I was up in Muskoka and we came here for dinner on a Saturday around 5pm and easily got our choice of seating but probably best to make a reservation just in case during prime time. I had my initial hesitations thinking it might be some basic pub food. Who knew this restaurant out in Gravenhurst is better than many Toronto restaurants in the city. One of my fav meals in a while. The Oar recently undergone a new concept change to Lamorna. While they still kept the Oar as their name given the familiarity and reputation of the previous restaurant concept, the menu and indoor decor has completely changed with a new chef in the last couple months. The menu is farm to table and it rotates weekly, and I can really taste the difference, which explains the more premium but reasonable price. Note a burger will always be on the menu and we really like their dry age burger, rich and the accompanying (what looks like hand/in-house cut) fries are so delicious, I wouldn't mind ordering more on the side. We also dined at their outdoor patio so our pups could dine with us. They so kindly brought over a water bowl for the dogs too! Towards the end of the meal, chef Ben came out personally to greet us and we can feel the passion and care he puts into his food. We asked about how he came to this restaurant and his inspo for his food and he told us it's from his travels. eg. why the schnitzel is thicker because he enjoys the thick katsu he had from Japan. He told us he recently sold two of his restaurants and decided to head up this restaurant after his travels. The chef actually goes around and sources ingredients directly from the farms and locally. We also appreciated the fresh pasta and thick cut schnitzel. We also absolutely love the eggplant and the croquettes too. Actually everything we had was a highlight and that's rare for me to find all the dishes impressive at a restaurant. Highly recommend order their bread service so you can use the bread to clean up the sauces from the remaining plates, as it's not included by default. I also love the charm of the plates and cutlery. They open a box of different knives you can pick a knife to use all vintage/second-hand and gave the feel that it's from grandma's home. Highly recommend this spot! The attention to detail, quality and personal service makes this spot special. read more

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I can only concur with the comments of a most recent review. What might attract many is the Farm to Table concept and a talented chef who is committed to his calling. We were more than pleasantly surprised to be offered some sophisticated options for starters and main course that were not menu options. With access to fine dining somewhat limited in Cottage Country we accepted the challenge. The starter was a perfectly cooked fresh Newfoundland scallop served with a delicate rich pesto toasted panko breadcrumb dressing. My main course was a homemade cappelletti pasta with fresh peas sautéed in a delicate sauce.. My companion ate from the menu with the Arctic Char which was slightly on the dry side, likely finished off in the oven, but fine by Gastro Pub standards. The wine selection was uninspiring and low range but relative to the overall dining environment so I went with a pleasant locally brewed beer and my companion an indifferent Ontario Chardonnay. Service was excellent, attentive and friendly. Outside dining was available but likely for more casual diners. Dining inside, for me being the preferred option, but on this occasion did tend to be on the the noisy side but that was down to the patrons. Nothing pretentious here, no doubt credit to the chef and staff . Definitely worth a visit and reservations although likely not 100% essential daytime are recommended for evenings . This place is an oasis in a desert of upscale dining.....worth at least a 25 to 30 km drive! The overall emphasis here is that this place is based and built on team work with the utilization of both local food and staff....it succeeds ! read more

This place was unassuming and rustic, to be honest when I walked up I was scared that it was going to be a mediocre meal. All of us were delightfully surprised by the food and the overall experience. They had picnic tables on the patio and plenty of tables/booths inside + a bright large enclosed room beside the patio. Service was warm and friendly, who was attentive to my son and my family. She recommended the burger. They patty was grounded in house and seasoned perfectly and you can choose the fries, salad or daily soup as a side. You can also upgrade to poutine or onion rings (which looked good from a nearby table). Spring salad was well presented and fresh. Prices were higher than comparative restaurants in Toronto (eg Poutine is $15) but it feels like everything in Muskoka is pricier! A gem in Gravenhurst, I would recommend to stop by on your way in/out of Muskoka! It's also right across the street from Sawdust Brewery if you fancy a brew before or after! read more

My wife and I spent our 14th anniversary in Gravenhurst, enjoying the Steamship, Muskoka Discovery Centre, et al. Decided to have dinner at The Oar and wow, easily one of the best dining experiences we've ever had. My wife had the duck confit, I had the oven roasted chicken stuffed with sun-dried tomatoes and goat cheese. Lime margarita and Riesling to drink. Unbelievable flavour, excellent service, just a joy all around. We'll be back! read more

We stopped for lunch on the way back from Algonquin. The Yelp reviews raved about Boar and Venison burgers which made Oar and Paddle a attractive option for a lunch break. Oar and Paddle ooks like a charming mix between a classic Canadian restaraunt and a sports bar. The service was wonderful. The waitress was friendly and helpful. The food was disappointing. The game-meat burgers which brought us there in the first place are no longer on the menu. I had to settle for an ordinary hamburger which was a little dry and at best average. read more

The Oar - Lamorna - Canadian (New) Near Me - Gravenhurst, Ontario

Came in for dinner on Saturday to celebrate my wife's 31st. The staff were super friendly and welcoming. We ordered the bread with Compound butter, an Oar burger with a caesar, chicken karaage Sandwich with seasonal salad and the cheesecake, The chef is clearly more than happy to embrace bold flavours and bring them to balance. All of our dishes were spectacular. We actually spent a good amount of time talking about how much we liked the decor, it's bright and welcoming and definitely reminds you that you are in muskoka. We're definitely coming back. read more

One of the few decent restaurants in Gravenhurst. Very cozy atmosphere. Food is very good. Great value for money. read more

The Oar - Lamorna - Canadian (New) Near Me - Gravenhurst, Ontario

Great service and excellent food. Burger was the bomb - highly recommend. Clean and roomy

On a cold fall day we dropped by Oar & Paddle for a late lunch. With all these 4/5 star review, I did have a high expectation. Waitress was really friendly and really cheering us with her smile! I really enjoyed my Wild Boar, Venison and Blueberry Burger ($17.99). Interesting flavour and the blueberry really balanced out gamey taste of the wild boar! Burger was juicy and tasty! Special of the Day: Grilled Chicken Flat Bread was meh. Tasted bland and chicken was so dry. Though the food was a hit and miss, we did have a great time! The vibe is relaxing and have a small town feel. A little quiet since we were here during off season. Beer Selection is quite good with selection from local breweries. We did not have any because we going to Sawdust just across the street after our meal! read more

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Busy and tasty Amazing desserts Efficient and friendly. This local landmark was renovated in January 2020 so brought up to date feeling. read more

The Oar - Lamorna - Ccharcutrie at the oar - Canadian (New) Near Me - Gravenhurst, Ontario

This is one of the decent restaurants I found for n Gravenhurst , Muskoka. I have never seen a restaurant offering game met for burger. Out of curiosity, I ordered a blueberry boar burger with poutine. Inside the burger, there are goat cheese, blueberries, and vegetables etc. The meat platter was thick. At my first bite, the meat did taste a bit gamey. I think I am not fond of gamey meat. Poutine, on the other side, was pretty good. The cheese cubes melted nicely in the gravy and the fries were crispy and crunchy. The service of the restaurant was pretty good. Waitresses were nice and kind to help. It's a decent place for a tourist for a visit. read more

The Oar - Lamorna - Canadian (New) Near Me - Gravenhurst, Ontario

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I had the fish and chips. I sat outside as it was a nice evening. I was just visiting Gravenhurst for the first time as I was attending a concert in Key To Bala. I was looking for a place to eat before going out. I found a place that had a high rating - and I can tell why. The service was quite nice. The waitress I had was knowledgeable about what they had on tap and what was local. The fish was beautifully done. The batter wasn't too thick and the fish was flakey; fresh and tasty. You could tell that the fish was nice and fresh. The fries were nice and crispy and the ketchup was quite nice. Overall I would recommend this place and next time I'm in Gravenhurst, I'm stopping back in. read more

Great place! Would suggest the chicken wings, so good! Poutine was pretty good too and small but good selection of draft beer. Diane was a great server, super attentive and friendly. Will definitely go back when I'm town read more

Wow. Did not expect this quality of food this far north. The true gem of Gravenhurst, the food here is spectacular. Love the ambience and service as well, super comfy and warm and the service is laid back and welcoming. We ended up going back twice the food was so great. The fried chicken, the bison burger, the chicken wings, all amazing, and their daily specials are usually killer. A must visit if you're in the area. read more

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Great place with very nice atmosphere and friendly services. We visited the place by the end of the cottage season, but still was pretty crowded. The food was really good and beer selection reflected the local microbrewery resources. I would expect slightly lower prices. Overall, If you are in the area, definitely recommended! read more

The Oar - Lamorna - Canadian (New) Near Me - Gravenhurst, Ontario

This is a cute and worthwhile stop on a road trip (or if you're in town). We were on our way home from Algonquin and craving some homey eats. Of course, I Yelped some restaurants on our route, and found this little spot in town. We ordered the burger and the kale Caesar salad. I will say that I was surprised that the prices were so high, even for Toronto standards. The portions were quite generous, and we had to take both meals to go because we couldn't finish them. The burger was a bit dry, but otherwise good. The fries were delicious, and this is coming from someone who doesn't even like potatoes. The kale Caesar salad was surprisingly good! I don't like Caesar salads generally, but this dish, creamy and topped with Parmesan and nuts, was a hit. Service was prompt and genuinely friendly, with some of that small town charm you see in movies. A pleasant dining experience for sure. I don't think I'll be passing through town anytime soon, but if I was, i would definitely be back! read more

We went back past weekend (Feb. 2020), first time in 3 years. We really loved our last visit. The food was excellent. They really have a good chef. The staff were very friendly and attentive. Very nice atmosphere inside. We would go back for sure. It is our most favourite place to eat in Muskoka area. read more

Bottom Line: Dat wild boar, venison and blueberry burger. So many noms! A gem of a find, this gastropub makes some seriously tasty dishes at some very reasonable prices. Their offerings take your usual pub affair and spices it up. As you can tell from my opening line, that wild boar, venison and blueberry burger was to die for - juicy and flavourful, over a nicely toast bun. My DC's ordered their usual burger, let me tell you that they were missing out! Another pleasant surprise from the O&P is their selection of craft beers - way to go! read more

This restaurant is a fantastic find in Gravenhurst. Innovative menu - lots of game items and local acoutrements. Hubby had the mussels to start and the bison strip loin (special). We couldn't believe the size of the steak -- it was a great offering and sooo flavorful. I had the escargots to start and the ostrich steak with foie gras. Both were fantastic - escargots were done with Double Smoked Bacon, Shallots, Roasted Garlic, Cherry Tomatoes, Spinach Finished with White Wine and Lemon Juice, Crustini -- not at all greasy so was able to really enjoy the flavor of the escargot. The foie gras with the ostrich steak was great also. Service was pretty good until we got to dessert. As it got busier, a number of tables filled up on their patio. Our waitress got very involved with them and we sat for a long time deciding whether to have coffee and/or dessert. As it happens, we waited so long, we realized that we didn't really want or need either, so just got the cheque. There were only three servers (not sure if the third was the server -- may have been the manager -- and kudos to him for helping out). So -- what did they do well? - the food - the food - the food What was not so good? - the wait - the wait (need more wait staff). In general we would go back, but be prepared that when they get busy you might wait quite a while for service. To the restaurant -- well you could have sold us on more, but with the wait - we actually probably were better off not having those extra calories. Not sure who really won on that one. The mains vary in price -- but it was well worth it. We saw lots of folks with fish and chips, which looked good but we were very happy with our choices! read more

Yummy fish and chips! Lovely local spot. Great fries and friendly service. Will definitely return!

Family day long weekend, stayed in Gravenhurst for one night and came to Oar & Paddle for dinner. Pretty straightforward, good food, good service, good beer, huge portions. The food was very tasty and it's conveniently located a block away from Sawdust brewery where they have live music every Saturday. A pretty good option in Gravenhurst. Be mindful, they close at 9 but overall a pretty good experience. We had the steak frites and classic burger and everything was on point. A little bit on the pricey side but it was pretty good! read more

The Oar - Lamorna - Steak & frites - Canadian (New) Near Me - Gravenhurst, Ontario

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Boston pizza don't get me started, IT WAS HORRIBLE!!! Not a single thing went right, from entry to exit. The bathroom was out of order. The service was not accommodating (the only saving grace was that I could serve my own beer) This definitely would have not happened at the oar! read more

Visited this establishment yesterday after taking a 2 hour cruise on the Steamboat. We were looking for a nice restaurant which was not too over priced. The ones down by the lake seemed too pricey for what they offered so if you are not worried about dinner with a view this is a great choice. It's on the main high street opposite the Sawdust Brewery (big yellow Muskoka chair, landmark). Restaurant has two rooms, the older part and a new front part. We were in the newer part which was bright and open. Waitress was quick to offer drinks. I was surprised that the Sawdust beer was not on tap, but the IPA was good. Overall we had a great experience, veggie dish was excellent according to my daughter and the fish and chips I had was very tasty and hot! They had live music from 6pm when we were there. read more

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Here for lunch with my parents! The menu is great! We had the fish and chips! Loved it and the service was great! Clean, friendly and very tasty food! I had the salad instead of the chips and it came with their homemade vinaigrette which was fabulous!!! My mom had the 4oz fish and chips which was a full plate size with one fish in great thin batter and French fries. My dad had the 8oz version which included two pieces of fish and a larger quantity of fries. Very filling! read more

The Oar - Lamorna - Canadian (New) Near Me - Gravenhurst, Ontario

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My favourite place in Gravenhurst! The staff rocks here...always friendly and quick. The food is amazing...absolutely love the Mushroom ravioli! And love how they have something different all the time (like shark meat!) This is our go-to place for a good meal. read more

Enjoyed a tasty home cooked meal here served by very cheery and helpful staff. Artichoke dip was great. Mushroom ravioli was flavourful and a good sized portion with good size shrimp Fried chicken was crispy and moist with great mash. Will definitely go back again read more

The Oar - Lamorna - Canadian (New) Near Me - Gravenhurst, Ontario

One of our favorite places to visit when we come up to muskoka. They never let us down no matter what we order. We've had their soup of the day which is always delicious and let me tell you about their mussels!!!! The broth is so tasty that my husband one time order extra bread not just to dip in in but put it in the entire bowl and then basted the bread with the broth so that he could essentially drink it without looking totally insane. The fish and chips are always a great bet (huge piece of fish! With and equally huge side of fries!) im glad they added the 4oz option because even that was a huge meal. The homemade tartare sauce and the spicy chipotle mayo for the fries just makes the meal that much better. The pasta options are also delicious! Chef definitely knows to put flavors together that compliment each other. Then finish that off with yummy desserts and we are always happily stuffed leaving. read more

Great little restaurant and kid friendly with kids menu... Menu has selected choices and this family restaurant has a fully equipped bar...great food, friendly staff... If you have seafood or fish allergies then the menu is limited to you!! Shocked however that they do not offer free pop refills which is $3.00/each... Over all great place and great atmosphere, a must if you are in the Muskoka area!! A+++ read more

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This place has been re-branded as "The Oar & Paddle". I had the Burger. My greatest compliment to this restaurant is that it doesn't mess with simplicity. Handpacked, good quality beef; lettuce, tomato, pickle, cheese. French fries are made with real potatoes, skin on; a little salt and nothing else. Waitress was attentive and friendly. This place has a great "go into town while you're at the cottage feel". You can show up with your buddies or your family. Enjoy read more

We were looking for a spot to eat later in the evening that wasn't Boston Pizza, and came across The Oar & Paddle. My sister has the wild boar burger, my mother had the kale salad, and I had a BLT. Good selection of beers on tap; cosy atmosphere, great ambiance. The food was good; the boar burger wasn't my taste but my sister really enjoyed it. The kale salad was tasty and my BLT hit the spot. I'll be back again next time I'm in town! read more

I made the mistake of going to Dock of the Bay last night for dinner. TERRIBLE all around! Kicking myself for not going back to The Oar which is always reliable -- great food and warm, efficient service. If you are in Gravenhurst you can't beat this place! PS - Did I mention how awful Dock of the Bay was?!? read more

If you're coming to gravenhurst I highly recommend coming here. It feels like a house and the staff are very friendly and welcoming. They have beyond meat products here as well as vegan friendly items on the menu. The vegan soup with cashew cream was good value, and perfect if you don't want something too heavy. My boyfriends enjoyed his crispy chicken burger and my other friend loved his beef burger and fries. I also recommend booking reservations before you come. read more

Our experience at Oar & Paddle was facing short of expectations. The starters were good, the main courses disappointing. In particular we had the gnocchi and the salmon. The tomatoes in the sauce for the gnocchi were clearly just coming out of a can and the entire dish was rather bland. The salmon was partly undercooked. In general, this would have been an ok dinner, but given the steep price, it only deserves a 2 star rating. read more

Great place to stop for a pint and lunch. Calamari was fresh hot and yummy! Coors banquet on draft!!! We even wanted to eat the food off other people's plates. Wild Boar burger is to die for and the fries are amazing. read more

A gem! Great food, imaginative presentation, and knowledgeable staff in a comfortable, slightly elegant room. The menu is straightforward with a dozen appetizers on one side and the same number of entres on the other. Fair pricing for the calibre of the food. Just a fabulous restaurant. read more

This a great restaurant for lunch, I had the fish & chips , and the small plate was plenty, the large ,two pieces, is a lot of food. Very good read more

Dropped by this restaurant for dinner upon arriving in Gravenhurst. The interior and atmosphere was nice. The staff was friendly. Ordered the bison burger with minestrone soup on the side. Minestrone soup was pretty good. The bison burger was solid. Reviews and even the menu online labeled this burger as "wild bison, venison, and blueberry burger" but the actual menu we were provided doesn't say that. I also couldn't find blueberries in any form on my burger; this was what attracted me to ordering it. Overall, I had a good meal here and would consider coming again if I'm nearby. read more

Great food, everything is delicious. Great atmosphere, service is great! Ev and Kelly are fantastic. Glad to have this little gem In our town. read more

Lovely little restaurant with friendly staff and prompt service. The menu is short but what they make they make very well. Prices are a tad higher than others in the area but you're getting quality. read more

The Oar - Lamorna - Canadian (New) Near Me - Gravenhurst, Ontario

Fairly good food all around! We sat outside on their cute little tables to enjoy our meals. We all agreed we would visit again if in the area. read more