We went to the Diplomat in Hamilton last weekend for a birthday party. The restaurant definitely has a trendy vibe and it has a youthful ambience. We were greeted at the door and went through normal Covid vaccine protocol. Our waiter was friendly and personable. We had a fairly large party of 18 and he had to work two tables on his own. My girlfriend and I shared the pork belly appetizer, which was very flavourful. The juxtaposition of ingredients worked well. It just wasn't served piping hot. I had the Hazelnut crusted braised beef and it was very good. Again, the ingredients and flavours worked very well together, but I found the dish just wasn't hot enough to my liking (it could be expected when eating out with such a large party) My girlfriend went with the Diplomat salad. It was pretty good. It was heavy on the dressing and a bit sour, but that's subjective. From a flavour standpoint, it was good. Overall, the experience was good! I wouldn't suggest this restaurant for a date night since it's quite loud in there, but for a birthday dinner or a get together with friends or family, it's a nice spot in downtown Hamilton. The menu doesn't offer the most selection as well and seems to be all over the place in terms of a particular style of food. Definitely a trendy spot! read more

Diplomat - Diplomat salad - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Hamilton, Ontario

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We attended a wedding with about 75 people. The room Is split. One group on one side and another on the bar side. We could not have sit down food but instead they did food stations Which were ok. Very awkward set up and not a lot of food. More like snacks. The bar had nice selection of drinks. read more

First time at The Diplomat, walking by and decided to give it a try! My bestie and I shared the Greek Wonton Nachos which were INSANE! The Gnudi pasta and Burrata salad were also incredible! Great service and welcoming atmosphere! 10/10 recommend! read more

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Great ragoon dip, and pasta. Nice ambiance and service. I forgot to pictures of our entrees but I assure it was all gone so fast. The burger patty slipped out of my cousins husbands hands and it was not his rodeo, so that was ironic. Aside from that, wraps were great and I love the piripiri shrimp pasta! read more

Diplomat - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Hamilton, Ontario

Greta service! Friendly staff! Mark and Coltyn really stepped up!!! 100% recommend! Food was great and the drink were tasty great atmosphere read more

I am a huge fan of Diplomat's brunch. Recently Hamilton's been on a brunch/breakfast boom & ever since Diplomat opened up on top of my favorite Indian Resto (Sagarthma) I've been waiting to try it out. I came with my boyfriend on Sunday and was seated promptly. The restaurant was half filled with people enjoying their coffees and mimosas. The vibe was very positive and the band added to it. We ordered: 1. Chicken & Waffles: this dish was well made but worth the price but not something I was extremely wowed over. 2. Mushroom Eggs Benedict: This is one of the best benedict I have ever eaten. The whole dish came together to really form something that's worth returning for. The dish was filling and well presented. I took 1 star off for how extremely loud the band was. I loved their music but I was getting a headache from the volume while trying to talk to my date as well. Parking on the streets are hard as there are so many other restaurants in the vicinity. There is paid parking next to Absinthe or behind the restaurants on Wilson St! read more

This place is gorgeous. Cocktails were great, staff were pleasant but the food seems to miss the mark. We had the shrimp and pork belly skewers. Both were good. We also had the shaved Brussels sprout salad which was incredibly overdressed and the lamb shank which was overpowered by too much curry flavour. Both were ok, but I wouldn't say it was a good meal. I will come back here for drinks though. The cocktail list had great choices and the decor make it a great spot to meet up for drinks. read more

Honestly one of the best meals I've had in a long time. A great example of what Hamilton can dish up, and truly a hidden gem! Tastefully decorated with excellent service -- the server overheard that my partner and I were planning to share dishes and provided sharing plates without our asking, swapped the cutlery for each dish, and had a wonderful demeanor in giving us recommendations. It's not too loud, and it's very cozy -- it is a perfect date spot. Very reasonably priced for the top-notch food served. We started with the escargots, which were a spectacular way to begin the meal. The escargots were soaked in a delicious butter-lemon-parsley-cheese sauce that was showstoppingly good. Perfect on the garlic toast it came with. Next was the special "smash burger", a Chinese-fusion burger consisting of a solid beef patty, XO sauce sautéed onions and crispy pork and mayo cabbage, topped off with green onion. This came with the crispiest fries I've ever had in an upscale restaurant-- usually nice places have no finesse with fries, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that this restaurant made such amazing fries. It's the details. Lastly we had the heritage pork pappardelle, which was my favourite dish. I thought it would be impossible to top the escargots, but I was proven wrong by the pappardelle. Rich, sweet, salty, dripping with sauce and the pasta was perfectly al dente. This is my first time in Hamilton and I can officially say this might be the best meal I've eaten in North America in years. read more

Came here for winterlicious, we ordered spice red lentil soup and grilled black beans tofu skewers as starter, cauliflower steak and sticky northern pork rib for main, coconut molabi and grilled pineapple with cardamom sundae for desert. The red lentil soup is very good, spice but not hot! Black bean tofu skewer cooked just right, crunchy but not chewy. The cauliflower was boiled then grilled, so texture is much tender and better than cooked/grilled from raw, I didn't taste the pork as I am pesco vegetarian, my wife confirmed that taste was good too. The desserts were excellent, especially the coconut molabi, beautiful playing and fantastic taste. The only thing I think needs to improve was the espresso, the coffee bean seems under roasted. Service was excellent a read more

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Tried out this fancy new restaurant. We only tried their snacks and cocktail. Devil eggs are good. Love the cute interior and comfy sofa.

One star - because there is not a zero star. The waitress was excellent. She was attentive and spent extra time going over the menu and providing service. Unfortunately the food was underwhelming. The music was loud, thus everyone was yelling to make themselves heard contributing to a completely uncomfortable situation for having a dinner with another couple and trying to converse. The "The Winter Eats" menu was a farce. The appetizers were tasteless, the entrees were served warm at best and one meal came late out of the four allowing the other three to cool as we waited. The braised beef with pasta was bland and had very little " meat" in the dish. While the chocolate dessert and the crullers were quite good they were balanced with a cup of warm bitter coffee. If you are looking for a quiet tasty meal to enjoy with close friends NOT the spot. It is not a " cosy spot" as per their website. read more

Great place ! The food is amazing! The service is great! The drinks are great. Pricey but definitely an experience once having! And not to forget the band!!!! Amazing ! And I am visiting from Jersey so i know good food and music! read more

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Great food I take my family here ever couple months while in Hamilton But tonight have the worst service every I won't be back Very best to you !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! read more

Stopped by for a drink on the patio. All of the drinks were very tasty and service was very friendly

This place is sooo welcoming! Very nice open space featuring a patio! The hostess was nice along with our waiter. We ordered 2 appetizers deviled eggs & the crab ragoon dip, both were great choices! Our main entrees did take a long while to come out & I will admit I got a little "hangry" lol but I maintained my composure. Our waiter was very apologetic about our wait & constantly reassured us that our food would be out shortly. Our main entrees were "crispy duck wings", "Korean Undon Carbonara" & "Burger Royale & Fries" everything was delicious! I would've given 5 stars if our wait wasn't forever. ALSO the drinks are great!! read more

Diplomat - Outside patio! Sipping! - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Hamilton, Ontario

The Diplomat is a great addition to Hamilton's King William Street food scene. The restaurant is a beautiful space that is tastefully decorated with modern fixtures and furnishings. They have an open kitchen with a chefs table and that's exactly where I wanted to be seated - I always love restaurants with open kitchens! The atmosphere is fun and relaxed and the menu has something for everyone. We ordered a few different dishes including: Popcorn Chicken Beef Tataki Oxtail fried rice And the Good Advise Cocktail Great place for date night or dinner with friends! read more

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Unfortunately just not my taste in food. Most dishes are vegetarian and super hipster. My girlfriend loved it, just not for me. Beautiful place, amazing spot to come for drinks. read more

3 stars only because the venue was stunning and on a great location on the new restaurant row In hamilton. We ordered hangar steaks and they came out quite cold. They did reheat the steak and it was quite pleasant afterwards. To my suprise they didn't comp the meal. A week later i called them and explained my experience and a few days later a gift certificate arrived in the mail. Hopefully our next experience is much more pleasant . read more

One of the best meals I've had in a long time! My friends and I ordered the set menu and loved absolutely everything! Fresh flavours and delicious all around. Servers were friendly and attentive and the space is really nice. We all left happy and satisfied. Will definitely be going back! Soon! read more

My girlfriend and I visited Diplomat recently on a Saturday evening. We enjoy hitting up the various food spots around Hamilton, and some of our favourite restaurants are in and around the King William area. I can confidently say that our evening at Diplomat was one of the most amazing experiences we have had in a long time. Firstly, the atmosphere is just awesome - the perfect blend of upscae and cozy - with soft lighting and a mix of traditional and more casual 'sofa-style' seating. It's an incredibly welcoming space. The warmth produced by the interior space is echoed by the amazing staff, who are equally friendly and accommodating. Our server was courteous and professional, but still managed to crack some jokes with us and made us feel right at home from the beginning. We ordered some of the signature cocktails and decided on the grilled short ribs for an appetizer. They were so delicious and we had finished them off in a blink of an eye. For entree's, I ordered the Brick Chicken and my girlfriend went with the Hangar Steak. I knew I would love the chicken from the way it was described, and my suspicion was spot on, it was scrumptious! Flavourful, well seasoned with lots of spices, and the chili yogurt that accompanied it made a nice sauce for dipping. I can't say enough about this place. Needless to say we will definitely be going back very soon, and if you haven't been there yet, take the time to visit. You won't be disappointed! read more

This truly is a great restaurant. The food is unique and delicious! Decently priced too. The inside of the restaurant and the food is all Instagram ready. read more

This would probably be more of a 4.5/5. I really like the decor in this place; I can imagine it would be very great for events. The service was really good, the waiters were very attentive and talkative. My sister and I started with the crab dip which was certainly my favourite. It was very decadent. The wontons as chips was the perfect combination with the dip! I could've eaten it all day. We also got the lamb dumplings which were also amazing. For our main we shared the cauliflower steak. I was super excited for this but was unfortunately disappointed. I didn't love the flavour profile and it was very expensive for what it is. I will probably come back, but won't be getting the cauliflower steak. read more

Diplomat - Crab dip - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Hamilton, Ontario

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Excellent food! Very impressed. Went there with a friend for a nice meal out. As a fairly new restaurant in Hamilton on the now trendy King William St, it doesn't disappoint. We ordered the grilled swordfish and hanger steak (medium rare), and both were excellent. The swordfish was nice and meaty with a tasty miso butter sauce, and it's a fish that even non-seafood lovers would enjoy. We also got the mezze platter, which was delicious. Cocktails were on point. Spent about $100 for two people, so definitely not cheap, but nice for a special occasion. read more

This is a fabulous place to relax and unwind especially after a long day. The seats were comfy and the seating organization allowed for good conversation. The service was really good and the ambiance offered comfort class and a kindness (from the staff). I enjoyed a glass of wine and submitted myself to the cast iron chicken dish....It was juicy and full of flavour. The bathroom had individual stalls and were very clean (this is important to me). I feel if the bathroom is clean then the kitchen usually is clean also-lol that's just me....enjoy ‍ read more

The mussels were really good here. This place is a sister restaurant to the French up the road so they had the same weird reaction to my bread request. My friend ordered the risotto and he found it quite bad FYI. read more

The Diplomat is a great spot in Hamilton that has awesome events, great food and drinks and the atmosphere is amazing! I love going to the diplomat just for the vibes. They have gluten free options which is great and a wide selection of drinks which is even greater. My only feedback would be the servers aren't very helpful when selecting wines. My friend asked for a suggestion for a pairing with the cauliflower steak and we got an incredibly vague "any one of our wines are good" and then she told us the French wine was a nice French or something like that. Other than that, I've gone twice and will be continuing to go for the food, drinks and atmosphere! read more

We had a great experience here. Food, service and ambiance were all on point. Looking forward to coming back.

Had lunch there yesterday. Ordered the hamburger, frits and a Radler. Frits were made up of the little cripys bits i.e. the leftovers you usually find at the bottom of box of fries and contained numersous chunks of burnt black (essentially) charcoal which were inedible. Hamburger was nothing special, on a l bun which was not fresh in my opinion and at best nothing to recommend. Total was $38.00 and change. Ridiculous price for a meal whose fries were worse than fast food and a non-descript burger. I complained about the fries quietly and politely, no apology no remedy, nothing done. However, because I was part of a large group I was forced to pay an 18% gratiuty. Service was not worth that amount considering all server did was bring me my preordered meal (so no recommendations etc.) and drink i.e. minimal interaction. I would not eat here again. read more

There's a lot to unpack here, so I'll begin with the environment itself. The restaurant is beautiful, decor is very chic and the energy was loud and fun. We were here Saturday night for a Winter Eats dinner. Our server, an older gentleman came over promptly to introduce himself and take our drink order, that's the last we ever saw of him again. After that, Lexxus, according to the receipt, who I presume was supposed to be our server, came to take our order. I ordered the Fish tacos , the short ribs for the main and the chocolate cake for dessert. My partner ordered the duck wings, the Lamb curry and the short bread cookies. We ordered the feature cocktail too. She didn't write anything down, and had returned 5 minutes later because she forgot what our app orders were. Usually I don't care about a little slip up like this, but in the grand scheme of our experience, it matters. We get the apps, so far, so good. The tacos are decent, and my partner enjoyed the duck wings. Lexxus came to check how the first bite was. Next, the mains arrived. These were a HUGE let down. My short rib, which was sitting in a pile of congee aka rice porridge, was blander than I ever possibly imagined a meal could be. I love congee, but mine was luke warm and flavourless. The congee was in this dark sauce that I imagine was the Orange and Soy part of the short rib. I scooped the congee up in all the sauce I could muster, absolutely no flavour. I had to refer back to the menu on my phone because I forgot what the glaze was supposed to be. The beef had no hint of Orange Soy glaze and was just tender short rib meat on a bed of bland luke warm rice porridge. Was the bok Choy salted? Was there any garlic? Ginger? Who knows!! Tasted like the rice porridge it was in, bland, except for the occasional bite of pistachio. My partners lamb curry was slightly better because it was obvious that there were spices used in that meal, but he too was disappointed with his order. We realized that maybe we just weren't into Equal Parts Hospitality restaurants, and that's okay. While eating our mains, Lexxus came rather rushed and looked like she was going to scoop up our plates as if we were finished, saw that we were still working on it, then did a quick shrug and turnaround without acknowledging that we just witnessed this. My partner and I looked at each other like What was that? and continued on, with the experience becoming more unprofessional and harder to excuse. Neither one of us finished our meal and I regret not speaking up about mine in the first place. At this point I wasn't compelled to write a review, but things got worse. We got our also disappointing dessert around 920, had about 3 bites, and were ready to go. We spent the next 30 to 40 minutes trying to track down Lexxus so I could get the bill and get out. Was she on a break? Was she coming back? We were getting slowly irate and had made eye contact with several employees, including the older gentleman who took our drink order, and yet nobody sent someone over. We were being ignored. It wasn't until we were able to flag a young man cleaning tables that our server returned to our table. It was 10pm. We were very visibly annoyed, and my partner verbally let the server know that we were waiting a long time. She didn't apologize,acknowledge that we were upset, or that she was afk for 30 minutes. She brought me the machine, I tipped 15 percent, she thanked us and we were on our way. I'm okay if the food isn't up my alley, and I'm okay if the service isn't up to par, but you can't have both in the same night. The food can't be bad and the service be worse, and that's what made this experience so abysmal that I had to write about it. It was honestly a damper on our date night, and an expensive way to find out that this restaurant doesn't value its customers. I just want to warn others that in our experience, Winter Eats means sacrificing both flavor and service in exchange for a dreadful time. read more