Great food and vibe to this place. It's definitely somewhere you'll want to take visiting friends or family when in town. read more

For the third time in as many years. Gusto "lost" our reservation. We are very familiar with the restaurant (our daughter and son-in-law's wedding rehearsal dinner was held there), and we have been customers for years. We were very specific each time about where we wanted to be seated, and we were told that - without question - the table was ours. Each time we arrived to find our table had been given to someone else. Each time we arrived in time for our reservation. Each time nobody knew what had happened. So - this is our last time. We will not be back. We were being treated to dinner by out-of-town guests, and the experience was uncomfortable and embarrassing. The silver lining is that we called Cucina Urbana in Cobourg, which had been recommended to us, and they had a table available. We had a wonderful meal, close to the water, complete with wine and dessert. We will be back, Cucina Urbana. read more

Extremely Disappointing Experience - Not Worth the Visit We recently visited this restaurant hoping to enjoy a relaxing evening on the patio. Unfortunately, the experience was uncomfortable from the moment we walked in. The atmosphere felt cold not just in temperature, but in energy. The place had a dark, heavy vibe, and the staff all seemed disengaged, like they didn't want to be there. It was hard to feel welcome. Once seated, the patio heaters were turned off even though it was cold outside. When we politely asked for them to be turned back on, we were told "the manager wouldn't like that," which felt like a strange and dismissive excuse. We ordered a pizza, salad, and Caesar, and made a few simple dietary requests like avoiding pork. Our server, a mature woman who seemed more interested in being right than being kind with grey hair responded with visible annoyance and made subtle comments that made the whole interaction uncomfortable, as if we were bothering her just by asking questions. When the pizza arrived, it looked sloppy and unappetizing. The sauce was barely there, unevenly spread, and the chicken pieces looked like they belonged in a salad, not on a pizza. We kindly said we didn't want it. Instead of respecting that, the server insisted we try it first. We did, and still didn't want it. Rather than listening, she turned the blame on us and another server Jacquie accused us of being difficult and rude all because we didn't want a pizza. From that point on, staff who had been indifferent suddenly became overly friendly to other tables as if trying to prove a point that we were the problem. It felt performative and petty. When we went to pay (despite not having eaten the food), we overheard them laughing and whispering while looking at our table. Young blonde girl tossed the receipt at us without a word. It was deeply unprofessional and disrespectful. We later learned Jacquie previously worked at another local restaurant and was let go for her poor attitude and lack of professionalism. After this experience, it all makes sense. Since the new ownership took over, this place has completely changed for the worse. The service is cold, the food is mediocre, and the environment feels heavy and negative. We came for a nice night out and left feeling disrespected and judged. Do yourself a favor and dine somewhere that values its guests. We won't be returning. read more

Enjoyed a great meal, well paired wine , restaurant was very busy but the staff were very pleasant and accommodating, we where seated outside as per our walking request, I would recommend making reservations but they are not required. Great atmosphere, great food, great service even when it was peak dinning hours, I would highly recommend dinning there if you are in Port Hope! read more

Every dish was absolutely delicious and our waitress provided us with the warmest and courteous service. Beautiful ambiance and everything was very well priced. Good for families, date night, or just a casual meal. Would recommend to anyone and would come again in a heartbeat. Viola Pera - beet, pear, arugula salad was well blended, portioned and dressed. Refreshing but full of flavor. Must get. Bruschetta - crispy bread all around topped with savory yet sweet tomatoes. They did a great job with making sure the tomato's were juicy but the bread was not soggy. Pizza Al Pesto - how a pesto pizza should be. Not too heavy but very garlicky, fresh chicken and tasty panchetta and The crust was perfectly crispy and seasoned. Pizza Al Salame - another perfectly portioned and cooked pizza. Tomato sauce tasted so fresh. The meat was so thinly sliced and flavorful. Pollo Alfredo - absolutely delicious and light on the pallet and stomach. Chewy pasta, savory and yet not too creamy Alfredo sauce, and garnished with delicious portions of fresh greens. Nduja Polpette Grande - father had this and he said it hit the spot. It's a massive meatball laid on a bed of pizza in marinara sauce. Not too heavy but very filling. Whatever dish you decide to have , you would not be disappointed. Everything about this restaurant is top notch. read more

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Well the food we had was pretty good I wouldn't recommend having to go anywhere in a hurry it took us over an hour to get our main course after our appetizer was delivered thank God we ordered an appetizer we would have starved to death they don't give bread out at least not to our table I saw it going out to other tables we were ignored quite a bit on the service end. We finally had to track down our waitress to see where our food was because we were starving and it had been well over an hour. They realized they were behind on our order and did apologize but they could have offered us something for free I would think since we waited so long the place wasn't that busy the night before we came they were completely packed so we made a reservation and this was a Friday night. It was much busier on Thursday for some reason. I don't think my friend liked her meatballs had way a towel dish it was supposed to be stuffed with cheese and when you cut into it there was no cheese. I had a spicy shrimp pasta dish and basically it was the same pasta as my friend but with shrimp instead of a meatball. The food was okay. The artichokes were lightly breaded but some of the leaves were left on making that part very chewy so we had to pick those stem-like pieces out. So the food was about three and a half to four but the service really brought it down. read more

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Cute little resto but either there was no a/c or the a/c was broken. The eve of our reso was sweltering and it was difficult to enjoy the food in the heat. The CARNE TAVOLA was excellent. Everything you want in a charcuterie board. The Summer Corn Salad was fresh and thankfully not over-dressed. The fried artichoke hearts and calamari were disappointing - soggy and heavy with oil. Service was very pleasant, if a bit slow. Would probably try somewhere else next time, but would be open to trying this place again if I'm ever in Port Hope and specifically in the mood for Italian. read more

Trattoria Gusto - Carne Tavola - Italian Near Me - Port Hope, Ontario

Service was horrendous. Epically bad. Be prepared to be scolded and insulted if you ask questions about menu items, or direct your server to bring you ice and limes for your sparkling water. And be prepared to pour your sparkling water, and ask your server to take your appetizer plates. I honestly get better table service at Swiss Chalet. The food on the other hand is marvelous. Compliments to the Chef. The verde salad, the calamari fritti, and the tiramisu are truly exceptional. Our mains were also very good and portions are generous. Four star review because the food was that good. TL:DR Service was horrendous. Our waitress never introduced herself, made my fun of my wife when she asked the difference between two dishes and outright refused to clear our table; and only warmed up when it was time to tip (in a gross and superficial manner). Never once poured our drinks. Not even once. read more

Venetian Duck Wings: 5/5 The wings were fried beautifully and was not too dry or tough. They had a good balance of sweet and acidity coming from the maple and balsamic which made it hard to not grab seconds! The pepperocini was a great touch and added a good amount of spice without being overwhelming for the dish. Definitely the highlight of the meal! 'Nduja Cipolla: 3.5/5 The pizza was cooked nicely with a nice crisp to the bottom and crust. There was no surprises with the dish and was pretty standard for what a pizza goes. I'm not sure if they forgot the sausage or if they were cut too small, but it didn't seem like the highlight of the dish had a great impact. Puttanesca: 4/5 The amount of seafood in the pasta was in very abundant and was great for sharing. The mussels were a bit lean and small though, so it's unsure if they were frozen or just out of season. Pollo Al Pesto: 4.5/5 The pesto was amazingly flavourful and had great depth. In combination with the tomatoes, it added a good amount of acidity in the dish which made it more appetizing to eat. There was a lot of chicken in the dish and it was cooked nicely and was not too dry. Definitely enjoyed the different flavors in the dish. Budino Al Limone: 3.5/5 The custard was super creamy which made it enjoyable to slowly savour. As a lemon dessert lover, I was disappointed that the lemon flavor was not well pronounced which I believe definitely would have matched well with the bittersweer nature of the chocolate and caramel. Torta Al Cioccolato: 3.5/5 The chocolate ganache was super rich and creamy, and not too sweet which is perfect for a cake this size. The chocolate cake itself was pretty dense and on the drier side. It could not be eaten in isolation, but was saved by eating together with the ganache as it added more moisture to the cake. read more

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Oh my goodness, this place is good. I've been killing it lately on the restaurants. Haven't had a truly bad meal in ages. Not sure if it's a post covid thing to get us back in the restaurants but it's totally working. Came with a friend for lunch. Split a salad and grilled cheese. I love how they split it for you in the kitchen and bring us each our own plate. The salad, viola pera, was excellent. Beets and goat cheese get me every time. Just the right amount of balsamic dressing. Was excellent. Also shared the caprese grilled cheese. Flavour filled. Fresh mozzarella, arugula, tomato, aioli. Perfectly grilled. A very adult grilled cheese. So good. Service was excellent and the venue, housed in a hotel, was lovely. read more

Discrimination! The reception rejected my walk in request where it is already almost 2pm. I saw people finished lunch and left. The reception insisted all the tables are reserved . Hence I checked the online booking and there are lots of lots for the time. I totally think I am minor coloured group and rejected me to sit in. Zero star instead. read more

we drove out from vaughan, about an hour & twenty minutes to check this place out! what a gem the city of port hope has! such delicious italian food and great cocktails! *spinaci gambretto salad 5/5* baby spinnach, arugula, onion slivers, chunks of tomatoes & cucumbers, a bit of goat cheese crumble, pumpkin seeds, & juicy shrimps tossed in a lemon vinaigrette. this salad was refreshing and tasty! *olives 5/5* a nice bowl of assorted marinaded olives and bread sticks. who can ever go wrong w.olives? mmm! *meatballs 4/5* 4 juicy pieces of garlic & herbed meatballs smothered in a homemade marinara sauce w.cheese & a slice of baguette thats perfectly balanced between crispy & chewy. we thoroughly enjoyed this appetizer, but the meatballs were a tad on the tough side & not as tender. still a plate of deliciousness for your tummy! *fried artichoke 4/5* dont think ive ever had fried artichoke before, and i must say they were fantastic! only suggestion is maybe lightlt dust them w.a seasoned batter/flour to give it a little crunchon the outside. *mushroom rissotto 4/5* any mushroom lover would be in heaven with dish! generous chunks of mushrooms and grana padano cheese, with spinach! ive never spinach in a rissotto before, and wonder why people arent tossing them in there!? the canaroli rice was slightly over done but the softer texture of this rissotto was stil amazing! you can taste all the ingredients in every bite! *margherita pizza 5/5* our lovely waitress laura was not lying when she said their pizza is amazing! i love the crispy dough, hand stretched and baked to a golden crisp! we went with a traditional margherita pizza. they added slices of fresh tomatoes that when baked, just melts with every bite! we loved the generous fresh basil leaves as well! i have a slice left over which will serve as a perfect midnight snack! overall experience here was absolutely wonderful! worth the little drive to venture on out to this little part of port hope! see you again one day trattoria gusto! read more

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Trattoria Gusto is one of the best spots to visit in Port Hope. Located at the eastern end of Walton Street, it has a beautiful view of the Ganaraska River. I've been going to this restaurant for about 5 years now and I always enjoy their food. In the morning, they have a nice eggs benedict or traditional breakfast. For lunch they have some tasty paninis, pizza, or pasta. And for dinner, they have risotto, steak, or fish. The staff are welcoming and friendly so I always enjoy my visits. More about the restaurant itself, they take reservations (highly recommended right now as the COVID-19 situation has limited the number of tables) and have a small parking lot just behind the building. If that parking lot is full there's plenty of street parking as well. Fortunately, I can also give an update on what the restaurant is like during the COVID-19 situation. I went during Phase 2 of the reopening so only the patio was open. There was no inside seating. All tables were nicely spaced 2 metres apart, the staff wore masks, and hand sanitizer & wipes were provided at the front door. They're doing an excellent job so I felt completely safe when I visited. The reason for writing this review now is that small businesses like this need our support to keep running this summer. So if you can, I highly recommend stopping by for a bite and showing them some support. As an alternative if you're not ready to visit just yet, consider getting takeout or buying a gift card for a future meal. I'm sure they would really appreciate it during these tough times. read more

Trattoria Gusto - Ganaraska River, viewable from the patio and restaurant - Italian Near Me - Port Hope, Ontario

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Came in last night with my wife for dinner. We shared the beet pear salad - delicious, and both ordered the Black Cod. We live in Trenton, but love good food. You have quickly become on of our favorites. The atmosphere, Madi, our server. The food - hats off to the kitchen staff and Chef Darryl. Everything was excellent. We will be back ! read more

Visited this place during COVID. It is located in pretty town Port Hope just by the river. It is situated in the main floor of the inn. It is actually a really nice building with great views. I can tell this place would have been great for dinner as well. We visited for late lunch. Service: we waited some time to be seen and seated for a restaurant that isn't so busy. I actually made reservations as well. These days best to go that route. Especially that I wanted to be in the patio. The patio had a great view and had a cover. There was a heat wave then so shade was helpful. Once seated the service was much much better. Our server was helpful and friendly and checked up on us just the right number of times. Food: We had initially ordered calamari but changed our mind after seeing the duck wings from the guests by our table. We should've stuck to the calamari. We got seafood puttanesca pasta and chicken parm with spaghetti. Both pasta dishes were excellent. The highlight was ridiculously buttery scallops. One of the few cuisines I didnt get to try during this pandemic was Italian. I was worried about my pasta coming soggy. So this was a great first pasta meals since reopening. read more

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It's a hit and miss here for service. Then sometimes the service is excellent . The food is very good Last visit there, we waited 40 minutes until we had to ask another server "who is server? BUT, I do have to say the restaurant and patio are very nice. That's what brings us back! read more

Food was overcooked. Salmon was overcooked. Potatoes were burnt. My daughters grill cheese had mostly pesto and no cheese. Calamari serving was inadequate. For the money not worth it. read more

Both food and service can be excellent or not so great, it's strange. We've had really great meals there with excellent service but this past Monday something was off, the food and especially service was poor. Not sure why. read more

We came here on a long weekend and were seated right away. It took a while for our server to introduce herself at our table- we had already decided what we were going to eat. It also took a LONG time for the food to arrive. My bf and I looked at each other and noted "I feel like we've been sitting here forever." The food was quite mediocre. The truffle fries were some crispy, some soggy, and the truffle aioli was SO salty I couldn't even eat it. The carbonara orreciette was 2/5. The pasta was overcooked. The sauce needed seasoning. The duck sausage and pancetta were fine but every bite was a struggle for balance. With the perfect amount of pasta, sauce, and meat on the fork, it was 3/5 at best. Boyfriend said his bolognese tagliatelle was equally disappointing. The server also did not check in on us mid-meal. Maybe it's the Torontoian in me- too spoiled by efficient service, excellent food, and chefs who know how to cook pasta perfectly to al dente. Between the food and the service, I would not come back. Would not recommend. read more

Food and service were great. Will be back again. We drive from Oshawa just to go there for lunch or dinner

Came to Port Hope for a show and a friend recommended me to come here for dinner. The patio was nice overlooking the river. Ordered the chicken parm with pesto linguine which was flavourful and delicious. My husband got the risotto and that was very yummy too. Service was great and I would come back! read more

Trattoria Gusto - Italian Near Me - Port Hope, Ontario

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We came in for a family dinner last night. The food was delicious but the service was awful. They kept saying they were understaffed in the kitchen. I get jt that times are tough and it's hard to hire people. But then you should adjust your bookings accordingly. Waiting for over an hour was terrible. read more

Had the chicken Parmesan with pesto noodles and it was amazing!!! I can say it was the best chicken Parmesan I have ever tried. Highly recommend! read more

myself and a group of friends decided to go to this restaurant while we were in Port Hope from out of town, firstly the menu does not say when their very spicy Italian sausage is in something and my Mother and I ordered spaghetti and meatballs, needless to say it went back, didn't come with spaghetti either some other noodle, the server we had was terrible, we had to to in, we were on the patio, and request bread, by the time our meals were brought all our drinks were done, by the time my Mother and I got our replacement meal everyone else was done, had to ask for a desert menu and were never offered coffee. I told my friends to go ahead and leave as they had paid and I didn't want them to have to wait for us. My mother and I waited over 10 minutes at our table for our bill, I finally got her up and started to help her to the car, I was in their parking lot and would have returned, that got the servers attention! Finally got our bill and the only compensation we were offered was our desert for free. Terrible service, will never go back. read more

Visited on Civic Holiday for lunch - in sum: absolutely charming experience! The interior space has a polished and warm atmosphere. I loved sitting at the table with the big comfy arm chairs in the lounge. Of course, what about the food? We ordered two appetizers: (i) crab arancini balls served with guacamole and salad and (ii) a big plate of mussels; for the main: a plate of primavera pasta to share. After an impressive lunch, we couldn't resist slipping in dessert while we were here too: a lemon budino. The food was delicious. They use fresh ingredients that are thoughtfully put together with love and care. I loved that each dish has a hint of the chef's unique signature in that each dish contains a spin on the traditional plate, whether in the combination of ingredients or texture, that I cannot find a comparable plate-twin in Toronto (where I'm from). The dessert was splendid btw! I can only describe it as if a creamy lemon-flavoured flan and cheesecake had come together to celebrate. The service and hospitality was kind and professional. Will absolutely come back for a day trip! read more

Trattoria Gusto - Front- plate of mussels; back- crab arancini balls - Italian Near Me - Port Hope, Ontario

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I took my mom here for Mother's Day brunch. First off, Port Hope is such a lovely little town with charming ambiance. There were people fly fishing in the river next to the restaurant. Tall boots and all! So, If you're looking for a day outside the city, I recommend Port Hope. For brunch had the crab arancini (rice balls) followed by linguini carbonara. The linguini came with a fried egg on top, not already mixed in, a very nice brunch touch. To drink I had their garlic pickle caesar. It was a below average caesar, and it was just garnished with a small dill pickle. I still loved it. My mom had the eggs benedict with the potatoes and ratatouille. There really wasn't much ratatat happening, mostly just some fried veggies mixed in with the potatoes. The hollandaise sauce was really nice with a strong citrus tang and was plentiful. I like my eggs soaked, and that's how they do her here. As it was Mother's Day it was quite busy, and the staff handled it really well. NB: Normally, they do not serve brunch. PS: My mom reminded me to yelp it, which was pretty bad ass. read more

Classic Italian. My girlfriend and I love to go there for our big occasions, such as anniversaries and birthdays.

WOW, holy hidden gem......i was in town for work and wanted to grab something to eat and came across this little spot. i'm sure for locals it's well known for it's great food.......but seriously this place is beatiful, situated right on the river.....beautifully restored stone building, great food.....truly great food. i would definately stop and have lunch or dinner while traveling down the 401. 23 of 30 read more

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Food was very tasty, especially the duck wings, a must try. We are lucky to get our appetizers fast.

Food was really good. I went in August 2018 and the outdoor seating had a great view. Staff was nice. I would definitely go again! read more

Trattoria Gusto - Chicken sandwich with Caesar salad - Italian Near Me - Port Hope, Ontario

On the way to Montreal, QC, we decided to make a pit stop in Port Hope, ON, for a quick bite to eat since it was already past noon. We drove by Trattoria Gusto, and the old architecture of this particular Italian restaurant stood out among other eateries. All of the patio seats were occupied for lunch, so we sat inside. The lunch menu selection was fairly minimal but it did offer the usual fare of Italian pasta. I wanted something filling so I ordered the penne rosé ($16.00). It is a dish of penne pasta with tomato sauce and mussels. Although the pasta was a simple dish; it was wonderfully made. They did not skimp on the mussels and it was fresh. I asked for some cheese and was given a full bowl of non-grated Parmesan cheese, which surprisingly blended very well with the pasta. We were happy with our service at Trattoria Gusto. The restaurant provided a warm environment and our waitress was friendly. She offered suggestions on dishes at the beginning, and was quick to refill our empty glasses of water. Overall, the pasta portions are large and the prices for each dish are pretty moderate so you will not be breaking your wallet. Blog post at a-foodaholic.blogspot.ca/2012/07/trattoria-gusto.html read more

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Great service, very traditional Italian food. We were very surprised that there's such good restaurant in a small town.

My two neighbours and I have been trying to arrange a day together in Port Hope since last November. Today was finally going to be the day. We arrived at the restaurant promptly at noon for a reservation that had been made weeks before. We were seated quickly and our order drinks taken. A short time later, our orders were taken. And then we waited. And waited. And waited. The waitress never came back. At around 1 pm, we asked a passing waiter what was going on and were told that there was a large group being served ahead of us, but it shouldn't be long. Our waitress appeared shortly thereafter and was very curt with us when we expressed our displeasure at having already waited for an hour. She said "I am apologizing", but she didn't once actually apologize. Then she asked if we wanted to continue waiting. We figured it wouldn't be much longer, so we said yes. By 1:20, still no lunch. We finally flagged down another passing waiter and said we wanted to pay for our wine and leave. Suddenly a manager was on the scene offering to comp our wine and our meal if we were willing to wait for it. We'd had enough by then and hungry and angry, we walked out. While we appreciate the manager trying to make it right, the waitress was haughty and needs a lesson in how to provide good customer service. This was a terrible experience, and left us feeling insulted, ignored and invisible and under no circumstance will we be returning. We'll also be sure to tell our friends and family to give this restaurant a pass. read more

Bad management and insulting to guests. Had patio reservations and even though there were empty tables on the patio and no one else in line, they told us our "specific" table was taken and we had to wait! We asked the hostesses for some flexibility in accommodating us given there were empty tables but there was no can do. In the meantime, their head waiter, Carolin, who had not even been part of the conversation, suddenly accused us of insulting the staff and told us, loudly and in front of all other patrons, that we could just leave! We had no issues with the hostesses, found them to be kind and patient, and had insulted no one. Carolin was way out of line, unprofessional and rude. Reading other reviews, it seems scolding patrons and telling them to leave is part of their management style, as it has, it seems, happened to others! We nonetheless ignored her belligerence, stayed and had our dinner, incidentally at the same empty patio table they were refusing to accommodate us to. read more

We found the atmosphere to be comforting , the Staff was friendly and very speedy . The food was outstanding , the cost was more then fair. We will be back again , and will bring friends. read more

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So first of all I would say the food is AMAZING!! But the unfortunate thing is the service is terrible . I don't blame the servers I blame management!!! We booked a table for my birthday dinner for 6-30 pm . Upon arriving and being seated we were asked by server if we were in a rush to which we said no ! ( big mistake ) she said ok as there were people here who were going to the theatre and needed out quick !! She took our drinks order and when came back took our food order ! An hour and a half later still no appetizers!! People coming and going but just bread coming to our table !! Finally my girlfriend who would never say a bad word to anyone had had enough and went to complain !! Appetizers arrived about 8-10 pm ( we arrived 6-30) manager apologized and said they would take apps off the bill ( greatly appreciated) main courses arrived and we were so full from bread and apps that we barely ate much . VERY DISAPPOINTED as we really like the place but truly believe that regardless of what your plans are a reservation is a reservation and if you have theatre plans then go EARLY !! Why should we have to wait because other people can't time management !! Management should look after everyone not just certain people !! We will not be going back unfortunately. Too bad !! read more

Not too bad, aesthetically pleasing environment. Typical gastro pub. Friendly staff. Food was burnt, even when staff noticed nothing was done about it. read more

Trattoria Gusto - Dining area - Italian Near Me - Port Hope, Ontario

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Stopped in on the Way to Brockville for a bite of supper on a Friday evening. The downtown was quite busy so we ended up parking a ways away. We were seated directly and the atmosphere was warm and inviting. They seemed to have sufficient wait staff but our meals were slow to come out of the kitchen. I had a Caesar salad to start and the chicken Parmigiana as my entree. My wife had the whitefish as her entree. My Caesar was a bit bland with little garlic flavor and pale chopped Romain hearts. However both our entrees although slow to come out, were quite good. The chicken parmigiana might have been a bit nicer with a nice mozzarella or provolone cheese on top instead of the marble cheddar it was served with. The only other thing I would mention is that my beer was served in a glass straight out of the dishwasher, still wet and hot. Not a very nice way to serve a nice cold beer. All in all though quite an enjoyable meal. Will likely stop by again to sample some more of the menu. read more

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After I sent the complaint email,the manager wrote me an email Laugh at us.saying that she knew my son wanted to eat in her restaurant, but she wouldn't give it. read more

We made a reservation to this restaurant, when we went we wanted a patio seat but they didn't have one. So we made another one for 1 hour later, we get there and there are 3 people infront of usandthet wanted a patio seat too, so we got scared or worried that they would get the seat and we wouldn't so we went up and confirmed it then the 3 people infront of us got seated and before we got seated the manager started yelling at us for breaking covid protocol because we were too close to the people infront of us when we weren't then she told us that she didn't want to serve us. We were so angry that we had to wait extra time after driving for a long time to this restaurant. Although this restaurant has good food but it has bad service. Ps: The only reason we came back because it is my sons birthday and when this happened he was sad and disappointed after our complaint the manager threatened us through a email. read more