MR says... "best breakfast place in town"
MRS says ... if it was just me rating, i'll give Annabel 3-stars. but MR wants to rate Annabel 4-stars because...
- good place to eat
- support local business
- promotes local growers
- quaint
- great ambiance
- decor (photos taken by Annabel's dad)
im giving 4stars with reservation because ... service was sub-par. while looking at the many photographs adorning the walls, we noticed another table seated after us already got their menu and served with drinks. we wondered, are we invisible here or what? my observation with Annabel's - they know who the regulars are. they seem to be more sociable to their patrons as to new customers like us. sure food was good but since there's no other breakfast place to compare with... of course Annabel will stand out.
desserts/pastry are left uncovered on the counter shelf - out in the open to dry and exposed to whatever elements in the air.
This place is so good! I'm giving it a five star...I try not to do that, but it deserves it. The ingredients are fresh and often from local sources. It's a cute little 'diner' type place, I've gone a few different times and never been disappointed. I'll keep going back, one tip, if you go later in the afternoon the wait is not as long. Maybe I shouldn't tell people that on the internet, because it's my little secret, but I feel it's best to share.
Review Source:Best tasting breakfast in town. Deserts are unbelievable. Service is super friendly. The place is tiny so seating is limited and weekends can mean a longish wait. But quit complaining, grab a coffee and a paper, and make the best of it. Or go on Thursday or Friday morning when it's less crowded. Or get there early. Recommend the house eggs for savory and the French toast (without the french) for sweet.
Review Source:A great european style cafe. The space is good for parties of 2-4, but too cozy for a large group. The food was excellent and everything was very fresh. Â The coffee, omelet, and quiche were all fantastic. Cincinnati needs more restaurants like Annabel's. Do yourself a favor and eat here.
Review Source:This is a great little place for a breakfast or lunch.
At first I thought it a bit on the pricey side but they do delivery big breakfasts quality made with nice ingredients.
I had a tart that was light but filling and flavorful. It came with a nice size fruit bowl that was a nice sweet-tart mix - especially the pomegranates.
My wife had the house eggs with re-fried beans and cheese grits and a side of bacon. She ate it up. The cheese grits were nicely done.
The place was clean. The staff was welcoming and attentive and didn't rush us out as folks waited near the door.
Oh Annabel's, I love you! Even though there's usually a long wait, parking is a pain, and the dining room is often drafty from the opening door, you still deserve five stars. Annabel designs seasonal breakfast and brunch menus that delight appetites. Even the "Eggs of the House" are never quite the same from visit to visit.
The waitresses are bubbly, helpful and efficient (with less than 20 tables, I guess they have to be!). Last Sunday brunch, our waitress suggested I eat my dessert before my meal-- a perfectly decadent suggestion that also helped her turn our table faster without pressuring us one bit.
Whenever we have out-of-town friends we'd like to treat to an amazing meal, we head for Annabel's. It's a great, local experience that always impresses.
I met a friend here for breakfast this morning...loved it. The atmosphere is very homey and the service was very good. I had a sweet potato, jarlsberg and sage tart that sounded too good not to try. The side of mixed fruit was wonderful...no bland honeydew melon to be found. (I have a loathing of honeydew, its the lazy addition to a fruit cup in my humble opinion).
I sampled my friend's breakfast croissant and her daughter's pancake...yum! I definitely plan on returning to try lunch sometime.
Annabel's serves an outstanding fresh, delicious breakfast. I went for a Saturday brunch recently, and I ordered their egg-less pumpkin french toast. For a seemingly simple breakfast item, it sure did have a depth of flavor! After tasting the french toast, I can't wait to try every single item on the menu in future visits.
Do be warned: this place is small! If you're headed there on a weekend for breakfast, expect a wait.
I came here with high expectations because of the glowing reviews, and it delivered. Â The food was fresh, comfortable, felt like home. Â It's hard to decide what to eat because everything sounds so good including the specials. Â I went on a weekday so the wait wasn't long, but there is always a long line on weekends when I drive by. Â The Breakfast Croissant was delicious, as was the scramble with artichoke and cheese. Â I must go back for pancakes and house eggs.
Review Source:We had a wonderful brunch this morning at Annabel's. The service was helpful and friendly. I had the special, an amazing quiche with local corn and bacon baked inside and a house salad on the side (the side salad was large). It all was wonderful and very filling. The price was $10 plus tip. We arrived around 10:30 a.m. and there were plenty of seats and parking in the square. When we left around 12:30 p.m. the place was full and had a line forming. It is a tiny restaurant with not many tables. I would eat her early or pick up something to enjoy at the nearby Ault Park if they are busy. It's the perfect spot for brunch!
Review Source:Love love love places like this! Â The food is so fresh and made with lots of local ingredientes. Â And the place is so small. Â Feels like your sitting in grandma's dining room and she's in the kitchen whipping up the best breakfast ever just for you. Â
Speaking of breakfast...I love breakfast, especially pancakes. Â They have THE BEST PANCAKE I'VE EVER TASTED. You can add 1 pancake to your order. Â DO IT.
I'll definitely be back to try other items, maybe lunch...with a 1 pancake on the side ;)
Breakfast here is great. The selction of food is moderate but the items themselves are unique and absolutely delicious! The staff are curteous and quick and the prices are moderate. I had watermelon gazpacho soup and it was TO DIE FOR!!!
Be prepared to wait over an hour for a table on the weekends. It's a small joint with only a few tables.The line is long and the hunger pains will ensue. I suggest putting your name on the list and going accross the street to Lookout Joes and grabbing a cup of coffee for the long road ahead.
If you just can't stand it any longer, go next door to Nectar for brunch. The food is also very good and excellent service but no wait for a table usually.
My favorite breakfast/brunch place in Cincinnati! Most delicious food you'll ever taste.
Food is delicious. Get the HOUSE EGGS! Unreal.
Food is so fresh and tasty. Wait staff is very attentive.
Atmosphere is great.
5 Stars! Bravo.
Very small place so must get there early or prepare to wait.
Fast friendly service. They do what they can with the limited seating. I think they can only seat around 20 people in there. So I wouldn't bother on a busy weekend.
The pancakes were amazing though. Had to knock a star off because there was a dead fruit fly left on my plate when served. Had me hunting for his "friends" before I could start eating. Oh and the coffee was pretty so-so. It happens...
Annabel's is lovely. Â It is tiny, and there can be a wait, but the food is unique and delicious. Â The quiches are usually very good, but my favorite is the black bean on polenta with egg. Â Three stars because I don't feel like there are enough options on the menu, and because it is expensive for the amount of food you get (sides are not included). Â For a cute, nice food brunch place, this is great. Â But usually I'm craving heartier portions for brunch.
Review Source:Annabel's is super quaint, fresh, supports local business and delicious! Â I had the tart (quiche) of the day which was a yummy mushroom, sage and gruyere. Â It was served with a nice mix of fresh fruit (cherries, blackberries, pineapple) and I felt it was a hearty portion (I probably left at least a 1/3 of it). Â My friend had the Faux French Toast and is was really, really good. Â The portion was solid with 3 pieces and a side of bacon with fresh fruit. Â
I thought the prices were very reasonable. Â We actually went in on a rainy Saturday around 10:30 and had no wait...our timing was serendipitous but after having other experiences where the quoted wait was 1.5 hours, it was a very pleasant surprise.
This place is amazing. It is one of my favorite breakfast spots in Cincinnati. Sure, you may have to wait a while due to the small space, but it is definitely worth it. But, where else are you going to find an owner that does all the shopping, prepping, and cooking? And, if you are able to get out of bed, the wait is not bad before 9:30 AM.
The wait staff is really friendly, and attentive. My favorite dish is the Faux French Toast, and I recommend trying one of Annabel's baked goods (made fresh each morning). I like the blueberry almond coffee cake.
Maybe 3.5 stars?
I tried it for brunch as I've heard such great things.
It's very cute, and cozy, but that means a long wait time.
The food sounds great and fresh and healthy, though if you're vegetarian, there's very little you can eat.
What I did get was tasty for sure, but ideally I'd like savory options as well as sweet.
The service was friendly and the atmosphere is great for dates or taking your mom out for brunch.
All this said, for me, it was a bit overpriced. I think it has a lot of potential, and perhaps if you are a meat eater it hits the mark.
For what it was, it was very nice. Â
I was working on a major hangover on my second day visiting Cinci, and was looking for breakfast. Â For a hangover breaky, it was too happy. Â Â I know...debby downer. Â
Too cheerful I'm sorry :/. Â Is that weird?? Â To marrypoppins happy go lucky for me. Â Best for an INTIMATE lunch date.
Coffee was good. Â But it sat empty for a while since there is only one server. Â Side of fruit on my plate consisted of 2 mini strawberries and 1 grape sliced in half. Â Hmmm, just wasn't my kinda place.
Small space. Wait was kind of long for Sunday brunch.
But,
all I have to say is: get the corn cakes WITH blueberries and bananas.
You will not regret it, and if you do, you can come back to this review and take back your [useful] [cool] [funny] feedback.
Oh wait, you can't do that. Oh well. You won't need to do that anyway. Trust me.
Ok, don't get me wrong here. This place is very good, buuuuut Yelp has it listed as the highest ranked restaurant in Cincinnati, which I can't agree with.
It's located in mt. lookout square so be prepared for parking trouble. We went for Sunday brunch at noon and had a reasonable 30 minute wait. The restaurant itself is very very small. I would estimate the capacity at 20-30 people max. There's no waiting area inside so you have to wait outside.
The food was fresh and tasty. I had an egg scramble with feta and sausage. It came with a small fruit cup and a flaky/fluffy croissant. Very pleased with the food. I think it was priced at $11, which seems reasonable for the area and the quality.
All in all, I'm not sure that it's any better than Tucker's. And, for a Sunday brunch spot, it's a little lacking. I think it makes a better weekday breakfast place. Sunday brunch for me is supposed to be an extravagant event, and Annabel's just doesn't have the menu options to fit that criteria.
The breakfast menu isn't too diverse as far as different selections go, but what they offer is pretty unique. Rather than regular pancakes they offer buttermilk corn cakes, which I had never had before, as well as a "carrot cake faux toast" which they called "French roast without the French." I was curious about this but didn't try it. They offer three other egg dishes including a veggie frittata, a scramble du jour and a breakfast croissant. The signature egg dish was called the "Love eggs, which I ordered.
The food was simply amazing. The corn cakes had a very different flavor and texture than I was accustomed to but they tasted great. They were banana flavored and I typically don't like banana flavoring but these corn cakes were delicious.
We really had a great experience there. The staff was great, the food was great, it was really top notch.
A cozy cafe-style restaurant nestled in Mt Lookout. Â The food is always interesting choices and yummy. Â The staff is friendly and always willing to offer opinions to those of us who can't decide. :-)
My only complaint:  I've been several times on Sat morning and even though I've  been the 1st or 2nd person of 10 or 12 to arrive at opening, I've always been the last to be approached for ordering.  Not sure if this is because I'm not a regular or because I'm a single.  To be fair, this is not the only restaurant that treats single diners as afterthoughts. Â
Overall, a great treasure for the area.
Service, food, location and ambiance all fantastic. Â I go her a bunch and although they don't take rezis and I have always had to wait for a table, never more than 20 minutes, and its always worth it!
My only quip, is I wish they had a little bigger breakfast menu. Â A create your own omelette or something. Â Cause if you like their Scramble Of The Day, you're kinda outta luck.
Annabel's was absolutely delicious and worth the wait in line. I would recommend going with a friend so you can share meals because so much of their menu needs to be experienced and enjoyed! Definitely a cozy place which means that you could be waiting for a bit, but that can easily be solved by popping in to a nearby location for a quick snack, cup of coffee, etc. Additionaly, I love all the open windows letting the sun shine through inside the restaurant. It keeps it nice and cheery.
I ordered the Eggs of the House and it was fantastic. Everything was cooked and put together perfectly! I definitely recommend getting your eggs over easy. I shared that plate and the Mexican lunch sandwich with my friend, and again, absolutely delicious. Definitely fills you up and leaves you feeling satisfied.
Can't wait to go back and try more!
Is it really that good? Â YES. Â Is it worth the drive all the way to Mt Lookout? Â YES. Â Is it worth it to get there before they open so you can stand outside for 20 minutes in 40 degree weather? Â YES. Â Just get in your car and drive east to Cincinnati. Â Then drive even further east until you reach Mt Lookout ... heed the warnings on Yelp and get there early.
The buttermilk corn pancakes were heavenly - crispy outside, tender inside and the honeycomb butter really amped it up. Â Overall, they were definitely in the top 5 of the best pancakes ever. Â Next, the "eggs of the house" were the surprise hit of the morning. Â I'm not a huge fan of black beans but when paired them with cheesy grits, eggs, and salsa? Â Just about the best darn comfort breakfast that money could buy. Â Lastly, the coffee was dark, strong, and balanced ...the kind where you skip any cream altogether and just barely add a sprinkle of sugar. Â I'm more of an espresso guy, but if you've only got coffee, then this is exactly the kind I want.
Annabel's isn't ranked #1 because of the lack of breakfast competition around Cincinnati ...you're thinking of First Watch a few years back. Â No, Annabel's earned that #1 rank with some innovative, flavorful food. Â By the taste of it, they're looking to hold onto the Cincy breakfast crown for a good long while.
Hooray for Annabel's brunch! I came here with my fiance a few weeks ago and got tomato soup with an aged cheddar BLT. My fiance got their oatmeal. The food was so tasty we opted to finish the brunch with a delicious slice of lemon meringue pie.
Everything was fantastic, food quality, food flavor, portions, and service. It turns out I'm not a big fan of aged cheddar, and the bacon was crispified beyond my liking, but the tomato soup was kickass, the lemon meringue was top notch.
I don't knock the joint for the different food preference...If you're a soft bacon fan like yours truly, now you know to speak up when you order.
Wow. Â Yum. Â Annabel's was awesome. Â It's a cozy, sunny little place, and everyone was really nice. Â And the food!
I got the Eggs of the House, which were like the lovechild of juevos rancheros and a Southern belle, and MY LORD were they heaven. Â
I also got to try the scramble and croissants (served warm!), and they were every bit as good. Â The fruit that accompanies some of the plates is also delicious, something you really can't take for granted.
The desserts looked amazing, but there was no way we had room after all the egg-based deliciousness.
I had brunch (more like lunch here). The food was excellent (I had the Gorgonzola salad). My friend had the tart of the day and it looked delicious.
It was tasty, comfortable, and a good place to sit and chat.
There's minimal seating so I wouldn't bring a group (two people required a wait) and it's probably not child friend (it's not child unfriendly, just not exceedingly great for little ones).
Annabel's is a great brunch place in Mt. Lookout square.
Pros:
1) The food is amazing, I would definitely recommend the breakfast croissant as well as the pancakes.
2) The staff is very friendly
3) This is a very reasonably priced restaurant for the quality of food you get
Cons:
1) This place had to lose a star because every time I have been there, I have had to wait for a while before I can be seated. This isn't really anyones fault its just a small restaurant and very popular.
My quest for the my next brunch spot continued with Annabel's. All the reviews were amazing and when i finally made it there it did not disappoint.
I will start out by saying I had to wait longer there than any of my other brunch spots. I think it's partly a function of their small dining room and the fact that they open at 9 so getting there for brunch means the wait has already been piling up for awhile.
But the food was worth the wait! I got the buttermilk pancakes and they probably rank among the best pancakes I have ever had. (Tuckers in OTR also has fab pancakes but completely different). They are served with honeycomb butter and I also got them with blueberries and bananas. They were at once substantial yet melt in your mouth light. It came with 3 big pancakes and sadly for my girlish figure I couldn't stop myself from eating them all.
And their coffee is excellent. Very important in a brunch place.
I will have to go back for dessert later since the whole time I was sitting there I could see their chocolate torte and lemon meringue pie. It would have been crazy to eat that after the pancakes...or would it?
Annabel's knows style and food. I felt like I was in a NYC cafe - a good one. The decor was interesting, comfortable. I loved the lacquered intimate tables. We got a seat by the window so I was shielded from a lot of noise and traffic flow. I had no problems hearing my dining partner except when a baby was crying out. This place is small so I would not encourage parents to bring children. Nor would I recommend it for groups. But for the perfect place for a perfect brunch with a dear old friend, it was perfect.
The food is interesting, not too complex, and executed fabulously. I can't wait to go back. Annabel's is yummy, hip, and classy. Love it!
I followed the recommendation of other Yelpers... Get there at opening. The cafe was filled in about 3 minutes.
Quiche is a sneaky, sneaky food. It lures you in with its eggy, cheesy exterior. And then it settles somewhere in your gut with all the elegance and weightlessness of a cinderblock. Ugh.
Not so at Annabel's! I had a gruyere-and-leek quiche. Basically I was setting myself up for some serious gastric discomfort. Instead: foodgasm. This was the fluffiest, loveliest, lightest, most savory and delicious quiche sensation I've ever had. I cannot wait to return and try some of the other amazing menu options. And for food of such high quality, the prices were unbeatable. Great spot, highly recommend it!
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