Really enjoyed the setting and excellent food. Good menu selection and service But really ticked to see 13% gratuity added, didn't see this, so added tip So left $18 tip for lunch for 2.
Carolyn
Lovely spot to have lunch - went on a snowy day in January and the view was quite lovely. The bistro was very quiet - only 2 other tables occupied during our lunch. Food was outstanding and service very good. The room could benefit from a bit of upgrading - it has a ‘cafeteria' feel which left a bit to be desired and does not pair at all with the excellent food and service! Having said that, will definitely return in warmer weather to try lunch on the patio.
Lyn
We were greeted and seated by a very friendly young lady. She took great care of us throughout our stay - answered questions and provided input about the food options and made sure we were comfortable. The restaurant is very well kept and the surrounding scenery is beautiful to look out at - even in winter. It was a great outing and we plan to do it again.
Lala Dheart
Enjoyed a delicious, quiet lunch in the bistro. The food and service were excellent! It looks a little like a cafeteria inside so I was initially disappointed but the food and service made up for what it lacks in ambience. The view at other times of year would be lovely, but grey in winter. The soup and gnocchi were terrific! I’ll return in spring or summer, for sure. Parking is limited out front but there is a lot across the street.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Patricia
Everyone in our group said their meal was great. Food we had included: soup, frittata; steak & frites, beef dip, and grilled cheese. Our server was knowledgeable and very professional. The bistro has a “cafeteria” setting, but the food and service are like you would expect to find in a restaurant.
Hulene
Outstanding service from Jimmy, excellent cuisine from small well curated menu, food perfectly cooked, wonderful ambience.
Kathy
Wonderful location for brunch. Our waiter was great - he made the brunch better for his service. Lovely peaceful location. Delicious food and good portion size - not too much and not too little. Would suggest cappucino could have been hotter and the smoked trout on the eggs bennie could have been warmed. we will come again!!
Dayna
The Bistro is a ‘hidden gem’ — attentive, personable staff, a lovely setting, and an appetizing menu. It’s ‘hidden’ insofar as Bistro signage is poor, it’s seemed under-utilized each time we’ve been there, and it’s inadequately showcased by the RBG. There’s so much potential for the overall space that could likely contribute to greater overall public awareness and the Gardens’ community profile and presence, and the Gardens’ financial well-being. Our server, Jimmy, was excellent! — attentive without being obtrusive, knowledgeable of and helpful with the menu, professional, and affable — thanks, Jimmy, for ensuring that we had a lovely lunch!
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 5
Sue
The food was fine but not delicious. The ambience was cold and cafeteria-like. The waiter was attentive.
Wendy
This is a first rate place to catch brunch in Hamilton. My companion's meal was not 100% satisfactory, so food gets 4 stars. I ordered the meal with braised beef and it was lovely! Dining on the patio, in a perfect setting - unrushed, quiet and overlooking the garden - on a weather friendly day. My companion particularly enjoyed the Mimosa.
Both servers were excellent considering both a server and a dishwasher called in sick and a lot of customers were waiting. They were pleasant and apologized - and everyone eating enjoyed the atmosphere. Mine service time was excellent as I prechecked the menu and didn't need a lot of my server's time. Food was great as usual.
Barbara
The restaurant was very busy, staff were very short handed, no fault of theirs and they all handled things very well, considering. Food was quite good, might have been better if servers weren't so busy. Atmosphere was pleasant, as always. All in all a very good experience.
Judy
I would recommend eating outdoors. The clients voices in the dinning room was impossibly loud. We left thru the dinning room by 2 pm and dining room was not full. The noise was not as bad. I wish they had washed the windows. Cobwebs and dirt on the patio reminded me I needed to do my own patio. . The waitress was working hard as they were short staffed and they had a special event on the building. Food was nice. But not spectacular. I would go back, I love walking the rock garden. It was nice to be eating outside in the fall.
Matthew
Great food, service and atmosphere. RBG had the potential, I think, to do so much more with the bistro. People love to go out for brunch yet there were only 13 people in the bistro at 10:30 a.m. on a Sunday and it took us 6 weeks to make the reservation!!
Don
The food was great as usual. The service was fairly good, although the server forgot to bring coffee so we had to ask another server after waiting quite a while. Our server later apologized for forgetting us. I will say that the windows looking out to the gardens were quite dirty. Someone should clean these on a regular basis. The view is part of the experience and dirty windows take away from that experience.
Really enjoyed the setting and excellent food. Good menu selection and service But really ticked to see 13% gratuity added, didn't see this, so added tip So left $18 tip for lunch for 2.
Lovely spot to have lunch - went on a snowy day in January and the view was quite lovely. The bistro was very quiet - only 2 other tables occupied during our lunch. Food was outstanding and service very good. The room could benefit from a bit of upgrading - it has a ‘cafeteria' feel which left a bit to be desired and does not pair at all with the excellent food and service! Having said that, will definitely return in warmer weather to try lunch on the patio.
We were greeted and seated by a very friendly young lady. She took great care of us throughout our stay - answered questions and provided input about the food options and made sure we were comfortable. The restaurant is very well kept and the surrounding scenery is beautiful to look out at - even in winter. It was a great outing and we plan to do it again.
Enjoyed a delicious, quiet lunch in the bistro. The food and service were excellent! It looks a little like a cafeteria inside so I was initially disappointed but the food and service made up for what it lacks in ambience. The view at other times of year would be lovely, but grey in winter. The soup and gnocchi were terrific! I’ll return in spring or summer, for sure. Parking is limited out front but there is a lot across the street.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Everyone in our group said their meal was great. Food we had included: soup, frittata; steak & frites, beef dip, and grilled cheese. Our server was knowledgeable and very professional. The bistro has a “cafeteria” setting, but the food and service are like you would expect to find in a restaurant.
Outstanding service from Jimmy, excellent cuisine from small well curated menu, food perfectly cooked, wonderful ambience.
Wonderful location for brunch. Our waiter was great - he made the brunch better for his service. Lovely peaceful location. Delicious food and good portion size - not too much and not too little. Would suggest cappucino could have been hotter and the smoked trout on the eggs bennie could have been warmed. we will come again!!
The Bistro is a ‘hidden gem’ — attentive, personable staff, a lovely setting, and an appetizing menu. It’s ‘hidden’ insofar as Bistro signage is poor, it’s seemed under-utilized each time we’ve been there, and it’s inadequately showcased by the RBG. There’s so much potential for the overall space that could likely contribute to greater overall public awareness and the Gardens’ community profile and presence, and the Gardens’ financial well-being. Our server, Jimmy, was excellent! — attentive without being obtrusive, knowledgeable of and helpful with the menu, professional, and affable — thanks, Jimmy, for ensuring that we had a lovely lunch!
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 5
The food was fine but not delicious. The ambience was cold and cafeteria-like. The waiter was attentive.
This is a first rate place to catch brunch in Hamilton. My companion's meal was not 100% satisfactory, so food gets 4 stars. I ordered the meal with braised beef and it was lovely! Dining on the patio, in a perfect setting - unrushed, quiet and overlooking the garden - on a weather friendly day. My companion particularly enjoyed the Mimosa.
Restaurantji Recommends
Both servers were excellent considering both a server and a dishwasher called in sick and a lot of customers were waiting. They were pleasant and apologized - and everyone eating enjoyed the atmosphere. Mine service time was excellent as I prechecked the menu and didn't need a lot of my server's time. Food was great as usual.
The restaurant was very busy, staff were very short handed, no fault of theirs and they all handled things very well, considering. Food was quite good, might have been better if servers weren't so busy. Atmosphere was pleasant, as always. All in all a very good experience.
I would recommend eating outdoors. The clients voices in the dinning room was impossibly loud. We left thru the dinning room by 2 pm and dining room was not full. The noise was not as bad. I wish they had washed the windows. Cobwebs and dirt on the patio reminded me I needed to do my own patio. . The waitress was working hard as they were short staffed and they had a special event on the building. Food was nice. But not spectacular. I would go back, I love walking the rock garden. It was nice to be eating outside in the fall.
Great food, service and atmosphere. RBG had the potential, I think, to do so much more with the bistro. People love to go out for brunch yet there were only 13 people in the bistro at 10:30 a.m. on a Sunday and it took us 6 weeks to make the reservation!!
The food was great as usual. The service was fairly good, although the server forgot to bring coffee so we had to ask another server after waiting quite a while. Our server later apologized for forgetting us. I will say that the windows looking out to the gardens were quite dirty. Someone should clean these on a regular basis. The view is part of the experience and dirty windows take away from that experience.
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