It really saddens me to put this review in. I guess with the inflationary costs of food, the two can dine deal that used to be $59.99 for two moved to $69.99, with upcharge to some of the core two can dine menu items. Now the menu items are like club sandwiches, fish and chips, salad with a protein, fried chicken... a departure from the local fresh and uniquely marketed local fresh items that were unique. There is nothing special about this two can dine menu- and many are more lunch favourites. The two can dine date night menu isn't even available for lunch- which is where it belongs. Service has gotten slower, maybe staff cutback? But I've seen the same number of staff members. It took about 2 hours to get in and get out. read more

I love "local" themed restaurants, but sometimes a theme simply alienates a large portion of clientele. I understand keeping the food menu tightly local, but when it comes to cocktails, folks just want what they want. Borealis has some opportunity here. They don't carry any of the most popular beers, wines, whiskey, gins, or vodka. They insist on taking that choice away and they've made a conscious decision to do so. Aside from making the simple task of ordering your favorite beverage a time consuming task, the end result is mediocre. We couldn't even order a pina colada because it isn't local? The food was generally good with some hits and misses. I do like the fact the the food menu is local themed, but it takes execution to make an impact. We had children and adults in our party so the opinions were mixed. The appetizers were good, notably the prosciutto feta flatbread and soup of the day hit a positive note. Duck satay was mixed but I personally found it tender and flavorful. The crowd was 50/50 on entree's. The fish & chips, confit duck, and lamb garnered positive feedback, others did not. Steak frites was an disappointment. Gray, flavorless, and overcooked. The buttermilk fried "Ontario" chicken was viewed as over-breaded with a thick burnt crust and dry throughout. And the slaw it is paired with was watery and old rather than crisp and fresh. The steelhead trout was overcooked, dry, lacking flavor. The accompanying barley risotto was overwhelming and overpowered the delicate nature of steelhead trout. Ambiance was ok and somewhat modern but some found being seated in the lower dining room at what seemed like a picnic table to be off putting. Service was good and staff was friendly. To be honest, many locals really like Borealis. But for me, as an open minded foodie, they have some opportunities around execution and preparation as well as expanding certain offerings at the bar. And let's be honest--bar happiness equals margin and profit. read more

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Had lunch in the "bar" side. Our waiter was amazing! He was very knowledgeable! Food was amazing!

Had lunch here today. Chose the bacon flatbread with a side salad, both were excellent! We ate outside on the porch as it was a nice day. Service was rather sluggish, but still enjoyable lunch. read more

First day of stage 2 opening! Amazing service and precaution, you will need to follow the arrows to order food or booze. Waiter is phenomenal, funny, and asked me to pass the cutlery. They will spray hand sanitizer upon entry. They turned many people down with no reservations! Absolutely a breath of fresh air! Good wine and service. Will be back! read more

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I have to thank you on behalf of myself and my extended family. You were able to accommodate us in your Cellar Room on November 02, 2024. There were 18 of us and everyone raved about Borealis. The person who looked after our group was Chantal and she was fantastic. She made sure that everyone was well looked after from the adults to the children. The service was 110 % and the food was incredible. My wife and I have been to Borealis on several occasions but nobody else has been. At the end of the evening Chantal thanked us and wished us well at the Celebration of Life on Sunday. I will recommend Borealis to everyone I know and my wife and I will be back many more times. Once again THANK YOU !! for the great service. Larry T. Kitchener read more

Went here for Mother's Day with a largish group. Pleasant service but the food took 45 minutes to come out for dinner and it wasn't that busy. Once it arrived everyone was universally satisfied: the trout was great, the butter chicken massive and delicious, the salad good. Perhaps one exception was the fish and chips which was in all ways ordinary. Kudos to this place for their commitment to locally sourced food and drink. Keep it up. read more

great service, delicious food. I would recommend the Guelph location to anyone. really beautiful patio as well. read more

We came for Father's Day and arrived earlier than we normally would, so it was not busy other than a MASSIVE table inside the building. The service was more attentive though our waitress forgot to order a refill beer but comped the first one as an apology. Our food was great: - Buttermilk chicken is excellent - Fries are great but the parmesan fries are better. - Pesto chicken was also excellent - Three sisters bowl is better with the tofu (waitress recommendation) - prosciutto flatbread also well done -kale caesar is not what you expect- the baby kale was more like arugula, croutons are home made and dressing is lighter than most restaurants. I was here for lunch three days earlier and highly recommend the quinoa/arugula salad as well and truffle fries. Best thing? Locally sourced, eco-friendly, carbon neutral, and very good food. Will be coming back for sure. read more

Terrific place to take your date on a weekend for a delightful dinner. Great food, full service including appetizer, main course, and dessert for two for.....$50.00! Try it!!! read more

Borealis Grille & Bar - Date Night Menu.....go for it!!!! - American Near Me - Kitchener, Ontario

On Dec.22/23 Thank you! Amazing service delicious food, My grandchildren travel from Toronto & London, To take their grandmother out for Christmas to your restaurant. Thank you great job' Happy New Year 2024 read more

Have driven by this restaurant on my way to and from work. Finally stopped in. Love the local menu idea. The space is great. Feels like an old house with high ceilings, somehow in a strip mall. The menu is interesting. Unfortunately, my meal was poorly executed. The green salad was overdressed and I was not able to finish it. My main was steak frites. The fries were crispy. Garnished with Parmesan and rosemary, but not seasoned. The steak was cooked a nice medium rare. It was sliced with the grain and chewy and tough. The gravy was congealed and without flavour. I made the mistake of pouring it on my steak and fries. I may try this again despite the setbacks. Ate early on a Friday night. Service was fine and did the appropriate meal checks. They did not charge me for the salad, and offered a $10 card for a future visit. While appreciated, it wasn't necessary. The meal was a 1*, the service solid, the space great, and the menu potentially very good. read more

Kitchener location - Food was amazing, everything was fresh and delicious. the service made the meal - Jessica was fantastic. very knowledgeable about the menu, responsive and witty. can't wait to come back. read more

Stopped in for lunch here while visiting my in-laws. Very nice on the inside. Great service, the servers were especially great with our two young kids. I got the fried chicken special. The chicken was a little overcooked, and the fries were the short stubby kind, which I find to be a little mushy. The longer skinny ones are crispier. My wife liked her veggie burger. It was a chickpea patty, which is unique. The craft beer special offered a good value at $5.95. Kids meals offer a good value, with large portions, and they come with ice cream. Overall, a nice experience. read more

Fried chicken was great as it usually is but we waited 45 minutes to be served and we're left to languish after served while all the whites people around were seated, served, left.... I wanted dessert but wasn't given a chance to order it so... Got here at 6:30pm and left after one course at 8:11pm. Left a tip of $0.01 on a $99.16 bill. #BLM read more

Honestly we had a pretty nice time here tonight!! Showed up early for our reservation too early and ended up just hanging out at the bar. Bartenders were good at their job. Food was tasty (Had nachos and crispy chicken tacos) both good We'll be back read more

We had dinner here last night. Booked a reservation and requested a quiet table. Showed up, table wasn't ready, waited 10 minutes and were seated in a room with two large loud groups. Servers were busy attending to them and took some time to come and look after us. Beer selection was better than most chains but not as extensive as we would have liked. Ordered a cocktail, it was good. Limited menu, verging on bland. Ordered the baked Brie ($15) to start. Portion was very small, the salsa/jam served with it was nice. I had the fish, 1 large piece with not a lot of taste to it. Slaw was nice. Swapped fries for ceased salad which was overdressed and made with kale (extra $2). Husband had a sausage bowl and it was lacklustre - not a lot of meat, combination was flavours didn't go well together. Sounded good on menu, not good in real life. Group behind us moved their chairs around and sat two below in the walkway behind our table which was already pretty tight. My husband was constantly bumped into by servers and other customers - servers should have asked the group not move chairs and ensured we had enough space. When asked how we enjoyed our dinner, we said it was alright we. The male waiter seemed rather offended and got defensive saying that the meals were the most popular dishes and didn't know why we didn't like them. This was just really awkward and off putting. Overall, uninspiring dishes, rude staff, bad atmosphere, looked like a run down British pub and over $100. We won't be back. read more

Borealis Grille and Bar is a restaurant with a focus on local foods; their motto "The Taste of Ontario" sums up their philosophy. They promote and serve locally sourced Ontario foods and beverages, including a number of excellent wines from the Niagara region. This extends also to the building, which is a beautifully refurbished early 19th Century historic schoolhouse with tin ceilings and metal work created by local artisans. As a result of this philosophy, the menu does vary from time to time, including the soup of the day, which was a delicious Butternut Squash soup. I had the Ontario AAA Roasted Prime Rib 10oz, a great cut of medium-rare beef paired with roasted parsnip mashed potatoes and a medley of seasonal vegetables and accompanied with beef jus and horseradish. My wife had the Ontario Beer Battered Fish & Chips, with Lake Erie pickerel (which is Ocean Wise certified), a side of fresh cut fries, and supplemented by a home-style tartar sauce and coleslaw. We both enjoyed the soup and the entrees... my wife particularly enjoyed the fries, and I thought the prime rib was cooked perfectly. I would heartily recommend Borealis for those interested in having a great meal, and for those who are interested in local, sustainable food. read more

Borealis Grille & Bar - American Near Me - Kitchener, Ontario

We were staying at a nearby hotel and decided to give this place a try for dinner, being intrigued by the lure of local beers on tap. The space is gorgeous, housed in an old schoolhouse that's been expanded for more restaurant space. It's decorated very well and it's just a fabulous place to sit down and enjoy dinner. The service was very good, attentive and friendly, helpful with menu suggestions. I have no complaints there at all. The food is where it was a bit of a letdown for us. They pride themselves on locally sourced ingredients, with farm locations noted on the menu, featuring a lot of seasonal ingredients. We started out with nachos, that were really quite yummy, dotted with lentils and cheese. I ordered the jalapeno brisket mac and cheese, and Lee ordered fried chicken tacos. The brisket was really quite chewy and not that flavorful. It didn't really add all that much to the dish. The tacos were a little bit light on the chicken, which disappointed Lee. He felt a little bit like it was more of an appetizer than a main dish. The beers at the time were Ontario microbrews, but there wasn't really anything surprising on there. Muskoka isn't really ... that local. I was hoping for something from in town, and it didn't seem like there was anything that local on tap at the time we visited. This wasn't a terrible place at all, and I suspect with different choices we would have enjoyed it more. It wasn't bad, it just didn't really wow us. read more

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Borealis is a restaurant that prides itself on using organic and local ingredients. I had the pleasure of speaking with the owner and the opportunity to understand why she decided to open the restaurant. I had came to the restaurant on 3 different occasions: On the first occasion, I had ordered the "Old Smokey Burger." It was absolutely delicious and very juicy. The fries were freshly made and crispy. Nothing more to say as time is better spent stuffing my face with the burger. A solid 4.5 stars out of 5. On the two other occasions, I had gotten the "28 Day Aged Striploin." The waiter had convinced me that I would not be disappointed. On the first time, the inside of the steak was cooked to perfection, but the outside was cold. It was unfortunate because I would have easily given this place 5 stars. I was quite surprised since Borealis was not a steakhouse. I felt it was only right to give this place a second shot at a perfect rating. I ordered the steak again and I was very disappointed to say the least. I am sure we all have had that experience when a steak is overcooked and does not melt in your mouth. I would give the restaurant the benefit of the doubt since it was quite a busy night, so a solid 4/5 for the steak. I think this is a really great restaurant to go to if you are in the area. Definitely recommend it! read more

Borealis Grille & Bar - American Near Me - Kitchener, Ontario

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Good food and service. My Fish and chips was delicious. Two others had the wild boar chop and gave it thumbs up.

The owner joined us during a very intimate company Christmas lunch and told us of the amazing & impressive things the chain of BOREALIS GRILLE & BAR restaurants are up to. I had the Old Smokey Burger (meat supplied from YU ranch). The YU rancher was at our table; he's also an amazing guy. My somewhat limited interaction with the staff was pleasant; they were quite courteous as a few of us almost blocked their path as we waited briefly by the bar. Let's just say that I am planning on driving the 60mins from Toronto again to revisit. Yes it was that good. read more

Borealis Grille & Bar - Their practice of consuming locally produced goods is evident everywhere. - American Near Me - Kitchener, Ontario

This restaurant is nicely decorated with posters showing local history so it feels like the restaurant's been in business for a long time. It's casual and relaxing yet classy. Good for groups and non-dressy date nights. I had Butternut Squash Ravioli for dinner and it tasted very fresh. All their ingredients are local. Parking is available in the plaza. read more

Went to Kitchener for dinner to meet friends at local Restaurant called "Borealis". They say they source their food locally, all meat & vegatables. Restaurant was packed. I had a Grilled Turkey Sami & Sweet Potato fries & they was extremely tasty. My friend had Wild Boar Meatloaf & it was uniquely good. Also had a local beer that was very tasty but I've never heard of the brand. The Chef served us in person & the staff was engaged & polite. Not a inexpensive proposition but that food was above average to be sure. The only complaints were the size of the actual seating area the positioning of the server station, it looked to be in the middle of the dining area & took away from the ambiance. All-in-all a solid meal that was very good & surely a do over. read more

Borealis Grille & Bar - American Near Me - Kitchener, Ontario

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Going here was a last sec decision. We were on our way some where else. What a pleasant surprise. Their claim to fame is all their ingredients are local. Which nice right away as the food taste so fresh. The food tasted good but not great. It was however a memorable dinning experience. It had a nice atmosphere. The place was an old school turned into a restaurant. One last tip and this is important. Asked for Luegi to be your server. He was by far the best part of our dinning experience. read more

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Incredible food and incredible service. amazing for allergy dining and gluten free. I love that their ingredients are all local from local farms and small businesses l. read more

I had the chicken taco salad. Tasted like a salad I could get at the grocery store. Chicken was dry and rubbery and way too salty.

I've been here a couple of times and it was amazing both times. My husband and I were there last Thursday when they have a fried chicken special. We didn't know until we saw the menu. My husband ordered the friend chicken (I had a taste) and it is hands down the best fried chicken I have ever had. I ordered the fish tacos. AMAZING. Our cocktails were also great, the make a mean martini! I also love the decor. The bar in front of the old school house exterior is super cool. Want to try local ingredients and have a great meal? Check this place out. Its a great date night location. read more

So I have been hearing about this restaurant on and off for a little over a year, always with raving reviews. I have friends who were insistent I go, saying I would love it. I am a bit of a self proclaimed foodie, and the people around me like to tell me about places I should check out and I love telling them about good places I have also gone. I had a couple of friends visit me here in Kitchener and I thought what a great opportunity to try this place out. I made a reservation on Open Table (this is a great online service, as long as it sticks, i have had a failed to process reservation before). Borealis prides itself on using local produce and ingredients, I do enjoy these "farm to table" kinds of restaurants. However, I was underwhelmed. (is that a word?) Location: 4/5 I don't know KW too well but it appears to be just off the highway, so easily accessible, lots of parking and a beautiful space. Inside it was gorgeous, multi- level with a nice, open, airy feel. We were seated in a booth that was comfortable and felt like a good spot to eat and people watch. There are large historical photographs on the walls, with jars of pickled beets and such decorating shelves. It seemed like a good spot for large groups (there were a lot of family graduation dinners), and for smaller intimate dates. Eats 3/5 I got a pound of their sea salt & pepper wings, which were the tuesday special of a pound of wings for 10 dollars, on the menu they are listed at 13.95. Typically I feel that a pound of wings are about 8 wings, this had 7. They were tasty, lightly breaded and seasoned very well. They came out hot and served with carrot and celery sticks and a house made ranch like dip. I also got the 28 day aged striploin. Overall I would say I was disappointed in the steak. The flavour was good, but the steak was tough. All three of us got the steak as it was highly recommended to me. The steak was flavourful, but we felt the meat over all could have been better. It came with buttermilk mashed potatoes, chard and a slightly pickled cabbage, with asparagus and a mushroom au jus. Everything else was good, but after such rave reviews, i thought the steak was something i could have grilled off the bbq. Service 2.5/5- This was also disappointing, for such a beautiful space and highly recommended restaurant. The greeter at the restaurant was welcoming and kind, he handed us off to a crotchety lady who really didn't seem to care we had come to the restaurant. We asked for their Gluten Friendly menu- she never brought it to us. We had to ask another server for it. We had another server come and take our order, He seemed "over it", and it was only 7pm. I had complimented the dip for the wings and asked if it was house made, and he responded "uh yeah" the tone was somewhat uppity. We just felt not too welcomed. As we were leaving every server we passed was kind and said "Thanks for coming, see you again" I know my friends have mentioned their fried chicken is good, which is special on Thursdays. I would want to come again to give it another try in hopes that we just came in on an off day and maybe the servers we got just had some other stuff on their plate, but I don't think I would suggest Borealis over Fork and Cork Grill at this point of my experience. I would give them 3/5. read more

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Excellent service and the food superior locally grown. Local beer selection pretty good as well. The muscle is a must to try. Chiken wings are superb. read more

Borealis is a LocalVORE restaurant. All food are from the area or from at least Ontario. Nice. The place is larger than it looks with two floors and a nice bar on the main floor. We were seated in the upstairs dining room. The restaurant is well decorated and well laid out for both the patrons and the service personnels. People move smoothly through the place and the homey feel makes you want to relax and enjoy yourself. I asked for the seasonal beer - as long as it's not an IPA - and our stand-in server (ours was over run by a large group of seniors from the local home) told me that he's not sure what the beer was but it was definitely not an IPA. So I ordered it. Our server got control over the senior troops and made his way over to take the order and he took my beer away as it was an IPA! LOL! To order, we had surf and turf. My guest had Fish and I had steak. Both meals were good but not a standout for the price. My steak was OK but not great and the fish was a bit smallish for a meal. I remember someone asking how important Food, Atmosphere, and Service was for a meal and I basically said it was all about the food. The atmosphere here is again, cozy and nice, the service - minus the beer - was very good. The food was OK - so the review is A-OK. For the price paid and the meal had, I don't think it will be a place I will search out on my next biz trip through the area. Cheers. read more

Sublime dinner at Borealis sitting at the bar alone. In Kitchener for business, read Borealis had a wing special on Mondays and Tuesdays. Draught Waupoos Cider, delicious. Many other intriguing libations on tap. Ordered two flavours of wings, one your regular hot and the other a blueberry BBQ sauce. I understand they have a new special sauce each week. Wings were nicely sized, perfectly crisp and appropriately sauced. And that homemade ranch dressing, oh boy! Worth writing yelp about. 10/10, would and will go back. I highly recommend you do the same. read more

what a mediocre restaurant this has become. No flavours worth mentioning. Grainy cheesecake. Just meh.

What was a $100 meal should have been a $60 meal. We were very disappointed with this place. We were rushed out the door only having one glass of wine over a shared plate and main course. The sirloin lacked flavour but tried to make up for it with a sauce that was mediocre. The duck confit was nothing special in flavour and was definitely not memorable. The elk sausage on flat bread also lacked flavour and even presentation. We were recommended this place for a date night but we regret going. We were rushed out the door, the food lacked flavour and interest, and for the atmosphere and quality, it was over priced. It might be a place to bring your parents for a safe meal, but definitely not a date spot. read more

Best burger ever. Had it like 10 times over a period of a year, and I am very pleased with the quality and consistency.

As my go-to restaurant in Kitchener, it never disappoints. Fabulous food, great service and nice ambience. Try the tacos, they're great! So was the cranberry mule. All of the desserts are tasty but the creme brûlée was my fave. I highly recommend Borealis to anyone. read more

Easily the best bite I've had in the Kitchener area. I have been here on business and really go out to try the local fare. Our server, Conan, made this a real treat. I came here on "Date Night Wednesdays" with a coworker and we ordered the 3 course meal with a bottle of wine. The wine was a great bottle...some Boca Noir/Cabernet that was local and had a nice versatile body. For as much food as we got, it was a steal. We started off with the Cheddar Ale Dip/Chips appetizer, which was good. Our entrees were the Bison meatloaf which was the most generous cut I've had in a long time! It was just amazing meatloaf with great potatoes and a wonderful sauce. To cap the night off, I went with a Creme Brulee that was tourched to perfection. On top of that, the meal was served with top-class service that allowed us to enjoy our meal to the full extent. If you want a delicious menu with great but not overbearing variety, go here. read more

A couple of us had attended during a lunch break. The building used to be an old school house, and if you are seated upstairs you can really notice. We were upstairs and the decor was great, old tin ceiling, nice antique wood floors and old pictures of the school house and students. Another great thing is that all the ingredients are local to Ontario, grass fed beef, local cheese and veggies. All 3 of us ordered the old smokey burger, and man was it good. The burger was nice, thick and juicy, you could really taste the smoked cheese and spices. The bun ( again couldn't eat) was an artisan bun, and i was reassured that it was delicious. The service was quick and we were all stuffed that it was hard to stay awake through the afternoon. Now because we all had the same thing, I can't really comment on other dishes, except one of the gentlemen that joined us for lunch, had ordered the squash/apple soup and a steak the previous night, and he said he loved it. As for prices, they are a little high for some things, aprx $15 for the burgers, but I guess the soup, salad, and steak was only $35, which is pretty good. I highly recommend eating here the food was great, and all ingredients sourced locally which is nice to see. read more

I have eaten here twice now and had to leave a review because it's awesome. I have eaten at the bar both times and the bartenders have been helpful, attentive and knowledgeable. It was freezing outside so I ordered the French onion soup. It must have looked really good because before I even took a bite, the couple next to me asked me if it tasted good! They then proceeded to also order 2 cups for themselves. I wanted the fish tacos - I asked if they could be grilled or something other than fried...the bartender gave me 3 different ways they could cook the fish - to which I chose blackened - and then she asked if I wanted them in a tortilla she'll or lettuce wrap. Mom not a carb person, so I chose lettuce wrap - they were crazy good! The manager was all over the place, so you knew he was involved and on top of it. Food made on site with locally grown products - you can't go wrong! read more

Borealis is probably my favourite restaurant in the Cambridge area. The very often used slogan think globally act locally is taken to heart by this lovely restaurant since all food and beverages at this reataurant are supposedly sourced locally to the Waterloo Region or within Ontario. The food is consistantly great with some variation in menu items based on local avilability and the chef. The drink menu has a pretty decent selection of Ontario beers and wines that wil keep your thrist quenched. Service has never been a problem but it has never been stellar either. The interior is a converted period building of some type, I believe it was a school house at one point and evokes a great atmosphere which also features a large concreate patio out front of the restaurant. Make sure you check out the specials as there are often great drink deals on. I'd like to give this place 5 stars due to its excellent combination of food, drink and atmosphere with local touch but the price point is a little too high to keep coming back regularly so 4 stars from me, check it out! read more

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