Good first experience. Food could be improved, but great value. Great service. A little dated decor, but a gem to see nowadays. Washrooms need better maintenance. Kids eat free after 2pm on Sundays. Variety of daily deals. Came in around 3:30 on Sunday for late lunch, it was quiet as it was in between dining times. Our server Athina was very lovely. Room: 5/5 Decor is a bit dated but such a gem to see the beautiful paintings. Clean, open room. Cozy feel but actually has plenty of seating. They also have a good sized patio, to catch that last bit of summer. Food: 4/5 Flavour of our meals were decent, the only issue we had was that the proteins were quiet thin, resulting in being overcooked. Happy Hour Dinner 5oz Striploin meal, came with app, entree, and dessert. Steak came with roasted potatoes and veggies. Slightly overcooked steak, but for $25 this was a great value. Got a caesar salad and tres leches for this combo. The dessert was fantastic! Teriyaki Salmon Salad, salmon came on a bed of salad. The salad had lettuce, a few cucumber slices, halved cherry tomatoes, raw broccoli,and mushroom slices. I chose the honey mustard vinaigrette, it was delicious and paired really well with the fish. Kids meal chicken tenders came with fruit cup, drink, and dessert. Chicken tenders were so thin, they were quite overcooked and hard. Little one loved the brownie and ice cream dessert. Washrooms: 2.5/5 One of the ladies stall did not have toilet paper, and the floor was very sticky, felt very grimy just going in to wash our hands. They did have a robust paper towel dispenser, and positioned disposal bins by the sink as well as the main door leading to the washrooms, very considerate for those who wish to open the door with the paper towel on the way out. I would love to try a pasta next time. read more

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I went to Symposium on Saturday December 6/2025 for dinner i didn't find there Alfredo that good i ordered the French fries The service was ok The ambiance was nice painting coving the walls read more

Symposium Cafe Restaurant Ajax - Ice cream & whipped cream & a chocolate brownie - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Ajax, Ontario

What a great evening at the "Symposium Cafe!" My now boyfriend asked me to his official girlfriend that night. We were honoured to be served by Serrai. Serrai was very attentive. She would come check on us, to make sure we were good. We both ordered the simple burgers and drinks. Wine for me and beer for him. The manager Chris also came over to check on us. Hes very friendly and made us feel very comfortable. The restaurant was clean and bright. Serrai and Chris you're both awesome. We will be returning. read more

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Great food selection and service with a smile The ambiance is amazing too. I have been there a few times. This year the heating system was not working properly on December 26th and the technician was delayed due to the weather. The staff offered cups of coffee and tea to keep us warm lol read more

Went with our 5yr old-got seated at 2:57 but because server came at 3:02 we didn't qualify for half price drinks before 3. Kids eat free after 3-but we got charged. Asked for a carrot stick with the chicken fingers for the 5 yr old and was told they could only give half the fries if they gave her one carrot stick. Ordered no lettuce or pickle on my burger got shredded lettuce mixed in with the bbq sauce and told I only said no pickle. Apple square was dried out/old, chocolate lava cake had no lava. We asked for lots of vinegar, were given one little cup to pour on, no shaker, and told we could ask for more if we needed it. Bill with tip $227.17.... Should have gone to the Keg for steak instead of burgers, and not be made to feel like every request was a huge problem we had to barter for - very unwelcoming place.... sent them a email last week but they didn't bother to respond so I can only assume this is normal for them. read more

We went to Symposium as a group of 12. It was vegetarian night which meant if you ordered from that menu you got a free dessert. Service was great but the food was not. I had the zucchini Mediterranean noodle bowl with shrimp (asked for no olives). I got a bowl of zucchini noodles, 6 tiny shrimp, a handful of tomatoes and a lot of olives swimming in a lot of juice and it cost $25. It tasted ok but was way overpriced and definitely not worth the money. read more

Breakfast spots are kinda rare in the Ajax area! Checked out Symposium Cafe and it wasn't bad. It's a pretty busy spot for a Saturday. Ordered the Fried Chicken Eggs Benny, thé eggs were basically hard boiled which annoyed me and the chicken was so dry, but other than that it was okay. Keep Eating, Angele read more

Symposium Cafe Restaurant Ajax - Fried Chicken Benny - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Ajax, Ontario

I have to give a five star with how well the servers handled our group of 15 and 2 young kids running around. The service was amazing! The kids got birthday brownie sundaes for their birthday celebration. The food was good, burger wasn't anything special but the sweet potato fries were amazing!!! So much better than the regular. And the spinach dip was great as well. read more

Symposium Cafe Restaurant Ajax - Burger and sweet potato fries - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Ajax, Ontario

Brunch is my favourite meal of the day. I ordered Egg Benedict with the option of salads, mixed fruits or potatoes on the side. The food portion and the patio outside? I'll give them 4 stars. I asked for another cup of coffee but I was disappointed coz its not strong like the first one, I even thought the waitress have given me tea, the colour is even light. I drink water instead. The coffee part? 1 star only read more

Symposium Cafe Restaurant Ajax - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Ajax, Ontario

Food was pretty good, tasty and reasonable portions. Our waitress seemed absentminded, maybe she was new. I ordered the peqch/mango (?) martini and I swear it had no alcohol in it. I can usually tell within a few sips. Disappointed that I spent $8 on puréed fruit. The bathrooms were disgusting, watery soap that didn't lather, couldn't get paper towels out of the holder and just a general grossness about it. Don't think I'll be back to this particular Symposium. read more

I used to love symposium in ajax and then they changed owners and it went downhill. The food was cold

Went in for a super late brunch (3:30) so it was quite empty here cept maybe 4 other tables seated. It's a huge place with really neat decor and music to match. I can't comment on the lunch or dinner food since we stuck to breakfast but isn't it nice to find a place that's offering breakfast at almost 4pm? :) Food was decent. We had French onion soup which had a nice broth but they don't use Gouda and the bread is put in much too late. Still tastes like bread and hasn't soaked any flavor. They could keep it all in the oven a few minutes longer so it's got that traditional baked quality. The boyfriend ordered eggs Benny which he seemed to enjoy. I had the French toast which was much larger than I thought haha. I got the one with the white chocolate cinnamon sauce which tastes pretty good! The toast was a bit burned and lacked real flavor. Tastes like white bread grilled after a quick batter dip. Still, I found it was a nice breakfast :) Service here is nice. The waitress was a bit cold and unfriendly at times but the hostesses would come check up on you which was a nice touch. I definitely want to come back and try some dinner/lunch savory dishes. But it's a nice place. Good, but not special or outstanding. Nice cafe to visit once in a while if you're hanging out in Ajax. *Wish they wouldn't use undiluted Windex to clean the tables... Smells heavily while we're trying to eat.. but nice that they really do keep the place very clean** read more

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Cake, cake, CAKE! Sunday is 2 for 1 cake slices! HELLS YEAH! Know how much I love cake? I've never eaten anything else at this place....until now. I've been to different Symposium locations, but didn't feel it was fair to only blog about one of the many options on their menu! Breakfast sounds like a good place to start. It was a busy Sunday afternoon when we arrived. The place was stylin' with leather seats and an ancient Greece type theme. Each one I've been to has the same theme, but they're all beautifully designed including the most important feature...the cake display. We didn't make it past the breakfast menu before we had made our selections. I chose the Tuscan Benedict and my mom chose the Mississippi Benedict. The Tuscan had 3 poached eggs with Hollandaise sauce upon spears of asparagus on toasted English muffins smothered in grated smoked gouda. The Mississippi had 3 poached eggs with Hollandaise sauce upon spears of asparagus laying upon thin crab cakes. Wow. Just wow. The eggs were perfectly poached and the Hollandaise sauce was rich; not too salty with a hint of sweet. Delish! The smoked gouda made my day! My mom, the seafood queen, was sad the crab cakes were so small, but she still enjoyed the meal. We both polished off all of the breakfast potatoes. Seasoned and addicting! We were both impressed with the quality of the food as well as the presentation. It's cake time! You will not be disappointed; they have a cake slice for everyone! When you ask your server for cake, they will take you on a CAKE TOUR! I'm not joking! You are guided to the aforementioned cake display case where they name off each cake and you are free to ask questions about them before making your selection. You know how most restaurants have the same desserts? Well, it looks like you have a new dessert addiction to feed (I know I do!). These are not your average cakes. The variety changes often! Great quality and service! Check it out! read more

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My experience: The environment: beautiful, clean, relaxing, serene The staff: Amazingly friendly So on top of everything & so friendly to the customers! The coffee: Nice, strong, & smooth My meal: The potatoes have a very beautiful seasoning & crispness to them and are cooked to perfection The eggs Florentine is ACTUAL PERFECTION The eggs are ACTUALLY poached very nicely, The hollandaise sauce is smooth, rich, creamy, & flavourful. The spinach, is steamed very nicely (it's soft, not a soggy mess) Even included an orange & fresh ground pepper Plus my food was out very quickly Honestly, I'm still eating but so far 10/10 experience read more

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Had an absolutely delicious lunch at Symposium on the weekend. Was impressed by the decor and the service, was relieved they were checking vaxx ID's. They have a really large menu with tons of options and breakfast served until 4pm which enabled me to have lunch and my dining partner to have breakfast. I had the chicken parm sandwich with poutine and it was absolute delicious and filing. The gravy on the poutine was really tasty and the chicken parm fillet was perfectly done and sauced just right and the bun was warm and just perfect for a chicken parm. Totally recommend this spot. read more

Not too bad. We were hungry and tried the wings, a caprese like flatbread (I believe), and some items on the kids menu. The only thing a bit lagging was service. We sat on the patio in the sun - not much of a view but lots of comfy chairs and umbrellas. Menu is large and in charge. We decided on those appetizers listed above. The wings were really good - I believe we tried a Thai sauce. They were moist and perfect. All the food took a little to come out - which to me showed they made them fresh. Overall, I'd return. read more

Went the the Symposium Restauant for their Thursday night special two can dine for $65: the spinach appetizer was alright. Rays steak Dianna tasted like like it was precooked and just warmed up his. Eggies were vey under cooked but he likes the really crisp. My chicken cutlets were heavily breaded very crisp and small in size and the fettuccine noodles so dry I had to ask for more sauce. We were not given a choice of desserts, the waitress just picked it and it was a Nutella strawberry banana crepes. The crepes seem a little stale and hard to actually cut which was disappointing. The restaurant was almost empty with only maybe five tables inside and out with customers. Now I know why. Would never go back their again it certainly was not work my $81.00 bill came to and then the tip on top of that, Just a heads up to a bad restaurant. The restaurant has no read more

So I've been here a few times now I usually get my sweet potato fries - they're perfectly crisp and delicious! I can literally come here and finish the whole serving; on my own. Update: this time I came I was really disappointed with the fries, they weren't filled as they usually are in the plate and the sauce is usually a chipotle - not happy :( I recently tried the vegetarian pad Thai and I must say it's filled with flavour and the peanuts on top give it that perfect crunch. In terms of dessert I've hard the Ice cream with fruit on top but I felt like their ice cream wasn't fresh. It tasted like it was in the freezer for quite some time. The staff are all polite. Out of the three times I've been here I've had one bad experience with a staff member - she never came to check on us and we'd have to flag her down every time we needed her, on a not so busy day read more

Symposium Cafe Restaurant Ajax - The sauce is usually filled but....... - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Ajax, Ontario

Went there with a friend to study. I called in and spoke to the manager Zacky in the morning asking if we could come in for breakfast at 11:15 or 11:30 since we were in class and going to miss breakfast which ends at11. He agreed. We got there and he personally helped to set up some seats for us in the beautiful patio where there was an outlet for our laptops. Our server was Jessica. Probably one of the BEST servers I've ever had. She was nice, personable and not annoying (didn't come to check up on us more than needed). We ordered the Eggs Benjamin with home fries. It was made to perfection as always. The home fries were fresh not hard, brittle or cold. I also ordered the Cesar which was on special which didn't taste the best nor was the presentation off the hook. They didn't beat Jack Astors. We were out there for about 3 hours and they came to tell us that it was about to rain. They seemed more worried about our laptops and electronics than us! They arranged for a corner seat inside for us that was secluded a little with yet another outlet!!! YES THEY ARE AMAZING. We left after a total of 4-5 hours and no complaints from them. Talk about AMAZING CUSTOMER SERVICE! read more

Symposium Cafe Restaurant Ajax - Eggs Benjamin with Home Fries Try the fries with my own made up sauce: mayo, hot sauce and BBQ - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Ajax, Ontario

We came to Symposium for late breakfast on a Sunday after reading nice reviews on yelp. The address was not exact, so we were searching a little. Restaurant will surprise you with decore, which is in old italian style. We wanted to sit on the terrace, but came too late and it was full. Inside was really chilly in my opinion. Our waitress was very charming during the service, although we waited for a really long time for the bill, even after everyone was done eating. I had a fladbread with grilled vegetables and I also tried the flatbread with chicken, pesto and artichokes. Both of them I would highly recommend. We also shared a fresh mango juice which was absolutely delicious. Everyone else had a breakfast meal and everyone liked it. Although its not one of the cheap options in the area, we all enjoyed our meal and we will come again. read more

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You can never go wrong with symposium... I love symposium for its variety menu and cozy environment. I came here last night to catch up with a friend and it was the perfect atmosphere. It wasn't too busy for a Thursday night during the holiday season but not to the point where it was unusually dead. Our server was great. She came to check up on us frequently to make sure everything was okay, and food came at a decent pace. I ordered the East Meets West waffle which was yum. Their food is pretty affordable too in comparison to some overpriced restaurants and dessert places. Though my waffle came with two scoops of French vanilla ice cream instead of what was supposed to be one chocolate and one vanilla, it wasn't such a big deal but maybe it would have been nice if that was acknowledged. But the waffle was made great, and the strawberries and bananas were fresh. I really enjoy the environment here, as it's a good noise level and nice ambience for sitting for extended periods of time. It's a cozy place to come for group meetups or even just to study. read more

Symposium Cafe Restaurant Ajax - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Ajax, Ontario

Love the calamari here My fav appy Burger is decent as well along with the wraps Fav night is still Sunday for the two for one cake slices However the Harvest Sensation crepe is the cream of the crop for desserts here read more

We were part of a large group, so we had a prearranged menu to choose from. I had ordered the Greek chicken with salad. The chicken was a little dry but flavorful. Unfortunately a few people ordered the steak choice and their meat was tuff. The appetizer platters we had ordered for the table was sparse. The calamari was very small but tasted good. The grilled vegetable flatbread was delicious. As this was Sunday they had a few specials like half price on wine. Select appetizers were specially priced, and desert was buy one get one free.. Good options if you are trying to save money. Staff were very nice and helpful. I have been to other Symposium locations and I have enjoyed the food. My favorite is their carrot cake. Sooo yummy! We past on desert as we had a special occasion cake. My real only negative is that the restaurant is very noisy. The music is too loud. You add that to the din from other tables and it makes for difficult conversation........ If I could make a suggestion to take down the background music a few decibels. All in all we had a very nice family occasion. read more

Came here for brunch with my step mom. It was great! I love the atmosphere and reasonable prices. We got sat right away but it was very busy! The chairs were comfy and there were really cool paintings on the wall. Had some really interesting breakfast options with tons of cool variations of eggs Benedict. The waitress was friendly and came by multiple times to refill the coffee and ask how we were. read more

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Is your sweet tooth as hungry as your belly? Then go here to feed them. French fries come out fresh and the gravy is enough for three batches of fries. The half pound burger is truly a 1/2 pound never have I had portions this filling in a restaurant like this. The chicken parm is not for those with small stomachs. If you plan to have dessert this is a dish to share. My sweet tooth unfortunately didn't get to satiate it's hunger. My stomach couldn't get passed that chicken parm. But I will return!!! The staff were friendly and professional. The atmosphere is very family friendly. Go ahead feed that hunger! read more

Symposium Cafe Restaurant Ajax - Symposium Burger and Chicken Parmesan - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Ajax, Ontario

Had the fish tacos and sweet potato fries. the fish tacos were the freshest I have ever had. Julienned green peppers and carrots etc. It was delish! And the swwet potato fries were the best I've ever had. I will be back! Thank you. read more

Our team had a breakfast meeting in Ajax at Symposium. The food was great and the service was excellent. Starting with espressos and lattes (and one herbal tea) it was so much more relaxed and nicer than our rushed paper coffee cup and donut meetings. They open at 8 and if you come before 10 like we did there's an early bird special. we had bacon& eggs - peameal bacon, western sandwich, French toast and fruit and Cuban sandwiches which were DELICIOUS!!! Noce place for a weekend brunch too because you can have a large group in the restaurant - mimosas and Caesar special from 9-3 but boss is sant having it. read more

We love Symposium and the Symposium desserts. Hummingbird Cake is the best but i'm biased bc I love pineapple. Our group ordered the new cheesecake and it was amazing to. It looks simple and plain, but we all agreed that the taste is delicious. If you like coffee desserts the Affogotto looks so beautiful and my italian cousin said it was perfect. She described it as a grown up adult coffee milkshake. It was gone before we remembered to take pics. Another plus is Symposium is open later than most places so you can be together longer. We stayed a bit later but the staff was ok with that. read more

Great atmosphere and delish big portions! We ordered chicken wings, pulled pork quesadilla and fetichini Alfredo with chicken. We were stuffed but couldn't pass up the BOGO dessert offer. Both cake slices were so yummy and of the chocolate variety. Some of the add on items like tea ($3) and adding chicken to the pasta ($5.50), I find a bit higher than average. But overall, a good value. I took advantage of the bar special and ordered a $4 vodka soda. Settling the bill, tends to take a bit longer than necessary (both times I have been it is about 15 mins from the time the bill is dropped to the time the server comes back to settle). read more

Symposium Cafe Restaurant Ajax - Sweet Chili Wing - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Ajax, Ontario

The first time I went here we had beer and flatbread on the patio and it was amazing. My second visit for lunch however, was horrible. They had amazing pictures of Daquiris so I ordered the sour cherry one, instead I got a watery, foamy mess with no flavour. Asked the server to fix it and it wasn't much better. The sesame chicken wrap I ordered was so ice cold it hurt my teeth. On the bright side the mussels and soup we also ordered were good. Overall not worth the 'finer dining' atmosphere and pricing they give off. read more

Symposium Cafe Restaurant Ajax - Sour cherry daiquiri picture vs. real life - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Ajax, Ontario

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I don't know about this place you guys. Seriously. I'm so torn between a 2 and a 3 based on the fact that I was apart of a large group but I think I'm gonna take the lower here because the food was of such a poor quality. We were a group of about 20 or so, so understandably not an easy task for the staff. The staff were the winners here, and definitely worked hard to keep the train on the track. That said, the staff approached our group with "a plan" which they kept assuring would keep orders straights and limit mistakes. The plan worked on the front end for "taking" orders, but on the back end it was a hot mess. I had ordered the Jack Daniels Steak off the set menu they provided our group and subbed a Caesar salad for the steamed veggies. I provided my order so that it could easily be distinguished from the rest of the group who ordered the "steak". As mentioned their plan fell to shit as soon as the first order rolled out. They had no idea what food went where. I was asked if I ordered every food item except for what I actually ordered. My fiancée was the only one to order the pasta and that didn't come out for ages either, in fact they tried to give her steak on three separate occasions. I knew not to expect much from the food, but their kitchen even managed to disappoint my adjusted expectations. The jack Daniels steak was maybe 4oz of very tough chopped up poor quality beef (hardly a steak), poorly cooked and hard to cut and worst of all covered up with a ton of watered down BBQ sauce. Yep, bottled BBQ sauce on a small shitty cut of beef. Divine. To make matters worse, They couldn't even execute a Caesar salad properly. The creamy, bottle dressing wasn't even mixed through and sat in clumps throughout. Shit show. Top to bottom. I'm a fan of Symposium for desserts and coffee and maybe even the occasion breakfast, but what a train wreck for lunch/dinner. Definitely won't ever return and given the choice... go somewhere, anywhere else. Blegh... Front of house Staff were the only thing who saved them from a flat out 1 star. Eatcrest out read more

Came here on a whim for breakfast with my fiancé and ordered myself some French toast and a coffee, and he ordered eggs I believe. Food was subpar when compared to our usual breakfast spot. For the money we paid, I don't think we would visit again. The service was extremely long and it took us an additional 30+ minutes just to PAY for our food. read more

I have been eating in this restaurant a few times with my family and friends. i like the dining room which is spacious which is particularly important for social distancing. The foods and service are good for a cafe restaurant. I would have given them a four- star rating had they not shrunk their food portion by that much. I don't think seven small chicken wings would make a pound as described in their menu. read more

Whole family finds this a very nice place to dine. Atmosphere, menu variety, and decor are above average. Therefore, the prices are slightly excessive during regular dining hours. Best value is the early bird specials. Pros are that they use real unprocessed vegetables not corn, broccoli, cauliflower. You'll see carrot sticks cooked, red peppers, baby bok choy, and even asparagus, amongst other selections. Most places serve those rubber mini mutant carrots that don't taste like carrots, among other mixed regular veggies. The meats, sauces are very tasty. Usually busy, and if well staffed, service is as expected. Never had a bad experience here. read more

I like to eat here in the summer and sit out on the patio. The servers are very friendly. The fries come with basil mayo. They have daily specials, it's always a nice surprise when they have 2 for 1 cake. I love having the cake and coffee, cap or latte. Sometimes they have great off-menu specials, like baked fish with mango salsa. It's a nice spot for a casual date or catch-up with friends. read more

From the moment we walked in, the staff was very friendly and accommodating. They quickly sat us and our waiter was great. She was very knowledgeable about the menu and very friendly! We got the crab cakes for an appetizer, and they were soooo delicious. I have never had crab cakes before, but I have been craving these since! Definitely getting some next time I get back. For my meal, I got the crispy chicken wrap with a tomato vegetable soup. It was delicious! Overall we received great service, the restaurant was very nice, and the food was delicious. I will definitely be returning with my family and friends! read more

Very pleasant dinner service with Jennifer as our gracious waitress the other night at the Ajax location.

The restaurant has an awesome atmosphere along with nice decor. The staff are quite friendly. I'm not too sure what people are talking about when they say the waiter "interrupts" their conversation. I guess if they left you alone then someone would complain about the staff not being attentive enough. Anyway, the food is spectacular however, I'm not too impressed with the portions. Nonetheless, it's quite good and delicious. If you are in the area, you must try it. It's one of the edgy cafe we got in Ajax!! read more

European themed Cafe. Great for desserts & tea and coffee. Had the symposium burger. Super juicy and very filing. Wait wasn't too long & service was friendly. There are many things on the menu. Would say that this is a higher end restaurant. Only downside is the cleanliness of the restrooms, other than that the rest of the restaurant looks clean and the decorations are attractive. read more

Food was delicious and they have great early bird specials. The zucchini noodles were amazing. The mules were refreshing.