My party of four visited during Taste of Oakville, and in hindsight, the evening foreshadowed…read moreitself early -- the restaurant's website was down with a 404 error, and we kept finding two different addresses (one apparently their old location). We eventually found it. Upon arrival, the door swung open and struck a seated guest -- a sign of just how small the space is. The restaurant was full except for one four-top (clearly ours), and we stood awkwardly in the entrance -- which is essentially inside the dining room -- waiting to be acknowledged. When greeted, we were asked if we had a reservation. We said yes. "Table for eight?" we were asked, which felt impossible given the size of the room. We clarified four, and were pointed to the only open table. No name was requested; we realistically could have just walked in and taken it. The space is starkly lit with aggressive bright white lighting that feels more clinical than cozy. The artwork is interesting and gives a gallery-like feel -- it seems the restaurant is aiming for a downtown Toronto wine bar aesthetic, but it doesn't quite land. Our table was missing water glasses, and the stemware was mismatched -- not in an intentional, charming way, but more in a "we ran out" way. Once seated, we weren't acknowledged or offered water for nearly 20 minutes. Not rushing guests is one thing; leaving them feeling forgotten is another. When our server finally arrived, the service set the tone for the evening. One glass of water was poured before he realized another was missing. He disappeared, returned with a glass, inspected it mid-pour, then walked away again (dirty glass). After several more trips and long gaps, everyone eventually received water -- about 15 minutes later. He was polite and friendly, just clearly untrained. He shared that the owner is also the sommelier, cook, and server, and that he liked working there because he wasn't expected to know much about wine -- an interesting admission for a wine bar. The owner greeted us warmly but asked only one guest about wine preferences -- ironically the only non-wine drinker at the table. The concept appeared to be sommelier-led, though this was never explained. If that is the intention, engaging the entire table is essential. That said, the wines themselves were enjoyable; the service surrounding them was not. The Taste of Oakville menu promised three curated 3-oz pours paired with a charcuterie board for two. The pours arrived unevenly and slowly, with little explanation of the pairings. The charcuterie boards were plain and inconsistent between tables despite containing similar items -- basic fruit, crostini, simple cured meats, small portions of brie, and two slices of truffle cheese. No crackers, spreads, or thoughtful touches elevated the experience, and presentation varied noticeably. Our second wine pour didn't arrive until our mains, and service moved so slowly we requested a wine list to order a bottle. We were told there is no wine list -- "we're not that kind of restaurant." Instead, all reds are $80 and all whites $70, and the owner selects the bottle for you after asking only red or white. The concept might work if explained upfront; without context, it was confusing. At one point, noticing my empty glass, our server poured me a random red -- which turned out to be the same wine as our first pour -- and then left without serving anyone else. We had to remind staff we were still waiting for our second curated pour. Nothing about the experience felt curated. The most surprising moment of the night came when our mains arrived. As we lifted our appetizer plates -- still holding olive pits, fruit rinds, and crumbs -- the servers told us not to worry about clearing them and proceeded to place our main dishes directly on top of the used plates. I'm still shocked. I wouldn't do that at home, let alone expect it at a Lakeshore, or quite frankly, any restaurant. Two of us ordered the tagliatelle, which was tasty but contained only two small pieces of short rib -- and was difficult to enjoy while staring at discarded rinds beneath the plate. The other two ordered brisket sliders: two sliders, no sides. They tasted good but left diners hungry. One guest joked they kept thinking the fruit rinds were fries -- unfortunately accurate. We tried to make the best of the evening, but it never delivered the cozy wine-and-charcuterie experience we had anticipated -- dim lighting, thoughtful pairings, something special. After finishing our meal, we requested our bills and reminded staff we were still waiting for the third curated pour. We were told "five minutes." Those five minutes never came. Eventually, wanting simply to leave, we paid a single combined bill and sorted it out ourselves. Dinner for four totaled $460. This was not the boutique Lakeshore dining experience we expected, and ultimately, it was deeply disappointing.

As an Oenophile, I was excited to check out The Wine Bar in my neighbourhood. The door was open, In…read morewalked in at 4:55 to be "Greeted" by the Owner, "We don't open till 5 o'clock".......Attitude from the get go. I looked at the menu, interesting but very pricey for the offering. I looked at a row of wine bottle partially open and simply corked, no nitrogen or air extraction.....no telling how long the wine had been "Breathing"....Days? I am puzzled by the discrepancy 5 Star vs 1 Star reviews. I have no confidence in the 5 star reviews....Friends?...Self reviewed? No serious wine enthusiast would visit this establishment...bad attitude, poor value, insufficient wine care and presentation.

A cozy and very romantic lifestyle Tapas and wine little restaurant. It's operated by a lovely…read morecouple and the business first opened in the beginning of pandemic. Most of the very pretty and cozy decorations are made by the owner. He is also the chef. The wifey Robyn is the nicest host giving us a friendly, comfortable and welcoming service. We ordered various favours of gin and tonic. They are good with very nice presentation. We ordered the Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus, Mushroom Medley on Toasts and Lamb Sliders. They are all cooked with passion. I highly recommend this place when you are in Fergus!!

They really have a good pizza oven. Unfortunately the Margherita pizza was mediocre at best, not…read moresoft enough, too salty and not tasty enough to be a good Italian pizza.

Food was fresh, Price was reasonable, hope the portion could be a little bigger…read more Service was alright, I think the girl that served us was new, but I know she tired very hard Ambiance, definitely need more space between tables, can not go in and out of my seat, and the servers definitely have trouble as well

This must be the place!…read more Our first trip to Toronto and boy did we have fun. From delicious food to sipping wine, and everything in between, Toronto was a city to explore. Ladybug Wine Bar is a cute but also sophisticated wine bar located on King Street, steps away from shopping and restaurants. We stopped in here on a snowy Sunday before our flight home. They also serve Sunday Brunch. We grabbed a few open seats at the comfy bar. They do not offer wine flights, which made this experience pretty darn expensive but SOOOO worth it. We had such a fun time and the people working were so nice, we honeslty did not want to leave. They were willing to help with our selections. We actually ordered all their Reds by the glass. I know, but there were only about 6 and we had to try them all. I like to say "go big or go home" LOL! We loved almost all except for maybe a few. We ended up also ordering a charcuterie while we sip. And of course I brought a bottle home with me. If you are ever in Toronto, please check out Ladybug wine bar, it is fantastic, you won't want to leave. Cheers!

A Hidden Gem for Brunch!!…read more I came here with 3 of my girlies that love brunch. Everything we ordered was fresh, light, and absolutely delicious. We started with some drinks which were super affordable compared to other brunch places. The espresso martinis weren't too sweet and had the perfect balance. As for the dishes the standout for me was the smoked salmon toast. The combination of the eggs, fresh dill, and sliced salmon on top of toast was so yummy. Service was nice and the place was cozy/bright. Highly recommend this spot for a girls' brunch or casual date.

This place is my absolute favourite. So coffee costs 6$ but isnt it the same at starbucks? They…read moremake the coffeeeee SO good here, and until recently and now when you ask they will do shaken iced coffees and therefore you dont have chunks of ice taking over the whole cup. Its divine. This almond crossiant cost like 7$ which was especially expensive, was it worth it? Absolutely not. But not everything can be a 5/5. However the service is good, they also have a bar to spicd things up. They have cookies and other treats. Theres a cute patio, and many sitting areas upstairs and downstairs and lots of privacy. I think its worth checking out!

Last Saturday a friend and I decided to visit this venue. We'd both previously been to their…read moreFinancial District location and I'd also visited their Harbourfront venue a couple of times as I live close by. We arrived around 3:30 pm when it was fairly occupied; they feature 'Happy Sour Hour' from 4 to 7 pm, during which all of their sour beers are reduced in price to $7.00. We ordered and shared two beers, the first a lager, the second a sour beer in order to take advantage of the discounted price. The venue is long and narrow, with two floors and a distinctive looking back patio. Our service was fairly prompt and they are located in a quite convenient location, literally across the street from the subway and the historic, flagship LCBO location. So I can recommend a visit if you're in the area and desire a drink and/or snack.

Great farm to table restaurant still offering great service and food. We came on a Sunday for a…read more"date night", we ended up sitting at the bar but moved to a table when one opened up. The bartender was friendly and knowledgeable, and when we moved to our table our server was also great. Cocktails were fabulous and the ambiance of the place is very nice. My wife ordered this vegetarian squash dish and she loved it. I ordered the steak and the cook was perfect but I found the sauce overpowering. It's personal preference, I like my steak with just salt and pepper without sauce. My fault for not reading the menu correctly. The sides of purée and veggies were great. Overall KB hits it out of the ballpark and is so much better than the chain upscale eateries.

Been here a few times with my friends who live in the east end. This time was for a friend's big…read morebday. The menu changes all the time and menu gets released the day off. Every dish I had was very good. For this meal I ordered something different, the shrimp stuffed catfish. Never had catfish so this dish was calling me. The sauce was very tasty and had a nice kick of heat to finish. Catfish was good and the shrimp stuffing was more like a meat ball texture and not really whole shrimp like I thought. Service was very good. Our waitress was chatty and was joking around with us which was fun. Ambiance is more on the rustic side almost had a saloon feel, partly because of the old building but it was quaint. There was plenty of free parking in the rear which was convenient. All in KB is a good option if you are looking for an above average restaurant in the east end.

Ever since Bent's Opera House opened, I've been curious and wanted a reason to try Harvest for…read moredinner. The opportunity finally presented itself and, overall, it was a really nice experience! Three of us had made reservations for 6pm on a Thursday and when we arrived, there were zero issues. Parking for Harvest is primarily street parking but there are smaller parking lots nearby. The interior comes across fancy, modern, with nice views of Main St. and as you walk in to the dining room, the open-kitchen to our left and a warmly lit, nicely stocked bar to our right. We were seated at a table towards the middle of the dining room. At 6pm, most tables were empty but when we were leaving there were a good amount of people at both the bar and seated in the dining room, so it seems like people tend to come for a later meal. Our waitress came over and poured us waters and provided drink and food menus. This was a first for me - the menus lit up! Our waitress though was incredibly courteous and personable, she did a fantastic job checking on us. To kick the evening off, I ordered their Honey Hibiscus cocktail, which is mezcal, Grand Marnier, hibiscus, ginger, honey, cinnamon, lime, and fee foam. This was a nicely balanced cocktail with a more floral, fruity flavor. With the open kitchen concept, it was neat to see the chef and cooks working on our meals as we relaxed, talked, and munched on some warmed focaccia-like bread with a freshly made balsamic, olive oil, herb dip. The bread was so soft with the perfect amount of chew on the crust/exterior, and served warm. For dinner, I ordered Pappardelle Mornay and added (perfectly grilled) chicken breast for a few more dollars, which is simply pappardelle pasta in a creamy cheese mornay. Our waitress crushed some black pepper atop my dish before I started in. This was excellent - The pasta itself tasted so fresh, the cheese mornay was indeed very creamy, and the grilled chicken breast was cooked, seasoned, cut, and portioned perfectly. I am really glad I added the chicken breast to this dish as I'm not sure the pasta itself would've filled me up. I'd definitely order this again! To wrap up our meal, since it was Thursday, there's a "1/2 off Nightcaps" special, so each of us enjoyed a cold foam espresso martini afterward, which is coffee-infused vodka, Nue vodka, FAIR Café liqueur, dark crème de cacao, Steamworks espresso, chocolate bitters, vanilla syrup, and topped with an infused cold foam, which we went with the Frangelico Hazelnut cold foam, and a few espresso beans. This was ridiculously rich and delish! Harvest is an intimate, elevated dining experience, designed to have you stay a while, relax, and enjoy a more personal meal. All of us really enjoyed our evening here and have nothing but high praise for the staff and quality food. This isn't a fast, casual, cheap sit-down meal, but it's an experience worth the higher price. I look forward to coming back!

In my opinion, Harvest is the nicest restaurant in the area, probably across all of Genesee &…read moreOrleans counties. It's located on 1st floor of an upscale boutique hotel in what used to be an old bank (they still display the vault). My parents have gone numerous times, but this was my first visit. The interior decor is beautiful & upscale, including comfy chairs, and tables are not packed together. The live piano music was a nice touch, though we all agreed a tad loud to support dinner conversation. From start to finish, everything was pleasing, beginning with cocktails, the Bison ribs app, root salad, & entrees. We didn't order dessert, but I saw some others getting delivered, and they looked delicious. Service was excellent. We'll be back!

Cork & Bean Oshawa chose to call the police on a peaceful, paying customer for wearing pro-Israel…read moresymbols and having a calm conversation. Let that sink in. My friend -- a Christian, not even Jewish -- was meeting with a pastor for coffee. He was wearing an IDF jacket and a Star of David necklace while discussing a recent trip to Israel. No shouting. No confrontation. No disruption. Just coffee and conversation. An employee called Durham Regional Police. Officers showed up and told him his conversation was "offensive." When asked what was said that violated policy, no one could answer. No rule cited. No clear complaint identified. Just vague discomfort -- and removal. So what exactly triggered this escalation? Not behavior. Not threats. Not harassment. Symbols. And Israel. Calling the police on someone because others don't like what he's wearing or the country he's discussing is cowardly and discriminatory. Businesses don't get to selectively silence viewpoints they don't agree with. And weaponizing law enforcement to remove someone over perceived "offense" is an outrageous abuse of discretion. If Cork & Bean believes visible support for Israel warrants police involvement, they should say that publicly. If they don't, then they owe an immediate explanation and apology. Until management addresses this directly and transparently, this establishment does not deserve community support. Do better.

In late July, my best friend and I met up for some shopping and dinner in Oshawa. We also wanted to…read moreexchange birthday gifts. The place where we had dinner had tiny tables. We decided to find a cafe and casually open our presents there. We both yanked out Google Maps on our phones. She had mentioned that she had been to a Cork & Bean in Peterborough and and liked it. I trusted her judgment and said yes. I indicated that we needed to go up and hang a left. She felt that it was the other way around -- down and hang a right. When it comes to directions, she has the better track record since we've known each other. However, she realized that she had read the map wrong and I was correct. It felt like a small triumph, but I'm not the type to rub it in. I'm not horrible at directions. She is better at it. We walked over to this cafe. It may have taken three minutes. We had to wait for the light to change, so we could have done it in two minutes. This cafe had all the windows and doors wide open. We walked in and found a table to plop our stuff down. We then headed over to the counter to check out what we'd like to drink. My friend ordered an iced coffee with oat beverage. We both liked that there were dairy alternatives. She's vegan. I'd prefer to go lactose-free. I saw a sign that said that there were seasonal flavours. I asked the helpful man at the counter if it applied to iced coffee. Yes, it did. He could make any drink seasonal. Nice! I got a large iced peppermint latte with oat beverage. I paid with a credit card. I tapped and tipped. All was great. My friend got her drink first. Moments later, mine was ready. I thanked the man and headed back to our table to join my friend. There was live music at this cafe. We were here on a Saturday evening. Jordins ID (no apostrophe to indicate possession, which seemed odd) was playing. She was great. It was nice to have her in the background as we chatted. My drink was awesome. It was cold. I liked the peppermint with the coffee. It worked out nicely. A customer had brought his dog in. This cafe is obviously pet-friendly. It was nice seeing other customers ask if they could pet the dog. The owner was nice and said yes. The dog seemed to enjoy the affection and attention. We had a nice time chatting a bunch more and opening our presents. It was the perfect place for what we wanted to do. The menu also has beer, cocktails, and more. I saw a bunch of desserts in the display case. Since we had already had dessert with our dinner, we skipped getting any food. This cafe is in downtown Oshawa. It's free street parking on weekends. I enjoyed hanging out at this cafe. It's a nice place to grab a drink and chat, while taking in some local, live music. It was perfect. (341)

Alright so gave it another shot with my friend and had a better experience. Still, please tell your…read moreservers to tell the specials and about the steaks. We should not be asking about it. Good service otherwise. We ordered the cherry cocktails that came with a candy instead of cherries. It needed cherries but it's cute to relive childhood days with a cocktail. The candy part, not the alcohol. The mushroom pate is phenomenal. It comes with a ton of it but only 2 of pieces of bread. Just needs more bread. Once again, that bread. Yum. The dates were sooo good and the flavours worked perfectly. I think we honestly nailed it with our choices if I do say so myself. Just a reminder, don't get the crudo. And get the bread!!

Newmarkets latest gem, part of the Locale brand of restaurants. This is their first Tapa style…read morelocation. The place is buzzing and vibrant with a very cool vibe. The food here is impeccable with only a few dishes I wasnt impressed with. Steaks were delicious Octopus was chared perfectly The tapas were almost all a hit. Did not like the fried sardines. The marinated ones were excellent. Duck breast was amazing. Must try the banana dessert which is nothing I have ever had. So simple yet amazing. Staff are amazing. A must visit.