud it gets when they are full. When the entrees arrived, the food looks great and everything is delicious, but beware..these portions are HUGE. Make sure you're hungry when you go!

Great Food and Service! - Bring an Appetite!. I've just returned from lunch at the Early Bird once more and again I can offer nothing but excellent reviews. On previous visits I've ordered the Turducken, which I consider as the best sandwich in the city. This time though, I figured I'd resist the temptation and opted for some "breakfast" and went with the Pancake Stacker.... wow!<br/><br/>The description on the menu does not do it justice, and I made a very poor attempt of finishing this mammoth portion. It's bacon, peameal and hash browns layered between 4 - (yep 4!) pancakes topped with a fried egg and smothered in maple syrup. And guess what? you get to pick a side! I opted for Peameal bacon which was served on a separate plate with potato chips - needless to say, I never even got to that.<br/><br/>The service was - as usual - awesome. As one of the other reviewers pointed out. The servers are very attractive and just love the ink!<br/><br/>Great job again Early Bird!<br/><br/><br/>.

Awesome food. Dont even question it! The food is awesome.

Excellent. I absolutely love this place. Everything I've eaten there has been spot on!

Wicked Awesome!!!. My fiance and I just got back from an amazing lunch at The Early Bird. Man! We were not expecting meals like the ones we received! I had the Pancake Stacker; four huge pancakes layered with hashbrowns, pemeal and smoked bacon and topped with a fried egg all doused in maple syrup with a bowl of fresh fruit on the side. Sadly, I had to leave one pancake as I would surely have gone into cardiac arrest had I attempted to finish it. My fiance had the TurduckKen Sandwich. Enormous! She struggled her way through half before she, too, threw in the towel. Poutine Perogies were awesome as well! The serving staff were friendly and attentive and the wall art/decor is great for conversation! If you go, which I highly encourage you do, make sure you bring your appetite cuz these folks aren't messing around!

Amazing Food!. Last night I went to the Early Bird and had arguably the best meal I've had in London since moving here four years ago. I had the pulled pork sandwich with a side of soup and the spinach salad to start. Everything was amazing and super fresh. I especially enjoyed the homemade perogie soup. The service was fantastic, and the atmosphere and posters on the wall were super fun. The large portions of great food means I will definitely being coming here again.

Working as a bartender in the industry, I hear a lot of things and try out new places frequently. I was unbelievably impressed with The Birds' decor and atmosphere. The staff is attractive (especially if you love painted ladies like I do!) and extremely pleasant. The food is absolutely nothing else like I've had in London! I had the smoked meat which reminded me of Montreal's best! This is the place to eat after last call, or anytime, for sure. It does fill up quickly after last call however, so if you are planning on snagging a late-nite poutine, get in quick! That might have been AsheighG's real issue.

Great value overall. Turducken club with duck gravy on the fries was great. Fries were cooked perfectly one time, then just average another time. Love the screen prints on the wall.

Went there for a late night snack tonight. Was denied access by the door boy because apparently he had a power punch up his ass and denied my bf access into the bar because he had to root through 'too many business cards' to access his ID. Sad situation for the dude trying to promote his biz outside the JLC last week. He should know his door staff is detrimental to his livelyhood. Sad to say that my bf and I, probably have more contacts than the students who are mostly strapped for cash, that will probably only tip a dime post bar, than the 2 of us actually wanting to try the food. Wish I could actually comment on the food, but perhaps this will assist you in your decision to attempt access to this restaurant post bar.

Great food!. Just opened in downtown London. This place was recommended by a co-worker, so a group of us checked it out. Not a large restaurant (glad to be there before noon). Could not get over the big portions of delicious food! The menu had so many unique dishes. Everything we had was tasty (sliders, mushroom sandwich, French toast). Although lunch was a little pricier than most I have had in downtown London, it was well worth it. Service was very good. We'll definitely be back as there are so many other dishes we want to try.<br/><br/>Update: We have been back twice for breakfast. Oh so good! We've had the pancake stacker, toad in a hole and waffles. All have been delicious! A new favourite in London!

Highlights of my meal included bacon fried pickles (omg) and “The Popper,” a grilled cheese inspired by the Jalapeño Popper (an often unavoidable junk food craving for moi). I was encouraged to order the restaurants famous Turducken Sandwich when I first arrived but reviewing three restaurants for lunch does not really permit me to eat such girth. I was fortunate enough to gaze upon the beast as my neighbour ordered a plate with his girlfriend. I hopped out of my seat, crouched by this strangers table and with great enthusiasm took a few pictures of this massive ode to smoked turkey, Italian breaded chicken and duck breast bacon. I double dare you!<br/>