I had dinner here yesterday with my husband and father-in-law before seeing a show at Centrepointe Theatre. It was ok.
I'm glad that we had made reservations because when we arrived, the lobby was full of people waiting, and people were waiting outside too. The restaurant was packed! Tables are fairly close to each other. I over heard many people at other tables saying they were also going to see the show at Centrepointe. So if there's a show at Centrepointe, I recommend making reservations ahead of time.
Chances R is very much a family restaurant. Lots of kids and lots of seniors. Menu choices are pretty benign and I'm sure even the pickiest eater could find something that they'd like.
The last time I was at Chances R was over a decade ago, and my opinion of the restaurant is pretty much unchanged. The service is excellent and the food is ok.
I had the Grilled Chicken Salad ($13.99). It was romaine lettuce and baby mixed greens with tiny chopped up pieces of red peppers, raw sliced mushrooms and a grilled chicken breast. The dressing is a house balsamic vinaigrette, which I asked for on the side and it arrived as requested. The chicken breast was really thin. It looked like it was grilled in a George Foreman Grill or in a panini press. Ingredients were fresh, and while I was not wowed by the salad, I was satisfied.
My husband had the roast chicken special ($12.99). He got his choice of dark or white meat and he chose dark. So he got a roasted chicken leg and thigh, some mashed potatoes and a skewer of grilled vegetables. He was not overly impressed with his meal. He said that the grilled vegetables tasted vinegary, the mashed potatoes were nothing special and the roast chicken was not even as good as the roasted chicken at Loblaws (ouch!). I did not taste any of his meal, so I cannot comment personally.
My father-in-law had the Prime Rib (between $18.99-$26.99 depending on the size you get 6oz-12oz). He also had a grilled vegetable skewer and got fries. He enjoyed his meal, but did comment that he asked for the beef medium rare and it was more medium well. He gave me a few of his fries and they were delicious. So crispy and flavourful, I didn't even need ketchup. I think they were twice fried and that's why they were so crispy :)
Service was excellent. Everyone I interacted with was pleasant, from the person who took my reservations over the phone, to the greeter, to our server. Our server was very efficient. The restaurant was busy but she was attentive, refilled our waters appropriately and did it all with a smile. The food also came out quickly.
My father-in-law commented that the serving staff were older and so likely more stable (i.e. less staff turnover). I hadn't noticed until he pointed it out, but it was true, while the serving staff were by no means old, they were not teenagers or the age of typical college/university students.
The place is rather loud. Decor is pleasant enough and the restaurant looks clean. It's in the College Square Plaza, so there's lots of free parking.
Chances R is a good family restaurant. It's good if you are with a mixed group with different levels of culinary adventurousness. The menu is inoffensive and will please the most conservative meat and potatoes kind of eater. However, the more adventurous may look at the menu with a twinge of ennui. I think the most creative/exotic dish is the Brie Chicken Sandwich, which has Brie and Granny Smith apples in it.
I personally would like to see some menu items with more of a creative twist or more exotic flair. However, Chances R has been around for almost 40 years, so I guess there is a place for tried and true. read more