” the most wallet friendly for quality of food that I have been to in a long time”
review and photos by Ani Heslop
El Furniture Warehouse is a restaurant and bar that caters to a diverse audience of casual diners, people on first dates, a night out with friends, and everyone in between. Their food and drink options make it an ideal spot for a quick bite or a night on the town.
Despite its unique name, El Furniture Warehouse is in fact a restaurant and bar, not a furniture store. While it is technically a chain, there’s only one in Edmonton, one in Calgary, and only around 20 throughout the rest of the country.
On Jasper Ave, right on the cusp of Downtown and Wîhkwêntôwin, El Furniture Warehouse’s marquee style, yellow and red lights bring attention to the unassuming building, and a sandwich sign outside advertises its low prices and happy hour (or as El Furniture calls it, ‘Power Hour’) specials.
My first experience with El Furniture Warehouse was takeout, and back then, in 2023, they were not affiliated with Skip the Dishes, Uber Eats, Doordash, or any food delivery service. For takeout, you had to order through the restaurant — over the phone — and pick it up yourself. With the convenience of Skip and Doordash almost eliminating classic takeout and creating lazy consumers, I think it says something that I was still willing to order over the phone and take the food home. They now deliver using food delivery apps, which I assume helps business.
One thing that may not help their business is their odd policy about using Debit to pay. Using Debit is refused and not accepted by their payment machines; you can only pay with cash or credit.
I heard a rumour once that the reason for this was a deal the restaurant had with Visa and Mastercard, which allows them to keep their prices so low, but that’s just a rumour. I try asking why every once in a while, but no one seems to actually know; that’s just the way it is. The service staff does tell you before you begin dining or drinking that a Debit card can’t be accepted on their machines and that they have an ATM. The odd rule doesn’t dissuade me from visiting, as it’s not a hindrance, but it certainly may be for some patrons.
The restaurant space itself is predictable, some bar seating, some high tops, and some booths, colour scheme dark red and brown: nothing special. The décor is what I like to call ‘classy chaos’ with twinkle lights wound around the industrial pipe ceiling, framed photos of darkly painted vases and random art screwed into the wall. Extreme sports, like people skiing out of helicopters and skateboard tricks, are played on the TVs, along with soft rock music. The best aspect of El Furniture Warehouse’s layout is the summer patio. It’s huge, made of wood, and is a fabulous way to spend a sunny summer afternoon with a cocktail.
If you’re popping in for a quick lunch or an early dinner, the place is pretty quiet, maybe a couple of other diners and quiet music. Kids and minors are allowed during dining hours, but not after 8pm. On a Friday or Saturday night, every table is filled and the bar is busy with drinks flying out in every direction, loud music and louder conversation creates an energetic atmosphere.
Signature cocktails are an important part of running a bar (slash restaurant), and El Furniture Warehouse is no different. My favourite drink from the Power Hour menu (although can totally be ordered at any time) is the Strawberry Basil Gin Smash ($8.75, $5.50 on the Power Hour menu). It’s delightfully tart, slightly bitter, with a hint of strawberry sweet, the freshness of crushed basil, and with the pine of the gin, it’s a perfect combination. The Sour Key ($7.95) is also good; sweet and sour like sugared candy, and even served with a piece of candy on the straw!
The Pink Warehouse ($13.75) is perhaps its most signature cocktail. It’s made of Tanqueray Gin, Peach Schnapps, lemon, simple syrup, soda, grenadine, and a bottle of Corona beer, upside down, held to the side of the glass with a plastic ring, making this thing, like, two feet tall. As you drink from the full cocktail, the beer empties into the glass, giving you two drinks in one, and a weird flavour of beer mixed with grenadine and gin. Everyone orders them on a weekend night, but It’s too extravagant and over the top for me.
The cocktails are generously priced, with the mixed drinks being between $7 and $10, and the specialty, extravagant drinks being $10 to $15. The Pink Warehouse is only $13.75; at any competitor restaurant, a drink like that could set you back $20 or $25 dollars!
The food is also extremely reasonably priced. Each meal is less than $12, and is certainly enough food to satisfy. Also, it’s mostly absolutely delicious. I’ve had the opportunity to try lots of different food from their expansive menu, and there certainly are some duds, like the mac and cheese ($10.95), where the cheese sauce was grainy and flavourless, or the quesadilla ($10.95), which is kind of saggy and thin. The Chicken Caesar Wrap ($11.25) is hit or miss, sometimes it’s great, and other times it’s dry and wilty.
But there’s also some menu items that knock it right out of the park, like the Cajun Cheddar Sandwich ($11.50), spicy and saucy, and served on a buttery baguette, or the Mushroom Melt ($11.25), a fan favourite twist on their classic smash burger.
But my all time favourite is the Spinach Dip ($9.45). It’s on the starter’s menu, and perfect for sharing or for devouring by yourself. It’s topped with crumbly parmesan, and served with crispy garlic toast and salty tortilla chips for dipping. It’s warm, creamy, garlicky, and oh so green.
The most expensive food item on the menu (the General Tao Bowl) is $11.50, making this restaurant the most wallet friendly for quality of food that I have been to in a long time, and is the main thing that keeps me going back.
Despite the strange décor, strange drinks, and strange name, the food is really good for the price. Perfect if you’re craving pub food, and is a pretty fun place to hang out, whether it’s a quick bite, summer drinks on the patio, or a dinner with mom and dad.
El Furniture Warehouse
10765 Jasper Ave.
Edmonton
(587) 520-1798
11AM-2AM Every Day
2PM-5PM ‘Power Hour’
(587) 520-1798
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